Recently at Keeping the Castle, I told about my decision and journey to switch to cloth napkins. The switch has gone well and the family is accepting of the napkins.

One concern that some have about switching to cloth napkins is the cost involved. Here are some ways to save.
1)  Shop for used napkins.  You can find napkins at thrift stores and yard sales.  Many times you can find interesting fabrics and laces that you can no longer find in the stores.
2)  Make your own.  Use scrap fabric that you already have or make them from an old sheet.
3)  Check the …read more

Just this week, I visited our local thrift store/Christian ministry.  I was looking for jeans for my children.  I just can’t find it in myself to pay $10-15 (or more) for a pair of pants when I know I can get several almost new pairs for that price.  I did pretty well during my shopping trip.  I was able to get 12 pairs of pants (mostly jeans) for only 12! 

I was pretty pleased with the jeans and so were my kids.  Here are some reasons that I like thrift stores.
6)  I don’t have the guilt.  I can’t force myself to pay …read more

This week, I visited our local thrift store/Christian ministry.  They sell donated items and use the money to help those in the community.  Since it is time to begin swapping out the children’s summer clothing, I decided to shop for pants.  No matter how much buying ahead I do, we never seem to have enough jeans.  I just can’t justify paying $10-15 for a pair of pants. 
You never know what you’ll find at a thrift store.  This week, I was blessed with some bargains.  I found 12 pairs of pants for my kids for only $12!  That’s $1 per pair.

I enjoy …read more

Just as promised, we are letting you know of some great products this month for Earth Day.  This time, I had the opportunity to review some of the Bright Green™ cleaning products. Bright Green is a new line of home care products featuring cleaning and laundry soaps made with biodegradable and naturally derived ingredients, energy-efficient light bulbs and paper products made from 100% recycled content.  The Bright Green products are sold exclusively at Safeway stores.

I was able to review the Bright Green dishwashing liquid and all purpose cleaner.  The question that I have often asked myself is, “Is it possible to use green …read more

Just in time for Earth Day, we will be featuring some products and tips geared toward making your home a bit more environmentally friendly. 

All the current information about plastics, BPA, chemicals, and contaminants is enough to make a parent’s head spin.  Lunchbots helps take away the worry and confusion by offering 100% stainless steel containers.  LunchBots provide an environmentally friendly alternative to disposable containers and they go a step further to eliminate all plastics from its containers.  Finally, there is a stainless steel alternative with a lid.  The LunchBots containers are easy to clean, sturdy, and provide a great storage container for lunches …read more

Last week I wrote a review for the Clorox Green Works dishwashing liquid.  I have communicated with one of their reps and they are giving us five 22 oz bottles of the dishwashing liquid for a giveaway.  Hooray!
Entering is simple.  Just leave a comment below.  If you’d like, you can include a small bit about why you would like to try this product or what you like about it.
This contest ends on Tuesday, September 16 and is for those with a U.S. mailing address only.  The five winners will be announced next week.
Good luck!

Looking for a natural dishwashing liquid?  If so, you might want to give Clorox’s Green Works Dishwashing Liquid a try. 
I’ve been using the Clorox dishwashing liquid and personally, I’ve found that it works just as well as other dishwashing liquids at cleaning greasy and baked-on foods.  The great thing is that the liquid has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for using environmentally preferred chemistry.
All Green Works natural cleaners are made using plant-based ingredients derived from coconuts, as well as essential oils.  The products are formulated using biodegradable ingredients and are not tested on animals.  The Green Works line also …read more

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again . . . I hate those little plastic grocery bags.  I can’t stand how they accumulate in my house.  It drives me nuts that I put them in my van so that I’ll take them to the store to recycle, but forget to take them inside and then they stay in my van for a few more weeks.
Recently, I wrote about how Lowe’s Foods is allowing their customers to purchase reusable grocery bags with their green points.  And not only that, they’re giving 50 green points for each reusable bag you bring …read more

Zwaggle saves time.  It saves money.  It helps save the environment.  It is an online village of parents willing to share their things so that someone else can get some use out of them.  In return, they can receive items.
How does it work?  You simply sign up for an account at Zwaggle.  Yes, it’s FREE!  You can earn Zoints (Zwaggle points) for listing your gently used items, for signing up, and for referring others.  You can also donate Zwaggle points to charity.
It’s also pretty easy to ship items with their integrated FedEx tool which calculates shipping costs and lets you …read more

Until recently, I had never realized that my thrifty ways were helping the environment.  I never considered myself a tree hugger or environmental activist.  I always tried to do my part, within reason.  Now I am beginning to realize how frugalness is good for the environment. 
Here are some thrifty ways to help the environment, and possibly your wallet too:
1)  Replace light bulbs with CFLs.  Last year, I replaced several light bulbs in my home with CFLs.  They use at 2/3 less energy than standard bulbs.
2)  Don’t waste food.  When you waste food, you’re throwing out more, buying more products, and …read more