Favorite DIY/homemade money saver...

[tasha99]

I've started making and freezing "to go" breakfast foods on the weekends (batches of either sausage or ham "egg mcmuffins" or breakfast burritos). I'm lactose intolerant, so I don't usually eat cereal, and if I don't get up early enough to make oats, I find myself at McDonalds. If I have some pre-made frozen breakfasts, I can grab one and nuke it at work for those days that I just didn't have it together before my morning coffee.

 

[donaldandpirates]

Laundry detergent, drain cleaner, and shower cleaner. I tried dishwasher detergent, but it just didn't clean as well as the dishwasher tabs I used. Pintrest has been an incredible source of ideas!

 

[Pigeon]

I've found that the homemade cleaners don't work very well for me. We do have pretty hard water, so perhaps that's why.

I make my own "Good Seasons" type dry dressing mix. I cook most things from scratch.

Dh does a lot of home repair. He's renovated two bathrooms down to the studs, and put in a new kitchen. He just fixed our washing machine with an $8 part after watching a youtube video.

We are working on a project together reupholstering a chair. The chair was out of the house I grew up in. I love the chair but the fabric was finally shot. I happened to score a three square yard length (actually I bought two and can make throw pillows out of the extra) of gorgeous upholstery fabric in colors that match our new rug perfectly for $6 at Ocean State Job Lot. I'd been looking in fabric stores and didn't see anything as nice for over $30/yd, so I'm psyched. We'll need to buy new webbing and padding, but it will be a "new" chair in the perfect colors for under $50.

 

[pocomom]

I've found that the homemade cleaners don't work very well for me. We do have pretty hard water, so perhaps that's why.

I make my own "Good Seasons" type dry dressing mix. I cook most things from scratch.

Dh does a lot of home repair. He's renovated two bathrooms down to the studs, and put in a new kitchen. He just fixed our washing machine with an $8 part after watching a youtube video.

We are working on a project together reupholstering a chair. The chair was out of the house I grew up in. I love the chair but the fabric was finally shot. I happened to score a three square yard length (actually I bought two and can make throw pillows out of the extra) of gorgeous upholstery fabric in colors that match our new rug perfectly for $6 at Ocean State Job Lot. I'd been looking in fabric stores and didn't see anything as nice for over $30/yd, so I'm psyched. We'll need to buy new webbing and padding, but it will be a "new" chair in the perfect colors for under $50.

I would love that good seasons recipe! My dd loves that dressing- I can get her to eat any salad I make if she can have that on it!

 

[JessB320]

Almost forgot my favorite, replacement for stainless steel wipes! With my cleaning rag (which was DH's undershirt, then a tie dye shirt for me for crafts, and now cleaning rags) and my vinegar based window cleaner I wiped down the appliances. Then I use a tiny bit- less than a capful of cooking oil on a clean rag and polish them. Very quick, healthy, works great, streak free and SUPER cheap !

Nice, I'll have to try this

 

[laurafergie]

My favorite is a DIY Downy Wrinkle Release Spray. I love this stuff, but at $4 a bottle, I could go through one a week. There are lots of different proportions out there, but this recipe works as good as the real thing.

2 C Water (distilled if you have hard or minerally water)
2/3 C Downy
1/3 C Rubbing Alcohol

I just pour it in an old DWR bottle and shake up. I did write the recipe on the bottle so I don't forget. lol

 

[Pigeon]

I would love that good seasons recipe! My dd loves that dressing- I can get her to eat any salad I make if she can have that on it!

If you google good seasons mix you'll find a bunch of recipes. I don't remember which one I used last time. It makes enough to last for some time. The one I used had a little pectin in it, which gives it some body.

 

[MyKidsMom1820]

I make homemade cough syrup for my kids,

really....

It has fresh squeezed lemon juice, buckwheat honey, and finely minced garlic, there are recipes all over the internet, but this works best for my kids.

I don't know if it really saves money, I guess it probably does...

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

Our dog LOVES when we take pumpkin and add some water and freeze it. A bit messy but its fun for him and a cheap treat.

 

[AuroraRora]

Our dog LOVES when we take pumpkin and add some water and freeze it. A bit messy but its fun for him and a cheap treat.

Pumpkin is a great hairball remedy for cats too - I tried all the expensive gels and food mixes and eventually tried adding a spoonful to each of my cat's meals. The only thing that worked was the $2 can of pumpkin that lasted for ages.

 

[havaneselover]

I clean with a vinegar and water spray. I make homemade bagels and waffles about once a week and freeze whatever isn't eaten (the cost of the ingredients for a bagel or waffle is about $0.10 each). My newest project is moisturizing spray for my daughter's curly hair. Her hair is very dry and frizzy. I bought aloe vera juice and glycerin and am hoping it is works as well as what we're currently using at a fraction of the cost.

Would love the instructions on how to make homemade drain cleaner.

 

[java]

Bagel recipe please!

I make tons of "hot pocket" kind of things for dh to take for lunch. Ham and cheese. Also make breakfast sausage and cheese muffins for him to take too.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

Bagel recipe please!

I make tons of "hot pocket" kind of things for dh to take for lunch. Ham and cheese. Also make breakfast sausage and cheese muffins for him to take too.

Would you mind sharing your hot pocket recipe? I spend a fortune buying them for DH's lunches.

 

[Jenny3]

Would love to get a tried and true laundry detergent recipe!

I make a lot from scratch, but my favorite is granola bars. So easy, and delicious, kids gobble them up!

My DH is a woodworker and very handy, so that has saved us thousands on home repairs and improvements.

 

[pocomom]

Our dog LOVES when we take pumpkin and add some water and freeze it. A bit messy but its fun for him and a cheap treat.

Great idea, one of our homemade treats has pumpkin in it and the dogs love it. Mine are fond of icy cold carrots too!

 

[hsmamato2]

good recipe for drain cleaner? please share! I am also looking for a good diy wood furniture polish, something that I can rub it in and really get it clean and shiny looking,my piano is in a terrible state.....

 

[havaneselover]

Bagel recipe please!

I make tons of "hot pocket" kind of things for dh to take for lunch. Ham and cheese. Also make breakfast sausage and cheese muffins for him to take too.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/boiled-bagels/

Have been making bagels for about four years routinely. I just switched to this recipe which is great. I use 1/2 bread flour and 1/2 whole wheat and usually make a double batch in a big kitchen aid.

 

[tinkermom23]

I make this taco seasoning recipe. There's a ton out there but we tweaked this one to our family.

Homemade Taco Seasoning:
2 parts chili Powder
2 parts cumin
2 parts onion powder
2 parts garlic powder
1 part crushed red pepper
1 part paprika


There's lots of other DIY recipes here that I want to try but haven't had time:

http://selfreliancebyjamie.blogspot.com/2011/08/tis-seasonings.html

 

[java]

Would you mind sharing your hot pocket recipe? I spend a fortune buying them for DH's lunches.

I use various doughs based on what else I am making that particular week.

Lately I have been using Bobby Flay's Pizza dough

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/pizza-dough-recipe/index.html

Then I vary the fillings

One week it was pizzay with a TBSP of sauce cooked ground beef and mozzarella cheese or just pepperoni and the stuff

Last week it was Ham and cheddar.

I have also used turkey broccoli and cheddar with a bit of Mayo mixed in because that one gets a bit dry.
I love these because really it's just using up leftovers into a pocket and he'll eat it! - I bake at 400 just until they start to lightly brown.

One and I forgot another one! Homemade Pizza lunchables!

I use the Bobby flay dough- roll it out into a rectangle- bake and then cute into 8 big squares. Freeze each one individually. Package up little sauce and cheese (I use tiny tupperwares) Just take one out in the morning pop it into a lunch box. I wasn't sure how those would go over but the boys loved them and their friends all want the "recipe!" how cute is that!

Thanks for bagel recipe! I am going to try that!

 

[havaneselover]

You are welcome. I tried homemade pizza lunchables once but will have to try this method.