Tip

Ok I know this is not a new tip but it's new to me so I thought I would share it with you. I thought it was the neatest thing.

I take my drier sheets as they are taken from the drier (used) and use them to wipe off my lent catcher. It does such a good job,I love it!!! Then I just throw out the dirty used drier sheet and toss it in the trash.

One product,two uses,I love it!


Do you have any homemaking tips you would like to share with us to help make our live just a little easier?

I stocked up a bit this week

When John and I went shopping this week I took advantage of the sales at Kroger and stocked up on some meat items and can items. All in all I was only $10.00 over our budget of 150.00 a week for groceries. I was pleased. I saved almost 61.00 in coupon and Kroger savings. I'm really getting into this whole coupon thing. LOL I love watching the amount fall and owing so much less when I have to pay.

So now my pantry is nice and stocked with lots of veggies and can foods. The freezer is getting there too. Just the way I like it. A few more good sales and it should be well stocked as well.

Do you use coupons to help cut cost? Do you do pretty well?

One thing I noticed lately is that in our area there are now more coupons in the Sunday's paper than there normally is. I even noticed a new coupon provider in there this past Sunday. I hope this is a regular thing. That on top of getting coupons loaded to my Kroger card from
http://pgesaver.com and www.shortcuts.com I am able to stack my coupons to get the most off my grocery total.

If you are not a coupon user I urge you to give it a try. Start small and slow and soon you will get the handle on it and you'll be surprised of how much you can really save if you are a careful shopper.

God Bless,
Tammy

I am determined

I am determined to get our gas,water and electricity as low as I can. I'm going to see if I can do it. I turn the heat down during the day,up for a bit a little in the evening,back down when we go to bed and up a bit in the mornings,I use only florescent bulbs, I have and he front load washer and a drier with dry sensor that shuts off when the clothes are dry so it's not running when it's not needed, I have a low flow shower head and I only run the dishwasher at night before bed, I am unplugging the things that continually use electricity even when not in use,like the computer,and modem,microwave,our lcd tv,ect. Lights are turned off unless your returning to that room right away. We have all new windows in our house and most of our rooms are well insulated and what is not is on our list. I want to insulate the floors next as well and the water pipes that are exposed in the basements as it get really cold down there.

Any more tips would be great!!!!

Easy Clean for your Microwave

This came in a newsletter from debtproofliving.

I needed a way to clean my microwave when I could not get rid of the smell and splatters from a garlic dish. I wet two large paper towels with warm water and laid them on a paper plate. I squirted Dawn dishwashing liquid all over the top and put it in the microwave oven on high for two minutes. When I opened the door, the oven smelled fresh and I could easily wipe the particles from the inside. It looks like new

A Little About Honey

I use honey more often over sugar in my baking,because it's natural and doesn't reek havoc on your insulin levels like sugar can. I found this article a long time ago on http://www.thefamilyhomestead/ and kept it to read when I need to.

A Little About Honey

If you are trying to use less refined white sugar in your diet then you may want to consider using honey.

It is one of the oldest forms of sweetener and is the only truly natural sweetener that needs no other processing done to it, other than removing it from the hives.

Honey contains some B vitamins as well as minerals. It is easily digested and has fewer calories than sugar for an equal amount of sweetening power.

When purchasing honey be sure to buy it raw. Raw honey has not been heat treated to kill off all the nutritionally good things. If you suffer from allergies to pollen than consuming raw honey from a local source can help to build immunities to those local pollens.

Honey that crystallizes is normal and is a good sign that the honey has not been processed. If your honey crystallizes simply set the container in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes and it will thin out again.

When you are using honey for baking it helps to measure oils first and then measure the honey in the same container. This helps the honey not stick and slide out easily.

You can use your favorite recipes and replace the honey with sugar. I would suggest using a ½ cup to ¾ cup honey for every cup of sugar called for. Also you will need to reduce the amount of liquid in your recipe by about ¼ cup.

Here is an easy and tasty recipe using honey:

Honey Muffins Yield: 12 muffins

2/3 cup honey
½ cup orange juice
1/3 cup melted butter
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
2 ¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour, freshly ground
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
½ t salt

In a medium bowl combine honey, orange juice, butter, eggs and vanilla. Mix this very well. In a smaller bowl combine dry ingredients and mix well. Put the dry mixture into the liquid and mix until just moistened. Fill muffin cups about 2/3rd’s full. Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes or until nice and golden.

Crystal Miller

Month by Month List of Best Times to Buy

This list was posted in a yahoo group I use to have by a very good friend of mine.

January:
Small appliances, Blankets, Quilts, Bedding, Towels, Computers


February:
Housewares, Bedding, Floor Coverings, Furniture, Coats

March:
China, Glassware, Washers, Dryers, Houses, Air conditioners, Corned beef (Just beforeSt Patrick's Day), Frozen foods

April:
Eggs,Paint,Wallpaper,Kitchen stove

May:
Towels, linens, Radios, Televisions

June:
Bedding, Floor Coverings, Furniture

July:
Hotdogs, ground beef, Washers, Dryers, Craft supplies, Fabric

August:
Fresh vegetables, Rugs, Towels, linens, Bathing suits, Summer footwear, Pens, pencils, paper, Kid's clothing, Patio and lawn furniture

September:
Root vegetables, Housewares, China, Glassware

October:
Fabrics, Rugs, Houses

November:
Autumn decorations, Ham, Turkey, Houses, Flour, Sugar

December:
Houses,Flour,Sugar,Seasonal decorations (after theholiday)

Skirt sticking to your tights/leggings?

I had the same problem. I put on my tights and my long denim skirt and as I was walking I noticed that my skirt kept riding up my leg and sticking to my tights. So I did a search on the subject and found my solution. To spray my tights with a little water and boom it worked great. I know some ladies say wear a slip but the skirt as a slit and it would not look to nice showing my slip as most of my slips are long because my dresses and skirts are so this worked for me and I hope it works for you too if you find yourself in the same boat.

Of course my tnt favorite is static guard. But I was out and this is pretty nifty,the only down side is that I have to spray my legs again.

God Bless,
Tammy

Peroxide - Safer and Healthier than Bleach

A friend of mine emailed this to me a while back and thought it was interesting. So I'm sharing it with you. Gives you something to think about.

This was written by Becky Ransey of Indiana (a doctor's wife), and I want to share it with you. She was over recently for coffee and smelled the bleach I was using to clean my toilet and counter tops. This is what she told me...I would like to tell you of the benefits of that plain little ole bottle of 3% peroxide you can get for under $1.00 at any drug store.What does bleach cost? My husband has been in the medical field for over 36 years, and most doctors don't tell you about peroxide. Have you ever smelled bleach in a doctor's office? NO!!! Why? Because it smells, and it is not healthy! Ask the nurses who work in the doctor's offices, and ask them if they use bleach at home. They are wiser and know better!

Did you also know bleach was invented in the late 40's? It's chlorine, Folks! And it was used to kill our troops. Peroxide was invented during WWI in the 20's. It was used to save and help cleanse the needs of our troops and hospitals. Please think about this.

1. Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the bottle) and hold in your mouth for 10 minutes daily, then spit it out. (I do it when I bathe.) No more canker sores, and your teeth will be whiter without expensive pastes. Use it instead of mouthwash.

2. Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup of peroxide to keep them free of germs. 3. Clean your counters and table tops with peroxide to kill germs and leave a fresh smell. Simply put a little on your dishrag when you wipe, or spray it on the counters.

4. After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it to kill salmonella and other bacteria.

5. I had fungus on my feet for years until I sprayed a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let dry.

6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes several times a day. My husband has seen gangrene that would not heal with any medicine but was healed by soaking in peroxide.

7. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water and keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without harming your septic

system like bleach or most other disinfectants will. 8. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50 mixture whenever you have a cold, plugged sinus. It will bubble and help to kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes, and then blow your nose into a tissue.

9. If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a dentist right away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your mouth and hold it for ten minutes several times a day. The pain will lessen greatly.

10. And of course, if you like a natural look to your hair, spray the 50/50 solution on your wet hair after a shower and comb it through. You will not have the peroxide-burnt blond hair like the hair dye packages but more natural highlights if your hair is a light brown, faddish, or dirty blond. It also lightens gradually, so it's not a drastic change.

11. Put half a bottle of peroxide in your bath to help rid boils, fungus, or other skin infections.

12. You can also add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load of whites in your laundry to whiten them. If there is blood on clothing, pour it directly on the soiled spot. Let it sit for a mi nute, then rub it and rinse with cold water. Repeat if necessary.

13. I use peroxide to clean my mirrors. There is no smearing, which is why I love it so much for this. I could go on and on. It is a little brown bottle no home should be without! With prices of most necessities rising, I'm glad there's a way to save tons of money in such a simple, healthy manner!

Money Saving Tips

I sent this in to my yahoo group a few years back. Things I do to save money for my family. And with times being so tough and getting tougher I thought it may be useful to someone and to remind myself as well.

1. take shorter showers
2. I cut my drier sheets into 3rds making one box last me months
3. Drink water
4. I filled up an old water bottle with pebbles and placed it in the back of the toilet so it use less water now per flush.
5. hang as much laundry to dry if possible for as long as possible
6. make more meals at home and from scratch as possible.
7. make my own laundry detergent
8. make my own bread
9. garden and preserve the produce
10. use up leftovers
11. keep heat down as low as one can
12. use ceiling fans and put off turning on the ac for as long as possible/use ceiling fans to circulate the heat in the winter to save money on your heating bill.
13. keep lights off unless it's needed
14. turn off tv and computer monitor when not using it
15. don't use dry cycle on dish washer,let them air dry
16. don't buy boxed cereals make oatmeal instead its cheaper and healthier
17. don't drive unless absolutely necessary and try to combine trips
18. when cooking make a double batch and freeze one so your only using the stove/oven once
19. use coupons for eating out
20. use a hand soap pump for shampoos and conditioners and body washes to use less
21. save your change it all adds up.

God Bless,
Tammy

Automatic Savings

I don't know about you but it is hard for me to make sure I am saving part of our take home pay. Or as some say paying ourselves first. When I know we have bills due and food to buy for the house. Well I was thinking last night pay us first. Ok the only way that I would be able to pull this off is to have it done automatically like they do for the insurance,401K and union dues,just take it out automatically.

I got up this morning and set it all up. Starting February 1 we will be making weekly deposits into our savings automatically. I won't have to think about it anymore b/c it's being done for me. YEAH!!!!

Saving Money

Ok I know it's not a new thing to hear that times are tough and the cost of living is rising. But it's true and it's hard to get by on what your were getting by on a year or two ago. Sad but so so true!

I for one get so irritated by the rising prices of basics. We are a family of 5 and go through alot of milk,eggs,and bread.

After hearing the responses of many wonderful women,I am determined to get a handle on the expenses around here. Get the utilities down as much as I can possibly get them down. Don't waste anything,use leftovers up,shop at home first,use up all of that last little bit of something,reuse containers if at all possible.

I am going to start doing the bulk of my meat shopping at Kroger when they have good sales on them as well as some of our fresh vegetables and fruits. I do alot of shopping at Aldi's now and get alot of our fruits and vegetables from there and have no complaints and will continue to do so. I know that I can get a wider variety at Kroger and when I can get them for a great price I will do it. I'm going to start doing some investment cooking on such meal starters,such as marinated chicken,meatloaf,meatballs,ect. I will stretch our meat portions and use less per recipe. This Spring we will plant another vegetable garden and strawberry patch. We will pick as many black berries as humanly possible if the neighbors down the road don't get to them first. On warmer,sunny,breezy days I will hang our laundry out to dry instead of using the dryer. I am running our dishwasher once a day and after 11 right before I go to bed. I don't use the dryer there either. All in all I know this will help or at least I hope it will. LOL

If you have any tips or tricks for stretching the family budget that you would like to share post a comment with your money saving tips and tricks. I know that I would love to get as many as I can and use as many as I can and I'm sure I'm not the only one!!! : )

God Bless,
Tammy

My Views On Saving Money!!

I do alot of reading on the net and in books about saving money and living on less or below your means. I do agree with them and I admire those that live a wonderful life on next to nothing.

One thing that I see in most articles,books,websites on this whole subject of frugal living is clothes buying. I see more times than not that they recommend you shop at thrift stores. I agree with that as well for more reasons that just getting a good deal,for recycling as well. But one thing I wanted to say and how I shop for NEW clothes at name brand stores like Kohls,JCPenny,Sears,American Eagle,ect. and still save tons on our clothing bill. I first and foremost shop sales always. I go through the fliers and see what's on sale and if it's within my guidelines it's great I'll go and see what deals I can find.

I have gotten South Pole jeans for my youngest son and paid far less than retail at Penny's. I do this with everything I buy. I got a pair of KSwiss shoes for my son and only paid 15.99 on clearance at Kohls. I'm not opting out of thrift shopping, I'm just saying there are also deals to be found at departments stores you just have to keep your eyes open.

Shop the sales, keep your eyes out for sales that say a percentage off anything including clearance (I love those sales),shop the clearance racks,only buy what you need,shop the end of season sales you can get really good deals on things then, and above all else no matter how you shop for your clothing use your common sense.