There’s no measuring how proud you are of your high school graduate. Unfortunately, your debit card does have limits. You’d like to buy the kid a new car or gaming system before he or she leaves for college for four years, but many of us can’t exactly afford it. Fear not! The following gifts are sure to please your graduate, your bank account, and the planet.

Budget-Friendly and Eco-Friendly Graduation Gift Ideas

1. Speakers. What 18-year-old doesn’t want to express him- or herself through music? Your graduate will love these “Design It Yourself” speakers ($16.99) and these “Terra-Cycled” M&Ms- or Skittles-themed speakers ($14.99 and $19.99).

2. Water-powered clock. Yes, you read that right. This clock doesn’t need batteries. It just needs water! That means fewer trips to the store (and less money spent) by your graduate as well as you.

3. Travel mug. College kids generally love their coffee. If they don’t drink now, they probably will by sophomore year, and that means a lot of paper or Styrofoam cups going into landfills. Get your graduate a trendy coffee mug for those mornings when a brisk walk just isn’t going to give them the boost they need. There are plenty of handmade ceramic mugs with lids on Etsy or you can buy this one from The Nature Conservancy.

4. Reusable water bottle. Sometimes, the mere act of bringing water to the lips is enough to keep college kids awake in a morning or evening class. Plastic bottles are the bane of the environment and stainless steel reusable bottles can more than make up for the cost of disposable bottles even within a week. This bottle ($20) from Riverkeeper benefits a group that protects New York’s Hudson River and this one benefits The Nature Conservancy for just $8.50.

5. Flower or herb pot. Although flowers and green things may be the stereotypical mother’s addition to any dorm room, a pot of aromatic lavender or rosemary can help calm any stressed student’s nerves.

6. Full-length mirror. Every college kid—boy or girl—could use one of these. Check out Freecycle, Craigslist, or your local thrift store for cheaper full-length mirrors than you’ll find at Wal-Mart or anywhere else.

7. Staple-free stapler. Students no longer need to fret about running out of staples and can instead show off this adorable dog-or cat-themed stapler ($8.99). It “noms” papers and presentations with a single push.

8. Rechargeable USB AA batteries. Batteries are difficult to dispose of properly and not every college campus provides information on how to do it. Save your future student from spending cash on batts and polluting landfills with them later with these rechargeable AA batteries ($17.99). They can charge from the USB port of any computer.

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written by: Bridget Sandorford
Bio: Aside from school and working part-time as an Assistant Chef, Bridget Sandorford is the resident Culinary Schools blogger where recently she’s been researching culinary colleges in Massachusetts as well as culinary colleges in California. Her passion for food is only met with her passion for writing. She lives outside of Charleston, South Carolina.

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Image courtesy of: jscreationzs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Repurposing is a new word in my frugal living vocabulary, and I love it!

Repurposing simply means reusing something in a new way, a.k.a. turning trash into treasure, but in honor of Earth Week we’ll use the more updated term.

So, exactly how do you get started repurposing?

• Put on your creative thinking cap and before you throw anything away ask yourself if it can be reborn as something else.
• If your creative juices just aren’t flowing, ask the search engines! Simply type: how can I repurpose _________?
• If all else fails, give someone else a chance to repurpose by donating your item to charity.

Now I’ll show-off my repurposing talents!

Denim Pockets
Pockets on old blue jeans can become super cute magnetic pencil holders for a locker.

1. Cut the pocket off the jeans making sure to leave 1″ on the top of the back piece of denim.
2. Fold down the extra 1″ piece so it’s even with the front of the pocket. Use stitch witchery to hold it down. Stitch witchery is available in sewing stores, and if you can iron…you can sew!
3. Glue 4 magnets on the corners of the back of the pocket.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

4. Decorate the pocket with iron-ons or pins.
5. Now you’ve got a great looking pencil holder for a locker!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Shopping Bags
Let your shopping bag take on a new life as a gift bag.

1. Dig through your piles of scrapbook stickers and look for a few that will cover-up the store logo or use a piece of scrapbook paper to cover-up the logo.
2. That’s it, you’ve rescued a bag from the recycling bin and given it new life as a gift bag!

a recycled shopping bag becomes a beautiful gift bag

Picture Frames
Picture frames are my specialty when it comes to repurposing!

1. Old picture frames are readily available at thrift stores, Goodwill and garage sales. Look beyond the ugly picture and look for a great frame.
2. Spray paint will give new life to your frame before you repurpose it. How about black? Red? Hot Pink? Gold or Silver?
3. Instructions for making a chalkboard.
4. Instructions for making a bulletin board.
5. Instructions for making an earring display.

old picture frame repurposed as a chalkboard

Toilet Paper Rolls
Toilet Paper rolls come alive as rainsticks or come in handy for all sorts of things! Check out 20 Uses for Cardboard Tubes Beyond The Bathroom

Please click on the title of this article to share what you have recently repurposed!

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I’ve heard it over and over – SLOW DOWN, SAVE GAS – but how much gas are we really talking about?

Over spring break, I put my gas guzzling sport utility to the test, and I’m a believer! Although, I must admit if you drive 55 m.p.h. be prepared to be the slow poke in the right lane that everyone passes and stares at!

Here are the results:

70 miles per hour = 18 miles per gallon

65 miles per hour = 20 miles per gallon

55 miles per hour = 23 miles per gallon

Let’s do the math on the gas savings:

Pretend we’re going on a 300 mile trip, and the premium gasoline that my sport utility loves is $4.00 a gallon!

Driving 70 miles per hour, I’ll need nearly 17 gallons of gas at a total cost of $68!

If I slow down to 65 miles per hour, I’ll need 15 gallons of gas at a total cost of $60!

And if I drive like a granny at 55 miles per hour, I’ll only need 13 gallons of gas at a total cost of $52!

Is it worth it?

You have to ask yourself what’s more important – saving time or saving money. Driving 70 miles per hour will get me to my destination 1 hour and 15 minutes faster, but it will cost $16 more. In celebration of Earth Week, why don’t you slow down and enjoy the scenery on your next road trip!

Other ways to save gas without driving like a granny:

• Make sure your tires are properly inflated.
• Take it easy on the accelerator…you don’t really have to be the first one to race ahead from the stop light!
• Instead of idling in the car pool line, turn your car off. The same goes for waiting in the line at the drive-thru!
• Choose the route that requires the least amount of stop signs and traffic lights even if it’s the longer route.
• Opt for carpools.
• Walk or ride your bike whenever possible! Couldn’t you walk your child to school instead of driving a mile?
• Enter your zip code at GasBuddy.com to find the cheapest gas in your area.

 
Just think, if gas nears $5 a gallon, we might all be driving like granny!

You’ll SAVE MONEY and SAVE MOTHER EARTH when you GO GREEN!

Each day this week The Budget Diet is offering you all sorts of ways to green up your life and save money.

Tuesday:
It’s Easy and Frugal to BE GREEN – 10 Simple Earth Friendly Ideas

Wednesday:
Learn how to make an Easter Basket with recycled materials!

Thursday:
Slow Down, Save Gas!

Friday:
Repurposing – From Toilet Paper Rolls to T-Shirts!

Why don’t you make an effort this week to BE GREEN by trying just one of my earth friendly tips?

Everyone has shoes, so everyone has shoeboxes. And you might be surprised at how many ways you can get the most out of a shoebox. Here are 10 ways to repurpose your old shoeboxes that might make you reconsider throwing them away as soon as you pull the shoes out.

1. Sewing Box
It can difficult to keep needles and threads from getting lost. A shoebox can be the perfect size container to make sure all your mending supplies can be found when you need them.

2. Shipping
Don’t waste money buying boxes from the post office. If you hold onto your shoeboxes you’ll have a ready supply of boxes in various shapes and sizes.

3. Treasure Chest
Let your children or grandchildren decorate the outside of the box and then fill it with their favorite possessions. Decorating the box will be a fun activity, and at the end they’ll have a new toy that didn’t cost a dime.

4. Shoes
This might seem like a no-brainer but many people throw away shoeboxes for seasonal footwear like boots or sandals. Keep these boxes around to use as storage in the off-season.

5. Donate
Many humanitarian organizations use shoeboxes to send supplies third world countries. Get in touch with groups in your area to see if they have use for your old shoeboxes.

6. Files
A shoebox can be the perfect container to file recipes, bills, or receipts. Hang on to boxes, especially smaller ones, and chances are you will eventually find the perfect thing to file in them.

7. Gift Boxes
A decorated shoebox can be the perfect container for a gift box containing several small items such as toiletries for college students or treats and goodies for a neighbor.

8. A Base for Cakes
Two sturdy shoeboxes can be covered in tinfoil and used as a base for smaller cakes. This is perfect for parties when you want your cake to have a more prominent place on a crowded table.

9. Memory Box
Use an old shoebox to serve as a great place for old photos, special birthday cards, dried flowers, or any number of things worth hanging onto. Shoeboxes can also work as great containers for time capsules.

10. Loose Change Container
A shoebox placed in your kitchen or bedroom can serve as the perfect place to drop loose change. When the box is full you can take it to a Coinstar machine or bank or even donate it to local charity. You’d be surprised how much a shoebox full of change can be worth.

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About the author: Diane Johnson writes about a number of her interests including four wheeling, shopping, and college degrees.

When’s the last time you repaired something that was broken?

If your cell phone breaks, do you even consider repairing it?

If a sock has a hole in it, do you mend it, throw it away, or in my case…turn it into a rag!

If a part breaks on your food processor, do you order that part or throwaway the entire unit?

Next time something is broken, stop before you throw it away (and add to our landfills)…consider your options:

• Repair Shop – yes, repair shops do still exist, and it’s worth asking how much a repair would cost. My three teenagers are always trying to justify replacing broken electronics in the name of new technology, but their wallets don’t always allow! My son’s i-pod screen cracked, and he was able to get it repaired for $50 instead of replacing it with the newer model for $200. Sure, he would have liked the newer model, but he couldn’t afford it. Live within your means!

 

• Super Glue – I love super glue! In the past couple of months, I’ve used super glue to: repair the sole of my son’s running shoe, repair a Christmas ornament and fix a knob on my bathroom drawer. Super glue is my 30-second repairman! I suggest always having some on hand, and I’m partial to the little single use super glues, so you never have to worry about it drying out.

 

• Replace a Part – Often times, you can go online and order an inexpensive replacement part for something like your food processor.

 

• Donate It – Years ago, I used to volunteer at the Junior League thrift sale, and I was always amazed to discover that there is a market for broken electronics. Techies love to fix broken things or just use them for parts! Give your throw away a second life!

 

• Recycle, Recycle, Recycle – Many things can be recycled, so check it first before you throw it away. Did you know that Gazelle will pay you to recycle your electronic gadgets? They’ll send you a box, pay you for shipping and you can earn a little cash for being environmentally responsible! Costco and Best Buy also have trade-in programs.

 
Let’s “trash” our throwaway society, and opt for budget friendly and earth friendly alternatives! Please click on the title of this article to share your repair success stories!

I’m tired of wasting money on science fair display boards! This year, we’ve bought our last display board because removable adhesive putty has come to the rescue!

Instead of throwing away the board after the science fair, we’ll simply remove the papers and reuse the board!

It’s another budget friendly and earth friendly idea from The Budget Diet!

I’ve always heard that baking soda & vinegar will clean just about anything…thanks to Felicity at MiniMomos.com for taking the time to explain exactly how to use them!

Being budget-minded and green when cleaning makes good sense for both your wallet and the planet. Homemade cleaning products don’t take much time to make, allowing you to get on with enjoying your sustainable living.

The Kitchen

From the oven to your chopping boards, there is an easy homemade kitchen solution at hand.

Plastic boards harbor more germs than wooden ones, as wooden boards have anti-bacterial properties.. Keep both types of boards clean by scrubbing with hot water and soap. To clean off raw poultry, use boiling water (wear gloves to protect your hands from scalding). Finish up rubbing over a little lemon juice or vinegar to deodorize and disinfect.

The alkaline nature of baking soda makes it perfect as an all-round kitchen bench cleaner. Apply it dry to bench tops as an abrasive cleaning powder; use long-lasting plastic cleaning scrubbers to scrub. If you need a stronger solution, mix baking soda with white vinegar. Expect some fizz but you’ll have a powerful cleaning combination that works for most stains on kitchen benches.

Clean your oven using baking soda. Make a light paste of baking soda mixed with water. Using an old toothbrush, scrub inside the oven. It gets easier with each clean.

Deodorize the refrigerator with baking soda. Simply tip an amount onto a saucer and place on a shelf inside the refrigerator. It will start absorbing odors immediately. Replace every two weeks. To clean the refrigerator, dissolve one teaspoon of borax in a half a pint of warm water. Mix well. Wear gloves and wipe the solution over the shelves, door, etc. It both cleans and deodorizes.

The Bathroom

For the bathroom, the baking soda bench scrubbing mix described above works well on bathroom benches, basins, and tiles.

Remove mildew from shower curtains using a paste of baking soda and water. Leave the paste on overnight and wash off the next morning using warm water.

Clean limescale out of the showerhead with vinegar. Remove the showerhead, dip it into a bowl of one part vinegar, three parts water. Leave for half an hour; check to see if the limescale has come off, or leave longer if needed. Limescale can be wiped off taps using vinegar on a damp cloth, wrapped around the taps for half an hour.

Your own furniture cleaning dusters

Some wonderful cleaning dusters can be made very easily using lemons. Fill a bowl with 2 parts water, 2 parts vinegar and 2 drops of lemon oil. Soak clean rags or dusters in the solution for half an hour. Squeeze out the excess and remove the damp cloths. Place pieces of freshly peeled lemon rind inside each rag. Roll up the rag and place into an airtight jar with a lid (old glass food jars are ideal). Use when needed. After use, wash them and repeat the lemon scent infusion process.

Safety first

Always label and date homemade cleaning products for storage. Keep out the reach of children and pets. Borax is toxic if swallowed. Even non-toxic products can be cross-contaminated when used for cleaning.

By Felicity Tepper

Felicity is the adult community coordinator for MiniMonos , a site where sustainably minded kids meet and play. Felicity makes her own homemade cleaning products regularly.