Go green, plus get more for clothing donations

In an attempt to be a little greener, I decided recently to switch to tissue products with recycled content. This is an environmental change that will cost me more green in some cases, but I'll watch for sales on store brands of paper towels, napkins, tissues and toilet paper with recycled content. Store brands include 365 from Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and CVS' Earth Essentials. Marcal's Small Steps is not a private label, but its prices are among the lowest, even compared with traditional brands. It's available at Kmart and next month at Walgreens. For more savings, wait for Whole Foods or CVS to put their private labels on sale. One caveat: The mediocre softness and strength of greener toilet paper continue to be disappointing. To find out how green your tissue brand is, go to www.greenpeace.org/tissueguide. It lists the percentage of recycled content and the bleaching process of most national brands. Get more for clothes donated to charity

"People underestimate the value of their donations, because they have no resource to determine values," said Bill Lewis, author of "Money for Your Used Clothing: 2009." The Internal Revenue Service doesn't provide any values, but in Publication 561 it reports that prices paid in consignment or thrift shops can be used as an indication of value. Lewis checks such prices around the country and updates them each year in his book. The 2009 edition for donations was just released for the 2010 tax season. Lewis says his numbers might be more reliable than figures available on the Salvation Army website because he updates them annually. Some tax software also provides values. Lewis, who has been publishing his booklet annually since the early 1990s, says he will refund the price paid for the book if the buyer doesn't save at least $250 on taxes. To order, go to www.mfyuc.com/media or call 1-866-417-7678, option 4. Leave your name and telephone number and say you saw it in the Star Tribune to get $10 off the $25 price ($4 shipping).

Eyeglass deals I think the deals at optical shops have improved in this economy. It used to be that a customer could get a 50 percent discount on frames, but only with a lens purchase at full price. The sale at the Spectacle Shoppe from Saturday through July 3 is an improvement. Get a frame and lenses (single vision, up to 6 diopters) for $159. Normally the frames sell for $229 to $259 and the lenses cost $129. Stronger corrections and bifocals are extra. Choose from an excellent selection of 3,000 to 5,000 frames at each location. The offer is good at all four stores (West St. Paul, Burnsville, St. Paul and New Brighton, 651-636-3434, www.spectacleshoppe.biz). If you'd rather buy your frames and lenses at separate places, mark the $39 frame sale on your calendar Nov. 21-22 at the Burnsville location.