Questions about going vegetarian/vegan

I had quite a few people email me or leave comments about going vegetarian or vegan after this post, and I'm just going to respond to all of you here. Two months later. Bear in mind that I'm probably not the typical vegetarian, for reasons that will become clear as you read.

Did you grow up in a vegetarian household?
Not even close. There was always a diverse supply of meat: mostly venison from bow-hunting and ostrich and reindeer from a local humane farm. Standard fare like chicken and beef was rare until my mother found a shop that carried hormone-free fare, although my she would often serve something like weird like rabbit or emu and say, "it's chicken." Plenty of nature on the walls and in my mother's closet, too.

Do you dislike meat?
Even as a toddler, I hated meat, especially the texture. I have since learned that I inherited a rare and otherwise benign condition that causes my body to hold onto iron, resulting in very high iron levels. Thanks, Grandma! Analagous to how even a dedicated pre-menopausal veggie lady will crave red meat a few days a month, I suspect this likely explains my aversion. It also means I am rather friendly with the folks at my local blood donation center - a little bloodletting here and there is obviously preferable to iron-lowering drugs.

That said, I so love a hearty pot roast and look forward to making beef bourgogne this weekend.

Why did you go vegetarian?
There are, I think, three reasons to go vegetarian: religion, ethics, and health.

Many faiths restrict certain foods or recommend certain diets. Even where a vegetarian diet is not a rule, some individuals choose it out of convenience. For example, because of the prohibition against mixing meat with dairy, some observant Jews will simply choose to avoid all meat.

I suspect that most people go vegan/vegetarian for ethical reasons. We all know that many meat operations do not raise, feed, or slaughter the animals in a humane way. The same can also be said about, say, the care of cows and chickens who provide us with milk, cheese, yogurt, and eggs. I kinda feel that if you're going to cut out meat because you feel bad for the animals, you might as well stop consuming dairy products as well...and no leather, either. It's all the same principle, isn't it? There is also a second environmental/economic facet emerging - briefly, it is more efficient to produce plant foods than meat foods, and maybe those cows are putting holes in the ozone layer.

I have no answers as far as ethics. Sorry. I love leather and cheese and my mink-trimmed gloves.

That leaves health.

It is generally accepted that a meat-free healthy diet is healthier than meat-containing heathy diet. Yes, I know there are caveman diets out there, but let's stick to the mainstream stuff, shall we? Regular consumption of red meat has been linked to a whole host of unpleasant, life-shortening conditions. Regular consumption of veggies, fruits, healthy plant fats*, and whole grains has been linked to all sorts of pleasant, life-extending benefits. I eat primarily vegetarian for health. You've probably already concluded I don't do it for the ethics. I also never got up and went vegetarian. I simply eat what I like - which just happens to not be meat.

Now, I will sometimes eat meat. It isn't very PC these days to say this, but I believe that, save for an allergy or religious conviction, eating whatever your host has prepared with a smile is a hugely important Life Skill. My work life involves a lot of eating out, and not all restaurants have even a single vegetarian entree. I'm loathe to being That Person with all sorts of dietary requests, especially in a professional environment where (usually) being the only female and the only person under 40 presents enough of a barrier to fitting in. On the plus side, though, I've learned that even when a catered event asks you to pick between beef or salmon, you can call ahead and request a veggie entree. It is almost always much better than the meat dishes, though, so be prepared to share! Don't do this at a wedding, but definitely consider it if your work-related event is in another country.

What would happen if your future husband were a meat eater?
He would eat meat, I imagine. With limited exceptions, what other people put into their bodies doesn't particularly concern me. Obviously, I'd like my spouse to (1) live a long healthy life and (2) maintain a nice BMI - and I expect my spouse would want the same for me. That means that most meals will be healthy and take into account our individual caloric requirements. Though I rarely eat it myself, I do grill up a mean steak!

Again, this is easy for me to say because I'm not motivated by vegetarian ethics. In general, I think that if someone has a strong conviction about anything - faith, saving the trees, not eating meat - she should tailor her dating life accordingly.

What athletes are vegan/vegetarian?
Mr. Universe Bill Pearl, Robert Cheeke, Desmond Howard, Martina Navratilova, Edwin Moss, John Salley, Bill Walton, Robert Parish, Paavo Nurmi, and Chris Campbell are a few of many who are reported to follow (or have followed) at least a vegetarian diet.

Do you rely on protein bars or protein powders?
Yes, but for mostly good reason and a little bit because I'm lazy. When I was working, many meals were taken in the car and a smoothie (soy milk, protein powder, berries, yogurt, and greens powder) was easier to eat than something like a cheese and hummus sandwich. A protein bar can be tucked into a briefcase and nibbled discreetly, unlike a plate of quinoa. In addition, my blood sugar can plunge in mere seconds, making a quick, neat, calorie-dense snack a necessity. I like Promax protein bars and Larabars, which are vegan and raw and yummy. I also eat a lot of almonds. Neither Promax nor Larabar is paying me, but they should with the amount of business I give them.

Have you lost weight?
I'm not trying to lose weight, but replacing some or all of your meat with something lower in calories is one way to lose weight. You have to do it right, though, and keep in mind that weight loss is largely a matter of calories in/calories out. Snickers bars, cheesy poofs, beer, soda, and tobacco are all vegetarian. If portion control is a challenge for you, then yes, switching to something that is filling but less dense in calories - spinach tossed with a little garlic, lemon, and olive oil or veggie soup instead of a saucy steak or cheeseburger - is a fantastic way to lose weight. Most fruits and vegetables have a low calorie-density; meats do not.

How frugal can a vegetarian diet be if the cost of produce is so high?
It can be relatively inexpensive - even in the winter - if you shop properly. Stick to in-season produce and don't buy anything pre-cut. Off-season, visit the freezer aisle. At my grocery store, a big bag of frozen spinach and medium-size bags of broccoli, peas, and carrots goes for under a dollar. I could probably do better price-wise at Wal-Mart or a warehouse club, but they are inconvenient for me. Frozen berries, pineapple, and mango are cheaper than fresh and reasonably priced at Trader Joe's. Beyond that, I am fortunate to be able to shop at a year-round flea market with cheap produce stalls. I have a large chest freezer and stock up when there is a sale. I also live off my garden in the summer - something I can accomplish in a tiny yard by using grow boxes. Remember that if you buy more grains, legumes, and eggs and less meat, you will likely have more to spend on produce. Do a little comparison-shopping, too. It takes 30 seconds to glance at a grocery circular. Finally, I suggest that getting your RDA of produce has a heckuva ROI!

Does it gross you out or offend to go to a restaurant and have people at your table order steak?
Not at all. Again, not PC to say this, but I firmly believe that anyone who is offended by what someone else is eating needs to grow up.

Do you have tips for making the switch?
1. The fastest way to guarantee that your veg kick will last a week, tops, is to go out and load up on tofu. That stuff is awful. Unless you marinate the heck out of it and fry it or hide it in a smoothie, you won't like it. If you have, have had, or are at risk for certain cancers influenced by estrogen - like breast and prostate cancers - you should be aware that there is conflicting evidence as to whether soy prevents or causes cancer...or both.

2. Treat meat as a side - not a main course. No need to cut out meat completely unless that is what you want to do. Or just use less meat. Instead of a steak per person, slice up half a steak and serve over a salad, finely chop half a typical serving of chicken into a soup, or sprinkle bacon over a bean soup.

3. Explore faux meat products, but don't view them as a necessity. Personally, I love textured vegetable protein and garden burgers (which, unlike veggie burgers, don't strive to iminate meat). The rest of the stuff is hit-or-miss. Some of the meat-imitating products - sausage, bacon, etc. - are packed with salt.

4. Pick up a few veggies cookbooks from your library or browse for individual recipes online. If a "tasty veggie entree" sounds like an oxymoron to you, a cookbook is a must.

5. Find a nice friendly spice shop or explore the spice aisle. Especially if you're not used to eating plain veggies, learning how to spice up bland foods is a must. Try to do it without salt or much butter if you can. I use garlic, lemon, red chili pepper flakes, fresh basil, chives, pepper, thyme, and parsley a lot in my kitchen.

6. Be mindful of protein - but also realize that most Americans believe they need much more protein than the average American needs.

7. Experiment and have fun!


* Unless that eggplant is baba ganouj, in which case the speed at which I can polish off a to-be-shared-sized appetizer will terrify amaze you.
** I guess I could do a whole post on fats, but remember that your brain is largely cholesterol. Cholesterol-lowering drugs, for example, often cause short-term memory issues for that reason! Your brain needs fat to function. Your body needs fat to absorb certain vitamins and minerals. And fat doesn't make you fat - eating too many calories does that.

Frugality Series 2: Food and drink

A few disclaimers here...

- I'm single and have only one finicky palate to please.

- I rarely eat meat; going vegetarian - whether for life, 1 day a week, or even 1 meal a day - will likely cut grocery bills. Disclaimer to this disclaimer: I have nothing against meat-eating or meat-eaters.

- While I've seen the coupons+sale timing game in action and know that it is fully possible to get $742 worth of groceries for under $5, I rarely use coupons because most of the items I eat simply don't come with coupons. If you use coupons, there are tons of sites that will allow you to print them out at home.

- I feel best when I eat healthfully and I do not always take the cheap route. A good example is oil: I have a pronounced addiction to olive oil and go through an obscene three liters per month despite the fact that vegetable oil is much, much cheaper.

- I take a handful of supplements, probably spending anywhere from $10-$60/month, depending on whether there is a frequent 2-for-1 sale, things like fish oil (don't eat fish), B12 (don't eat meat), and calcium+D (small framed white female = high risk for osteoporsis). While it is generally best to get vitamins and minerals from food, a quality supplement from a reputable brand is an alternative. And while spending $15/month on fish oil might seem excessive, it is still cheaper than eating salmon a few times a week.

- I'm very sensitive to blood sugar issues and do best on a high-protein, low-carb diet...but most Americans need far less protein than they actually think.

- It has only been in the past year that I have actually started using my kitchen. (Coincidentally, it has only been in the past year that my kitchen actually started using my smoke detectors). I'm not an expert in anything kitchen-related except for getting it dirty, which I can do with alarming speed and often in ways worthy of those "candid camera" shows.

- I don't can. I'd like to. But I'd also like to not kill myself with botulism. A friend promises I can't mess up pressure-canning, and I'll post on that if I work up to it. (Most of what I would can - vegetable soups - must be pressure-canned. Unfortunately, I don't eat things like jams or fruit preserves that can be heat-canned).

- I'm far too paranoid to leave a crockpot on all day, but some people swear by them.

With those disclaimers, and in no particular order...

FOOD

1. Replace meat with other sources of protein. Very few Americans are even at risk for being protein-deficient. Eggs and beans are the most inexpensive sources of high-quality protein; faux meats and tofu are pricier but still less expensive than real meat. As far as beans go, dried are cheaper than canned, and canned beans often contain preservatives and salt. No need to soak dry beans - just rinse and cook as usual.

2. Use less meat. Instead of a full steak, try slicing half of it over a bed of greens. Top a hearty stew with pieces of bacon to get lots of meaty taste with much meat.

3. Soup's on! I've always had a love affair with soups, so I'm baffled by people who think they will somehow leave the table hungry if soup is the main course. Warm and comforting in the winter, cool and light in the summer, soup is a versatile dish. The best advice for soups is to puree, puree, puree. A humble pot of black beans, onion, and seasonings becomes something rich and velvety when 2/3 of the beans are pureed. Pureeing veggies - especially steamed cauliflower or potato - is a healthful substitute for using cream in a soup.

4. A thyme for all seasons. A spoonful of freshly pressed raw garlic, a dash of hot sauce, or a dusting of pepper will transform a modest dish to something flavorful and delightful. Use non-caloric spices and herbs instead of cheese to add flavor, too. Need more reasons? Garlic boosts immunity and lowers cholesterol, tumeric is thought to be behind the low rate of Alzheimer's Disease in India, and cayenne pepper is good for the heart.

5. Decide what you can reasonably make/do on your own. For some, this means having a herd of various animals in their backyard. For others, it means buying a head of lettuce instead of the pre-cut bagged greens. Up until very recently, I was smack in the middle of the city where L&I doesn't look fondly upon chickens and, in any case, I'd probably come home to two very happy dogs, a few telltale feathers, and no chickens. What do I do on my own? I never buy pre-cut produce. Most people can handle that. I've recently started making my own yogurt, which, as weird and pioneer-ish as it sounds, is astonishing cheap and easy. (I'll post a how-to eventually). I make my own bread.* I make my own protein smoothies and hummus.

I make flavorful, salt-free soup broth with veggie ends. I buy solid blocks of feta instead of the pre-crumbled stuff because, honestly, am I really so lazy I can't crumble my own feta? I make my own croutons and bread crumbs (great way to use stale bread, too). I rarely stop for a drive-through breakfast before work and usually brown-bag my lunch. And, in the summer, I garden. (See below). Basically, I tend to buy more whole ingredients (vegetables) and fewer prepared items (canned vegetable soup).

6. Ask around for farmer's markets and the like. I usually walk away disappointed by most farmer's markets in my area. One would think that being within an hour of Amish country that cheap produce would abound! A few years ago I discovered a large flea market with several dirt-cheap produce stalls. The savings far exceed the bridge toll and cost of fuel for the 30-45 minute trip. Ask around. Because sterotypes are a real time-saver, just sniff around for patchouli or find the guy wearing Birkenstocks in November. They usually know where to find the cheapest granola.**

No farmer's markets convenient to you? Go shopping for produce in the freezer or canned goods sections. Frozen or canned produce often has more nutrients than fresh. Just be sure to avoid frozen or canned produce with extra sugars, syrups, salt, or sauces.

7. Don't waste food. Different people have different ways on how to avoid waste. For me, it means I make several food trips each week. For others, it might mean buying in bulk and freezing or else having a teenage boy. (If you're bored, go buy $100 or so worth of groceries, invite a teenage boy over, and just watch). But what happens when you have say, half a wilted head of lettuce, a small amount of leftover Indian food, and an inch of milk? Scramble with eggs. You'd be amazed at what you can hide in eggs! My breakfast, in fact, was egg whites blended with leftover onion chutney and a handful of spinach. (Soups are good for this, too).

8. Consider a second freezer. For me, not buying a freezer wasn't really an option. I have a real 1930s GE fridge (which, ahem, will not make an appearance on the how-to-save-on-home-energy-costs post) that lacks a freezer. I love, love, love having a big chest freezer. When things like frozen berries or faux meats go on sale, I stock up. I spend one day per month making massive quantities of soups, then freeze in small portions - knowing that I'm 30 minutes away from a healthy soup has thwarted the "I'm too tired to cook, let's get take-out" temptation more than once. Of course, I'm also awake that a power-outage could result in a lot of lost food...which is why I'm working up the courage to try canning. Baby steps.

9. Trader Joe's. The first time I saw TJ's, I thought, "great, another over-priced speciality market." Eventually I found my way inside...and haven't come out since. Their frozen fruits, frozen berries, nuts, and dried fruits are all delicious and wonderful and yummy and cheaper than my local grocery store. A big cannister of whey protein is $20 at TJ's and $40+ at GNC. Their return policy is fabulous, too: if, for whatever reason, you don't like something, you get a hassle-free refund. Plus, everyone there is just so nice. If you are having a bad day, just wander around TJ's. The downside? For one, their produce is limited and often pricey. But my real issue with them is that, because they are constantly adding new, interesting products, some older ones have to go. Often with no warning. I'm still hurt over their 2002 discontinuation of dried strawberry-flavored rhubarb chunks. And if anyone knows where I can find no-sugar-added, sulfur-free, dried rhubarb flavored with strawberry, let me know.

10. Go shopping alone, if possible, and don't go hungry. I know that a trip to Petsmart with the dogs usually results in an impulse-purchase or two, so I can only imagine how many extras go into the cart when you bring along children who throw tantrums or plead for items they see on television. If leaving them at home isn't an option, try Benadryl or duct tape. (That was a joke; don't do that). Just try to give everyone a filling meal before shopping. Even the yummiest display won't tempt you with a big bowl of fiber-packed oatmeal in your belly.

DRINK

1. If you want filtered water, buy a filter and a BPA-free water bottle. I think it is utterly insane to buy water on a regular basis. But that's just me, and I know that at least half of what I do strikes others as similarly ridiculous. Plus, did you know that constantly drinking from a plastic water bottle (or anything with a narrow mouth) causes premature wrinkles around the mouth? It is the same movement as sucking on a cigarette. Which, by the way, is a rather pricey habit.

2. Limit beverages like soda and juice. They don't really add anything of benefit to your diet. Eat an apple instead of drinking a glass of apple juice. If you crave something fizzy, consider seltzer - either on its own or spiked with a little juice.

3. Make your own coffee and tea. I actually fail at this one. I always keep a pitcher of tea in the fridge, but I do stop for a coffee most mornings. It is a bit of a ritual for me. Fortunately, it runs less than $1/day. As far as tea goes, learn how to make it. Green teas, for example, will be bitter if over-steeped. Don't spend money on tea only to ruin it!

4. If you don't drink alcohol, well, you don't spend money buying it. But I love a nice glass of wine. If you have a Trader Joe's near you that sells alcohol, check them out. I drive about 3-4 hours round-trip a few times a year to the closest TJ's with a liquor license and buy several cases "two buck Chuck." Not the very best, but perfectly decent. If you are nowhere near a TJ's, find a small wine shop staffed by people who really know wine and ask for recommendations within your budget. Never, ever, ever fall into the trap of thinking that a good wine must cost a certain amount. As far as beer, liquor, and malt beverages, I don't know enough about them. PBR is coming back in a big, "blue collar chic" way, and Cooks Illustrated experimented with vodkas a year ago and found that running a cheap vodka thorugh a Brita filter several times made it much better. Maybe try that? Probably kills the filter, though.

GARDENING

1. Use grow boxes. You can grow large quantities of produce and concentrate the nutrients by using grow boxes.

2. Make your own grow boxes. A 3x3 plastic box runs about $50-$70 in supply catalogues. Get some lumber and 4-inch nails and make them yourself for $10-$20 each. Plus, it is a chance to use a power drill (though a hammer will suffice just fine), which makes me feel all talented and capable and rugged. I'm not exactly rugged; I wear pearls with t-shirts.

3. Re-use the grow boxes (they will last 2-4 years with proper care), supports, and plastic sheeting.

4. Consider buying established plants. Yes, seeds are cheaper, but considering that the vast amount of gardening money is spent on soil and fertilizer, I don't think it makes much sense to quibble over a $1 seed packet versus a $2 established plant. In my (2 years) experience, only half the seeds germinate and only half those plants survive transplant...by which time I've already lost a month.

5. Only plant what you will eat, and, if you are limited on space, only plant pricier produce. I grow tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, and raspberries. Corn, garlic, onions, and even strawberries I can get for little at my local flea market.

6. Use red plastic sheeting. Red sheeting triggers a growth protein in tomatoes. I tried it on eggplants and peppers, with good results.

7. Do not skimp on quality soil and fertilizer. Yes, you will get tomatoes if you plop a plant in the ground, but you will get many more tomatoes if you spend a little on fertilizer and good soil.

8. Water mostly in the early morning. Water in daylight, and you're just losing the water to evaporation. Water too much at night and you risk mold.

That's all I have. Do you have anything to add?

* I'm always amused by people who think making one's own bread is the mark of a hardy, capable pioneer. The first time I ever made bread, the loaf came out just as promised - which I say not to emphasize what an amazingly talented superstar baker I am, but to emphasize how easy it is to slap together flour, yeast, and water, wait a little, smack the dough around, wait a little more, then bake. And, as I learned from the time I let the dough rise for about 24 hours instead of the recommended 2, nothing bad happens. Once you master basic bread, you can start playing around with add-ins (seeds, roasted garlic, herbs, fruit, nuts, cheese) and substitutions (yogurt or cottage cheese for water).

** The link is to the satirical publication, The Onion.

Frugality Series 1: Charity

Charitable giving can be roughly divided into two categories: financial gifts/donations of property and service gifts/gifts that can't be purchased. Even if you are short on money and time, there are many ways to offer someone else concrete, valuable help.


I just want to make a preliminary few points...

First, the less fortunate have needs year-round - not just on Thanksgiving or Christmas. Growing up, our church was very active with a specific homeless shelter. What families got to serve the homeless on Thanksgiving caused some serious fights every year. But the people who were most peeved about not being able to serve on Thanksgiving were the same ones who only wanted to serve on Thanksgiving.

Um, don't be like that.

Second, you need not be linked up with an organization or anything official.

Finally, if you are unemployed, seriously consider volunteer work. Not only will it provide networking opportunities, but you can also put it on your resume.

Financial gifts and donations of property
1. Responsible giving. Some will disagree with me on this one, but I believe that I have an obligation to do a little research before cutting a check to an organization. Have you ever felt like a greedy little glutton when you deline to add on a small donation at the grocery store check-out line? Me, too. While most grocery stores do vet the charity - and not all do - their vetting standards might not be the same as mine. If you give to an organization, take a few minutes to find out exactly how they distribute received funds. And if that organization resists such disclosure, take your wallet somewhere else.

The same goes for non-monetary donations. Are you sure that ponytail you lopped off is actually going to cancer patients? Some "charities" sell valuable human hair to wigmakers and are not clear about what happens to those funds. Are you sure that bag of clothing will keep someone else warm? Some "charities" sell clothing for fiber (same idea as scrap metal).

Although it is mostly buying instead of giving, read the fine print before purchasing, say, pink shoes or pink hairties or pink cookie cutters because you want to donate while buying coffee in a pink cup. The portion of your purchase that funds a charitable or research entity might be minimal and capped after a certain dollar amount. (I am using breast cancer as an example only because most of us are familiar with the pink ribbon and I am not at all downplaying the value of awareness. PS: Have you done your self-exam this month?)

2. Donations of vehicles and other property. For some, taking the tax deduction makes more fiscal sense than selling the property. Before you try to Craigslist your car, review whether donating it to a reputable organization is more advantageous than selling it. (If you have a lot of property you want to donate, it is probably a wise idea to swing by your friendly neighborhood tax attorney before handing it over.)

3. Go shopping...but for someone else. Spot a great deal on a shelf-stable food that you don't eat? Give it to your local food pantry. Same goes for toiletries, pet items, and clothing staples like socks, underwear, and gloves. If you play the coupon+sale timing game, you can give a lot for very, very little. This would be a good way to get children involved in giving, too - maybe they could be responsible for selecting toys for a Christmas gift drive.

4. Be resourceful. I did a now-lost post on toiletry kits for the homeless last year. I and my then-roommate traveled a lot but rarely used the hotel toiletries. Because they carry their possessions with them, I reasoned that full-size toiletry products were better-suited for food pantries. We hoarded travel-size toiletries from hotels, put them in a bag with deodorant, snacks, and seasonal items like socks or sunscreen, and passed them out from the car on our way to work. Word got around and I have a few people who regularly drop off bags of small-sized toiletries...including a kind check-out worker who gives me any leftover sample-sized toothpaste from promotional events. You might - due to your hobbies or line of work - have access to certain resources or skills that can be a blessing to someone else.

Service gifts/gifts that can't be purchased
1. Donate blood. Few people are excluded and you get a cookie at the end.

2. Donate bone marrow. I posted on bone marrow donation a year ago, but I think I lost that post when everything crashed. I will devote a full post to the matter in the future, but, in a nutshell: most bone marrow donations today only require a little blood-letting and no actual harvesting from the bone. Even if all donations required from-the-bone-harvesting, someone else gets to live and you get...a few days of lower back pain. Note: I think signing up for the registry through a local drive is free, but if you do it on your own, the kit is a $52 donation.

3. Donate time. Do you have a special skill like webpage design that you could offer an organization? Are you in a profession that makes it possible to donate your professional services a few times a year? (Depending on your profession, check with your malpractice carrier and employer first.) Can you sort clothing, make phone calls, or hold someone's hand and listen? The vast majority of us are capable of doing something, and there are plenty of one-time service opportunities for the commitmentphobes among us. And you can profit, too - volunteering is a great way to network, make friends, and even land a spouse. Think about it: if you're a save-the-whales type of person, you probably want to marry or befriend a fellow save-the-whaler. And what better place to conveniently find concentrated amounts of nice, whale-loving people than at We Heart Whales?

I'm all about convenience.

You can get your kids and pets in on this, too. Most older children can handle sorting boxes of cereal, and many areas have opportunities for well-behaved critters to visit schools for abused children, hospitals, and nursing homes. (No, Jack and Coco don't do this. Coco failed the exam because she doesn't understand "sit" or "come" when there isn't a treat dangled above her greedy little nose. And Jack passed, but was told to come back when he "calms down" and is "less boisterous.")

4. Pray. Or send up positive vibes or burn some sage or meditate or do a rain dance. (Or do "no cold weather" dance for me, because I still haven't unpacked my winter coat).

Do you have anything to add?

New series on frugality. No series on homemaking.

I've been getting a lot of traffic from Frugal Homemaker Plus, so I suppose I should talk a little bit about homemaking and/or frugality.

I'm unbelievably messy and that isn't changing anytime soon, so let's just go straight to frugality, shall we?

Over the next week or so, I will plan to do a series: food/drink, clothing, home, health and beauty care, pets, children, legal, charity, and anything else I can think might be useful.

Just, please: don't ask me the best way to shine up your windows or how often I scrub my baseboards. All I can tell you is that (1) for the love of all that is holy and conscious, do not mix bleach with ammonia and (2) I think there is a bunny third dog under my bed.