Note: We are taking a short break from blogging this week and will be re-posting a few of our earlier articles that may not have been read by many of our current readers. If you have already read this article (and those few to come), we apologize for the repetition and assure you that we will have some new material for you soon. Thanks for reading!

Language Lesson ~ Frugality is a Virtue
(Re-Post: Original post date February 24, 2008)

In modern times where the spending of money is oftentimes equated with power and status, the word “frugal” or “frugality” seems to carry an almost negative connotation and be associated with stinginess or miserliness (if you look it up in a thesaurus). However, if we go back to the actual definition and etymology (origins) of the word, we see that frugality is really a positive trait and nothing to be at all ashamed of.

“Frugal” or “frugality” is defined as “characterized by or reflecting economy in the use of resources”, “prudence in avoiding waste”, and “prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful”.

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Vinegar is the frugally-, environmentally- and health-minded person’s best friend. Vinegar derives its potency from acetic acid, CH3COOH. The acidic nature of vinegar gives it the ability to kill bacteria, dissolve unwanted substances, and kill and deter insects and pests. Keep in mind that vinegar will corrode certain metals if not wiped away promptly. Because vinegar is very potent, test a small spot or do a little research before using on delicate or very costly items. Here are a few suggestions for saving money and your health by substituting vinegar, which can be had for as little as $2.50 a gallon at your local supermarket, for common cleaning agents and pesticides around your house.

• Killing and deterring ants. In order to be effective, you must spray ants with undiluted vinegar. DO NOT WIPE AWAY THE DEAD ANTS. I find that ants only stop coming if you leave the bodies for their fellows to carry away and a lingering sour smell. Spray doors, windows, and perimeters of beds with vinegar.
• Spray flying or crawling insects. This is more effective than a fly swatter because flies don’t think they have to flee from a spray of “water”. It’s also nice to not have smeared insects or poison in your house.
• Removing water stains from glass, bathrooms, dishes, fish tanks, dish racks, etc. Hard water deposits are alkaline (basic) and vinegar being an acid will break them down.
• Removing tea and coffee stains from cups and teapots. Spray and let sit for a minute, then wash as usual. This is also useful for very greasy cookware or burnt grease.
• Washing dog dishes which are often coated with a thick layer of slimy saliva that is not easily removed with dish detergent.
• Disinfecting sink drains, shower drains, and your throat. When drinking, dilute with water and add honey. Honey is not necessary for drains.
• Cleaning windows. Much cheaper than window cleaners.
• Removing stains from fabric and carpets. Can be added to laundry.
• Polishing varnished wood and other surfaces.
• Clearing drains. Pour baking soda down the drain and then add vinegar.
• Cleaning your pets’ ears. Swab with a vinegar and water solution.
• Cleaning and conditioning hair. Mix with shampoo to remove styling products and excessive oil. I once read that vinegar contains enzymes which are good for hair.
• Deodorize your pet. Mix with shampoo and wash. May be good for pets with skin problems, but you may want to check with your vet in case certain conditions makes skin sensitive to acid. Undiluted vinegar is not recommended for cats as they have very thin skin.
• Soak your feet. Kills bacteria and odor and helps remove old skin cells.
• Polishing coins. We did this in 6th grade science class.
• Making a bang. My cousin once liked to fill a small resealable (Ziploc) bag with baking soda and vinegar. The bag expands with the gas produced by the two substances and explodes with a bang. Rather an exciting event for a kid.

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The other day I posted a comment about how my sister and I share an AMEX Cash Back credit card on Kevin’s post $327 in AMEX Cash Back Thus Far at No Debt Plan and he emailed me to ask out of curiosity why I share an account with my sister because it sounds so risky. What if one of us decided to go on a shopping spree and screwed things up for the other person?

I emailed him back explaining our logic, and while it may be unconventional, for us it is a convention we have practiced with success for many years. Ever since our high school days when our parents would give each of us pocket money for lunch, the bus, pay phones, etc. we have always regarded our money as literally “our money.” When one of us didn’t have any cash and wanted to buy a drink or snack at school, we would just ask the other person for some. And to the shock of many of our friends, we would just give each other the money. We never had a distinction of “my money” and “your money”.

Perhaps this had to do with our always having been somewhat unconventional people, even as kids. While our friends went to the mall, movies or shopping, we preferred to go to the library, karate class, or stay at home and read or play with our pets (we had dogs, cats, 20-30 rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, fish, mice, etc.). So for us, money was never really a means for pleasure but living - taking the bus home from school, buying lunch or an occasional snack or buying pet supplies. Because we didn’t habitually spend money, our parents didn’t put us on allowances and would just give us money when we needed it. (This could explain why we still live on a No-Budget System.)

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It is generally accepted that buying in bulk is the best way to save money and the backbone of a frugal lifestyle. I do agree with this, but not for all things. With products and foods we regularly or quickly use and consume, I almost always buy in bulk without question. But there are cases where I find that buying in bulk is not always the right solution.

A few instances where I often choose not to buy in bulk are:

• Trying a new product
  I recently shopped for a multi-purpose household cleaner. (We try to use vinegar and baking soda when possible, but there are times that we feel we need a stronger cleaner.) Because we have pets, we try to be as cautious as possible when choosing cleaners, and I found one called Simple Green that I liked the looks of because it claims to be safe and biodegradable, and it comes concentrated and makes several times the amount of the bottle.

  Simple Green comes in 3 sizes at our local Ace Hardware: 22 oz. spray bottle ($5.99), 1/2 gallon jug $8.99), and 1 Gallon jug ($10.99). Needless to say, the larger the jug, the lower the cost of use. With the larger sizes significantly cheaper than the smaller sizes, I was tempted to purchase the gallon sized jug. However, having never used or heard of the brand, I was hesitant to purchase such a large quantity for fear that it would turn out to be unsatisfactory for various reasons. Our local Ace Hardware charges a 15% restocking fee for all returns, which I consider a waste of money, so I don’t like to think of that as an option.

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These are some ways we save money without sacrificing the management or enjoyment of our home:

Clean with Rubbing Alcohol

Our favorite cleaner is isopropyl, which looks pretty in clear spray bottles around the house. It is not perfumed, does not leave toxic residue like other cleaners, and costs only $1 to $2 for a large bottle. We acquired the mentality of scrupulous sanitizing from singing teachers, some of whom insist upon spraying everything with Lysol before touching. Lysol, however, damages the skin and leaves you with toxic fingers while rubbing alcohol evaporates cleanly away. Only be aware that rubbing too hard with alcohol might remove a little paint or varnish.

Left: One of our handy all-purpose isopropyl alcohol spray bottles that we keep around the house.

A few things we regularly use rubbing alcohol to clean are:

• Library books before reading
• Pillowcases before going to bed (in case pets have used our pillows in our absence)
• Doorknobs
• Cosmetic containers and surfaces (where we keep and apply makeup)
• Closets where we store pillowcases, clothing, and towels
• Office equipment such as phones and computers
• Mirrors
• Washer and dryer openings that come into contact with dirty laundry before we take out our clean laundry

Exterminate with Rubbing Alcohol

Yet another use for the wonderful isopropyl is in killing unwelcome insects. Because we have pets, Penelope and I are very reluctant to use poisons. A squirt of alcohol, which can even reach a tiny bug on the ceiling, makes most insects drop dead (no squashed guts!). A spritz can also drop airborne flies and gnats. There are no worries of children or pets touching and ingesting insecticides, and even adults can reduce cancer risk by avoiding exposure to many household chemicals. For tougher insects, white vinegar is more effective and although it leaves a smell, is healthier for everyone except the bug. A spritz of vinegar is more effective than a fly swatter because the fly thinks it’s water and does not try to escape.
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