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.

Vicks Vapo Rub to the Rescue

If your family is like mine, this is the season of cough, colds, flu, and in some cases, strep throat. It seems like as soon as one is over it, the next person is coming down with it. We are hoping everyone gets better soon, but it looks like we are in for the long haul, with trading it back and forth. Maybe, we should just get some preparations under way just in case this craziness lasts until Spring thaw. Between the doctor and pharmacy visits it is beginning to take a toll on the old pocketbook and everyone is still coughing until it runs its course.Looks like it is time to break out the Vicks Vapo Rub.
This is one way to use Vicks Vapo Rub to help ease a nagging night time cough.

These are Vicks Vapo Rub discs to use in the Shower.

Recipe:
Ingredients: 1 cup of Baking Soda
                   1/2 cup of cornstarch
                  1/3 - 1/2 cup of hot water
                  2 - 3 teaspoons of Vicks Vapo Rub
Directions:
                 Heat water to melt the Vicks Vapo Rub. When melted, remove from heat. Add baking soda and cornstarch. Stir until a paste forms. If it is too thick, add a small amount of water. Line a mufin tin with paper cups. Fill each cup about halfway with paste mixture. Allow paste to dry over night or until hard. Remove discs from paper cups and store in an air tight container.
To Use: Put one disc in the bottom of the shower. Enjoy your hot shower! The disc will melt during your shower releasing the soothing vapor rub steam. The steam will help open up sinuses, ease your breathing, and help with your cough.

Did you know Vicks Vapo Rub has other uses besides just helping with a chest cold? Here is a list of some of the other uses for it.

If you are a naturalist and prefer making your own version (like me). Here is a recipe for you to try.

Special thanks go out to the people like you on Pinterest who submit these wonderful pictures and recipes.