Free Learning!

I recently have been taking on a great free treat, podcasts. I am a mac user, but those of you with windows can also use iTunes to get a vast directory with every topic under the sun in podcast topics. Take an astronomy class from UC-Berkley, learn daily Spanish, or subscribe to podcasts on learning how to be more "green". If you are into talk radio, this is another great outlet as well, since topics can be specific to your own interests. Also, I know in the case of my husband, he has a particularily long commute to work every day, so there is always room to take advantage during the daily drive to play podcasts on American civil war history (yuck!). There are also video podcasts available too, if you like to watch your speaker. I like to load up on a podcast before a long trip on an airplane or by car on our journey back home, it makes things much more enjoyable and time go a little faster.

You don't need an actual iPod to use "podcasts" either, any mp3 player can work just fine! Depending on the length of the podcast, you may also be able to burn them on to CDs, if you do not have a type of mp3 player transmitter to your car radio. Grow your interests with podcasts, its knowledge at your disposable, with entertainment on the side. The list of podcasts on iTunes is growing every week too, so check back every once in a while!

Great Article on Saving Money for Families

Check out this great article from parenting.com on 101 money-saving tips for families

Upromise, for the future or today!

Upromise is an awesome program that you can sign up for online, in which participating retailers will donate to a college fund for you (if you are under age 25) or your child (or future children) when you buy their products.

You can participate in the program through many mediums:
a) Getting the Upromise Citi Credit Card. With the credit card, 1% of all purchases go towards a college fund, and 10% of purchases at selected restaurants and grocery store/drug store items.
b) Shopping online at selected retailers with your registered credit or debit card. Savings range from 1-25%.
c) Dining with participating restaurants. When you register with the Upromise website, you will be provided a list of local restaurants in your area that are a part of the Upromise program, and you can receive up to 8% in college savings.
d) Using your grocery store and drug store "club cards" - when you enroll there is a place to provide the numbers of your grocery store and CVS store card numbers. Different products will offer different amounts of college savings, and the Upromise website also offers e-coupons on other select products.
e) In addition there are also ways to save money for college on travel by booking with many popular online companies like Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity (also rental cars and vacations); ordering from select retail catalogs; and other random services. For example, if you have a wireless line with Sprint, you can earn $50 per line.

If you have a child, considering having a child, or are in college yourself, consider registering with Upromise. In addition, family members and friends can donate to your fund with same registration process online. You receive the amount you get back from your purchases either via check, having it deposited into a 529 fund, or you can already put it towards a student loan already taken out. Every little bit helps!

Free...therapy?

As someone who is training for and working in the field of mental health, we are all taught how hard it can be to find someone to help with problems or issues in our lives. There is an inevitable stigma that follows the idea of "therapy". For those of you unfamiliar with the experience of therapy, let me advise you, a) we do not have you lie on a couch to talk about yourself, thats a personal choice for you; b) not every therapist will ask you in-depth questions about your childhood, believing that's where you problem is (although there are still some out there that do); c) by going to therapy does not mean you are crazy, everyone has problems, and this is one of the many common ways to resolve personal problems; d) its important that you feel comfortable with and trust your therapist. I've had bad experiences myself, so if that person creeps you out or is not connecting with you, find another therapist.

In addition to feeling comfortable with the idea of going to therapy, there another issue of finding a way to pay for it. The hourly rate can be pretty ridiculus! I've been looking around at possible sources to receive free or close to free therapy, besides private practice, which is typically far from free, and here is what I know of or have discovered.

• Students - If you attend a college or university, it is likely your school has a counseling center which will serve you for a smaller rate if not free. I've seen universities where you will be charged after the first session (for very cheaply in comparison to private practice rates), or sometimes it costs nothing at all, all you have to do is make the appointment.
• Health and Human Services-type-organizations run in your local county - Often times your local county will have therapists and psychologists on board that are working for free to earn hours toward licensure, and fees are assessed on a sliding scale, meaning they assess fees to you for services based on your income, family size, and other financial obligations. You may have to do some searching on the internet for these services, like checking out your county's website, or typing in "[your county] mental health center" on google. In addition, many private practices to incorporate a sliding scale fee, but you won't know until you ask around. To look for services in your area, check your phonebook or type in "mental health in [your city]" on google to get a list of practices with their websites that might provide this information.
  
• Check your insurance policy! I was shocked to find that my insurance company, pending authorization, lets me see therapists in private practice for only $20 co-pay per session. (Not to say $20 isn't a lot, but it is much cheaper than the normal cost). However, the risks with using your insurance is that diagnoses are released to them. If your comfortable with that, go for it. If your insurance still has a crappy co-pay rate, check on it occasionally in the upcoming year. With the recent approval of the bailout bill, there was also a "mental health parity" bill approved, which means that insurance companies must be fair in assessing fees for mental health treatment - meaning they have to cost the same rates as it would be to treat a physical condition.
  
• Group Therapy/Support Groups - Group therapy is a commonly used method due to the fact its cheaper since only one or two therapists are needed to serve a large amount of people in a group at one time. In addition, people learn greatly from their peers as well as with guidence from their therapist, so a lot of times its a win-win situation. Good places to look for these are health and human services type organizations from the county, non-profit mental health organizations, and hospitals. Again, type in "mental health in [your city]" on google to look at websites of practices that offer these services. Looking at my local hospital's website, there are numerous support groups for free, however, due to the fact its a hospital their support groups are more aimed towards those with physical conditions.
• Online therapy/support groups - Due to my personal circumstances, I use these and find them to be helpful. Its also nice if you do not feel like going to actual group therapy, however, I don't believe you will get as much out of doing this online. It's a very different experience. One of my favorites is Dailystrength.org, which provides support groups for all different types of medical conditions, as well as other life circumstances that can cause a potentially great amount of stress. In addition, its also like facebook or myspace where you have a profile page and can journal and set goals for yourself. You're also likely to find support groups in places like Yahoo Groups or Google Groups, all you have to do is search for it. If you can't find what you are looking for, consider starting one! I'm actually liking this a lot, so give it a try if you think it would be useful to you.
• Student Training Centers - If you are close to a university that offers graduate programs in counseling or clinical psychology, then you might be in luck! Often times these programs will have clinics set up in university buildings which offer therapy for relatively cheap due to the fact that it is a training facility for students who are supervised by professionals.
  

If you are having some personal struggles in your life that you think you would like to open up about, but not your wallet, consider trying some of these options. If you have any questions for me, please feel free to comment or email frugalgreengirl@gmail.com

Good luck!

Nutrition and Your Body

I don't think you need me to tell you that good nutrition habits will help keep the doctor away, as well as any medical bills or even money for cold or flu medicine. There are awesome ways to plan out your diet on 5aday.gov and of course, books galore on the subject. I often found myself discouraged with eating right because I didn't have the time or the money to do so. "That means making meals I don't know how to make and spending a lot of money at the Co-op for organic foods" I would tell myself. Not necessarily true. I know most of my meals are "on the go" types. Rarely do I get time to actually sit at the dinner table to eat (and then again, I do not have children to feed either). A good strategy for preparing on-the-go lunch types are one word: leftovers. On Sunday night, when I actually have time to prepare a meal, I make it larger than usual, and then use the remaining leftovers as my lunch for the rest of the week. Easy, microwavable, and likely to be healthier than fast food or a bag of potato chips. In addition, good lunches can consist of some excellent sides that come in bulk, like buying a large bag of pretzels, and putting them in a sandwich bag and then a REUSABLE lunch sack everyday. I also buy a large sack of string cheese or yogurt, and possibly some canned fruit into a small tupperware container. This is also where your reusable water bottle comes in handy. Lunches like this can generally cost (depending on ingredients) less than 50 cents!

Not everything has to be organic to be "green" or healthier. I always thought you would have to shop at the Co-op to be eating healthier, and I have often strayed away because their prices are generally very expensive. I wish I could afford to be a regular patron, but being a student does me no favors here. There are many items in your grocery store that already offer organic options, and you might not even know it. Even making switches from white rice to brown rice, white bread to wheat bread are going to be steps in the right direction. After eating healthier foods for a while, I notice that I can't go back due to the awful taste. Lays Baked Chip options have already turned me away from most regular fried potato chips...they just taste different now. Your produce section by far will be your healthiest, and likely provide more organic options. Kashi, usually found in the cereal aisle, offers some great granola bars that I have almost everyday for a mid morning snack. They offer a lot of great (and tasty, I might add) options for high dietary fiber intake. Kashi is one of many companies known for its organic nature, and natural gravity towards wellness. Right now they are offering coupons for a free cookie, one of their new products. I have also been noticing grocery stores are now adding separate "Natural Food" or "Organic" sections to the store. It will all be coming together before we know it, as grocery stores are now seeing the value of providing customers with healthier choices.

Beyond this information, if you have not seen documentary films like Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me, or Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation, I would highly recommend either. They examine so much of what is going on in the food industry with corporations, and you can see the physical and psychological effects of bad eating habits, and the effects of this lifestyle on the environment, in Super Size Me. Consider either my "green recommendation for the month". BBC America also has a show, You Are What You Eat, which each show examines a generally overweight, British citizen every show, and shows them how their diet is effecting their behavior and life, and how to make positive changes in the right direction, which includes basic recipes as well as exercise routines. Think of eating healthy as a long term investment in your health.

I'd also like to invite you to take part in Vegetarian Awareness Month. Give it a try for a day if you aren't a vegetarian already. Many studies have shown that vegetarians are generally healthier and live longer than the rest of us meat eaters. Although I am not a vegetarian, I do appreciate vegetarian options and their lifestyle, and do occationally take part.

Christmas is coming sooner than you think...

As a graduate student, I think its almost a prerequisite that you live a great distance from home during your studies, I'm currently holding a 600 mile buffer-zone myself. Anyways, Christmas has always been a stressful time for myself, not because of finals or worrying about gifts to give...its those people who want to buy me gifts I have had the problem with. I had trouble communicating with both families, people got upset with me and other people because they had bought me both the same thing. Not only that, that also meant returning stuff, which is every person's dream right after Christmas. Talk about a waste of time, money, and energy mending the wounds of Christmas chaos.

This year, I have taken a new approach with the help of thethingsIwant.com At this website, it allows you to create a universal registry of items for any occasion (or none at all), including Christmas. You can even get a button added to your browser tool bar so that any time you are browsing a webpage and see something you would like, just click on it and a small window will pop up where you can edit the title, price, add any notes (like, "Won't be released until Dec. 12"; "Would prefer in white"; etc.), and designate the priority of the item. The viewable list will also provide a picture and link to the page you took the item from.

Then, when you are ready to share your list with all of those people who wish to shower you with gifts, you can share with them through email available. You can put a password on the list or make it entirely private if you are worried that too many people would buy you things ;) Anyways, so now your mom can look at your list, and can make the choice to buy an item from the site you provided, or choose the "Offline Reservation" button, which means they are going to either buy it in person or somewhere else online. Either way, it will let other people know the item has been bought.

"It will take away the surprise!" I hear you say. Have no fear, simply modify the list and click the option that says "Suprise me!" and you won't be able to know who has bought you something or what has been bought, just like Amazon's wishlists. In addition, having these lists are always helpful because you are asking for things you would actually like, want, or need. Theres nothing like faking that smile and bringing your item back or perhaps throwing it in the closet. I have especially made a point this year to not just put fun things on my list, but also more practical items like an electric toothbrush or a blender.

I'm excited to try this one out, and I am hoping this will reduce the conflict and stress of previous years. If you know what I am talking about, give it a look if you have technologically connected relatives. Heres to the start of the Christmas season!

Verdict: The Diva Cup - Two Green Thumbs up!

After spending the past few days with my little silicone cup, I found that I have come to like it a lot! I was incredibly skeptical, just because I think all women have issues down there, and we're all different. I wasn't sure if this would work with my weird body. It does take a few days to get the hang of using, and it will seem a little strange to use at first, but it has been VERY effective in its purpose. I desperately want to tell people how great this invention is because I feel that much better about producing less waste for the environment! Anyways, here are some of the pluses and minuses experiences I have had this past week with the Diva Cup.

Plus: No, absolutely no, leaks. Not even a little bit. I'll have the confidence to possibly ditch the pantyliners next time around. Hands down though, I've never seen anything like this before, and its friggin' awesome!

Minus: I'm still finding a bit of difficulty with removal, but again, I think that's something that takes time to get the hang of. It usually doesn't take me longer than a minute to remove after using it only a few days.

Plus: The cup can stay in place for 12 HOURS! Which means that if you are in a place where you don't have access to a private bathroom and sink, you likely won't need to remove it until you get home. However, the Diva Cup comes with a full set of instructions on cleaning and changing your cup in places other than your own bathroom, don't worry!

Minus: If you sleep with it in, it might take a few hours in the morning for gravity to pull it down, which can be a little scary, so I would recommend trying the cup out first during the day time hours rather than at night. With experience, you'll learn how it will work with your body.

Other pluses: Talk about less waste! This cup provides all of the benefits of tampons without the waste or TSS risks. Every year, an estimated 12 billion sanitary pads and 7 billion tampons go into our landfills, furthermore poluting with some of the toxic ingredients used to make these products. Think of the difference you and a few of the friends you tell (and the few friends they tell) would make a difference by not contributing to that waste. You don't need to get a hybrid car to make an impact on the environment. In addition, we are also talking about great money savings too! Women spend on average $150 - $200 a year on disposable feminine hygene products. I payed $30 for my Diva Cup and will expect to see a savings of $50+, and the following year will see even more because the Diva Cup can be reused again and again!

I want to thank the fellow reader again who suggested this idea, it is such a wonderful alternative and it has been a great inspiration for my blog these past few weeks. I hope this will encourage fellow female readers to look for healthy alternatives for feminine hygene products for the environment. Check a couple of posts down if you missed it!

Shopping Smart for Clothes

One thing that I have been trying a lot recently when I purchase clothes, shoes, anything I wear, I will first and foremost try it on in the store. Although trying things on in the store is often times a pain in the butt, it will prevent you from buying a lot of things that are impractical or don't fit. Dressing appropriately is difficult to discover when you are looking at an item on a hanger. Its about body shape, color, fabric, fit, etc., and it will be impossible to see these things without trying on your own body. In addition, if the clothes don't fit, always always ALWAYS return them. Commonly, when I buy new pairs of shoes that end up giving me blisters, I just throw them in the closet and forget about them, which is basically like throwing money away. Barry Schwartz talks about in his book, The Paradox of Choice, that we will often hold on to things that we don't use until the "psychological value" has worn off. We feel this need to keep these items, because we spent money on them, but we don't use them. The main reason to try things on in the store is to prevent you from bringing an item home so that it won't end up in your closet for the rest of its life.

A common suggestion from the folks at What Not To Wear on TLC is to bring clothes that may need a more appropriate fitting to a tailor. And if it makes the difference between wearing or not wearing clothes, or even being more satisfied with how a piece of clothing fits, consider having the items alternated for your own body. We're all different and don't fit the designer's size!

When you shop for clothes, shop as smart as possible and make sure these clothes fit you personally! You will get more wear out of your clothes, and spend less on the ones you never wear!

Follow Up to Friday

For those of you who read Friday's post and was left curious, I decided to investigate further for more green feminine hygiene products at my local co-op today. While I left the store with a Diva cup, which I am excited to try out, there are a couple of other products out there for "greener" periods. First, there are washable pads. You would likely have to buy a decent store of them, and at my co-op they were about $10 each, however, you will have to see them as an investment, just like those who use cloth diapers, which I also hope to write on eventually as well. If the idea of washing them grosses you out, a lot of times there are services out there that can do the dirty work for you, like places that clean cloth diapers. For an online directory, check out this website. Next, there are pads and tampons that are "chlorine-free" and organic cotton pads. Obviously these are an option, however, they will cost you some chunk change every month, since most organic products cost more than their regular counterparts. Since I am all about saving money and the environment at the same time, I opted for the Diva Cup since it fits the bill.

When I actually get to try out the Diva Cup, I will leave a product review here, for all of you who might be contemplating the switch as well. Thanks for all of your feedback and ideas!

For Ladies Only...

So ladies, I know you have all seen commercials on TV for "shorter, lighter periods" with oral contraceptives, and there are also birth control pills like Seasonique that only give you periods every 3-4 months rather than every month. I have always been super-conscious about doing this, I figured, "Hey, this is going up against what the body natural does, and since it sounds like one of those ideas that is too good to be true, it probably isn't healthy. I bet when you do get periods, they are for like two weeks, too." However, I recently had the annual exam with my nurse practitioner, and I decided to ask her about them. She told me not only is it okay idea, but your period is typically lighter when you do have it.

So now I want you to think about how much you spend on those lovely "feminine care" items every month. I consider myself an over-user, since I am paranoid about the smell, leakage, TSS, etc. I would say I spend at least $5 monthly on those items. Times that by 12, that's roughly $60/year. Also, if you buy wipes or any other accessory-like items, add those in too. Now times that amount by 4, instead of 12. That's roughly $20 rather than $60. I know you're probably thinking, big deal, $40, but that can be used for a lot of things, including a savings account with interest!

If thats not enough to make you think about finding a way to have less periods, consider how much waste goes into the environment every time you have a period. Applicators, tampons, pads, wrappers, plastic bags, wipes, the list can go on. All of these go into a landfill like any other garbage, unless you are one of the rare, super-environmental conscious women that uses washable forms of feminine care products. Imagine the amount of waste you use for periods goes down by two-thirds. For me, thats close to 4 garbage bags. Think about what you might be using.

Not to sound like a drug commercial, but check with your doctor if you think one of these options might be right for you.

I know this choice is not for everyone, and I hope no one is offended by my mentioning of oral contraceptives here. While I am liberal, I understand not every one is, or agrees with the use of birth control. Due to the nature of my blog, I am always looking for ways to save money, and save the Earth, in ways not thought of by most. This posting in no way advocates for particular sexual lifestyles.

Fellow reader Melisma, posted a comment regarding another form of feminine protection...

"I'm a HUGE fan of the Diva Cup - check it out here: http://www.divacup.com/. (Think of it like switching from plastic to canvas bags!) It's a little silicone cup that you tuck up there and empty a few times a day during your period. Surprisingly little mess, and super easy. It lasts for many years. It takes some getting used to, but it eliminates virtually all that garbage created by tampons and pads. Anyone can use it - it doesn't have any hormones and I can't imagine a way it could conflict with moral beliefs."

What a great way to go green! I'm definitely looking into it, thanks Melisma!

Bill is Back!

I was incredibly excited this past weekend to see Bill Nye is back on TV, (and I sit and remeniss about the good ol' days of kids programming on PBS), only now he has a new series on Planet Green called "Stuff Happens". It looks at how things are made, and how they effect the environment. Also, some green tips are slipped in too, of course. Its almost like his original show, only minus the annoying kids, the narrator dude, and the lame-o music video at the end. So mostly pluses. Anyways, check it out or DVR it, I learned a lot about bathroom products during the last episode.

Tips for this week

I have been thinking about some things I have been telling people to do over these past few weeks, and forgetting about my lovely readers here at Frugal Green Girl! Anyways, here is a summary of some tips for saving some money from my experiences over the past few weeks:

• If your a woman (or a high maintenance man), hair products can cost a load of money every month, especially wearing top brands like Paul Mitchell. If you are looking for a cheaper way to get these same products without the ungodly price, check out your local Sally's Beauty Supply. They offer a whole section of "generic value products" (come in black and white bottles) that will even say on them "Compare to: Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum". There is literally a whole wall of these products and I would recommend to give them a look especially if you have a daily assortment of expensive product.
• Podcasts. If you haven't been around this area on iTunes yet, give it a look. There is a podcast out there for everybody, and the majority of them are absolutely free. I had a friend who didn't have a radio with him at the gym but liked to listen to NPR while he exercised. They had NPR podcasts, problem solved! You can take Spanish lessons, catch up on shows you missed, or find out ways to be more green! Ask for a subscription and it will automatically download new podcasts everytime you open iTunes, or ones you don't have yet. If you ever wanted to take a class in your spare time, podcasts are a great place to find what you are looking for without the price.
• I've also been disturbed lately by the high amounts of dog crap I see around my apartment complex, which allows dogs. For some reason people believe that since it's waste matter that it will decompose on its own and be okay just leaving it, since its done in nature too with wild animals. Well, those animals do not eat processed foods or human food for that matter, and it will not decompose properly. So be sure to pick up after your animal with biodegradable bags, they make them quite handy these days. For more ways to green your pet, check out this article at Planet Green. A lot of these tips are easier than you think, like adopting from a shelter, spaying or neutering your pet, keeping your dog on a leash or the cat inside, or simply putting ID tags on your pet are many ways to be green.

Hope your weekend has been treating all of you well, and I hope to post again sometime this week.

Measure your ecological footprint!

There are tons of places online where you can measure your "ecological footprint", I happened to try this one from Conservation International. Helps you think of and learn about more ways you can help the environment in the process. Thankfully, I scored a 50, which shows great progress for me! Give it a try and see where you fall...

Happy Labor Day!

Hello everyone, my apologies for fleeing off this week, but it has been a crazy week. Right now I am currently studying for my Master's degree examination, which is on the 19th, in addition to starting new classes and jobs, so my future apologies for my less frequent entries on here, they will likely be once or twice a week. It comes with the craziness of a new school year.

Anyways, here are a couple of things I have been trying/doing lately to help the environment and/or save money:

• Cutting down on appliances used to do my hair. On weekends, since I don't have to look so amazingly beautiful, I don't dry my hair with a blow dryer or use my straightening iron. I know not all of us can get away with it, but I have actually had people tell me they like my hair better without all the product and finesse. It takes less of my time to work with too!
• Spending less time in the shower. I do this by either cutting back on shampooing (not everyday) or just trying to do things quickly. Shampooing everyday can actually harm your hair since it is removing the natural oils that make your hair smooth and pretty.
  
• Take a look at what your city provides in terms of recreation facilities. My husband and I just took advantage of using the local indoor aquatic center, and found it to be a great facility where kids can be separated from adult swim, and we can work on all of those strokes to be the next Michael Phelps. And the great part is, because it is run by the city, it won't cost you an arm and a leg to go every time.
  
• In addition to facilities, our city also runs adult sports leagues, which are also quite cheap. We are looking to play some old-school dodge ball this year, and they also offer kickball, softball and other fun sports that you can enjoy. Its a great way to meet and socialize with friends without spending a lot of money to go out.
  
• Devising recipes for your favorite restaurant dishes. I have put together a potential recipe for Pizza Hut's Meaty Marinara Tuscani pasta, and that will save me some money since I love to eat it so much! I'll be sure to let you know how it turns out!
  
• Michael's craft stores have teamed up with Wilton cake decorating to provide classes at a very cheap price. During September, tuition is 50%, from the usual $36 4-week class. I consider this an investment, especially for what cakes today cost. You can make your own amazing cake for a made-from-scratch price. Plus, the compliments are always great to boost your self-esteem. The only disadvantage is it makes me want to quit school and open a cake shop. They should have offered that in home ec.
  
• Catch stuff at the end of the consumer season. I have wanted patio furniture for a long time now, but I didnt want anything big since we will be moving in a year. Going to the local department stores, I found some nice $7 lawn chairs on clearance with it being the end of the summer season. Now I can sit outside with out being uncomfortable in the grass from bug bites.

Well, that's most of what I have been discovering lately! You should be covered for a little while ;) Happy Labor Day everyone!

Down time...

I apologize, with a new school year starting, I am still getting adjusted to my new hectic schedule... I will be taking a break until the weekend. Green on!