I have been making my own laundry soap. It only costs me about $10 for a 6-month supply. nm
Posted By: sleepy on 2008-05-12
In Reply to: Post your money saving tips - Let's all save
xx
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- I have been making my own laundry soap. It only costs me about $10 for a 6-month supply. nm - sleepy
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How many of you are making the homemade laundry soap?
I just did this week and I love it. Its going to save so much on laundry detergent. I'm very happy with the results.
HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT
Ingredients:
3.1 oz bar Ivory soap or 2 regular bar sizes(Ivory is chosen because it's all natural. You may use a soap of your choice)
1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax
½ cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda or Baking Soda (I used baking soda since I couldn't find the washing soda)
Water
Tools:
5 Gallon container
Knife
Pot large enough to hold 5 cups of water
Long stirring stick/spoon (for 5 gallon container)
Instructions:
Shave the soap into small strips or grate it up finely with a grater and place in the pot with 5 cups of water. Bring the water just shy of a boil and stir until the soap is completely melted. When the soap is just about melted, pour 3 gallons of hot water into the 5-gallon container and let it sit until the soap in the pot is totally melted. Once all of the soap shavings are melted, pour the mixture into the 5-gallon container and stir.
Once the soap and water are thoroughly stirred, add the ½ cup pf washing soda and stir until dissolved. Once the washing soda is dissolved, pour in the cup of borax and stir again until dissolved.
***You can add essential oil flavors for the smell but I prefer without.
How I make my own laundry soap. . sm
The basic ingredients are Borax, Washing Soda, and Fels Naptha. You could also use Ivory soap instead of the Fels Naptha. I also use the Fels Naptha to get out stains by wetting the fabric and rubbing the Fels Naptha directly on the stain.
I really like the laundry soap, but it did take a little while to get used to it. It doesn't make hardly any suds and I was worried about whether or not it was doing a good job of cleaning. My DH is very picky, especially about laundry soap. I didn't even tell him I was making my own soap, and he didn't notice! I do put a little bleach (about 2 tablespoons) in with my towels because they never smelled fresh. I had to do this even when I used Tide or Era. We have well water, and our water has an odor sometimes. When I first started using this laundry soap, I would only use it for clothes that weren't heavily soiled. I gradually started using it for everything when I realized that it was doing a pretty good job. It is fun to make and so cheap.
I hope it is okay to post links on this website. This is where I got my recipe- http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm
Old part-timer - the laundry soap recipe
I found this online and it's the closest to my own recipe. It also includes the directions and the pricing comparisons included are also very similar to prices in my area.
The only difference is, in my part of the country, Arm & Hammer wash soda isn't common on the store shelves and I have to order it online.
Since one of the kiddos is sensitive to perfumes, I will sometimes divide part of one batch into a couple of smaller bottles and add a drop or two of lavender essential oils just for the master bathroom towels and bedsheets.
So send $2 a month. You will be making payments
x
Yes, they do. 10-month teachers make more than 9-month
teachers. I know that for a fact. One of my sisters was a 9-month, one is a 10-month. They are compensated for working more scheduled hours.
Yes, especially if you are on a month-to-month basis
My mother had rental properties and has evicted tenants twice because her daughter (sis) decided she wanted to live there. Those tenants were pretty upset at the time too, because they didn't want to move. A landlord isn't required to have a reason for taking back their property or raising the rent. They will likely give you a good reference since you're been a good tenant.
A year after Katrina, all the landlords on the Gulf Coast decided to double or triple their rent, just because they could. Due to the housing crisis rents are going to continue to rise, because more people are losing their homes and looking for apartments. Its all about supply and demand.
The bright side is that working at home allows you to live "anywhere", so you could see this as an opportunity to move somewhere completely different. That's what I did, and I haven't regretted it.
If it is a month-to-month lease -
If there is no signed lease stating a specific time (1 yr, 2 yr, etc.) then it is implied as a month-to-month least and either the tenant or LL can terminate at any time.
I would look for a place pronto if I was the OP.
And she should get another job pronto too if the one she got ain't paying the bills. No reason to let it go on month after month, paycheck after paycheck, until you are in the street, that is just plain stupid.
If she is getting evicted --- there is more to this story I believe.
He does supply needs -- not wants
I guess it would depend on if you 60K was your desire for things or an honest need. I personally know of a lady and her daughter who absolutely had no food in the house. The lady set the table and called her daughter to come and eat. The daughter said what are going to eat? The mother said God will provide. They sat down and prayed a blessing over the food they were trusting God to provide. Before they were done praying someone pulled in their driveway and came with several bags of groceries. The man said I was on my way home from work and God told me to stop and by some groceries for you. That is a true story. I could give you the names of the mother and daughter. Needless to say --He will also provide the calm that we need to face the storm until he supplies the needs.
Costs -- sm
Business class internet (for website hosting and management mostly): Roadrunner - $104.00
Cable and digital phone with unlimited long distance: Roadrunner - $112.00 all including tax and fees, etc. Looks like a lot, I guess.
My costs are:
High-speed Internet: $60/month
Vonage: $19/month 500 minutes anywhere in USA
TV: Whatever comes over the air for "free."
Ability to work out of the home nekked if one so chooses: Priceless.
My costs....
Phone $45 a month, 2 phone lines, 1 for fax machine
Internet $50 a month, unlimited, billed every 3 months
DirectTV $70 a month, with HBO channels, east coast feeds (I live on the west coast) and local stations. Will not give up Sopranos or being able to watch any other shows on east coast time for anything!
college costs
DD just got accepted to the Pratt Institute, an art and design college in NY. Cost for first year including room, board, fees, books, etc., $48,000. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Seems like a lot money to learn how to paint and make collages.
There's more to college costs than just
the tuition. Parents have a responsibility to their children to see to it that they are educated in a manner that prepares them for a career, not flipping burgers. I know that that wasn't always the norm and that college was a privilege, but now it is a necessity. You can't make it in the world without some kind of degree and not helping your children with their education is selfish.
That's not to say that the child shouldn't bear some responsibility in this. He/she can certainly get a part-time job to help with books, living expenses, etc. I see nothing wrong with the child taking out the standard student loan either, but dumping them out the door at 18 with nothing more than a high school education is not being a responsible parent. Perhaps that's the problem today. So many parents don't have time or are too selfish worrying about themselves to make sure their children are set. It's not about money, it's about responsibility.
Judging by your responses, I'd say your husband's divorce was quite bitter and perhaps the animosity you feel should be directed toward his ex-wife and not the children. They obviously had no control over that money that was given to their mother. While my children aren't ready for college yet, one thing I have learned already is that you never stop being a parent.
Why it costs 400 bucks
They make custom trays for you, which last pretty much forever or until your teeth move significantly, whichever comes first. Then you just buy the tubes of bleaching gel, which is not that expensive. The custom trays are wonderful. They are held on tightly by the gel. My dentist charged $300 and the gel was $35 a box, which is 4 tubes, which is a LOT of gel.
I would not have the trays made right away if she has just gotten her braces off, as from what I hear her teeth are likely to shift somewhat.
This medicine is not OTC, rather it costs
1300.00 per month! Can you believe that? It is for HIV so it is something she really needs to get. My pharmacist told me Medicaid might be able to pick up what her insurance co does not pay (they will pay 400) so actually the cost per month is a whopping 1700. My pharmacist also told her to push hard while speaking with her own ins place that they should cover the cost. Maybe she just was not forceful enough. Bottom line, I was just seeing if others faced similar situation.
Just did some laundry
Tonight just relaxing, my husband's making his famous chill. My daughter is having a friend over to watch a movie. Tomorrow a little work to do, but otherwise nothing special planned for this weekend.
Laundry
I am thinking about getting a clothes line and hanging clothes outside this summer. The only reason why I never have in the past is because I have numerous allergies and usually try to keep the "outside" out. With the cost of everything rising and after reading an article about the cost-saving/energy-saving of not running a dry cycle on your dishwasher and hanging clothes outside to dry I want to considering it. Does anyone here have allergies and hang their clothes outside? I am thinking that I could tumble them through the dryer before folding and that might help.
go to Sally's Beauty Supply if you have one
I promise you this will help thinning hair and also I have shared this with my friends who have lost their hair due to chemo treatments. This is a leave-in hair conditioner, comes in a plastic tube (you have to shake it up each time) that smells terrific. Now, you don't just apply it like hair conditioner, what you have to do (and there are no instructions to tell you this) is you have to move your scalp back and forth with your fingertips once you apply this to your scalp. The scalp moves very little - but it is this little movement that stimulates the conditioner into making your hair MUCH THICKER within 2 months! I PROMISE YOU. I was on interferon in 2000 and a hair salon owner told me about it as I had hair loss (not total) very badly from the interferon (a clinical trial used on me but not for cancer) and what she told me was the absolute truth!!! If you don't have Sally's Beauty Supply, try any beauty supply store. Fermodyl comes in many numbers but you are looking for number 7.
Hope this helps - as a matter of fact, I am 110% sure it's going to work for you. 
OMG!!! Does he supply them with drugs and alcohol
so they will be doing that in the safety of their home as well?
I am floored by that reasoning. Its as if there is no hope of teaching a child to make smart choices so might as well have them do it in front of you. What on earth is that teaching them?? I'm sorry but you do not need to be a parent to see how completely asinine that is.
By the way, you should ask him if his home is "safe" enough to preclude AIDS and other STDs, pregnancy, etc. Maybe he thinks there is some soft of "force field" protecting her there. Egads.
Mail Order - KV Vet Supply (sm)
xx
CLASSMATES ya have to register costs zero
very easy at classmates.com, except for their ads (ignore them) - find the state, the school, the year you're interested in, then scroll away for the people's names. Most marrieds put up their maiden names at classmates.com.
costs $30-$40,000 per year to house each
The jails are overflowing here.....and it costs anywhere from $30-$40,000 annually to house EACH individual inmate...that the taxpayers pay for....
something to think about.....
A nursing uniform supply store may know or have them. nm
nm
Check with your local art supply store
An artist's portfolio works great for things like this. They come in all sizes and are generally relatively flat. Link below is to a site that sells portfolios of different sizes. I don't know about their prices - you might do a little research.
Fermodyl #7 from beauty supply store
only thing is - this is a leave-in hair conditioning treatment - you massage only the scalp part and by only moving the scalp versus your fingers....my hair grew back in 2 months (was on interferon and lost a lot of hair on that drug) with Fermodyl #7.....
zinc is good for hair, teeth, and GUMS.......
I understand some parents don't supply stuff- sm
but what is wrong with regular pencils, a whole lot cheaper than mechanical. I would buy some extra of those no problem, but $21 for pencils is a bit too much. In theory the teacher keeps each kids supplies in their own box at our school, so the supplies really are for my kid and not others, they supply their own note paper, markers, pencils, folders, notebooks, crayons, etc. I am sure some things end up in a general grab box for everyone, like the pencils and construction paper. I just remember when I went to school, all we needed was a few pencils in grade school.....as we got older, folders and a notebook, pens and pencils. Now you need ever little thing. The big thing was back to school clothes not supplies. I cannot even buy my kids any new clothes as I am spending it all on supplies, so far $140 and I am not done, plus it would be $11 more if I bought all the "required" pencils.
You can buy a single/double burner at lab supply - sm
or jewerly supply places for about $30. We (jewelers) use it to heat up pickle solution (cleans the metal after soldering). I bought might from a place called Rio Grande, big jeweler supplier. You can probably find one used on ebay or craigs list though.
Laundry detergent
Do you have a specific laundry soap that you buy or just whatever's on sale?
Powder or liquid?
With bleach or not?
Looking for a new laundry scent...
I am currently using Gain - Mandarin Lime Fusion, which is awesome, but have been using it a while now and the smell is starting to fade. Taking a poll on your favorite scent...
Laundry Detergent
Simple Pleasures Lavender Vanilla (by Tide) - I buy the dryer sheets too. I love to smell it on my sheets! It doesn't really smell like lavender or vanilla, sort of a pleasant cross between the two, or something. They have one with roses too, which I love, but I don't care for the scent of that soap, it is too "off" or something. My husband doesn't even mind and he is a truck driver! He says the Lavender Vanilla smells pretty "fresh" and good. Lucky, because I would still use it and have to listen to him whine if he didn't like it! My little grandson likes it too and asks to have his jammas washed in it.
You go girl on the laundry....sm
both of our kids know to not even breathe to us that they have dirty clothes as they know how to use the washing machine & dryer and how to use them. It's up to them to do their laundry and clean their bathroom, not me!
Hang out your laundry if possible
Start hanging your wash out rather than using the dryer. It will save big, not those pennies they claim you'll save by unplugging your toaster. (By the way, my son, an electrical engineer, claims unplugging your toaster saves nothing. Unplugging a coffee maker if it has a clock does save a little.)
House costs here are not that fricking high
We bought a new home, 4 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths, stucco, lovely wooded area behind us for about 220,000 about 3 years ago. It is a wonderful neighborhood with tennis courts, 3 swimming pools and loverly! I know the prices of homes in California really high and watch HGTV and I, for the life of me, cannot see what is figured into those prices because what you get is certainly not what we got for a third of the prices there. Husband believes in paying the monthlys in advance so our mortgage is coming down really fast. We are still able, thank goodness, to enjoy all the extras such as dinners out, theater and the like. It is really sad to be in a place where the housing market is so far above what it should be that people are unable to have decent housing.
Check to see if there's a beauty supply place in your area. nm
nm
Got 3 at the local party supply store. I LOVE them.
x
mexico city had shut off his water supply
http://www.lcsun-news.com/ci_12108854
My little one did this, too! Took days of using laundry detergent to get rid of
s
Laundry - brightening whites
Over the weekend I went searching for bluing as discussed in the previous thread. No luck finding it so far but have a few more small, independently owned stores to check. However, I did find a whitening agent in the Rit dye section. A little pricey, $2.00 something for 1 load. It worked well on T-shirts and clothing but for some reason it did not seem to work on my towels. They were all in the same load I used a long cycle for it to soak also. I'll see how long the white T's last. Oh, I also have well water and a softener system if anyone is wondering.
I keep mine in the laundry room also
I also have a fat kitty who LOVES to get in there and pretend he's at the beach. I keep a tiny dustpan and broom in there and probably sweep 3 times a day. Sometimes there will be a huge pile of cat litter. Considering he's an indoor kitty and can't seem to find anything else to do, I just let him be and ask him if he had fun!
make your own laundry detergent
Lots of different recipes out there for liquid and powdered.
I like the liquid but have a terrible time finding the Arm & Hammer wash SODA.
For Soap watchers
What soap opera do you watch regularly and how long have you been watching it?
Mine is AMC and I've been watching it from the beginning in 1970.
For the B&B soap watchers...
Does Brooke make you wanna pull her hair out??? She is disgustingly desperate...I cannot stand it! I'm rooting for Taylor and Nick, bump Brooke and Ridge...hope he goes to jail and she dries up!
Sounds like a scam. Crap like that costs the rest of us
Ridiculous.
Visited Asheville, NC and loved it. Seattle costs $, but
xx
I've noticed the rising costs of groceries lately
I believe the cost is partly to blame for the obesity in this nation. It is so much more expensive to try to eat healthier. I can make pizza for my husband and 3 kids for under $10. Yet, when we have chicken, potatoes, a vegetable and bread -- it's closer to $20. Of course when I serve the "full course" meal, my kids expect dessert, too. Is there no end?
I actually found myself stocking up last week on eggs because they were on sale and I knew I'd be making deviled eggs for T-day. I bought 6 dozen eggs. I have never bought that many eggs at once before in my life. But I saved 75 cents a dozen.
crazy stuff! Who buys this? My mascara costs $ 4.-- to $ 8.--.nm
nm
Use Dove bar soap to get the Vaseline out.
My daughter got into a jar of Vaseline when she was two years old. My pediatrician suggested Dove bar soap. It worked like magic! Hope this helps.
With artificial soap and water??
s
With fake water and soap.
zxc
…Get off your soap box, we have heard how great
the man is, several times, wonderful for you- not EVERY person is the same, ok?
I used to LOVE soap with toys in it.
I think I had one when I was little called Fuzzy Wuzzy--or maybe I don't remember. (I'm 45 now.) But what a great thing to recreate.
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