Best painless "stretching things" budget tips?

[hipchickie]

Does this really, really work???
I would be scared to try it with my kids school uniforms and dh and my clothes but maybe I would give it a try.
I will DEFINATELY tell my husband about using it instead of JetDry.
I am sure it makes the dishes look clean but does it "dry" them like the JetDry?
Thank you VERY much!

I started using it after seeing it here, and I am impressed. They do not smell *at all* "vinegary", they just smell nice and clean. and they are nice and soft even though I mostly line dry

 

[disneyfan55]

Grate one bar of Ivory soap and add to the water in a big pot on the stove. Bring to a boil and "cook" until the soap is dissolved.

Add above mixture with the borax and washing soda in a large bucket. Fill with hot water. Pour into an empty detergent container. Use about 1/2 cup per load.

I made this liquid mixture about a month ago, and I am hooked. Laundry is super clean. And it is so easy and cheap to make. Good luck.

Thanks! I'm going to try some!

 

[poohbear8]

I may have posted this already, but it's one of my favorites. To clean a baking pan or pot with burned or stuck on food, fill it with hot water and drop in a used dryer sheet. Let it soak over night. Next morning, use it to wipe off the food. Most will wipe off. Anything else will come off with a rag or dish brush.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Grate one bar of Ivory soap and add to the water in a big pot on the stove. Bring to a boil and "cook" until the soap is dissolved.

Add above mixture with the borax and washing soda in a large bucket. Fill with hot water. Pour into an empty detergent container. Use about 1/2 cup per load.

I made this liquid mixture about a month ago, and I am hooked. Laundry is super clean. And it is so easy and cheap to make. Good luck.

How much would you estimate the ingredients cost? Well, I know about the ivory soap but never have seen borax or washing soda in a store. Compared to a $10 container of Tide or Gain, how much does this end up costing for same amount?
Does it separate?

 

[minnie1928]

I reuse painter's tape (I move it over as I go and use the non-painted edge, my friends teased me about that one)

I do that too! Painters tape is expensive!

 

[naomi78155]

How much would you estimate the ingredients cost? Well, I know about the ivory soap but never have seen borax or washing soda in a store. Compared to a $10 container of Tide or Gain, how much does this end up costing for same amount?
Does it separate?

I believe the Ivory was about $1.20 for 3 bars. Washing Soda (Arm & Hammer) in the laundry section was about $4. The Borax was about $3-4.

Since you only use half or one cup of each, the total for the mixed product is very cheap. I am using a small Dreft container (32 load) that I filled with my soap. I figure it is about $2 to fill it up. I have the leftover stored in a huge bucket with lid. It does gel pretty good. So you have to shake the container before you pour it into the machine.

I used the Duggar Family recipe, but substituted Ivory for the Fels Naptha.

Anything else, just ask

 

[snugglepeas]

That's a great feature of BJs - unless the inner items are marked "Not packaged for resale," you can use multiple mfg coupons. Yet, I've gotten arguments from the cashiers time and again. It's gotten to the point where I put those items on the belt first and hand the cashier my coupons saying "I've been a BJs customer for years and I know these coupons are allowed with this packaging. If you need to get a supervisor override, call now." It's annoying, but it gets the situation resolved quickly. As they have the policy explained to them, I always see the people behind me digging in their coupons to find more. I don't understand why the cashiers don't know their own policies - many of them seem to know what they're doing otherwise, so they're not new employees.

I also like it when there's a store coupon for an item and you can also use a manufacturer coupon. I've gotten things for free that way.

What I do is go to BJ's website and go to the coupon policy section and print out the part that says you can use as many coupons as you have products in the shrink rapped pack and if they have a problem or try to not let me use all my coupons I pull out the print out and that usually shuts them up and the push the coupons through.

 

[RooRach0906]

Subbing.. I love so many of the tips on here and going to start using lots of them to save up on money.. with a lil one on the way and other things happening lately I need all the money I can save.

 

[maddiesmom0116]

I tried that once and just barely used any dish soap and it pratically overflowed my wash machine, talk about a HUGE mess

When I was a teenager we did this at my aunts house because we were out and in charge of doing laundry for the Myrtle Beach vacation we were leaving for the next day. So my cousins and I tried this and load 1 that I did worked out fine, load 2 we had the younger cousins load had bubbles everywhere. A very little goes a long way with this.

 

[Tarheel Tink]

Bump!

 

[ski_mom]

For those that put vinegar in your wash instead of fabric softner, do you just put in the place in the washer that is for the fabric softner? Also, do you just put in a capful or what?

I'd like to try this.

 

[minnie1928]

For those that put vinegar in your wash instead of fabric softner, do you just put in the place in the washer that is for the fabric softner? Also, do you just put in a capful or what?

I'd like to try this.

yes, I put it in the dispenser. Not sure how much, there's a line in the machine for maximum, so I just stay below that. I'm guessing1/4-1/2 cup maybe?

 

[luvsJack]

For those that put vinegar in your wash instead of fabric softner, do you just put in the place in the washer that is for the fabric softner? Also, do you just put in a capful or what?

I'd like to try this.

I got one of those Downy ball things and I put the vinegar in that. I think its usually about half full. I put it in with the washing powder and all comes out great.

 

[PinballFamily]

Got another one! We've started using the (real) wet and dry eyeglasses wipes instead of tissues, toilet paper, etc. - tired of the lens scratches they all leave. We got a bunch of the wipes at BJs cheap, but then also got a lot free from LensCrafters as part of a class-action lawsuit -

ANYWAY...

they are all huge and much larger than you need. I started cutting the dry wipes in half - now am cutting them into quarters and that's still a bit big, but they work great. The wet wipes you can cut in half and fold back into the little foil pouch to use another day soon. If you fold the foil back over, they don't dry out. The wipes don't tear, so I do need to cut them with scissors.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I read this thread from time to time. I don't know if this has been posted or not, but thought I'd pass this along.

BJs and Wal-Mart will take coupons after a purchase. I have forgotten my coupons and asked if I could redeem them on the next visit with my receipt. Yes, you can! I've done it a handful of times at BJs. Mainly, the coupon booklet comes late sometimes. I was so glad they do this! I've gotten a good amount back doing this and they don't mind!

 

[pampam]

I'm really enjoying these money sving tips.

 

[Angel16]

So many money saving ideas here. I love this thread.

Currently there is just my DH and myself at home. I purchased a free-range whole chicken (larger then the regular ones) on sale for $2.75. I roasted the chicken with veggies. We ate two dinners from that with different side dishes. Then my DH took all the meat off the chicken. I cut it up added some frozen peas, mushrooms, left over celery, carrots. Basically whatever was in the frig and freezer. Make chicken and dupplings for our third and fourth dinner. It was so good and we had four meals off that one chicken. I know this isn't orginal, but I was really amazed. And I saved a little more for our next Disney trip.

 

[semo233]

Any new ideas?

I started using the bread machine my parents left here when they lived here for 6 weeks last year in between houses. I was "inspired" by the $3-$4 loaves of Cinnamon Rasin bread and said to myself "I can make that".

 

[PinballFamily]

Any new ideas?

I started using the bread machine my parents left here when they lived here for 6 weeks last year in between houses. I was "inspired" by the $3-$4 loaves of Cinnamon Rasin bread and said to myself "I can make that".

My cinnamon raisin bread made in our bread maker costs about 70 cents a loaf (not including electric cost). And we LOVE it! And you can make it the way you want - lots of cinnamon (or not too much) lots of raisins (or not too many), etc. Also, it makes super-yummy French toast!

 

[bear74]

Any new ideas?

I started using the bread machine my parents left here when they lived here for 6 weeks last year in between houses. I was "inspired" by the $3-$4 loaves of Cinnamon Rasin bread and said to myself "I can make that".

do you have a recipe, Please