Household

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Items I will never buy again - Because I can get them for FREE or Nearly Free!

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

The following is a list of household items that I will NEVER buy again! Or, for some of them, I will pay no more than a very small percentage of the retail cost. Of course, these are items my family and I use practically every day. Stick with me, and I will show you how I obtain these items using coupons and sales for FREE or next to FREE. Walgreens is my store of choice when shopping for these deals.

NEVER pay full or even reduced retail prices for the following Brand Name items. They can be obtained FREE by using coupons, store sales, and store incentive plans. Of course, you do have to pay the tax.

shampoo
conditioner
styling products
toothpaste
toothbrushes
mouthwash
floss
body wash for him and for her
soap
shaving cream
razors
air fresheners / deodorizers
tin foil
chap stick
makeup
toilet paper
paper towels
wet wipes for the bathroom
many cleaning products such as Windex. However, I am on a mission to use only homemade, “green” cleaning products and have stopped purchasing even these free or super-cheap items.
BBQ sauce/ salad dressings

Are you a couponer/ bargain hunter? Do you have a stockpile of household essentials that you obtained for next to nothing? I’d love to hear from you!

Are you interested to learn how I do this? Stick around! I’ll be posting deal scenarios as I come across them, so you too can start saving major money!

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Homemade and All Natural Fabric Softener

Friday, May 22nd, 2009

Fabric softeners are really expensive. Fabric softeners and dryer sheets are also not good for your dryer, your clothes, or your health.

They leave a coating your clothes, which makes them soft. This coating makes your laundry, such as towels and wash clothes less absorbent. It also contains many harmful chemicals that can irritate your skin and lungs.

Here is a site that discusses the dangers of commercial fabric softeners.
For a really scary look at the health risks of dryer sheets, read this article. If you’re like me, you’ll throw yours away immediately and begin using simple, natural solutions to softening your clothes.

Dryer sheets also coat your lint screen and dryer hose, making the dryer more susceptible to fire and increased wear and tear. To check your lint screen for this dangerous buildup, simply remove it and run water through it. If the water beads up, you have a waxy buildup. Take a scrub brush to gently clean it.

“Make” your own fabric softener!
I have begun using white distilled vinegar in a Downy Ball. Yes. Vinegar. It rinses the clothes fabulously clean, and DOES NOT leave your laundry smelling like pickles! Try adding drops of some essential oil to your Downy Ball if you would like a lightly scented load of laundry. I’m currently using Grapefruit.

According to this site, using 1/4 cup (or the amount called for on your Downy Ball) of white distilled vinegar to the final rinse will:

dissolve the alkalies in soaps and detergents, making the fabric cleaner, fluffier, and more absorbent.
prevent yellowing
bring out the bright colors (use 1/2 cup for this)
act as a fabric softener
attack mold and mildew

Another popular alternative to commercial fabric softeners is to use 1/2 cup of baking soda in the laundry. Add it right in with your detergent (hopefully home made!). It’s environmentally friendly, better for your health, and much more cost effective.

What about static?
Personally, I don’t have much static in my clothes. And what little I do have I can tolerate quite well. To eliminate this static without using the harsh, expensive chemicals found in fabric softeners/ dryer sheets, simply ball up a sheet of aluminum foil and toss it in the dryer. This can be reused and reused. And, if you’re like me, you can often get aluminum foil for free - making this the best!

I’d love to hear from you! Tell me how you are re-vamping your laundry to be more cost effective, healthier, and environmentally friendly!

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I’ve Begun My “Green Homemaking” Journey - Homemade Laundry Soap

Friday, May 22nd, 2009

One of the first areas of homemaking that I am trying to change is how I do the laundry. For about a year, I’ve been only washing our laundry in cold water. I first started using Tide Coldwater for this. I had great results. But it was ridiculously expensive. Then I switched to whatever brand was on sale at the time. Again, with good results. Now, I am taking it a step further and making my own laundry soap with all natural ingredients. I will admit - my first and primary reason for doing this began as an easy way to save some money. However, as I researched different “recipes” for making the detergent, I realized that I am also doing something very positive for the environment and my family’s health at the same time. Which is now more important to me than the money being saved!

Here is the recipe I use for making my laundry detergent:

1 bar Fels Naptha soap, shredded. Find this in the laundry Isle of Hannaford. Walmart doesn’t carry it. I chop it up and put it in my Magic Bullet. Or you could use a cheese grater. The idea is small, uniform pieces.
1 Cup Washing Soda. Again, find this in the laundry aisle of Hannaford. It’s made by Arm and Hammer.
1 Cub Borax. This is also in the laundry aisle of Hannaford. This is a fun product to own - you can do some fun science experiments with this, as well as use it for a very good, overall cleaner in you house.

Mix together and put in a covered container. Use 2 TBS for a full load of laundry.

Here is a site that lists lots of variations on home made laundry detergent, as well as lots of other home made cleaners. Check it out and get started!

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Mainely Mom

...a frugal Maine Mom’s blog.

Household

...now browsing by category

Items I will never buy again - Because I can get them for FREE or Nearly Free!

Homemade and All Natural Fabric Softener

I’ve Begun My “Green Homemaking” Journey - Homemade Laundry Soap