In my ongoing quest to become even more frugal — yes, I can be more frugal! — I have been doing research on items that you can make yourself rather than buying them. Here is a list of items that you might want to give a try.
Baby Wipes
What you’ll need: 1 roll of plain white paper towels (Scott works best), 1 cup water,
4 T baby shampoo, and
5 T baby oil.
What to do: Cut the roll of paper towels in half. (I will let you figure out how to do that! I am thinking electric knife, saw, your husband. :] )
Pull the cardboard out.
Place all liquids in a round container with a lid (or an old baby wipe container might do) and shake gently.
Add the 1/2 roll of towels. Place lid on, turn upside down, and leave for about 1/2 an hour to soak up all the liquid.
This process is cheaper then buying baby wipes and yields a ton more.
Laundry Detergent
What you’ll need: 1 cup grated fels naptha soap,
1/2 cup washing soda (washing soda is basically a crystalline mineral that is used to make washing powder and other things. It dissolves rather easily and is also good as a stain remover. You can buy it at www.soapgoods.com.),
1/2 cup of borax, and
a few drops of citrus oil for scent.
The benefits: You only use two tablespoons per load so it lasts a long time and is super cheap! I have even been told that if you have a mildew type of smell in your washer, a few loads of laundry using this detergent will make it vanish!
Wood Cleaner
Instead of using an expensive aerosol or spray product, moisten your dusting cloth with a few drops of olive oil mixed into 2 tbsp of lemon juice. The mixture picks up dust, smells good, and leaves a rich shine, particularly on wood.
Play Dough
What you’ll need: 2 1/2 cups flour,
1/2 cup salt,
2 packages dry unsweetened Kool-aid or store brand,
2 cups boiling water, and
3 Tablespoons oil.
You can also add flour to make a firmer dough.
What to do: Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix liquids together and pour into dry ingredients. Stir until it forms a ball (it will seem like it’ll never be smooth and workable). As it cools, it will become less sticky. Take it out of the bowl and knead it until it is smooth.
Store in ziplock bags or airtight storage containers.
About the Money Saving Queen
Katie is a mom of 2 great teenagers. She is passionate about getting a great deal and sharing it with others — she’s even got a website with freebies on it called “Moms Fun Money:” Put some money in your wallet and some goodies in your mailbox.” Check it out!
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