What have you given up lately?

I am trying to get rid of as many disposable paper products in my house as possible.  I do still buy paper towels, but it takes us quite a while to use up a roll.  Just about the only thing I use them for anymore is to clean glass and to clean up extra nasty messes such as cat vomit.  Instead, I use old towels to clean up messy spills or microfiber towels for extra wet messes.  

I also haven't purchase disposable paper napkins in quite a while.  We have a few cloth napkins, but I would like to add a few more to have on hand for entertaining.  For the kids, I have been using old cloth diapers as napkins for a few years.  Several of them are starting to show their wear.

I may buy paper plates on rare occasions, such as a child's birthday party, but that's about it.

Lastly, there is toilet paper.  No, I'm not giving that up, but do buy paper made of recycled materials much to my husband's chagrin.  I have heard of households using "family wipes,"  but I am not nearly daring enough to take on that sort of task.  Some things are best kept private in my opinion.

Sunscreen

Just when I think I have a product that is supposed to be safe, I read that some of the ingredients are not acceptable to some companies or users.  One such ingredient is oxybenzone, a common sunscreen ingredient that is said to disrupt the endocrine system and/or be potentially damaging to the reproductive system.  Another ingredient is vitamin A which sounds like a good additive, but is said to be a possible cancer causing agent.

In my quest to find paraben free, cruelty free, and less toxic sunscreens the key is affordability.  There are sunscreens out there that are supposedly better for you than others, but also cost a small fortune.  For now I am going to try Nature's Gate Aqua Block. 

Sure, a lot of this may be hype and a way to steer folks like me to new and more expensive products, but I figure if I can find something that is supposed to be more safe for my children, I am likely to buy it.

Rewards Programs

I don't know about you, but currently my wallet is bursting with loyalty/discount cards from various retailers.  Several of them are valuable because they offer you access to sales that you would otherwise miss out on without the card.  A couple of these are PetsMart and CVS.  Others, however, track your purchases and reward you with coupons or other discounts when you have spent a certain amount at their store.  Last time I went to Arby's (about a month ago), I was handed a discount card.  Seems a bit silly to me, but I'm sure there are folks out there racking up points to earn free roast beef.

Summer Reading

I'm looking forward to reading more this summer.  I went to the thrift store earlier in the week and picked up several paperbacks for $.99.  I have a couple of titles picked out to take to the beach in July.  I love to read on the beach, but don't get to as much these days since I now have young children to watch.   

Right now Amazon has a large selection of discounted Kindle titles.  It looks like a promotion for the kickoff of summer reading.  Lots of genres are included and prices range from $.99-$2.99.  Start browsing here.  Now, to narrow it down and not get carried away.

Hidden Code

I have shopped through Sierra Trading Post periodically over the last few years because they do offer some significant savings on shoes.  However, many times the shipping fee cancels out the savings and a lot of times I will pass on making a purchase.  But, I was recently glancing through a catalog from them  and noticed a code within a product description that was said to give free shipping on an order.  I really thought this must have been some sort of misprint, but I did in fact give it a try and it was valid.  I guess they do want you to give their print materials a closer look, which I will do if I am interesting in making a purchase.

Online Rebate Programs

If you do any online shopping and are not registered with an online rebate site, you are losing money.  It is very simple to set up an account, and you earn a cash back percentage at many many online retailers.  The site I use is Mr. Rebates, and another popular site is ebates.  Not only do you earn cash back, but you also can find out about additional coupons and discounts available at those retailers.

The program at Mr. Rebates allows you to withdraw you balance when it reaches a minimum of $10, when you can then request either a check or a transfer to your paypal account.  The payments are made quarterly.

Click here for my referral link.

One of the only drawbacks, the very popular retailer, Amazon.com, does not participate in these programs.

Happy shopping!

Iced Coffee

Thanks to my sister, one of my few blog readers, I was able to try a couple of samples of Starbucks instant iced coffee.  It was pretty good, but I don't think it is something I will be purchasing.  Instead, I will stick to making homemade iced coffee from this recipe shared by Mommy's Kitchen.  I like making the coffee myself, because not only is is more cost effective, but you can control the taste and make it more to your liking.

Also, thank you to my two loyal followers for checking out my blog.  I've been blogging less lately and working with the design more.  Hopefully I will settle on something and get back to posting more often.