Budget Saver Tip #31: Handy Uses for Rubbing Alcohol

Isopropyl Alcohol is a petrochemical and therefore not a substance I like to use regularly, but it definitely has its household uses. And when it comes to cleaning windows and mirrors, there is nothing I've tried that is as effective as rubbing alcohol. A little goes a long way, and a 16-ounce bottle typically costs around $1. It also cuts through crusties and dries without streaking better than anything else I've tried, including products that are made specifically for windows and mirrors.

As I researched this topic, I was surprised to learn just how many other handy household uses isopropyl alcohol has!

Does Composting Remove Toxins?

(To add to my gardening theme this week:) This little video answers the question, thanks to Geoff Lawton, one of Australia's premier permaculture experts:

SFG

I think because of the surprisingly mild winter we've had this year in my area, I haven't gotten spring fever as bad as I did last year. But spring is in the air and gardening is soon to follow--which means we need to finish the rest of our garden boxes. Now that we're no longer trying to garden on a balcony in a city (which is one of many options for SFG), we have room for several boxes, in addition to our traditional garden, which we use for growing potatoes and the bigger plants, like squash.

I've written briefly about Square Foot Gardening in the past, which has been our preferred method of gardening for a few years now. It was developed by Mel Bartholomew and has revolutionized home gardening around the world. Its empowering principles are the reason I'm an SFG convert. Here are the most important points to know about Square Foot Gardening, from Mel's blog:

Compared to traditional row gardening, SFG takes only…

• 50% of the cost
• 20% of the space
• 10% of the water
• 5% of the seeds
• 2% of the work

SFGing means:

• No more hoeing weeds
• No more heavy digging
• No more chemical fertilizers
• No more buying seeds every year
• No more rototiller
• No more all-at-once harvest
• No more excessive watering

I recommend getting your own copy of Mel's book, as there aren't generally many in library systems. You will want to refer to it repeatedly for details on how to set up your box, plant, water, etc. Our SFGs last year were a great disappointment because we left in the plastic weed barrier that was already there underneath. This year we will be using the recommended weed barrier fabric instead, which will hopefully eliminate those problems. (So learn from our mistakes and don't use plastic...!)

Gardening Excuses

Many of those who read my blog are fellow gardeners, but I'm trusting that some of you aren't. Maybe you would like to garden, but you have one or more of the following reasons for not doing so:

• My yard is too small (or I don't have a yard).
• I don’t have a tiller or other garden tools.
• I’ve never gardened before.
• I don't have time.
• I hate the weeding and the work.
• My soil is too poor to grow anything.
• Gardens use too much water (I particularly understand this one, living in deserts most of my life).

Well, the good news is that if you have the desire (or even if you don't, but you know how important gardening is to self-sufficiency and health--so maybe you have guilt about not gardening), no matter how many of the above reasons you have for not gardening, you can still do it. There's an easier way than what you're probably familiar with, and it's the way I prefer to garden (and I love gardening!). Stay tuned for my next post, when I'll discuss it in more detail...

Beef (and Zucchini?!) Enchiladas

The other night I was looking for an enchilada recipe that included ground beef, as it had been a few days since we'd had any red meat (for my oldest daughter's benefit), and I was in the mood for enchiladas. When I found this recipe, I got a bonus because it also included a veggie--zucchini--and I am always looking for ways to include more vegetables in our dinners, in ways that my girls will eat them (the baby eats everything). I had never thought of putting zucchini in an enchilada, but I was certainly willing to try it!

Verdict? My second daughter wouldn't try any (she's not a fan of tortillas), but her older sister liked it and my husband and I thought it was delicious. I especially like the homemade enchilada sauce (and the fact that I could include more zucchini than ground beef with no problem).

Note: Since I had shredded zucchini in the freezer, I used that instead of diced, as the recipe calls for.

I didn't include a picture here because the pictures at the original site are so beautiful, you really should check them out. In fact, since I didn't modify anything, why don't you just mosey on over there for the entire recipe...?

My Favorite New Product of 2012 (so far)

I wanted to include this in my Budget Saver Tips, but depending on how much deodorant you use, it may not actually save you money. Sometimes other things take precedence, though--like health. Since I have always bought my deodorants for around a dollar apiece, paying nine dollars (online price) for this baby seems like an awful lot (though my mom picked ours up for six-fifty). However, they are guaranteed to last a year. And I've heard of some people's lasting several years. So it may be a budget saver after all!

Even cooler than lasting a long time is the fact that this is no ordinary deodorant. For years I've been concerned about using regular deodorant, which contains aluminum chlorhydrates and/or zirconium, because I know heavy metals aren't good for our bodies.  And the whole idea of blocking something that our body was built to do for a reason didn't seem natural to me either. But, other than going without (which is not an option) or using baking soda (not a pleasant thought), I didn't think I had a choice. Now, thanks to my brother, I know I do.

My sixteen-year-old brother asked his doctor several months ago if there was anything he could do to reduce his body order, other than showering and using deodorant regularly, which he was already doing. He was very frustrated, and I don't blame him. (I was also impressed he would even notice; many boys his age don't.) The doctor recommended he try a mineral salt stick in place of his deodorant, and my mom ended up getting one each for him, my dad, and herself. Now they're all fans of it and my husband and I are too.

I've read reviews of a similar product that say that some people experience a two-week "breakthrough" period during which the the crystal doesn't seem to work well for them because their body is detoxing. But once that flushing out of toxins ends, there is no odor anymore. I experienced some of that detoxing, but now, even after my cardio workout, I don't smell. Amazing!

I love that the crystal stick is

• 100% natural, with no chemicals or synthetic products added, and
• hypoallergenic.

The reason it works is because, as their website states: 

"Crystalux deodorants simply adjust the skin's pH level to stop odor causing bacteria before they multiply on the skin's surface. Other deodorants may temporarily mask body odor or clog pores by stopping the natural sweating process."

I feel a lot better about using this than that chemical-laden, perfumed stuff I used to use! In fact, I feel so good about it that it is my favorite new product of the year so far.

Another Anniversary

The end of February marks the end of my blog's anniversary month. I can't believe it's actually been two whole years since I began this adventure!

For those who may have joined us later on, here is my very first post, and here is the post from my first year anniversary.

In the latter, I wrote: "Keeping up Katrina's Kitchen somehow makes me accountable and motivates me to continue making healthy changes as I become more and more educated in all sorts of health topics (as well as budgeting). It is a bonus that many of you have been able to benefit from what I learn, too, and are also making healthy changes for your families." This still holds true and I just wanted to say thank you again to those of you who have contributed to this venture with your comments, recipes, questions, suggestions, and encouragement.

May the year 2012 prove to be a healthy and educational year as we all continue to change and improve!