Our area was hit with a huge snowstorm yesterday, so this weekend the Thorpe family has been enjoying quality time together inside our cozy home. We’ve had a ball making Christmas crafts, playing boards games, and romping in the snow.

Those activities are enjoyable, but when bad weather hits, one of my favorite things to do is cook. This weekend, I’ve made two delicious big breakfasts using my new waffle maker, prepared a fabulously filling bean soup, and I am planning to bake Christmas cookies and cupcakes with the girlies this afternoon.

Though cooking is one of my favorite activities, washing dishes is not.  So as not to risk dishpan hands, I loaded up the dishwasher. Once the dishes were in, I reached under the sink to grab the dishwasher detergent and discovered we had none.

The lack of detergent irked me for three reasons. First, I found myself unprepared. I pride myself on maintaining a well stocked pantry and I have no idea how I slipped up and let the dishwasher detergent get so low! Next, since there is at least a foot and a half of snow outside, no one will be making a trip to the grocery store today. Finally, I wasn’t looking forward to washing that many dishes by hand.

Thankfully, the recollection of a conversation I’d had a few months ago saved me time. While at our homeschool cooperative, another mom and I were conversing about the joys of homemade laundry detergent. (Check out the recipe I use here.) During our chat, she explained that homemade dishwasher detergent works well and she shared the recipe she uses. I  scribbled it down on a piece of paper and stuck it in a drawer once I got home.

Earlier today, I retrieved the scribbled note and made my own detergent. Since the recipe includes some of the same ingredients as the laundry detergent, I was able to locate most of the ingredients in my pantry and laundry room. According to this mom, the salt acts as a scrubber while the citric acid or lemonade mix works to add shine to the dishes. She also recommends adding vinegar to the rinse compartment to at least 1 cup of vinegar in order to combat any haze, buildup, film, or water spots that may be left on the dishes.

I’m now a fan of homemade dishwasher detergent! It worked well and costs much less than the Cascade detergent I used to love!

Powdered Dishwasher Detergent
1 cup Borax (20 Mule Team)
1 cup washing soda (Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda)
1/2 cup Kosher salt
1/4 cup citric acid or 4 packages unsweetened Lemon Kool Aid

Use 2 tablespoons per load.

Photo: Courtesy of justmakeit (Flickr)

Some of the ladies on the forums I frequent have long been singing the praises of homemade laundry detergent. The ladies claim their detergent is much more cost effective and works just as well, if not better than, supermarket detergent.

The cost of laundry detergent and fabric softener continues to rise and even with coupons and sales I’m still spending more than I want to spend on laundry supplies. Yesterday I decided to make my own detergent and see if all the hype was worth believing.

I found recipes for both liquid and powdered detergents but opted to create a powder because I didn’t feel like boiling soap and water on my stovetop. Before yesterday, I couldn’t remember the last time I used powdered detergent, but from now on I’ll definitely be using my own. The ladies were right. It works well, is easy to make, and is cost effective.

Because I wanted to make a large batch of detergent (15 quarts!), it took me a couple of hours to make the detergent. You can make much less in a much shorter amount of time. I found all of my ingredients in local stores, though I couldn’t find everything in one store.

Homemade Laundry Detergent
2 bars soap, finely grated (Fels Naptha)
1 cup washing soda (Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda)
1 cup borax (20 Mule Team Borax)
1 cup Oxyclean (my own personal addition)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Store in an airtight container. Use 2 tablespoons for a regular load of laundry and 3 tablespoons for a heavily soiled load of laundry.

While shopping for ingredients, creating the detergent, and using it I learned a few things that may help should you wish to make your own detergent.

1. You may need to stop at a few different stores to find the ingredients. I found 20 Mule Team Borax at WalMart in the detergent aisle ($2.98 for a huge 4 lb 12 oz box) and also picked up a generic version of Oxyclean called Sun Oxygen Cleaner ($1.96 for a 30 ounce tub). I purchased the Fels Naptha soap ($1.09 per bar) and Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda ($3.98 for a 3 lb 7 oz box) at Wegman’s. Both were in the detergent aisle.
2. Grating soap can be challenging.  I began by using the box grating method others recommended but quickly ended up with a clogged and useless grater. I abandoned the box grater, cut the soap into smaller chunks, and grated it in my food processor.
3. Some soaps grate more easily than others. It all depends on the hardness of the soap. Harder soaps are easier to grate than soft soaps. Fels Naptha soap and the Zest Ocean Spray are hard and grated much more easily than the Dial soap I first tried. I ended up using them all so as not to waste, but in the future, I’ll stick with hard soaps.
4. Choose a soap you like. Most recipes recommend Fels Naptha (I didn’t care for its strong odor), but you can use any type of soap you like. Just stay away from  soaps with oils or extra moisturizers (such as Dove) because they may leave stains or residue on clothes. Some ladies even save soap slivers and later grate them for use in detergent.



5. Don’t worry if all of the soap isn’t finely grated. Grate it as best as you can. Even after whizzing through the food processor, my soap still had a few stubborn lumps. This wasn’t a problem as the soap completely dissolved even in cold water washing.
6. Clothes won’t be heavily scented, but they’ll be clean. Since there aren’t lots of perfumes and dyes in this recipe (aside from what’s in the soap), your freshly laundered clothes won’t have the heavy perfume odor you may be used to. You’ll be able to look at the clothes and see that they’re clean and they’ll smell fresh too. They’ll just be lacking the familiar and heavy laundry scent.

My Downy Dependency was starting to pack a punch in my purse, so I also made homemade fabric softener. This was extremely easy to make and worked well too. The recipe does call for vinegar, but don’t worry. Your clothes will not smell like vinegar. In fact, the only person who’ll know it’s there is you!

When I use 1  1/2 times the recipe, it makes nearly 64 ounces of softener which is enough to fit in my old Downy bottle. When mixing the ingredients be sure to add the vinegar to the baking powder slowly. It will fizz (remember those grade school volcano experiments?) and may overflow if you don’t pour slowly. The essential oil is optional but lavender, rose, or grapefruit would be wonderful additions to the softener.

Homemade Fabric Softener
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups baking soda
4 cups water
5-10 drops of your favorite essential oil (optional)

Combine slowly and carefully pour into a plastic bottle. Place a lid on the bottle and shake. Shake well before each use.

If you’re looking for a homemaking challenge or want to save a few dollars, give these recipes a try. Your clothes and your wallet will thank you!

A few weeks ago, I grabbed my laptop and headed up to the bedroom. I climbed into bed, got comfy under the blankets, propped the laptop across my legs, and began surfing around online.

Eventually JT ventured upstairs to see if I was okay. He opened the bedroom door, saw me in bed with the computer, and said, “Andrea! What’s up with this? The laptop has taken my place in bed?!” We shared a good laugh and then I introduced him to my newest computer obsession: Swagbucks!

Over the past few months, I’d noticed Swagbucks buttons and banners all over the internet and found bloggers happily singing the praises of Swagbucks. I initially dismissed the bloggers’ excitement because I thought they’d fallen victim to yet another big internet scam. However, curiosity soon got the best of this cat, so I did some research and found Swagucks to be a legitimate way of earning some good freebies.

Swagbucks are cyber dollars you can easily earn and redeem for great rewards such as gift cards. Here’s how it works. Register with Swagbucks and download their search engine. Whenever you perform a search, use the Swagbucks search engine and you’ll earn Swagbucks as you surf. You’ll know when you’ve earned a Swagbuck because an alert will appear on your computer screen. You can snag even more Swagbucks by doing your usual online shopping with stores who have partnered with Swagbucks (Walmart, Office Depot, Apple iTunes, Avon, Dick’s Sporting Goods just to name a few). Once you’ve earned enough Swagbucks, you can redeem them at the Swag Store for gift cards and other store merchandise.

Here are few things to keep in mind.

• The Swagbucks search engine is powered by Google and Ask, so you receive quality search results.
• You will not earn Swagbucks every time you perform a search. Swagbucks are awarded randomly, but I usually earn 3 to 5 a day just by searching as I normally would.
• Searching is not the only way to earn Swagbucks. If you refer your friends, you’ll earn Swagbucks. If you find a Swag code during a Swag Hunt, you’ll earn Swagbucks. (These codes expire quickly so once you find one, be sure to input it right away.) If you email a photo of yourself and your Swag prize, you can earn a Swagbuck.

Though I certainly don’t need another reason to linger on the laptop, I couldn’t resist becoming a Swaggernaut! I’m well on my way to earning some great rewards, so I thought I’d share my discovery with others who might be interested.

Photo: Courtesy of Carly Jane 1 (Flickr)

Every few months or so, I need to “feed the freezer”. This means I spend a couple of days preparing a vast amount of homemade items to stock in our chest freezer.

Feeding the freezer takes a couple of days, but the prep time is well worth it because I end up with several “go to” goodies in the freezer. These goodies are great because later on I may not have to bake a dessert for the coming week or prepare pancakes and sausage after Sunday morning church service.

Yesterday I gave the oven and stand mixer a good workout by baking up some sweet treats. Today I have turned my attention to the stovetop and am cooking again. So, what have I been busy preparing over the past couple days? Here’s a sneak peek at what’s been going on in my kitchen.

Playgroup Granola Bars: Food allergies prevent the girls from eating prepackaged granola bars, so I’ve recently started making my own. These particular bars are yummy and very easy to prepare. I like the recipe because it includes wheat germ (one of my favorite new healthful ingredients) and because the recipe can easily be customized. In a matter of minutes, I can whip up a batch of granola bars full of nuts and a dried fruit medley for JT. Then right after, I can just as quickly make another batch of bars with dried cranberries and chocolate chips for the girls and me.

Jay’s Signature Pizza Crust: We like to eat homemade pizza, so I make up pizza kits and stash them in the chest freezer. Each pizza kit includes a ball of homemade pizza dough, a package of cheese, a package of homemade pizza sauce, and a variety of toppings. When it’s time for pizza, all I have to do is pull out a kit, defrost the dough, dress the pizza, and bake it up.

Lemon Bundt Cake: Desserts reign supreme here. Since I make desserts often I try to make them simple and then freeze them for later consumption. One of the easiest ways for me to make a delicious dessert is by doctoring up a boxed cake mix. Anne Byrn’s books, The Cake Mix Doctor and Cupcakes From The Cake Mix Doctor are my favorite sources of recipes. I don’t have a link for this lemon cake, but if you’d like the recipe, send me an email and I’ll happily pass it along to you.

Deviled Eggs: I love deviled eggs and I like to make them often. Though JT doesn’t usually ask me to make them, whenever I do, he eats his fair share. These aren’t meant to be frozen, but I like to keep them in the fridge for us to snack on.

Buttermilk Pancakes and Dairy-Free Free Pancakes: On Sunday mornings, we like to go out for breakfast after church. This isn’t always possible as sometimes the girls are tired, sometimes the restaurant wait is too long, and sometimes we just don’t want to spend the money.  Rather than stand over the stove with a spatula, I simply pull out a breakfast bag.  Each bag has a family sized portion of pancakes and turkey sausage. When church service is over, all we have to do is warm up the pancakes and sausage and enjoy a big breakfast right here at home.

I’m going to be honest…right now, I’m extremely tired of looking at flour, sugar, eggs! But, I’m going to get back to work now because I know I’ll be happy in the coming weeks and months when I don’t have to do quite as much cooking and baking.

Anyone wanna come and wash a few dishes?

Photo: Courtesy of special eyes (Flickr)

BLT Dip and Buffalo Chicken Dip are easy to prepare and taste fantastic! (Plus both recipes feature cream cheese, one of my favorite spreads!) These dips will be perfect for our low key evening at home but would also be excellent additions to a Superbowl Party menu.

BLT Dip:
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 tomato, seeded and diced
6 slices bacon – cooked, drained, and chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl until well mixed. Chill for two hours before serving.

Buffalo Chicken Dip:
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup bleu cheese dressing
3/4 cup hot sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, grilled and cut into bite sized pieces or shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, bleu cheese dressing, hot sauce, and half of the Cheddar Cheese. Stir until well combined. Add the chicken and stir. Spread mixture in an 8×8 pan and top with the remaining Cheddar Cheese. Bake for 20 minutes.

Photo: Courtesy of ipanemic (Flickr)

e-Mom is hosting Marriage Monday over at Chrysalis and this month’s topic is 10 Tips for Frugal Living.

When I was a single gal, frugal living never crossed my mind. I was fresh out of college, excited to have a job, and eager to spend my money on the things I had been waiting to own. Though I didn’t spend my money too unwisely, frugality was not on my list of priorities.

Now that we have a family and I am a stay at home mom, I’ve become a real “Frugal Franny” (much to JT’s pleasure!). God has provided JT with a great job and JT does a marvelous job of providing for us. I strive to be frugal because I don’t want to waste the money he works hard to earn and because I want to be a good steward of what God has given us.

Living frugally isn’t as hard as some might think and over the past few years I’ve learned you don’t have to adopt unreasonable ideas or live like a pauper in order to save money. Here are 10 realistic tips for frugal living that have worked for us.

1. Pack your lunch. When JT goes to work or we have a playdate or a daytrip, most of the time we bring our lunches with us. Lunch usually consists of the previous night’s dinner or a homemade sandwich, fruit, and a sandwich bag of chips. Since lunch can cost anywhere between $5 and $10 a person, we save a good amount of money just by eating what we have here at home.
2. Make it yourself. We’ve saved money by making things ourselves. This includes food items such as taco seasoning, spreadable butter, birthday cakes, and pizza dough and household items such as cleaners and even window treatments. When you make things yourself, you don’t have to buy them and you know exactly what is in them.
3. Plan a weekly menu. I have found that if I plan a weekly menu, we are less likely to order take out. I already know what we’ll be eating and therefore can defrost the meat the night before so it’ll be ready to cook in the morning. Menu planning also prevents me from spending money on groceries we don’t need. My grocery list is based on the weekly menu and the staples we need to restock.
4. Venture into a thrift store. You may be surprised by the awesome, money saving deals you can find there. The Goodwill Stores in our area often sell new, overstock items from Target. Once I purchased a set of Corningware baking dishes from Target for $40. The very next day I stopped by The Goodwill Store and found the same exact set of baking dishes brand new for $8. Needless to say, I made a return at Target shortly there after.You can find a plethora of toys, books, and household items there for bargain prices. And if you can find a store in an affluent area, you may be able to score some high end and designer items at rock bottom prices.
5. Shop wisely. For me this means knowing where to shop and using coupons. Though warehouses like Sam’s and Costco can save you money, I’ve found the greatest deals at my local supermarket and drugstores like CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid. When combined with coupons, you can save quite a bit of money. As I made my grocery shopping list for this week, I realized I’ll be coming back home with 2 toothbrushes, a bottle of Worcestershire sauce, and 2 sticks of deodorant for FREE! My grocery cart will also be filled with items I’ll get for 50% to 75% off just by using coupons. Grab a Sunday newspaper, explore those sales circulars, and start clipping coupons! You won’t regret it. For more shopping tips, check this previous post.
6. Surf the net. There are hundreds of great websites, forums, blogs, and groups online dedicated to money saving ideas. Most of what I have learned about frugal living has come from websites such as The Dollar Stretcher, Money Saving Mom, The Coupon Mom, Hot Coupon World, and The Hillbilly Housewife just to name a few. A simple chat with a few like minded Frugal Frannies often alerts me to ideas and deals I would otherwise have missed.
7. Use your library. We are well acquainted with the staff at our local library because we use the library’s resources so often. Not only do I find great books and DVDs there, I also find free educational activities for the girls there, and even some neat programs I can attend. Your tax dollars pay for the library, so why not put those dollars to work for you. (Just be sure to return items on time. Paying library fines is not frugal!)
8. Create and abide by a budget. (This is such a hard one for me sometimes!) JT and I sit down at least twice a year to discuss our family budget. We each have a set amount of money we can spend each week to cover personal and household expenses. When we stay within the budget we don’t overspend and both JT and I are happier.
9. Spend cash whenever possible. Whenever I use cash I always spend less. I’m going to take this idea and apply it to my spending this week. The envelope system (read more here and here) has been devised with this idea in mind. I will be using cash for my standard purchases this week and I’ll let you know how it goes.
10. Don’t keep up with the Joneses. While my friends and neighbors may take expensive vacations, eat out weekly, employ a housekeeper, and drive new fancy cars, that certainly doesn’t mean we can. We are living within our means and are happy to do so. Trying to keep up with others just for the sake of appearances can often lead to financial problems and is definitely NOT frugal!

Photo: Courtesy of RichSeattle (Flickr)

The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. (Proverbs 21:5)

The other day I was standing in a long checkout line at Wal-Mart. Since the cashier was engaged in price check issues with the manager and current customer and I didn’t have the girls with me to occupy my time, I was left with about 15 minutes of down time. Normally, I would spend that 15 minutes reorganizing the contents of my Coupon Wallet, but I had just done so the day before in the waiting room of the doctor’s office.

The price check issues a few feet in front of me showed no immediate signs of resolution and the other checkout lines were just as long, so I decided to grab a magazine from the display. People, Us, Oprah, National Enquirer, and TV Guide are not my type of magazines, so I continued to scan titles in search of a better option. The bright, seasonal cover of September’s All You magazine caught my eye, but the byline, Hundreds of Ways to Save Time and Money, is what truly reeled me in.

I removed the magazine from the display and studied the bullets on the cover: 10 Smart gadgets that make chores easier (I’m all for that!), Serve healthy 30 minute dinners (Right up my alley!), Find comfy jeans that flatter you (Do tell!), and Packed with Value: Coupons and Great Deals (Hallelujah! Show me!).

When I opened the magazine and flipped through it quickly, I instantly became a fan of All You. Interspersed throughout the magazine’s pages, were lots of valuable coupons for products families like mine actually use (Tyson chicken nuggets, Kellogg’s cereal, Halls cough drops, Colgate toothpaste, Palmolive dish detergent, and Birds Eye Frozen Vegetables, just to name a few). The coupon savings alone more than paid for the magazine, which cost a mere $1.97.

Since I’ve had time to read the magazine, I’m hooked and have ordered a subscription, (which shaved approximately $3 off the magazine stand price). I found the articles, tips, recipes, and to be extremely helpful. If you want to be frugal fashionista, a sensible chef, and an economical organizer, I highly recommend All You magazine. Wal-Mart is the only store that carries it, but you can also get an annual subscription here.

All in all, All You is a great find for a practical, bargain hunting, coupon loving women like me! Perhaps you’ll enjoy it too.

Photo: Courtesy of finestationery (Flickr)

Because the girls enjoy playing with it so much (and because it’s fun for me to make), I’ve started making my own. I find that when I make it myself it lasts much longer. Plus, I can customize the Play Dough with unique scents, wild colors, and sparkly glitter. Best of all, when I make it myself, I know exactly what’s in it.

Homemade Play Dough is easy to make. I usually triple the recipe, split it into sections, color it with cake decorating gel (achieves a more vibrant color than food coloring), and store it in clean, empty frosting containers.

This Play Dough also makes a great gift. When packaged decoratively and accompanied by kid friendly, child sized cookie cutters, this an inexpensive but fun birthday present!

Whether you’re giving it away or keeping it for yourself, homemade Play Dough is a great treat for little ones.

Basic Play Dough Recipe:

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup salt
2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Combine dry ingredients in a saucepan then stir in water and oil. Heat over medium heat and stir until thickened. (Mixture will resemble mashed potatoes.) Remove the pan from the heat and cool for about 5 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until dry but pliable.

Photo: Courtesy of zanarodgers (Flickr)

He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but he who walks wisely will be delivered. (Proverbs 28:26)

Have you heard? Eleven people have been charged with stealing then selling the credit/debit card information of 40 million people. If you’ve handed over or swiped a card at Barnes and Noble, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Boston Market, DSW, Office Max, Sports Authority, or TJ Maxx, your personal information could be at risk. According to US Attorney General Michael Mukasey, “This is the single largest and most complex identity-theft case ever charged.”

Though such information angers us, I highly doubt any of us are surprised. Identity theft is a common crime. Just yesterday, a friend was telling me she recently had to file fraud charges and freeze credit accounts due to possible identity theft. Since most of us choose to pay with plastic and not paper, we are all vulnerable. However, there are things we can do to combat the problem.

• Review your credit report at least once a year. The three major credit reporting agencies Equifax, Experian, TransUnion are required by law to provide consumers with a free credit report each year. At www.annualcreditreport.com, you can request your free report via their secure website. It is important to note that your credit score is not part of the credit report. You will need to pay to receive your credit score (usually $6 to $9). If you feel uncomfortable requesting the information online, you can call and have your reports mailed to you.
• Make sure your DSL or cable modem internet connection is secure. There are dishonest people out there (perhaps even YOUR neighbors) who will piggyback off your internet connection without permission from or payment to you. Keep these internet thieves out by installing a firewall on your home computer. This will also prevent hackers from obtaining personal and financial data from your hard drive.
• Opt out of pre-approved credit card offers. Call 1-888-5OPTOUT or visit www.optoutprescreen.com. When you “opt out” this will limit the number of pre-approved credit offers that land in your mailbox. This means the dumpster diving identity thieves won’t find your information on credit card offers when they rifle through the trash.

Photo: Courtesy of largeprime (Flickr)

Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. (Romans 12:13)

These dead coupons would normally be tossed into our recycling bin, but I recently discovered a program that breathes new life into expired coupons.

The Overseas Coupon Program was founded in 1992 and shares donated coupons with military families stationed abroad. Even expired coupons are accepted because the commissary will honor them for up to six months after the expiration date! US military families all over the world are seeking coupon donations to help them stretch their grocery budgets.

If your group is looking for a service project or you’re an individual who wants to make a difference, consider adopting a military base, collecting coupons, and sending them to fellow Americans serving our country overseas. For detailed information about the Overseas Coupon Program including locations of military bases accepting coupons and guidelines for submitting coupons, please click here.

What a unique and wonderful way to support the troops!

Photo: Courtesy of a-swimmer@sbcglobal.net