In-Flu...a diet??

I had food poisoning a couple weeks ago, after eating some apparently toxic pizza.  It was not a pleasant experience, of which I am sure many of you are aware.  As I was laying on the bathroom floor, freezing cold and sweating buckets, I had this crazy thought:  'This sucks but at least I'll lose a couple pounds and wake up with a flat stomach'.

Call it sick-brain talking.  Call it delusional.  Call it whatever you want, but don't deny that you haven't thought it yourself.  I'm actually pretty impressed that I was lucid enough to have purposely thought that little bit of genius.

Now that cold and flu season are imminent, people are rushing out all over the place to get shot up with the flu du jour, getting stocked on medicines and fluids and all.  Getting flu shots is totally a personal preference, and though I can site a zillion articles about why flu shots are bad, it's my opinion and a touchy subject and I really don't feel like getting into it.  My family doesn't get them.  Period.

Naturally (no pun intended) we do other things like diet, supplement, exercise, etc. to make sure we have healthy immune systems and when something does come our way we fight it and treat it, and drink our Performance (Shaklee's version of Gatorade), let it run its course, and if anything were to get out of hand there's the urgent care department at the docs office.  We eat good and take our vitamins and probiotics like good little anti-flu shot folks, but no matter what we do, germs will continue to float around like crazy.  Especially for those with kids in school with their sticky hands all touching everything all the time, precautions must be taken.  Hand washing is obviously important, using tissues and your coughing corner, cleaning and disinfecting your surfaces constantly (and safely!), etc. etc.  More common sense stuff that everyone knows.  Or should know.  If you don't, you've got problems.

Considering the candy-binge holiday that is in our very recent history, let me tell you a little tidbit about sugar and your immune system.  They don't get along.  You know how people say Vitamin C helps when you have a cold or flu cause it boosts your immune system?  Then they reach for the orange juice and all their problems are solved, right?  Wrong.  Vitamin C is good, yes.  But do me a favor and stay away from fruit juices.  Why?  Cause sugar puts your immune system right to sleep.  There have been studies done, so I'm not just making this up, specifically with orange juice, that prove this.  So just do yourself a favor and skip the juice, try a Vitamin C supplement and call it a day.

No matter what precautions we take, there is still always the chance that we can (will) contract the flu and spend a minimum of 24 hours barfing and shitting our guts out, not eating anything, laying in bed sweating and being gross and stinky and feeling like poo.

But honestly...how many of you have had the thought that if your kids DO bring home the flu (again) this year and you spend a couple days taking care of them and ultimately yourself doing the above mentioned activities...at least you'll lose a couple pounds?! 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not in any saying that you should purposely go out and get yourself on the flu-diet.  That's just dumb.  But let's look at the bright side.  Hey, there's always a bright side!  There's always an honest side too, so don't try and tell me that its a crazy thought that you'd never even consider.  You know you've thought it.

So good luck, ya'll.  Yeah, I said ya'll.  Whether you get the flu this year or you dodge the bullet, whether you get it or just don't...take care of yourselves!!  And if you want a REAL weight loss program, let me know!

Blowing Hot Air

It's in the upper 40's, windy, very fallish. In fact, it's cold.  Now, now, don't get all 'Are you kidding, just wait' on me, I've lived through 36 upper-midwest winters and I know what the real deal is.  But don't try to tell me that when your alarm goes off in the morning, in the dark, that it's anything close to easy to get out of your nice, warm, snuggly bed.
It's cold, ain' it?  You get the point.

Our heat is currently set to kick on at 62 degrees.  That's not a typo, let me repeat...sixty-two degrees.  YA, we're cheap.   That's all it comes down to.  But don't be alarmed, we handle it very well.

We've got this great wood-burning stove and a large supply of firewood (these trees just drop dead at our feet!), so we've got the stove fired up quite a bit.  Along with the electric blanket and down comforters, we're good.  In fact, when I go to other people's houses who are all 'nothing lower than a perfectly temperature controlled 72 degrees all year long', I absolutely die.  I'm sweating.  Hey look, that's me!

All this cold weather is actually VERY good for family togetherness.  Dog and cats, too.  Everybody piles on.

The other night, I woke up to use the bathroom and found myself so sweat-soaked I started to fear early menopause.  I returned to bed and laid down between my two little people, under the heated blanked, dog between my legs, and landlocked into not being able to expose my feet.  My feet are my thermostats, you see.  So when my shorties revolt and insist on bracketing me at night, my poor feet are trapped and the resulting overheating of this body is nothing short of a hazard.  How it is that I haven't shorted out that electric blanket with my hot body by now is a mystery.  Oh...and I sweat a lot, too.

The point is....wait, what is the point?

Do I tell you all the things you can do to conserve energy?  Turn down the thermostat at night, turn it down when you're at work, turn it down in general...?  Use weatherstripping, patch holes, get better insulation.  Make your home more energy efficient!  Well duh, this stuff is pretty common knowledge, kind of like turning off a light when you leave a room.  You don't need me to tell you this stuff.

Do we discuss how to keep your kids out of your bed?  Honestly I don't mind it that much as long as it's not all the time, nor do I as a parent really know how.  When the kids have a nightmare and come running in at 2 am, I feel bad for them that they're scared, but I also relish the snuggling and comforting and bonding.  As long as I can keep my feet liberated, that is.

So what do I prattle on about?  How about togetherness.  That's not a question.  What better way to inspire some snuggling than to turn down the thermostat and break out the blankets?  This certainly isn't a new concept, though it may be one that people don't typically think of.  Hmmm...snuggling and a lower electric bill?  Something for everyone!  Let's put that in the warm fuzzies category, right next to 'How many babies are born 9 months after cold weather sets in?'. 

There you have it people, more words of wisdom from your green friend.  Now go turn down the thermostat, get out the hot cocoa, get your blankie and a good movie and snuggle with the kids, then put them to bed. Then snuggle with the spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, whoever you want to snuggle with and turn yourself into something right out of a Donna Summer song.  Who needs heat when you've got each other!!

(Fund)Raising Active Kids - JAK Version

You know how before you had kids everyone would tell you how expensive they are?  I just couldn't wrap my head around it.  I mean, how expensive could they possibly be?  Oh, believe me when I say I've figured it out, but just for kicks let's all get a good laugh at my expense at how clueless I was.

Using just my first as the example, I had myself convinced that kids are no big deal in the financial department.  Here's a bit about how I fooled myself:

• Making babies the traditional way is free.  Hallelujah.  Might have been down a bit for a bottle of wine and a nice dinner, but whatevs.  Insurance paid for most of the doctor visits, hospital stay, etc.  We were out a couple hundred bucks.

• Cutie maternity clothes...I spent a bit.  Had to be a fashionable preggie, right?

• Baby shower.  Everything you could possibly need to feed, clothe, and care for a baby, except the elusive instruction manual of course... all at one happy party.  Cha-ching.  Thanks, everyone!

• Bring baby home.  Diapers, wipes, cream for their little tushies. Let's say $25 at Jewel.  Nursed the baby for quite some time and saved a bundle on formula.

• Picked out some clothes and stuff that I just had to have...couple hundred bucks.  

Considering we just had a kid, this doesn't seem crazy expensive, does it?

• Went back to work and paid for daycare.  Ooof, that's a little painful, but we managed.

Time goes by.

• Preschool - couple hundred for the school year.  
• Clothes - buy a couple things here and there, but boy do we love hand-me-downs.  
• Toys - that's what holidays and generous relatives are for.  
• Elementary school - gym shoes, clothes, school supplies.  Etc. etc.

Ok, so things are really starting to add up, but these are minimal expenses considering the big picture, right?  Is it college tuition these people were talking about?  I mean, that's years down the line!  And anyway, my kid is a bona fide genius who will be loaded with scholarships.  College - bah!  We've got it covered.

Clothes can be a decent expense, especially if you don't have friends or relatives with an older child to pass stuff down.  Boys are tough too, cause they beat the heck out of everything. So every school year we have to shop for new jeans twice, new gym shoes, a couple hoodies, new backpack, blah blah.  Then half way through the school year they decide they won't be caught dead in the $200 of stuff you bought at the beginning of the year.  Or only certain brands, please.  All the other kids have NorthFace winter coats?  Sorry dude, not happening.  What?  A dress outfit for the concert at school?  Wait, he can't wear his old beat up DC gym shoes to that?   Skidded out on the playground and ripped the knees out of another pair of jeans?  So, ya it's adding up, but still seems fairly manageable.  

Then the sports begin.

All you other parents with kids in sports just collectively shuddered, didn't you?  Our boy has been the karate master since he was 3 and got the Tommy Nitro and the Crimson Sausage karate set, so there's never been a question of what he wanted to do.  So, we sign the kid up...$130.  Can't do taekwondo without a taekwondo uniform...sounds reasonable, $50.

180 bucks?  The kid better like it!

A couple months of classes and hi-ya's!  Then belt promotions start - $60 each.  (Ya, that's $60 TWELVE TIMES).  Then they start sparring and need all the gear to protect their body, head, and especially those teeth, cause God forbid anything happens to them, you know how expensive that would be?

Then they need weapons.  More weapons.  Then tournaments at $120 a pop.  Then we travel for tournaments, then he wins and needs a new uniform to tout his prowess.  A shelf!  He needs a shelf to display his trophies and medals!  Special shoes, warm up suits, bags and cases to carry all his stuff around in.  What the heck?  This is definitely an investment. 

I'm sure all parents with kids in sports go through the same thing.  The cost of registration, uniforms and equipment is astronomical.  I've heard that hockey costs are off the wall, ice skating is insane, and friends of ours with three kids in traveling soccer leagues are in for over a grand each season.  Et tu, soccer?

Obviously kids are expensive.  This is the real world, but it seems to me that keeping them out of sports because of cost shouldn't be an issue.  Kids need to be active and learn how to be team players and the discipline and confidence and all that. And besides...if they're not in it now, their chances of getting on the varsity team in high school are nil.  Gasp!  Of course there are cheap and/or free things they can do, but we want what they want, they love the sport, they love playing it and everything else that goes along with it, so we swallow the cost of it all.

Makes a sports-mom (or dad!) want to hold their own fundraiser…you bet I've considered it!

There are always second-hand stores we can check out for gear, namely of the Play It Again brand, but sometimes it seems that even though the items are used they aren’t much of a deal, and places like Goodwill are hit or miss (mostly miss) when you’re looking for one particular item.  

As an alternative I created a Facebook group for parents of kids in sports who may either have an abundance of sports equipment, or may be looking for such items and don’t want to pay (re-)retail price.   Parents can buy, sell, trade, give away, whatever.  In this economy it is all we can do for some of us to just stay afloat.  So check it out… For the Kids: SE Wisconsin: Sports Edition! and feel free to join and post.  

THAT'S using your dojo mojo. 

While we're on the subject of fundraisers – If your sports group/team/organization WOULD like to hold a fundraiser, Shaklee is a righteous choice.  This isn’t your typical fundraiser of hydrogenated chocolates and wrapping paper, and there is definitely something for everyone.  What better products could an organization dedicated to sports and fitness tout than those that are designed to make you healthier and support an active lifestyle!  Check out the entire Shaklee catalog here to see everything there is available - we have well over 300 products!  Contact me for more info!

Raising active kids...it takes a village!

(Fund)Raising Active Kids

You know how before you had kids everyone would tell you how expensive they are?  I just couldn't wrap my head around it.  I mean, how expensive could they possibly be?  Oh, believe me when I say I've figured it out, but just for kicks let's all get a good laugh at my expense at how clueless I was.

Using just my first as the example, I had myself convinced that kids are no big deal in the financial department.  Here's how I fooled myself:

• Making babies the traditional way is free.  Hallelujah.  Might have been down a bit for a bottle of wine and a nice dinner, but whatevs.  Insurance paid for most of the doctor visits, hospital stay, etc.  We were out a couple hundred bucks.

• Cutie maternity clothes...I spent a bit.  Had to be a fashionable preggie, right?

• Baby shower.  Everything you could possibly need to feed, clothe, and care for a baby, except the elusive instruction manual of course... all at one happy party.  Cha-ching.  Thanks, everyone!

• Bring baby home.  Diapers, wipes, cream for their little bee-hind. Let's say $25 at Jewel.  Nursed the baby for quite some time and saved a bundle on formula.

• Picked out some clothes and stuff that I just had to have...couple hundred bucks.  

Considering we just had a kid, this doesn't seem crazy expensive, does it?

• Went back to work and paid for daycare.  Ooof, that's a little painful, but we managed.

Time goes by.

• Preschool - couple hundred for the school year.  
• Clothes - buy a couple things here and there, but boy do we love hand-me-downs.  
• Toys - that's what holidays are for.  
• Elementary school - gym shoes, clothes, school supplies.  Etc. etc.

Ok, so things are really starting to add up, but these are minimal expenses considering the big picture, right?  Is it college tuition these people were talking about?  I mean, that's years down the line!  And anyway, my kid is a goddam genius who will be loaded with scholarships.  College - bah!  We've got it covered.

Clothes can be a decent expense, especially if you don't have friends or relatives with an older child to pass stuff down.  Boys are tough too, cause they beat the hell out of everything. So every school year we have to shop for new jeans twice, new gym shoes, a couple hoodies, new backpack, blah blah.  Then half way through the school year they decide they won't be caught dead in the $200 of stuff you bought at the beginning of the year.  Or only certain brands, please.  All the other kids have North Face winter coats?  Sorry dude, not happening.  What?  A dress outfit for the concert at school? Crap!  He can't wear his old beat up DC gym shoes to that? Crap!  Skidded out on the playground and ripped the knees out of another pair of jeans?  Crap!  Ya it's adding up, but still seems fairly manageable.  

Then the sports begin.

All you other parents with kids in sports just collectively shuddered, didn't you?  Our boy has been the karate master since he was 3 and got Tommy Nitro and the Crimson Sausage karate video, so there's never been a question of what he wanted to do.  So, we sign the kid up...$130.  Can't do taekwondo without a taekwondo uniform...sounds reasonable, $50.
180 bucks?  The kid better flipping like it.

A couple months of classes and hi-ya's!  Then belt promotions start - $60 each.  (Ya, that's $60 TWELVE TIMES).  Then they start sparring and need all the gear to protect their body, head, and especially those teeth, cause God forbid anything happens to them, you know how expensive that would be?

Then they need weapons.  More weapons.  Then tournaments at $120 a pop.  Then we travel for tournaments, then he wins and needs a new uniform to tout his prowess.  A shelf!  He needs a shelf to display his trophies and medals.  Special shoes, warm up suits, bags and cases to carry all his stuff around in.  WTF?  This is one hell of an investment. 

I'm sure all parents with kids in sports go through the same thing.  The cost of registration, uniforms and equipment is astronomical.  I've heard that hockey costs are off the wall, ice skating is insane, and friends of ours with three kids in traveling soccer leagues are in for over a grand each season.  Et tu, soccer?

Obviously kids are expensive.  This is the real world, but it seems to me that keeping them out of sports because of cost shouldn't be an issue.  Kids need to be active and learn how to be team players and the discipline and confidence and all that. And besides...if they're not in it now, their chances of getting on the varsity team in high school are nil.  Gasp!  Of course there are cheap and/or free things they can do, but we want what they want, they love the sport, they love playing it and everything else that goes along with it, so we swallow the cost of it all.

So, I've decided to have a fundraiser.   Sure, why not?  You want my kids to be healthy and active, DON'T YOU??  Here's what you do:
Go to www.greengiraffe.myshaklee.com and look around at all the great healthy products for you, your kids, and your home.  It's a great opportunity to go green with your cleaning supplies, switch out all your personal products to the safe stuff, or get your family on a daily multi-vitamin!  THAT'S using your dojo mojo.

So many options that will help me pay for two kids in taekwondo!  In return, I sincerely thank you, and I will send you a picture of my kids with their trophies.  You'll love it.

As an added bonus, send me an email with your kids sport and annual cost of registration and equipment, and I will send you a lovely rebate.  Don't forget to join membership!

Raising active kids...it takes a village. 

 

Thanks Be To Dog

Ever heard that owning a pet can be good for your health?  It's so true.  There have been actual scientific studies done that prove that having certain pet-friends will actually reduce stress and blood pressure in owners, increase longevity in those who've had heart attacks, and even relax and improve the appetites of Alzheimer's patients.  I've been trying to get numerous family members on the cat bandwagon for years, but they all resist (of course).  Pshaw.

It appears that pretty much any stress-related disorder, or any condition/sickness/disease/whatever that is affected or aggravated by stress can be helped by having a pet.  Isn't that amazing?  It makes so much sense.  If you have a pet, go love it up for a minute...it's a total stress reducer!  And they love you back so unconditionally, you can't help but to feel better.  

More than 57% of American households have pets of some sort.  And many of those have more than one.  That's 57% of people that are benefiting from having animals in their lives.  Personally, our zoo consists of one dog, two cats, a guinea pig, and a rat.  There was a toad, but I liberated him recently. 

Aside from the cleaning of cages, discoveries of chewed items, stepping on cold hairballs first thing in the morning, wretched dog breath, barf, pee, poo, hair, etc., our pets have made a big difference in our house, especially for me.  You may have seen my previous blog about pet products, highlighting the beauty queen that is our dog, Stella.  She makes me happy.  She makes me laugh.  We spoon.  She keeps me warm.  She gives me warm fuzzies.  She knocked me down once and I sprained my ankle.  I can hug her when I'm sad, and when I'm raging one look at her goofy face will always make me crack.

Further proof?  I sure will be sad when she dies. 
See?!  Pet = happy.  No pet = sad.

It's a well known (and glaringly obvious) fact that walking your dog every day will help get you active.  How much more true could that be?  If you don't have the motivation to get up and out by yourself, and as long as you would love and take care of it, why not get a dog?  I suppose you could walk a cat, but really if you know anything about cats you know that won't work.  Cats have their own agenda.  Of course there are those that put their pets in special pet strollers.  Hey, if it gets you out and active, I'll try really hard not to think you're weird.

Getting your pet (and yourself) out the door everyday is helpful in other ways, too.  When you're out walking your dog and getting exercise, you run across others doing the same.  You may socialize with these new folks that you may have never seen before if it wasn't for your walks.  New friends - new outlook - exercise and fresh air - better mood.  Dogs can help socially anxious people break the ice.

If you don't have the schedule, availability, or home available to be a dog owner, then volunteer to walk someone else's!  Or see if your local pound would let you walk dogs daily or weekly!  Hey, 57% of your friends and neighbors are pet owners, you know.

Pets can also prevent loneliness.  The majority people who have pets consider them a companion instead of property, and 97% of those people admitted to talking to their pets.  The other 3% lied, cause they totally do too.  They should just admit it.  I talk to the dog and cats constantly, especially when there's no one else home. It's just as good as talking to yourself.

So, there you have it.  Improve your overall health with a pet.  As long as you're not allergic or terrified of animals.  I don't think having a pet and being terrified of it will help you in any way.  If you're considering a pet for any reason, be sure you have the time, resources, and living conditions to provide the care they need and deserve! 

Famous Last Words

Do you love being told you're right?  I do.

I mean, who doesn't.  That's not a question, let's be realistic.  No room for modesty here.

Once in a great while someone will say those words to me.  Albeit, not often...for anyone I imagine.  People don't like admitting defeat no matter who they are.  But when it happens...ooh baby.  Say it again.  And again.  Ohh ya, one more time.  It's so satisfying...

Those magic words, 'you're right'.  They get me every time.

Most of the time I live in the land of the eye-roll.  I get it so often I am practically immune.  As many of you know, I am quite opinionated in all matters food, chemicals, health and whatnot.  I often put in my two cents where it probably isn't wanted, but honestly I just can't help myself.  No, I don't always like to be the person to tell you that you're doing it all wrong - being the bearer of bad news all the time isn't fun, you know.  Don't think your reaction isn't written all over your face...I am perfectly aware of how people take things.  Most don't want to be told that their Vitamin Water is no better than soda, or that their after workout Muscle Milk has terrible side effects blah blah blah.  I imagine people often think I am just trying to sell my own stuff, but that's not necessarily the case.  I try to educate for better choices.  Though I have been asked, 'why didn't you tell me?', me giving bad news is not what this blog is about. (That's this one).

It's about me being right.

How many times have you been solicited for advice, or given it freely only for it to be thrown back at you unappreciatively?  It happens to everyone.  (Jeez, I hope it happens to everyone and not just me).  No matter what you say, the recipient of your good intentions seems to disagree and purposely stay very clear of anything you suggest.  It's hard to understand sometimes, why one would be discounted so quickly.  Is my knowledge not credible because I didn't go to medical school?  I think not.  Maybe to some I am still viewed as 'little Bonnie, what could she possibly know?'.

Yes, this blog is about you.  You know who you are, MOM.  And especially you Tracy, though you still haven't taken any of my brilliant advice.  I threatened to blog about you, didn't I?  See what you get for laughing?  Mwah ha ha ha!!!  Who's laughing now, Carol?!!

Some time ago, my mom was having big problems with heartburn, acid reflux kind of stuff.  She was on a prescription for it from the doc...Zantac, maybe...and even had to go back for a stronger prescription when that one wasn't working.  After having knee replacement surgery and being on so many rounds of antibiotics for one reason or another, I deduced that she would really benefit from a probiotic (in general), and specifically that it would really help her acid reflux.  Since she was so skeptical and just because I knew it would help so much I even offered her a bottle for free out of the goodness of my heart, which was refused.  Some time later, like 6 months to a year of suffering, she tells me one day that she's now on a probiotic.  A friend of hers swore that they were working wonders for her, and that my mom should try it.  She did, and her acid reflux was practically cured.  Okey dokey.  Good thing that lady told her about probiotics, huh?

Just a week or two ago, I was having another conversation with my mom in which she informed me that she joined a Jazzercise class.  Yay!!  She had sat through one class to see what it was like, saw that there is every level of ability in the class, and signed up.  Now...my mom has been retired for a couple years.  During this time I have suggested over and over that she get out and do something...a cooking class, yoga, knitting club, anything!  I also told her that the more she is sedentary, the harder it will get.  I even bought her the Tony Horton (the P90X guy) Flap-assing with the Fogies video.  Well, I got to hear those magic words...ooh I get chills just thinking about how it sounded...'you were right'.  Ahhhhh.

Say it to yourself once or twice.  Doesn't it feel good?  Ya, you know it does.

How about all those conversations about how bad artificial sweeteners are?  Well, they wouldn't sell that stuff if it wasn't just fine for you, would they?  Well, well.  Isn't that a good question.  I've been on the anti-artificial bandwagon for a long time now, and I definitely make my feelings about it known...especially to those I care about, an especially when those same people consume more than their share of said sweeteners.  But don't listen to me, noooo.  Get a chain email about the dangers of aspartame.  Read it.  Heed it.  And forward it to ME, as if I didn't practically write that email.

Lucky for me my mom has a good sense of humor, and was forewarned about me writing this blog.  We laugh a lot together, no matter whose folly is being discussed.  More often than not, I think we are probably laughing about ME.  I'm not laughing AT you Carol, I'm laughing WITH you.  

To get to the ever-present point of the story, I'm not as full of baloney as you might think. Some people actually respect my opinions and advice because believe it or not, I'm not just talking to hear the sound of my own voice.

I'm right.  Just ask my mom.

Now, what would you like to know?!

A Dirt Cheap Solution

Lately, no matter what I look at, it looks expensive to me.  Food, clothes, utilities, you name it.  I know it's not just my imagination that the cost of things are going up, especially in the food department, but I can usually overlook it at the grocery store by just not buying certain things.  As an example, I refuse to pay over $1.29 for an avocado.  I just can't do it.

A couple months ago my husband sent me an article titled 'That's pricey: 13 items that cost more, or will soon'.  They talk about gas, airfare, furniture (?!), fast food (oh. darn.), FLIPPIN' CHOCOLATE!!!  I guess expensive chocolate is good motivation for me to NOT buy it, but I still like having the option...

One of the items on that list is household products.  Now that's interesting, isn't it? *wink wink*  According to the article,

'Diapers, soap, toilet paper, toothpaste, trash bags and many other everyday items all have been targeted for price hikes as companies from Kimberly-Clark to Procter & Gamble to Colgate-Palmolive respond to rising ingredient costs' 

- and -

'The Consumer Price Index has climbed 2.7% in the past 12 months, according to government statistics released Friday. That’s the largest rise since 2009.  Price increases will continue in the months ahead...'

Well that sucks. I doubt I am the only one feeling the repercussions of rising costs, but I can happily say that the rising cost of cleaning products will NOT affect me.  Don't fall victim to this baloney!  If you've read my blog before, I make it pretty well known that I love Shaklee products.  I usually go on talking about how wonderful and green and safe they are, but have I mentioned how much money they save me?  I know some of you don't give a rats ass how green they are...if I had a dime for every time I heard 'I just love my bleach, I'll never give it up!'...well, you know the rest. 

 I just got the sale papers for a couple grocery stores,and one has Windex on sale 2/$5.  That's a 26 oz bottle for $2.50, for the record.

When I mix up a bottle of Shaklee H2 windows and mirrors cleaner it costs me less than 1 cent.  Yes, less than $.01 for a 16 oz bottle.  Hmmm...2 cents (for 32 oz, not 26!) vs. $2.50 for 26 oz?  Not a hard choice.  Suck on that, Windex. 

Before I was enlightened I bought Fantastic and Clorox Clean-Up, at about $2.39 a bottle.  Then when I greened up I was buying Seventh Generation for $4.79 or even GreenWorks (which is total greenwashing, I now know) for about $2.50.  These days, when I mix up the equivalent Shaklee H2 all-purpose cleaner it costs me .22 cents...a gallon. If I was better at math I would figure out how much that is per bottle, but I really stink at it.  Feel free to jump in, math people.

I've got more, of course I do.  But I will not go on and on because I don't think it's necessary.  You want to save money where ever you can, and so do I.  This is one of the things I do that saves A LOT.  Total bonus...you don't have to walk down the cleaning product or laundry aisle at the grocery store...it stinks so bad!  I walk through there once in a great while, and every time I do I sneeze from all the perfumes and chemicals.  Yuck!  But, that's a whole other blog...

Did I also mention that you can use H2 on anything that can get wet?  Ask yourself a question:  Does this sound like you?  'But ohhh, waaahhh, I need a different cleaner for my kitchen and waaahhhh what am I supposed to use in the bathroom or on the floooooor?'.  H2 gets used on everything.  It dusts furniture, removes soap scum, cleans kitchen counters, mops floors, washes dogs, washes children, degreases grease, de-pests plants, de-wrinkles clothes, deters mosquitoes on you and fleas from your pets, etc etc.  You can clean anything with this stuff, and throw your dirty water outside and it will make your grass greener and your roses rosier.  I even shoot fruit flies right out of the air with it, and don't tell me that doesn't sound like fun.  Drink it, bathe in it, do what you gotta do...just don't forget to tell your friends about it.   

And to answer your next question, yes it works.  You couldn't put 'Always Works' in your motto if it didn't always work.  That's false advertising, and the green folks at Shaklee look down their squeaky clean noses at stuff like that.

So here it is, folks.  The solution to saving money with cheaper cleaners is at your fingertips.  All the cleaning products in the Get Clean line are concentrated out the wazoo.  You use less, you spend less, you save money and you can buy more shoes.  Want to buy more shoes save money?  Start here.  Come to the Light Side.  Do it now!!!