I thought that the winter would be boring and slow so I decided to do this "Beating the Blahs" series to keep me productive. I had no idea this would end up being probably the busiest winter of my adult life thus far.
It's okay. I'm loving it!
That doesn't get me out of the final "beating the blahs." I will be focusing on all things homemade.
First, I must tell you that I do not have a conviction to get rid of everything store-bought just because it might have something iffy in it (what doesn't cause cancer anymore??). While I am a fan of all-natural for sure (been buying Melaleuca for most of my life!), my main goal is to save money. And hopefully save money while keeping it as natural as possible!
Some SAHM's have a home-based business. Some do the coupon thing. God has made it very clear on a number of occasions that neither are for me! But making things at home to save money... I enjoy it and so far God is blessing it!
You may recall the homemade laundry soap I make now that has saved us lots of moolah.
We were spending about $10/month on laundry detergent (this was before Kempton!). Now I spend about $12 every 6 months or so. That looks like a pretty stinkin' good deal to me.
What is next on the homemade agenda?
Dishwasher Detergent.
The Ingredients:
1C Borax
1/2C Washing Soda
1/2C Baking Soda
4 Packets unsweetened lemonade (or citric acid)
1/2C Kosher Salt
Put all ingredients in a container at least 32oz in size. Seal up and shake!
Use 1T per load. Then add white vinegar as a rinsing agent to your machine.
Because of the citric acid (lemonade), this will probably get clumpy. I left the container open for a few hours, stirring occasionally. And each time I go to use some, I stir it. After the first day I haven't had any trouble with clumping.
Check out THIS SITE for cost breakdown and lots more info.
Next up: Handsoap/Body Wash. Suggestions or recommendations appreciated! Also, if you make something homemade that you love, please share!
Linds, thanks for posting these. Can't wait to try the dishwashing detergent! FYI- the Mela laundry detergent is 9.99 for the small (24 oz) and 16.99 for the large (48oz.) Plus, you have to pay shipping.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jen! I tried asking mom a couple times and she never knew. That's a huge savings! I would order a large every other month. With shipping and handling that breaks down to about $10/month. I made the laundry soap for around $15 this last time and it'll last probably around 6 months.
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