Homemade Almond Milk

My sister just recently posted that Almond Milk is one of the number one healthiest milks.  Lucky for her, I just perfected it.  I have to be honest here, this recipe was a bit of a plague to me.  I tried this one time and I liked it ok but to be honest, it tasted like extremely skim milk with too much of an almond taste. This began my many months of testing and research to find the right recipe.  My recipe needed to do 3 things: Save me money, taste thick like milk, and not taste like I am eating straight almonds. Luckily, I finally found all three.  After much trial and error, I have finally found the right recipe!

 I am going to begin by giving the basic recipe then below I will give tips to remember.

Basic Recipe

½ cup Almonds

4 cups Water

1 tbsp Maple Syrup

¾ tsp Vanilla Extract

½ tsp Guar Gum

• Soak almonds in water for at least 4-6 hour. (Update: The longer you let them sit, the creamier they are. I soak mine in the fridge for a couple days if I can.)

• Drain and put in blender with water and process until smooth.

• Put in strainer and strain out almond pulp.

• Mix milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and guar gum together in a jar.  Immediately shake it up and it’s ready to serve.

• Shake before serving each time.

Total cost is around 95 cents to make a quart.  I purchased the guar gum at the local health food store or it can be ordered online.  I purchased the rest of the ingredients at Walmart, Aldis, and Sam’s Club.

Tips to Remember:

IMPORTANT: I can’t stress this one enough!  Freeze your almonds that you do not use in almond milk.  I tested and tested this recipe and finally found that the bitter taste was my almonds.  They had went sour and did not taste good at all in my milk!  So, I keep my bag in the freezer. 

Use Whole Natural Almonds.  Do not use roasted or anything like that.  When soaking them, you will know once they are ready because they will be double in size.  I prefer to soak mine overnight. 

To drain them:  if you have cheesecloth, a lot of recipes recommend using this.  I already had 2 strainers so that is what I use.  I first strain it through the big strainer and then through the little strainer.

When adding the ingredients, add the guar gum last.  I let it sit once for about 10 minutes and it became a thick ball.

How is my recipe different than all the other recipes on the internet?  

 I use less almonds (others call for ¾ to 1 cup) plus I use Guar Gum.  I have yet to find a recipe that includes this.  Guar Gum is an all natural thickening agent that has 8 times the thickening power as cornstarch.

Customize it to your taste:

• If you like a more almond taste, use ¾ cup almonds. 
• If you want your drink to taste thicker, then use ¾ tsp guar gum. 
• If you want your milk to taste more like skim milk, use ¼ tsp guar gum.

What do I do with all the leftover almond pulp?

Use it! I add it to my oatmeal or my pancake recipe or you put it in with a cookie recipe.  These are all great ways to use it so you don't have to throw it away.

Pancake Recipe:

1 cup flour
1 cup almond milk
2 eggs
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
Whatever almond pulp you have leftover.

Mix all of these together and start cooking!  These pancakes freeze really good so you can throw on in the microwave and head out the door.  When I make almond milk for this, I don't even add the guar gum, extract, or syrup.  I use just the straight almond milk since I am just cooking with it.

Stingily Yours,

The Stingy Sister

The Grocery List - Meal Planning

I have been there, standing in the middle of Walmart with fifteen hundred other people swarming around you while you try to figure out what in the world are you going to feed your family for the next week.  It is how I always grocery shopped.  I had maybe 5 things on my list and I ended up with an entire cart full of what I thought I needed.  Luckily, I began meal planning before I had kids.  I can’t imagine adding in that as well when trying to grocery shop. 
 
Lucky for me, my sister asked me one time, “Why don’t you create a meal plan before you go shopping?”  My response was simple, “Too much work”.  Well, once I had to get ready to pay for a baby and had daycare to pay for, she didn’t seem quite so silly.  So, I thought I would give it a try.  First time I shopped, I remember thinking how quick I was able to shop.  Honestly, I was bored waiting on her to finish up her shopping.  It dawned on me then, it took me an extra 15 minutes to create the meal and list; however, it saved me so much time when I was in the store.  I can go through 2 grocery stores in around 50 minutes and that includes me buying for 2 weeks’ worth of groceries.
 
This solves the question, “What’s for dinner?”  I keep the menu on the board and my husband knows to go there to see what I will be making.  If that night, we don’t feel like what I have set, then we trade it with another day.
 
Where does the money savings come in?  First, since you are creating your grocery list from the meal plan, then you don’t have nearly the waste.  Second, since you are not buying stuff you don’t need, then you won’t have extras that are going to waste.
 
Creating the Meal Plan

•  I keep a notebook on hand at all times.  I write down grocery ideas and anything I want to add to my grocery list throughout the week.
• I only create a meal plan for dinner.  Breakfast is always smoothies, eggs or cereal and lunch is leftovers.
• I make leftovers on the nights I am busy.  I am on the go Thursday nights so I always do leftovers on that night.
• If you think of it, give yourself a variety of dinner ideas:
• Ex: Mexican, Italian, a family favorite (Like Hamburger Rollup)  Basically, just don’t do Pizza every single night or you will get tired of it
• I always make a few meals that make enough leftovers for the next entire day so I don’t have to cook for 2 days. (Ex: Spaghetti, Tuna Noodle Casserole, Chicken Salad Sandwiches.
• Once every couple months, challenge yourself and make a meal plan strictly from extras that you have lying around the house.  This is how I cleanup anything that I don’t want to go bad. (Ex: Frozen Chicken, a stove top mix)

 

Sample of a Meal Plan for us:
 
Monday: Broccoli & Cheese Soup
Tuesday: Grilled Ham & Cheese
Wednesday: Spaghetti
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Lemon Pepper Chicken
Saturday: Pizza
Sunday: Anything leftover from week
 
Monday: Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Tuesday: Leftovers
Wednesday: Tuna Noodle Casserole
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Baked Chicken Sandwiches
Saturday: Hamburger Rollup
Sunday: Anything leftover from week.

 

The Grocery List - The Budget

The Grocery List – The Budget

 Everyone asks out of all the stingy things I do, what is the biggest money saver?  It’s my grocery list.  Anytime that I am needing to save an extra few bucks, I turn to my grocery list.  With a few simple tricks, I can turn a 200 dollar grocery bill into a 100 dollar grocery bill.  I am going to be honest here, the first time I went grocery shopping, I hated it when I left because it was so different than how I used to shop.  I was used to having 5 things on my grocery list and leaving with 200 bucks worth of groceries from just one store.  Now, I wouldn’t even think about shopping any other way.  This is going to be a lot of information so I am going to break my blogs down into just one section per blog.

The Budget

Why is a budget so important? To simply put it, impulse buying.  I am one of the biggest impulse buyers.  The minute I walk into Walmart.  I suddenly see 10 things I don’t think I can live without! Plus every week when I write out my bills, I know automatically that I am going to set aside 100 for groceries which makes budgeting my bills easier.  Setting a budget will make you more aware of what you are spending and help you save money. 

How do I determine my budget?  This is the next big question and is completely up to you.  I work off of a budget of 100 dollars per week for a family of 4.  That includes diapers, formula, shampoo, and food.  My family goes out to eat about once a week so that 100 dollars has to take care of us everyday with no going out to eat except for the one day we go out for a treat.  Remember, that is my budget though, not yours.  If you want a budget of 200 dollars then go for it! Just set an amount!

What should all be included in it?  I include everything, diapers, formula, socks, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, deodorant, dog food, and anything like that.  Basically if it’s a day to day item, I include it in my total budget.  You will need to determine what all is included. 

How do I handle sale items?  Easy, budget for some extra cash to allow yourself that.  I try to budget an extra 20 bucks when I go grocery shopping for any good deals.   

How often do I go grocery shopping?  I myself go shopping every 2 weeks and love it!  It gives me a break every other week from having to go into the store and fight the madness!  This does require a little bit more organization but is worth it in the end.  I have had questions about this so I will answer those below:

                How do I remember everything I need?  I have a dry erase board that my husband and I write down something the minute we run out so we won’t forget.   

                What if I run out of something I need?  You have 2 ways to handle this.  Deal without it until the next grocery shopping day or if your budget is 100 dollars per week then buy a 100 dollar gift card.  When the gift card runs out then you can’t buy anymore!  I always seem to run out of something I need before my grocery day so I keep a gift card and use that.  Then when I go to the store for my grocery shopping, I can only use what is left on the gift card. 

                How do I handle fresh fruit?  Fresh fruit won’t keep for weeks so I got crafty with that.  We make smoothies in our house and banana icecream.  These two options allow us to freeze fresh fruit and buy extras when it goes on sale. 

I know this can seem like a lot to take in and people will say that it doesn’t seem worth it.  As I said above, I wouldn’t dream of shopping any other way.  I can do my shopping twice as fast and save so much more money!  If you are looking to save money then just try this for a couple weeks.  See if it works for you.  You will be surprised by the amount of money that you are able to save just from setting a budget.  Will blog later about AdMatching and Couponing! 

Stingily Yours,

Michelle

DIY Febreeze

So I haven’t blogged in awhile.  I have been busy testing lots and lots of DIY projects like homemade deodorant, almond milk, liquid handsoap, and a liquid laundry soap.  I like to test my projects for a little bit before I post anything about them.  I want to make sure they actually work in the long run and see if they even save money.  So I had stumbled on this recipe a couple months ago and have been testing it for about a month now. 

So, to begin with, when trying to save money, Febreeze was one of the first things I ditched.  I couldn’t see paying 5 bucks a bottle for my house to smell good.  I saw this recipe and, to be honest, for the price it would cost me to make a bottle, I didn’t really figure it would actually work.  Well, after a day of my daughter spilling her soy formula bottle everywhere, I got sick of it.  I proceeded to whip a batch of this up. I liked it so much, I proceeded to spray the entire bottle on everything in my house!  Below are the main reasons I like this recipe: 

Smell – I can pick and choose what fragrance I want in it.  Right now, I am using Downy Ultra concentrated

Convenience  - I can whip this up anytime and I don’t have to run to the store.

Price – I can make 32 ounces for so cheap! A bottle of Febreeze costs 5 bucks per bottle these days.  I can whip up a bottle of my own for myself for under 20 cents! To get this price, I bought a bottle of Downy (51 oz) for 4 bucks and a box of Baking Soda (it has 107 tablespoons in it) for 2.24. 

Here is what you need and how to make it: 

 

2 Tablespoons Fabric Softener

2 Tablespoons Baking Soda

32 oz Hot Water

A Bottle to Spray with 

Directions:

1.       Mix fabric softener and baking soda in the bottle and shake them up. 

2.       Fill HOT water the rest of the way up and shake until mixed up. 

3.       Shake each time before use.

One main question I have heard is that will it stain.  I sprayed my daughters pack n play every single day for a week until it was soaked and have not seen any staining at all. 

So, I hope you enjoy!  This is one of my favorite recipes because of how cheap it is!

Stain Fighter/ Miracle Cleaner

We have had what seems like the plague the last few weeks and I have done more laundry and cleaned up more messes than normal.  I was changing my bed yet again and realized my daughter had spilled red koolaid a couple weeks ago in our bed and it had stained my mattress cover.......which is white, by the way!  I really like this stain cleaner but thought, "There is no way this is gonna pull a red koolaid stain that has set for 2 weeks out of a white mattress cover".........I was wrong!  It pulled the stain completely out where I cannot even tell where the stain was even at.

If that doesn't convince you, I have been doing cloth diapering for around 2 years and needless to say, I have 2 years worth of stains on my diapers.  I sprayed my diapers and let them sit for 10 minutes.  This pulled a lot of the stains out of them and brightened them a lot. 

I have been using this for over 3 months and can't ever imagine going back to buying regular stain fighters.  This brightens and cleans better than anything I have ever used and it is super cheap.  I can make around 8 ounces for 50 cents.

Stain Fighter/Miracle Cleaner

What you need:

1 part Dawn Dishsoap
2 parts Hydrogen Peroxide
Measuring cup
Whisk
Spray Bottle

Step 1: Add One Part Dawn. I added 1/3 cup of Dawn.

Step 2: Add 2 parts Hydrogen Peroxide and whisk together.  I added 2/3 cup.

Step 3: Mix together and pour in a spray bottle.  (Have you ever noticed peroxide is always in a dark bottle?  Since it comes in a dark bottle, I just bought a bottle a hydrogen peroxide bottle and use that bottle for my cleaner.)

Spray the stain and let sit for 10 minutes.  Wash like normal in wash machine.


Common Questions:

What kind of Dawn should I use?
I personally use Original Non-Concentrated Dawn because I have an HE washer and do not want to cause too many suds because I am too lazy to rinse it out before I put it in the wash machine.  I have seen blogs where they use either so I don't think it makes much difference.

Do you have to let it sit?
I think that just depends on what you are cleaning.  My cloth diapers I let sit for the full 10 minutes.  When I cleaned my mattress pad, it sat for maybe 2 minutes?

I got this recipe from the blog below:
http://moderndaymoms.com/homemade-miracle-cleaner/

 

DIY Baby Wipes & Lysol Wipes

So lets get down to the real truth about wipes.  Wipes are something to clean your babies butt or wipe dirt!  So why do we spend so much money on it?  You are literally throwing away money with this!

I started trying the baby wipes simply because I was sick of spending money on something that I was throwing away in the trash.  I have been using these for a little over a month and love them!  Best part is that you can customize these to your child's needs.  Here's what I mean:  My daughter always had a little bit of a diaper rash.  Nothing serious, but always enough that I was using cornstarch.  After using these wipes, she has not had a diaper rash at all.  I could customize the type of baby wash and oil to fit her and it is super cheap!

A lot of people are concerned about quality.  I use the VIVA brand pick a size paper towels and have not had an issue at all with quality.  They work just as good as the regular wipes.  The size of the wipes are a little smaller but I never use the entire wipe so this was never an issue.

What do you have to lose? Most people have all of these ingredients around the house so you won't be losing anything by trying this.  Some people will even state that with wipes being so cheap, why make them?  As with all things stingy, every penny counts and this will definitely add up.


To make Baby Wipes

Cost is around 75 cents to make 77 wipes

Paper Towels - I use Viva Pick a Size
1 1/4 cups water
2 tsp. Baby Wash
2 tsp. Baby Oil

Here is how you make it:

1. Cut the paper towel roll in half.
          It should look like 2 rolls of toilet paper once cut in half

2. Put one of the rolls in a plastic container
          I used an old Lysol Wipe container

3. In a measuring cup, mix the water, baby wash, and baby oil.
          I make sure the water is warm and use a whisk to stir it all up.
          You can put more water in if you would like but I prefer it with less water.

4. Pour the mixture over the paper towel in the container.

5. Pull the cardboard center out and you're done.
         I prefer to let mine sit for a couple hours before I use so the water can evenly distribute to all    the wipes but you can start using right away

UPDATE:

Here is what I have found out, the less water, the better.  Everyone thinks you should saturate the wipes but DON'T.  For 2 reasons:

1. It will make the wipes shred and fall apart.

2. I noticed my baby wipes smelled after a couple weeks.  I work full time so I don't go through wipes quickly.  I have noticed when I add less water, they stay smelling fresh.

3. If you do not go through your wipes within a couple weeks, you will need to add lavendar or tea tree essential oil to use as a preservative to keep an bacteria from growing.

To make Lysol Wipes:

Follow everything exactly the same except use regular lysol or Mr. Clean in place of the water, baby wash, and baby oil.

DIY Nose Strips, Scrub, and Toner

Have you googled DIY Face Cleaner lately? There is a wide and I mean wide variety of cleaners out there. I stumbled on the Face Scrub and Toner last year and have been using them for awhile now which I still love.  However, I was still buying those Nose Strips which cost a small fortune so I stumbled across this and voila, I have a great DIY Nose Strips.

Nose Strips:

1 packet of Gelatin
1 tbsp of Milk

Mix together and microwave for 30 seconds then stir again and put all over your face.  Remember, too thin and it will crumble, too thick and it doesn't work.  I found it I could get the best layer if I dipped my fingers in the mixture and wiped it over my face. That seemed to be the perfect layer.  Let it dry for 15 minutes and peel it off

Note: It stinks. No really, it does but it works.  Also, don't put it over any hair because it will pull hair off.

Face Scrub:

½ cup Oatmeal

¼ cup Baking Powder

¼ cup Cornstarch

To make it: Process oats then add in baking powder and cornstarch.  Store in an airtight container.

To use: Scoop a small amount in your hand and then add water to the mixture until it is a paste.  Scrub your face. Rinse.

Face Toner:

 1/2 Cup Lemon Juice

2/3 cup Witch Hazel

2 tbsp. Rubbing Alcohol (only add if oily skin)

1 cup water

Mix everything together and use on your face twice a day.   

Total Cost: 60 cents for a little over 18 ounces.

Note: I added a couple drops of lavender essential oil as I saw that someone had stated it helps with inflammation.

I got the face toner recipe from the below website:

http://shwinandshwin.blogspot.com/2010/10/skin-brightening-toner.html

 this was an area that could use some improvement

Quick & Efficient Cleaning

Define Clean.  When do you consider that your house is clean?  Do you have to scrub everything?  Does your house have to have a certain smell in order to be “clean”? Do you have to go through a certain process of cleaning ?  I have been trying, testing, and searching for over 7 years for a quick and efficient way to clean my house and found that I had to redefine what clean meant for me.  Clean no longer has a smell.  Clean no longer means scrubbing.  Clean means that the surface no longer has germ, dirt, etc on it.  For an OCD person that has 2 kids, redefining clean meant trying a lot of different cleaners and ways to clean.  I happy to say that I have finally found the quickest and most efficient way that truly gets the job done with the least amount of effort.

To begin with, I am a huge Norwex fan and half the products I use are Norwex.  I hosted a party and got everything I am mentioning in here for free with hostess rewards.  I was always uncertain of their products ; however, after using them, I happily have bought more Norwex products.  How I look at it is that this is an investment in cleaning supplies much like when someone purchases a steam mop.  You are investing in a product that will last.  Their products truly work and save time when it comes to cleaning which makes them even more worth it plus you are only using water so no chemicals.  To those of you that can’t quite budget in Norwex,  I am going to include what I used beforehand.

Bathroom
 

Sink:  Norwex Enviro Cloth:  Wet the cloth and I wipe my countertops down with it.  That’s it. This puts an awesome shine on my sink and it is a simple as wiping it down.  Since there are no chemicals, it doesn’t leave a residue so my sinks are extremely shiny and clean.  My husband even stated that my faucet hadn’t looked that good since I had bought it new.  This was an awesome compliment as he never compliments my cleaning.  ---- Before Norwex, Mr. Clean. 

Shower/Tub:  Magic Eraser.  I leave a magic eraser in my shower and, once a week; wipe the shower down while I am showering.  This is awesome on soap scum.  My husband is a mechanic and there is always a black ring around the bottom of our shower and this easily takes care of it.  There is no scrubbing at all, plus, no chemicals to smell either.  (Note: I use the name brand Magic Eraser as I have found that it works better than offbrand.)  

Mirrors: Norwex Polishing Cloth.  This is the quickest I have ever been able to clean my windows.  I spray on water and wipe.  No streaks…….at all. I literally called my sister after using this I was so amazed at how easily it cleaned and how good it worked. Her response was, “See, I told you!”---- Before Norwex, I used newspapers and vinegar/water in a spray bottle.  

Toilets:  The Works Toilet Bowl Tablet.  This is placed in the tank.  Every time that you flush, it is putting cleaner in the toilet.  So, once a week, I flush the toilet and use my scrub brush to scrub the toilet.  No messing with putting a cleaner in the toilet.  (Note: This is the only tablet I like.  I have tried others and don’t feel they work.)   Now, in my toilet that I clean diapers out with, I can’t use the tablet since I don’t want the chemicals on my diaper so I use a little baking soda and vinegar and scrub it around.

Kitchen
 

Microwave:  SprayWay Glass Cleaner.  I know this is a glass cleaner but it works awesome in my microwave.  I spray it in my microwave, close the door, wait a few minutes, then I open the door and wipe down my microwave.  It is super simple and works doesn’t leave a residue.  Note:  Cleaner has ammonia. 

Stove:  Sprayway Glass Cleaner.  Spray on stove top, let sit a few minutes and wipe down.  Just like the microwave, it’s super easy and doesn’t leave a residue.  It picks up any food that is left on it.  Note: Cleaner has ammonia. 

Dusting 

Dusting:  Norwex Dust Mitt.  Wipe off surface.  That’s it.  This works like a Swiffer Duster.  It picks up the dirt and doesn’t just spread around dust.  Best part with the mitt is that it does not need refills.  Just brush off and every so often throw in wash machine.  For areas like my end tables that get glass and bottle rings on them, I spray the table with water and then wipe down with the cloth. --- Before Norwex, any polishing spray and Swiffer duster.

Mopping

This section gets a lot of blog space since this is what takes the longest when it comes to cleaning!  I have used Swiffer vac and sweep, Swiffer wet mop, dry mop, libman wet mop.  I have tried a lot of different mops and settled on the Norwex mop.  This was the reason I even had a Norwex party.  I had broken my libman mop and my Swiffer vac and sweep kept going dead.  So I hosted a party since the mop was the hostess special.  Wasn’t for sure if I was even going to like this but I am super pleased with this!  It cut my cleaning time in half!  It is one mop handle and base and 2 different pads.  One is a dry superior mop pad that I use in place of my sweep n vac.  The other is my wet mop pad that I use in place of my Libman.  I sweep my floors and run over it with the dry mop and then clean with the wet mop. I honestly have no clue how this works but it does work. Plus, it is a huge space saver since it is only one mop that does both dry mop and wet mop.

Dry Mop: This mop picks up hair, small pieces of food, and dust and dirt.  You simply use a rubber brush to brush it off or use your vacuum to clean it.  I wash this in the wash machine every other week.

Wet Mop:  I personally like to fill up a spray bottle and spray my floor and then wipe over it with the mop.  I have heard of people just wetting the mop pad and ringing it out and then using it.  Either way, it cleans better then any mop I have ever used and I barely scrub.  I wash this is the wash machine every other week.

Feel free to add any quick ways you have found to clean your house!

Michelle

Goodwill

For me, Goodwill is one of the primary examples of America refueling itself.  They are a company that works off of people’s donations to create jobs.  Unlike other stores or even other resale shops, Goodwill doesn’t pay for the product they are selling.  They are simply using what Americans don’t want anymore and reselling which creates jobs for us.  Every time that I purchase an item, I know that my money is going to create a job for someone.  Someone that without another person’s donation and someone willing to buy the product, wouldn’t have a job.

So, where do the savings come in?  Goodwill is one of the cheapest resale shops I have shopped at.   I couldn’t make the items as cheap as I can buy them at Goodwill.  Plus, if you are lucky like I am in, the store where I live is large and holds a lot of items.

What can you buy at Goodwill?

 

Obviously, this can change dependent upon the store, season, etc.; however, I can always find clothing and shoes for everyone in the family, books, dishware, cookware, picture frames, lamps, crafts, vases, seasonal items, and a wide variety of many other things.  Please note: The prices can change dependent upon what they have, quality of item, location, inflation, etc.

Kid’s Clothes – There is usually a pretty wide selection of kid’s clothes.   On average, I pay around $1.95 per article of clothing and I just paid $1 for a pair of Dora Sandals.  Here are a couple images of clothes I have bought. 

 

 

Kids’s Book – I recently bought around 15 books at .35 cents a piece!  This is an awesome deal because as most parents know, kids end up ruining books! 

Kid’s Toys –  I am always surprised at how cheap the toys are.  Truly think about what you as a parent pay per year for toys that your kids only play with for a few months.   I bought a Little Tikes kitchen set for $9.  I found a Fisher Price Little People Dollhouse that originally cost $40 for $2.50.  Also, I bought a pair of Dora sunglasses for 56 cents! 

Adult Dresses –  I purchased 2 dresses there that I wore while I was pregnant.  I paid $3 for one and $5 for the other.  They have a wide variety of clothing.  Jeans run around $5 and shirts run around $3 and up. 

Crafts – This is actually a fairly big part of Goodwill.  People are constantly changing the crafts in their houses so I always see a lot of craft items.  So before you go to a craft store and pay a ton of money for something, I would take a peek at Goodwill to see what they have to offer.   

Seasonal – Another thing I love about Goodwill is that as the seasons change, so do they.  Around Christmas time, there was an entire aisle with Christmas crafts (nativity sets, platters, etc).  I just went into Goodwill and with Spring approaching, there were plastic pitchers and glasses.  Some were still in their original boxes.  I purchased a new strainer for $1.96. 

I could go on and on about everything that they offer.  I found 4 picture frames ranging between $1 - $2 per each frame.  I also found a new lamp base for $5. 

A New Way of Thinking

Goodwill has definitely changed my perspective of shopping. For Christmas last year, I bought my daughter a dollhouse at Goodwill and I purchased a brand new Radio Flyer wagon.  Guess what she liked more?  The dollhouse that I had paid $2.50 for.  It dawned on me then, if she doesn't care if something is used, why do I care if it is used?  Who says that something used cannot be as great as something new?  Yes, I know I am buying someone else’s used item; however, with a little cleaning, I think something used can be as good as new.  

What do I do with my purchases once I am done with them?  I donate it back to Goodwill to pay it forward and help create another job for someone.  Remember:  As you can read on Goodwill’s website, “ Every 38 seconds of every business day, someone gets a job — and moves toward economic stability — with help from you and Goodwill®.”

Stingily Yours,

Michelle

Does cloth diapering really save money?

Yes, it saves a lot.  I have been doing cloth diapering for 2 years now.  This is a subject I feel truly passionate about because I feel if everyone would just try for a couple weeks to do cloth diapering then they would feel the same way I do.  That it is completely worth it.  So this blog is for anyone that is interested in getting started in cloth diapering and wanting to know more about it.  I encourage anyone that is interested to read the entire blog as it give reasons why you do certain things!   There are many things that I have just found out on the way and wished I would’ve done my research beforehand.  I may update this from time to time as I remember more and more things about it. 
 

How are the diapers now different than your grandmas?

The diapers now have inserts that you simply put in the pocket diapers.  You add a couple inserts as the baby gets bigger.  Once the diaper is dirty, you put the whole diaper in a hanging diaper bag until you are ready to wash them.  There are no pins, big cloths, or plastic pants.  I could go on and on but instead I am going to reference you to the below website:

http://www.fuzzibunz.com/pdf/ClothDiaperFacts.pdf

How much should I buy and how much does it cost?

I spent around $340 getting started with 22 diapers and 2 hanging diaper bags; however, I waited for Black Friday sales.  I bought 22 diapers because I knew I wanted another baby and bought enough for 2.    Fuzzibunz currently has a starter kit for $316.  This includes 12 diapers, diaper sprayer, diaper hanging bag, 1 bag of detergent, and some wipes which is an awesome deal. 

Where are the savings?

Everywhere! J  You don’t have to buy disposables plus no diaper creams or a diaper genie with expensive bags.  The only additional purchase you make is the cloth diapering detergent which lasts for months.  Also, when it comes to washing, my water bill never went up when I started cloth diapering. 

 I can’t say how much you will save since everyone has their own brands of disposable diapers that they purchase.  Simply do the math, take how much you spend on diapers per week and times it by how long your child will be in a diaper then subtract your initial cost.  For me, the savings for the girs so far are about $1,000 and for Anna it will be a lot more since I don’t have any startup costs with her. 

What kind should I get?

 I went with Fuzzibunz One Size Diapers for the reasons listed below: 

Snaps – They have snaps instead of velcro.  Velcro can wear down after many washes plus can get lint caught in it and make it not stick as well.  I have not had a problem yet with my snaps.

Adjustable Elastic – They have elastic in the legs and back of the diaper that you can adjust to fit the baby as your baby grows so you do not need to purchase different sizes.  This is great because you can tailor it to perfectly fit your baby whether they have chubby legs or skinny legs.  Also, Fuzzibunz has an extra set of elastic with each diaper so when the first wears down, you can simply replace.

Why not perfect size?  You have to buy for each size (Small, Medium, and Large) By the time you spend the money, the savings are not that much.  The One Size can be adjusted as the baby grows. 

What about diaper cream?

Do NOT use diaper creams or ointments.  The fleece will naturally pull the water away from your babies’ bottom plus the creams can ruin the diaper.  If your baby gets a diaper rash, use cornstarch.  I personally just bought regular cornstarch in the grocery isle which works better and is cheaper than baby powder. 

Washing & Drying

This is a big section because how you care for the diapers determines how well they will work.  Some of this I found out only after having diapers that smelled for weeks so this section is extremely important.  It’s not hard to wash them but there are a few key things to remember.  I have hard water so I include any steps I do for the hard water. 

Wash Cycle:  I personally run a rinse cycle first since I have an HE washer.  After that, run a hot wash load and hang dry them on a pop-up dryer rack. 

Detergent: Use a detergent that is recommended for pocket diapers as they will not cause a buildup in the diaper.  The buildup will make them not absorb as well.   I use Hard Rock Rockin Green Detergent because it is for people that have hard water.  I use 1 tbsp per load and wash my diapers around every other day.  Do NOT use vinegar.  This can cause the elastic in the diapers to wear down quicker.  Also, fabric softener is a huge NO because it will cause the diaper to repel the water instead of absorbing it. 

Drying:  I use a pop-up dryer rack.  Works great and saves even more money.   If you use dryer sheets in your dryer, do NOT dry these in the dryer as the chemicals from the dryer sheets are on the dryer drum.  If at all possible, try to hang them in the sunlight as this naturally bleaches the diapers.  Days that are extremely hot are awesome for the diapers!

Maintenance:  This is just a section on what I personally feel should be done to the diapers from my experience.  Remember, I have hard water. 

Bleach – Every  3-5 weeks, bleach the inserts only.  If your diaper smells, this takes care of it.

Stains – Sometimes the diapers will get dingy.  I just found this cleaner a few weeks ago and love it.  Use a cleaner with 1 part original non-concentrated dawn to 2 parts hydrogen peroxide.  Spray on the fleece of the inside of the diaper.  This brightens the diapers.

Look below for more information on washing instructions:

http://shop.fuzzibunz.com/category_s/1873.htm

http://shop.fuzzibunz.com/category_s/1878.htm#trouble2

 

What is a hanging diaper bag?

I bought these instead of the diaper genie. It is simply a bag that you put the diapers in and it has a zipper on the bottom so you can unzip it and let the diapers fall into the wash machine and not have to touch them. It has a handle on it so it can hang. I bought 2 and when I am washing diapers, I add the dirty bag to the wash with the diapers and use the other bag.  How do the diapers fit with clothes?

 

How do the diapers fit with clothing?

These diapers are bigger.  Usually, the diapers upped my daughter an entire size.  So, if she could wear 6 months in pants, with cloth diapers, she wears 9 months.

Are there any cloth diapering accessories I don’t use?

The Sprayer – for me, I can clean my diapers out easily in the toilet without spending 30-50 bucks on a sprayer to clean them.

The Liners – I don’t think it’s that hard to shake off anything that’s on the diapers so a liner just seemed unnecessary, plus, it costs more money.

Used cloth diapers?

Honestly, I know people that have done this.  For me, I wanted brand new since I knew it was for both of my girls.  I will say that people have used this and do like it.

Is there a downside?

If you want to even see this as a downside.  I do use disposable diapers occasionally.  If I am going to be gone for long period of time or at night because my daughter still takes 3-4 bottles a night and 1 disposable will last her through the night.  Also, in regards to how often you need to change the diapers.  I change my daughter’s diapers every 2-3 hours.  With cloth diapering, you have to change them every 2-3 hours or they will leak out.

Final Thoughts

 If after reading all of this, you are still unsure.  Remember this quote:

Whether you think you can or you think you can’t…..you’re right – Henry Ford

If you think that you can’t do cloth diapering then you will always find a reason to not like it.  If you think that you can do it, then go out and get started!  The biggest obstacle is overcoming the idea that cloth diapering is outdated or too gross. That it’s just not for you or you can’t do it.  I was nervous starting this; however, I found cloth diapering empowering because while everyone had to remember to get diapers at the grocery store, I simply started a load of wash.

I pulled part of my information from the below website:

http://shop.fuzzibunz.com/

Stingily Yours,

Michelle

And remember, this is my recommendations from my experience. Check the manufacturers recommendations as there are some things that can void a warranty.  I believe everything I did is ok with my brand.

What do Soda, Software, & Pictures have in common?

Would you like to create FREE pictures, thank you cards, Christmas cards, and collages?  Do you drink soda?  Well my favorite drink now pays for my pictures.  Currently, coke rewards has where you can get free pictures with Shutterfly…….so 25 points for 25 4x6 pictures.  Also, you can get 11x14 pictures for a certain amount of points.  This is one of my new favorite ways to save money!

Here is what you will do:

1.     Create an account with Coke Rewards (www.cokerewards.com)

 

2.   Create an account with Shutterfly (You will automatically get 50 free 4 x 6 prints just for signing up) (www.shutterfly.com)

3.      Save coke rewards until you are ready to order.   Coke Rewards are on your caps and in your cardboard boxes.  You will only need to save the number. You will need to ensure that you log onto the coke rewards website once every three months for it to save your points that were previously entered.  This shouldn't be a problem if you are regularly signing on to add points.

4.      Once I am ready to order, then I find my shutterfly pictures that I want to redeem and choose to redeem them.  They will give you a code.

5.      Go to the Shutterfly website and upload your pictures.  Then enter the code rewards code at  the checkout of Shutterfly.  The only thing I have to pay for is shipping and handling which is much cheaper than going any 1 hour store and printing them off.

 

6.   If you are only wanting FREE pictures then you don't need to go any farther.  If you are wanting to create a collage then read below.

So where do the thank you cards, Christmas cards, and collages come in?  I downloaded a FREE software called Picasa that I can create collages as a 4x6 picture.  I simply bring up the picture and choose that I want the size to be 4 x 6 and then add everything anything else I want into it! 

I have used this for my girls pictures, our Christmas cards, and one of my friends created her thank you cards from her wedding doing this.  Shutterfly pictures are also a great quality.  This is a great, efficient way to save money!  Plus the possibilities are endless!

FYI: Coke Rewards can also be used to redeem for free 12 packs, E-gift cards, magazine subscriptions, and many other things.

These are the websites:

www.mycokerewards.com

www.shutterfly.com

www.picasa.google.com

Stingily Yours,

 

The Stingy Sister

 

Laundry Detergent

“I don’t notice a difference between store bought and homemade.”  That is the main comment I usually receive when I ask people what they think of this recipe and that is the point.  The only difference you should notice is the price!  I have been using this detergent for over a year now and still love it!

The price of regular detergent can range from 80 loads for 5 bucks to 102 loads for 18 dollars.  You can make this batch for around 17 dollars and get over 500 loads at a tbsp a load. When calculating the cost, ask yourself this, do you fill the laundry cap perfectly to the medium load line?   Or are you like most of us and fill it higher?  If you are, then the savings are going to be more since manufacturers usually calculate total loads by medium loads. 

If you’re not convinced to try this soap yet, think about this.  For around 30 minutes of work, I just saved myself around 70 dollars this year since I do around 10 loads per week.  Where else can you get 70 bucks for 30 minutes of work!  Plus, since I only make it around once a year, it’s one less thing I have to remember on my grocery list.

Homemade Laundry Soap:

-   1-4 lb 12 oz box Borax (2.15 kg or 76 oz)

-   1-4 lb box Arm & Hammer Baking Soda (1.81 kg)

-   1 - box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda 55 oz (3 lb 7 oz)

-   3 Bars of Fels-Naptha Soap

-   1 small container of Oxy Clean or store brand Oxy Clean (try to get about 3.5 lbs total or 1.58 kg)

I found all of these ingredients in the laundry soap isle in Walmart by the Oxiclean and bleach.

Step 1: Use a hand cheese grater or a food processor to grate the Soap.  I use a  hand grater to grate my soap.

(Optional Step: I do this just because I have an HE washer.  After grating the soap, I add in Washing Soda in food processor and process all of it until smooth.)

Step 2: Mix it with everything!

Step 3: Use 1 -2 tbsp per load.  I use 1 tbsp per load in my HE washer.  I know someone that has a regular wash machine and uses 1 tbsp and it works great.

Also, when I calculated this, it made around 32 cups, which is around 2 gallons so make sure you have a big container or a couple of plastic ice cream containers to put this in.

I didn’t come up with this recipe on my own! I got it from the below website.  For more details on how to make the detergent, commonly asked questions, and images with step by step instructions, please select on the link below.

http://beingcreativetokeepmysanity.blogspot.com/2010/11/homemade-laundry-soap.html

 

As Always,

The Stingy Sister