How the destitute deal with crap.

OR how the destitute save by using cloth diapers on their babes…

This article first appeared on my friend, Kristin’s blog– http://www.kickedoutofmomsclub.com/ which will appear on my blog roll as soon as I figure that part out.  Thanks for giving me my big blogging break, Kris!

In these days of environmental consciousness, we’ve all heard the statistics about disposable diapers in landfills- 50 million every day. What if cloth diapers were easier on your bank account, and not just the environment?
When my husband started doing research on-line and found out that the cost of disposable diapers would come to roughly $2,500 during her first two years, he was all for cloth, too, even if it meant changing a few (okay, way more than a few) himself.  $2,500!! I knew raising a child was expensive, but disposable diapers are thrown out!
I wanted to use cloth instead of disposables, primarily because of the environmental impact, but also because of the desire to have something more natural on my baby.  Disposable diapers are made of plastic, and chemical gels and are frequently bleached with chlorine, and I didn’t want that in constant contact to my baby’s skin.
My first vision of disposable diapers made me think I would need to wield diaper pins and be able to fold cotton like an origami master. After a bit of research, considering ease of use and availability, we settled on using the gDiaper system, and then ended up modifying it to fit our needs.  Here is a short, but not definitive, list of cloth diaper possibilities:
gDiapers– a system that combines cloth and disposable.  They call it ‘the new hybrid’.  This system consists of a cloth pant with a snap-in plastic liner, and either a flushable or compostable insert that resembles the inside of a disposable diaper or a washable hemp/cotton one. Here’s why I love them: the cloth pants are doggone adorable, making that cute little bottom even more wiggly and squeezable (okay, maybe I’m nuts, but just look at the pictures on the website, and you’ll see I speak truth) but because they’re easy.  No pins (that’s so last generation) and the Velcro closures make them go on just like a familiar disposable.
bumGenius– these cloth diapers are an All-in-One variety, meaning the cloth and the waterproof outer layer are already put together for you, and you won’t need waterproof plastic pants like you would with traditional cloth diapers.
Bumkins– this company offers a wide variety of products, with plenty of colors, styles and accessories to choose from.  They carry the All-in-One’s as well as cotton diapers with Velcro closures that also require a plastic cover.
Snazzipants- my sister-in-law turned me on to these guys, and is useful for ordering only if you live in New Zealand (and I did a lot of it when I lived there), but it’s also a fantastic, honest resource for what’s out there.  They candidly review and carry products from Canada, Europe and the US, as well as their own brand.
Now that you’ve gone shopping, you’re ready to make it happen, with your baby’s help, of course.  Where else did you expect to get the poo?

Ingredients:
15-20 cloth prefolds or flats (thinner, bigger, and not folded)
6-8 cotton boosters- these are inserts that can increase absorbency, and are great for a heavier wetting period, especially through the night.
5-8 pairs of cloth pants- gdiapers sells these as gpants, and has them in a constantly updated and dizzying array of colors.
10-12 plastic liners- for gdiapers, each pair of cloth pants comes with a couple, but it’s worth having a few extra.
4-5 pairs of plastic pants- just in case of leaks for bigger babies and through the night
For cleaning: A five-gallon bucket of water with one cup of white vinegar, baking soda and eco-friendly laundry detergent.
Cleaning:
If you’ve just got a wet one, rinse the cloth insert in the sink, then dump it into your bucket. If the cloth pants got wet, dump them, too, but leaks are pretty infrequent.
If you’ve got a dirty diaper, it’s going to take a little more work (about three minutes) and some down and dirty cleaning.  Start by washing the plastic liner and let the cloth pants air out, unless they’re dirty, too, in which case, they get washed with the rest.  Just like our mothers and grandmothers before us, I dump what I can from the cloth prefold into the toilet and flush it down, just like the adults doo, I mean do. Using a little bit of liquid soap, rinse, and toss into your bucket.  Some stains may remain, but it’s well on it’s way to getting clean, and either the washing machine or a little added bleach (for cloth only, not the pants or plastic liners) will help.
Don’t be turned off by these down-and-dirty details.  It’s not that bad.  Really.  If you’re going to have to wipe up a dirty bum, cleaning out the diaper isn’t any worse.  And at least the diaper doesn’t wiggle while you’re trying to clean it.
And, of course, after all this, WASH YOUR HANDS!
Every two or three days, dump the bucket into the washing machine, with plenty of detergent and a little baking soda, maybe a tablespoon, and wash in hot or warm water.   The best way to dry cloth diapers is the old-fashioned way, out in the sunshine.  Sunlight and fresh air are two of the best disinfectants, and they’re easy and free. Drying racks are great, because they’re less obvious than a backyard clothes line, and mobile, which is especially nice when it rains.
I haven’t kept an exact count over the years, but a quick glance at all these numbers has me calculating that by using cloth diapers and washing them myself, we’ve spent less than $400 on diapers.  And we can use them on consecutive children, too, which of course, you can’t do with disposables. By using cloth, we’ve saved over $2,000!
So go Green, and save some green!  Everybody’s dooing it cloth it’s so fashionable these days- just think of all those cool hybrids running around full of groceries in reusable bags. Yes, that’s right, poo can be fashionable, too.

Resources:

Gdiapers http://www.gdiapers.com

Bumgenius http://www.bumgenius.com/

Bumkins http://www.bumkins.com/cloth-diapering/

Under the Nile http://www.underthenile.com/underthenile/categorybyTheme-DBC.htm

Snazzipants http://snazzipants.co.nz/

Cotton Babies .com http://www.cottonbabies.com/

Target http://www.target.com/Reusable-Diapers-Baby/b/979626011/ref=sc_fe_l_4_2242001011_18?node=979626011
(the link’s so stinkin’ long because you’ve got to get through all the patio furniture, baby clothes and expensive disposable diapers first. You may have to copy and paste.)

Good luck with this crap 🙂  and let me know if you have any questions or comments.  I’ve been at this for a few years now– I’m a pro!
Ciao, ya’ll!
Destitutin’ Mama

Ain’t too proud to beg.

Or how the destitute and obscure find treasures for free.

Yesterday, I was driving my ol’ jalopy home from mother’s group, through the carefully manicured streets of our ‘hood, when I spied, lurking quietly yet shining like diamonds in the sunshine, two small lamps on the edge of my friend, Sally’s, driveway.  They were understated in styling with perfect lampshades and meticulously wound cords.  Gems– jewels in wood and linen, left unwanted on the curb!  Every few weeks, various charities leave bright colored fliers on our doorstep, in the mailbox or jammed in the front door handle requesting donations.  I have the odd t-shirt here and there, but mostly, when my clothes are done, they’re barely worth the rags their torn into.  I confess to mending t-shirts just to make them last longer.  But many of the neighbors have been seen to place the odd trash bag on the curb to wait idly for an unmarked white truck to cruise through on the appointed day and take it away to a new home.  Now, I know that it’s considered ‘illegal’ to swipe stuff intended for charity pick-up, and it’s even considered a crime heinous enough to warrant calling the police if you see someone prowling around on the bi-annual neighborhood ‘Dump the Big Crap’ pick-up.  They even have nifty day-glo stickers you can apply in order to ward off predators.  We confess to swiping a wooden stool and flicking through a box of records containing nothing but Air Supply’s early hits, and Anne Murray’s entire repertoire  We took nothing, since we’re vinyl snobs and only snatch slightly unknown but worthwhile blues and jazz.  If it’s free, feel free to pass it up.  I’ve also run off with a dirty but extremely well-made dining chair in the middle of the night; I sang the theme song to ‘Mission Impossible’ as I loaded it into the back of my station wagon.

But I digress.  The point being, I don’t have so much pride that I am above parking said jalopy and walking up Sally’s walk and knocking on her door to inquire about the two gorgeous lamps.  After all, she is donating to the poor, and I certainly qualify.  So I knocked, and fortunately she was home.
“Hi, Sally,” I said.  “I was wondering about those two lamps on the edge of your driveway.”
“Oh, yeah,” she said.  “Do you want them?”                                                                                                                                                                                                          Oh, hell yeah!  I wanted to say, and while I may not be to proud to beg, I’m not so poor that I can’t afford manners.  Ain’t nobody too poor for that, or too rich, either.  “Yes, thank you,” I said.
And after Sally assured me that they were both fine and in proper working order, including referencing their pedigrees as early model Ikea, I thanked her and loaded both of them up in the back seat.  They amused my preschooler and now my husband has a working bedside light.

In a previous round of charity donations, I knocked on Jill’s door and became the new owner of a bright colored booster seat for my then-toddler.  In return, I keep her in mind when I’m getting rid of childrens clothing that’s too small.  Her child is about six months younger than mine.  And they also fit quite nicely into the neighborhood circle, since some of those clothes are from my friend Ana, whose child is six months older than mine– and thanks to her, we had a darling outfit for Easter.  Not only was it free, but it was nothing like anything from any department store or boutique.  In fact, it came from overseas as a gift.  I love recycling clothes!

Other nifty freebies with which I have graced my house and body include ex-boyfriends flannels, which I’ve kept forever, free books being discarded from the library (and for less than $5 you can get a few slightly more interesting books and give to a worthy cause– more on the beauties of public libraries to come), cast-off yarn and fabric scraps from other people’s projects (which make fantastic funky blankets and scarves when you’ve got a minute or a mini-series– stay tuned for more of those crafty tips in a later post) and the odd child’s toy.  In fact my child is apparently so adorable (or I am in such obvious need of charity, despite the fact that I don’t dress us in rags to belabor the point) that many people can’t help themselves and give us toys– amusing, but much appreciated.

Ain’t too proud to beg, and I got a lotta good loot in the bargain.  One woman’s trash is another woman’s treasure.  So if it’s free and you like it, ask for it.  If you don’t want it any more, pass it along and wait for that good karma to come cruisin’ around the bend.  Ciao, and happy hunting!

How the destitute handle disappointment.

I got all excited and planned out my life for the next couple months—the stress of trying to find a cute, inexpensive place to live in a great neighborhood could be over.  In other words, the miracle I had been praying for was going to cash in.  My husband saw a posting for a darling little place with an extra bathroom, hardwood floors and even the possibility of a little yard.  He replied to the posting, I replied to the posting–  listing all my contact information and a lovely little description of myself, telling the landlords how much we loved the community (which was actually a bit of a stretch; I have little desire to settle with my family in the town in which I grew up) and what an all-around great couple we were.  Also read: can pay the rent— although that was a bit of a stretch, too.

When we got no reply after twenty-four hours, I drove over there, all decked out in a fashionable but conservative ensemble.  I even deeply regretted the mud-splattering tumble my toddler took as we were walking out to the car.  Would these landlords with this charming apartment want to rent to the mother of a grubby kid?  I figured I’d just carry her to the door, tucking her muddy pant leg behind me.

On the way, I put on a song with a positive vibe, hoping it would rub off on me.  Do I sound desperate enough?  Well, when you’re poor, you live a lot on hope, because it’s certainly not enough to live on your income alone.

When I pulled up in front of the yellow shingled home on a little tree-lined private road, my heart jumped—and then fell, hard.

Posted on the door was a hand-written sign that read in bold print:  ‘THIS HOUSE IS NOT FOR RENT’

Furthermore, it went on to explain that the house was actually for sale, and that it was being targeted as an online scam.  It also was thoughtful enough to remind me not to send anyone any money.  Fortunately, I wasn’t that stupid, just desperate and hopeful, and woefully over-dressed for a drive around town.  And when, two weeks later, I received an email loaded with grammatical errors from the supposed missionary in Africa (probably in cahoots with that Nigerian prince that’s been trolling the internet) I refrained from sending a $600 check for my “deposit.”

But how did I feel after reading that sign?  Like bawling, actually.  But I try not to make a habit of crying in front of my daughter, and besides, it would only succeed in making my toddler nervous and ruining my make-up.  So I vowed to get on with my day, because I may not have been about to move into a charming apartment that I couldn’t really afford in a community I didn’t really want to live in, but I did have some writing I wanted to get done, and a little party to hostess.  And what do you know—now was dressed for it.