Money saving tip

These days it seems like most people are looking for ways to trim the excess fat out of their spending or trying to make their money last longer.  I am no exception.  I wanted to share a way of saving money on something most of us use daily - laundry detergent.  I used to be a loyal fan of Tide until our family started growing and it got be so expensive.  Then I tried finding something else and after several years, landed on ALL detergent since it was free of dyes and perfumes.  One of my daughters has eczema and other detergents seemed to aggravate it.  I started looking for ways to make it myself and came across a very simply and inexpensive way to make my own.  The only ingredients are water, Ivory soap, Borax and A&H Super Washing Soda (not baking soda).  I find all of the ingredients at my local WalMart.  Some recipes call for other bar soaps but I like this one enough that if it's not broke, I'm not fixing it. 

The recipe is as follows:

1/3 bar of Ivory soap, grated
1/2 cup Borax
1/2 cup A&H Washing Soda
1 gallon water

Items needed:
1 empty plastic laundry detergent container
1 stock pot (large enough to hold a gallon of water easily)
1 wooden spoon
1 funnel ( I didn't have one handy so I cut a water bottle in half and inverted it - works fine)
Measuring cups

Please note: only use a stock pot or equivalent that you won't be using for anything else - I ruined a quality pot thinking it's only soap - it will wash off.  I now have a very expensive soap making pot. 

Just pour your water in and add the other ingredients and turn heat to medium. Stir about every 10 minutes or so to help the Ivory soap on top to break up.  This takes roughly 30-45 minutes.  The goal is to slowly melt the Ivory soap until it blends with the liquid.  Depending on your stove, don't go too far away since it may boil over. On my stove, medium is consistent but medium-high can boil over.  It will start getting goopy and this usually means it's done.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.  This can take a while so I make it in the morning and by midday, it's ready to pour.  When it is cool - it will be like gelatin.  Simply stir and if it's too thick, add a little water.  Scoop or pour into empty plastic laundry detergent container.  I use about 1/2 cup per load, remember this is not a concentrate.

Note: if you are in love with detergents because of the way they smell, you may not enjoy this.  Some people may add essential oils to make it smell fluffy, but I haven't tried this yet. 

Cost Breakdown
I purchase my ingredients at WalMart and have included pictures below. 

The cost per gallon for the Borax is $.16 (76 oz div by 4 oz or 1/2 cup = 19, then cost div by 19)
The cost per gallon for the A&H Super Washing Soda is $.25 (55 oz div by 4 oz or 1/2 cup)
The cost per gallon for the Ivory soap is $.14 (3 bar pack at $1.33 div 9 - using 1/3 bar per gallon)
Grand total is $.55 per gallon.  Sounds pretty good right?  It gets better when you divide that by 32 which is the approximate number of loads per gallon using 1/2 cup per load.  Drum roll please....$.01 (0.017) PER LOAD!  I don't know about you but I love it!  Compare that to Tide using their  Tide 2x Ultra For High Efficiency Machinest Liquid Laundry Detergent, Original Scent, 150 oz priced at $17.97 online at WalMart.  It will wash 96 loads (medium size) and 48 (large size) costing $.18 per load and $.37 per load respectively.  I can easily wash 2-3 loads per day and over weeks and months that can really add up to a big savings.  I honestly can't remember the last time I bought laundry detergent - it's been at least 6 months and I have only had to repurchase Ivory soap.  I still use the traditional stain lifting spray and have found a way to stretch my fabric softener, but that is another story. 

This works well for me and my family and it saves us quite a bit of money.  If you find a good thing - share it!  If you have another recipe or something you do to save money, post a comment and share your wisdom with others!


Have a clean laundry day!

In Him,


Sara

Shopping online

Can you remember back before online shopping was a glimmer in some programmers eye?   I can too. I even remember when cell phones weren't around either, wow, or computers for that matter.  I guess you can figure out about how old I am based on that.  I do enjoy my smart phone, probably too much, and also enjoyed a childhood filled with riding bikes, playing outside and looking forward to Saturday morning cartoons.  Yes, for those of you who may not know this, they only came on once a week. Gasp!  I still have wonderful memories of my brother and I getting up while the color bars were still on the tv and sitting in front of the furnace vent in the winter.  We also had a record player and listened to 33's.   I wouldn't trade my childhood for anything.  Thank you Mom Dad. 

These days it's not so easy.  The computer has changed everything -some for the better and some not.  I wouldn't be talking to you right now for instance.  One of the positives is online shopping.  I am a huge fan and have been so since we lived in Alaska.  There is nothing like trying to box up Christmas presents and ship them 5,000 miles to family.  Yes, online shopping, wrapping and delivery was a blessing to us!  I still shop online frequently and I must give Amazon.com a shout out.  My most recent purchase was some parts for our pool cleaner.  Remember, I will try and fix it myself first.  I needed 3 parts for the wheels and found them for $2.40 each.  The total with shipping was around $12.00.  I went to my local pool store and checked the retail price and they wanted $9.95 each.  The employee asked if I needed help and I told her honestly that I was comparing prices to an online store (I was buying other items from them so I didn't feel too bad).  She asked how much I was paying online and I think she got upset when I told her.  She commented that if you buy online you have to wait a few days, but if I can save that much - I will wait!  You can find pretty much everything on Amazon.com - I have purchased books, video games for the kids, and other items.  You do have to check the sellers rating and I like to read the reviews of products before I buy them. 

If you haven't used online shopping and would like to check it out, I put up a link for Mother's Day beside this post that will take you straight to Amazon.com.  I hope you check it out and that it makes your life a little easier!

Oh, and check back tomorrow because I am trying a new recipe for Summer - I will let you know how it turns out and if it's really good, I will add it to my Recipe Page.


In Him,

Sara 

Rejoice!

"Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!"   Phillippians 4:4

I can't get this out of my head so it's going on post first.  I hope your morning has been blessed and your coffee is just right.  I prayed this morning for God to give me a word to carry with me today and this is the one.  I have come across the verse 3 times in the last week and I don't believe in coincidence so I am sharing it with you.  By itself, this verse is powerful as it calls us to be able to rejoice in the Lord always, not just on Sunday mornings, or when our bubble feels just right.  It says always.  That's not so easy some days.  We all face things that make us want to do the opposite of rejoice. Sometimes we want to wallow in self-pity, anger and resentment which is so much easier than choosing to rejoice in the Lord.   The next few verses add to the beauty and power of verse 4. 

Verses 5-7:  "Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus". 

When the storms of life come, and they will, go straight to God with them.  The key is to go to him with a thankful heart.  He is not a drive-thru service where you present your requests and out they come with straws and napkins.  The answer may be "Yes, No or Later".  Sometimes it takes me a few minutes when I go to him in prayer to peel off the layers of this world and my hectic schedule to truly be still before him.  When I do this it allows me to recall countless things to be thankful for, first and foremost the sacrifice Jesus made for me so I can choose the gift of eternal life.   When that peace of God fills me, everything changes back to focusing on him and not the worries of the world.  I can rejoice in the Lord always because he is always there.  There is nothing too big for my God. 

I pray that you can find a quiet time to spend with God this week. 


In Him,


Sara

Trouble in Laundry Fairy land

Yes - we had some trouble yesterday with the washing machine and as I type this I have my fingers crossed that the trouble is over.  I noticed the washer wasn't draining all the way and then saw the dreaded error code and the washer stopped.  For some of you that may not mean much. For me, the last time this happened we went a record 18 days without use of both washer and dryer.  The first 3 days were without the washer and the rest without the dryer.  We managed to get through the washer issue without too much trauma, but boy not having a dryer was a challenge.  There aren't too many laundromats around here, so I had to improvise and I wish I had pictures!  We live in Texas and it gets really hot here in the summer.  So I decided to use the natural dryer that God created and hang our clean wet clothes out back on the patio furniture.  I strung up jump ropes and used them as drying lines.  Our underclothes were cleverly placed where they wouldn't be seen by anyone.  I will say even though the clothes weren't as soft as usual, they sure dried faster in the Texas sun.  I think I got more laundry done during that time than ever before.  We have a Homeowners Association here and they would not have been pleased with our back yard looking like the Beverly Hillbillies!

Anyway, I personally like to try and fix things first before I call a repairman.  I do not mess with electrical, gas or plumbing stuff unless it's very, very general.  I do watch the technicians and ask questions very sweetly so I can learn what they are doing.  I feel more informed and have fixed many things myself that way.  I did just that with the washer when he came out last time so I knew where to start. This time I opened the base of the washer (front loader) and checked the filter first.  It usually eats socks and things.  I didn't find socks, but I found bobby pins, coins, parts of jewelry and gook.  Nice.  Be aware though, it you check this, water will come out and flood your laundry room floor, so have lots of towels ready.  This didn't fix the problem, so I checked the hose on the back and found nothing.  Then I took off the screws on the back and took the top off so I could check the connections (I made sure to UNPLUG the washer first!) and put it all back together.  So far, so good.  I used the opportunity to clean out from under the washer which wasn't pleasant.  But hey, at least it's clean again.  I try to be smart and call a technician when I need one, but it doesn't hurt for women to know a little about the home they take care of.  I will leave you with one important one - know where the water main is and have a way to turn it off in case of a broken pipe or water heater.  Ours is at the street and you have to have a wrench or special tool to turn that thing.  Just a tip!


Happy Laundry day!


Sara

Organized - Please?

As I sit here with a steaming cup of coffee in my hand, it is the end of the week and so many thoughts are still running through my mind, mostly of things I didn't get done.  I didn't wash the dogs, clean the shower, organize the pantry (again), clean out my truck or even send that email.  Sigh. They will just have to wait until next week and if I am organized enough, they might even make my planner pages.  I am an organized perfectionist trapped in an imperfect, unorganized body.  I am drawn to tips on organization, simply lifestyles, living clutter free and have read books on how to be more organized, but seem to like creating the processes more than maintaining them.  I love making lists (my Dad would be so proud!) and yes, I have actually made a list of lists to make.  

Organization seems to go in cycles around here.  But by the next time the cycle rolls around, the previous round is back to square one of disorganization.  Granted we have a lot of people living in this house, 7 to be exact (not to mention 2 dogs), and each one has their own stuff .  We purge and regularly donate items in good condition to our local Helping Hands which helps a bit.  When I see areas that need to be organized, but instead of seeing just one area, I tend to lump all of the areas of need together and sometimes suffer from Analysis Paralysis.  I have thoughts like "I can't get it all done - it's too much!" or " I will wait until I have more time".  I think one problem is that I start a large or in depth project and have to stop after a short time to pick up kids or make it to a meeting.  Then when I come back it, it feels like I have only made a bigger mess.  My motivation is out the window.  Can anyone else relate?   I will set a few small goals this week such as:

1.  Get my office and paperwork filed and organized.
2.  Go through my pantry and organize one shelf per day.
3.  Clean out my truck (even under the seats). 

That covers three major areas for me, the office, kitchen and my second home, the truck. 
If you are an organized person, please feel free to post tips and advice - I could always use it!

Have a blessed and organized day!


Sara

Homemade soap?

I am not a serious naturalist, but the idea of getting back to life in a simpler way is very appealing to me.  I grew up camping (loved it!) and I wonder if I wasn't meant to live on a farm, somewhat self -sufficient.  I would have to go the store for my meat though, unless my husband would take care of that for me.  Seriously, if we had farm animals, they would all have names therefore they would not end up on my dinner table!  I love the idea of having a garden and canning jams, but I realistically live in suburbia so unless we move, it will remain a dream.  There is something simply innocent when I think about hanging sheets on a line in the sunshine to dry.  Appealing.  There was a television series where modern families who voluntarily lived in a 3-4 house village with other families and they learned to truly live off the land the way it was done long before electricity.  I can't remember the name, but it was fascinating.  Watching teenagers used to texting learn to make soap and bread from scratch, mend fences, raise livestock and build barns - amazing!  They came out of the experience so much richer.  I may have to Google it. 
On that simple life note, I am seriously thinking about trying to make my own bar soap. I want to see if it would be cheaper than buying it and I would feel pretty good about knowing what was in it and that I had made it for my family.  I have been researching ingredients and how to make it.  It is much more involved than I thought, but I am still going to try it.  I want to make a simple lavender and maybe a vanilla to start off.  There are lots of sites to order ingredients from but I am going to try and find the ingredients locally so I can actually see and smell them first.  The only item I can't find easily is the lye.  From what I have seen, using lye can be dangerous so I will have to educate myself on it.  Who knows, if it goes well, I may start a homemade soap business and add lotions and such later.  I will post later on what I find out.  If any of you have any tips or advice, please post them.

In Him,

Sara

I AM SECOND

Good day to you all!  I didn't have time to post yesterday and barely time today!  This Stay At Home Mom (SAHM) sure hasn't been home much.  So I am behind on everything.  This morning held two dental appointments, delivering Meals on Wheels, putting dinner in the crock pot and now it's off to pick up kids from 3 schools.  Please don't get me wrong, I am not really complaining.  I think the true heroes are the parents who work outside of the home and come home after a long day and still have to take care of the family and home.  My virtual hat is off you my friends. 

There is a group that I think is wonderful and uplifting - I AM SECOND.  It is a rapidly growing movement that emphasizes and teaches on how to put Jesus Christ first and yourself second.  The website link is www.iamsecond.com and it has many video testimonies of famous athletes, performers, musicians and people like you and me.  The stories are real and they will move you.  It will show you that so many in the limelight were in the dark and struggled in so many different ways.  From abuse to addiction and more, they surrendered to Jesus and were brought from the darkness into the light of eternal life.

Colossians 1:13-14   "He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

 Here is one video that is my favorite, being a Texas Rangers fan and all...

Josh Hamilton I AM SECOND

 

Please take a few minutes and check the website out - there are folks from many walks of life.

If you like this post, please click on the Join now button on the side to let me know.

In Him,

Sara