DIY “Soft Soap”

March 5, 2024 By 13 Comments

d.i.y. Soft Scrub

I started using Dr. Bronner’s Castile soap a few weeks ago and I am very pleased with what I have been able to make with it to replace all my cleaners. I love the variety of scents it comes in. So far, Almond is my favorite. One thing I experimented with was a “Soft Soap” or sink cleanser. I hate having a sink that is dingy and the chemicals you usually have to use dry my skin out so bad, so that can’t be good for my family to breathe them in.Additionally, many people are sensitive to the smell of them.

I came up with a solution after scouring the intent for ideas. I combined a couple different recipes and changed up the formulas a bit as I wanted mine to suds up just a little more than the rest were. While Dr. Bronners can be pricy, you use so little of it, a little will last you a while. This can be made for less than 50 cents if you buy baking soda in bulk. Here is my own version of Soft Scrub.

 

DIY “Soft Scrub” Abrasive Cleaner

 

You will need:

  • 1 12 Oz Box of Baking Soda (or, approx 2 1/2 cups)
  • 3 1/2 Tbsp Dr. Bronner’s Castile soap
  • Enough water to make a smooth and light paste.

To make:

1. Add your baking soda to a bowl. Allow for plenty of room for mixing.

2. Add your Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap.

3. Slowly add cool water from the tap. Just add a little at a time. Start mixing and if it is too thick, add more, slowly and a little at a time. The paste should be kind of a toothpaste consistency, but slightly thicker. You can add a couple drops of essential oil at this step as well, but I didn’t and don’t think it is necessary.

To use, just take a teaspoon at at time and spread it around your sink. Use a soft cloth and wet it. Scrub a dub dub and your sink will shine! How well does it work?

Here is my sink before:

Sink before cleaning

And After:

sink after cleaning

 

I think it did pretty well considering that was dried on spaghetti sauce from the night before! No elbow grease needed and my kitchen was left with a great scent after from the Dr. Bronner’s Soap! You can store it in a mason jar or any jar with a wide mouth and tight fitting lid.

 

Filed Under: Crafts & DIY, DIY Cleaners, Frugal Living, Green Living, Homekeeping Tagged With: , , , , ,

Little Things Favors

February 27, 2024 By Leave a Comment

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

I wish I would have thought more to order my wedding favors and decorations online when I got married in 2009. At the time, I had this weird fear of ordering things online. There are some absolutely wonderful Christian favors you can order from Little Things Favors, though, a store I recently had the pleasure of being introduced to.

I have the Pewter Cross Statue with inlay seen pictured below and it is more beautiful in person than on the website. I have always been a fan of simple designs that are elegant and timeless. This favor not only features that, but is also adorned with small shiny rhinestones. The cross also features cutouts, which I love.

Christian Favor

I think this is more than just a table decoration. It has a great color scheme that would fit many different wedding and Christening celebrations. I think not only will your guests find it charming and sophisticated, but they will be happy to take one home as a favor. Mine sits on my desk and fits perfectly to remind me as I write my blog and do my daily work that God is there.

The price of the cross is amazing. If you order 11 or more, you can get them for less than $3.50 each, Think of how great these would be to give to your wedding party or grandparents and God Parents at a Christening to remember that special day.

It really is the “Little Things” that matter when it comes to table design and party setup and decor. I am proud to display the pewter Inlay Cross on my desk as I think it looks classy and beautiful. There are so many party favors on the site that double as gifts!

If you have a wedding or another special event on it’s way, make sure you check out Little Things Favors on Facebook, Twitter and For more decorative ideas, check them out on Pinterest. You won’t be disappointed. I wish I would have had the opportunity to add the special touches from them to my wedding day decor. I do have a 5 year anniversary coming up…hmmm.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Filed Under: Frugal Living

How To Afford Luxuries You Never Thought You Could Afford

February 26, 2024 By Leave a Comment

How To Get Luxuries You Never Thought You Could Afford

You may not think you can afford high end clothing, weekend get-aways and maid services. Really, you might be able to with a little creativity, especially if these things are not something you want or need all the time.

Here are some tips for getting some luxuries that you think you cannot afford.

How to afford luxeries you never thought you could

High end clothing and designer accessories: This may surprise you, but you don’t have to pay thousands of dollars for designer duds. There are multiple ways you can afford them and while some of it is luck, a lot of it is just knowing where to look. For instance, you can get many designer items from thrift store for 10% of the price they cost brand new. You can also look at clothing outlets for great steals on these luxury clothing items.

Maid services- This is something you can probably afford if you only need it once in a while and by looking at some less advertised options, you may be able to find someone who is willing to negotiate their price. Look online on places like Craigslist for private contractors. They are often bonded and insured just like the larger companies and their price is usually lower. In addition to this, many will give your free consultations and free cleaning time if you pay for a certain amount of hours in advance. You could cut the time they maid needs to spend in your home by doing half the work as well and just having them do some deep cleaning.

Solon Services- Look for coupons and specials at certain times of the year such as prom and wedding season. You can also go to cosmetology schools and get these services performed under the watch of instructors by students. These services are often half or more off.

Weekend get-aways- Look for specials around the end of the tourist season for these get-aways while resorts try to book their last weeks for the year. You can also look into time shares. If you are really stuck for money, you may be able to split the cost with a friend or another couple.

Fancy Meals- This one can get tricky, but if you time it right, you may be able to afford a 2 for 1 meal on special holidays like Valentine’s day or Mother’s day. You can also eat at home and go out for dessert and coffee or drinks at a fine dining establishment. Another way to enjoy high end eats? Get lunch rather than dinner as the price is usually cheaper.

Home delivery of Groceries- This may not be available in all areas, but getting groceries delivered is not as expensive as you think it may be. And, many retailers take coupons even for home delivery, so the service could practically pay for itself if you know how to coupon right.

Tax preparation services- Did you know that if you make under $50,000 a year and have a simple return the IRS will have a representative sit down with you and prepare your taxes for you? It’s true! And, yes, they will find you deductions you qualify for, even. The best part? It’s free! If you desire to have this done, make sure you make an appointment well in advance. Give yourself at least a month.

Filed Under: Beauty, Frugal Living Tagged With: , , ,

Ranch Pretzels

February 24, 2024 By 3 Comments

Ranch Pretzels

Where I am from in Montana, ranch dressing rules. People put it on everything, but french fries is #1. When I moved to Washington, people looked at me sideways if I asked for ranch for my fries. I guess some people like it here, but for the most part, people put tartar sauce on their fries. I thought it was strange, until I tried it and it actually tastes pretty good.

While these are not a french fry recipe, this is a great recipe to make pretzels taste amazing! Although this is not really a diabetic-friendly recipe, keep in mind that each pretzel in this recipe is 1-2 carbs (depending on the brand of pretzel you use).

You can make this for game days, birthday parties and anywhere in between. They take just minutes and taste wonderful. No dip needed at all! What is also great about this recipe is, it’s super low cost to make.

Ranch Pretzels

Ranch Pretzels
 
Print
Author:
Recipe type: Appetiser
Cuisine: American
Ingredients
  • 1 regular size bag of pretzels
  • 1 packet of Ranch dressing mix (the dry kind in the pouch)
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
Instructions
  1. Pour your pretzels into a large ziplock bag. You may need to split the recipe in order to do this as there needs to be room in the bag to shake.
  2. Pour the ranch dressing dip and garlic powder in the bag. Add the Olive oil and shake.
  3. You can serve right away, or if you prefer, wait overnight by leaving the mixture in the bags and giving a shake a couple times over the course of the day. This will allow the flavors and oil to penetrate more and leave it with a more intense flavor.
Notes
If you like your snacks a little spicy, try adding a little bit of cayenne pepper and chilli powder to the mix as well. Adjust for taste. Enjoy!
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

If you like your snacks a little spicy, try adding a little bit of cayenne pepper and chilli powder to the mix as well. Adjust for taste. Enjoy!

Filed Under: Frugal Living, Snacks Tagged With: , , , ,

How To Score Freebies

February 19, 2024 By 2 Comments

How to score freebies

I have been asked by several readers who read my frugal living tips on how to get free stuff from companies. I am not a total expert on the subject as I mostly get my free stuff using coupons and the occasional free sample by mail, but here are some tips if you are a freebie hunter:

How to Score Freebies

Join “try and rate” sites like Crowdtap, Bzz Agent, PinchMe! Smiley360 and Influenster. These sites send out “campaigns” that require various social media tasks be completed to share your experience with others. I belong to all four and in the past have gotten full sized beauty products, food, media and even clothing and shopping “sprees”. They are all free to join, although you won’t always get picked for every campaign and you must complete the activities for each campaign to be included in future ones.

Keep your eyes open for free samples on social media. Simply typing in “#freebie” on twitter or Facebook might yield some results.

Ask companies to send stuff to you. You might get lucky if you compliment a company that you already love. They could send branded novelties or even coupons for free products.

Enter blog giveaways. I periodically have them on my blog, so make sure you enter to win as the odds are pretty good for most people. You could also join sites like Contest Chest that send you a newsletter that lists new giveaways that are added to their database every day.

One way to get free things both online and off is to take surveys. These can be found on websites or on receipts after you make a purchase. I often get free food or a discount the next time I shop by taking 5 minutes of my time to take a survey.

Sign up for birthday clubs. Many restaurants and stores offer free stuff when your birthday comes. Make sure to sign up for as many sites that offer freebies on birthdays so you get as many as you can when the day arrives.

 

Filed Under: Frugal Living Tagged With: , , , ,

10 Things You Should Always Buy In Bulk

February 14, 2024 By 17 Comments

10 Things you should always buy in bulk

It’s no secret that buying in bulk can save you a lot of money. While it can be wasteful to buy some thing sin bulk, other things are almost always a better buy when purchased this way. Of course, it ultimately depends on your household’s usage on what you will choose to buy in bulk, but here is a general guideline to 10 things that are usually a good idea to get in larger quantity.

 

10 Things You Should Always Buy In Bulk

 

1. Spices. This cannot be said enough. Spices and seasonings are much cheaper when you buy them in the bulk food section of your favorite store that carries them. Not only is it an amazing savings, it also is usually fresher and less wasteful.

2. Paper products. This includes toilet paper and paper towels. The larger packages of this stuff are often less than half the price of buying several small packages. Not only that, but there are constantly coupons circling around for these products. If you know when to look, you may end up like me: 2 cases of paper towels you got for free. I don’t normally use this many paper towels for just cleanup, but I do like to use them to make my own cleaning wipes.

3. Personal care items like shampoo. The larger bottles will be much cheaper by the ounce than smaller ones and since shampoo doesn’t really go “bad”, you should get the bigger ones if you can.

4. Vegetables that freeze easily. Buy vegetables that are freezer friendly such as peas, green beans, corn and low moisture vegetables when they are in season and flash freeze them. If you have home canning skills, this would also be a great way to preserve them.

5. Flour, sugar and other dry baking goods. This is usually cheaper if bought in the bulk foods section unless it is baking season around Christmas. The other day, I was at the store and saw cornmeal was 54 cents a pound. This is amazingly cheap considering a tub of it costs me around $2-$3 for 1 1/2 lbs,

6. Pasta. Another dry goods pantry staple that is a good deal in bulk is pasta. If you get lucky, you may be able to even find gluten free or low carb versions in the bulk foods section.

7. Chocolate. Buying baking chips or even just chunks of chocolate is a lot cheaper when purchased in bulk for making candies, cakes and other sweets. Perhaps, I included this because I just like the idea of having chocolate on hand in large quantities.

8. Vitamins. You will always get a better deal when you buy them in bulk. Whether that is a bigger package or a 2 for 1 deal that occasionally comes out, buying vitamins in bulk is always cheaper.

9. Batteries. Buying batteries in the larger packages will almost always save you money in the long run. If your household uses a lot of batteries, getting coupons for them and buying in big packages is definitely the way to go.

10. Cheese when it is on sale. You can buy blocks of it and shred it yourself for much cheaper than buying it in convenient packs already shredded for you.

 

The Key to buying in bulk is making sure you look at the price per unit (whether that be per pound, ounce or serving) and comparing it to other items that are similar. Make sure you are getting the best deal.

Filed Under: Frugal Living Tagged With: , , ,

Sugar Free Strawberry Fudge

February 11, 2024 By 1 Comment

Strawberry Fudge

So the name of this is “2 ingredient Strawberry fudge”, but that is somewhat of a lie. It really is more like 4 ingredients because strawberry frosting of the sugar free kind is kind of hard to find so you must improvise.

This can be made year round and can be adapted for just about any flavor combination, but since Valentine’s Day is just a couple days away, I think the pink color is fitting.

If you want to make the full sugar version, feel free to use regular frosting and regular white chocolate chips. I just chose to make it this version because I try to keep things as diabetic friendly as possible on Saved By Grace.

 

To make Sugar free Strawberry Fudge, you will need:

 

  • 1 Can Sugar Free Vanilla Frosting
  • 1 bag of sugar free or no sugar added white chocolate chips
  • Red Food Coloring
  • Strawberry Extract
  1. Prepare a dish for placing your fudge in. Glass works best. This recipe will make either thick or thin pieces of fudge, depending on what size pan you use. For thicker, use a small square pan, for thinner, use a 9 x 13 cake pan. To prepare the pan, line it with parchment paper and spray the sides with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Starting with 30 seconds at a time, melt your white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave. Stir with each 30 seconds. Keep heating for 30 seconds at a time until smooth and glossy. Do not over-heat or you will scorch the chocolate.
  3. Add 5-6 drops of food coloring and 5-6 drops of strawberry extract to the melted chocolate until the desired taste and color is achieved. Work quickly so your chocolate does not get hard.
  4. After you have the color and flavor right, stir in the entire can of white sugar free frosting. Mix until well incorporated. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.
  5. Place your fudge in the fridge for about a half hour to set. Enjoy!
Filed Under: Desserts, Diabetic Recipes, Frugal Living

Kitchen Hacks- Tested!

February 8, 2024 By Leave a Comment

8 Kitchen Hacks-Tested

I am sure if you have spent any time on Pinterest, you have undoubtedly heard of many “life hacks” for the kitchen. A life hack is a trick that you may have not known about using common objects, or sense, in some cases, to make life easier. I decided to test out some of these kitchen hacks and let you know how well they worked!

Kitchen Hacks-Tested!

Hack #1: “Place a mug of warm water in the microwave with food you are re-heating to keep it moist and from drying out.”

This actually worked very well. I heated up some enchiladas from the night before this way. Usually, the edges of the enchiladas get crusty, hard and inedible. This kept them soft and delicious! Just be sure to use a microwave safe mug and potholders to remove it as it will get very hot.

 

Hack #2: “The hole in your pot’s handle is there to hold a cooking utensil”

This only works if your utensil is the right size, but it does work pretty well as long as the opening is part of the handle’s design and not a hook on the end.

 

Hack #3: “Place a wooden spoon over a boiling pot of liquid to keep it from boiling over.”

This worked for some things and not others. For boiling water, it worked beautifully. For my soup, not so much.

 

Hack #4 “Put Pancake batter into a ketchup bottle for no-mess dispensing”

While I do this sometimes to make fun pancake shapes, the process of getting it in and out (when you clean) of the bottle is anything but clean and smooth sailing even with a funnel.

 

Hack #5: “When heating leftovers, make a hole in the center to have it heat evenly.”

This does actually work. But, this will only work with stuff you can make a hole in to begin with.

 

Hack #6: “Fill ice trays with leftover coffee and freeze so you can add it to iced coffee and not have it get watered down.”

This is an excellent trick and works very well. It is also great for making coffee smoothies at home. Just throw these babies into a blender with some cold milk, sugar and chocolate syrup and you put Starbucks to shame.

 

Hack #7: “When microwaving popcorn, first break up the kernels in the bag before placing into the microwave so you will have less unpopped kernels.”

At first, this was working for me. I have actually been doing this for years. Now, unless it is very plain popcorn, it seems to not work as well. I still do it out of habit, though.

 

Hack #8: “When boiling eggs, to test if it is done spin it on the counter. If it doesn’t wobble, it is done.”

This one is actually very accurate. Be aware though, you should use a potholder to touch the egg. I made the mistake of not doing that once, and it wasn’t pretty.

 

Have you tried any Kitchen Hacks you have seen around the webosphere with success? I would love to hear about it!

Filed Under: Food, Frugal Living Tagged With: , ,

Natural Ways To Unclog a Sink

January 29, 2024 By Leave a Comment

Natural Ways To Unclog Your Drain

No one likes dealing with the harsh chemicals of drain cleaner. What is even worse is having a plumber come over to fix the problem. Not only is it costly, but inconvenient.

What are some ways you can naturally unclog your drain with things you have around your home before you give in and call a professional?

 

Natural Ways To Unclog Your Sink

 

First, try the boiling water method:

  • Boil a pot of water on your stove.
  • Place an old cloth in your drain hole.
  • Have someone else carry over the boiling water and pour it slowly down the sink. If you have a garbage disposal, this is the time to turn it on.
  • If this doesn’t work the first time, give it another shot.

The Baking Soda Method:

  • This only works if you can get the water to drain, even slowly.
  • Dump a cup or two of baking soda in the drain. Allow it to sit for a minute or so.
  • Slowly add equal parts of white vinegar to the drain. Expect it to bubble, as this is what it is supposed to do in order to clear the drain.
  • Try slowly turning on the sink to see if the water is draining. Repeat if necessary.

Plunge it:

  • You can do this in conjunction with any of the other methods, but never do it with a chemical drain cleaner.
  • just place the plunger over the drain hole and plunge it. Make sure there is water in the basin of the sink.

Hydrogen peroxide and Baking Soda:

  • If the vinegar method didn’t do much, try this heavier duty one.
  • Use equal parts baking soda and peroxide.
  • Sprinkle some baking soda and a pinch of salt down the drain.
  • Pour your peroxide, very slowly, down the drain and allow to foam up. If it is not foaming, you may need newer baking soda.
  • Allow to do it’s job and then test to see if the drain is clear.

 

To maintain your newly unclogged drain, pour a kettle of boiling water an lemon juice down the drain at least once a month. To keep your garbage disposal smelling nice, grind up some citrus peels with water once in a while as well.

If you don’t have a sink snake, you can also try using a wire hanger that is unfolded. Just be very careful to not puncture anything.

Before calling a plumber, what do you try on your sink when it gets clogged?

Filed Under: Frugal Living Tagged With: , , , ,

Tips for Making Food Last Longer

January 27, 2024 By Leave a Comment

Tips For Making Your Food Last Longer

Food is one of the biggest expenses in most people’s budget next to their home and cars. So, it makes sense to not waste it and find ways to make it go further and last longer. Other than storing it in the refrigerator in containers, what else can you be doing to make your food last as long as possible before spoiling?

Tips for Making Food Last Longer

 

Make sure where you are storing is clean. This means regularly cleaning your fridge and storage bins. If your food storage area is dirty, you can be sure there is more bacteria there and more bacteria means your food spoils faster.

Freeze things you don’t think you need to freeze. Did you know you can freeze bread and it will last weeks in the freezer and still taste just as fresh? It thaws in as little as an hour or two as well. Buy cheese in a brick and shred it yourself and pull out just what you need for meals, especially if melting the cheese is part of the cooking process.

Practice FIFO. FIFO is a restaurant term and it means “First in, First Out”. Simply put, whenever you go grocery shopping, put the older food in the front on your fridge (or pantry) so you use it up first. This will cut down on nasty, spoiled food surprises.

Do not store tomatoes in the fridge. It makes them go bad faster. Instead, store them in a cool, dry place.

Keep a slice of stale bread in with your brown sugar to keep it from clumping.

Keep your milk in the coldest place possible. This means NOT storing it on the door like most people do. Instead, store it in the center of the top shelf. Also, buy your dairy organic. The dollar or two more you spend will add up as you see you have longer “use by” dates.

Keep mushrooms out of plastic packaging. If you buy your mushrooms in a plastic container, take them out and put them in a paper bag. They will last twice as long.

Hang your bananas. That investment in a banana hanger is really worth it as your bananas will not ripen as fast.

When you put food away, do not put it away hot. Putting a hot dish in your fridge changes the temperature of all the other foods in there and makes them spoil faster. Instead, allow it to come to room temperature in an ice bath in your sink before storing.

 

Filed Under: Food, Frugal Living, Homekeeping Tagged With: ,
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