Yes, I've cut out my weekly trip to Starbucks. (I did however sign up for their club by registering my Starbucks card and received a free beverage of my choice). And I'm going to Starbucks on the 25th to get a free beverage that they are marketing!!!
No, I have not started making homemade feminine products.
Yes, I did try making my own laundry detergent which involves grating bar soap with a cheese grater. No thank you!! Cheese graters are meant for cheese thus the name, well the exception is the new product PedEgg which grates away dead skin off your feet. Works great, but I digress!!
No, we have not stopped driving. Although I did suggest to my husband that he ride his bike to work. After all it's only a couple of miles.
Yes, I am clipping coupons.
No, I have not gone to recycle bin to get said coupons.
Yes, I have accepted coupons from our friend Brian who does dig through the trash to get coupons. He is a great example of a wise steward of his resources (Oh, and he is an excellent speaker to teens and parents of teens)!!! One day really soon I will take the plunge into the trash and let me tell you why:
- Yesterday I went to Kroger and purchased $122 dollars worth of products for $40. Many of the items I purchased were completely free. I started trying to save $ on our groceries in March and it has been a learning process for me.
- My neighbor found a brand new magazine in the recycle bin
- It will make for great dialouge to discuss rummaging through the trash.
5 comments:
LOVE the Pedegg! Got one today. Have been known to dig through the recycle bin for coupons...much to the boys' disgust, have used homemade cleaners for the shower (worked well), have used homemade feminine hygenie products (worked well but as my sister says "Some things were meant to be thrown away!"), shop at CVS, clip coupons, get free stuff at the grocery store, and make simpler meals. We're able to live on $250/wk even with the higher gas prices. Even going to LA tomorrow for an anniversary surprise...more about that on my blog tomorrow. Way to go on money saving! I think just being aware of where the money is going makes a huge difference. I think one of the biggest things that's helped me is to go to a nearly exclusively cash system (Dave Ramsey) for our weekly expenses.
this is always an continual process in our home! always, always looking for ways to cut costs. one of the best things for the grocery budget during the summer is our local farmer's market. i only take $10, and i leave with a huge sack full of veggies and homemade bread. fresh, healthy produce for the family, and helping out local farmers!
These were copied from the natural section of my mommy board ;)
* vinegar on my glass and windows
* baking soda to clean stove top
* lemon juice and olive oil will shine your kitchen floor and have it smelling springy
* "soft scrub" /baking soda mixed with liquid dish soap-for sinks and tubs
* to remove dust from silk plants-put the plant in a plastic grocery bag with a cup of salt. tie tightly and shake vigorously. the salt removes the dust from the plant.
* to remove odors from a cutting board pour salt on it and rub off with a damp cloth.
* to rid smells from drains pour 1/2 cup salt into it, let it sit for 5 mins then rinse with water
* air freshener-cut an orange in half and remove pulp, fill with salt and sit it anywhere in the room.
* shaving cream on shower doors will clean soap scum and keep then fog free
* 1 TBSP of baking soda in a cup of water in the microwave for 3 minutes and everything in the microwave will wipe right out.
* 1 gallon of water + 1 TBSP of vinegar + 1 tsp of Palmolive (or dawn or whatever) mixed together in a sealed container makes great carpet spot treatment. Just use a little when you need it on a spot to clean it.
* 1 cup of clorox in a half sink of water will brighten and clean a porcelin sink
* fabric softener-6 cups of water 3 cups of vinegar and 2 cups of hair conditioner. mix and use as you would any fabric softener.
* hydrogen peroxide will remove many stains from carpet. it's amazing! even old stains.
* [Quote] [Modify] [Delete]
Cut a lemon in half and dip in baking soda and scrub away! This is great for counters, sinks, wall trim, just about anything!
* drinking 2 glasses of gatorade instantly gets rid of common headaches.
to remove a splinter pour a drop of elmer's glus onto the splinter and let dry, then peel glue off. the splinter will come off with the glue.
* for mildew in bathrooms - if you can put up with this smell, pour some white distilled vinegar into a spray bottle (can get one from dollar tree) and spray this on the area and let it sit, the smell will dissappear after a few hours.
if you want no smell mix 1 part hydrogine peroxide with 2 parts water (the spray bottles at dollar tree near us work great for this, they have the measurements on the bottles). make sure the peroxide is 3%, can get this from dollar tree too. spray and let sit for 1 hour then rinse. this should help you out!
* air freshener -
1 cup of distilled water and 15 drops of essential oil - watch out for some essential oils they can be toxic and some you should avoid during pregnancy, etc.
Let me know if you want more ;)
~Niks
These were copied from the natural section of my mommy board ;)
* vinegar on my glass and windows
* baking soda to clean stove top
* lemon juice and olive oil will shine your kitchen floor and have it smelling springy
* "soft scrub" /baking soda mixed with liquid dish soap-for sinks and tubs
* to remove dust from silk plants-put the plant in a plastic grocery bag with a cup of salt. tie tightly and shake vigorously. the salt removes the dust from the plant.
* to remove odors from a cutting board pour salt on it and rub off with a damp cloth.
* to rid smells from drains pour 1/2 cup salt into it, let it sit for 5 mins then rinse with water
* air freshener-cut an orange in half and remove pulp, fill with salt and sit it anywhere in the room.
* shaving cream on shower doors will clean soap scum and keep then fog free
* 1 TBSP of baking soda in a cup of water in the microwave for 3 minutes and everything in the microwave will wipe right out.
* 1 gallon of water + 1 TBSP of vinegar + 1 tsp of Palmolive (or dawn or whatever) mixed together in a sealed container makes great carpet spot treatment. Just use a little when you need it on a spot to clean it.
* 1 cup of clorox in a half sink of water will brighten and clean a porcelin sink
* fabric softener-6 cups of water 3 cups of vinegar and 2 cups of hair conditioner. mix and use as you would any fabric softener.
* hydrogen peroxide will remove many stains from carpet. it's amazing! even old stains.
* [Quote] [Modify] [Delete]
Cut a lemon in half and dip in baking soda and scrub away! This is great for counters, sinks, wall trim, just about anything!
* drinking 2 glasses of gatorade instantly gets rid of common headaches.
to remove a splinter pour a drop of elmer's glus onto the splinter and let dry, then peel glue off. the splinter will come off with the glue.
* for mildew in bathrooms - if you can put up with this smell, pour some white distilled vinegar into a spray bottle (can get one from dollar tree) and spray this on the area and let it sit, the smell will dissappear after a few hours.
if you want no smell mix 1 part hydrogine peroxide with 2 parts water (the spray bottles at dollar tree near us work great for this, they have the measurements on the bottles). make sure the peroxide is 3%, can get this from dollar tree too. spray and let sit for 1 hour then rinse. this should help you out!
* air freshener -
1 cup of distilled water and 15 drops of essential oil - watch out for some essential oils they can be toxic and some you should avoid during pregnancy, etc.
Let me know if you want more ;)
~Niks
We have only had one car between the two of us for almost 3 years now. We save money on gas, insurance and car payments. It is a change in lifestyle. I shop a lot less--which also saves money. I have people over for coffee, etc instead of going out. We tend to run all our errands at the same time instead one at a time or whenever we think of it.
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