Roughing It - Homemade Laundry Soap, The Verdict

Alright, I have been using homemade laundry soap long enough to feel like I know a bit about it, and here is my official tried and tested opinion.
This is the best recipe with the clearest and easiest to follow instructions. It was the first one I used, and it turned out the best.
For really dirty loads, I add an extra cup of washing soda to boost the cleaning power. And you really CAN use vinegar as a fabric softener (I noticed no fading or bleaching, but I don't use it in every load). The  "Dryer Balls" or reusable fabric softener sheets work fabby (just not on fuzzy baby blankets. Trust me)
BUT
Even with bleach and hot water, homemade laundry soap just doesn't cut it for whites or heavily soiled light colors. I have a baby, and a lot of her white & pastel colored items are now super stained.

So I recommend homemade soap for all medium and dark loads and the occasional light/white load. Which means that I went out today and purchased liquid laundry soap (a bit defeatedly, I assure you).

Along that train of thought though, YOU SERIOUSLY NEED TO TAKE A CALCULATOR, PEN and PAPER to the grocery store. I went in thinking I would pick up the cheapest detergent I could find and was all set to grab the biggest box of NoName powdered stuff when I noticed the amount of loads the box yielded. So I made my way down the isle with my calculator figuring out the price per load, and WONDER OF WONDERS, I got a name brand concentrated liquid detergent for way cheaper than the "economy" sized box. It just goes to show. They'll gouge you if they can so SHOP SMART!

Also, (although you thrifty animals probably already do this) today I bought the huge NoName brand dish detergent refill bottle and am just going to fill my empty Sunlight bottle up. It saves a bit of money, and it saves on packaging, so double bonus.

And can I just say that buying bulk is not always cheaper. Walnuts were twice the price in bulk as in the baking isle.

Spending Vs. Earning

If ever I was in doubt about my destiny as a stay at home mom (S.A.H.M.), this past week is proof positive that I am meant to either a) Stay home with my kids, b) Have no children and work; but definitely not c) Have kids and work.
In the span of two weeks I will have worked about 38 hours in addition to my regular SAHM duties, and (it being day 10 of my 14 day stretch) I am starting to feel... excessively respectful for the women who have to do this full time. Yes, I think that is exactly what I am feeling.
In addition to life's regular ups and downs, I am working almost 20 hours a week, packing lunches, doing laundry, cleaning house, making meals, listening to exuberant 20-somethings plan out their futures, run errands for other people, spend quality time with my distraught and disrupted one year old and on top of all of this, having to wear pantyhose and a full face of make up to be ignored and abused by women long old enough to know better.
And all I can say is that I hate the stress, and that the women out there who do this are crazy, amazing, tough and deserving of every praise. Stop and think for a moment. Some women work FULL TIME with children.
{Moment of respectful silence}

I am so grateful that I don't have to do this. That this week is simply an opportunity to help my old boss, replace what I spent last week, top up the grocery fund and buy a few much needed items.

But in order to not have to do this every week, I am willing to live with less.
I mean I would rather live without new clothes and nice cosmetics than be crazy stressed and neglect my family to have more money to buy more stuff. And I feel so blessed to be able to make that choice.

You can have money, or time; but no matter which way you choose to live, you will never get today back.

Sabbatical

Hullo Faithful Readers,

Sorry for letting you hang for the last week.
I took an unforeseen sabbatical.
And?
And I also spent money I didn't have in shopping therapy.
I did score some amazing deals, though.
I got a pair of high end leather shoes that retail around $180 for $20.
And I got some $30 moisturizer for $6.

I gave up on my naturopath diet for dinner one night and was repentant and reformed the next morning.

Anyways, I just wanted to let you know I hope to be back in the saddle this week.

If Organic is So Natural... Why isn't it Cheap?

Last night (THURSDAY), I had to go grocery shopping again because we ran out of produce and I can't eat much else. And I did my usual shop on Monday.
So I am a bit ripped off because our grocery bill is skyrocketing due to my Naturopath's instructions. How can I be frugal AND healthy?
I mean, you have no idea how frustrating it is to me that is cheaper to eat ALPHAGETTI or Noodle Soup, which are super processed and packaged foods, than it is to eat beans and rice, or fruit.
I try not to rant here too much, but DANG. DOUBLE POOP DANG.
Luckily this month I have a few opportunities to top up the grocery fund, but I can't help but think: In this RICH {and I mean REALLY REALLY RICH} country, why can't I afford to eat as God intended? Pure, wholesome, chemical free food?
Anyways, my friends, if you have the answer, enlighten me.
I will post again when my attitude has cleared up.
(Hmmfffph)

Scubbie Girls, taking a Break and the NEXT BIG THING

SO I read a few DIY Green cleaning books and watched a few DVD's, as you all know, and I am DONE. I like Karen Logan best, and all of the others were impractical or outrageously expensive (why NOT have a solar powered water heater?). I think I got really lucky by reading her first, because from what I have seen she is the clearest, most authentic and grounded author on the subject.
I hope that you have gotten as much out of the project as I have!
If I find new tips or tricks or (heaven forbid) a better book, I will post in future about it.

Right now I am turning my eyes towards money earning instead of money saving.
Interested? Here is what I am planning for my next project:
I have a few items that I would like to get rid of. I am hoping that by 'getting rid of' I actually mean SELL. So I am going to venture onto the online world of commerce and sell a few items on Craigslist, E-bay, etc., let you know how it goes, and give you any tips I come up with, because I happen to know you all have loads of crap in your closets you'd love to get some coinage for!

Energize THIS

Have you ever used rechargeable batteries?
I used to think that they were a waste of money; that they would lose their charge after 5 times and they would only work for a few hours before needing to be plugged in again. But THEN I married a techie who has opinions on all things electronic and was swept away in the tide of technological advance. First he talked me into buying my very own "Mac" and then he {very high handedly} told me that we use rechargeable batteries.
I will save you the trouble of reading THAT dialogue and tell you that I graciously agreed, knowing that I might possibly be mistaken about batteries. As it turns out, I was.
In the three and a half years we have been married, we have purchased four AA batteries twice, and they are still working very well in a myriad of little gadgets around the house. They come in a lovely little charger that plugs into a wall outlet.
Cost effectiveness? * * * * Four Stars
Depends - regular price for 4 batteries and a charger is $25-$30, and for the batteries alone is $15. BUT, you can find them on sale for $20 and $11 respectively. If you get the sale price, and each set of four lasts between 1-2 years (they've lasted longer for us), I'd say that's pretty good value for money.

Grocery Scrooge - Bread

I always do my grocery shopping first thing on Tuesday mornings. I try to get to the store between 8 and 8:30 - I love getting there when the displays are perfect and well stocked and I can take my time without being stampeded by 14 other people in a rust to get home.
Today my husband had a dentist's appointment on the other side of town, so I used that hour of dead space to save my self the trouble of having to shop tomorrow. I stopped at three different stores to price compare and bought a bit at each. It's worthwhile, at least where we live because the stores are very close, to go to each because each one has their specials meant to pull you in. Kin's Market has oranges for $.39 a pound, Safeway was scandalously expensive, and Superstore has cheap bread along with the lowest prices.
In Superstore, if you go early in the mornings there is always a rack near the bulk/meat departments FULL of day old bread and buns that are marked 50% off. Today I got 14 Grain Bread for $1.25, 12 Rolls for $1.25, 8 Wonder Hamburger Buns for $1.10 and a loaf of Sourdough for $1.20. Because they aren't fresh I  always freeze what we aren't going to eat that day.
I am a big advocate of making your own bread, but for the healthier loaves, you can't really beat prices between $1-2. And after trying my hand at bun making, I have to say that I prefer store bought buns for flavor, but it's just so much easier. And 12 cents a bun is pretty cheap.
Haha - cheap buns!

GIVEAWAY WINNER!

This morning I did the draw for the Clean House Clean Planet give away
and the Winner IS...
(drum roll, please)
CORY MAC!

I will get that to you this weekend, and a hearty congratulations!
Thank you to the others that participated - maybe you'll win next time!

Last Chance for the Giveaway!

I have the worst cold ever. I have been prone on the couch for a few days now and instead of getting better I seem to be getting worse... oh, the joys.

I just wanted to write to remind you that today is the last day for my Clean House Clean Planet giveaway - leave a comment on this post or the giveaway post for your chance to win. 

It's actually kind of funny because I thought it was this great idea and so far there's only one comment - I am guessing that not everyone is as excited about mixing their own cleaners as I am... :0D

Composter

So, as part of my new gardening persona, I decided to do composting. But compost bins were hard to find in town and when I looked online, ALL of them were more than $100. To put rotting vegetation in. Yeah, right.
So I went on craigs list.
And I would have you know that yesterday I became the proud owner of two recycled 58 gallon barrels (one for a rain barrel, one for composting) for the hot HOT price of $15 a piece. All I have to do to make the one in to a composting bin is drill a few holes in the bottom.
The rain barrel will be a bit trickier, because we are going to drill a tap into the bottom of it, but I have a plumber friend who is going to help us for cheap (maybe free?).
Also, I have been shopping around for gardening tools, and I got everything I needed for $2.50. Yep. I borrowed a shovel, edger and clippers, and purchased a spade, trowel and watering can for $2.50 at the local thrift store.
Man, I love a bargain.

A Green Experiment

I am going to try and grow a few herbs.
If you know me very well at all, you will know that I am very adept at killing plants and may be inclined to laugh, but I feel a new phase coming on, so I am willing to try and see if my brown thumb has turned green.
I purchased chives and rosemary at $1.79 a packet, and Stevia at $3.79 a packet. It cost about $6 for some seed starter and I am going to look at BFM for pots today. But I am also going to try using the bottom of a 4L milk jug as a starter container. If I  get a decent crop of Chives and Stevia, will definitely make back my expenses within a few months, so I think it's worth a gamble.
But I also (... I wonder if I have bitten off more than I can chew...) picked up onions and garlic for $2 a piece. I haven't decided yet how to plant them (in a container or the ground, but I would definitely make the money back if I can actually grow them.
Wish me luck... I am going to get started today.