save money, or to be more precise, spend less money!

I HATE spending money on laundry detergent and cleaning supplies…perfectly good money I could be spending on something fun like art supplies or trips to the beach. so this week I saved at least $15 by making my own laundry detergent. I got a big 5 gallon bucket out of the garage and grated one bar of a very basic type of soap into it. You’re supposed to use Fels Naphtha if you can find it, but I couldn’t, so I used Dial Natural something or other. Then I poured hot water over it and stirred til it was melted. I then added one half cup borax and one half cup washing soda. These cost almost nothing and were easy to find in the laundry aisle of stop-and-shop. I mixed this up well and added a few gallons of warmish water. In a few hours it had all thickened up into a pleasant-smelling gel. To use, just scoop a cupful out and add it to the washer. If you were using premium brand laundry detergent like we were, you will see no difference whatsoever in how your laundry comes out. this was fun and very easy!!

I’m doing better this week! I’ve managed to steer clear of amazon.com, which is my downfall, because I would rather buy books than food even if I were starving! Those “used and new” prices are difficult to avoid! It would be okay to buy SOME, just not quite so many!!