Coupon Clipping is Back In Style Article

If you are visiting my blog after reading the article from The Houston Chronicle and Ultimate Woodlands

Welcome!

I'll give you a quick tour of my blog so you can go straight to the post you came here to read.

If you are looking for ABC's of Couponing go click here.



If you are looking for the recipe for homemade laundry detergent click here.



If you are looking for the post on how to save money on your electric bill click here.



Other money saving ideas can be found at each of those links.



Feel free to take a look around.



If you come here often and wonder what is going on. Well, go read this article about my couponing efforts.



If you have a money-saving idea. Write it in the comments.

Good-bye Godet

You know when God gives you daughters He also gives you live-in fashion consultants. Mine can be brutally honest about my choice in clothing sometimes. A few post back I showed you a picture of a skirt I attempted to sew this summer. All I wanted was a simple cotton skirt to wear during this hot, humid summer we're having. I wasn't happy with the way it turned out. It was way too long, it was way too full and I felt "frumpy" wearing it. Plus my youngest fashion consultant said I looked "Duggerish". If you watch TLC you know what that means. That's all I needed to hear; I decided to re-work my skirt. I took out 3 of the godets. I shortened it by 4 inches. Now I'm more comfortable wearing it and my fashion consultant doesn't think I look like Ma Dugger anymore. Whew....





Also want to give some Happy Birthday love to Buster whose birthday is today and to my sweet dad who is celebrating on Saturday. Then on Sunday every person in our house will be double digits. Yes, my Leah will be 10. She is so excited.

♥

Squeaky Clean

I have been reading on different blogs and the internet about making homemade laundry detergent. Back in May I finally worked up the courage to mix up a batch. I've been using since it since May and have been extremely satisfied with it. Our clothes are coming clean just fine.

I estimate this recipe cost about $2.00-$3.00 to put together.

There are several ways of making detergent. Some make a dry mix and others a liquid detergent. I decided to go with the liquid.

These are the three ingredients used to make it. I found Zote soap at a smaller grocery store in our area. I could not find it at the big chains. Also found the Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda there also. Remember Washing Soda not Baking Soda.

The Recipe:

1 Bar of Zote Soap (some use Fels-Naptha)

2 Cups of Borax

2 Cups of Arm & Hammer SUPER WASHING SODA

Large Pot

Clean 5 gallon Bucket

Use a grater and grate the entire bar of soap.

Place the grated soap in a large pot. Pour in enough warm water to completely cover the soap. Bring heat to medium and completely melt the soap. Stir as needed.

In your bucket (I actually used a 4 gallon bucket that my pool chemicals come in. It has a lid)

add the washing soda and the Borax and SLOWLY fill with hot water. Stirring continuously to dissolve. NOTE: Leave enough room in the bucket to add the soap later.

Add the soap and continue to stir until all is well mixed. You may need to come back and stir every hour so it won't solidfy too much.

The consistency is like a jello. I keep mine in the bucket I mixed it in, but after a couple of days and the mixture completely cools you can re-package if you'd like.

I have a front loading washer so I use about 3/4 cup of the detergent. If you have a top -loader I would put the detergent in and let the water help to dissolve it before adding the clothes. Using 3/4 - 1 cup of the detergent.

If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me or ask in the comments. It was a messy process to put together, but I'm happy with it and will continue to make this as I run low in the future. Great money saver.

Hands & Hearts♥♥♥for Him

Hands & Hearts....for Him is a new blog by Susan at PenlessWriter along with other contributors who can see listed when you visit.

I was so excited to see this blog start up. These women have a heart for the Lord and desire to be good stewards of their time, talents and finances. I knew I would enjoy learning from them. I love reading about ways to save money. I'm always trying to incorporate money-saving techniques from all angles....food, clothing, household expenses, gardening, etc.

I'm inviting you to link on over and check out this blog. I know you will enjoy it.

A Blurb from the Burbs - V

Have you noticed.....huh....huh.....huh..... I changed out my picture. Libby is no longer my stand-in. The picture is subject to change again. We'll see.

I also wanted to give you a little follow up Blurb about saving on your electricity bill.

I got my January 2009 energy bill and we used 1682 KWH over a 30 day period. Last January 2008 we used 2920 over a 27 day period. I have really reduced the KWH by doing a few simple things. I've tried unplugging everything that isn't being used. Like I mentioned in this post Blurb III about phantom load: if these items are plugged in (computers, printers, clocks, TV's, VCR's that blink) they all use power even when they aren't being used.

Another thing I did during in January was take advantage of off-peak and peak hours. I went to my energy company's website and did some snooping. I found out that off-peak hours in the winter for our area is 10:00a.m. to 6:00 p.m weekdays. That means they charge less per KWH for electricity than they do at peak hours. So I adjusted my pool pump to now turn on at 10:00a.m. and run till 6:00 that way it is running mainly during non-peak hours. I'm also trying to run my dishwasher and do laundry during those hours too instead of waiting until night time when you are charged peak rates. Keep in mind that summer and winter peak/off-peak hours are different. Do ya'll think I'm crazy?

So go to your energy company's website and snoop around and figure out what peak/non-peak hours are for your area and study your energy bill month to month and see if a few changes make a difference on your TOTAL AMOUNT DUE.

"Lettuce" Eat

I am so proud of my lettuce. I started this lettuce from seed back in October in my garage under a florescent light. I moved four plants into a flowerbed in December. This is some tough lettuce. We've had several nights with freezing temperatures and this lettuce is fine. I clipped some off of another plant that you can't see in this picture and ate it with my sandwich for lunch.

Here is a picture of the seedlings and how I got them started. I also planted beans, but not nearly enough. I definitely learned I need to plant bunches of those.
I used toilet paper rolls that were cut in half then folded up at the bottom to start the seeds. When they are ready to go in the ground you can plant the container along with the plant.





When I went outside to take my lettuce picture, I figured Libby would jump off her couch and join me. But she decided to continue with her twenty hour nap. As you can see I have a pink blanket and an old pink pillow for her on the couch. She manages to find her way off of the blanket and on to the couch cushion. She snuggled herself up under some pillows that are suppose to be propped up all pretty but that never happens anymore. She gets them the way she wants them. Boy she needs a bath.




After Moms In Touch I went to Sherwin Williams today and picked up some white paint to touch up the trim inside our house. Hopefully they mixed the right white. I'll know this weekend. Our nights are in the 30's here and the days in the high sixties. Beautiful clear blue sky. We need some rain. Just a few things going on in my little corner of the world.

♥
Joy

A Blurb from the Burbs - IV

It's 2009 and I don't know about you, but I'm looking for ways I can be more frugal this year.
I've checked out several books from the library (reading the frugal way - no buying - just borrowing).
These are the books I've checked out and mostly read/skimmed/glanced over....

Living Rich for Less by Ellie Kay

Frugal Luxuries by Tracy McBride

The Frugal Woman's Guide to a Rich Life. Edited by Stacia Ragolia

The one I found the most helpful is The Frugal Woman's Guide to a Rich Life.
I read this idea and have used it now for a couple of weeks. It works. So I'm sharing it with you...
* Purchase a small bottle of generic liquid fabric softener.
* Put one cup of the softener in a container
with one cup of water.
* Place the lid back on and give it a little shake.
* Cut a 4x6" sponge into four squares.
* Soak the sponge(s) in the mixture.
* Throw an unsqueezed sponge in the dryer
with your clothes.
* Placed the dried sponge back in the mixture.

I realize this is such inspiring photography. Sponges floating in fabric softener sitting on top of my dryer. Sorry, I just like having a picture with my post. Breaks up all those words. [and for the visual learners among us....I need pictures. :)]

I know I've posted about fabric softener before, but I read this and like this idea so much better than the vinegar one.

Check out my other Blurbs:

How to save on your electric bill:
Blurb from the Burbs III

How to save on lunch meat:
Blurb from the Burbs II

If you have a frugal idea, let me know. I'd love to read it.

A Blurb from the Burbs - III

Phantom Load

During the month of October, I decided to try a little test with my power bill because I've been hearing a lot of about phantom load. This is the "forgotten" electrical power that is constantly in use in your home. You know the VCR that forever blinks 12:00, etc.

I decided to go thru our home and unplug electric devices that I do not use every day. I unplugged the digital clock in my guest bedroom, the blender in my kitchen that has a digital screen on it. I even unplugged my computer/printer/modem/speakers and one of my TV's every night for a month.

I looked over my latest power bill and found that in October 2007 we had consumed 2893 KWH. This month we used 2340 KWH. That is a difference of 553 KWH. I'm going to continue to do this and see if a trend develops. But I was pleased with the results so far.

Try it at your house and let me know if you see a reduction in the amount of KWH your family uses.

You can find prior year and prior month usage information right on your electric bill each month. Think of it as a digital scavenger hunt ~unplug the things that aren't being used and your bank account will be the winner!

See prior blurbs:



Blurb I

Blurb II

A Blurb from the Burbs - II

I came across this great way to save on lunch meat and just had to share. While watching Good Morning America (Paige's favorite) one morning, they had a segment on saving money at the grocery store. Those segments always intrigue me so I made sure I paid attention. They had this family on...you know the family of six who only spends $300 per month on groceries blah blah blah.... The husband of the family suggested that you purchase a cooked ham and have them slice it at the deli counter. Yes, shopping is a family affair at their house....not ours....trust me. When Buster goes to the grocery store we have to get Mapquest involved.

Sooo, I decided to try this. I went to my Kroger and back in the meat section like where the bacon and pre-packaged lunch meats are I found a cooked Jennie-O Turkey Ham. It weighed two whole pounds. It was $4.99. I thought that was really good $2.50 a pound. I went back to the deli with my 2 pound turkey ham and asked the nice young man behind the counter to slice it thin for me and he kindly obliged. So if your kiddos like ham sandwiches in their lunch...try this for some $$$$ savings. Remember go to the deli to get it sliced not the meat counter.

P.S. If I can get this family of four down to a $300.00 grocery bill, you can bet I'll be blogging on that ;)

A Blurb from the Burbs

Moneysaver:
When washing towels and sheets use distilled white vinegar for your fabric softener in your washing machine instead of fabric softener. Your towels will come out of the dryer soft and you can save the pricier fabric softener for your clothes. Remember towels and sheets only. :)