homemade laundry detergent update

Works well. Doesn't leave residue. Only lasts us 3-4 months rather than 6. Still a deal at $8. for 3 months. I would guess it's 10 loads a week but maybe more...

How I love Kohl's...

Just have to say how much I love Kohl's and their sales.  And coupons you can combine with sales and clearance items (I had a 20% off everything coupon)!  I spent $177 today, buying things we needed/wanted and quite a few Christmas gifts.  I saved $343 (I had some Kohl's Cash to redeem and $10 off coupon for my birthday, so that was in there too.)

How awesome is that?

homemade dishwasher detergent

I found this recipe for dishwasher detergent and was excited to try this out too!  We spend a LOT of money buying Cascade, and while I like clean dishes, I would like it better if it weren't so expensive...


So, I mixed it up this afternoon and will run the dishwasher tonight.  [cleaned everything well but one spoon, which may have had peanut butter on it...] 

Another pickle jar holds a half recipe.  [De and the boys really like pickles... me, not so much---at all!]  I spent $5.10 making the huge batch that will last quite a while, using only 1 Tablespoon at a time.


[I substituted Ball Fruit Fresh instead of lemonade/citric acid, since I couldn't find citric acid locally.]


Ingredients and cost:

half the box =$1.50

half the box =$1.60

already had, maybe =$1.00's worth?

epsom salt = $1.00's worth?

[UPDATE: October 2011, this doesn't seem to be cleaning our dishes.  Not sure why, but I'm going to try to tweak the recipe...]

homemade laundry soap

After reading blogs/websites about saving money on making your own laundry detergent, but noting how complicated they seemed (boiling soap and water, mixing it after it cools, letting it sit overnight, mixing again, then it can be used...) I was interested, but not THAT interested.

However, I recently found this organic laundry powder recipe and decided to try it out.  I purchased the ingredients at Giant and Target, and made the recipe this week.  It made 1 gallon of detergent (I halved the recipe) which I put in a cleaned-out pickle jar. To test it out, I threw Friend in the wash, along with some towels; they came out clean!

So I have a gallon of detergent, which is supposed to last a family of four for 6 months, for $7.96 :)  Now to see if De likes using it for his dress clothes [he sometimes gets white spots on his black dress pants with powder detergent].

Here's my ingredient list and prices:

$.97

$4.49

1/2 the box @ $1.50

maybe $1.00--already had a HUGE container from COSTCO

shredded soap, Borax, baking soda in a clean, empty trash can

shredded soap

up next...

my five year old photographer, always trying to take Mommy's camera and a million photos.

my little helpers, who love to make silly faces

making a writing journal

 I decided I needed to have a writing journal for Billy, since I don't want more loose pieces of paper around.  I remembered making journals for my students way back, so I took that idea and tweaked it.  Here is what I did:  I used Microsoft Word to create a journal cover and printed it on orange cardstock paper I had.

 Then I printed out 20 pages of the story paper I found on Printable Paper.

I then took out our best Freecycle find, the Ibimaster 300 binding machine, and punched the holes in the pages,

 bound them together with one of these Staples binding combs,

 

 and here is the final product!  I'm quite happy with the results as it looks nice,

and lays flat for use of the whole page, without having to fold the paper (as I did when I taught second grade, since I had to staple them to bind the journal).  You could staple these journals too, or email me and come use my binding system :)  Really,  I will share my freebies!

Staples' Teacher Appreciation Day

Picked up all these today for free, arriving at 9am when the store opened. Love freebies!

school savings

shopping at Target and Staples this week was just great for monetary saving on school supplies for us and for donating to the school in Haiti where we sponsor a child.

Staples had items on sale for a penny each, and as a teacher, I could buy 25 of them at that lovely price. Everyone else is limited to 2 of each. (of course they were out of the pens, but I did get 25 bottles of glue and 25 packages of eraser caps).

For us we bought 2 reams of paper for $.25 each after the mail in rebate. 2 thin Sharpies for free with a Target coupon I found online. Stickie tabs for $.25 a package (Staples). And a lined white board for $1. (Target)

Can't wait to see what other sales are happening this summer!

saving money

Just spoke with a guy, Luke, who offered us a fixed rate through his company for our gas and electric providers (Washington Gas and Allegheny Power). They work with several other utility companies as well, and offer the lowest rate available. It's a fixed rate for one year and every year after you can sign up again, or opt out. He thinks we'd save about $300 this next year going with his company (showing me what the fixed rate is and what we have had as our rate this past year). WGES is happy to provide businesses with lower rates as well! [i.e. the Holiday movie theater in Frederick is now saving $5,700 per year]

If you have Allegheny Power, Baltimore Gas & Electric, Columbia Gas, Delmarva Power, Pepco, PPL Electric Ulitilities, or Washington Gas, you can use this company as well.

I don't get anything out of this except the joy of letting you know that you could be saving money on your gas and electric bills!

If you are interested, you can call Luke Robinson at 817-995-7028 [he's a very friendly, personable guy; he is the local manager for Washington Gas Energy Services, the company you would be using].

Merry Christmas!

More Savings

Use this link http://www.groupon.com/r/uu5683931 to join Groupon and receive emails for awesome coupons to local merchants. I just got a family meal deal from Chicken Out today for 52% off! I will be able to print the coupon from my printer and have to use it before Feb. 2011 :)

Cool, huh?

Swagbucks

I just joined Swagbucks because of all the great things I have heard about it--mainly that just for searching for things on the internet you can earn gift cards! Thought I would give it a try and see what I can earn by Christmas. Just for being online...

Here is my link: http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/momLauratoboys I'm fairly certain you get 60 point for joining. I joined two days ago and haven't been online much, but now have 100 points...

As of April 16, I have earned 471 points...

Salvation Army Savings

Went to the Salvation Army on Wednesday (half-price clothing day at our location) and bought 7 items of clothing for the boys for $5.93

Most items in really good if not perfect condition! One was a Disney Cars shirt with Mater and Lightning on it---50 cents!

The Fair

We were there from around 11 until nearly 3.
We saw animals, tractors, food, people, games, rides, friends, shows, and got all hot and sweaty.

We, of course, got freebies today: Billy got in for free (it was Kids Day), and from the Summer Reading Program @ the local library: two ice creams, two drinks, and two rides. We even got a reusable bag from public television. We probably could have gotten other freebies if we had roamed around the booth area.

And even baby Charlie had a good time! He ate Cheerios, had a bottle of milk and ate his fruit. He sat in the stroller, the sling, and was even carried for a while.

And we did it all by ourselves! No other hands or help, just Billy, Charlie and Mommy! Woohoo!

Stride Rite

Oh how I love a good deal.

Two pairs of shoes, brand new. Original prices: $54 and $55 each.

Today I paid $31.80, with the 2 for $30 sale. (yes, there are some restrictions, but I found 2 pair I liked/we needed)

Go get your toddler a pair or 2 today :)

Black Friday Shopping

http://blackfridayhcw.blogspot.com/

What a great site! It's been a tradition in my family to shop the sales on Black Friday; not sure that I will go out this year, but maybe... De can work from home tomorrow and watch the boys!

Saving Money

Check out http://mrsmustakas.blogspot.com/ for my savings trip today

Check this out... free ice cream!

http://www.couponsavingfamily.com/2008/09/free-ice-cream-at-cold-stone-creamery.html

Coupons and Freebies

Thought you should know about this new blog I found: http://www.couponsavingfamily.com/ I signed up to receive a bunch of freebies and coupons from her suggestions.

(FYI, the coupons will be sent in the mail in about a month, so they aren't printable coupons...)

new camera

I'm so excited! We have a new (to us) digital camera! Oh, how I love "shopping" on Craigslist!

Today I purchased a Canon DSLR for 56% off the retail price, since it's a year old and been taken perfect care of by someone else. I've been looking at Canon since I already have 3 lenses...

The photos should look much better once I start using them in posts... we'll see if you notice. [Please comment when you think the photos are better quality!]

CVS on July 7

Since we're going on vacation in July I bought a few things I don't normally buy that we will pack to take with us (Pringles, for example).

so, the run down this week is:
3 cans Pringles
2 Dawn Handsoaps/dishdetergents
1 Cascade Dual Action pack
2 packs tampons
1 package of facial cleansing wipes
1 pkg Chex Mix
1 tube scar gel
1 Orajel (toddler-safe toothpaste)

coupons I used: $.20 off 3 cans Pringles, $.50 off Dawn, $1.00 off Cascade Dual Action packs, $2.00 CVS coupon off facial cleansing wipes, $.55 off Orajel, $1.00 off Chex Mix

Total should have been $37.98
items on sale save me $5.75
total coupon savings $3.25
used $15.96 in ECBs

I paid only $13.02

Also, I received in ECBs $2.98 for tampons, $1.00 for facial wipes, $1.00 for Pringles, $1.00 for Dawn, and one coupon for 10 free digital prints.

Today, July 10, in my email I received a coupon for $5. off a $30 purchase. Also got a coupon on July 4th for $4. off a $20. purchase (to use on July 4th only). Didn't/haven't used these.

Staples

Ok, so this isn't fron CVS, but to pay $1.15 plus tax, this isn't bad, right?

10 pocket folders
4 three-ring binders
4 pack of retractable highlighters
2 small bottles of Purell hand sanitizers
2 eight packs of pencils