Homemade Cleaner - dishwasher detergent

The recipe I use for dishwasher detergent is 2 cups borax and 1 cup baking soda mixed together. Recipe calls then to use 1/4 cup per load, but I've used 1/8 cup and my dishes are fine. You can also use white vinegar as your rinse agent. All works well for me! :)

householdcents.blogspot.com

Homemade Cleaner for the bath, shower and sinks

Favorite Homemade Cleaner
It's a creamy scrub that I use to clean the tub, shower and sinks. It got out a stain in the shower that bleach couldn't even remove. And it's so simple and inexpensive to make!

1/2 Cup Baking Soda
Mix in just enough liquid detergent to make the consistency like frosting (usually about 1-2 Tablespoons).

Apply to surface and clean with a damp rag. So simple!

householdcents.blogspot.com

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Homemade Laundry Detergent
I have been making my own laundry detergent for three years. Here is the recipe:

1/3 of a bar of Fels Naptha soap or Zote soap
1/2 cup of Washing Soda
1/2 Cup of Borax
A big bucket (a 2 gallon size works nice)

Grate the soap and mix it with 6 cups of water in a sauce pan. Heat to boiling until the soap melts completely. Add the Washing Soda and Borax. Stir until it has dissolved. Remove from heat. Now pour 4 cups of HOT water into the clean bucket. Add the soap mixture to the bucket. Give it a good stir. Now add 22 cups of HOT water into the bucket and stir.

Let the mixture sit for about a day and it will turn into a funky gel-like substance. It's now ready to use, I use about 1/2 cup per load.

This stuff cleans our clothes just as good as anything I have bought in the store. I've also used it to pre-treat stains and it works great. The thing I like best about it is that it doesn't leave that nasty chemical/fragrance smell on clothes like so many store-bought brands do.

Cost Break-down:

Borax - $3.50 for a 76 oz box at Alice.com
Washing Soda - $2.76 for a 55 oz box at Alice.com
Fels Naptha - $1.09 at my local grocery store

One batch lasts my family of 6 a little over a month (and we have TONS of laundry because of a baby and cloth diapers). One batch used to last 2-3 months before baby #4 came along. I can get about 18 batches from the box of Borax and about 14 batches from the box of Washing Soda. That's a huge savings!

Quick Tip
There is very little need to wash your clothes in anything but cold water. I actually thought that most people used cold until someone told me they use warm and hot almost all of the time. With the exception of cloth diapers, I use cold water for every load of laundry. Everything comes out clean and I don't need special detergent, either. I just use my homemade laundry detergent. So, cut down on those monthly utility bills by washing with cold water whenever you can!

householdcents.blogspot.com

Busy, Busy , Busy

Ive spent the last couple of weeks creating a home station which consists of several binders and umpteen note books , plus some file storage boxes.
Ive concentrated on things by their importance and have filed them accordingly, im looking forward to sharing them with you once i get everything up to date and filled in.

So far i have a Family file consisting of important and emergancey phone numbers, medical histories and many other day to day uses.
It also contains budgeting and ideas how to save money in every area possible, it contains many lists and notes for me to still attend too but its coming along nicely.

I also created a Utilities file where i have added all my utilities for the past two yrs, after two yrs they get destroyed.

Then the one il be enjoying very soon is my Occasions file, full of ideas for christmas, including a budget for gifts, gift ideas, the best time to start planning and putting things into practice, im really excited about that one.
It was going to just be a xmas file until i realised that i could apply all my good ideas and budgeting skills to every special occasion so it made sense to keep it all together.

So although its been a bit of a chore and a lot of headaches trying to think of everything, its all coming together nicely and will be of tremendous assistance to us all once compleated. I have to admit that now the files are being filled im actually enjoying the process and will continue to add things until im satisfied we have everything we need in the one place, no more letters laying on my benches for us, grrrrr.
Looking forward to sharing more on this with you all soon xxx

lordy , are we in trouble

i spent the whole of today either on the phone sorting out the effects of my daughter living here and being a mature student and making plans and creating intenaries for the different areas of our expenses.

I started by looking at what i have coming in now, to what we will have in 3 weeks time when our world turns upside down again, and compared living expenses and made lists of bills and neccessary expenditures and finally if and where i can cut back.

Unfortunately i cant cut back very much this time as id already skimmed things down the last time around, however it has made me very concious of costs such as food , toiletries and cleaning stuff and much more.

Already ive been hunting down the shops in my area on line looking for bargains and compairing prices, and tommorow i hit the streets to do more of the same.

One good thing to come out of all of this mayhem and worry is the fact it makes you so much more aware of how you live and what you waste without giving it a second thought, unless you end up in a similar situation to me.

My daughter and i listed ways on how to save money on our gas, electric, water ect just by being more aware of turning things off, down or using smaller measures or spending less time doing things.

For e.g ....
Take more showers other than baths to save on water, but dont spend all day in it, get washed, hair done, shave ect and get out, done.
Dont leave the tap running whilst brushing your teeth .

For electric, unplug or switch off appliances at the mains b4 bed, dont leave things on standby, dont leave lights on in empty rooms and only fill the kettle with the amount of water neccessary.

For gas, turn your heating down a notch and wrap up more.
The only thing in my house that is gas is my boiler and heating and we are aware not to waste the hot water ect.

We will be putting these and many other plans into action immediately so please wish us luck, and for those that pray, please bare us in mind, thankyou x

Frugal, frugal, frugal.

As some of you may have noticed im going all out at the minute trying to find ways to cut back and save money due to our up and coming changes in circumstances at the end of this month.

It certainly seems as if im the only one doing the worrying (as is normally the case)so im really getting down to the nitty gritty of this frugal living lark.

Im not a stranger to it, as i started my journey of frugality last year but i only applied it to certain areas of my life as some how thus far we have survived the last financial blow, but im proud to say it certainly opened my eyes and i enjoy certain aspects of it.
Dont get me wrong folks, id be a liar if i said i never longed to be frivilous from time to time, but we do what we can when we can.

Ive spent a little money on my credit card a couple of times this year just to stop myself from going insane buy doing small projects in the house or to buy clothes but i always make sure no matter how bad things get to pay more than the minimum payments just to keep my head above water with any debt.

So please bare with me as i list all ideas to help me out and hopefully some of you guys too, lets face it, im sure we could all do with re thinking our finances and the way we live from time to time :) x

baby steps guide to saving.

Iread this article today on my own journey of trying to save a few pennies and i found it made perfect sense, check it out .

Stop Spending!

Saving is not easy. We live in this crazy consumer-driven-gotta-have-it society, where the latest gadget/gizmo/car/movie/fashion/toy is constantly being promoted, and we are made to feel like we’re missing out if we don’t have the latest or the best. The sheer quantity of stuff available to to purchase at any given time is pretty much a bottomless pit. There is always more, more more!

So what’s a girl (or boy) to do?

Well, it’s pretty simple really: Stop. Buying. Stuff.

At least in theory it is simple.

In practice, it is sooooo much harder.

Our reasons for spending money on stuff we don’t need are plentiful and varied. It makes us feel good. We want to look better. We want our house to be pretty. We want what everyone else has. It’s fun. We’re bored. We’re lonely. We want people to like us better. We want to be “ahead of the curve.” We’re tech junkies. We can’t pass up a “good deal.” We think we might need it someday. The sales pitch worked. We’re stressed. We’re trying to fill a void. It was on sale. We’re addicted to [Starbucks, tobacco, scrapbooking, shoes, video games, books, etc. etc.]

Sound familiar?

The truth is that whatever the reason, much of what we spend our money on is unnecessary, a want rather than a need. I need to eat, but I want to drink my Keurig K-Cups coffee every day. I need to wear shoes, but I want to have dozens of pairs in every color and style imaginable. It is so very important to realize the distinction between what we think we need and what we actually need.

It is the first critical step on the path to savings.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you should never spend money on anything, and live an austere (and boring) life void of pretty things entertainment or yummy coffee drinks. Don’t forget, the title of this blog is Living WELL Spending Less.

But for the sake of this series, we are going to start by curbing all spending so that down the road we can figure out how to get those things we want in a way that fits our budget.
Which brings me to this week’s assignment:

(Any guesses?)
1. Stop spending!

Try to go seven days in a row without spending money on anything except what is absolutely necessary, as in matter-of-survival necessary. No clothes, no candy, no quick stops at McDonalds, no craft supplies, no nothing. Don’t worry, it’s only a week. You won’t die. I promise.
2. Make a list of wants and needs

Spend it reflecting on all the things you spend money on in a months time, and divide those things into a “needs” list (i.e. I need to pay rent, buy food, make my car payment, etc.) and a “wants” list (cable TV, designer jeans, Starbucks, etc.) Don’t just make a mental list. Sit down and physically write down every single thing you can think of that you spend money on, from the mundane to the major.
3. Get inspired

4. Find new (free) ways to fill your time

Think long and hard about the reasons you spend money frivelously. If you are using shopping as a way to fill a void in your life then you need to seriously explore other hobbies that don’t cost anything. Go to the library and check out some new books, make it your mission to explore every park in a 20 mile radius, set a goal of organizing every closet and cupboard in your house by the end of the summer, or better yet, start a blog. (That last one is what worked for me!)

I think the thing that surprised me the most when I stopped spending money out of boredom was how much more creative I became. The world is full of free activities. You just have to look a little harder.

livingwellspendingless.com

Frugal Living – Winter Saving Tips

Each year, the cost of heating your home is becoming extortionate. Here I discuss some winter saving tips that I’ve used to cut down my costs of heating my home.

Throughout the winter, the cold can be very unforgiving. Unfortunately for us, so can the cost of heating. With the price of oil rising, we are finding it harder to afford heating. To survive this time of the year – usually when the majority of spending has gone out on gifts, and food, requires one to think smart.

Each winter we spend a small fortune on ourselves. However, we also spend a fortune on heating. Frugal living is all about being wise with your money. Winter savings tips are great, because you can not only reduce what you pay out – but you make your home more thermally efficient.

By loosing less heat out of your house, you are saving on your heating bill. How your heating works can vary. Often there is gas or oil powered central heating. Perhaps you have a boiler plate in your fire, so that the fire can supplement your central heating. Or you use electricity to heat your home.

Regardless, you need to have a green home. An efficient home.

To start saving money throughout the winter, one can follow these simple steps:

Turn your thermostat down
By turning down the thermostat on your central heating, you will not be heating your house much. Sounds counter-intuitive? Of course it does. However, why burn lots of oil, or gas, when you can save a small fortune by turning the nob down a few clicks.
Seal all gaps in doors and windows

Everyone’s house must settle. And traditional wooden frames, even PVC ones, will bend a little as the house settles. The gaps left are great ways to loose heat from your home. So why not save yourself some money by spending money on getting draft excluders!
Close curtains or blinds

Whilst these are all very eye pleasing, their actual purpose is insulation of your home. Enjoy day light whilst it’s around, but once it starts to get dark it’s soon going to be cold. Take this opportunity to stay warm, and close curtains and blinds to retain some heat in your home.
Light candles

Candles are awesome at setting a nice ambience to any room in your home. However, before getting to the tip, I must strenuously remind you not to leave candles unattended, nor lit whilst you sleep. Don’t forget to have your smoke alarm checked too. Safety lesson aside. Candles, big or small, are sources of heat. You’d be surprised at how much heat is given off by 10 small tea-light candles .
Put down rugs/carpets

Like curtains or blinds, rugs and carpets are used to insulate the floor of your home.
Wear a pullover/jumper/jersey

Yes, wearing additional clothes that are not traditionally worn indoors will warm you up. This is great, because you can save so much on your heating bills just by doing this!

frugallivingtips.net

Top 10 Ways to Start Living the Frugal Life

1. Befriend the Library

Buying books and movies gets expensive, and even renting can add up. Take a trip to your local library; and you'll find all of the latest books and movies available free of charge. Still like the idea of renting? Then, give Redbox a try. Rentals are just $1 a night, so the damage to your budget will be minimal

2. Clip Coupons

Take the time to clip coupons for the grocery items that you buy regularly, and shave an easy 25% off of your weekly grocery bill. Want to save even more? Find a grocery store in your area that doubles coupons, and make that your store of choice.

3. Eat Out Less Often

Eating out is fun, but far more expensive than eating at home. Challenge yourself to eat at home more often – even if it's just once more a month, and watch your bank account grow. Then, find ways to minimize the cost of eating out when you do decide to treat yourself.

4. Switch to Online Bill Pay

Save yourself a stamp, and avoid late fees by paying your bills online. You can pay direct to your creditors, or set up automatic bill pay with your bank; and take yourself out of the equation entirely.

5. Group Errands

Reduce your gas bill by grouping your errands and only driving when you need to. For even more savings, consider biking or walking when you don't have far to go.

6. Make Your Own Cleaners

Homemade cleaners work just as well as store-bought cleaners and at a fraction of the price. Stock up on basic cleaning agents like vinegar and baking soda; and you'll be ready for any cleaning task that comes your way.

7. Seek Freebies

Freebies are fun and budget-friendly. Look online for a wide-array of free offers, and enjoy a mailbox bursting with goodies. Like to try new products? Then, this is a particularly good savings strategy for you.

8. Wash in Cold

Cut your electric bill substantially by washing your laundry in cold water. Your clothes will still come out clean, and your hot water heater won't have to work nearly as hard.

9. Flip a Switch

Reduce your electric bill even further by turning off lights and other electronics when they aren't in use. It may seem like a small thing, but you're sure to see the difference on your next electric bill.

10. Change Your Own Oil

Skip the quick lube, and change your own oil. You'll reduce your tab to the price of oil and a filter, and maybe even save time too – quick lubes aren't always as quick as the name suggests.


frugalliving.about.com

Suggestions for Reducing Your Food Budget

By making a few minor adjustments you can reduce the amount of money you spend on food.

Food is expensive. It is also a necessary item, taking up much of our weekly budget. The ideal situation is to prepare and cook exactly the right amount for each meal. That seldom happens.

As human beings we over estimate, misjudge and make errors. Sometimes we cook enough food to feed an army, rather than the small group gathered in our household. Sometimes we weaken while shopping, confusing wants with needs, filling our fridge until it over flows.

This article is written from personal experience. I’m sure wiser people have researched the amount of food wasted in an average household. In fact, I’m sure I’ve read about it in the past. Food wastage can be high. But, there is a solution. Reduce food wastage in your home and you reduce the amount of money you spend.

Plan ahead: We often shop without prior thought to our weekly needs. We buy a bit of this and a bit of that, hoping we’ll have the necessary ingredients to throw together tasty meals. How often have you found a foreign object lurking at the back of your fridge, only to discover it was that avocado you knew you liked the look of, then promptly forgot it. You save a lot of wastage if you identify what you need before you start.

Buy less: Okay, this may sound obvious. But the nurturing side of us says have family, must feed. This is especially true if teenagers occupy your home. You’re a caring food provider and would hate to see anyone go hungry. You also need to be prepared in case visitors stop by. And, you mustn’t forget to predict how much food your family will need during a national disaster. Fine, think about those things. Then, consider how much food your family really needs for the week. Buy only that amount.

Use left over food to create new dishes: Some of the tastiest dishes are created by using left over meat and vegetables. Throw in an egg or two, a favourite sauce or a can of beans and you can come up with a dish to ward off most hunger pangs. If using left over food is a new concept for you, do an online search and you’ll find plenty to tempt your taste buds.

Use your freezer: If you find you have bought too much or cooked too much, save it for another time. Freezers were invented to store excess food and eliminate waste. Keep a supply of food wrap and plastic containers of all sizes, label and date the contents and save your food for another time. Just remember to get used to utilizing what is stored there when creating new meals.

Enhance meat dishes with cheaper ingredients: There are many ways to do this. Throw a can of beans into a meat dish. Use less meat and more vegetables in a stir fry. Enclose the meat inside a layer of pastry to make filling pies. Once you start experimenting, your imagination will come up with many more ideas.

Use the contents of your cupboard before buying more: Check out what you have stashed away on a regular basis. Use the food you have before buying more. Don’t make the mistake of buying cans or packets on special when you already have several of them in your cupboard already.

Retrain your family: Tight times call for tight measures. If you genuinely want to reduce your food bill, you may have to retrain your family. Get them used to eating differently. They may complain at first, but after awhile they’ll be more appreciative of the food placed in front of them.

If you are genuine in your desire to reduce your food budget, you need to make changes to the way you do things. Let these ideas be a starting point. Continue to explore and come up with ideas of your own.

socyberty.com

Small gift ideas

If your friends and family appreciate the little things in life with perhaps a personal touch, then here are some gift ideas that may help you out.

Key Rings

Fridge Magnets

Pens and Notebooks

Coasters

Flowers/ plants

Cuddlies

Cute little ornaments

Tins or Jars of sweets

Cookies- preferably homemade

Music Cd's, make them personal to the reciever.

Photo Dvd's

You could give these gifts alone or bundle a few together and present them in a gift bag or box with their names on :)

Create A Holiday Planner

ive been reading about the best ways to plan for the holidays i.e christmas
Its true, its the most stressful few months of the year, i say a few months because i start my shopping in september usually due to having a large family to buy for, so im creating list for this and that and winding myself up.

Il let you into a little secret, i used to dread the christmas holiday season, all i could think of was how much work it was, how much stress was involved and i lost all passion and desire for it, that was until last year, my most frugal xmas ever and yet i loved every minute of it except of course for my son not being here to share it.

Any way, back to the subject in hand, i came across a few articles that talked about creating christmas planners and lists and to be quite honest, they make perfect sense as to how to keep everything in order, at the right time and they can actually teach you how to budget from one yr to the next and the beauty of it is, you store these away and refer to them each yr which makes life so much easier.
So here we go ...

a holiday planner. A holiday planner could be as simple as a binder filled with paper, or it could be as creative as you choose to make it.

Step 1: Assemble Your Supplies

You will need…

• A binder - Look for a sturdy one with pockets. (I often use a small 3-ring binder)
• Tabbed Dividers - Choose heavy-duty dividers with pockets to help them last as long as possible. I would start with 10 dividers, and add more if needed
• Decorative elements – These are not necessary, but it can be fun to let your creative juices flow

Step 2: Create Category Sections

Here are the categories I have found useful. Feel free to expand and/or alter my list.

Budgets – This might be your least favorite section, but it’s probably the most important. Take time (right now or very soon) to put some serious thought into what your holiday budget will be. Remember to include any charitable donations, gifts, food, clothes, travel expenses, etc. Each of the following sections should have a specific budget…keep it visible and stick to it as much as possible.

Calendar(s) – Keep calendars near the front of your binder as you will refer to them often.

Christmas Card Lists – I have a small address book for Christmas cards so I keep this book in my Holiday Planner. You could also save time by creating a list on your computer and printing labels each year.

Cleaning – I can almost guarantee you will have guests over at some point during the holiday season…which means you’ll probably want your house to be presentable. Take some time to set up deep cleaning (carpets, upholstery, etc) and if you find yourself in a mad-rush to clean up, check out my speed-cleaning tips.

Food – Food is such an important part of the holiday season for me, so I separate my menus for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s , etc. and keep them all in this section. I also keep any recipes for homemade gifts in this section. Check out my collection of recipes.

Gifts – Write down gift ideas for friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, and anyone else you plan to make or purchase a gift for. I’ve also gotten in the habit of writing down exactly what I buy each person every year. This helps assure that I won’t give anyone something 2 times in a row…or re-gift something they gave me {wait, I don’t do that!}

Print and use this gift inventory for even more organization!

Parties and Entertaining – Include information on any entertaining you will do during the hoiday season. Use my meal planning organizers to plan your food in advance. This way, you’ll know exactly what ingredients you need to stock up on and you can purchase them on sale.

Receipts – I keep all my holiday receipts until the season is over. Stores are so finicky about their return policies so it’s just a good habit to get in to. I will often write the name of the person on the receipt for their gift. This helps when I’m looking to return a specific item or if I want to include the gift receipt with the gift.

Shopping – Keep all your shopping lists here as reminders for next year’s holiday season. Examples:

• Gifts
• Decorations
• Entertaining/Food
• Home Improvement
• Clothes

Traditions - I’m not overly sentimental, but I do appreciate traditions. They are a special part of the holiday season for me and my family, so I keep track of them in my notebook. Some of our traditions are decorating our house the day after Thanksgiving, making holiday cookies, specific holiday parties with family and friends, and wrapping presents. Tracking these activities can help you schedule and plan what is most important to your family during the holiday season.

Travel – This is the busiest time of year for travel so it’s essential to be organized. Keep all your travel information, directions, and packing lists in this section. Remember to write down phone numbers, confirmation numbers and any other important information you might need.

Step 3: Enjoy the Holidays because you are so organized and prepared!

shared by simpleorganizedliving

I hope this helps you guys get organised this christmas :)

what are my plans for this week ?

Im in serious need of some large plastic boxes with lids to store a lot of the stuff i have removed from the 3 rooms ive been working on up to the loft.

here is where the money part comes into the project...

i need a shower rail the width of the shower room,

I need to fill all the holes where weve moved shelves ect in the walls and tiles.

i need a tin of paint to create a painted border in the bedroom

I need to paint the showers corner shelves and maybe the wall shelves too, wel see.

possibly paint the bathroom ceiling blue ?

possibly paint mirror frame in bedroom ?

get a longer length of tv ariel cable

i need at least 3 boxes, probably more but il get a few at a time

I will be purging and selling some craft stuff on face book so if anyones interested you can check it out, look me up, wendy jacobs.

So it looks like another busy week ahead, i just wish it was done so i could start somewhere else :)
i love the challenge of creating new looks on a tight budget by simply re using what you already have and just dressing it a little differently, roll on the next project xxx

Kath's Birthday Basket

I created this basket as a favour for my friend to give to her mam as a birthday gift
to check it out and see how i did it hit the title link of this post,
let me know if you like it x

What is Frugal Living?

Does frugal living mean dooming yourself to a life of deprivation, just so you can save a few cents here and there?

Not at all. Frugal living isn’t about sacrifice and deprivation; it’s about living smarter, so that you can afford to live the life that you want to live – the life that you dream of living.

Frugal living means smarter money management.

When you know how much money you have in the bank and how much money you need to cover your monthly bills, you can begin to make better decisions about how your money is spent. Can you afford to splurge on a new pair of shoes? Is this the right time to buy a new car? Put a frugal budget in place, and you’ll know just what you can afford, and more importantly, what you can’t afford.

You’ll also know where you stand with your debt repayment, savings goals, and investments—a key step to taking charge of your money and making it work for you.
Frugal living means smarter spending.

It's taking the money that you have and s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g it as far as it will go.

Hit the title link to read more .

Frugal Living

Due to circumstances beyond our control, our lives took a massive turn around a year ago after the death of my son.
Not only did we have to cope with the loss, but we had to cope with learning to live without him, we had cared for him for almost 21 years due to his many dissibillities and life became such a lonely and desperate place despite having my husband and two daughters around me.

We had to learn to live life for ourselves, by ourselves, (i still cant get the hang of it yet, i like to be needed )

Anyway back to the topic at hand, living frugaly.
Financially we hit an all time low, it was a pretty desperate time and i was scared that we wouldnt cope, but like all miracles, despite everything here we are and we havent lost our sense of humour, we simply adjusted.

In fact a year on and im quite enjoying the challenge of keeping our heads above water and finding new ways to do it, thats not to say that i dont get upset sometimes and feel like when is it gonna be our turn again, but it passes, luckily it doesnt happen often.

I have gone all out on checking out everything to do with frugal living, not because i have to, simply because i choose to.
When you are hit hard by shocks like ours, you see things differently, trivial things are just that, trivial and dont share much room in my head for thought any more.

I have a nice home, it was decorated from top to bottom the same year my son passed , so its still pretty fresh and i look after my furniture and things so im not desperate to make big changes, but a few cosmetic ones would be nice.

Anyway like last year, il be sharing my new journeys with you this year also, i will be working as best i can from a list of things id like to do or get done this year, so bare with me and if your interested come along for the ride x