Best painless "stretching things" budget tips?

[skw444]

When using vinegar as softener in the wash, what do you use for static cling in the dryer?

I use tennis balls in the dryer. It helps reduce drying time and static cling.

 

[Hellothemouse]

Does anyone have a good link to places that sell good spices and herbs in bulk?
We do not have any local stores that do this

 

[ccgirl]

I would use the white vinegar as the rinse agent.

We have a high effeciency washing machine - but I have discovered that you can use regular liquid detergent. You only need a fraction of what they recommend. I use less than a 1/4 cup for a full load...Haven't had to buy detergent in weeks (and yes our clothes are nice and fresh - remember your eldest DD wrapped up in that white fake fur throw with her face buried in it saying "this smells so fresh"... )

Stop the presses!!!!!!

So....you can use the cheap stuff in an HE machine - you just use less??? You may have single handedly saved me a bundle of cash!

 

[ccgirl]

I use tennis balls in the dryer. It helps reduce drying time and static cling.

You just put the whole ball in there? HOw long does one tennis ball last??

 

[englishteacha]

Sorry if this has been posted already (there's 91 pages so far, and I may have missed it when reading!). I'm a member of a frugal living forum and several people really like this recipe for a "Tide Clone." I can't use it because of my allergies, but maybe some of you budgeteers could find it useful. It seems like it would be pretty affordable to mix up. I saw most of the things you'd need in Dollar Tree.

http://www.food.com/recipe/tide-clone-laundry-detergent-359103

 

[Kycha]

I hang dry all my clothes. Outside on the clothes line in good weather. Inside on a drying rack when the weather is bad. I got a real nice metal drying rack from Ikea years ago. I can fit a couple loads of laundry on one rack and it cost less than $20.

I use vinegar as a fabric softener as well. And using a tennis ball in the dryer really does help with static electricity and cuts down on the drying time. It is the same concept as those dryer balls that are like $10 a pair. I have used the same tennis balls for 2 or 3 years.

Another tip I just read about, when drying a load in the dryer, by adding a couple of clean, dry towels to the load it will cut your drying time in half.

Oh, and a tip to extend the life of your razors... you run your razor up the entire length of a leg of jeans 10-20 times, in one direction. Then 10-20 times in the other direction. Here is a video demonstration:
http://lifehacker.com/5356529/extend-your-razors-life-with-a-pair-of-jeans

ETA: Maybe you guys can help me...I have heard you can make your own ricotta cheese and yogurt using a crock pot. Does anyone here have experience doing this? And do you have a website or cook book you can recommend with instructions? Thanks!

 

[hambirg]

I hang dry all my clothes. Outside on the clothes line in good weather. Inside on a drying rack when the weather is bad. I got a real nice metal drying rack from Ikea years ago. I can fit a couple loads of laundry on one rack and it cost less than $20.

I use vinegar as a fabric softener as well. And using a tennis ball in the dryer really does help with static electricity and cuts down on the drying time. It is the same concept as those dryer balls that are like $10 a pair. I have used the same tennis balls for 2 or 3 years.

Another tip I just read about, when drying a load in the dryer, by adding a couple of clean, dry towels to the load it will cut your drying time in half.

Oh, and a tip to extend the life of your razors... you run your razor up the entire length of a leg of jeans 10-20 times, in one direction. Then 10-20 times in the other direction. Here is a video demonstration:
http://lifehacker.com/5356529/extend-your-razors-life-with-a-pair-of-jeans

ETA: Maybe you guys can help me...I have heard you can make your own ricotta cheese and yogurt using a crock pot. Does anyone here have experience doing this? And do you have a website or cook book you can recommend with instructions? Thanks!

Try here: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/10/you-can-make-yogurt-in-your-crockpot.html

I haven't actually tried it, but now I'm wanting to.

 

[cndij]

Does anyone have a good link to places that sell good spices and herbs in bulk?
We do not have any local stores that do this

I have 2 favorite sources for spices. The first is www.atlanticspice.com
I have been using them for years and my parents before me, no one beats their prices for bulk spices. On most items you have to order a pound, but their price for a pound is less than most places charge for an ounce. An example a pound of Bay Leaf is $6.40, and is a huge pillow like package. I split orders with friends and still have a ton. My new second favorite is www.myspicesage.com They have more specialty items and though you can buy in bulk, you can also buy as little as one ounce if it's something you just want to try out. Their prices for 1 pound sizes is more than Atlantic Spice, but they have a huge variety.

Cindi

 

[yanilat]

thanks for the website. I try to make my own curry blend since we cook a lot of curry dishes.

 

[4HOLIDAYS]

I'm so glad to find this thread. We've been looking for ways to cut out cost even more and these are ones that neither myself or DH would think of. We both came from spender families who are in their 60's and broke. We don' want to repeat their mistakes.

 

[pampam]

I inadvertantly saved some money yesterday. I had a pie and a casserole in the oven, but recieved a call and I had to leave right away. The casserole still had 15 minutes to cook, and the pie another 20 minutes. I turned the oven off and left them in the oven, thinking I would cook and reheat them later. When I took them out, they both were cooked perfectly.

 

[d1sneyf4n]

I am sensitive to chemicals, so I clean with soap and water, vinegar, and baking soda whenever I can. I'm still using up big containers of Melaluca brand concentrated "green" cleaners that my MIL gave us 10 years ago. Some of them I don't like much, so I've started using them to clean the toilet bowl. I'd rather use them up than throw them out!

We just got Melaluca laundry detergent. The amount you use is so little. Hope it works well.

 

[yanilat]

I don't remember where I got this tip but I have been doing it for a while,
Those plastic bags in cereal boxes ?
They are sturdy and I use to store my meats and seafood in the freezer instead of Ziploc Freezer Bags. I will re use it only for frozen meats and seafood, especially since we are not a family of cereal eaters for breakfast we don't have a lot of those ( I think for their nutritional value, it is overpriced) .
Our breakfast at home consists of eggs, oatmeal, fried rice, turkey sausage, leftovers..I think it is not only cheaper but more nutritious.

 

[yanilat]

I don't remember where I got this tip but I have been doing it for a while,
Those plastic bags in cereal boxes ?
They are sturdy and I use to store my meats and seafood in the freezer instead of Ziploc Freezer Bags. I will re use it only for frozen meats and seafood, especially since we are not a family of cereal eaters for breakfast we don't have a lot of those ( I think for their nutritional value, it is overpriced) .
Our breakfast at home consists of eggs, oatmeal, fried rice, turkey sausage, leftovers..I think it is not only cheaper but more nutritious.

 

[Pre]

Whew! All done! I spent the last three weeks reading all 92 pages.
My budget tip is target's low price guarantee they have several options, the standard bring in an ad and target will match it, they will also credit you if you buy something and within seven days find it lower, you just bring In your recipt and the other ad and target will credit you. Target also has a policy that if you buy something and within two weeks it goes on sale bring In your recipt and target will credit you.

 

[Sagginit]

Whew! All done! I spent the last three weeks reading all 92 pages.
My budget tip is target's low price guarantee they have several options, the standard bring in an ad and target will match it, they will also credit you if you buy something and within seven days find it lower, you just bring In your recipt and the other ad and target will credit you. Target also has a policy that if you buy something and within two weeks it goes on sale bring In your recipt and target will credit you.

thanks for the reminder. ya know i always check the ad the week after to see if an item went on sale, but never the week after that, ill have to remember its two weeks not one. they also do not do price adjustments on clearance items. i have had a few items go down very low after i bought them. in this case i just bought it and returned the one at the higher price but i try not to do this often since i know they are tracking me.

 

[disneywatcher]

I shop in the frozen meat/discount bin of my local grocery store from time to time. I don't buy much but if I get a great deal on ground beef, I bring it home, thaw it and then cook it up then divide it into baggies and re-freeze to use for tacos, spagetti and chili. Saves time and money.

I also don't shop but once a month for groceries. For milk during the times we run out, I go to my local Stewarts gas station and buy from them. Every 7 stamps of their frequent buyers card, I get a free half gallon of milk.

 

[deuceswild10]

I think I am good at this...

I shop at ALDI for most of my groceries. Check online at ALDI.com for a location near you. Don't be afraid of this store. I was at first but the food (I SWEAR TO YOU) is so much better tasting than your traditional brands you see at the other stores. Really really you have to try it out. Save so much money on yummy foods.

I'm not a coupon clipper because usually it's things I wouldn't normally buy in the first place. I have joined many websites (johnson and johnson, glad, etc...you get the idea) and they send coupons. I have recieved many freebies and coupons for free items.

I don't use ground beef - too expensive and bad for you. In place of that I use ground turkey. I don't buy Mac and cheese, I make homemade. Some nights we have BLT's, tomato soup w/grilled cheese, breakfast for dinner, quesadillas (soooo inexpensive). Kabobs, grilled chicken salad.

If you buy ice glazed bags of chicken...thaw cut in half (to thin out) and use one-half as one portion.

What I do...
*use half the laundry detergent they recommend (let soak first)
*salvation army for clothes
*craigslist (not not not Ebay)
*Mom2Mom sales (sell and shop)
*Buy items that could be great gifts for someone WHEN on sale.
*Make my own cards
*Offer my services to others at lowest price...word gets around (I make candy bar wrappers and mom cards for other moms (phone numbers, addresses...etc.)
*Workout at home NOT the gym
*Use Netflix instead of renting at a store

If I think of anymore....

Good tips!

FYI ground beef is not bad for you. If you have it all the time maybe it would affect your health, but here and there it's fine.

 

[kabrantes]

Go to your local wholesale club (for the cheapest price), and buy a big bag of Arm and Hammer baking powder and a bottle of white vinegar. Pour half of a cup of the baking powder down the drain first, wait 30 min then add
the vinegar. It's a fraction of the price to Draino.

 

[Hellothemouse]

I have 2 favorite sources for spices. The first is www.atlanticspice.com
I have been using them for years and my parents before me, no one beats their prices for bulk spices. On most items you have to order a pound, but their price for a pound is less than most places charge for an ounce. An example a pound of Bay Leaf is $6.40, and is a huge pillow like package. I split orders with friends and still have a ton. My new second favorite is www.myspicesage.com They have more specialty items and though you can buy in bulk, you can also buy as little as one ounce if it's something you just want to try out. Their prices for 1 pound sizes is more than Atlantic Spice, but they have a huge variety.

Cindi

Thank you!!!!