Make Your Own Instant Oatmeal and Save Money!

How would you like a nice, filling breakfast for about $0.10? It is so easy!
Make your own instant oatmeal!

Use a cannister of quick oats. Measure out 1/4 cup of oats into snack size bags. Grab a pack in the morning and treat it the same way you would instant oatmeal. Add water to a bowl and pour in the quick oats. Pop it in the microwave for about 2 minutes and Voila! Your breakfast will be ready before you have had time to get dressed in the morning.
My cannister of quick oats yielded 22 bags and cost me about $2.00 including the bags. This equaled out to around $0.09 per bag

A box of instant oatmeal costs around $2.00 and has 10 pouches inside, which equals around $0.20 per pouch for the exact amount in my DIY bags.

I was very proud of myself a couple of weeks ago. I thought I was saving quite a bit of money (and even bragged in a blog about it) by having my instant oatmeal for breakfast. I thought I was doing awesome by cutting my breakfast budget down below $0.25 until, my daughter showed me this trick.
I eat oatmeal 4-5 times a week for breakfast. It's nutritious, low in calories and low in cost.
This trick of my daughter's is going to save me quite a bit over time. I just had to pass along this helpful hint.

Laundry Tip: Make Liquid Fabric Softener Last Longer

Love the way liquid fabric softener leaves your clothes smelling? Hate the price and having to buy it every time you turn around? Have you tried skipping buying it only to have to deal with all of that static electricity? Well... that is no fun either.

I have just the solution for you! This simple tip will make any liquid fabric softener last at least 4 times longer and your clothes will still have that same wonderful smell and no static electricity.

Buy yourself a couple of packs of sponges. I found mine at Dollar General for $2.00 each. While I was at it, I went ahead and bought a new bottle of liquid fabric softener for $3.00. (I don't typically use fabric softener because the powdered laundry soap I make has Purex Crystals in it, eliminating this need for me. But, it is nice to have on hand for if/when I decide to use it.)

I cut my sponges in half length-wise and then in half across the middle, getting four small sponges out of each sponge I started with. This gave me a total of 52 small sponges.

I put all of the little sponges into a container I had on hand. I recycled an old, plastic snack tub. You can use a plastic coffee can, or any other container you would like. Plastic or glass is best.

Then, I simply poured the liquid fabric softener over the sponges until the liquid fabric softener was about 2 inches from the top. I was only able to pour about 3/4 of my new bottle of liquid fabric softener into my container. This gives me more to refill my container as I use it up.

 Next, you will need to label your container. I always put the name of what is in the container and the date on mine so I can see just how long it lasts. 

Directions for use:
When you start a load of laundry, use one small sponge per load. Squeeze out excess liquid and place in your washing machine with your dirty laundry. When the washing machine finishes, put laundry AND sponge into dryer. After dryer finishes, place small sponge back into the container to re-use.

Eventually, the liquid fabric softener will be used, just refill container with fabric softener remaining in original bottle. You will be so surprised at how much longer this will make one bottle of fabric softener last!

My bottle stated that it was a 40 load bottle (which would last me about a month if I followed the instructions on the bottle). I only used 3/4 of the bottle filling my container. I had 52 sponges to start off. They will be recycled over and over again. I am predicting this one 40 load bottle will last me around 6 months, if I wash on average one - two loads of clothes per day.

How to Clean Your Stove Top For Less Than $1.00

I have one of the oldest (& dirtiest) stoves known to mankind. It is so disgusting that I have been threatening to trade it in on a new one! (I just can't afford it yet!) I have to make do with it. I am just tired of it looking like I pulled it out of the county dump. I have tried all sorts of cleansers and nothing really works. Oh, it might take off a little, but nothing like I want it to. I have even tried Easy Off oven cleaner with no success. I thought after my success with the oven, I would try to tackle this.

EWWW!!!
Believe it or not, I actually washed over it with hot, soapy water just before I took this picture. I am so embarrased but before I show you the after photo, I wanted you to see what it looked like before.

The first thing I tried was a paste made with baking soda and peroxide.

I just poured the box of baking soda in a bowl and slowly added hydrogen peroxide until it made a paste. Then I coated the stove top with it and left it alone for about 30 minutes. After I wiped all of the baking soda paste off, I rinsed the stove top with hot water. These were my results.

It definitely looked better. You can tell it worked. My stove top was just so bad, that it would not get it all. If your's is not as bad as mine was, this is probably all you need to get yours sparkling clean.

Because my stove was so stained and had at least 100 years (I may be slightly exaggerating, but it certainly felt like it as I was cleaning it) of grease built up on it, I had to keep trying.

I remembered the mixture I used to clean my oven, and thought about giving it a shot.

I brought a pot of water almost to a boil on the stove. I did this for two reasons. First to heat up the stove top, and second to get my water as hot as I could stand it.

I poured the hot water into a cleaning bucket and added two tablespoons of dishwashing liquid.

Pulled out my rubber gloves,

And, added 1 1/2 cups of lemon scented ammonia to the mix.

I used an old rag to wash off the stove top. There was a tiny bit of steam because of the hot water and hot stove top. I was able to stand it without difficulty. I used a stainsless steel scrubber around the edges of the eyes to try to get the old, cooked on grease off. After about 30 minutes of wiping and scrubbing, I gave up.
This is the final result.

It still did not get off everything, but I have never seen it look this good. This is a stove I can live with while I am saving my pennies to buy a new one. (Patting myself on the back for a job well done!) Try it for yourself and see how good your stove top can look!

How to Clean Your Oven for Less Than $1.00

I have an old second oven. I have tried everything to get it clean. No matter how hard I tried it just would not come clean. Until, I tried this simple solution. Here is the before shot. (Hanging my head in shame)
 

I started the cleaning process the night before. I put the oven on the lowest temperature setting. For my old oven, it was 200 F. While my oven was heating, I put a pot of water on the stove top to heat up. Make sure your pot does not have a plastic handle. You will be putting this in the oven.

As the water was coming to a boil, I poured lemon scented Ammonia into another oven safe pot (around 1 1/2 cups).

 The entire bottle of Ammonia was $1.99. I used only about 1/3 of the bottle.

When the water came to a roaring boil, I turned off the oven. Then, I placed the pan of boiling water on the bottom rack of my oven. I put the ammonia on the top rack. Closed the oven door and went to bed.

The next morning, I opened the oven door, let it air out for about 15 minutes, put the pot of water back to heating on the stove.

I removed the ammonia and set it to the side while I removed the oven racks.

Next I added, 2 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid to the ammonia.

Once the water was hot again, I poured it into a wash pan with the ammonia and dishwashing liquid mixture.

Next, I found my trusty rubber gloves. Please make sure you wear gloves if you try this. Ammonia can be harmful to your skin.

Now, it was time to start the cleaning. I used an old cut up bath towel to wipe out the oven with. There were some really bad places that I had to use a stainless steel scrubbie on. Once I had the oven as clean as I thought it would get it, I used fresh hot water and a clean cloth to rinse it.

Here is what the oven looks like now.

BIG difference from the before shot! (Grinning from ear to ear! So proud of myself!

Vertical Shower Organization Plus a Bonus Storage Solution

Do you have a lot of shampoo, conditioner, body wash etc., in your shower? If you are like me, I am forever knocking something over (hoping it doesn't spill when it crushes my toes). I have found out the hard way that yelling and saying things I shouldn't to those bottles does absolutely no good.

I have to give my Mom a 'that-a-girl'. She came up with this genius solution to the problem.

She tacked up a shoe organizer in the back of her shower. It cleared the edge of the tub of body washes and hair products. All of the bottles fit in it nicely and nothing can tip over and spill or fall and crush tender toes. She even has a place to store other things you might need in there as well. You are able to see each item through the mesh. This was a great idea, Mom!

When she measured it to see if it would fit, she discovered that it was too long. She cut off a couple of rows and turned the excess into a mail organizer.

This trick solved another organizational problem she had of sorting each person's mail without having stacks of mail all over the table. She attached it to the wall in the hallway across from the bathroom so each person that has mail is sure to see it. She used push pins to secure it to the wall.

This would be a great office organizer too!

Way to go Mom! Twice the organization out of one item!

DIY Laundry Pods

Do you go to a laundromat  to do your laundry and hate carrying big bottles of soap and fabric softener? Or maybe you are going to be traveling and need to do laundry while you are away. I have a solution for you. Make these laundry pods and make your life a bit easier. These are simple to make and easy to carry.

They only have five ingredients and odds are you have most of it in your house now

Ingredients:
3 cups of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
1 cup of Fels Naptha Bar Soap - shredded
4 tablespoons of Epsom Salt
6 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide
1/2 cup of vinegar

Directions:

Add 1 cup of shredded Fels Naptha bar soap to a mixing bowl.

Then, add 3 cups of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda.

Next, add 4 tablespoons of Epsom Salt.

Then you will need to add 6 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide. It will fizz and bubble. This is normal. Next, add 1/2 cup of vinegar and stir.

The mixture should have the texture of slightly wet sand.

Use a tablespoon measuring spoon to make scoops. Pull against side of bowl to remove excess from spoon. Place on a parchment covered tray or cookie sheet.

Allow pods to dry over night. Then, store in an airtight container. Will make about 40 laundry pods. Each pod costs only pennies to make and is safe in HE machines. No fabric softener is needed when you use these pods.

DIY Laundry Soap Powdered

Tired of paying high prices for name brand laundry soap? Not me. I have been making my own for years. This is my favorite DIY powdered laundry soap. It makes enough to last for months and costs less than $21.00 total. You have to try this one!

You will need this for your ingredients:
1)   4 pound box of Borax ($3.38)
1)   3 pound 7 ounce box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda ($3.24)
1)   3 pound container of Oxi Clean ($2.73)
2)   14.1 ounce bars of Zote Soap ($0.97 each)
1)   4 pound box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda ($2.24)
1)   55 ounce bottle of Crystals Fabric Softener ($8.96)
All ingredients were purchased at Walmart in the laundry aisle.
The cost for everything was $20.55 before tax.

Directions:
Grate the Zote Soap. I used a food processor.  You can grate it by hand, or slice it and put it in the microwave for about 30 seconds and crumble it. Do it anyway you want, I just found the food processor to be the quickest and easiest way. You want it to look like pink shredded cheese.
This is what it should look like after grating.

Next you will want to layer your ingredients. Think of making lasagna. Once you have used all your ingredients in the layering process, it will look like this.

Now it is time to mix all of the ingredients. You can do it the old fashioned way with a big spoon and stir until you feel like your arm will fall off.

Or you can do it the easy way by pouring it into a garbage bag and rolling it back and forth.

 

When you get it mixed well, fill your containers. I try to recycle my old ones by refilling them. I label the front with 'Laundry Soap' with directions on how to use.

I make a label with the ingredients for the back. This way, I know exactly how much and what types of ingredients are in it so I do not have to hunt for the recipe when I get ready to make more.

Now, how much to use per load? It only takes 2 tablespoons per load. I use the scoop that came in my oxi clean container. You can also use the lid from the Purex Crystals bottle. Fill to the middle line on the  bottle lid.

You will be surprised by how much this makes and by how little it takes per load. It should last 6 - 12 months depending on how big your family is and how much laundry is done each day in your home.

It is safe to use on HE machines.

To make it easier and more fun to make, get a laundry soap making buddy. In my case, I went to Mom's and we made 2 batches. This way she had one and I had one to take home. We spent the day together AND got something done! Yay us!

A Cheap, Quick, & Healthy Breakfast Choice

Was your New Year's resolution to save money? or maybe it was to lose weight? I have a simple breakfast idea that is healthy, quick, easy, very inexpensive, and low in calories, and it will keep your tummy full until lunch.

It is instant oatmeal. Surprised?

One packet of plain original instant oatmeal has 100 calories and costs around $0.15 - $0.20. (depending on what brand you purchase, sales, coupons, etc). You can jazz it up with your favorite fresh fruit, spices, or just have it plain. (I add cinnamon, 1 packet of Splenda, and 1 tsp of butter.) Personalize it. Make it your own. On these cold, winter days, it really warms you from the inside out.

Instant oatmeal takes less than two minutes to heat in the microwave. That is less time than going to a fast food drive-thru and just think of all the money you will be saving! I keep a box in my office at work and while everyone else is eating a drive thru breakfast that costs around $5.00 and has around 500 calories (or more!), I enjoy my oatmeal that costs less than a quarter and has around 150 calories (after I add the butter & other good stuff).

If you ate instant oatmeal only two days a week for breakfast (instead of going to a fast food restaurant), you would save almost $40.00 a month and eliminate over 3,000 calories from your diet!

Creative & Cheap Storage Solution

One of my big goals for the coming year is to get my house as organized as humanly possible. Every room needs work in this department. The worst room is definitely my workroom/craftroom/granddaughter's bedroom. It is pure chaos, not the organized, creative kind either.

It is going to take a lot of time, energy and effort to get it back to where I can actually produce something in it. Not to mention, it now also has to be toddler proof.

How in the world will I do this? Well, one idea I have come up with is going vertical. I am going to be hanging items on the wall (and from the ceiling) instead of having them on the worktable.

Maybe if my baby Zoey can't reach them for now, it will give me time to train her not to put beads, needles, crayons and other craft supplies in her mouth.

Remember I am super frugal. There is just not a lot of money for me to go buy fancy storage bins and beautiful shelving. Since I cannot use my creative side to make things in the room (for now). I will need to use it to come up with alternative storage.
　

　
　One idea I had was to use these sink caddies I found in the Dollar Spot at Target. They were in with the seasonal items marked 70% off (no idea why they were considered seasonal -but I was not about to argue). I was able to get each package for $0.30. That is only $0.15 per bin. I am going to paint them a coordinating color to match the room. Then, mount them in a row and put my colored pencils, markers, crochet needles, etc in them. I believe they will look good and serve their purpose. Not a bad investment. Three packages (total of 6 bins) for less than a dollar with tax!