We’re excited to see that Whole Foods is introducing it’s “Eco-Scale” system -which will easily rate household products they sell to see which are the greenest!  By April of this year, the chain has vowed to have all its products rated and verified by a 3rd party – making it a whole lot easier to be greener.

Check out the following coupons on natural and non-toxic cleaning products:

From Whole Foods…

$1 off any One Method Item

$1 off  One 365 Everyday Value Laundry Product – either 80 ct. fabric softener sheets OR 5 lb. concentrated laundry detergent powder

*Our Fab & Fru Fave: Method Smarty Dishwasher Detergent Tablets 

Mrs. Meyers…

Is offering a whopping 60% off their remaining seasonal products - good while supplies last or until 1/29/11.   I don’t know about you, but Gingerbread smells good to me any time of year!  Love that Mrs. Meyers products offer you a cleaning and aromatherapy product in one.

**Our Fab & Fru Fave: Mrs. Meyers Gingerbread Liquid Hand soap.

BioKleen…

This consistently top rated brand is offering many coupons, check out:

$2 off any TWO BioKleen LAUNDRY Products

$1 off any TWO BioKleen CLEANING Products

$1 off any ONE BioKleen KITCHEN Product

$1 off any ONE BioKleen Soyblends Cleanser

**Our Fab & Fru Fave: BioKleen BAC-OUT Stain & Odor Eliminator 

Naturally, It’s Clean…

I’ve mentioned before that I LOVE the enzyme based brand “Naturally, It’s Clean” – their floor cleaner is one of the best I’ve found.  Something else I found – major discounts on this brand at IHerb.com!  Many of their products are over 20% off, plus you get free shipping with orders over $20 — AND right now they are also offering an ADDITIONAL $5 off your order for new customers with coupon code BUY123.  We like IHerb for the low minimum to qualify for free shipping and be sure and check out their major discounts on Seventh Generation as well…

**Our Fab & Fru Fave: Naturally It’s Clean Enzymatic Floor Cleaner

Seventh Generation…

Speaking of Seventh Generation, you can sign up on their site to receive coupons and special promotions sent right to you!

**Our Fab & Fru Fave: Seventh Generation Free & Clear Dish Liquid

And, of course, we always suggest looking in your own pantry first – you’ll be amazed at just how much household cleaning you can do with old-fashioned vinegar and baking soda! 

by Alexandra Pauline – January 23, 2012

Your Big Day The Green Way

Planning a wedding is a costly, emotional and time consuming undertaking – often leaving little room for the idea of sustainability.  I mean, this is the one day where the entire focus is on you, right?  And with so much going on, it might not even cross your mind to think about the environment…  But if you’re planning a wedding, going Green doesn’t have to mean more work and more money.  In fact, by making your wedding a more sustainable event, not only will you make your big day even more memorable, you can save some serious cash!

Go Partially Paperless

While there’s still something special about sending printed invitations for your actual wedding, save money and paper by sending digital invites for your save-the-date, engagement party, rehearsal dinner and shower.  Websites like Paperlesspost.com, Evite.com and Punchbowl.com have some elegantly festive Fab & Fru options so you can get the job done without chopping down a single tree – all with pricing packages that range from free to budget friendly!

Keep It Local – Even when Far from Home

Even if you’re not getting married in the town you live in, you can still make sustainable local choices that will help make your wedding one of a kind!  Wedding photographer Michelle Posey commented, “I saw a couple do a great job of putting on a sustainable wedding in 2010.  They had their wedding outdoors, made local food and wine choices, used flowers from friends’ gardens instead of having them shipped in, and used a family wedding dress instead of buying a new one.”

Eatwellguide.org makes finding caterers who specialize in using local ingredients as simple as just typing in your zip code.   Not only is going local better for the environment, and your taste buds – it may also save you on the cost of food.  The less your food has to travel, the fewer hands will be looking to cash in on its journey!

Take Out The Good China

Big weddings often lead to people cutting corners when it comes to using china and flatware.  Setting the tables with proper place settings not only helps to make your day feel more special, it will also allow you will avoid the extra waste that comes with using paper and plastic products …no matter how high quality.  The caterer or the venue may have to wash a ton of dishes that night, but it will be worth it in the end!

by Alexandra Pauline – January 11, 2012

Make Your Space Work For You

It’s tax season, and there’s no time like the present to get organized and turn your home office into a calm haven of peaceful function.  Here at Fab & Fru we’ve got some simple and creative ways to give you closet hoarders some new found hope…

Make Room In Small Spaces

If you’re a city dweller who’s idea of a home office is your iPad, your scattered bills and a cup of coffee, have no fear – you can still get organized even with the smallest of space.   Head to your local Target and pick up a discounted pack of shelves.   In less than an hour you can turn your desktop nook into the fully functioning “corner” office of your dreams!

New York City real estate broker Nick Jabour says he has his “MacBook in a desk drawer that’s wired to a flat LCD panel on the wall.  I have a magnetic bulletin board that holds notes, pen cups and a stapler.  A shelf mounted above the desk holds my check ledgers, reference books, and other items.”  If you’re working with even less space, getting an accent basket and filling it with office supplies and files is a great way to turn your hallway table into a desk when you need it!

Creating Functional Decor

Small details like colorful matching storage boxes are not only a functional way to bring a calming sense of order to a home work area, they can also be decorative!  Use them as an accessible way to separate your paperclips, pushpins, stamps and post-its.  Another Fab & Fru way to create some stylish do-it-yourself storage is by turning old mason jars into micro-storage units.

Clutter Killing Cork

We love the idea of doing a FRU corkboard…with a FAB twist!  If your desk is against a wall, cork board is a great space optimizer – but it can be a bit drab to look at.  Our solution?  Frame it!  Find an inexpensive frame at an antique shop, or reincarnate one from a mirror or painting you already have.  Just remove the glass, cut the cork to fit, and slip it into the frame – you can even cover it in some fabric for an extra luxe look.   Suddenly, you have not only a piece of home decor, but a functional office accessory you will actually enjoy looking at!

Double Duty

If you’re work area also happens to be doubling as another space – synergy is key.  Many working moms opt to combine their office and nursery.  In this case, keep the color schemes the same, and go with a bold unifying accent piece.  Try a solid paint for the walls, and substitute a stuffy office chair with a stylish and sturdy club chair in a pattern – and don’t forget the pillow.  Ample lumbar support is key for mitigating back pain!

Looking to add a little high-end design to your home for up to 50% off?!   Neiman Marcus’s online luxury decor store, Horchow, is just as famous for its classic yet cutting edge style as it is for its quality and decadent appeal.  To find Fab & Fru links to luxury, check out the sale section and value pages and receive up to 50% off selected furniture and decor items!

• If you’re looking for bed linens, you’ll definitely be sleeping easy with up to 25% off on bedding …with automatic free shipping!
• No room is complete without a fine area rug – click here for 50% select rugs and other accent pieces for your living room and beyond!
• And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, once you get to the check out you can also stack on 15% off PLUS free shipping on your total order!

With these deals your pad will feel like a posh penthouse without paying the price!

by Stephanie Berenbaum – January 2, 2012

*Inspired by “Wall Drawing 614″ (1989) by Sol LeWitt 

Money Saving Design Inspiration

It’s official – it’s 2012! One of our biggest resolutions this year is to try and find inspiration in the ordinary.  Too often we get stuck in our daily routines – and no longer see the potential beauty that’s right under our nose! And it is this ability to see the ordinary in a new light that is not only the key to creativity – it’s the key to saving money!

Design on a Dime!

Our friends Caroline & Ian recently had two ‘a-ha’ design and money saving moments.  The first was in a book, and the second was at their local hardware store…

As New York City apartment dwellers, Caroline and Ian’s love of pop art and modern design has been the main inspiration in decorating their Lower East Side Apartment.   However, 3 years after moving in, they still hadn’t gotten around to do anything about their bare, stark white entrance way.  So, inspired by a book of Sol LeWitt wall drawings (“100 views”), they finally found their inspiration and invited two of their very good – and artistically inclined – friends over for an evening of Dinner and Design.  By the end of the evening, a mural was born – no paint, no fuss!

 Total Cost for the Mural: $75

1. One laser level – $15 (essential and worth every penny)
2. Three rolls of black painters tape – $15
3. Thai take out for four – approximately $40
4. Awesome neighbors – priceless.

Ian & Caroline didn’t stop there.   With two little kids, constant company, and the threat of winter boots muddying up the hall, the thought of buying an expensive custom made runner to fit their taste and their space would not only be hundreds of dollars, it would likely get destroyed in one season.  But when Caroline popped into her neighborhood hardware store to buy some light bulbs, she literally saw green when she turned the corner into the next aisle.  There, right before her eyes was some bright green – yes -Astro Turf!  What a Fab & Fru way to add some color, style and function to their new maud hallway!

Total Cost for the Astro Turf Runner: $125

1. 20ft of AstroTurf – $5.49/ft.  I erred on the side of caution
2. 1 yardstick for the toolbox
3. 1 Exacto Knife (to trim to fit)

– Added bonus: They also used the 2ft of remnants as their new doormat!

by Stephanie Berenbaum – December 07, 2011

Answers to Your Kitchen Questions

As Fab & Fru as I am, I have a confession: I throw out more food than I would like to admit.  Often it’s simply because I am just not sure about expiration dates and food safety rules.  So, rather than continue to be wasteful, I dug into the book “The Kitchen Answer Book” by Hank Rubin,  in an effort to educate myself about food safety and save myself a lot of money in the process!

Preserve Your Parmigano  

Fresh Parmesan cheese is delicious – and expensive.  To preserve it, make sure you wrap it tightly in plastic wrap – and that you use fresh wrap after each use!  Hank also recommends storing it in the warmest part of your fridge (40 degrees).

Mmmm…Mold

If I see even a hint of mold on cheese, I toss the whole thing out.  Apparently, not necessary!  All you have to do is cut about a half inch off the surface from the affected side, and use the remainder within a week.    A definite money saver!

Ice Cream I.Q.

What’s the best way to keep ice cream from tasting like the freezer?  Fill your half eaten container with plastic wrap each time before replacing the lid.  In addition, avoid repeated softening and refreezing and make sure to keep it in main part of the freezer  -  not the door which is subject to more temperature fluctuations.

Cute As A Button…Earrings!

Looking for an inexpensive – yet tres chic – gift for all the women in your family this holiday season?  Well, you’ve come to the right place!

We couldn’t help but notice that each time we saw our friend Carly, she was wearing the most unique earrings.  I kept wondering where she got them – I assumed maybe a vintage store or an Etsy boutique.  When I finally asked her, I was delighted to hear she had actually made them HERSELF – out of BUTTONS!

D.I.Y. to Die For

Believe me, I’m not the craftiest person out there, but even for the D.I.Y challenged, these earrings are so easy – and fun – to make, you’ll be amazed.  Plus, if you’re visiting family this Thanksgiving weekend and looking for an activity to do other than sit around and eat leftover pie, you might just get a bunch of your holiday gifts made!

Here’s all you need to do to make Carly’s Fabulous – & Frugal – Button Earrings:

Supplies:

• Cool Buttons
• A Bag of Earrings with Posts
• Nail Polish Glue

1-2-3-4

1. At a craft store, get a bag of earrings with posts
2. Take a pair of buttons, whether they are lying around the house, specific to a certain outfit, or something that you just picked up at the store, and figure out which side you want to be the front of the earring.
3. Using nail polish glue, put a small dab on the flat part of the earring post, and press on button.
4. Let dry for a few hours so as not to get any glue on yourself or your ear, and then they are ready to wear (or wrap)!

According to Carly, “These are great because you can make earrings to wear with any outfit, and they are a very inexpensive yet creative way to be unique! They are also fabulous to give out as gifts with the holiday season coming up, and you can make several pairs at once. The posts are only a few dollars for a bag of 50-100 pairs, and the earrings can be as expensive or inexpensive as you would like.”

Thank you Carly Cameron for the very fabulous – and frugal – holiday gift idea!

My boys’ school has been doing a great job of going “green”.  But, as any mom knows, becoming more environmentally friendly can COST you a lot of green up front – even though in the long run it saves you money – and the environment, health and all those things you cannot put a price tag on! At our school, you are not allowed to send any disposible things like plastic water bottles, Ziploc Bags or paper napkins.  Plus, as always, I am trying to come up with ways to feed my family organic for less. So here are a few deals I have found on some of my boys’ favorite lunch items!

My boys went to the store with me and each picked out their own SIGG reusable water bottle – and of course I got one, too!  I pack one in their lunch boxes every day. I keep one for myself in the car, too (good reminder to drink some water in addition to my massive coffee intake!) In fact, we love SIGG so much, it is this week’s OCC giveaway!

We are giving away a SIGG WATER BOTTLE to one lucky reader – just leave a comment here and tell us what YOU are doing to reduce, reuse or recycle in YOUR household, and you just might win a SIGG .4L Kids Bottle – you choose the design (subject to availability)!

Get 10% Off a Case at WH!

You won’t be surprised to know that organic kids snacks usually cost more than processed crap.  So when I find a snack my kids really like, I use the 10% off a case discount that Whole Foods offers!  They will give you a discount on a case of almost anything – not just wine!  When I head for pricier items like seaweed, I always make sure to buy a case at once, instead of little packets.

This month, Whole Foods has a bunch of coupons on some of my kids’ favorite lunch items – be sure to check out their coupons for:

50 cents off any ONE Annie’s Organic Fruit Bites

$1.00 of any bag of Terra Chips (4 oz or larger)

50 cents off any one Icelandic Dairies SKYR yogurt

Plus I found these other deals from Mambo Sprouts on the boys favorites:

75 cents of Rudi’s Organic Bread – our family lives on this stuff!  The Colorado Cracked Wheat is our favorite.

$1.00 off a 4-pack of Wallaby Organic Wallababy or Joey Yogurt – my 3 year old is obsessed with the Grape!

By Megan Segura – November 2, 2011

Keep Your Furniture & Floors Looking Like New

I happen to be quite the pet lover.  Although I won’t be appearing on Animal Hoarders anytime soon, I have a hard time saying no to any cat or dog that is in need of a home.  Full disclosure: I recently even brought an injured baby rat home…

All of this pet friendliness may ensure good Karma, but it tends to wreak expensive havoc on my home if I’m not careful.  It seems there are two ways to keep your furniture from looking like it belongs at the dump: discipline or prevention.  Since I’m a big softy when it comes to cute and cuddly creatures, I researched some tips to keep paws and teeth off the furniture!

Cat Scratch Fever

I learned pretty early on how important it is for cats to keep their claws, so declawing has never been a consideration for me. I certainly can see why it’s so tempting, though.  In the past, my cats have scratched and shredded everything from my sofa and hardwood floors to the big suitcase in my closet.

Instead of stopping a cat from scratching (which is nearly impossible), redirect the behavior.  If the sight of those typical cat posts has you running for the hills, try a cat scratcher that is designed to look like wall décor – why didn’t we think of this? Square Cat Habitat sells their version starting at just $30!

If your cat still prefers to sink its claws into your furniture, try placing double-sided tape onto the areas your cat scratches. Felines hate the feeling of something sticky on their paws, and soon enough, they will equate the sensation with your furniture and move on.

Bad Chewing Habits

If you have a puppy on your hands, chances are they have starting teething on your fine leather sofa or shoes.  In this case, it is extremely important to keep clutter behind closed doors. Shoes, purses, clothes and kids’ toys should not be left on the ground.  Screaming “No!” can only do so much, and a determined dog won’t be able to resist the taste and feel of chewing your belongings.

And if you keep your dog behind a gate, make sure the room he is corralled in is free of any plants and exposed electrical wires. Not only can both end up costing you a lot of money, they can cost your pet the most valuable thing of all – his health!

Before you run out and spend a fortune on the “cutest” chew toys around, take a moment to note what textures or materials your pup seems to most like chew!  This will save you oodles of dough – no matter how adorable Little Lamby is, Rover just may not be interested unless there is something similar to shoe leather involved…

Michelle Rivera, owner of Chateau Marmutt, a Los Angeles dog daycare and grooming facility, says many dogs can be steered away from your furniture with a good bone. This doesn’t mean you should throw your dog old steak bones, as these can be a serious choking hazard. Instead, Michelle suggests asking a pet store employee to help you pick out a dog bone that has been popular with past customers. Bully Sticks are a great option, since they’re made from natural rawhide.

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By Stephanie Berenbaum – October 12, 2011

Getting Your Money Back…

Ever feel like you got ripped off by a company and wish you got your money back?

Most people would answer yes – but how many of us actually go to the trouble of asking for it back?  Well yesterday I did, and I have to say it was pretty empowering.  My “Norma Rae” moment was all the result of a broken kitchen sink garbage disposal…

The Downside of Necessity

Last week, in the middle of cooking for a 25 person dinner party, my garbage disposal totally died.  I had no time to deal with a sink filled to the brim with dirty water and food scraps, so I hired the first pro that said he could come out that afternoon.  The fee:  $250.00.

“Mike” Finds Many Things Wrong

“Mike” the plumber arrived in an impressive 45 minutes, and within the hour my disposal was seemingly back in working order.  However, as Mike started packing up to leave, he told me he noticed a couple leaks in the front and backyard (I didn’t even notice him checking out the rest of the house), and that I should get those fixed right away.  He then told me he could repair everything for an additional $880!  To which I promptly said – Thanks but no thanks.  Everything else was functioning fine…

Two Days Later…

That is until my garbage disposal broke again 2 DAYS later!  At which point I called the plumbing company to send someone back out.  Mike returned to the scene and promptly told me that a part had now broken off the disposal.  And now the whole thing needed to be replaced.  The cost ? $958!  I may not look like the home repair sort, but even I knew this sounded way high for a garbage disposal – couldn’t you buy them at Home Depot for like $100?  So, I asked him…

Is My Garbage Disposal Encrusted with Diamonds?

He explained to me that their $958 fee included “top of the line parts” and a warranty.  But it still sounded crazy to me.  Plus, if the old one was in that bad of shape, why didn’t he suggest replacing it two days ago?

He then “offered” to put the $250 in repair costs I had already paid towards the new installation fee.  Trying desperately to contain my bubbling rage, I smiled, and instead suggested that he refund me for not fixing my broken disposal!   “I’m sorry, but it’s company policy  that we can only apply the amount towards another purchase.”  Is that so…?

Getting the Job Done Right

At that point, my trusted general contractor had become available and came by to install a new disposal for $200 total – including all parts and labor.  While I was happy I didn’t get sucked into paying $958,  I was still extremely bitter about having paid $250 for 2 days of use!

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