With the start of the new year, I'm sure you all have many new years resolutions. This year, I decided to tone down my usual new years resolutions craziness and focus on the essentials. My main goals are to simplify and balance my life. I never want to be one of those women who is doing the laundry or cleaning every day of the week, or going to the grocery store every other day to pick up a few things. I want each day to feel individual and special, and be able to have time to do the important things, like playing cars with my little boy.
So let me tell you about a few things I'm doing this year, although not all of them specifically deal with saving money (but I'm saving my sanity here, and that is worth something!!):
I make bread every Tuesday -- I bake it, cut it up, put it in a bread bag, and it's ready for sandwiches and toast all week.
I clean the house every Thursday -- this includes cleaning both bathrooms, dusting, mopping, sanitizing doorknobs and countertops, and any small organizing jobs that need to be done.
I do the laundry every Friday -- this includes sorting, washing, drying, folding, ironing, and putting away ($$ saved by not running the washer/dryer every day!)
I go grocery shopping every Saturday -- this includes planning my weekly menu, clipping coupons, and then going to my regular grocery store (Smiths), Sam's Club for bulk items, Rite Aid for toiletry items, and Sunflower Market for specialty items. ($$ saved by not running to the store every day!)
In the interest of full disclosure, I babysit my neighbor and have art class on Monday's and Wednesdays, which keeps me busy all day. So I keep those days free of house duties.
Also, we do many small household chores on a daily basis -- take out the garbage, run the dishwasher, clean the counter tops, pick up toys, etc.
By dividing up my week in this way, my life is suddenly more balanced than it ever has been. My laundry basket is full, but I'm not stressed about it because I know it will all be washed and put away today. We are running out of milk, but tomorrow is shopping day so why waste my time by running to the store today (especially when I'll probably come home with $20 worth of groceries!) -- we'll just have toast for breakfast. And each of these daily duties only takes me an hour or two of hands on time, so I have plenty of time for other things during the day.
When you have specific days dedicated to your various duties, you can better commit to each of them and perform better at each of them. You're probably not going to save much more money if you spend hours clipping coupons every day -- you're just going to hate couponing.
So do yourself a favor and bring a little balance into your life this year. Everyone, including your wallet, will be thanking you.
Showing posts with label Laundry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Laundry. Show all posts
Jan 28, 2011
May 27, 2010
Cheaper Cleaning Products: Part 2 (Merrick)
In my last post about cleaning products, I mentioned the plethora of cleaning products I have in my house. Each product has a different cleaning purpose, so in order to clean each area of my house I need LOTS of products.
A cheap cleaning product that cleans MANY areas around your home and can replace nearly all of those bottles? Baking Soda.
I've never personally used baking soda for cleaning, but after finding this list of ways to clean with it, I am converted. (Also, it's completely non-toxic).
Cleaning the Kitchen with Baking Soda
1. Use in the refrigerator, freezer, or cupboard to keep odors away.
2. To clean surfaces, sprinkle baking soda on a damp cloth. Wipe, then rinse with clean water.
3. To clean silver, use a paste of 3 parts baking soda to one part water. Rub the paste onto each item, then rinse with warm water and dry with a soft cloth.
4. To remove scuff marks or grease spills from the floor, sprinkle with baking soda and then wipe with a warm, damp cloth. This is even safe for no-wax floors!
5. For burnt-on food in the bottom of pots, sprinkle with baking soda, then add hot water. Let soak overnight; the dried on food will come loose much more easily.
Cleaning the Bathroom with Baking Soda:
1.To remove stubborn stains from most surfaces, use a baking soda paste (3 parts baking soda, one part water). Apply, let stand, then scrub or wipe clean.
2. Hairbrushes and combs can be cleaned in a baking soda solution.
3. To avoid clogged drains, pour 1/4 cup baking soda down weekly. Rinse through with hot water.
Cleaning the House with Baking Soda:
1. To remove scents from a carpet, sprinkle with baking soda. Let stand for at least fifteen minutes, then vacuum. Repeat as needed.
2. To quickly clean pets and remove "wet dog" odor, sprinkle with baking soda and brush out their fur.
3. Clean children's toys using 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart warm water. Submerge in this mixture (or wipe with a cloth dampened in it), then rinse with clear water.
Doing Laundry with Baking Soda:
1. Replace half of each measure of laundry detergent with baking soda to keep clothing fresh.
2. To remove grease stains, either add baking soda to the wash load or pretreat the stains with a baking soda paste.
3. Baking soda increases the effectiveness of chlorine bleach. Add 1 / 2 cup to your laundry, along with the usual amount of bleach.
Cleaning Outside the House with Baking Soda:
1. Baking soda can be used to help clean up grease spills.
2. To remove burnt food from the grill, sprinkle with baking soda, then soak. After several hours, the charred pieces will come loose easily.
3. Lawn furniture can be easily cleaned with a rinse of 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart warm water.
With Baking Soda available in large quantities at Sam's Club or Costco for only a few dollars, you can replace nearly all the cleaning products in your house for next to nothing.
Who's willing to try it with me?
A cheap cleaning product that cleans MANY areas around your home and can replace nearly all of those bottles? Baking Soda.
I've never personally used baking soda for cleaning, but after finding this list of ways to clean with it, I am converted. (Also, it's completely non-toxic).
Cleaning the Kitchen with Baking Soda
1. Use in the refrigerator, freezer, or cupboard to keep odors away.
2. To clean surfaces, sprinkle baking soda on a damp cloth. Wipe, then rinse with clean water.
3. To clean silver, use a paste of 3 parts baking soda to one part water. Rub the paste onto each item, then rinse with warm water and dry with a soft cloth.
4. To remove scuff marks or grease spills from the floor, sprinkle with baking soda and then wipe with a warm, damp cloth. This is even safe for no-wax floors!
5. For burnt-on food in the bottom of pots, sprinkle with baking soda, then add hot water. Let soak overnight; the dried on food will come loose much more easily.
Cleaning the Bathroom with Baking Soda:
1.To remove stubborn stains from most surfaces, use a baking soda paste (3 parts baking soda, one part water). Apply, let stand, then scrub or wipe clean.
2. Hairbrushes and combs can be cleaned in a baking soda solution.
3. To avoid clogged drains, pour 1/4 cup baking soda down weekly. Rinse through with hot water.
Cleaning the House with Baking Soda:
1. To remove scents from a carpet, sprinkle with baking soda. Let stand for at least fifteen minutes, then vacuum. Repeat as needed.
2. To quickly clean pets and remove "wet dog" odor, sprinkle with baking soda and brush out their fur.
3. Clean children's toys using 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart warm water. Submerge in this mixture (or wipe with a cloth dampened in it), then rinse with clear water.
Doing Laundry with Baking Soda:
1. Replace half of each measure of laundry detergent with baking soda to keep clothing fresh.
2. To remove grease stains, either add baking soda to the wash load or pretreat the stains with a baking soda paste.
3. Baking soda increases the effectiveness of chlorine bleach. Add 1 / 2 cup to your laundry, along with the usual amount of bleach.
Cleaning Outside the House with Baking Soda:
1. Baking soda can be used to help clean up grease spills.
2. To remove burnt food from the grill, sprinkle with baking soda, then soak. After several hours, the charred pieces will come loose easily.
3. Lawn furniture can be easily cleaned with a rinse of 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart warm water.
With Baking Soda available in large quantities at Sam's Club or Costco for only a few dollars, you can replace nearly all the cleaning products in your house for next to nothing.
Who's willing to try it with me?
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Mar 19, 2010
Savings in the Laundry Room (Carole)
So, here's another set of easy ideas for saving money -- in your laundry room.
Do you use the right amount of detergent when you do your laundry? If you use a liquid detergent, it seems obvious to fill up the cap to the top. Not so. If you read the side of the bottle, it will tell you to look closely at the cap and you'll see that there are faint lines inside that indicate the amount you should use for a small/medium load and a large load. These lines are unbelievably hard to see. I had to feel for them with my fingers so that I could mark the outside of the cap for this photo. You will notice that both of these lines are significantly below the top of the cap. By filling your cap to the top for every load, you are using more than double the amount recommended for a small/medium load. This also means you are not getting your full loads/bottle for your money. Instead of the advertised 40 loads, you are getting about 20, doubling your cost to wash each load of laundry.
The same is true for those of us who use powdered detergent. The lines on the scoop in the box are much easier to see, but probably just as ignored by most of us. Again, filling the scoop up to the top with detergent uses about twice what the manufacturer recommends in their directions on the side of the box. Congratulations! By using the right amount, you're suddenly going to be getting twice as many loads of laundry from your detergent purchase. That could add up to about $100 saved per year -- and that's before coupons. In addition, if you have a High Efficiency washer, your washer is made to rinse clothes until the soap is gone from the fabrics. Using too much detergent means your washer will rinse and rinse and rinse to get all that extra soap out . . . your energy prices will really climb!
For years I have ripped my dryer sheets in half before putting them in the dryer. This one step saves me 50% on dryer sheets every year. When I'm feeling REALLY frugal, I rip them into thirds. Trust me, there's plenty of "stuff" on the half (or 1/3rd) sheet to stop the static in your dryer. Suddenly your little box lasts twice or three times as long. The savings just keep on comin'!
Lastly, doing your laundry before noon or after 7:00 PM will significantly reduce your electricity costs. No kidding! All electricity does not cost the same. Check your electrical company website for their Time of Use rules. Electricity costs a lot more from Noon - 7:00 PM (peak use hours) when everyone in town is using it too.
Frugal and Cheap are different animals.
Last fall, I bought a dozen bottles of a liquid laundry detergent on sale -- and I had some coupons. I was so proud of myself!! Month after month I've delighted in bringing down a new bottle when the old one was empty, knowing how little I had paid for this detergent. This was not an off-brand or a store brand, but it wasn't one of the big names either. However, a few weeks ago, I was visiting my parents in Idaho and did some of my laundry while I was there. My mother had her big box of Tide sitting on the washer, so I used it, of course. I was amazed (and embarrassed) to see how noticeably whiter my socks came out of the wash. Hmm. I'd saved a few dollars and ended up with dingy laundry. Not a savings, in my book. Now, I'll watch for sales and coupons and go back to a product that cleans better. Cheap is getting the best price, no matter what. Frugal is getting a good product for the best price. Very different.
Anyone else have some good laundry ideas?
Do you use the right amount of detergent when you do your laundry? If you use a liquid detergent, it seems obvious to fill up the cap to the top. Not so. If you read the side of the bottle, it will tell you to look closely at the cap and you'll see that there are faint lines inside that indicate the amount you should use for a small/medium load and a large load. These lines are unbelievably hard to see. I had to feel for them with my fingers so that I could mark the outside of the cap for this photo. You will notice that both of these lines are significantly below the top of the cap. By filling your cap to the top for every load, you are using more than double the amount recommended for a small/medium load. This also means you are not getting your full loads/bottle for your money. Instead of the advertised 40 loads, you are getting about 20, doubling your cost to wash each load of laundry.
The same is true for those of us who use powdered detergent. The lines on the scoop in the box are much easier to see, but probably just as ignored by most of us. Again, filling the scoop up to the top with detergent uses about twice what the manufacturer recommends in their directions on the side of the box. Congratulations! By using the right amount, you're suddenly going to be getting twice as many loads of laundry from your detergent purchase. That could add up to about $100 saved per year -- and that's before coupons. In addition, if you have a High Efficiency washer, your washer is made to rinse clothes until the soap is gone from the fabrics. Using too much detergent means your washer will rinse and rinse and rinse to get all that extra soap out . . . your energy prices will really climb!For years I have ripped my dryer sheets in half before putting them in the dryer. This one step saves me 50% on dryer sheets every year. When I'm feeling REALLY frugal, I rip them into thirds. Trust me, there's plenty of "stuff" on the half (or 1/3rd) sheet to stop the static in your dryer. Suddenly your little box lasts twice or three times as long. The savings just keep on comin'!
Lastly, doing your laundry before noon or after 7:00 PM will significantly reduce your electricity costs. No kidding! All electricity does not cost the same. Check your electrical company website for their Time of Use rules. Electricity costs a lot more from Noon - 7:00 PM (peak use hours) when everyone in town is using it too.
A Cautionary Tale:
Frugal and Cheap are different animals.
Last fall, I bought a dozen bottles of a liquid laundry detergent on sale -- and I had some coupons. I was so proud of myself!! Month after month I've delighted in bringing down a new bottle when the old one was empty, knowing how little I had paid for this detergent. This was not an off-brand or a store brand, but it wasn't one of the big names either. However, a few weeks ago, I was visiting my parents in Idaho and did some of my laundry while I was there. My mother had her big box of Tide sitting on the washer, so I used it, of course. I was amazed (and embarrassed) to see how noticeably whiter my socks came out of the wash. Hmm. I'd saved a few dollars and ended up with dingy laundry. Not a savings, in my book. Now, I'll watch for sales and coupons and go back to a product that cleans better. Cheap is getting the best price, no matter what. Frugal is getting a good product for the best price. Very different.
Anyone else have some good laundry ideas?
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