Favorite DIY/homemade money saver...

[hsmamato2]

Ooo I will have to try this!

oh for the better butter, (1/2 olive oil,/12 butter) I just let the butter warm on the counter for the day,and use a whisk to whip it together....even easier than dragging out the blender!

 

[apnep]

Love cleaning with things you could spritz on a salad!

Ha! Funny.

 

[apnep]

Tried this this week- especially great because butter was on sale. It does work out cheaper than most tubs BUT I love it because it tastes so good! We added a pinch of salt and I was low on olive oil so I used smart balance oil which I had on hand.

Yea, I think I'm going to add a pinch of salt too. I need to make some more. It's better than margerine too because margerine is basically one molecule away from being plastic! Isn't that nuts?! Glad it worked out for you.

 

[Disney Princess]

My contribution for this thread is baby wipes. My DD was always having infections that no antbiotic or cream could clear until I started doing baby wipes again. I did it for the triplets which saved me tons and now doing it for this one too.

I 'll have to try the soap detergent. Never thought of doing it at home and god knows that laundry dertergent is money down the drain litterally when you have a family of 6LOL Anyone tried using it on cloth diapers?

Baby wipes are a HUGE money saver. I probably make half my own and use half store bought now. With three kids I have probably saved thousands. Keep a baggie of them in my purse still for easier on the road cleanups. I did the same with diapering for the first some cloth, pampers for when we were out/traveling etc., but then there was a drought in our area and I wasn't sure if it was actually better for the environment under those circumstances....second baby was Pampers all the way, and then I did some cloth diapering with my youngest much better for his sensitive skin, but once he was on the move we switched back. The only problem I had with the cloth diapering is I was always uncomfortable with washing them in the washing machine... I know I'm looney, but I just always was wondering if I was getting the machine all the way clean after.... even when the kids potty trained if they had a serious accident I always just throw the undies out... guess I'm a bit of a germaphobe.

Do either of you have a recipe for the wipes solution? We are using cloth diapers and have the cloth wipes ready, but we haven't gotten around to making a solution yet. We want him clean and comfortable. Smelling fresh isn't bad either. Thanks!

 

[pocomom]

Do either of you have a recipe for the wipes solution? We are using cloth diapers and have the cloth wipes ready, but we haven't gotten around to making a solution yet. We want him clean and comfortable. Smelling fresh isn't bad either. Thanks!

We have several that we use :

Easiest but not as Natural :
2 teasppons of Baby shampoo/ baby wash
3 teaspoons of baby oil or baby oil gel
Boiled water 2-3 cups

It you are making a big batch add a tablespoon or so of vinegar- more can be irritating but the vinegar actually helps with diaper rash and keeps the wipes from growing mold/mildew.

More natural version-
2 tablespoons grated castile or other mild natural soap (we make homemade soap)
Disolve in 2-3 cups boiling water
Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, or coconut oil, or almond oil, or jojoba oil basically any gentle oil to help with moisturizing and glide.
Two drops of tea tree oil - antibacterial
Drop or two of lavender essential oil for fragrance. Omit if baby is sensitive to it.
I said 2-3 cups of water in each because I like a wetter wipe for the bigger messes as baby gets older and starts eating solids. Obviously depends on how many wipes you are doing, but these recipes work for homemade paper towel wipes using the BIG roll of select a size (no cutting) paper towel.

The thing to remember is less is more- you basically just need a small amount of mild cleaning agent, small amount of moisturizing agent, and something to keep it all fresh if you will be storing them for more then a couple of days.

 

[pocomom]

My new favorite one which just saved me from refinishing my table-
To get rid of those white rings when someone puts a hot plate or mug on your wood table - baking soda and olive oil mixed into a paste and buff it on the spot with a soft cloth. It takes several minutes of buffing, but I had a ring there that had bothered me for months and it is gone now! Table looks like new!

 

[JessB320]

My new favorite one which just saved me from refinishing my table-
To get rid of those white rings when someone puts a hot plate or mug on your wood table - baking soda and olive oil mixed into a paste and buff it on the spot with a soft cloth. It takes several minutes of buffing, but I had a ring there that had bothered me for months and it is gone now! Table looks like new!

You can also take a thin towel get it damp and lay it over the spot. Then take your iron on the hottest setting and go over the towel a few times takes the white spots right off. Run oil over the table and it's good as new

 

[SueInBoston]

oh for the better butter, (1/2 olive oil,/12 butter) I just let the butter warm on the counter for the day,and use a whisk to whip it together....even easier than dragging out the blender!

Thank you

 

[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 !

Thank you for this!! My fridge looks AMAZING now !!!

 

[havaneselover]

Made bagels this week - twice! Made half a batch from the allrecipes recipe to try it out- sub'd whole wheat flour for half the regular flour. Kids loved it so much we made a whole batch a couple of days later!

So glad they were a hit. I just switched to that recipe and really like it. I do the same thing--half bread flour, half whole wheat.

I started making bagels three years ago and can no longer eat Lender's : )

 

[tampabrat22]

Are you adding water or something else to the recipe? 1 T versus 1/2 cup is a big difference in the amount being used. Thanks!

Yes, the recipe I use is:
1 cup washing soda
1 cup borax
1 bar of Fels Naptha
2 gallons of water

I shred the soap with a dollar store cheese grater, and add it to a gallon of boiling water. Once it is all melted, I add the borax & washing soda. I let it cook for about 3-5 mins, then remove form heat and add another gallon of water and stir well. It yields 2 gallons and we use 1.5 to 1 full cup for each load depending on the soil level of the laundry.

The other posters recipe is for a dry powdered version that is much more concentrated (I think). And it has never faded our clothes, I wash all of our clothes with it, being plus size my work wear is pricey (from Avenue & Lane Bryant) and my kids wear mostly Justice, Hollister & Abercrombie which are all too expensive to risk ruining. But if you do have concerns, maybe try it on older clothes, blankets & towels for a while before you decide to use it on your nicer things.

 

[The Princess]

Just made the "margarine" oh my goodness so good

 

[Fueledbycoffee]

A friend of mine gave a recipe for powder laundry detergent that I'm going to try. It has Oxy clean, baking soda, washing soda, borax, fesp bars & castilles soap. Kinda a master concoction of cleaners.

 

[nhmommy]

I make my own cloth diaper covers quite easy if you can sew and you get to pick the features you like the most.

 

[goodfood4ursoul]

This is just what I was getting ready to post that I do to save money. I cut my younger 2 boys hair at home. We probably save over $100/year.

I have been cutting my husband's hair since July 3, 1993...
We bought an Oster hair clipper set (DH likes a short cut on the sides and a little longer on the top) and the clipper has guards in different lengths so you can't have any Ooops! bald spots moments.

Seriously- this thing is idiot-proof

I have been cutting DS's (born in 1993) hair since his first hair cut.
He took a hiatus from Mom haircuts during his high school years, when he wanted longer hair and a cut with scissors,
but now that he is in college and prefers a short cut again, he actually asked me to bring my clippers when I visited campus the last time.

Gave him a haircut in the dorm laundry room

I figure we've saved over $3,000 in haircuts.

 

[dpswift]

BUMP

This thread is to good to lose!


My dog would not leave us alone when we made the pumpkin/peanut butter bisquits

 

[cjnix29]

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 !

THANK YOU FOR THIS!!!! I hated looking at my stainless steel appliances because they never looked clean, even after I cleaned them. Just did this, and can't believe how great they look!!!!!

Ok, does someone have a recipe for a GOOD homemade oven cleaner? Just used the last of my easy off, and would love something more natural that actually works.

 

[pocomom]

THANK YOU FOR THIS!!!! I hated looking at my stainless steel appliances because they never looked clean, even after I cleaned them. Just did this, and can't believe how great they look!!!!!

Ok, does someone have a recipe for a GOOD homemade oven cleaner? Just used the last of my easy off, and would love something more natural that actually works.

Haven't tried this yet but so far most of the site's ideas have worked for me.
http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/03/easy-homemade-oven-cleaner.html

 

[mommy22pumpkins]

Love the spray bottles filled with 50/50 water - vinegar. Works just as well if not better than Windex- no streaks and sparkly clean. And no harsh chemicals. I'll never buy another window cleaner again

 

[ckmommy]

Tried a homemade cream soup recipe yesterday and liked it a lot!!

I always cut my boys and husbands hair. We do mot household repairs on our own. My husband does the car repair.

I also have a homemade chai tea latte mix I use alot. Love it!!