Can we be more old fashioned?
April 27, 2013 3:05 PM Subscribe
We are looking for old-timey things to try that will enhance our lifestyle and save us money.
Over the last few years we have incorporated various new habits into our routines that have less environmental impact, better lifestyle, and save ourselves money. We make our own bread and jam in our bread maker. We make our own soda water with our soda stream, we use handkerchiefs instead of tissues, we use safety razors instead of disposable razors, we compost through our local farmers markets, and we have taken to wearing hats.
Specifically for the hankies and the safety razors we have been surprised at how they are not just cheaper but vastly better than their contemporary equivalents. What other secrets is the past hiding from us?
What are your suggestions for us?
Over the last few years we have incorporated various new habits into our routines that have less environmental impact, better lifestyle, and save ourselves money. We make our own bread and jam in our bread maker. We make our own soda water with our soda stream, we use handkerchiefs instead of tissues, we use safety razors instead of disposable razors, we compost through our local farmers markets, and we have taken to wearing hats.
Specifically for the hankies and the safety razors we have been surprised at how they are not just cheaper but vastly better than their contemporary equivalents. What other secrets is the past hiding from us?
What are your suggestions for us?
Avoid running the AC, except only on the hottest summer days, and open a window instead. Use shutters/drapes strategically to manage how much your room heats up/loses in heat through the windows in the summer/winter.
Grow your own veggies in a garden and can your own tomatos for pasta sauce/chili/etc.
Install a rain barrel to collect water for non-potable uses around the house (watering plants/flushing toilets/etc).
posted by scalespace at 3:22 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
Grow your own veggies in a garden and can your own tomatos for pasta sauce/chili/etc.
Install a rain barrel to collect water for non-potable uses around the house (watering plants/flushing toilets/etc).
posted by scalespace at 3:22 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
Walk, or bicycle
Grow and can food
Cut your own hair
Make your own laundry soap
Go "no-poo" in the shower
Go on from hankies to cloth napkins to replace paper napkins and paper towels.
If appropriate to your climate, use cross ventilation and passive solar to help heat and cool your house.
I'm curious, what has wearing hats done for your budget or the environment? (I get the lifestyle improvement part!)
posted by attercoppe at 3:22 PM on April 27, 2013
Grow and can food
Cut your own hair
Make your own laundry soap
Go "no-poo" in the shower
Go on from hankies to cloth napkins to replace paper napkins and paper towels.
If appropriate to your climate, use cross ventilation and passive solar to help heat and cool your house.
I'm curious, what has wearing hats done for your budget or the environment? (I get the lifestyle improvement part!)
posted by attercoppe at 3:22 PM on April 27, 2013
Take the train instead of flying! It is cheaper and often works out to be about the same amount of travel time due to layovers, etc. And you get to see the country. And feel old-timey.
Read books (from the library) out loud instead of watching TV or movies together.
I second the drying rack. I used one throughout my three-year Peace Corps stint and my clothes held up wonderfully--as soon as I got home and started putting them in the dryer they just disintegrated.
posted by chaiminda at 3:22 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
Read books (from the library) out loud instead of watching TV or movies together.
I second the drying rack. I used one throughout my three-year Peace Corps stint and my clothes held up wonderfully--as soon as I got home and started putting them in the dryer they just disintegrated.
posted by chaiminda at 3:22 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
Best answer: This is pretty minor compared to something like using a clothesline instead of a dryer, but instead of chemical air fresheners, try making a pomander from an orange and cloves.
posted by Flunkie at 3:26 PM on April 27, 2013
posted by Flunkie at 3:26 PM on April 27, 2013
Best answer: Clean with bicarbonate of soda, vinegar, borax and other down-to-earth uncomplicated household products. Lots of instruction on using these if you look around.
Use a push mower if you have any lawn.
posted by zadcat at 3:29 PM on April 27, 2013 [3 favorites]
Use a push mower if you have any lawn.
posted by zadcat at 3:29 PM on April 27, 2013 [3 favorites]
Don't use paper towels to clean the house. Use rags - old t-shirts and worn-out pajamas and holey socks are all great. Toss in the wash and use them again.
Things that are easy to make at home and are cheaper and much better than ready-made: pizza dough, spaghetti sauce, salsa, salad dressing.
Instead of having AC at all, invest in ceiling fans. In northern climates they make living very comfortable on even the hottest days for a fraction of the energy. Also, pull the shades/curtains during the day to prevent the house heating up, and maybe think about awnings for south-facing windows or porches.
Make your own gifts for people, like herb mixes, bath salts, infused liquors.
Use a slow cooker for some really nice, rich tasting meals with minimal fuss and waste.
Consider getting a chest freezer, the dream of a 1940s housewife. With a chest freezer, you can buy and freeze local seasonal veggies and meats when they're abundant, cheap, and on sale, and always be able to make a full dinner without going shopping.
posted by Miko at 3:29 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
Things that are easy to make at home and are cheaper and much better than ready-made: pizza dough, spaghetti sauce, salsa, salad dressing.
Instead of having AC at all, invest in ceiling fans. In northern climates they make living very comfortable on even the hottest days for a fraction of the energy. Also, pull the shades/curtains during the day to prevent the house heating up, and maybe think about awnings for south-facing windows or porches.
Make your own gifts for people, like herb mixes, bath salts, infused liquors.
Use a slow cooker for some really nice, rich tasting meals with minimal fuss and waste.
Consider getting a chest freezer, the dream of a 1940s housewife. With a chest freezer, you can buy and freeze local seasonal veggies and meats when they're abundant, cheap, and on sale, and always be able to make a full dinner without going shopping.
posted by Miko at 3:29 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
Cook.
posted by the Real Dan at 3:30 PM on April 27, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by the Real Dan at 3:30 PM on April 27, 2013 [5 favorites]
Oh, and use cloth napkins instead of paper.
posted by Miko at 3:31 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Miko at 3:31 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
It's not really a money savor, or a water saver, but you could make your own beer.
posted by colin_l at 3:34 PM on April 27, 2013
posted by colin_l at 3:34 PM on April 27, 2013
Make your own yogurt and ricotta cheese, which are (more or less) just the cost of milk.
Shine your shoes and get them repaired at a cobbler instead of buying new ones.
Mend clothes, or repurpose ones that can no longer be mended (like turning a cashmere sweater with worn sleeves into a vest or hat, or a tshirt into rags).
Barter for skills and resources.
Get your exercise outside instead of at the gym.
Buy produce seasonally, preserve some for the future if the price is right.
If you use bar soap, either press scraps together or combine in a sewn-together washcloth sleeve.
For really good candles, melt any leftover wax and add a new wick.
Grow edibles. If you like pretty things...edible flowers.
Buy from the bulk bin and put in your own jars - it's cheaper and there's less packaging.
posted by beyond_pink at 3:36 PM on April 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
Shine your shoes and get them repaired at a cobbler instead of buying new ones.
Mend clothes, or repurpose ones that can no longer be mended (like turning a cashmere sweater with worn sleeves into a vest or hat, or a tshirt into rags).
Barter for skills and resources.
Get your exercise outside instead of at the gym.
Buy produce seasonally, preserve some for the future if the price is right.
If you use bar soap, either press scraps together or combine in a sewn-together washcloth sleeve.
For really good candles, melt any leftover wax and add a new wick.
Grow edibles. If you like pretty things...edible flowers.
Buy from the bulk bin and put in your own jars - it's cheaper and there's less packaging.
posted by beyond_pink at 3:36 PM on April 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
Not sure where you live, but I turn my heat off at night - I have a programmable thermostat that's set to let my heat get to 40 at night. I sleep with blankets and a comforter, and have a heated mattress pad that I use to pre-heat the bed before I get in.
In that vein, I also keep my heat really low (60F when we're home, 40F when we're not) and we wear sweaters, slippers, etc.
My wintertime heating bill was cut in half by that, plus there's the "using fewer resources" thing.
This is a little specialised, but if you colour your hair any reddish shade, trying using henna instead (make sure it's pure lawsonia inermis) - about $4 for a box that will do 1-2 applications depending on your hair. Plus it conditions, so you save money there.
Buy in bulk - huge money saver.
Eat seasonally as much as possible, and grow/preserve your own herbs.
posted by dotgirl at 3:39 PM on April 27, 2013
In that vein, I also keep my heat really low (60F when we're home, 40F when we're not) and we wear sweaters, slippers, etc.
My wintertime heating bill was cut in half by that, plus there's the "using fewer resources" thing.
This is a little specialised, but if you colour your hair any reddish shade, trying using henna instead (make sure it's pure lawsonia inermis) - about $4 for a box that will do 1-2 applications depending on your hair. Plus it conditions, so you save money there.
Buy in bulk - huge money saver.
Eat seasonally as much as possible, and grow/preserve your own herbs.
posted by dotgirl at 3:39 PM on April 27, 2013
Best answer: In general, I think the term you are looking to Google is Homesteading
posted by Jacen at 3:43 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Jacen at 3:43 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
Your sodastream is still running you $.50 per liter (i.e. $1.00 for a 2-liter of soda, not much savings there). Convert to a bulk tank and get the cost down to $.04/liter.
posted by zug at 3:45 PM on April 27, 2013 [6 favorites]
posted by zug at 3:45 PM on April 27, 2013 [6 favorites]
Read the Mother Earth News for tons of ideas. Hunt down the Foxfire books.
posted by jgirl at 3:49 PM on April 27, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by jgirl at 3:49 PM on April 27, 2013 [4 favorites]
You might want to check out Beá Johnson's blog, Zero Waste Home, for some ideas. I just read through all of her archives over the past few days and I am hooked. While her focus was initially on reducing waste in her home, she achieves that primarily via a DIY approach to most everything.
posted by hapax_legomenon at 3:54 PM on April 27, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by hapax_legomenon at 3:54 PM on April 27, 2013 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: Wow! So many suggestions so fast! Just to clarify, we live in a condo in Vancouver. So we don't have air conditioning. We don't have garden space or lawn, but we do try to grow herbs and tomatoes in the corner of our balcony.
It feels good that we already do many of these suggestions, but there are lots we will start doing! The website suggestions are perfect.
Keep 'em coming!
posted by sadtomato at 3:58 PM on April 27, 2013
It feels good that we already do many of these suggestions, but there are lots we will start doing! The website suggestions are perfect.
Keep 'em coming!
posted by sadtomato at 3:58 PM on April 27, 2013
and we have taken to wearing hats. This sentence filled me with joy for some reason.
Make your own clothes, cook in the fireplace, learn how to churn butter. Learn horseback riding. Invest in a classic car and an outfit to go with it! Have a "Dustbowl Day" where everyone dresses in rags and looks sad, then pile all your posessions in the car and take a black-and-white picture.
posted by Koko at 3:59 PM on April 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
Make your own clothes, cook in the fireplace, learn how to churn butter. Learn horseback riding. Invest in a classic car and an outfit to go with it! Have a "Dustbowl Day" where everyone dresses in rags and looks sad, then pile all your posessions in the car and take a black-and-white picture.
posted by Koko at 3:59 PM on April 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
Take the train instead of flying! It is cheaper and often works out to be about the same amount of travel time due to layovers, etc. And you get to see the country.
It is true that you get to see the country, but the other stuff is definitely untrue, at least in North America.
posted by deanc at 4:03 PM on April 27, 2013 [12 favorites]
It is true that you get to see the country, but the other stuff is definitely untrue, at least in North America.
posted by deanc at 4:03 PM on April 27, 2013 [12 favorites]
^^^^^
Yes, I was going to mention ... taking the train is just as expensive as flying, sometimes more, and takes much longer.
posted by Koko at 4:05 PM on April 27, 2013 [5 favorites]
Yes, I was going to mention ... taking the train is just as expensive as flying, sometimes more, and takes much longer.
posted by Koko at 4:05 PM on April 27, 2013 [5 favorites]
Thrift stores for your clothes!
posted by lemniskate at 4:07 PM on April 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by lemniskate at 4:07 PM on April 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
I also had that revelation about old-fashioned safety razors being superior to disposables! After using a safety, I now have no idea why anyone would ever use a disposable.
Things that have gotten worse with modernization tend to be a victim of the trade-off of quality for convenience. I think food is the area that's been hit the hardest.
Here are a few "secrets from the past" off the top of my head.
Coffee -- boil water and pour it through a plastic or ceramic filter cone or chemex rather than using a machine. Coffee's definitely better. And ice coffee is also really easy to make but it takes about 12 hours. You can control the strength, and it's about 1000x cheaper than its perplexingly high price at stores.
Cast iron skillets, once seasoned, are much better than any factory-made non-stick surface, and hold heat better than expensive copper cooking ware.
High carbon (NOT stainless or high carbon stainless) kitchen knives can be very cheap and hold an edge much longer than stainless, and are easier to sharpen. They discolor almost immediately, rust if left wet, and the handle on these particular Ontario knives needs to be treated, but a $15 Ontario is better than a $120 Wusthof or Shun.
Slow cookers -- cheap, easy, and you come home to a delicious home-cooked meal.
Heavy wool blankets are relatively inexpensive and extremely warm. And it's very comforting to be under all that weight on a cold winter night.
Not really "secrets from the past," more of a cheap/enviro-friendly thing but why not make your own shower spray (this totally works as well if not better than store brand).
nthing buying food that's in season. Back in the day you couldn't get pomegranates in the summer. If you buy in season, produce will be cheaper and much better.
posted by MaddyRex at 4:09 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
Things that have gotten worse with modernization tend to be a victim of the trade-off of quality for convenience. I think food is the area that's been hit the hardest.
Here are a few "secrets from the past" off the top of my head.
Coffee -- boil water and pour it through a plastic or ceramic filter cone or chemex rather than using a machine. Coffee's definitely better. And ice coffee is also really easy to make but it takes about 12 hours. You can control the strength, and it's about 1000x cheaper than its perplexingly high price at stores.
Cast iron skillets, once seasoned, are much better than any factory-made non-stick surface, and hold heat better than expensive copper cooking ware.
High carbon (NOT stainless or high carbon stainless) kitchen knives can be very cheap and hold an edge much longer than stainless, and are easier to sharpen. They discolor almost immediately, rust if left wet, and the handle on these particular Ontario knives needs to be treated, but a $15 Ontario is better than a $120 Wusthof or Shun.
Slow cookers -- cheap, easy, and you come home to a delicious home-cooked meal.
Heavy wool blankets are relatively inexpensive and extremely warm. And it's very comforting to be under all that weight on a cold winter night.
Not really "secrets from the past," more of a cheap/enviro-friendly thing but why not make your own shower spray (this totally works as well if not better than store brand).
nthing buying food that's in season. Back in the day you couldn't get pomegranates in the summer. If you buy in season, produce will be cheaper and much better.
posted by MaddyRex at 4:09 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
A bit of clarification on the train: It's a demand based pricing on Amtrak (dunno about VIA Rail) so the cost is going to depend highly on how far in advance you've bought your ticket.
Yes, time is a factor and for some places, like Cleveland, the trains arrive and depart at God's own hour, which enhances the inconvenience factor significantly. Regardless, Cleveland's where most of the Amish get on/off, in my experience, so plus one on the old-fashioned scale.
Finally, if your additional aim is environmental friendliness, the carbon emissions from the train are starkly lower than flying the equivalent distance.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 4:17 PM on April 27, 2013
Yes, time is a factor and for some places, like Cleveland, the trains arrive and depart at God's own hour, which enhances the inconvenience factor significantly. Regardless, Cleveland's where most of the Amish get on/off, in my experience, so plus one on the old-fashioned scale.
Finally, if your additional aim is environmental friendliness, the carbon emissions from the train are starkly lower than flying the equivalent distance.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 4:17 PM on April 27, 2013
Someone above mentioned making your own yogurt--we do this and it's very good. Cheaper than buying the premium stuff that we would ordinarily buy, too.
Do you knit?
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 4:18 PM on April 27, 2013 [3 favorites]
Do you knit?
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 4:18 PM on April 27, 2013 [3 favorites]
How handy are you with a sewing machine? You don't have to make your own clothes, but learning to do basic alterations -- not just things like hemming pants but adjusting sleeve length and making shirts and pants more form-fitting -- will result in a *huge* improvement without spending the money on custom made clothes, better-fitting expensive designer clothes, or the cost of professional tailoring.
Seconding the cast-iron skillets. I've never paid for upscale stainless steel or non-stick pans, and I don't know why anyone would.
If you want to go old-timey/low cost with transportation, the bus is your friend.
posted by deanc at 4:18 PM on April 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
Seconding the cast-iron skillets. I've never paid for upscale stainless steel or non-stick pans, and I don't know why anyone would.
If you want to go old-timey/low cost with transportation, the bus is your friend.
posted by deanc at 4:18 PM on April 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
Can your own beans. buy in bulk and pressure can. OMG they rate about 8x better than supermarket beans.
Find a CSA in your area to support.
Use canning jars for the bulk of just general food storage/leftovers instead of plastic containers. (the only thing I've found this doesn't work too well with is cheese)
Reuse bread bags.
Get cheap re-usable shopping bags
If you do get plastic shopping bags, use them as your trash bags
Use power-strips, and turn them off when not in use, especially in areas with a lot of power cords (like tv/stereo areas). Likewise unplug everything not actively in use.
Buy certain items in bulk (rice, flour, beans..) Make food in bulk and freeze (soups etc).
posted by edgeways at 4:32 PM on April 27, 2013
Find a CSA in your area to support.
Use canning jars for the bulk of just general food storage/leftovers instead of plastic containers. (the only thing I've found this doesn't work too well with is cheese)
Reuse bread bags.
Get cheap re-usable shopping bags
If you do get plastic shopping bags, use them as your trash bags
Use power-strips, and turn them off when not in use, especially in areas with a lot of power cords (like tv/stereo areas). Likewise unplug everything not actively in use.
Buy certain items in bulk (rice, flour, beans..) Make food in bulk and freeze (soups etc).
posted by edgeways at 4:32 PM on April 27, 2013
Use vintage Pyrex refrigerator dishes for storing leftovers. Not only do they not stain like plastic, any greasy food remnants wash off in a snap. On that note, wash dishes by hand, not in a dishwasher. It will save the finish on your dishes and wooden items.
posted by auntie maim at 4:59 PM on April 27, 2013
posted by auntie maim at 4:59 PM on April 27, 2013
Stop buying crappy, landfill bound, particle board/melamine furniture. Learn to build your own custom stuff with hand tools and locally sourced solid wood. Ideally you'd want a separate room but lots of folks improvise in a living space. The Anarchist Tool Chest will give you a lot of useful background on the basic kit of tools, techniques and a particular ethos.
posted by bonobothegreat at 5:02 PM on April 27, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by bonobothegreat at 5:02 PM on April 27, 2013 [4 favorites]
Taking a tour through The Vermont Country Store catalog, particularly the 'For The Home' section may spark some ideas.
posted by anastasiav at 5:05 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by anastasiav at 5:05 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
Use a push mower if you have any lawn.I know you said you don't have a lawn, but for others, try a friends push mower on your lawn before you go out and buy one. I borrowed a friends push mower and I basically had to mow the lawn about 3 or 4 times because the blades could only cut so much of the grass on each push—like trying to shave with a dull razor. It quickly went from the nice idea of cutting the grass in a earth-friendlier way to "Hey, how would you like a new weekly hobby that takes a couple of hand-callousing hours each time?"
Have a "Dustbowl Day" where everyone dresses in rags and looks sad, then pile all your posessions in the car and take a black-and-white picture.If you do this, don't let that photo anywhere near the internet.
posted by blueberry at 5:11 PM on April 27, 2013 [8 favorites]
For removing stains on machine-washable clothes, nothing beats a bar of soap and a washboard. I was amazed the first time I tried it.
A clothes brush is a wonderfully useful item--brush your wool clothes after you wear them to remove dust, steam any wrinkles out, and they are clean and ready to wear again.
Embrace airing and sunning! Exposing things that are tricky to clean--heavy woolen winter coats, pillows and comforters--to sunlight and fresh air works wonders to remove musty or stale smells.
You might also consider dressing in a more old-fashioned way--the way men used to wear undershirts under the shirts they wore to work, and women wore slips and dress shields to keep their outer clothes clean while they were wearing them. This doesn't mean that your clothes need to look old-fashioned (unless you like the look, of course!)--just that you wear easily-washable under-layers under your clothes, so you can re-wear the outer things without having to wash them first.
You might try to make your own cleaning mixtures--they are simple to make and effective, though you may have to scrub a bit more than you are used to. This is the manual I use, and although I think it has too many recipes in it, the ones I have tried have worked very well. They are nontoxic, and you can scent many of them with essential oils of your choice.
If you are all interested in sewing, there are many guides for how to remodel existing clothes--this is a very comprehensive one.
posted by Lycaste at 6:02 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
A clothes brush is a wonderfully useful item--brush your wool clothes after you wear them to remove dust, steam any wrinkles out, and they are clean and ready to wear again.
Embrace airing and sunning! Exposing things that are tricky to clean--heavy woolen winter coats, pillows and comforters--to sunlight and fresh air works wonders to remove musty or stale smells.
You might also consider dressing in a more old-fashioned way--the way men used to wear undershirts under the shirts they wore to work, and women wore slips and dress shields to keep their outer clothes clean while they were wearing them. This doesn't mean that your clothes need to look old-fashioned (unless you like the look, of course!)--just that you wear easily-washable under-layers under your clothes, so you can re-wear the outer things without having to wash them first.
You might try to make your own cleaning mixtures--they are simple to make and effective, though you may have to scrub a bit more than you are used to. This is the manual I use, and although I think it has too many recipes in it, the ones I have tried have worked very well. They are nontoxic, and you can scent many of them with essential oils of your choice.
If you are all interested in sewing, there are many guides for how to remodel existing clothes--this is a very comprehensive one.
posted by Lycaste at 6:02 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
Cook dinner, eat at a table.
Talk together.
posted by ibakecake at 6:05 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
Talk together.
posted by ibakecake at 6:05 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
Use a push mower if you have any lawn.
Even better (because it's true about push mowers) replace any lawn you have with a permaculture landscape. Lawn problems solved!
posted by Miko at 6:23 PM on April 27, 2013 [4 favorites]
Even better (because it's true about push mowers) replace any lawn you have with a permaculture landscape. Lawn problems solved!
posted by Miko at 6:23 PM on April 27, 2013 [4 favorites]
Canning food for me has been a terrific way to feel like I'm in touch with the seasons and with what grows. I don't make as much jam as I used to, but it's easy. And like what was mentioned above, pickles are straight forward. In fact, while you're pickling cucumbers, pickle beets too.
Every year, I use the bumper crop of tomatoes to make ketchup. Oh, homemade ketchup is a very different beast from the store bought kind and you find out that two people can easily go through an 8 oz jar in a sitting. Apple butter is similar and totally worth it.
Last year, I was a subscriber to a farm share and I loved the challenge of planning meals around what was in season. They had scapes one week. Scapes? WTF am I supposed to do with those? I made scape pesto. Oh holy shit that was good. I couldn't be around people and I was a serious vampire deterrent after eating it but it was wonderful.
posted by plinth at 6:43 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
Every year, I use the bumper crop of tomatoes to make ketchup. Oh, homemade ketchup is a very different beast from the store bought kind and you find out that two people can easily go through an 8 oz jar in a sitting. Apple butter is similar and totally worth it.
Last year, I was a subscriber to a farm share and I loved the challenge of planning meals around what was in season. They had scapes one week. Scapes? WTF am I supposed to do with those? I made scape pesto. Oh holy shit that was good. I couldn't be around people and I was a serious vampire deterrent after eating it but it was wonderful.
posted by plinth at 6:43 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
White vinegar or rubbing alcohol + a couple sheets of newspaper clean glass and mirrors far, far better than any blue stuff in a spray bottle. True sparkle.
posted by Miko at 6:47 PM on April 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Miko at 6:47 PM on April 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
Make bread without a bread maker. (It's not hard.) Mix things by hand with a wooden spoon instead of using an electric mixer.
posted by Redstart at 6:56 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Redstart at 6:56 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
Blueberry, push mower blades do get dull and you probably were cutting the lawn with some inefficient blades. They work on a different principle than an electric mower or a string trimmer, for that matter--a push mower is more like scissors, and the cutting occurs at the interface between the blade and the lower bar. Bad alignment or a dull blade makes that way less efficient. But it's total beauty when it's all set up, and way more enjoyable than an electric or gas mower. Been a while since I've had a lawn to mow but I wouldn't go back.
posted by Sublimity at 7:08 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Sublimity at 7:08 PM on April 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
Use Mason jars for storage you can get a range of lids available to turn them into anything from a drinking mug to a flour shaker and if the mood takes you you can even can things in them, which is lots of fun and even bad homemade jam is better than anything store bought.
Cast iron skillets and pans.
Use cloth napkins and use rags or real towels around the house instead of paper towels.
Get good stone ware mixing bowls and use wooden spoons instead of plastic and you'll never go back to plastic ones. Also using reusable shopping bags is so much nicer than plastic, easier to carry and you don't end up with 3 billion of them clogging up a drawer.
If you are crafty and live somewhere cold learn to knit socks, hand knitted socks are so much cosier than pretty much anything else I've found. You can also knit great oven clothes using special thick cotton yarn, they are tough as old nails and better than anything else I've found for getting pans out the oven.
posted by wwax at 7:34 PM on April 27, 2013
Cast iron skillets and pans.
Use cloth napkins and use rags or real towels around the house instead of paper towels.
Get good stone ware mixing bowls and use wooden spoons instead of plastic and you'll never go back to plastic ones. Also using reusable shopping bags is so much nicer than plastic, easier to carry and you don't end up with 3 billion of them clogging up a drawer.
If you are crafty and live somewhere cold learn to knit socks, hand knitted socks are so much cosier than pretty much anything else I've found. You can also knit great oven clothes using special thick cotton yarn, they are tough as old nails and better than anything else I've found for getting pans out the oven.
posted by wwax at 7:34 PM on April 27, 2013
Blueberry, push mower blades do get dull and you probably were cutting the lawn with some inefficient blades.
Sorry to derail but I had the same experience -- and our mower was brand new last June. Definitely go for the permaculture!
posted by Miko at 7:48 PM on April 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
Sorry to derail but I had the same experience -- and our mower was brand new last June. Definitely go for the permaculture!
posted by Miko at 7:48 PM on April 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
Use Natural Family Planning/Fertility Awareness Method instead of artificial birth control. Cheap to free, depending on the method, and better for the environment. The modern version of NFP is also much more reliable than the old timey rhythm method.
posted by Wavelet at 7:55 PM on April 27, 2013
posted by Wavelet at 7:55 PM on April 27, 2013
Discover the joy of a carpet sweeper. They save time, and hassle, and electricity, and keep your carpets nicer between vacuuming.
posted by Catch at 9:57 PM on April 27, 2013
posted by Catch at 9:57 PM on April 27, 2013
BIAB (brew in a bag) home brewing is a very cost and space effective way of brewing high quality beer at home.
Good home brewed cider is even easier
posted by brilliantmistake at 2:40 AM on April 28, 2013 [3 favorites]
Good home brewed cider is even easier
posted by brilliantmistake at 2:40 AM on April 28, 2013 [3 favorites]
Nthing drying racks and that clothes last a lot longer with them too.
Vinegar is a wonderful cleaner; it's naturally antibacterial and antifungal, and gentler than bleach. Also works as fabric softener in a pinch (quarter of a cup per load works great).
Cloth napkins are wonderful. They're pretty common here in France, so we're able to find heavy-duty woven cotton ones that last forever.
Make big batches of food over the weekend, pack them up in Pyrex (glass) containers and use them for meals at the office. Heavier than plastic, but also healthier and a lot longer-lasting.
Like home sewn menstrual pads, they take a lot more energy to clean than a silicone Diva Cup.
They take as much energy to clean as underwear and socks, which is to say, pretty minimal. They also spare Earth from plastics. The Diva cup doesn't work for everyone; it increases the severity of cramps for some women (some friends & me included). Cloth pads are also a heck of a lot more comfortable - cotton breathes. I've been using cloth pads for 12 years now and will never go back, it's just so convenient. You never have to worry about having enough around, and where I used to have to worry about overflow (have endometriosis & very heavy, unpredictable periods), I no longer do.
posted by fraula at 4:01 AM on April 28, 2013
Vinegar is a wonderful cleaner; it's naturally antibacterial and antifungal, and gentler than bleach. Also works as fabric softener in a pinch (quarter of a cup per load works great).
Cloth napkins are wonderful. They're pretty common here in France, so we're able to find heavy-duty woven cotton ones that last forever.
Make big batches of food over the weekend, pack them up in Pyrex (glass) containers and use them for meals at the office. Heavier than plastic, but also healthier and a lot longer-lasting.
Like home sewn menstrual pads, they take a lot more energy to clean than a silicone Diva Cup.
They take as much energy to clean as underwear and socks, which is to say, pretty minimal. They also spare Earth from plastics. The Diva cup doesn't work for everyone; it increases the severity of cramps for some women (some friends & me included). Cloth pads are also a heck of a lot more comfortable - cotton breathes. I've been using cloth pads for 12 years now and will never go back, it's just so convenient. You never have to worry about having enough around, and where I used to have to worry about overflow (have endometriosis & very heavy, unpredictable periods), I no longer do.
posted by fraula at 4:01 AM on April 28, 2013
Best answer: People have already hit a lot of the big ones, so here's a couple that haven't been mentioned yet -
A blog that's all about how to alter/update/upcycle crappy thrift store clothes into much nicer stuff. She's also got a book.
In that similar vein - dying fabric with natural products - even trash! I saved the skins from onions for a while and then dyed some fabric with it - I got a BEAUTIFUL gold color. I've also had great success with beets and tea. There are lots of books and web sites that tell you how to do that (almost too many to list) - a search for "all natural fabric dye" will get you started.
I'm also going to advocate a mindset rather than a thing to do - a mindset alternately described as "make do and mend" or "upcycling." It's the idea that when something is getting old/broken/shabby/generally not as useful, rather than ditching the whole thing, you find a way to repurpose it into something different. Which is in itself a very old-timey thing (the "make do and mend" phrase was actually a slogan that the UK was advocating on the home front during World War II, urging people to patch up or repurpose old things during wartime). And there are also a lot of books that can give you ideas for that too - I've seen tips for doing everything from turning old t-shirts into shopping bags or yarn (of a sort) or rags, old sheets into curtains or dresses, old blouses into placemats or giftwrap or napkins, or plastic shopping bags into lunch totes or lampshades, or coffee bags and duct tape into a tote bag...
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:02 AM on April 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
A blog that's all about how to alter/update/upcycle crappy thrift store clothes into much nicer stuff. She's also got a book.
In that similar vein - dying fabric with natural products - even trash! I saved the skins from onions for a while and then dyed some fabric with it - I got a BEAUTIFUL gold color. I've also had great success with beets and tea. There are lots of books and web sites that tell you how to do that (almost too many to list) - a search for "all natural fabric dye" will get you started.
I'm also going to advocate a mindset rather than a thing to do - a mindset alternately described as "make do and mend" or "upcycling." It's the idea that when something is getting old/broken/shabby/generally not as useful, rather than ditching the whole thing, you find a way to repurpose it into something different. Which is in itself a very old-timey thing (the "make do and mend" phrase was actually a slogan that the UK was advocating on the home front during World War II, urging people to patch up or repurpose old things during wartime). And there are also a lot of books that can give you ideas for that too - I've seen tips for doing everything from turning old t-shirts into shopping bags or yarn (of a sort) or rags, old sheets into curtains or dresses, old blouses into placemats or giftwrap or napkins, or plastic shopping bags into lunch totes or lampshades, or coffee bags and duct tape into a tote bag...
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:02 AM on April 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
To Empress Callipygos's point, "make do and mend" was promoted in the US too. Here's a WWII poster with a great slogan to remember and use.
posted by Miko at 9:07 AM on April 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Miko at 9:07 AM on April 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
Everywhere you can, sell (or store away) the powered machines you use to do things you could do by hand (or without). For example, you need no air conditioning in your climate. You can open a couple of windows.
And remember that little things usually don't make much difference compared to the big things. Switching razors probably makes you feel good about not using disposable blades, but that effort's not worth a damn if you also drive cars and use airlines. Living in a city, there's a very good chance you don't need a car. And people who fly can negate all the little environmental efforts they make all year with just one trip on an airliner. If your job requires regular flying and your job isn't about effectively promoting environmentalism (enough to offset your damage), you and your job are really bad for the environment.
posted by pracowity at 11:05 AM on April 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
And remember that little things usually don't make much difference compared to the big things. Switching razors probably makes you feel good about not using disposable blades, but that effort's not worth a damn if you also drive cars and use airlines. Living in a city, there's a very good chance you don't need a car. And people who fly can negate all the little environmental efforts they make all year with just one trip on an airliner. If your job requires regular flying and your job isn't about effectively promoting environmentalism (enough to offset your damage), you and your job are really bad for the environment.
posted by pracowity at 11:05 AM on April 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
Not to derail, but the real draw for using a safety razor and blades is that they're SO cheap. I buy mine for 29 cents apiece at Sally's and that's actually kind of a ripoff if you look online. No more shaving with a dull blade because I can't bear to spend $$$ for cartridges.
posted by fiercecupcake at 2:16 PM on April 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by fiercecupcake at 2:16 PM on April 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
A note on the bread/breadmaker; instead of fully making the bread from scratch, you can have the breadmaker make the dough (which does the hard work - kneading) and then shape the bread the way you want in the oven.
A couple of things that are *so* much better homemade than store-bought - refried beans (and a fraction of the price), tortilla's (a fraction of the price, a thousand times better, but a bit labor intensive) and corn chips (starting from cheap corn tortillas - look at your closest mexican grocery store for very cheap corn tortillas). Also; salsa/hot sauce.
Also, according to this source, it may be better for the environment to use a dishwasher than washing your dishes by hand.
posted by el io at 6:17 PM on April 28, 2013
A couple of things that are *so* much better homemade than store-bought - refried beans (and a fraction of the price), tortilla's (a fraction of the price, a thousand times better, but a bit labor intensive) and corn chips (starting from cheap corn tortillas - look at your closest mexican grocery store for very cheap corn tortillas). Also; salsa/hot sauce.
Also, according to this source, it may be better for the environment to use a dishwasher than washing your dishes by hand.
posted by el io at 6:17 PM on April 28, 2013
If you've got the freezer space, butchering your own meat is a useful skill to have. It doesn't take a lot of work, skill, or equipment to turn a loin into steaks, or a shoulder into stew meat. Heck, even just learning to break down a chicken will save you money.
posted by Gygesringtone at 11:05 AM on April 29, 2013
posted by Gygesringtone at 11:05 AM on April 29, 2013
Entertainment! Music is SO much more fun when you play it yourselves together. Books! Boardgames, backgammon was a fun discovery for me — it's way less cerebral than chess, plays more like a videogame.
posted by Tom-B at 11:57 AM on April 30, 2013
posted by Tom-B at 11:57 AM on April 30, 2013
Opposite of air conditioning: winter insulation kits. Handy savings calculator here.
posted by rada at 4:19 PM on April 30, 2013
posted by rada at 4:19 PM on April 30, 2013
I am going to join in on the push-mower pile-on. They are not very good, even new, even on small, mostly flat lawns. I speak from experience.
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 12:21 PM on May 2, 2013
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 12:21 PM on May 2, 2013
You want Lehman's Hardware Store. Originally stuff for the Amish, now awesome stuff for all.
posted by leotrotsky at 9:57 AM on May 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by leotrotsky at 9:57 AM on May 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Cook from scratch; make baked beans, real mac-n-cheese, bread, pies. Homemade apple pie, stuffed full of apples, and with not so much sugar, is pretty easy, and astounds people with how tasty it is, and that you took the time to make pie. Embrace your family's cultural heritage - my friend makes spaetzle - a Bavarian noodle. Maybe your grandmother has some recipes to share. You can make jam and jelly without corn syrup, and with whatever fruit you have. Also from wine - pink zinfandel jelly is really tasty, also very pretty.
Sew. It's cheaper to buy most clothing, but being able to mend and alter clothes, and to make cool costumes, is a great skill. There are amazing clothes at many thrift shops, needing only a button or hem. You can also customize tshirts.
Go fish.
Another vote for air-drying clothes, esp. heavy cotton, like jeans. Also, anything with elastic lasts many times longer when not subjected to dryer heat.
Cloth napkins, made of linen or cotton - no polyester. They feel so much nicer, and take only seconds to fold.
Cloth dishcloths - use them as you would paper towels. Have a lot, and wash them frequently. I use paper towels mostly to wipe oil/grease from cast iron pans, and for visitors.
Knit. Mittens and socks can be made for anybody on your giving list. If you get good enough to make sweaters, yuo can make money by doing special order knitting.
I heat with wood, and oil furnace. Please come visit and stack wood.
posted by theora55 at 10:54 AM on May 4, 2013 [2 favorites]
Sew. It's cheaper to buy most clothing, but being able to mend and alter clothes, and to make cool costumes, is a great skill. There are amazing clothes at many thrift shops, needing only a button or hem. You can also customize tshirts.
Go fish.
Another vote for air-drying clothes, esp. heavy cotton, like jeans. Also, anything with elastic lasts many times longer when not subjected to dryer heat.
Cloth napkins, made of linen or cotton - no polyester. They feel so much nicer, and take only seconds to fold.
Cloth dishcloths - use them as you would paper towels. Have a lot, and wash them frequently. I use paper towels mostly to wipe oil/grease from cast iron pans, and for visitors.
Knit. Mittens and socks can be made for anybody on your giving list. If you get good enough to make sweaters, yuo can make money by doing special order knitting.
I heat with wood, and oil furnace. Please come visit and stack wood.
posted by theora55 at 10:54 AM on May 4, 2013 [2 favorites]
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posted by brennen at 3:08 PM on April 27, 2013 [11 favorites]