the one about laundry detergent.

i stopped buying & using store bought laundry detergent a few months ago.

my first attempt at making homemade laundry detergent was a success. i followed the recipe that just about everyone uses:

1 cup of borax
1 cup of washing soda
1 grated bar of soap like fels naptha

blend ingredients together in a food processor and use two tablespoons per load

i was pleasantly surprised by how effective this detergent was and how cheap it was to make. i made a second batch and i fell even more in love with homemade laundry detergent. i thought everything was perfect.

but then i read a blog post that made reference to another blog post...and my love for homemade laundry detergent was taken to a new level.

behold, gel-ish laundry detergent:

{detergent i gave to my favorite beach bum}

making this detergent used exactly the same recipe as the one above except i needed to use my stove instead of a food processor. i also needed a five gallon bucket. oh, and a lot of water.

for the exact specifics on how to make the detergent, please check out this blog post at she-laughs.

honestly, making the detergent took no more than a half an hour one evening. i did require my husband's help {he poured the hot detergent mixture into the five gallon bucket for me while i stirred}. and, i'll be honest, i had a hard time waiting the full twenty-four hours for the detergent to congeal. but, the payoff has been great...and bountiful, too!

{that funny looking spot towards the bottom of the picture? yeah, i stuck my hand in the jelly-like detergent.}

{i now have five gallons of laundry detergent}

yes, you read right...five gallons of laundry detergent. well, it's close enough to five gallons. five gallons equals to 640 ounces {correct me, please, if i'm wrong!}. do you know what it cost me to make this much laundry detergent? less than $2. say what?!

i realize prices will vary by state and store, but those pictures above show what i paid for each item at my local wally world. and, just so you know, the five gallon bucket cost me roughly $5 from the home depot. so, yeah, for less than $2 {$7ish if you count the bucket} and about a half an hour of my time i have an approximately six month supply of laundry detergent. six months. y'all, i was spending like $20 a month or so on detergent {i do a lot of laundry}. 

my thoughts:

• this detergent cleans well. i'm going to start adding in a scoop of washing soda for an added boost. you can use oxyclean, but clearly, washing soda is cheaper.
• i call this detergent gel-ish because it is. honestly, it reminds me of chunky snot {hey, i'm a mom}. you have to stir the detergent after it sets for the initial 24 hour period. i can't seem to get the chunks out. but, the chunks don't take away from the detergent...it just makes for some interesting pouring.
• this detergent is safe for high efficiency/front loading machines. speaking of h.e./front loaders, my washer has two loading options for detergent, one for powder and one for liquid. i use the powder option.
• i try not to go into the five gallon bucket in an effort to keep it air tight. i keep a stash of the detergent in a smaller container on my washing machine. i was asked if this will mold or mildew. i honestly don't know. 
• call me crazy, but i've noticed a change in my skin since using homemade laundry detergent. i don't have sensitive skin, but i would guess that this detergent is safe for everyone to use.

if you're feeling adventurous and looking to rev up your budget and be more conscious of the products you are using, i urge you to make homemade laundry detergent. if you don't want to go the gel-ish route, definitely try the powder detergent {same ingredients, super easy to make}.

if you have any questions, just ask. i'll do my best to answer them. 

homemade.

it's not so much a new year's resolution as it is an effort to be more frugal and more conscious of the products my family is using. for the last couple of months, i have been washing our clothes using detergent that i made myself. in addition, we have been running our dishwasher with detergent that, again, i made myself.

if you do a quick google search or waste away on pinterest, you'll see that there are a lot of products - that you use on the regular - that can be made at home. i remember growing up that my mother used distilled white vinegar for everything. sure, our home smelled like a pickle, but my mother was proud of the fact that our floors were spotlessly clean and not one single chemical-laden item was used to clean it. i know we all have our tried & true products that we turn to when it comes time to clean, but making your detergents & cleaning products at home isn't just better for you, but it's better for your wallet, too.

back to the two products i've been using...

i made homemade laundry detergent sometime back in late october/early november. i can't remember when. i followed the recipe found here. i'll admit, my husband & i were both skeptical. but, let me tell you, we'll never buy store bought detergent again. not only is the homemade stuff fine for our front loading, high efficiency machine, but i believe - with my whole heart - that it's better for us. i've even noticed a change in my skin since switching from store bought to homemade. i'm still using store bought dryer sheets, but next on my list is to make my own fabric softener. good thing a sweet blog friend wrote about the recipe she found here. {and, now that i've posted that link, i'm going to make the fabric softener today.}

seriously, y'all, you'll spend maybe $10 to buy all of the ingredients you'll need to make the laundry detergent. and, it will last you for a while. trust me. and, while you're at the store buying the borax & washing soda for the laundry detergent, you may as well buy some citric acid {like fruit fresh} or 15 packets of lemon kool-aid {and kosher salt, if you don't already have some in your pantry}. you know, so you can make homemade dishwasher detergent, too.

ah, homemade dishwasher detergent. i've been using it since about mid-november or so. i have a love/hate relationship with it, but i'm not going to budge. i did end up buying some finish tablets to use in the dishwasher {i love those things!}, but they are expensive and i really needed to give homemade dishwasher detergent a fair shot. i followed this recipe. i think when i make it again i'll tweak my recipe. some recipes call for two packs of kool-aid, some call for 15. another thing? you have to pre-rinse/wash your dishes. call me lazy, but i never did this before. oh, and instead of using some fancy rinse aid i just pour some vinegar into that part of my dishwasher. overall, making your own dishwasher detergent is certainly cheaper than using a store-bought brand. there is some debate about what the citric acid will do to your silverware and what the borax will do to your plumbing, but so far, so good.

next up on my list is to switch out a lot of my cleaning products like glass cleaner, bathroom cleaner, etc. with cleaners of the homemade variety. got any good tips or tricks? what about a favorite cleaner recipe? please share them with me!

me & my money.

Thank you to TurboTax for sponsoring my writing about household finances.Learn more about how TurboTax can help you find every tax deduction you deserve. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

---

i was never destined to work in the financial industry.  never.  me & my money?  we have this oil-water relationship. okay, it's more like a 'i have some money so now i need to spend it' kind of a relationship.  yes, i am that girl who always, always, always has money burning a hole in her pocket.  wait, let me rephrase that because that statement suggests that i always have money which is such a lie.

life would be mucho bueno if i had one of these in my backyard:

{source}

wouldn't it be nice to walk out into the yard & pick crisp ones, fives and maybe even fifties off of a tree?  yeah, keep dreaming.

i've written about money before.  i've talked about my credit card debt.  i've shared a recession-themed money song.  i've blogged with wonder about people who can pinch & save.  i've even shared my son's thoughts about his father's wallet.  am i still in debt?  yes.  am i still trying to save?  yes.  am i still wondering how people can buy month's worth of groceries {with coupons} but only pay a nickel?  hells yes.

perhaps i'm not the proper person to be dishing out financial advice, but let me just share a few things that i have discovered about myself while navigating this long, winding, seemingly confusing financial road that i'm on...

watching programs hosted by those big financial gurus is humbling, but it's always reassuring to know that you're not alone.  everyone has a financial issue of some sort.  also, remember that the financial guru's 'sound advice' might not work for you - each financial situation is unique - so adjust & make accommodations for yourself.

going 'cash only' is hard.  so is giving up credit cards.  for the record, i've done neither.

it's okay if you don't religiously clip coupons.  i don't.  i have every good intention of shopping only with coupons, but rarely does that happen.  and, as for the crazy coupon deals like triples or super doubles?  take advantage of them, but don't go nuts.  i mean, do you really need 53946498576 bottles of shampoo just because it was on sale & you had coupons?  no.  but, when chicken quarters go on sale for $0.39 per pound you had best believe that i am that crazy lady who stocks up her deep freeze.  for reals.

if you're trying to get out of debt {like i have been & still am}, don't be afraid to ask for help.  we took advantage of our bank's debt management program for a couple of years.  it was wonderful for helping us get our finances back on track.  oh, call your creditors, too.  sometimes a simple phone call goes a long way.

generic does not equal poor or lesser quality...it means you're spending less money!  we are all about some generic or store brand items in our household.  of course, i have things that i will not skimp on {like my skin care routine} and that's okay.

i'm not the impulse shopper that i once was.  i find myself scouring websites for the best deal.  i participate in online deal/shopping sites like ebates, groupon & living social.  i encourage you do to the same if you're not already.

i also am not afraid of thrift stores nor am i materialistic.  when you're broke, you just can't be.

do you ebay?  i do.  don't be ashamed to sell stuff you have laying around the house for some money.  i paid off a credit card that way.  i also donate clothing & home goods often.

i could go on & on, but i suppose the one thing that i have truly learned is that less really is more.  last year my family took a severe financial hit.  we went from two nice incomes to one mediocre income {among other things}.  we've learned to survive on less.  we are happy with less.  when you have more or make more, you tend to spend more.

sure, you can't take your money with you {you  know, when your number is up}, but can you take all of the crap you bought with your money?  nope.


**remember, i'm not a financial guru. learn from my mistakes.  take comfort in the fact that you & i may be in similar financial situations.  you're not alone.  neither am i.  one day, we'll both be out of debt, but in the meantime...look out for those chicken quarter specials.

what k-cup?

the best thing we ever did was:

a) buy a coffee mill*

&

b) stop buying k-cups

okay, so that's two things.  

but, i'm being totally serious here.  

adam & i love, love, LOVE our keurig, but we got tired of buying k-cups.  if you chug drink coffee like we do, then you will understand why.  also, if your husband drinks his coffee out of a 24 ounce tervis tumbler, then you will really understand why {because you use two k-cups to fill a tervis that size!}.

needless to say, we were spending serious money on k-cups.  don't get me wrong, we love their convenience & the variety of flavors, roasts, brands, etc.  but, let's be real here...we are a single-income family.  and, our single income does not have wiggle room to buy $9-$10 boxes of k-cups...every. single. week.**

behold!

a 13 ounce can of coffee beans for $3.99.  we buy two cans per month.  adam grinds what we need for that day & we are good to go.  it's cheaper than starbucks!***

see...there is a reason your keurig comes with a filter so use it! 

* we bought our coffee mill at target for $18 

** we DO still buy k-cups from time to time because the kids like making hot cocoa with the keurig

*** this cost effective strategy for the keurig has NOT curbed my addiction to starbucks in any way, shape or form...that's a whole 'nother issue! {psst...i'm one of becky's starbucks divas}

how apropos.

the final hour of tax day is ticking away & i'm guessing it's a pretty safe bet to assume that just about all of us are broke, so...

for your listening pleasure i give you:


i heard the song on the radio this morning {a local radio station does a 'nine at 9' feature and today's them was - surprise, surprise - money!}.

yes, you heard right...reaganomics. this song came out in the mid-1980s. and, yes, they said 'cut back!' too.

just read the lyrics...very apropos for our current day, dontcha think?

I been laid off from work
My rent is due
My kids all need
Brand new shoes

So I went to the bank
To see what they could do
They said son - looks like bad luck
Got-a hold on you

Chorus:
Money's too tight to mention
I can't get an un-em-ploy-ment ex-ten-sion
Money's too tight to mention

I went to my brother
To see what he could do -
He said bro-ther like to help you
But I'm unable to
So I called on my fa-ther fa-ther
Oh my fa-ther
He said

Chorus:
Money's too tight to mention
Oh mo-ney mo-ney mo-ney mon-ey
Mo-ney's too tight to mention
I can't even qual-i-fy for my pension

We talk a-bout rea-gan-om-ics
Oh lord down in the con-gress
They're passing all kinds - of bills
From down on cap-it-ol hill - (we've tried them)

Chorus:
Money's too tight to mention
(spoken) cut-back!
Mo-ney mo-ney mo-ney mon-ey
We're talk-in' a-bout mon-ey mon-ey
We're talk-in' a-bout mon-ey mon-ey
We're talk-in' 'bout the dollar bill
And that old man that's over the hill
Now what are we all to do
When the mon-ey's got a hold on you?
Mo-ney's too tight to mention
Oh mon-ey mon-ey mon-ey mon-ey
Mo-ney's too tight to mention
Di-nero - mon-ey oh yeah
We're talk-in' a-bout mon-ey mon-ey
We're talk-in' a-bout mon-ey mon-ey
We're talk-in' a-bout mon-ey mon-ey
We're talk-in' a-bout mon-ey mon-ey…..
{'money's too tight to mention' by simply red}

Mo' Money

It's funny how an emergency like, oh, an $1100 eye surgery can make you rethink your budget & reconsider any frivolous necessary expenses.

Today, the hubs & I will be talking about money. Our money. What seems like a lack of it. How to save it. How to spend it. How to pay things off. How to be frugal. How to correct all of the financial errors from our twenties. Basically, how to become tightwads - something both of us - clearly - are not.

We are following the principles of Dave Ramsey {we enjoy watching his show on the Fox Business Network}. We like his message, his Christian-based approach and his "non-judgemental" attitude. My mom absolutely adores Suze Orman and thinks that I need to read her book, but she scares the heebie-jeebies out of me {and she really shouldn't because she's got some very valid financial points}.

What are some of your budgeting tips & tricks?

Moisturized.

(source)

Due to our self-induced budget crunch {more on that later} I am in need of finding a facial moisturizer that is super good for my skin, easy on the wallet {say, $20 or less} & can be purchased - preferably - at either Target or Wal-Mart.

I have been using Hope in a Jar by philosophy for years and just finished my super-sized tub of it; however, the $105 price tag isn't budget-friendly {of course, I could go with a smaller tub of it, but still...this is about being budget-conscious}.

Therefore, I am enlisting YOUR help...

Girls, I need to know what moisturizer you use & why do you swear by it??