I love books! My budget for books however is extremely limited, making me very creative when it comes to feeding my passion.

One newly discovered source of free books has me shouting from the mountain tops (well okay not literally because I do live in corn country where mountains are no where near).

Since I can’t actually shout from a mountain top I am going to share it here on my blog: I am in love with Tyndale Rewards!

Tyndale Rewards is a point rewards program for book lovers. Books start at as little as 30 points for a children’s book to as much as 250 points for a bible. The average points needed for the majority of their books is around 100 points.

Here are 9 ways to earn Tyndale Rewards

1. Sign up through the links in this article and receive and automatic 25 points

2. Invite your friends to join using the links Tyndale Rewards gives you and receive 10 points per friend who enrolls.

3. Take a bible survey and receive 15 points (survey ops. will vary from time to time)

4. Subscribe to an e-newsletter or e-devotional and receive 10 points

5. Join the focus group and receive 25 points every time you are chosen and reply

6. Complete the e-reader survey and receive 1o points (survey ops. will vary from time to time)

7. Join the birthday club and receive 15 points

8. Review a Tyndale product and receive 10 points

9. Share Tyndale rewards on Facebook, Twitter, or your blog and submit the link and receive 10 points (up to 50 points per month/ 5 shares)

When I joined Tyndale Rewards I started with just 25 points, I quickly joined the birthday club (15 points), completed the bible survey (15 points), completed the ereader survey (15 points), subscribed to a e-devotional (10 points) and shared it on my facebook page (10 points) and that gave me the 90 points I needed to order my first book on the very same day I signed up.

There is no shipping or handling costs involved the book was 100% free, and I plan to review it on  Amazon after I read it to collect another 10 points.

Here is  how I think an average person could earn a book every month or so

Share to your personal Facebook page and Twitter account 5 times a month = 50 points

Review the previous months earned  Tyndale Rewards book on Amazon= 10 points

Complete one survey (not sure how often new ones will be offered) =10 points

Total points earned in a average month : 70 points

70 points is enough for most of fiction books currently offered and all of the children’s books currently offered. That means you should be able to easily earn 1 free fiction book a month. Non fiction books, audio books and bibles are higher in point value meaning they would take longer to earn.

Still this example does not include any friend credits you might receive and only allows for one new survey a month so your earnings could possible be higher.

If you are a book worm like me what are you waiting for join Tyndale Rewards Today!

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(post contains affiliate links because I love books )

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Each year as a household manager to a family of five, I end up with boxes and boxes of clothes that are either too small, stained or ripped and have to come up with ways to discard of them without adding to the local landfill. I recently spent an afternoon brainstorming all the things I could do with them and here are the 50 I came up with (with the help of Pinterest).

The Ultimate Green Guide To Repurposing Clothes

For clothes that are still in great shape (no stains or rips and little signs of wear)

Sell Or Donate

1. Sell them to friends using a facebook album.

2. Sell them at a yard sale.

3. Sell them at a consignment store.

4. Sell them through a consignment sale.

5. Sell them on eBay.

6. Trade children’s clothes at Thred Up. and soon consign women’s clothes at ThredUp for Women.

7. Donate them to a local thrift store or Goodwill.

 Or repurpose  them in some way for another family member

8. Jean shorts into a skirt

9.Shapeless dress into a fitted one

10. T-shirt into a cardigan

11. Old sweater into boot socks

12. A denim skirt made out of the legs of jeans

13. A t-shirt into a child’s ruffle skirt

14. A t-shirt into a workout tank top

15. A oversize t-shirt into a woman’s skirt

16. A plain t-shirt to a peasant top

17. A onesie to a bubble dress

18. A t-shirt to a little girls dress

For clothes that are ripped or stained or dated

T-shirts

19. Save on paper towels and make them into rags for cleaning.

20.  Make a dog toy

21. Make a fuzzy rug

22. Make a bracelet

23. Recover an ugly bracelet

24. Make a bag

25. Create t-shirt yarn

26. Create a t-shirt yarn rug

27. Crochet a t-shirt yarn scrubbie

28. Sew a t-shirt pillow

29. Make a rag style quilt entirely out of t-shirts

30. Make a braided headband

Jeans

31. Make coasters

32. Make a pair of slippers

33. Create denim baskets

34. Sew up a Christmas stocking

35.  Create a children’s game

36.  Sew a purse for you

37. Create a gadget holder

38. Make an Apron

39. Create a fun no-sew toddler toy

40. Make a wall organizer

41. Make Christmas tree decorations

42. Make a pair of shorts

43. Create a pot holder

Cotton Blouses, Skirts, and Dresses

44. Tear into strips to make Christmas ornaments

45.  Create diaper and wipe strap for a baby gift

46. Collect together several items and make a baby quilt (or a large one if you want to)

47. Create a fabric hairband

48. Or try this style of hairband

49. Create a key leash

50. Create a necklace

Got any other ideas?

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linked to Teach Me Tuesdays at Growing Home, Titus 2sday at The Time Warp Wife, WFMW at We Are That Family, The Mommy Club at Crystal and Co., WHW Raising Arrows, Fabulously Frugal Thursday at A Life In Balance, Your Green Resource at A Delightful Home, Thrifty Thursdays at Living Well Spending Less

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1. We eat out less

Fast food is not just expensive it also creates a large amount of waste.

2. We buy in bulk

I buy a huge bag of pretzels instead of 100 calorie packs which saves money and resources.

3. We make do instead of buying more

Making sure we use both side of the paper. Reusing glass jars to store soup in the freezer. These are ways thrifty people save money and practice the “reuse” portion of the 3 R’s of the recycling arrows (reduce, reuse,recycle)

4. We grow it ourselves

Well at least we try to this thrifty person has a brown thumb so I shop local farmers markets  to support those with green thumbs and reduce my carbon footprint at the same time, plus the veggies are cheaper.

5. We borrow and lend

I borrow books, DVD’s, music CD’s, audio books and even some homeschooling curriculum from my local library. My husband willingly lends out his tools to close friends.

6. We buy second hand

Whether it be Goodwill shopping, yard sale shopping, thrift store shopping or secondhand curriculum sales our family loves the money we save by buying second hand and it reduces the need to manufacture more thus reducing pollution.

7. When we are done with it we sell or donate it

Instead of tossing our castoff items to the curb we resell them through Facebook, Craigslist, eBay or other avenues, giving us money to spend on new needs and wants. We also donate a fair amount to our local thrift stores which helps out those in need.

8. We are mindful about energy consumption

Turning the heat down at night does not just reduce the bill it also helps our planet.

9. We walk and bike and combine errands when possible

These are all tips that save on our vehicle gas bill, but they also reduce our carbon admissions.

10.  We make it ourselves

Whenever I make up a big batch of laundry detergent and store it in empty gallon jugs of vinegar I can’t help but think of all the bottles of laundry soap that no longer need to be manufactured for my family.

These are just 10 ways thrifty people are green but I know there are many more. Please add one in the comments.

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Linked to Top Ten Tuesdays at Many Little Blessings

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I converted to green DIY cleaners right around the same time my children started helping me clean. I just could not stand the thought of them ingesting fumes that were bad for their little bodies (for some reason it didn’t really bug me for years what I did to my own).

The first thing I noticed was how little they cost compared to conventional cleaners. The second thing I noticed was that they worked just as well. I also found out they were simple to make.

8 must have ingredients to make DIY green cleaners

1. Vinegar

Plain old white distilled vinegar will do. I use it in my all purpose cleaner, my toilet cleaner and as a fabric softener. Since I use so much of it I buy it in bulk at Sam’s club and save money doing so.

2. baking soda

Used to scrub away soap scum and other stuck on dirt.

3. super washing soda

Super washing soda  an amazing stain remover. Also great for washing walls and doors. I also use it in my homemade laundry detergent.

4. borax

Borax is a controversial DIY green cleaner that I have decided is safe enough for my homemade laundry detergent.

5. Dr. Bronner’s  pure castile liquid soap

I add a few drops of Dr. Bronner’s pure castile liquid soap to my all purpose cleaner. We also use it in our foaming hand soap dispensers and as our body wash.

6.  Kirks Original Coco Castile Bar Soap

I use Kirks Original Coco Castile Bar Soap in my handmade laundry soap instead of the recommended Fels-Naptha, because I like the smell better.

7. Containers to put them in

I purchased a 5 gallon tub for my laundry soap from the hardware store and spray bottles from the dollar store.

8. Effective scrub brushes and cloths

I like a tooth brush for cracks and a bigger scrub brush for the bottom of the shower stall. I use old clothes cut up into rags as cloths for cleaning and microfiber clothes for dusting

5 optional but beneficial ingredients to have on hand to make DIY green cleaners

1. Essential oils

I started adding a few drops of lavender essential oil to each gallon batch of laundry soap and love the smell it adds.

2. Salt

Great for really greasy stuck on messes. Just sprinkle a bit on a spot and then cut a lemon in half and use one half to scrub the spot.

3. Fresh lemons.

Removes grease from oven surfaces.

4. Hydrogen peroxide

Used in many natural stain remover recipes.

5. Rubbing alcohol

Used in many natural stain remover recipes.

With these ingredients on hand you can whip up whatever you need to clean whatever you need to in very little time with no hassle.  I keep all the recipes I either use or want to try on my Homemade Cleaning Products board on Pinterest

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(post contains affiliate links to Amazon, however check the prices at your local store they might be cheaper)

linked to P31 Thursdays at Raising Mighty Arrows

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We are a family of 5 and we can empty a flat of water pretty quick. Our wallets and the environment much prefer it when we use our reusable water bottles.

Still I would be the first to agree with those out there that say that bottled water is more convenient and less hassle. However, for the earth and my wallet I have stuck with using reusable water bottles as much as possible and even found a few ways to stream line the process and make it less of a hassle.

Here are my 5 tips to ending water bottle hassle

1. Buy a good quality water bottle

I have made the mistake often of buying inexpensive stainless steel water bottles on sale only to discover the lid leaked or the bottle dented up easily.

However I splurged on two kleen kanteen water bottles many years ago for my husband and I and they are still going strong.

This summer I am going to buy the kids some kleen kateen water bottles of their own. I was afraid at first they would forget theirs on outings but so far no one has so it is time to upgrade them to ones that do not leak.

I stay away from plastic bottles as I find even the BPA free type do not hold up to wear and tear like the stainless steel ones do. I also find they start to taste like whatever beverage you put in them, and although usually we only take ice water, sometimes we do splurge on juice or sweet tea and then the next water refill tastes off.

2. Buy Everyone in the family a different color

It makes it so much easier to discover who has misplaced their bottle  and needs to track it down, when they are all different. It also makes it easier to pass out all the water bottles in the car as needed.

3. Buy a cooler or bag that fits them all

Our bottles don’t stay in the cooler for long, but for me this works as a great visual for making sure the bottles are all packed and ready. If I ask the kids to each grab theirs sure enough someone will forget, but if I grab the cooler bag, I can quickly scan inside and count up the bottles.

4.  Find a bin that fits all the lid

I like storing the lids near the empty water bottles in a small plastic bin that fits them, making filling time a snap.

5. When you turn the calendar disinfect the bottles

Every thirty days you should place your bottles and their lids in hot soap water with a tablespoon full of bleach and give them a long soak (I leave mine for at least 1hr). This makes sure all the nook and crannies are clean.

I also have a long bottle brush for day to day cleaning that you can clean by running it through your dishwasher once a month.

Bonus tip: Make it a rule that no one leaves the car when you arrive home without their water bottle in hand. That way they won’t pile up in your vehicle.

These tips should make reusable water bottles fairly hassle free and benefit your wallet and the earth

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(post contains affiliate links)

Linked to Your Green Resource at A Delightful Home

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I am not great at always buying 100% recycled paper but I am great at paper reduction. The less paper we use, the more money I save and it also means less paper that has to be manufactured. Since manufacturing paper requires a vast amount of chemicals it is green to use as little of it as possible.

Here are my top 10 paper reduction tips

1. Keep a clipboard for all your one sided paper

The picture above is of an actual real clipboard kept in our house to store all the one sided paper that we either create or that comes into our home from some other source.

I use the paper on this clip board to make up my weekly menu and grocery list. The children use it for their school work.

2. Keep a clipboard full of empty used envelopes for smaller lists

If I just need to make up a short list that I can shove in my purse to refer to, I like using the backs of envelopes that mail came in. It is a handy size and a great way to give the paper one more use before it heads to the recycling bin.

3. Make sure to print on both sides of the paper when you can

I try to avoid an over stocked one sided paper clipboard by getting the kids to print things on both side of the paper when they can.

4. Use small wipe off boards in your homeschooling

I purchased 3 small wipe off boards and pens for the children to use to write down spelling words, math facts, and other scribbles that they do as part of their every day school work.

5. Laminate lists that will be used daily

I laminated the children’s chore charts and gave them a place to hang them up so that they don’t get ruined and need to be reprinted all the time.

6. Put  often used lists in sheet protectors

I have my weekly chore chart in a sheet protector instead of laminating it as I like to tweak it and change it often. The sheet protector means I only need to print one copy until it is time to tweak it again.

7. Reduce your intake of junk mail

I believe there is a place you can contact to get off the junk mail bandwagon. I have not done it but I probably should as I get a tonne of credit card offers each week. Has anyone done this? Does it really work?

8. Sign up for online bill pay

Most of my mail is bills and I am slowly switching them over to online payment, making it easier to pay and reducing the need for paper at the same time.

9. Borrow magazines from the library instead of subscribing or get a digital copy

In the day of Pinterest does anyone really refer back to their magazines anymore? Unless I can get them 100% free without even the need to spend points from various programs on them, and I know I truly will read them,  I don’t subscribe to them anymore. I borrow the ones I really love from the library instead.

If you own an ereader you might also want to op for the digital copy.

10. Don’t print the coupon unless you have to

More and more companies are making it possible to use your coupons with your mobile device of choice. For instance the Starbucks rewards program allows me to simply bring up the email with the savings code on my ipod and show it to the cashier who then punches in the code.

Do you have any ideas for further paper reduction?

 

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(post contains affiliate links)

Linked to Top Ten Tuesdays at Many Little Blessings

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Green and thrifty go hand in hand. I am a thrifty person by nature, saving money where I can so that I can spend it on the things that matter most to me. I am also keen on being green.

This week I am going to share with you simple tips that will help save you money and make you a trendy shade of green at the same time. (when the links go blue the posts are live on the blog)

1. The Thrifty And Green Guide To Paper Reduction

2. How to End Reusable Water Bottle Hassle

3. The Zen of Green And Thrifty DIY Cleaners

4. 10 Ways Thrifty People Are Green

5. The Ultimate Green Guide to Repurposing Clothes

6. Green and Thrifty Inspiration From around the web.

This post is the landing page for the series, as each post goes live I will leave the link here, that way you can pin this post to your pinterest board of choice and have all my green and thrifty tips in one convenient place.

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linked to WHW at Raising Arrows

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