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<blockquote data-quote="susiestar" data-source="post: 98333" data-attributes="member: 1233"><p>I shop per ounce or unit, NOT necessarily in bulk. Whatever is the cheapest per unit of what we will use. If we won't use it, it does not matter how cheap it is.</p><p></p><p>Laundry has been my BIGGEST savings this last year. We use the dryer, and the washer. But the products have been a huge savings.</p><p></p><p>I buy Rosa Venus soap for body (IGA, bar soap area 27cents). I grate 1 bar in the food processor. Then I measure in 2 cups borax and 2 cups WASHING soda. I process this together with the steel knife so that the soap is cut up as fine as possible and things mix well. Washing soda was just $2.79 and it has 6 cups in the box. Borax is about the same price. </p><p></p><p>By grating the soap, then using the steel knife of the processor to blend everything, you have tiny particles that dissolve even in our winter cold well water. I use 2 measure Tablespoons in a large load.</p><p></p><p>I had some lightweight woven fabric I tore into roughly 4" squares. I mix the cheapest liquid fabric softener 1 part to 4 parts water. This is in a small container. Scrunch up a piece of fabric and dip it into the softener, squeeze off what you can, and toss it in. DO NOT wipe fingers wet with softener mix on clothes. It will leave grease marks. slightly dripping fabric squares are not a problem.</p><p></p><p>Dry as usual, when folding put the fabric square back in the container of dry fabric pieces. Reuse until you lose them or they fall into the litter box and the cat pees on them.</p><p></p><p>For color safe bleach similar to clorox 2 take one 32 ounce bottle. Pour in 8 ounces of hydrogen peroxide (half of that bottle that always gets dumped when one of hte kids tries to use it). Fill with water. Use 1/4 to 1/2 cup per load. I reqularly squirt this diluted mixture on clothes as the water is filling up. I have not had problems with bleached spots unless the peroxide is added last and it is not shaken well.</p><p></p><p>I use a paste of dishwasher soap mixed into tough stains wtih an old toothbrush. Then just toss in and wash. If you let it sit, then you sometimes have a bleached area. </p><p></p><p>For those of us with painful hand problems, use a cheap electric toothbrush (I usually pick one with a pretty used up head, bought for about $1 new with a coupon and a sale) to scrub the paste into stains.</p><p></p><p>Grease stains? dish soap. I do buy DAWN. The regular stuff. I use such a small amount on dishes, whatever, that with a coupon it ends up being far cheaper than the store brands.</p><p></p><p>IF you end up with a peroxide based contact lens solution (aosept and ultraclear are 2) that you cannot use, they are excellent at removing stains. I did this to use up aosept when I quit wearing lenses years ago. I actually managed to pry off the little red tip and fill it up with a 1/2 and 1/2 peroxide and water solution. This is NEVER EVEr FOR CONTACT LENSES OR EYE USE!!) It is a great bleach for blood and protein stains, and is a very handy application method. I found needle nosed pliers worked and the bottles lasted a long time. It is absolutely vital to RELABEL.</p><p></p><p>Kids using up peroxide right, left and center for skinned knees?</p><p></p><p>Put the peroxide into a labelled spray bottle. Then just spray it on the cuts and scrapes.</p><p></p><p>For more frugal tips, tricks and ideas and recipes than you can process in a day, get a copy of Amy Daczyian (sp?) book titled The Tightwad Gazette. It was a newsletter that was compiled into a book. Then into a 2nd volume. Then a 3rd. All 3 volumes are titled The Complete Tightwad Gazette.</p><p></p><p>For other recipes and ideas, there is a book titled Cheaper and Better. REally great recipes. </p><p></p><p>I also use Eliason, et al 's book Make A Mix Cookery. Yum. Make Taco seasoning, bread mix, biscuit mix, cake mix, all sorts of stuff many people pay a lot for.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="susiestar, post: 98333, member: 1233"] I shop per ounce or unit, NOT necessarily in bulk. Whatever is the cheapest per unit of what we will use. If we won't use it, it does not matter how cheap it is. Laundry has been my BIGGEST savings this last year. We use the dryer, and the washer. But the products have been a huge savings. I buy Rosa Venus soap for body (IGA, bar soap area 27cents). I grate 1 bar in the food processor. Then I measure in 2 cups borax and 2 cups WASHING soda. I process this together with the steel knife so that the soap is cut up as fine as possible and things mix well. Washing soda was just $2.79 and it has 6 cups in the box. Borax is about the same price. By grating the soap, then using the steel knife of the processor to blend everything, you have tiny particles that dissolve even in our winter cold well water. I use 2 measure Tablespoons in a large load. I had some lightweight woven fabric I tore into roughly 4" squares. I mix the cheapest liquid fabric softener 1 part to 4 parts water. This is in a small container. Scrunch up a piece of fabric and dip it into the softener, squeeze off what you can, and toss it in. DO NOT wipe fingers wet with softener mix on clothes. It will leave grease marks. slightly dripping fabric squares are not a problem. Dry as usual, when folding put the fabric square back in the container of dry fabric pieces. Reuse until you lose them or they fall into the litter box and the cat pees on them. For color safe bleach similar to clorox 2 take one 32 ounce bottle. Pour in 8 ounces of hydrogen peroxide (half of that bottle that always gets dumped when one of hte kids tries to use it). Fill with water. Use 1/4 to 1/2 cup per load. I reqularly squirt this diluted mixture on clothes as the water is filling up. I have not had problems with bleached spots unless the peroxide is added last and it is not shaken well. I use a paste of dishwasher soap mixed into tough stains wtih an old toothbrush. Then just toss in and wash. If you let it sit, then you sometimes have a bleached area. For those of us with painful hand problems, use a cheap electric toothbrush (I usually pick one with a pretty used up head, bought for about $1 new with a coupon and a sale) to scrub the paste into stains. Grease stains? dish soap. I do buy DAWN. The regular stuff. I use such a small amount on dishes, whatever, that with a coupon it ends up being far cheaper than the store brands. IF you end up with a peroxide based contact lens solution (aosept and ultraclear are 2) that you cannot use, they are excellent at removing stains. I did this to use up aosept when I quit wearing lenses years ago. I actually managed to pry off the little red tip and fill it up with a 1/2 and 1/2 peroxide and water solution. This is NEVER EVEr FOR CONTACT LENSES OR EYE USE!!) It is a great bleach for blood and protein stains, and is a very handy application method. I found needle nosed pliers worked and the bottles lasted a long time. It is absolutely vital to RELABEL. Kids using up peroxide right, left and center for skinned knees? Put the peroxide into a labelled spray bottle. Then just spray it on the cuts and scrapes. For more frugal tips, tricks and ideas and recipes than you can process in a day, get a copy of Amy Daczyian (sp?) book titled The Tightwad Gazette. It was a newsletter that was compiled into a book. Then into a 2nd volume. Then a 3rd. All 3 volumes are titled The Complete Tightwad Gazette. For other recipes and ideas, there is a book titled Cheaper and Better. REally great recipes. I also use Eliason, et al 's book Make A Mix Cookery. Yum. Make Taco seasoning, bread mix, biscuit mix, cake mix, all sorts of stuff many people pay a lot for. [/QUOTE]
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