It’s time for another “Ask Frugal Upstate” episode! This time Laura asked if I had ever done indoor gardening-specifically growing herbs indoors.

How about the rest of you?  Do you grow anything indoors?

Do you have a question you’d like answered in an “Ask Frugal Upstate” segment? I’d love to hear it! You can leave a comment below, make a comment on the Frugal Upstate Facebook page, or use my contact form.

It’s time for another “Ask Frugal Upstate” episode! This time regular reader Amyrlin asks what my thoughts are on organic cleaning products and buying organic foods.

What do you think?  How do you feel about the value of organics vs the cost of purchasing them?  If you do use them, what do you do to keep your costs down?

Do you have a question you’d like answered in an “Ask Frugal Upstate” segment? I’d love to hear it! You can leave a comment below, make a comment on the Frugal Upstate Facebook page, or use my contact form.

I filmed another Frugal Update before flying out for the Blissdom conference on Wednesday. This one runs about 10 min long-enjoy!

I’d love to hear what you think of the video-even if it’s just “liked it, keep doing them”. . .

A couple of weeks ago in my menu plan did a “Rubber Chicken” Challenge, where I purchased a single whole chicken and used it for my menu most of the week. I promised to make a vlog of the process-so here it is:

I started out by roasting the chicken the first night, and then using the remaining meat in various chicken dishes. Although I chose Chicken Stuffing Casserole, Chicken Soup and Chicken Curry-there are tons of other recipes where shredded chicken can be used. I give a bunch of quick and easy examples in the chicken section of “Avoid the Take-Out and Drive Thru Trap” and all of you readers gave fabulous ideas in the Frugal Food Series: Chicken.

What size (or how many) chicken you start with and how far you can stretch it obviously depends on the size and appetites of your family. Although we are a family of four, Buddy and Princess are still pretty young and don’t eat as much as 2 teenage boys would!

The key to the entire exercise is to think of the chicken meat as more of a flavoring-a component of the main dish. By doing that you can stretch it much farther while still providing a healthy, filling meal for your family.

PS-how many of you noticed the loaves of homemade bread on the counter behind me?

Here is a quick video that my Blog World Expo 2008 roommate Colleen of Classy Mommy took of me this morning. I’m showing off the gorgeous room that we are sharing at the Wynn in Las Vegas. Don’t worry, I am pointing out all the unfrugal aspects of the room:

Thank you so much to Walmart for sponsoring my attendance at this conference. I have already learned so much and met so many interesting people!

NOTE: Just as an FYI-ClassyMommy and I shared a room (as did all of the Walmart Executives) and it was purchased at the special conference rate. Still, if it had been up to me, I would have been at the Motel 8.

Here is my second vlog!

You can also read my directions on how to make laundry detergent and the post that discusses “Is making your own laundry detergent worth it?” ( includes the formula to figure out the cost per load).

A few other notes:

1. This laundry detergent won’t bubble and foam up like the store bought ones. Don’t worry, it’s still working!

2. The water may look a little gray while washing. This is the dirt coming out of the clothes and is fine-you can just see the water better because it isn’t covered with bubbles (see #1)

3. I use this powder in cold water all the time and don’t have any problems with it dissolving.

4. Remember-there is no perfume added to this, so your laundry may seem strangely “scentless” to you. If that really bothers you, you could probably buy some essential oils and add them to the powder. Personally I think we have too many competing scents going on in our lives-and as a migraine sufferer cutting a few of those extraneous ones (like laundry and dryer sheet scents) out is not really a trial.

5. You will still want to pre-treat any big stains. I use a regular stain stick for grungy kiddo stuff, and I’ve used shampoo for the old “Ring Around the Collar” effect on Yankee Bill’s dress shirts.

6. To keep with the frugal theme you can use vinegar in the wash as a laundry softener. Either place it in the dispenser (if you have one) or else add it to the second rinse. You may notice a vinegar smell while the laundry is wet, but it will completely dissipate by the time the clothes are dry.

There were an amazing 127 ideas entered in the Flip Video Giveaway Contest, and over 340 folks took the time to read all those entries and vote. Thanks everyone!

But now to the part you’ve been waiting for. The winner is. . ..

Photo by Scubadive67

Lauren with #79-Thrifty thanksgiving tips-table setting, decorations, turkey day deals, traditions and family recipes.

Her vlog idea (in it’s entirety) was:

The other entries with 10 or more votes were:

4-Organizing your coupons/weekly ads (Becca) with 62 votes.
2-Frugal holiday entertaining (Spooky) with 43 votes
105-Frugal weight loss-exercising, healthy foods, vitamins etc (Beth) with 39 votes
56-How to be frugal and still buy american! (katja of simbao.com) with 26 votes
11-Frugal ways to maximize pet care (The Frugal Homemaker) with 10 votes

I have to admit, I am glad that #4 didn’t win. Nothing personal Becca-I wish you all could have won a camera. But the plain, bald truth is. . . .

I don’t use coupons! *blushes*

There, I said it!

I was sort of dreading how I was going to do a good, informative vlog on a topic I really don’t have a lot of experience in. But I can refer you to a nice vlog that Alyssa at Keeping the Kingdom First (one of the other Walmart 11Moms) did! She is a big CVS Coupon Gamer, and has a nice binder system to keep it all organized. Go on over and check it out at “My Coupon Binder“.

As for the other top entries-expect to be seeing vlogs on all of them eventually, as well as articles and vlogs on some of the other great ideas that didn’t quite reach the 10 vote mark.

Oh, and thanks to my collaboration with Walmart-it looks like I might be in the giveaway business again soon! Subscribe to my feed (in the right hand sidebar there at the top) or pop in regularly to stay on top off what’s going on.

Here is my first Vlog folks-be gentle. And know that I usually don’t look QUITE that chubby-what an icky muffin top. . .