I'd love to exchange frugal ideas
By dixie5150
@dixie5150 (129)
United States
January 12, 2008 11:00am CST
There are several things I do to save money on the grocery bill I'd like to share. And I'd love to hear how you save money. I make a lot of my own products instead of buying already prepared stuff in boxes. If you'd like the "recipes" for any of these let me know and I will post them.
1. I make my own laundry detergent. It costs me $5.00 a year to make my own and I do around 4 loads a week.
2. Use vinegar in a downy ball for softner. It works better, costs less and removes any odors and residues from your clothes.
3. Use peroxide (or vinegar and amonia)instead of windex. It does not leave streaks.
4. Make my own mayo (about 75 cents compared to $2.50)
5. Make my own corn syrup, 50 cents instead of $1.28
6. Make my own Bisquick mix
7. Make my own tomato soup
8. Make my own chocolate syrup
9. MMO pancake syrup
10. MMO cream of chicken soup
11. MMO croutons
12. MMO stove top stuffing
13. MMO granola cereal and granola bars
14. MMO pepperoni
15. MMO bread
16. MMO frozen pie crust. This is great cause I can freeze it in baggies and just pull it out when I'm ready.
17. MMO cinnamon bread instead of buying premade snacks
18. MMO cake mix, this can also be prepared ahead of time and stored in a baggie till ready to use.
19. MMO icing
20. I also have casserole recipes for just about any meal. Instead of pizza we have pizza casserole.
21. MMO chicken stock
22. Instead of papertowels I bought 4 dozen microfiber towels, they can be found in the automotive department for $4.95 a dozen. Four dozen towels last the whole week and I wash them on the weekend. So for $20 I don't have to buy papertowels again.
And if you are fortunate enough to have enough room for a milk cow and some chickens they are a great investment. We make our own buttermilk, butter, sometimes cheese, and we have all the eggs we need. Even some leftover to sell. Any of your ideas would be appreciated. And if you want any of the recipes or websites that tell you how for any of the above, just let me know and I'll post them. .
3 people like this
2 responses
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
13 Jan 08
I do the following:
1. vinegar and baking soda for as many cleaning duties as possible
2. Find the best buys for the least amount of money
3. reuse as much stuff as I can, like magazines and so on to give people presents and gifts.
Right now I work outside the home and am on computer so much that I don't do as much as I used to.
4. Forage for wild food
5. Collect things from the wild to make things for presents
I want to make my own shampoo from wild plant roots, but this past year, everything went buy before I could get to anything. Most years in the past, I made my own jams and jellies. Stuff grew so fast and went by so fast, it was crazy. 3 days on fiddle head ferns and I was working those days. They were almost ready and 4 days later, they were unfurled plus it down poured all three days and I had to work those days. That list is the dream I wanted to live and have gone farther and farther away from. But in 5 years I can retire and I hope to do so. Then I would like to live very frugally. Take care
@dixie5150 (129)
• United States
13 Jan 08
I have been wanting to try my making my own shampoos, soaps and lotions but it looks like such an involved process, I'm not sure I have the time for it. Frugal living can be time consuming. But I think for me it's more about being self-sufficient.
1 person likes this
@Winter08 (441)
• Canada
6 Feb 08
Thank you for this great discussion. I especially like the paper towel substitute. Paper towels are certainly fast and convenient. But ... so much paper used just clean ups. And the cost of them ... just kees increasing.
I had been planning on using worn sheets, but your microfiber towels are a much better idea.
