Stretching a buck

[sugarmamma]

I have seen it suggested that we start a thread on what to do with leftovers.
I started thinking that In this economy we cannot afford to throw food away.

This concept applies to MANY MANY other aspects of our lives. I do many things to save money and live a champagne life on a beer budget!



What do YOU do to stretch a buck??

[sugarmamma]

One thing I do is have a garden. At the VERY least I always have an herb garden. I can make a can of spaghetti oh's taste 5 star with herbs! (okay......gross exaggeration )


I also save all of my change. I never pay for purchases with exact change. Any coins I have go straight into my cruise fund

[Princess10]

Unless it is a need I will never buy anything at full price. It'll go on sale within a week or two so if I can't justify it, I wait!

[sugarmamma]

Originally Posted by Princess10

Unless it is a need I will never buy anything at full price. It'll go on sale within a week or two so if I can't justify it, I wait!

I try to do that too. I will usually at the very least put the item(s) back and come back for them the next day if I cannot live without. I RARELY return the next day

[Sammy Mommy]

If I have errands in one area I do them all in one day (with the price of gas) instead of running back and forth. With food, I try to make more than one meal with something. If I have leftover boiled potatoes, I'll make potatoes & eggs the next day. Leftover broccoli, I'll make sprghetti or rigatoni with broccoli. Any other leftovers, my son will take to work with him so he doesn't spend too much on meals. My cousins and friends and I all give each other books and magazines that we have read and then we donate them when we are done to a nursing home. We have a garden during the warm weather so we have nice fresh veggies. Every little bit helps!!

[jadabug]

I make my own laundry detergent and I never pay full price for anything. I always shop after season clearance and I love garage sales.

[yorkieusa]

Originally Posted by jadabug

I make my own laundry detergent and I never pay full price for anything. I always shop after season clearance and I love garage sales.

How do you make your own laundry detergent?

To save gas, Friday evening, I took my gas cans with me and went to buy my groceries and then went to fill up my gas cans for mowing. I'm trying to be a responsible adult.

[jadabug]

Originally Posted by yorkieusa

How do you make your own laundry detergent?

To save gas, Friday evening, I took my gas cans with me and went to buy my groceries and then went to fill up my gas cans for mowing. I'm trying to be a responsible adult.

Here is the recipe I use for detergent. My brother does everything as organic as possible and found this online. I have been making and using it exclusively for over a year now.

1/2 cup of borax
1 cup Arm and Hammer super washing soda
1 bar of Felz Naptha soap (this was all it originally called for but I add a bar of castille soap too)

I use an old kitchen grater to grate up the bars of soap and mix the grated soap, borax and washing soda into a heavy sauce pan(I think the one I use is 4 qrt) add about 1/2 cup of water and heat on medium until the bar soap is melted (I usually stir constantly while it is melting)
Pour this mixture into a 5 gallon bucket and fill with water (I have found that hot water works best. I keep my bucket sitting next to my washer and use 1 cup for a regular load. This detergent doesn't suds up at all and you do have to stir it up or if you put it into smaller containers, shake it very well before using.
I do all of our laundry with this detergent and we use washable pee pads and they come out white as snow.

[yorkieusa]

Thank you, Michelle. I would like to try that.

[EsmeeKimme]

I don't allow myself to impulse buy anymore at the grocery store. I make up a list by planning what we will have everynight (we go on payday every two weeks). I don't take the kids with me to the store anymore cause they always want to add stuff i didn't budget for, I look at the ads and cut coupons so I know what is on sale before I leave the house and I also make sure I eat before I go. Whenever I go in there hungry I always come out with extra stuff lol.

We also plan out trips to town more than we used to due to gas prices. For instance my 10 year old had a dental appt last week so I made sure to stop by Petco and pick up what we needed there and visit my cousin who lives there before we came home. Before I would have probably broke it up into at least 2 trips.

[107barney]

Originally Posted by jadabug

Here is the recipe I use for detergent. My brother does everything as organic as possible and found this online. I have been making and using it exclusively for over a year now.

1/2 cup of borax
1 cup Arm and Hammer super washing soda
1 bar of Felz Naptha soap (this was all it originally called for but I add a bar of castille soap too)

I use an old kitchen grater to grate up the bars of soap and mix the grated soap, borax and washing soda into a heavy sauce pan(I think the one I use is 4 qrt) add about 1/2 cup of water and heat on medium until the bar soap is melted (I usually stir constantly while it is melting)
Pour this mixture into a 5 gallon bucket and fill with water (I have found that hot water works best. I keep my bucket sitting next to my washer and use 1 cup for a regular load. This detergent doesn't suds up at all and you do have to stir it up or if you put it into smaller containers, shake it very well before using.
I do all of our laundry with this detergent and we use washable pee pads and they come out white as snow.

I've done this recipe as well and think it worked good on my clothing but I did not like it for pee pads. I did not care for the scent of the soap. I tried it with a bar of Ivory and it worked well also and I liked the smell better. Plus, Ivory was easier to find locally whereas I had to order the felz naptha. I think that castille soap would be great, I'll have to try it...I love Dr. Bronner's castille soap in the rose hemp scent and lavender so those might be really nice for my clothing.

I make all my own cleaning products and I save a lot of money with my little concoctions

[capt_noonie]

I save water by only showering once a week. In turn, that saves face lotion, body lotion, shampoo/conditioner, electricity from my hair dryer.

Really though, i save condiment packages. The Hat has everything you need, and even paper plates, napkins and utensils. It's not stealing if you eat there... occasionally.

[jadabug]

Originally Posted by 107barney

I've done this recipe as well and think it worked good on my clothing but I did not like it for pee pads. I did not care for the scent of the soap. I tried it with a bar of Ivory and it worked well also and I liked the smell better. Plus, Ivory was easier to find locally whereas I had to order the felz naptha. I think that castille soap would be great, I'll have to try it...I love Dr. Bronner's castille soap in the rose hemp scent and lavender so those might be really nice for my clothing.

I make all my own cleaning products and I save a lot of money with my little concoctions

What do you use to make your cleaning products? I would love to make all of mine too. Cleaning products are all so expensive.

[My lil friend]

I dont purchase alot of different cleaning products we use ammonia & water in a spray bottle,ajax or off brand cleanser. I shop big for groceries once a month, during the same week I boil chickens 3 or 4 and divide the broth and boned chicken for the freezer this would be for chic n dumplings,white chili,chic n rice casserole,chic salad and of course chic for the dogs. I make lrg amounts of spagetti sauce every other month or so (lazagna,spagetti,ziti,manacotti). If I make a big meal and it isn't eaten, the leftovers go in the freezer and are used for Sunday buffet (I do not cook on Sundays) or some other evening. Currently I am trying out Aldi and their store brands of breads,cereals,and crackers. I find that their eggs,cheese and milk are less expensive,so far so good. I strive to leave the house only once or twice a week to run errands and I map it out for the shortest route. Anything that is not being used regularly at my house (magazines,clothes,toys) is either sold or given to another family,I acquired this habit when we lived in 1300sqft and we had 5 small children. My friends and I have always traded cloths that dont fit anymore or we are tired of. One of them is even bringing me tiny dresses for my new baby next week that her yorkie has out grown.

[sugarmamma]

Originally Posted by jadabug

Here is the recipe I use for detergent. My brother does everything as organic as possible and found this online. I have been making and using it exclusively for over a year now.

1/2 cup of borax
1 cup Arm and Hammer super washing soda
1 bar of Felz Naptha soap (this was all it originally called for but I add a bar of castille soap too)

I use an old kitchen grater to grate up the bars of soap and mix the grated soap, borax and washing soda into a heavy sauce pan(I think the one I use is 4 qrt) add about 1/2 cup of water and heat on medium until the bar soap is melted (I usually stir constantly while it is melting)
Pour this mixture into a 5 gallon bucket and fill with water (I have found that hot water works best. I keep my bucket sitting next to my washer and use 1 cup for a regular load. This detergent doesn't suds up at all and you do have to stir it up or if you put it into smaller containers, shake it very well before using.
I do all of our laundry with this detergent and we use washable pee pads and they come out white as snow.

I used to use that recipe when I had kids at home at it saved a lot. It's now just me and Sugar and I only wash about 2 loads a week (usually at work for free ) so I don't bother any more. I do still buy the Felz Naptha whenever I see it!