Frugal Round Up

I could keep posting pictures of our weekly snowstorms, but that's just boring. I'm not sure what the date is; the calendar says April 16, but the weather and landscape say "February 75th".

I kept a list of all (or most) of the frugal things I did last week so I could at least feel that I was making progress.

In no particular order:

Combined errands on one day: bank, store, P.O., etc.

Used the end of the pot roast, and rinsed out a finished salsa bottle to simmer in the crock pot to make beef burritos.

Made cards from card stock and pages from last year's Sandra Boynton's page a day calendar.

Took drinks (water for me, Cokes for TopDad) with us on our trip to the Twin Cities.

Stuck to my menu plan.

Stuck to my grocery shopping list. Took my own bags for $.05 off each bag.

While the temperature was well above freezing I turned off the space heater on the enclosed porch where Calico the Cat lives. (I had to turn it back on when the temps dropped.)

I didn't renew my Amazon Prime.

We didn't renew our Sam's Club membership because we don't use it often enough to justify the cost.

Added leftover canned corn to a pot of chili. (Yummy!)

Since the New Year I have attempted to get into a good weekly routine but even with all our children gone there seem to be plenty of interruptions that get me off schedule. I'll keep trying!

What have you done lately to use resources wisely, save money or otherwise be frugal, thrifty, and provident?

Something Clever

I saw this trash bin in a rest area bathroom in Minnesota and thought the elastic looked suspiciously familiar.

Yep! On closer inspection I saw the familiar label. Somebody's being frugal here, and I say, "Good job!"

January's Frugal Report

One good thing to be said about surgery is that it keeps one from over-shopping!

I did well in keeping within budget for January, ending the month with almost $59.00, which rolls over into the next month.  The goal is to keep accumulating an excess which then can be put into savings or used to pay off something.

Here are the numbers:

tithing and offerings - $160
food - $179.80
gifts - $50.25
postage - $76.82
storage unit - $25.00
eating out - $44.33
bank fees - $1.61
other - $205.27

I was able to eat out of our pantry and freezer and was careful to use up things and not waste. I don't get tired of eating the same thing everyday, but my husband does so I get creative remaking foods, incorporating them into something new, or packaging up leftovers for the freezer to be brought out later.

Gifts ended up being less than I expected because of a change of mind. Not being able to drive limited me on what I could do.

Postage cost lots more than I expected, but in my defense I did finished some projects and got them sent off to far away children, so I felt good about that.

In my January post I forgot about my portion of the storage unit we rent; two children pay the other portions.

I hadn't thought about the meals we'd need when I had my surgery. It was out-patient surgery on my right eye; Mr. Movie accompanied me as he had time off work to do so. While I was in surgery he ate brunch, then we had dinner that night, and lunch the next day. Even eating cheaply it adds up.

Bank fees are exactly the same every month; a fee for the ATM and tax on the fee.

The "other" was where I broke in my resolve. I did well until the third week when I was going stir crazy so I surfed the net and spent money for books and sewing patterns (as if I didn't have enough already!). Other also includes the cat food, toiletries, treats, and things I bought when TopDad took me to Chinamart and a thrift store or two.

Overall, I feel I did rather well. It wasn't all deprivation. I like being creative, and I like feeling a little bit of pressure to be so. TopDad takes care of all the other household bills, debts, and such. I am responsible only for food (for humans and cats), laundry and toiletries, gifts and holidays, personal expenses (subscriptions, donations, clothing, grooming), storage unit (for me mostly books, and our crib awaiting grandchildren), and anything I don't want my husband to know about (which isn't much).

How did you do in January? Did you reach your month's financial goals? What do you find most difficult?

January's Frugal Plans

When our two youngest sons were about 5 and 7 they went on an errand to a corner store a few blocks from home. After they'd been gone longer than necessary for the errand I sent an older brother to find them. Lt. Lehi brought them home safely. I questioned the two boys about why they had been gone so long. Their explanation has become one of those anecdotes of family lore.

"Well, we were walking home and saw a giant pile of sand and accidentally played in it."

I accidentally spent more than I planned to on Christmas this year. Oops!

January is going to be a month of frugality to make up for it.

#1 I asked TopDad for just half of my usual household allowance, with the other half going to pay down the debt I accidentally incurred in December.

#2 I will be creating meals out of what we have in the freezer and pantry. The ONLY food I'll buy is fresh milk, cheese, eggs, vegetables, and fruits. Plus some cat food when theirs runs out, and my vitamins as I run out.  I will be making all of our baked goods: bread, cookies, muffins, etc.

#3 I made a list of expected expenses related to birthdays this month and next, including shipping costs.

#4 I typed up a list of ideas for date nights to avoid spending money.

#5 I made a list of things I will not be buying in January: clothing, shoes, books, movies, music, haircut, perm, toiletries, etc. I will use up what I have, do without, make do, etc.

#6 I won't go shopping - no thrift stores, no Etsy, no Amazon Prime, no malls (not that I go there, but wanted to be inclusive), no shopping! No trolling for treasures!

#7 I'll purchase stamps (I'm old-fashioned and like to send cards and letters), and minutes for my phone only if I run out. (Which I'm not anticipating.)

This is what I'm planning for January. Some call it a Spending Fast; others call it a No Spend Month.

What I'm hoping is that I can permanently lower my budget and finish paying off the last of the total credit card debt before the school year is over at the end of May.

I welcome your support and/or suggestions.

Friday's Frugal Roundup

Often, being frugal is more about what you don't spend money on, rather than what you do.

Some examples from my own life:

I don't have an appointment every eight weeks with a hair salon. I get my hair cut about every six months or more. I don't color or highlight my hair. During a time of extreme frugality I let it grow for over four years, relying on free trims from myself, my husband and children to get through. Last fall I got a perm to help me get through the "ugly" stages of growing out layers. I don't spend very much money on my hair. To my eyes, natural hair is more attractive. We've been pretty well brainwashed to believe that light colored hair is more beautiful, or that having a new color or style every few months is necessary. Hogwash! Natural hair that is healthy and silky to the touch, that swishes with head movement is the prettiest to me. And when my hair began to go white at the temples I named them my racing stripes! A frugal person has to have a good sense of humor.

I don't get manicures and/or pedicures, other than the ones I give myself.

To my eyes, natural is best. And, of course, it is the easiest and cheapest to keep up. Nail polish is pretty for special occasions, but a woman or girl with chipped nail polish and scraggly nails is not impressive. Want strong nails? Take an Omega 3-6-9 supplement each day! It's great for both skin and nails.

I don't follow clothing fads or fashions. I'm either ahead of or behind the times. But who cares. Most of us are not photographed as the current "It" girl. Most of us are just anonymous women living normal lives. Looking good is more a matter of cleanliness, good fit, (mended, no drooping hems or missing buttons) and appropriate colors. That doesn't need to break the bank or keep us in debt.

I don't have a smart phone. I use a five year old Tracphone flip phone to call and text my family.  I spend maybe $100 per year. Using a non-smart phone takes planning ahead, but that's what we did in the "olden days" so I'm used to it.

We don't pay for cable, satellite or dish TV.  In fact, we haven't watched television for over twenty-five years. I'm sure we haven't missed much of value.

I do my best to adhere to the pioneer adage "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without" which invites and encourages creativity in using what we have, whether food ingredients or crafting supplies to make what is needed or wanted.

Another virtue of a frugal person that I've developed is Patience. Waiting for the perfect deal, the right piece of furniture on Craig's List, the best sale on canned goods, or whatever it is. Sometimes when we're patient, the "need" goes away by itself, or rather because circumstances change and it wasn't such a pressing need after all. Or if we put the word out we find that someone else is wanting to get rid of the very thing we want! Or maybe it comes for a birthday present or other gift occasion. Frugal people are patient! And we work out creative alternatives in the meantime.

How were you frugal this week?

Friday's Frugal Round-Up

I was almost well, then suffered a relapse of this ridiculous virus--or whatever it is. I wish people would stay home from church when they are sick. I think my depressed immune system took a hit at church. Nevertheless, I managed to get a few frugal things done this week.

I made tomato soup from some tomatoes that had been sitting on my counter too long.
I mended Noble's work slacks for her (she really needs to learn to sew for herself!).
I used up the last of the bananas in a delicious smoothie.
I cooked dinner, fish tacos, even though I was sick and didn't feel like it.

We've had more snow, and more is forecast for this weekend with temps in the teens. I'm flying to San Diego on Tuesday to visit my father. The weather there is in the high 70's, low 80's. Real tough to take. (Thank you TopDad for sending me for my annual thaw!)

What frugal things did you do this week?

Christmas A to Z: FRUITCAKE

Fruitcake has a bad reputation, but the recipe I use is an old family favorite and once someone tastes it their mind is changed forever.

The candied fruit are the colors of Christmas. And true to my frugal nature I bought some of the ingredients last year on clearance.

Noble's Birthday

Tuesday evening we celebrated Noble's twenty-sixth birthday. She fixed Bibimbap (Korean food) for her birthday dinner. Bibimbap is a bowl of rice, veggies and meat, topped with a fried egg, then red pepper paste is stirred in. Yummy!!! Korean meals are always served with several side dishes, Noble served Fresh Cabbage Kimchi, dried squid, and chopped and seasoned seaweed.

Bibimbap as served

With pepper paste (After I took this picture I added more red pepper paste) -- so delicious!

(L_R) Toasted Sesame Seeds, Red Pepper Paste, Cabbage Kimchi, Dried Squid, Seaweed

(L-R) Dandylion, TopDad, Noble and Mr. Movie

Photos of my loved ones!

Dandylion -- glasses are his fashion accessory!

The Birthday Girl - Noble

TopDad - The Provider and Protector of us all

Mr. Movie - caught smiling for once!

I did my usual sterling job of wrapping presents in brown paper bags:

Noble with Wolf Puzzle (purchased at a thrift store for 99 cents.)

Noble was delighted with two children's books by one of her favorite authors!

Purple canning jars! For use in the kitchen instead of plastic leftover containers.

We had cake later -- (actually I frosted the two pieces of cake I'd cut off to make the layers even and then cut that into five pieces for some "pre-cake" which made everyone so full no one was ready for cake until much later!)

While the boys did the dishes, Noble and I watched an episode of a Korean romantic comedy called Producers. The curtains behind the TV were open and we noticed the changing light as the sun went down. It was so beautiful we paused the show and went out to take pictures.

The very air glowed yellow!

I believe the air was yellow because of the dense moisture and the refraction of light. I've seen this phenomenon before, especially in Mount Vernon, Washington. It's magical as well as gorgeous!

Frugal Friday

Recycling an ordinary item

I got excited when I found this bundle at the thrift store recently:

I carefully broke off the clip ends of each one:

And they became these:

Just wanted to share in case you hadn't thought of this one yourself.

Kitchen Frugality

The picture below is the left side of my sink; hiding in plain sight are four of my frugal practices, Can you spot them?

PFCMom's Kitchen 

 So here are the four frugal things:

#1 - I wash out and reuse glass jars - this one held salsa.

#2 - I buy milk in the thicker, white jugs, which I then wash out and fill with water for "flush" water storage. It takes two of these to flush a toilet in an emergency. 

#3 - We have a little swinging towel holder that I use for drying plastic bags. Works great!

#4 - TopDad installed a shelf above the sink where we keep plastic drinking glasses labeled with our names (in Cranberry nail polish) so we can get a drink of water without using tons of glasses each day. I wash the glasses about once a week. (No one has ever gotten sick from those glasses.)

Four simple tricks (or in contemporary parlance hacks) to save money by reusing something. I've been doing these for so long that I forget that not everyone does the same. 

Tightwad Tuesday

Some people don’t like the word “Tightwad” because it has negative connotations. I happen to like it because I associate it with The Tightwad Gazette and its author Amy Dacycyzn. From her and others like her I learned to hold on to my wad tightly and not fritter it away on frivolous things or through unconscious spending.

What I did in the last week as a tightwad:

• Cut out almost three dozen baby burp cloths from fabric in my stash. (Unfortunately I got sick before I could sew them together, but that’s coming.)
• Used odd leftover envelopes to mail letters to our son in Marine Corps Basic Training.
• Made three loaves of banana bread from four overripe bananas.
• Started compost buckets again for veggie and fruits peelings, egg shells, etc.
• Made two cups of breadcrumbs from leftover individual slices of bread that I’d stuck in the freezer. Used one and a half cups of it in the meatloaf Monday night.
• Cut open a lotion bottle to get at the stuff at the bottom that wouldn't come up the pump.
• Rinsed out the last little bit of ketchup in the bottom of the bottle to use in the glaze for the meatloaf.

 And that's just what I could remember at the moment. Some things I do are so habitual that I don't even think about the money saving they bring. Like opening up the drapes and curtains to let sunshine in to warm the rooms, and closing them when the sun goes down to hold in the heat. Like shaking out each piece of laundry as it goes into the dryer so the dryer cycle doesn't take as long. (Kudos to you who hang your laundry, I'm not there yet, especially during Iowa winters.) And cutting the dryer sheets in half, or if I'm really desperate cutting them into fourths. Like measuring the amount of dishwashing liquid I use each time I do the dishes. (We don't have a dishwasher, unless you count me!) And turning bottles upside down to capture the last little bits, and then using a slim spatula to really clean it out.

So what did you do to not spend money this week?

Mrs. Use it Up Strikes Again

I did so well in February with groceries that I'm going to keep going for March. I started the month buying only dairy, (milk and eggs), lots of fruit, some veggies (still have some to use up), and a little bit of meat. My stock up item this month is cleaning supplies because that's what I was running low on. It feels so good to have a cupboard full of supplies again!

So, the use it up deal; I foraged around in the freezer for all the odd pieces of bread I had stuck in there and found an assortment of pieces which I laid out on a baking sheet and popped in the oven to toast. When they were nicely dried out I broke the pieces into the blender (I don't have a food processor) and whizzed them up into bread crumbs, which I then put into an old plastic container with a piece of masking tape for a label and back it goes into the freezer so that the next time a recipe calls for bread crumbs mine are all ready. Whew!

Lunch today was a salad of grated carrot, some leftover green peas (frozen kind), a spoonful of leftover white rice, a spoonful of feta cheese, the last of some Romaine lettuce, a pinch of basil, and some homemade Italian dressing (well, sort of homemade, the kind with water, vinegar, oil and a packet of mix). For an experiment in combining flavors it was really good. But then I like oddball salads.

I had plans to make some baby bibs and burp cloths for a friend but got called out to do some church work so my plans got bumped a day. These items will also be made from leftovers in a use-it-up effort.

Supposedly the weather is warmer, but without sunshine it still feels cold to me.

Frugal February Update

So far, so good. Nothing more spent on groceries (or anything else, come to think of it). Last night I made two loaves of banana bread to use up the old bananas. Saturday I ground wheat and made whole wheat bread (yum, yum). There are no chips (crisps in England) in the house so we popped popcorn for a crunchy snack. We had stir-fry last night with a single butterfly pork chop cut into small bite-sized pieces for the meat.  The bottomless pits boys complained a bit, but filled up on the rice and veggies; then toast, then popcorn, and some ice cream. They really are bottomless pits! I looked through the veggie bins in the fridge to see what I have and what needs to be used up, then planned meals for this week. (Why do I go so long without making a plan!?)

Noble finally got the package of goodies I sent her, but said the bread was already moldy so don't send that anymore. The brownies made her cry with homesickness. (That wasn't the reaction I wanted.) Military mail to overseas is so slow, the only redeeming feature being that she doesn't have to pay customs on everything. 

PW goes to Marine Boot Camp in two weeks. We'll be going to San Diego (my hometown) for his graduation. He's been running and working out to get ready. 

Dr. Hair is going to All-State competition with his short film! When he puts his film up on YouTube I'll grab it and share with you. It is really good! (And that's not just a mommy's bias.)

The weather is warming up a bit, supposed to be low 50's today. YAY!!! Yesterday we woke up to snow falling, but by afternoon it was melted off the sidewalks and roads. I got out and shoveled a bit after lunch and needed only a sweatshirt. It was wonderful to hear birds singing and chirping in the afternoon.

Wherever you are, I hope today is a good one for you.

Unofficially Frugal February

Seems like every time I announce on my blog that I'm doing something, I fall apart and the something doesn't get done. So this is not an announcement, it's just an observation.

I'm attempting to spend less on groceries this month. I'm making a conscious effort to eat from the freezer and pantry so I can stock up on toiletries (I'm tired of running out!). Working so far.

I'm also attempting to avoid wasting food. Today I got creative and added the last of the baked beans to the beans for burritos and added some salsa, extra chili powder and cumin. We ate them; Dr. Hair even asked for seconds, but the sweetness of the baked beans was unmistakable. There are leftovers, but only two tortillas, so I figured the beans could be part of a Seven-Layer Dip meal and the tortillas (large whole grain) could be made into a quesadilla for lunch.

I inventoried my freezer and pantry then made up a menu plan using what I have; I think I can make it through the month (thank goodness for short months) with purchasing only milk and fresh fruit.

At the beginning of the year I decided that this is the year I'm going to restock my food storage, and emergency preparedness. It's been a long time of living on the edge and I'd like to get back to where we were about twelve years ago.

Stayed tuned for more unofficial reports of frugal activities.

The AHA! Moment; OR When the light finally comes on

The Tightwad Gazette was published from about 1990 to 1996 and helped educated a whole lot of people about being frugal. I was an early subscriber and one of those learners. Learning is an fluid process, rising and falling as our needs change and our understanding increases. Here's a funny example.

I don't remember why or how I got started using a square of wax paper to grease baking pans, but that's what I used. In an issue of The Tightwad Gazette someone mentioned using the wrapper from a cube of butter (or margarine) and I thought they meant that there was enough butter left on the wrapper to use in greasing a pan. I tried it and finding it didn't work indignantly shouted, as if they could hear me, "This doesn't work! There isn't enough butter on here to do anything." And I went back to using a square of wax paper. A few years later I was pulling off the wax paper from the roll and the idea hit me like a ton of bricks "Duh, using the wrapper from the butter saves on using up my wax paper!!! Of course you have to put more butter on it, it was saving the paper part you didn't understand." I felt about an inch tall for being so dense.

Ever have those moments? That's why I like to read other's blogs and books even though I do lots of frugal things, I don't know it all and I can learn something new to add to my bag of tricks. You can see some of my favorite sites right over there------------------------------------------------>.

I'm Busy

December is just going to have to a no blog month if I want to get Christmas under the tree.

But here are some quickies:

• Last night I roasted a bone-in chicken breast for dinner; this morning I chopped up the leftovers, added minced onion and celery, salt and pepper and mixed it all together with mayonnaise for some yummy chicken salad to go in a couple of leftover pita pockets for the boys lunches.
• Yesterday I mailed Noble's Christmas to her in three large priority flat-rate boxes because the rate on those boxes is discounted for shipping to military addresses.
• I used the drippings from the roast chicken to add to our cat's food this morning; they love treats like that and it makes their food go further when I can add leftovers to it. Plus all the fat is good for them being outdoors in the cold weather. (When we moved I insisted that the cats reside on the screened porch with a pet door to come and go as they please.)
• I spent some time over at Second Chances by Susan's blog getting great ideas for modest re-fashioning of clothes. She is so talented!
• I gathered all the Christmas wrapping papers and tags and such together in one place! I won't have to buy anymore this year. (or the next or next either!)

Today is bread baking day and boy's laundry day so I'd better get to it.

I'm Back

That's right, the Practical, Frugal, Clever Mom is back. Over the weekend I read some pages from a "Frugality Journal" I kept for a few years. The entries inspired me to get back to basics and post some of the little things I do to be frugal.

Today I baked bread, five loaves of basic white bread. The kitchen smells lovely and my boys will arrive home to their favorite fragrance!

At the beginning of October I set a goal to bake ALL my bread. I made it all the way to the week of Thanksgiving and events overtook my good intentions. Still I made it through almost two whole months without buying a single loaf of bread, or other baked good. It freed up enough money to bulk buy some other things my pantry was lacking. The practice of making what we use rather than buying, will consistently free up money that can be put to other uses.

There are some caveats. I read on another blog about making her own lip balm for 12 cents a tube. Which sounds fabulous except she had to spend about $60 to make the first dozen tubes and she has enough ingredients left to make dozens more. So, unless she plans to sell the tubes, she's not saving any money, and it's possible that the leftover ingredients will spoil before they can be used up. Perhaps for her there are other uses for the leftovers and it won't be wasted. However, that is not a way I'd look at to save money.

Saving money means (to me) spending less (or nothing) on something I normally and regularly use, including gifts or materials to make gifts. Example: bread making. Last summer, while in Utah, I bought two hundred pounds of unbleached flour in 25 lb. bags for $10.45 each. That saved me a lot of money. It works out to $.418 per pound. When flour goes on sale here it is cheaper than that, but it comes in tiny five pound bags and there is usually a limit of 2 bags. That doesn't help me much as it is 30 miles to the grocery store so I can't go everyday and keep buying. Plus there is all the packaging to deal with. I like big bags!

I've been pondering how I will be able to restock. I can't justify driving a thousand miles to Utah for a couple hundred pounds of flour, although visiting family and friends would be wonderful too. Answers come to those who ponder! I was reading a book called Money Secrets of the Amish in which the author talks about the bulk buying habits of the Amish. Ding! There is an Amish community in south-central Iowa that I could easily drive to twice a year to stock up!

Oh, that bread smells good! I think it's time for a piece with a little butter and honey.

A Different Kind of First Lady

I'd like to see a different kind of First Lady in the White House. 

Wouldn't it be refreshing to see a woman with a large family who practiced the principles of Provident Living. I'd like to see a wife and mother who lives within her means and shows an example of frugality with taxpayers money while in the People's House. I'd like to see a woman who teaches by word and example that the United States of America is a great nation with an eternal destiny to stand as a shining city on a hill. I'd like her to teach that knowing the Constitution and history of our founding is some of the most important knowledge you'll ever learn. I'd like her to be an example of graciousness and kindness, serving others in quiet ways without fanfare or media press conferences. I'd enjoy a woman who teaches virtue and morality, who explains the need for strong families in order to have a strong nation. It would be totally refreshing to have a First Lady who is more interested in what she can do for her country than in what she can get out of her country. I'd like a First Lady to promote Liberty and Individual Responsibility.

I'm rather tired of the First Nanny/Queen who currently occupies the White House.  

July's almost over and I'm not done with my To Do list

This has been a busy month. The bathroom is painted as well as the two walls in the kitchen where we removed a huge banquette bench. I've moved all my winter clothes over to the bedroom closet and taken measurements for curtains. Noble's birthday presents are all done and the second box is on it's way. She turns 24 on Sunday. I finally got some pictures developed to send to my Dad who doesn't do email. I've helped with Dr. Hair's film project by baking cakes, breads and cookies for his fund raiser on July 4th, then shopping for costume pieces in Council Bluffs with members of the cast. I've worked in the yard pulling weeds and moving plants around; keeping a dog and two cats fed and happy, as well as taking care of a bird bath and feeder (new to my life this summer).

I've decluttered and taken bags of stuff to the thrift store. Moving is a good time to do that sort of thing. Items I haven't used or even unpacked from the last move are good candidates for removal.

My sewing room is a total mess again and will stay that way until we move out of this house and I can spread it out between the three bedrooms upstairs. I have PLANS! And with space to work in I fully expect to accomplish them.

I've given a lot of thought to my frugal lifestyle. My way of thinking is so natural now that it is automatic, without a lot of thought. The only times I think about it is when I hear what someone else does and I think to myself "That's not the least expensive way to do that." or something similar. When I think about topics for this blog I decide "Oh no one would want to know about that." I wish readers would ask questions that I could answer to give me some direction as to what you'd like to know.

This week Dr. Hair and Dandylion are off to the Scout High Adventure in South Dakota. TopDad and I are enjoying the peace and privacy. Just three short years until it will be like this all the time. Amazing! It took us ten years to get all five of the chuns here; it's only taking six for them to all leave us. (PW left in 2010, Dandy will leave in 2016) By the way, Noble is doing well in Korea. Several airmen (and women) have asked her to accompany them to Seoul because she speaks the language and can be their tour guide. She is happy to do so.

JET bought a zippy convertible sports car, red no less, and has let me drive it a couple times. It is really fun!!! He has a new job as a technician at a Honda dealership. PW is a pesticide technician for the summer earning money for school in the fall.

Everyone is happy, busy and making progress.

Lastly, the weather today is cool, dry with a lovely northern breeze. It feels like the end of September to me, rather than the end of July. But who's complaining, this is perfectly wonderful weather. Supposed to stay like this for the next week, then rain is in the forecast. Lovely!!!

Pushing the Envelope

For some time I've been using up a stash of envelopes that accumulated from other things such as cards bought for crafting. Last fall I ran out of "regular" envelopes and couldn't get to the store that minute so I hauled out my box of stationary and cards (the one I had organized and found dozens of envelopes). I've been using the odd envelopes ever since. It makes me feel virtuous and "green". When I finally use up all the oddballs I will go back to buying the regular ones, but until that day I'll stick to pushing my envelopes.