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Organic Acres is like no garden you’ve ever seen before. You will lease and have access to your own 240 or 120 square foot Organic Garden 24/7 from the comfort of your own living room through the magic of the computer.

You will tell your own personal gardener what favorite products you wish to plant. The only thing you will miss is that pungent compost odor that wafts through your garden.

You will have an expert gardener assigned to till, plant, hoe, and harvest your crops for you. You can then choose to sell all or a portion of your crops in our farmers market, have all or a portion of your crops shipped direct to your house for dinner or give all or a portion of your crops to feed the hungry.

All of this will be handled for you by the expert staff at Organic Acres. All of your crops will use only products certified as organic by the USDA and all of your crops will be guaranteed.

Let me say again you have never seen anything like this!

Organic Acres has created the ultimate way to obtain verifiably organically raised foods for you and your family and have it shipped fresh to your door for a price that you won’t believe.

Think of it this way, if you owned your own organic farm you and your family would eat the best foods for FREE. Because you sold the rest of the crop and covered your expenses.

You can get Free food and earn from others that you have introduced to Organic Acres.

Pre-Register at www.yourorganicacres.com for NO COST.

It has long been known that a healthy diet and exercise = optimum health.

Sadly, most of us have no idea what “healthy diet” really means, because very few “healthy choices”

even exist in our modern day grocery markets. Foods we think are healthy, rarely are.

So what are we to do?

GET THRIFTY and GET BACK TO THE BASICS!

Grow, raise and produce your own food.

If you have no other options but to “buy” your food, buy only LOCAL grown veggies and LOCAL farm raised meats.

If your last or only resort is buying food from a grocery market, be sure to check the label. If there are any ingredients

your grandmother would not even know how to pronounce, don’t buy it!

Also stay away from products that contain corn syrup and corn starch.

For more information about the health effects and information pertaining to the massive amounts of modified corn in our
modern diet, please check out the first 20 minutes of a fantastic documentary called, King Corn.

There has never been a better time than now to take advantage of coupons.

As a matter of fact, with just a little planning, it is actually possible to cut your grocery bill 25% or more using coupons.

Just imagine how much a 25% grocery savings every month will add up in a year. For a family of 5 such as ours, it is about of $1800.00 in savings per year.  That is HUGE!

Here are a few tips for maximum coupon benefit:

Each Sunday, purchase at least 2 Sunday papers.

Make your grocery list and match coupons with items on your list. ONLY buy items with coupons. If the Sunday paper does not have a coupon for the item you want, check online.  Simply search google for (as example) “Scott Tissue Coupon”.

Are you an “online” shopper?  Make sure you also use coupons and promotional codes for your online shopping as well.

Here is a great example of how easy it is to save $20.00 this month, on items you are going to buy regardless:

*EXPIRED – Will post more soon!

$10 Off $50 Order, Dr. Leonard’s, use code: DLMOMS

Expires 06.02.09

$10 Off $50 Order, Carol Wright Gifts, use code: CWMOMS

Expires 06.02.09

My husband and I recently invested in a Reel Mower. He was really skeptical about how well it would work. He is now convinced it is one of the best “green” investments we have made. We LOVE it!!

If you have a small to medium yard or area to cut, we highly recommend switching from a gas or electric mower to an Environmental Elements Reel Mower.

This is a FANTASTIC way to save gas AND reduce your carbon footprint.

TIP: Make sure you rake your yard before mowing to remove sticks (especially the first time). LOL

Did you ever wonder why Lemonade is a favorite “summer time” drink?

Lemonade (made with real lemons) is not just refreshing, it also naturally lowers body temperature.

As a matter of fact, drinking pure lemon water daily,  (NO SUGAR added) is actually one of the most important things you can do for your health.

Other health benefits include:

• Lemons are antiseptic
• Lemon water has excellent digestive properties and can ease heartburn, bloating and other digestion problems
• Lemon water cleanses and stimulates the liver and kidneys
• Lemon juice contains calcium, magnesium and potassium
• Lemon juice has been known to relieve asthma
• Lemon water (hot) offers relief from cold and flu symptoms while providing some much needed Vitamin C
• Lemon juice is a great skin cleanser

You don’t have to take a stroll on a beach together for it to be romantic (although that *IS* nice). Grab your partners hand and go for a walk together down your street or through your neighborhood. Stroll to a park and just enjoy each others conversation and alone time together.

Just because gas prices have taken a dive, does not mean we should become complacent once again, returning to our old wasteful ways.

If you are looking for a certain item, don’t waste gas driving around town searching for it or especially to compare for the best price. Simply log on and do an internet search for the items in question and their prices and availability at local stores (most department stores have websites you can check now). That way you can simply drive to the store with the best price and pick your item up without all that extra mileage.

A good idea for vacationing on a budget is to share a place. You can sometimes find good deals on split level condos (especially looking for cancellations). Find a family you enjoy vacationing with and you take the top floor while they take the bottom, splitting the cost. You can even agree to cook one day while they cook the next!

Check your vet for instructions on feeding your pet and make sure you don’t give them too little, or too much food. Overweight pets tend to be at higher risk for contracting diabetes (just like humans), joint problems, and other long term health problems.

A reader swears by this remedy. Dab some peppermint oil onto a cotton ball or paper towel and breathe in the scent for a little while. Be sure not to get any pure peppermint oil in contact with your skin as it may burn. Do this and she suggests the headache will melt away.

Going to have to try this one next headache!

We’ve all heard the old eggs and cholesterol myth. Yes, I did say “myth” because that’s what it is. Eggs are actually pretty healthy for you as long as you don’t fry them in 10 pounds of butter . Of course, the easiest way to get the cheapest eggs is to buy your own chicken. That’s another post in another area, though.

Have a device that you use often that requires batteries? Get some rechargeable batteries! Instead of buying a pack of batteries that you use once and throw away try using the same ones over and over. This saves you tons of cash in the long run for a small initial investment.

Using rechargeable, also helps keep old batteries out of landfills and is much better for our planet! =)

If you’re looking for a good rechargeable battery system, try La Crosse Technology BC-900 AlphaPower Battery Charger.

Thank you Jamie, from Pittsburgh Clothing Swap for this GREAT tip!

Attend clothing swaps! It is a great way to clear out your unwanted clothes and receive new items for a very low cost!  Not only is it thrifty, but a great way to recycle and help the environment!

http://www.pittsburghclothingswap.org

During the Christmas season, there are usually a lot of free to the public events going on.  I know in our area a local business owner decorates his yard FANTASTICALLY and puts on a laser show every year.  This is, of course, free to the public and our kids LOVE it.  Grab a newspaper or browse the internet to see what what free seasonal events are occurring in your area.

Amazingly, you can save hundreds of thousands of dollars on a dream home with a “pre-paid” dream home plan.

Also take advantage of the programs Insulated Concrete Form Building, for a superior energy efficient and safe home.

The program also offers an amazing affiliate type membership program, which allows you to not only build your dream home with almost no out of pocket cost, but also earn a substantial income as well.

This is an awesome thrifty must see!!

www.MortgageFreeDreamHome.com

With rising gas prices, and air travel prices rising along with it, maybe you should consider taking your vacation by train. You can find some great deals on traveling by rail and it is also a pretty neat way to see the country side. The only bad thing about it is time of travel. If your vacation time is limited, it might be best to consider another mode of travel.

We know the local Wal Marts here will allow you to save up to 3 cents on the gallon by purchasing. Check at your local Wal Mart or other shopping centers for deals like these. You can really save some money and every little bit counts.

Find a nice quiet waterside spot and take your significant other. Watch the wildlife in the area of grab some stones and skip them across the surface. I find places like ponds and lakes especially romantic and so does the wife. They are great places to go if you have one nearby.

Check at your local pet superstore for information on mobile vaccination units and when. Vaccinations from specialized, government, or charity organizations can be up to 75% cheaper then at your local vet.

Severe cash flow problems? Consider dropping shampoo from your list of hygiene items. I use an anti-bacterial soap to shower with. I also wash my hair with it every other time. It tends to dry out my oily hair a bit (which I like) and it’s cheap. If you can’t afford shampoo for a bit, simply use soap in it’s place. It won’t hurt and will keep your hair clean.

Tap water. You’ve heard so much about it and may not like it. However, compare it to a bottled water and you’ll see the price difference awfully quick. You should think about switching to tap water. If you don’t like the taste, believe it or not it’s usually just a simple case of not having adapted to it yet. Drink enough times and you won’t even notice anymore. Studies have shown that most tap water is as safe to drink as bottled water (check reports in your area).

Also, check out where your bottled water does come from if you do decide to stick with it. There are a whole lot of them that come from… you guessed it, the tap!

This phrase is used to mean the act of producing your own power. Someday I’d love for solar power to advance to the point where I (and every other American) could step off of the electrical power grid completely and get cheap, free power. Talk about freeing up our dependency on oil.

Pipe dream? I don’t think so. There is some VERY exciting research going on in these areas. You can step off of the grid in some minor ways. Check our store for some products that help you step off of the grid. They’re not only cool but save you money in the long run.

Here’s a cure a reader from Florida suggested.  If you are suffering from a sunburn, cover the burnt areas in milk of magnesia and let it dry.  Once it’s dry take a good shower to wash it off.  This should give you some much needed relief for your burn.  Oh yeah, next time use some good sunblock.

Hurricane Gustav was a huge personal reminder that we need to be serious about building safe, secure AND energy efficient homes.

We are currently in the process of looking for property to build our next home. When construction begins, we have decided to use Insulated Concrete Form, because it offers us superior protection, while at the same time, superior energy efficiency.

Benefits of Insulated Concrete Form Building

This information is directly from the ICFA  (Insulated Concrete Form Association)

Greater Comfort and Lower Energy Bills

Energy savings and comfort are built into every ICF system. ICFs start with a high it-Value. Four inches of ASTM C 578 polystyrene foam insulation, combined with a five inch concrete wall a typical ICF system – are rated above R-17 at 75* mean test temperature. Other insulating form configurations and materials also exhibit high it-Values.

But that’s not all! Air infiltration in an ICF Home is minimal due to the continuous air barriers provided by the foam insulation and the concrete. Likewise, there are no convection currents within wall cavities.

The concrete walls of an ICF home have high thermal mass, which buffers the interior of a home from the extremes of outdoor temperature during every 24-hour cycle. This reduces both peak and total heating and cooling loads.

This combination of high R-values, low air infiltration, and high thermal mass is believed to account for the amazing 25% to 50% energy savings of ICF versus wood or steel-framed homes.

Peace and  Quiet

New ICF homeowners almost always remark on how unbelievably quiet their new house is, compared with their old stick-built home. They expect the new-found comfort and energy efficiency, but the peace and quiet -the protection from outside noise – never fails to surprise and delight them.

In sound transmission tests, ICF walls allowed less than one-third as much sound to pass through as do ordinary frame walls filled with fiberglass. With double-glazed windows in ICF walls and beefed-up roof insulation, you will rarely hear street noises or airport traffic.

Solid and Lasting Security

The high-mass walls of an ICF home not only give it a remarkably solid feel, but they also make it safer for the family. And make it a remarkably solid and secure investment, too. Concrete homes have a proven track record of withstanding the ravages of hurricanes, tornadoes and fires, when all the stick-built houses around them are in ruins.

In fire wall tests, ICFs stood exposure to intense flame without structural failure longer than did common frame walls. The polystyrene foam used in most ICF forms is treated so it will not support combustion. Also, tests show that its tendency to transmit an outside flame source is less than that of most wood products. [Many insurance carriers are now offering a discount on a home owner's policy for an ICF home.]

Less Repair and Maintenance

With ICF homes, the equation is simple. No Rot = Less Repair and Maintenance. Neither polystyrene nor concrete will ever rot or rust. Concrete can even be exposed to the elements for centuries with few ill effects. Reinforcing steel, buried deep inside and protected by concrete’s alkalinity, does not corrode.

A Healthier Home and Environment

Building with ICFs is healthier for environment in a number of way minimizing the number of different building products involved in co tion, by reducing the amount of waste generated on the construction site by lowering energy requirements heating and cooling.

ICF homes provide a healthy indoor environment, too. Nothing held within or ordinarily emitted by an ICF wall is toxic. The measurement of the air contents of actual ICF houses shows an almost complete absence of any emissions.

Flexible Designs

ICF homes can be designed in any style, and will accept any traditional exterior finish including vinyl or wood siding, stucco and brick. Because custom angles and curves are easily created, it’s simple to build in bows, bays and radiuses. And ICF systems accommodate any of today’s most popular design features, such as tall walls, large openings, long floor spans, and cathedral ceilings.

www.MortgageFreeDreamHome.com

Vacation areas are usually chock full of souvenir shops with horribly priced items. It’s okay to buy souvenirs but don’t break the bank doing it. The wife and I usually find a good place that has discount t-shirts to pick up some items to remember our vacation by. On our recent trip we managed to find a place selling them 3 for ten dollars. These were the same type of shirts being sold a half mile away for fifteen dollars each.

Before you drive somewhere, ask yourself that question. Frivolous driving can cost you about 40 cents per mile driven. Also, if you do have to make trips to distances farther than ten miles you should try to combine trips. Remember, every mile you can save driving can save you money.

The wife and I are avid readers (I more than she, admittedly). A good way to spend some romantic time is to just each grab a book and plop down on the couch together and spend some time reading together.

Unless your dog/cat or whatever is put on a specialized diet by your vet for serious health concerns, avoid picking up food products from your vets office. You can usually find the same items for much less at your local pet superstores. Don’t believe us, do some comparison shopping online.

Make sure to check the list of ingredients. Remember that “cheap” is not always better. After all, if your pet food makes your pets sick, you are increasing your cost (with vet bills) instead of saving money.

NEVER buy food that has “by products”, it is difficult to digest and causes intestinal problems.

www.CajunCatopia.org (and Thrift-opedia) recommends Nutrish for dogs (Nutrish for cats hopefully coming soon). Nutrish can be purchased at your local Wal-Mart.

Two necessities that a person should NEVER be without are soap and toothpaste. The simplest way to conserve toothpaste is to squeeze from the bottom, curling it upwards and using the minimal amount to cover your toothbrush. Don’t skimp on the dental hygiene as it will lead to much more expensive dental repairs (and pain) later on in your life.

Chalk is cheap. Very cheap. Don’t believe me, price some next time you’re out shopping. A great, fun way to have your kids unleash their creativity is to give them some chalk and let them draw on the pavement. Don’t worry about this, it will wash off in the next rain. You can pick up some jumbo chalk that is especially made for this purpose from almost any major store.

If you’re feeling itchy here is an old fashioned cure. Take yourself an oatmeal bath! Get some oatmeal and puree it. Add two cups of this pureed oatmeal to your bath and mix it all up. Hop in and soak for about half an hour. This cure should relieve the itch quickly.

Click HERE for some other home remedies.

When washing and drying your clothing, make sure you are using full loads if at all possible. Remember, you not only save on soap but on water and electricity also. In the long run, keeping full loads will save you more money then doing a bunch of smaller ones.

Can’t think of what to get the not so close relatives for Christmas you don’t want to spend a fortune on? Buy some simple Christmas cocoa mugs from the local dollar store and some bags of different Hershey’s Kisses. You can fill the mugs with Kisses, wrap them and give them to friends. They make a great and cheap gift!

This tip submitted by: www.CajunCatopia.org

Some general advice when you’re looking for cheap, healthy alternatives. A good healthy diet will always have:

* Protein in it to build muscle, repair tissue, etc.
* Fat should have a balance of omega 3, 6, and 9.
* Veggies of all types, especially the green, leafy ones.
* Fruits are full of vitamins and “healthy” sugars.
* Water. D’uh.
* Whole grain foods, such as bread, pasta, etc…

Do a little research into what types of bulbs will work in your light fixtures. If possible, replace your regular old incandescent bulbs with a type called compact florescent bulbs.

Why should you do this? Compact florescent bulbs use about 75% less energy PLUS they last about 10 times longer than regular bulbs. A small investment can save you tons of money in the long term.

Do you have a thrifty tip to share with us and the world?  If so, send your tip along with a link to your website and we will include your tip AND your website link in an exclusive post!

All we ask in return is a link back to us on your website.

To join our link share, send your tip and website link to: admin@thriftopedia.com

Did you know that one third of the energy we produce goes to one thing? That one thing is heating water. When it comes to heating water we usually say, “Hmmm… should I heat my water with gas or electric?”

What most people don’t realize is that there is a third alternative that is right above your head, the Sun! Although this method involves an initial investment, you can heat your water through solar heating. The sun has been providing the Earth with heat for billions of years now and will do so long after we’re gone. Why not tap into that heat to help heat your home?

Talk about thrift all around!!

With My Power Mall, you can start to live “greener” by saving energy and gas (working from home AND shopping from home = less driving), you can save money (find great deals in your mall, AND make money at the same time running your very own LOW COST home based business), enjoy great family fun and vacations (teach your kids to be entrepreneurs with their own power mall, plus find out how you can earn FREE vacation deals too).

It really does not get any better than this!!

Make sure to watch the video and get started saving and EARNING today!

If you are going to be out of town for a while see if you can swing a room that has a kitchen area. Even if it’s a little more you can cook in your room and save the price of eating out every day. When the wife and I took the family to Gulf Shores this year we shopped around for a cancellation and got a great deal on a condo with a kitchen! We cooked ourselves and probably saved ourselves a hundred dollars a day doing so.

Check the pressure on all four car tires about once a week if you can. Remember to read the side of the tire to get the proper air pressure. Remember, do not over-inflate your tires as this can be as bad as under-inflating them.

Keeping the tires properly inflated saves on tire wear making your tires last longer and more importantly saves on gas. If you have to drive make sure your car is properly maintained. For some good ideas on car maintenance, check out Auto Repair For Dummies. It is an amazing resource for keeping your car in it’s best shape.

For those times when you do need to take your car into the shop, make sure you know how to avoid common auto repair scams and save a LOT of money.

The very fist date I ever took my wife on we decided to go to a park. The park was next to a bayou in Louisiana. We took the time to feed the ducks in the area together. It was a great time to discuss our view of animals, wildlife, etc… as well as share some quality time together next to nature.

Check a PetSmart or PetCo or whatever pet superstores you have in your area for deals on bulk cat/dog/hamster food. You know you’ll need it anyway so why not buy in bulk and get some savings doing it? You can also find some nicely priced items such as toys, collars, etc… if you shop around.

Shop around online as well!

When it comes to toilet paper, cheaper is not always better.  The wife and I switched to the dollar store brands of toilet paper for a while and discovered that while cheap, they did not have the lasting power of some of the slightly more expensive brands.  We use Scott tissue because it really lasts the longest and is the most comfortable we can find for the price. If you don’t like their regular version, try the new “soft”.

When living green, what we buy is just as important as how much we are spending/saving.

So lets say you are looking for some new art. Instead of heading to your nearest department store, head on over to artsy.etsy.com, and check out Cat Bishop’s amazing Recycled Art! Her original one of a kind designs are created using recycled vintage items, such as clocks, cameras, toys, kitchenware…you name it!

What an incredible way to live green with art!

Instead of purchasing ornaments and decorations for your tree and home, why not make some?  You can use the old salt dough, cut it with holiday themed cookie cutters, and let it air dry.  Decorate these, paint them, add some sizzle and hang them up or give them to friends and family to hang on their trees/in their homes!

Another idea from a reader is to use acorns and paint Santa faces on them for Christmas, or witches faces for Halloween (with the tops as hats!)

Being creative for every holiday, with your gifts, ornaments and decoration is not only a fantastic way to save money, it is also great family fun!

Don’t get to eat healthy enough? A cheap and healthy way to boost your immune system and overall well-being is to supplement your meals with vitamins! It is scientifically proven that people that use vitamins live healthier and even longer lives!

The wife and I take vitamin supplements, and along with regular exercise have found that we are much healthier and become sick less often! Your mom told you to take your vitamins, it’s time you listen!

A great way to have fun and teach your children the value of helping others is to volunteer. Find a program that helps others and join in the helping along with your family. Some great programs include Habitat for Humanity, neighborhood cleaning programs, manning a soup kitchen, Animal Shelters, etc…

If you are in the Houma, Louisiana area, we recommend contacting Cajun Catopia to volunteer in one of their programs. www.cajuncatopia.org or email: admin@cajuncatopia.com

If you’re buying a new appliance, look for the ENERGY STAR label.  Products who earn this label have to pass strict government standards of energy usage.  Normally, buying an ENERGY STAR brand appliance will ensure that you’ll save money in the long run even if you might pay a little more now.

Ah, crayons. You can buy these for very little especially in these back to school sales. But what can you do that is different?

Try some crayon etchings. Scribble a black crayon all over a sheet of paper then scrape the wax off to create scary pictures! This is great for spooky times such as Halloween.

Have the kids cover the paper in a bunch of different colors. Take this multi-colored rainbow and then cover this all with black crayon. Do the same as above and scratch out some pictures. This will have a rainbow effect you have to see to appreciate!

For coloring and arts and crafts ideas check here.

When we get a cut or abrasion we usually apply iodine to it to help kill germs and cleanse the wound.  Well, if you are out of iodine are want to use what’s already handy, try this little cleansing solution!  Iodized salt is simply salt that has had iodine added to it.  Add some iodized salt to water (dilute as needed).  Apply this liquid to the wound.  It will sting a little (or a lot if you didn’t dilute properly).

Both the salt and the iodine will work to kill any bacteria around the wound.  Clean, simple, and cheap!