A trial adventure

These are my new hanging planters to help on our food cost. I am hoping to see good results in the next couple of weeks. If we have good growing result I will add some more, these have tomatoes in them, the wire basket has oregano on the top. I really wanted to get a garden going but just couldn't get the ground ready, so these are what we are sticking with.

I so hope these are a great time and money investment it should help us out as we are trying the Dave Ramsey program and being frugal is part of that program. Wish me luck on this adventure.

Homemade Automatic Dishwashing Detergent

My post for today is on the frugal side of things. Are you on a tight budget and want to find ways to stretch your money on cleaning? I know this isn't a natural cleaner but, I know I do have some readers that need cheap and inexpensive ways to help their budget our so this post is geared toward them.

My friend Michelle over @ Money Saving WAHM, made a great post about cheap cleaners. Well I went and bought the products for the Automatic Dish Detergent (Recipe). My husband and I whipped up the recipe and tried it, it really works and it is sooooooo cheap to. This is just mule team borax and washing soda that's it. You can get both boxes (around my area anyway) for less than $10, and they can make a whole bulk amount of the detergent. We used 2 cups of both in a resealable container shook it wha-la just 2 cups of each made the equivalent of a small box detergent. As most of us know those boxes can cost upwards of $4.00 a piece, I have at least enough for 1 maybe 2 more batches this way you can't beat it.

To Michelle keep up the great post on the cheap cleaning. She also has some non-toxic recipes for cleaners as well stop by and check her out. Money Saving WAHM

Baby and Kids Cloths Being Frugal

Well I am like you all when it comes to this subject, what to do with them. We some of us just take them to thrift stores, or charities that will make sure they go to homes that can use them at no charge to the family. Well I have sold them in garage sales, and given them to thrift stores. This go around I am going to try to auction them off. Our youngest has been growing out of cloths right and left it seems, so I am going to place listings on a couple of auction sites and see if I get any nibbles. This is a great way to be a little more frugal and make some money out of it in the end deal if they sell. I don't mine giving to thrift stores but there are times (and I know this can be for almost every home) when my budget needs a little extra. I have been know to take the severely stains cloths and make them into dusting rags, mess rags and what not. There are so many uses its unreal. So if its stained use it as a rag, if not see if you can make some extra bucks and sell it.

I know some moms will even take what they make off of them and put it in a special fund for more cloths when needed. That is an excellent idea have a jar or account that is just for that and fund it thru the year for the back to school buying. I know that's what we need to do around here for sure. I guess that will have to happen when the budget is on the right track again, which is being worked on right now with the help of the Total Money Make Over system I am proud to say. More on that if you would like to read it on my Booting Our Debt For Good blog. So if you need a little extra money thru the month and have cloths just collecting dust in boxes why not put them up on auction sites. I have a new addition at the top right side bar of a sight that is just for those type items. Have a look see and happy selling.