The Lush Life

 ***UPDATE 12/07/09***

I'd like to officially state that I LOVE this antiperspirant/deodorant. It actually works better than any other product I've ever used. Every time I put it on, I think I smell a bit like nature, but after a few minutes, it's hardly noticeable. I would definitely recommend this PLASTIC FREE product to all. (And hey, if the scent bothers you, you can always cover it up with perfume!)

During my Seattle trip, I went shopping at Lush - one of my new favorite stores. Lush sells fresh, handmade cosmetics that are mostly in bar form and plastic free! The products seem a little pricey at first, but when you consider the fact that they last for a long time, the cost per use ratio works out really well.

Before making my final purchase, I asked tons of questions, and I found the staff at Lush to be very knowledgeable about their products. They are even willing to give you samples and do in store demonstrations!
 
So what did I buy? The Aromaco Deodorant. Out of the whole Lush deoderant line, this is the only one that is an antiperspirant as well. It features witch hazel, which helps absorb sweat and eliminate bacteria associated with bodily odor.

I'd heard stories about other similar types of deodorant where the product either didn't work or only worked for a couple of hours before the person was sweaty and stinky. But this one actually works...even better than my regular deodorant! I'm a believer and I can't wait to buy more Lush products in the future! :)

Do you live the Lush life? If so, what are your favorite products?

My Trip to the Greenest City in America

I recently traveled to Seattle, Washington for business and pleasure and was pleasantly surprised to see how green it had become since I was last there in 2002. Although we were served individual plastic bottles of water and juice at my meeting (tsk, tsk), it was very cool that they offered three different trash receptacles - one for recyclables, one for composting, and one for trash.

Other green highlights include great public transportation options,excellent air quality, renewable energy sources, and a general citizen consciousness around environmental issues and healthy living.

I've always loved Seattle, so I am proud to give it my "Greenest City in America" award.

Know any cities that qualify as runner ups? Tell me about your favorite green city!

Luna Pads: Would You Wear These?

It's just about that time of the month again, and I need to buy some new feminine products.

I was poking around the Fake Plastic Fish website, and I came across Luna Pads, a company that sells sustainable menstrual alternatives like Lunapads washable cloth pads and The DivaCup menstrual cup (made of silicone).

Luna Pads

The DivaCup

I plan to go plastic-free this month, but I was just thinking of getting Tampax with the biodegradable applicator. I'm not sure if I'm willling to go this far...

Tell me...would you wear these?

Five Steps Towards the Plastic-Free Life

A few months ago, I was inspired to live plastic free after hearing a radio show featuring Beth Terry, author of the blog Fake Plastic Fish. I'm not in the mood to get into why plastics are so bad, but I will tell you all the plastic-free changes I have made to date:

1. Bye Bye Paper Towels. I haven't bought paper towels for a month, even though they would have come in handy on a few occasions. I've been using old rags and towels, but I plan to buy Skoy cloths - absorbent, natural, 100% biodegradable multi-use cloths...each cloths is equivalent to 15 rolls of paper towels! Eco-friendly and economical
2. No Paper Napkins. Instead of using napkins or paper towels at meals, we've been using old washcloths for napkins. Eventually I'll buy (or make) some real cloth napkins.
3. This Way to the Bar. We use bar soap instead of body wash now. I was disappointed to see that some bar soaps come wrapped in plastic, but it's less than the amount of plastic used to make a bottle of body wash. Once my facial cleanser runs out, I plan to purchase the it's bar version. I'm also looking into using solid bars for deodorant, lotion, and shampoo as well. Lush offers great varieties in all of these areas, but they can be pricey.
4. Pass the Bottle. My son and I have multiple water bottles and travel mugs that we fill with juice or water instead of buying bottled versions. Look stainless steel bottles that keep your drinks hot or cold.
5. Just Throw It In the (Reusable) Bag. Like many people, I've been bringing resuable bags to the grocery store for a while (though I am guilty of getting plastic bags to use for garbage bags at home). For a cute, collapsable version that can fit in your purse, try Chico Bags. They come in a variety of colors and styles (sling, messenger, backpack, etc.).

I hope I've inspired you to jump on the plastic-free bandwagon...the more the merrier! It's actually not as difficult as you might think! I'll keep you updated on what other changes I've made as I make them...

Don't know where to begin? Be sure to check out Fake Plastic Fish to see the list of plastic free changes to get more ideas about how you can live the plastic-free life.

Note to Bank - You're Fired!

I'm really good about keeping track of my spending. I use my transaction register religiously and record every purchase I make, bill I pay, or money deposited into my account. I always know how much money I have. So you can imagine my surprise when I found my account in the red last week, with three overdraft fees added into my transaction history at $35 a pop!

FYI - Banks earn as much as $25 billion to $38 billion annually from overdraft fees.

Each year, I lose about $200 to the bank in overdraft fees. And they all usually hit at the same time due to some unexpected transaction. Last week, I forgot about one of my automatic checks, so I expected at least one overdraft fee. I immediately deposited borrowed money so I could cover the funds and avoid any additional fees. When I looked at my account online on Thursday, it looked fine...exactly what I expected. But on Friday, my account looked different. The bank took the liberty to rearrange my transactions so that the largest amounts were deducted first - to their benefit, of course. So instead of the $35 I expected, I now owe $105 in overdraft fees. (And one of my transactions was for only about $5! Why does the bank make me pay $35 for a $5 transaction????)

I called and complained and got nowhere. So that's when I decided I'd had enough. I decided to fire my bank! I immediately withdrew my money from the bank and deposited it into a credit union account. (Suze is always talking about how great credit unions are, so I finally decided to give one a try.) Within minutes I had a debit card and sample checks. Then I went back to work and signed up for direct deposit right away!

The benefits to signing up with a credit union are endless. First and most importantly of all, the credit union deducts money based upon transaction date and NOT the amount of the purchase. I can almost guarantee my overdraft fee days are over. Other benefits include:

• Early paycheck with direct deposit (Thursday instead of Friday)
• Savings Accounts with no minimum balances
• High-yielding savings accounts and IRAs
• Low-rate loans and credit cards
• Financial Assistance Programs to restore credit and increase credit scores

Basically, unlike the bank, credit unions care about the consumer and want to help people reach financial freedom. They help us save our money instead of finding sneaky ways to steal it from us!

For you banks out there, here's an idea: instead of charging people $35 for each overdraft item, how about don't allow transactions to be made if the money isn't there? I'd rather be embarassed at the store and put items back than have to pay the bank lots of money (money I don't have, by the way) just because they allowed me to purchase something with insufficient funds.

Another idea might be charging one overdraft fee per day - sometimes people do all of their grocery / pet / pharmacy / etc. shopping all in one day, and it hurts to pay an overdraft fee for every single purchase if they happen to unexpectantly spend too much.

My Favorite Inexpensive / Free Home Makeover Ideas

It's Saturday morning, and I'm stuck home with a cold, which means I didn't make it to San Francisco to see Suze Orman after all. :(

Normally, I'd get cozy on the couch and watch countless hours of HGTV, but since I don't have cable, I'm doing the next best thing...internet research on the DIY home makeovers! Not only are the inexpensive or free, they also take advantage of stuff you may already have around the house, so you're saving the earth as well! Here are five of my favorite ideas so far:

1. Revamped Boxes for Office Storage - Use your excess wrapping paper and gift tags to turn old shoe boxes into office storage solutions.

2. From Tableware to Toiletries - Take mismatched tableware, like sugar bowls and creamers, and use them to hold your toiletries instead.

Courtesy of Real Simple - No-Money Home Makeover Ideas

3.  DIY Headboard - Make your own headboard using sheet installation, fabric, and buttons - no sewing required!

Courtesy of HGTV Canada - She's Crafty - Episode: I'm Loving It

4. Spice It Up! - Here's a cute way to store your herbs and spices in bottles with a vintage apothecary look.

Courtesy of Eat Drink Chic - DIY Authentic Vintage Paper Labels!

5. Mosaic Wall - Using scrapbook paper and glue dots, create an apartment-friendly mosaic wall and brighten up any room. (I want to try this, but with more muted colors and some patterns thrown in!)

Courtesy of The Swell Life - Colorful Mosaic Wall on the cheap!!!

Of course, there are tons more easy and cheap DIY ideas there. Check my out my links and blogroll to connect to other sites with similar ideas!

I can't wait to try one of these out...hopefully today, if I'm up to it. I need to get my place ready for the holiday party I'm hosting!

Suze Sighting - San Francisco

My financial goddess and heroine Suze Orman will be in San Francisco on Saturday at The Learning Annex's Make Money Expo. She'll be talking about how to navigate the current economic climate, when things will get better, and how to create a financial plan for 2010.

I know I am supposed to be saving money, but with the discount I received on my ticket to the Expo (thank you, Suze!), and the fact that I'll be learning how to make and save more money, it's an investment I won't regret!

Anyone want to carpool?

Making a List, Checking the Price...

Call me crazy, but I started Christmas shopping weeks ago...or at least planning my gifts. I already know what I'm getting my co-workers and friends, and I've bought my son some classic children's literature that was on sale at Border's two weeks ago.

Today, I received an email from Target announcing their Christmas list. I looked through the list and realized how easy boys are when it comes to gifts. My list will contain gifts from the following categories:

• Blocks/Legos
• Pretend Play (tool kit, doctor's kit, cash register, etc.)
• Action Figures and/or Cars
• Arts and Crafts
• Classic Board Games
• Learning Toys (Leap Frog reader)
• Books
• Clothing

These are pretty much the same categories I used last year and will use for years to come. I suppose only the details will change. (For instance, he likes superheros this year, but maybe next year he'll be into dinosaurs.) My problem is that I want to get him everything! I really need to set a budget, but I want to hear from you first...

Do you set a budget for your holiday shopping? How much do you usually spend on Christmas gifts for your child/children?