Today was grocery day, yikes! $300 later, I hopefully have enough food to last more than a week (depends how many extras show up *smile*). However, I did do something this week I should have attempted long ago, and it will save some major money.
I made homemade laundry detergent. Here are the ingredients:
1/3 bar Fels Naptha, grated
1/2 cup Borax
1/2 cup Washing Soda
Drops of essential oil, optional
This makes 10 quarts of liquid laundry detergent. The cost for all 10 quarts: 75 cents. At a 1/2 cup of liquid per load, that equals 80 loads at a penny a load! 75 cents for a month's worth of laundry! Not bad! That and hanging the clothes on the line every sunny day, we have been averaging a $20/month savings off the electric bill as well.
I will post my menu to see how far $300 feeds 11+ people a day tomorrow, if anyone is interested. Comments always welcome!
be sure to stop by the first Shrine in the world Dedicated to her in RI. and I myself had met Leonardo in person when I was young
ReplyDeletePerhaps you could try coupons. I wasn't into it much until recently. If I use the store rewards card, plus the coupons...AND shop only for the things I need (that are on sale), I can usually save a good bit...between $70 and $80. Watch out for the "buy one get one free" deals. You can stock up on the things you use regularly.
ReplyDeleteI think you're doing great!
I love your recipe for laundry detergent. I'm going to have to try that!
ReplyDeleteI am most interested in seeing how $300 can feed 11 folks!
--Bess
I've been making that same laundry detergent for awhile now & really like it. Besides being cheap, I like knowing that no harsh, artificial chemicals are in my wash.
ReplyDeleteI love the new photo you have posted of your children above...what a BEAUTIFUL family you have!! I heard an amazing quote the other day on Catholic radio (EWTN) from St. Therese regarding St. Dismas (the good thief) & God's love & mercy. May St. Therese send a shower of roses & blessings your way. Happy Feast Day!
ICXC+NIKA
I've made that kind of detergent before, and it worked fine with colors. However, after 4-5 washes with it all of the whites(which got their own load) started to look incredibly dingy. I ended up having to wash them all twice with store detergent and oxiclean to get them looking decent again.
ReplyDeleteSomewhere I read that detergent builds up in your clothes. I didn't believe it until my husband would complain about his socks itching him. He swore it wasn't the fabric, it was the detergent I was using. So, I switched detergents, and every 5 or so washes, I wash with no detergent, just plain water. The detergent washes out of the clothes and we save money. I am very careful about how much I put in, and make sure the children know just how little you need for each wash.
ReplyDeleteBecause of drought conditions and climate change, more and more communities will have to adopt "double plumbing" in which we will have to recycle "grey water" whether in our own back yards or using a water treatment plant. I think we will be forced to reduce detergents and soaps due to phosphate levels. Las Vegas has already adopted "double plumbing".