There are many ways in which living a little greener can save you money: conserve energy in your home and you will save on your utilities bills, buy secondhand clothes and you will cut your wardrobe budget, reuse and re-purpose objects and you will simply have less to buy.

But, in general, eating organic or all-natural food is going to cost more. So, just how much more money are we talking about? And what to do about it?

Green Mama: Comparison Shopper

While my supermarket cart looks a lot greener than it did a few years ago, not everything I buy is organic or all-natural. But this week, I wondered what my grocery bill would look like if everything on it were organic or all-natural. So I did my best to make it so, and then I calculated what it would have cost to buy the “traditional” versions instead.

So, what did I learn? First, I learned that comparison shopping is a big headache — no joke. Organic and non-organic versions of the same foods are often in totally different sections of the market, or they are very different sizes, or priced differently (e.g. by weight vs. by unit). This project required a lot of note-taking and fighting my son for the calculator (“buttons! buttons!”), as well as a follow-up price study on the market’s online delivery website.

Also, I couldn’t find comparables for a bunch of items (e.g. no organic garlic, avocados, or pears; no non-organic tofu or scallions) and so, for the sake of this exercise, I left them off the list. The resulting grocery bill doesn’t look exactly like a week’s shop for my household, but it’s pretty close, and includes produce, dairy, fresh meat, grains, canned and jarred non-perishables, and snacks (no paper or cleaning products).

The Result: A 30% Premium!

The organic/all-natural grocery bill was 30% higher than the “traditional” one. My initial reaction was that this isn’t so bad, probably because I thought it would be worse. But wait, am I crazy? What if my household income were cut by 30%? That would sure seem like a lot, right?

Looking a little more closely, I discovered that some products’ prices were very close to those of their comparables (e.g. peanut butter, salsa), and sometimes I found an organic or all-natural version of a product less expensive than the traditional version I would have otherwise bought (e.g. pasta sauce, tortillas, cheddar cheese).

On the other hand, I really paid a premium for some organics, including 78% for those organic Os over that yellow box from the leading brand, and 51% for organic apples over non-organic.

So, since buying organic/natural is not an all-or-nothing proposition, your supermarket flyer, grocery bill, and store shelves might all merit a little study.

The Bottom Line: Saving Money

So, how to deal with the desire to eat clean without breaking the bank? Here are some tips, sources, and resources for making natural eating more affordable. Some of these are old standbys, but they bear repeating because they work!

TIP #1: Prioritize your Purchases
Should I really pay extra for organic apples? (YES!) What about sweet potatoes? (MAYBE NOT.) Check out the 2011 Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 in the Environmental Working Group’s annual Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. This awesome resource will help you determine which produce has the most pesticide residues and are the most important to buy organic. You can lower your pesticide intake substantially by avoiding the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables (the “Dirty Dozen”) and eating the least contaminated produce (the “Clean 15″).

TIP #2: Buy Store Brand
Supermarkets can offer lower prices for their store-brand natural and organic lines (e.g. Stop & Shop’s Nature’s Promise) because they don’t spend for advertising. I can’t tell the difference between two brands of organic milk or butter — can you? As always, be sure to take a moment to read labels to see if the claims on the front stand up to the ingredients list.

TIP #3: Stock Up With Sales
The natural and organic items on sale at the supermarket are usually featured in the same place in your flyer each week — in a sidebar or at the bottom of a certain page — so it only takes a moment to check. (Plus, it can be a fun family activity, flipping through and identifying pictures.) Also, make a point to spin through the natural section each week to find non-featured sale items. And when organic non-perishables, like snacks and canned soup, or frozen organic fruits and veggies are on sale, stock up! (And try to combine with coupons — see below).

TIP #4: Green Coupons!
While you can sometimes find printed coupons for organic and natural products in newspaper inserts (if you don’t get a paper at home, grab a free New Haven Advocate), your best bet for coupons is going to be online. Many natural food companies, like Stonyfield, offer printable coupons, as well as rewards programs that allow you to earn points toward additional discounts. Most sites require a free registration with an email and reset coupon limits monthly.

See greenHaven’s new Green Deals & Coupons page for a list of some popular companies, and tell us about any we are missing! Also, sign up with services like Organic Deals & Coupons to receive free email alerts of discounts for green groceries at national chains, including Target and Whole Foods, as well as online retailers, and special coupons that can be printed via Facebook, for example. A great time-saver when planning the week’s food shop.

TIP #5:Buy Big
Buying big really means two things. As with all products, the larger the package, (typically) the lower the unit cost. Organic baby carrots cost 20% more than non-organic, and I don’t feel like paying that! However, a 5 lbs. bag of organic carrots — you know, regular carrots like you used to eat as a kid — costs $4.99, way less by weight than either type of baby carrots. Can’t I find time to cut up carrot sticks? (yes) Won’t it be nice to have extra carrots around to incorporate into mashed potatoes and pasta sauce? (yes) And with their skin on, they stay fresher longer.

Also, the larger the store (typically), the lower cost for the same product. While I can’t find many organic items, like cream cheese, at my supermarket and must go to a natural foods store, I can find many others at the supermarket, and for a lot less. The organic yogurt that my family goes through like water costs 32% less at the supermarket than at the natural foods store. (Note: I am absolutely all for supporting my small, local, independently-owned food store rather than a corporate chain, and do so as much as I can. I am torn about even including this tip!) Also, price clubs, like BJs and Costco, are increasingly carrying organic products, especially produce and dairy, so if you have a membership — or maybe a friend or neighbor who does — you might be able to save. (Be sure to recycle all that frustrating shrink wrap on multi-packs wherever plastic grocery bags are taken.)

There are many other dimensions to a discussion about cost and healthy eating aside from supermarket shopping, but, alas, it is time to stop. Potential budget-saving options like buying from farm stands and CSAs, growing a food garden, and cooking more from scratch will have to wait for another time!

Submitted by Christina 

The Painted Pomegranate will be open from 10am-2pm for children to play while you shop!  Cinderella will also have a Face Painting booth at the Fair, who knew she was so multi-talented?!

Big Brands, Small Treasures

From boutique baubles to must-have fashion, Downtown New Haven offers world class shopping close to home at Apple, J. Crew, Barnes & Noble, Urban Outfitters, Jack Wills, GANT and over 50 shops that offer fabulous brands like North Face, Coach, Longchamp, Waterford, Nike , Seven for All Mankind, Uggs and more!

Fabulous holiday entertainment and free parking on Thursday and Friday evenings and all day Saturday and Sunday round out the experience to make holiday shopping in Downtown New Haven unique, easy and fun.

UNIQUE

Visit the Broadway retail district for late night store hours until 9 pm and world class shopping including Apple, J. Crew, Barnes & Noble, Urban Outfitters, American Apparel, Jack Wills, and the GANT Campus Store.

Stroll over to the historic streets of Chapel to find one of a kind boutiques including Wave Gallery, idiom, Lisa Jones, Celtica and derek simpson…goldsmith, which offer late night hours every Thursday till 8 pm.

Looking for family fun? Visit the Audubon/Whitney district for family-friendly dining options including Moe’s Southwest Grill, Gourmet Heaven, Clarks and Katalina’s Bakery.

The Audubon, Broadway, and Chapel merchants invite you to value the holidays in Downtown New Haven this holiday season with special events and promotions.

EASY

Free Parking

Ample parking is always available in Downtown New Haven and this holiday season it is free with a receipt from a downtown store. Park in the convenient Chapel York Garage (150 York Street) or the Broadway Center Lot every Thursday and Friday evening from 5 pm to 9 pm and any time on Saturdays and Sundays.

FUN

$1,000 Thursdays

Visit downtown New Haven on Thursday nights in December for your chance to win a $1,000 New Haven shopping spree! No purchase necessary. Pick up your $1,000 shopping card at a participating stores between 5 pm and 8 pm. Travel to 10 shops and boutiques in the Audubon, Broadway and Chapel Districts to receive a special stamp. After completion return your card to Info New Haven at 1000 Chapel Street. One winner will be chosen each week for 4 weeks!

Free Pictures with Santa

Bring the children for FREE pictures with Santa at the Barnes & Noble Bookstore at Yale located in the Broadway District next to the new Apple store, from 5-8pm on Fridays and 2 -5 pm Saturday and Sundays. Guests will receive both a print and digital photograph as a holiday keepsake.

Gift with Purchase Program

Do your holiday shopping and dining in Downtown New Haven and save your receipts. Bring the receipts to INFONew Haven, 1000 Chapel Street between November 25, 2011 and January 15, 2012 and receive a voucher for a free beverage at participating restaurants or a pass to the Criterion Cinemas or BOTH. The more you spend Downtown, the more rewards you get.  It’s our way of saying thanks for supporting Downtown New Haven business. Some restrictions apply. Visit www.infonewhaven.com/giftwithpurchase or call INFO New Haven at 203-773-9494 for complete rules and a list of participating restaurants.

Taste of New Haven Holiday Food and Shopping Tour – December 17^th

Join Taste of New Haven on a pre Holidays food, drinks, shopping, culture and history tour of Downtown New Haven. While we stroll through shops offering tour members discounts and raffle prizes we will mix it up with tastes of the area’s best culinary delights.

The midday tour takes us along Chapel Street. Our food and drink stops include Sushi on Chapel for a trip to Japan, Oaxaca Kitchen Bar & Restaurant to spice up our Mexican appetite, Pacifico for some Nuevo Latino concoctions and Bangkok Garden Restaurant for Thai food.

The evening tour takes us to Downtown’s Broadway shopping district. Our food and drink stops include Blue State Coffee for a jump start, Box 63 where we’ll fire it up with various flavors at this firehouse-themed restaurant, Thali Too for a taste of India, Yorkside Pizza for a real Yalie snack and finish it all off with some homemade Ashley’s Ice Cream.

Visit www.TasteofNewHaven.com for more information.

Live Entertainment

Enjoy the sounds of live performances from local school musical ensembles every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the Chapel and Broadway retail districts.

For more information on free parking, holiday events, stores and shopping hours please visit www.NewHavenShops.com.

Join us to consign, volunteer and shop at Green Turtle Planet’s New Haven County KID’S SALE!

Green Turtle Planet is a twice-a-year, upscale, Children’s Eco Boutique showcasing nearly new, boutique and name brand items ranging from clothing (newborn to preteen); shoes, gear, accessories, books, toys, DVD’s, furniture, hand crafted items and more.  At The Green Turtle our goal is to help families make money and save money while doing your part to save the planet.

Get paid up to 75% to clean out your kids’ closets.  It’s easy – just clean, hang, tag and drop.  We advertise, display and sell your items for you.  Register now to consign and volunteer and be the first to shop our special presale on Friday, September 16th before opening to the public.

The Fall/Winter Sale will be held at the First Church of Christ (Woodbridge Town Center) 5 Meetinghouse Lane, Woodbridge, CT 06525.

Shop our special Friday night Sale on FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16th from 7:30pm to 9pm. For admission donate new diapers (or a $5 cash donation) to benefit The Diaper Bank in New Haven.

Then shop all day SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17th from 9am to 4pm. Get amazing deals on boutique and name brands and be sure to shop our Green Turtle Dollar Rack!  Free admission and parking. Cash Only Sale. No Strollers please.

The Green Turtle Planet sale gives back to the community by partnering and donating to local charities to help families in need.  This event will benefit, in part, The Diaper Bank of New Haven.  Also ask how you can raise money for your organization with a Green Turtle Planet fundraiser.

Visit our website at  www.greenturtleplanet.com, “LIKE US” on Facebook at  www.facebook.com/greenturtleplanet and spread the word to all your family and friends.

If you have any questions, please contact us at info@greenturtleplanet.com

Registration will open beginning on July 1st.  Click the Consignor Registration/Log in tab on our website or email us at info@greenturtleplanet.com for more information.

Every year with the arrival of summer, we welcome long sunny days, beach time fun, and the long awaited return of backyard barbeques and family gatherings. For us parents, we also welcome the never-ending stream of invitations to children’s birthday parties, bar and bat mitzvahs, graduations and christenings. Of course, we love to celebrate children and their milestones. We just can’t seem to find the right answer to that age old question… “What gift should I get them?”

Enter Doolidoo.com, a new website and free service allowing parents and kids to create a wish list that can be shared with family and friends… It’s an easy activity for parents and kids to do together.  Simply add items to your child’s wish list, like toys, clothes, or books and share with your family and friends. It’s really that easy. Since Doolidoo.com is an independent website, you can list ideas from different stores and websites. You can even go beyond traditional gift ideas and request bigger ticket items like a swing set or a computer. Friends and family can then make any-size monetary contribution towards that gift through paypal (think group gift giving without the hassle of coordinating or collecting money). With Doolidoo.com, you can “wish for” memberships to museums, zoos, aquariums, summer camp or even list a request for a charitable donation to a worthy cause.

Just imagine… you create a wish list on Doolidoo.com. Your family and friends are relieved to have great gift ideas at their fingertips (as you can easily share lists through email or Facebook). Your child receives gifts from his or her wish list. There are no duplicates or unwanted toys. You save time running from store-to-store making returns (phew!).  After all, Doolidoo.com was created by a mom who understands the true value of time well-spent.  So for all you moms and dads out there, try Doolidoo.com and take the guess work out of gift giving.

Doolidoo.com was created by mom, Jeannette Farah, with the hope of simplifying gift-giving for parents, kids, and their families and friends. Jeannette, a native of Switzerland and a self-proclaimed true “Swiss Miss”, lives in Hamden Connecticut with her husband and two children. The idea for Doolidoo.com came to her while she was up late one night caring for her newborn son. Two years later, Doolidoo.com is launched, providing a free and easy way to take the guesswork out of gift-giving. Kids wish it. You list it.

Polarn O. Pyret, Sweden’s leading children’s wear brand, made its much-anticipated arrival to America two years ago. This week, PO.P — as the brand is affectionately known — is having its first Sample & Warehouse Sales series in Massachusetts. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience this heavily-desired brand, recently featured by Instyle Magazine, at a significantly reduced priced.

From our humble beginnings in 1976, this beloved premium brand is best known for its playwear, outerwear, and iconic navy and red stripes. We help preserve the simple pleasures of childhood by offering clothing that lets kids play freely wherever they are and in all weather conditions. Best of all, the clothing can be worn, washed and passed down for generations to enjoy.

We believe both boys and girls need good fit and function. Our coveted UNIsex concept was one of the first in children’s wear. We design clothing for all children, not just girls or boys. Who wears what — and in what color combination — is up to you.

Friday, April 8

10 am — 6 pm

SWEA Boston

The Scandinavian Living Center

206 Waltham Street

West Newton, MA 02465

Saturday, April 9

10 am — 5 pm

Matrushka Toys & Gifts

309 Main Street

Great Barrington, MA 01230

I’ve recently been invited to a few kid’s birthday parties and several friends have just had babies.  Now with the holidays approaching, I’m gearing up for another onslaught of gift giving. I’m always in a bit of a quandary about what to get, especially when there isn’t a registry involved.  Though I’ve learned to stay away from the mini drum kit and the car that has 5 different siren sounds!

My go to gift has become Just the Right Book.  It combines the excitement of getting gifts in the mail along with brand new books chosen just for your child. Giving them the right book at the right time could make them a life long reader and that’s what I’d call the perfect gift.  (Full disclosure, I recently started working for Just the Right Book!, that’s how much I liked the gift!)

Here’s how it works…You tell us about the child, tween, teen in your life – their interests and activities – and we’ll have the RJ Julia Book Experts choose books based on what you tell us. Now the fun part…we’ll send gift-wrapped books to their door as a Series (throughout the year) or as a Collection (all at once).

What better gift to give this holiday season than the love of reading? (Plus, the excitement you see on their faces when they realize there’s mail for them is priceless!)

Quarterly gifts, where books come 4 times a year, start at just $49. Visit our website at www.justtherightbook.com/sc/kidhaven.

P.S. Here are a few titles we’ve recently recommended for kids:

(Ages 0-2) If they like all things furry, they’ll love The Carnival of the Animals by Saint-Saens or Tiny Little Fly by Michael Rosen

(Ages 3-5) If they like silly stories, they’ll love Barry the Fish with Fingers by Sue Hendra or Two Little Boys From Toolittle Toys by Vincent X. Kirsch

(Ages 6-8) If they’re ready for a more engaging story, they’ll love Lulu & The Brontosaurus by Viorst or Paddle to the Sea by Holling

Visit www.justtherightbook.com to see all our gifts for Kids, Teens, and Adults or call us at 877-654-5872.