The second Saturday in August is known as National Garage Sale Day. This year, that’s August 9th. I’m telling you now so you still have time to put one together, or at least plan a strategy to take advantage of garage sales that might be going on around you. HGTV shares a list of Garage Sale Strategies to optimize your time and your dollar.  But I think the basics are: plan ahead, chart a route, start early, know what you are looking for and what you are willing to spend and don’t be afraid to haggle. There is always a balance to be found between how bad you want something and how badly someone wants to get rid of it.  I know because last summer was the summer of garage sales for me, my husband, brother and any willing... [Read more]

I’m not saying that AAA hasn’t served us well. We were frequent visitors at their offices throughout our two year road trip and always walked away with resources we could use. BUT,  had we known about the Better World Club, we may have signed up with them instead. What’s the difference? The Better World Club is the: Nation’s Only environmentally friendly auto club. Membership Includes eco-travel Services, Discounts on hybrid car rental, insurance Services, Free Maps, Auto Maintenance discounts and bicycle roadside assistance. We donate 1% of annual revenues toward environmental cleanup and advocacy. If you’re thinking about making the switch, BWC will actually waive their sign up fee if you are transferring... [Read more]

What? With all the talk surrounding carbon footprints lately, it might be easy to forget that there are other natural resources in short supply. H2OConserve.com helps you calculate your water footprint. How? The Calculator gives you an estimate of the total amount of water you use, what is called your water footprint. The Calculator takes into account not only the water used in your home, but also the water used to produce the food you eat and the products you buy. Your water footprint includes other factors such as water utilized to cool power plants that provide your electricity, and water saved when you recycle. You may not drink, feel or see this water, but it makes up the great majority of your water footprint. I took the test and scored... [Read more]

Cramps suck. They suck when they signal the arrival of an Aunt that you didn’t really want to see this month. They suck when they turn your pre-menstrual blues into actual pain. But I think they suck the most when they occur in the midst of the Two Week Wait – that neverending space of time between an embryo transfer and the first day that you can take a blood test, your beta, to see whether or not something’s a’growin’. While cramps during the TWW can cause a little panic and anxiety in addition to the normal discomfort, they are totally normal and, unfortunately, not indicative of anything. In fact, they could simply be a common side effect of progesterone. Trust me. After about an hour on the internet this morning... [Read more]

Between now and August 31st, Stonyfield Farms is asking you to help it decide which of these 3 organizations should benefit the most from its Profits for the Planet (PFP) program. Stonyfield Farms will give each eco-friendly group $20,000 plus a percentage of $40,000 based on how we vote. So, who do you like best?  Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR), the Ocean Conservancy, or the Worldwatch Institute? You can cast one vote right now with one click. Or you can “bid with your lid” by mailing them, your name and address, AND the name of ONE of three participating organizations listed above to: Stonyfield Farm c/o Bid with Your Lid PO Box 4840 Manchester, NH 03108-4840 [Read more]