buying club

 Way back when I wrote a post about the Frontier wholesale co-op that I host.   We have been going strong for close to five years now!  I currently have 8 members and we order monthly.  When people ask me about how I can afford to live naturally, I always tell them about the co-op.  I am able to order items for almost half of what I would pay for them in the store.

I thought I would break down what a month of savings looks like for me.  Also, if you tend to buy more conventional products, this may give you a peak into what the cost difference is.

I will list the product info, the SRP (suggested retail price), and the price that I paid.
 (I should add that some stores sell items for more than the SRP, which means that this is even more of a savings.)

Some months are heavier buying months than others.  This was one of those for me.  We hadn't ordered in about six weeks, so we were running low on some staples.  Also, I ordered disposable items that I don't usually order.  It's nice having those things on hand for large get-togethers that tend to pop up in the summer!

Alright, are you ready for this?  I don't know if I am!

Huddle up, all hands in...

Ready...

Break!:

Product                                                        SRP                       wholesale price

7th Generation 12 pack toilet paper            $13.19                     $6.32
Earth Friendly veggie wash                        $5.99                       $3.60
Dr. Bronner lotion                                      $9.99                       $5.99
Kiss My Face shaving lotion                      $7.95                       $3.58
Alba SPF 25 lip balm                                 $2.99                       $1.53
Eco-Dent xylitol gum                                 $1.99                       $.89  
Nutiva 29 oz coconut oil                            $21.99                     $14.65
Nux Vomica (homeopathic meds)             $7.95                        $4.75
22 Ultra Green plates                                 $6.79                        $3.69
Organic Chia seeds                                    $14.49                      $6.53
7th Generation paper towels                      $3.69                        $1.76
Earth Friendly dish soap 25 oz.                  $4.69                        $2.80
Ecover limescale remover 16oz.                $5.75                        $3.45
7th Generation pads  18 count                   $6.45                        $3.85
Earth Friendly dishwasher gel 40oz          $6.96                        $4.00
Kiss My Face shampoo 32 oz                   $17.99                      $10.79
KMF conditioner 32 oz                             $17.99                      $10.79
Alba lip gloss                                             $3.99                        $2.39
Frontier Organic Tea 1 lb.                         $17.90                      $8.95
Giovanni shampoo/body wash 16oz          $9.95                        $5.97
Organic chili powder refill 1.3 oz              $3.32                        $2.19
Kiss My Face toothpaste                            $5.95                       $3.57
Cat supplement  2 oz                                  $7.99                       $3.23
Weleda tooth gel                                        $7.00                       $4.20
Ultra Green cutlery (36 pieces)                  $3.89                       $2.12
7th Gen. disinfecting wipes (70 wipes)      $9.09                      $5.45

SRP Total:  $225.92

Wholesale Total:  $127.04

Total Savings:  $98.88!

That is pretty big savings!  I've never broken it down like that before so I'm pretty excited to see how much I saved.  I rarely spend over $100 a month, but I bought larger items this time.  I'm hoping that the shampoo and conditioner will last for three months.  The shaving cream typically lasts for around that long as well.  The chia seeds and the tea will not be monthly purchases either.

Besides the great savings, I also like the time saved.  By ordering all of this and having it shipped directly to me (for free!) I don't have to drive around trying to find it all.  And, news flash, in our small town I wouldn't be able to find the majority of these items anyway.

 If you are looking for a great way to save money, get your friends together and start a co-op!  I couldn't be happier with the customer service of the Frontier people and the variety of items that they offer.

If you have any questions about starting up, please let me know.  I'll answer all questions in the comment section.

no'poo update- edited

i have one word...

ick.

that's how my hair feels. that's how i feel about my hair.

remember when i was saying, bragging really, how i probably wouldn't have much of a detox period? uh-huh. famous last words.

let's just say i'll be rocking the head scarf this week!

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i have just read that i shouldn't be putting the apple cider vinegar on my scalp. just the ends. it's the ACV that makes the hair feel so oily. good to know. maybe i can go back to bragging about my no detox hair after all! : )

i have to add that this is so like me. i get the basic recipe and don't read the directions, assuming i'll just 'figure it out'. yeah, that really worked out well for me here!

WAIT!!! there's more!

no'poo

Well...I've up and done it. Started going the no'poo route on Monday. So far I haven't had any gross detox, but I haven't used real chemical based shampoo in about 5 years.

I have long hair. Long enough that I consider it a public service for my hair to be looking at least a smidge decent when I leave the house. This is what has been keeping me from using the baking soda/water wash and the apple cider vinegar rinse. But I have to be honest. I am tired of paying lots of money for my organic shampoo and conditioner. Especially when I am not getting the results that I would hope to. So I'm going to give the no'poo method a whirl and see what I think. So far I like it! This is the formula I'm using now:

No'poo

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 cup water

- mix until the baking soda is dissolved. The solution should not be gritty at all.

rinse

1 tablespoon ACV

1 cup of water

I'll post pictures soon!

cleansing oil

my post about coconut oil last week brought up some good questions both here and in person. one question was if the oil makes you break out. from my experience, no, it doesn't. but if you've been using conventional products, your skin may have a period of breakout to get used to the natural oil and kick the synthetic out. skin blemishes are often a by-product of the diet, although some are prone to the body 'letting off steam' through acne than others. for instance, when eating poorly, i'm more likely to get intestinal problems than skin problems. the same can go for what you put on your body. if the pores are used to being stripped and then clogged with synthetic chemicals, they may freak out when they are left to their own accord, causing a breakout before they balance out again. does that make sense?

i'm no skin expert, but i have skin, and that has led me to make some observations. when using products meant to take the natural oils off of the skin, i am more likely to have an oil imbalance. this is because my body works extra hard to restore the proper oil ratio for me. this is what led me to using coconut oil on my skin. but then it led me a step further, into using cleansing oil on my skin in place of a face soap. i make a cleansing oil that i use once a day. the rest of the day i use water only. during the summer i rarely have to use coconut oil on my face, but in the winter, i tend to dry out more, thus causing me to use the cleansing oil followed by the coconut oil for moisture.

making the oil is easy. i use a base of castor oil, which has cleansing properties. because i have drier skin, i use one part castor oil. if you have oilier skin, you would want to use more. to this i add some sort of carrier oil. this time i used 3 parts sunflower oil, which is high in vitamin e. i usually use a mix of grapeseed oil and sunflower oil, but i was out of the grapeseed. to this i add about a 1/2 part of neroli oil. neroli is fantastic for your skin(helps regenerate skin cells, reduce scarring, etc)! but it is pretty expensive, hence the stinginess. then i add a couple of drops of sweet orange essential oil for a nice smell.

when i'm ready to wash my face, i use the dropper and put about 5 drops in my hand. i massage it into my face and then rinse off. then i pat dry with a towel. if i feel like it is too oily, i'll use a wet wash rag and gently wipe it off.

i've been using this off and on for about a year now. i based it on a super fancy oil my sister bought from her super fancy facial lady. i just bought all the ingredients, added some castor to the mix and experimented with the measurements. the bottle i use is a leftover tincture bottle that i washed and peeled off the label.

if you decide to make your own (and i hope you do) experiment with different oils until you find the mix that is right for you!

need

we have been loving this mild weather. we are out the door in the morning, in to make lunch, back out to eat lunch, and there we stay until i notice that it's getting little dark. of course, i'm in and out to do laundry, clean up dishes, sweep, but for the most part we are outside together- and i love that.

i see in my children their absolute need to be in the outdoors. when they are in for too long they get cranky. their little feet were created to walk through grass, their little hands to create from the earth.

my wind 'charm', made by moonpie

i am in the process of putting together a field basket for our family. in it i will place sketch pads, pencils, binoculars, jars (for collecting), field guides (birds and trees) and probably some sting ointment (buddy loves ants). i have all the stuff, just looking for a small picnic basket to keep it in. i have the spot ready by the front door, just waiting to be filled. i cannot wait to take our journals out and fill them with the beauty we see all around us.

naturally frugal

i was talking to a friend today and our conversation reminded me of another conversation- one i had with my sweet sister in law in oregon about buying clubs. she mentioned that i should blog about the buying clubs and co-ops i am a part of. so here goes! if you are moving towards a healthier lifestyle and are looking for ways to make it more affordable- buying clubs are your answer! i currently run a buying club through a company called frontier. frontier is a natural product distributor that health food stores order their stock from. my members and i get natural/organic baking, body and cleaning products for wholesale prices. if we meet our $250 price point (which we always do!) our shipping is free! the prices are considerably better. some items are half of what i'd pay at a health food store. *i am also a part of a chicken co-op out of a small texas town. i order meat around every 6 weeks and pick it up soon after. again, it is natural chicken that is about $2 less/pound than i would pay in the store. i have been a part of other co-ops like ozark, now morningside organics, that you can order any bulk, organic grocery item through.

being a part of co-ops allows me to be wise with our money while not comprimising our health. if you don't have a buying club near you, consider starting one with a group of friends. they are relatively easy to manage. there is some time commitment involved but really minimal- i'm talking about maybe 3 hours a month (depending on your group size).

ordering through co-ops had a bit of a learning curve for me. so here are some things i've learned:
1. don't buy a case of something from the catalogue 'just to try it'. "mmm. sea weed flavored sesame sticks. this i've GOT to try!"
2. try to find friends to split cases with- that way you have a true co-op system going
3. learn how to use what you have and not buy more until you have finished it up
4. you will have to plan your month around various pick-up times
5. research the item before you buy it. more than likely the co-op coordinator is a busy mom who doesn't have time to work out a return for you
6. pay and pick up on time! the coordinator usually has to put all items on a personal credit card.

in my experience, eating and cleaning (my home and myself!) naturally/organically is comletely possible. and while the savings can't always be cut out of the sunday paper, they are there; you just have to ask around until you find what you're looking for.

www.frontiercoop.com/wholesale
http://www.morningsidebuyingclubs.com/

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Edit (Nov. 2010)

*I now buy our chicken and meat from a local farmer.