Being Booga

Just some thoughts I had today after my last post.

I think Frugal Bloggers have the power to help the Country not be afraid of the recession. If we lean on each other…post our best strategies, our best tips. If we represent our philosophies, beliefs and values we can facilitate change. A new way of life that doesn’t feel like panic, or “doing without” but fosters a feeling of connectedness, a feeling of sufficiency.

The County is looking for “help” to prepare for a scary, really bad recession. It’s our calling. We’ve been doing this for years. It’s easy for us.

So however mundane it seems, I’m going to keep posting the best prices I can find in Denver. I don’t have much of an audience yet, but I’m sure one is developing. I’m going to keep reaching out to the more experienced bloggers and learn what I can. It’s my hope to be able to offer those who are afraid a reason to NOT be afraid in a recession.

Just be FRUGAL.

Here’s How. Right?

Frugal, Simple, Natural, Easy - And it gets your clothes clean.

Did you know you can make your own laundry detergent? It’s a super easy way to save money.

This recipe makes a powder detergent that gives you clean and fresh-smelling laundry, without spending a bundle on store-bought laundry soap.

Supplies / Ingredients:

20 Mule Team Borax
Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (Big yellow box w/ red lettering - this is NOT baking SODA!)
1 Bar Soap - I use regular Ivory soap.

Technique:

Push the soap bar into your food processor and process until the soap is turned into very fine flakes.

Mix it with 1 cup Borax and 1 cup washing soda. I mixed mine by stirring it up to combine and then by placing in a plastic container with a lid and shaking it up!

I heard you can add some vanilla extract (pure) along with some lavender oil and mix that in for a nice fragrance! I haven’t tried that yet. I’m going to, however! I love lavender and vanilla!

This is highly concentrated - you only need to use 1 to 2 Tablespoons per wash load. Please allow the mixture to mix with water before adding your laundry~!

There’s a liquid-detergent recipe out there if you prefer. I haven’t tried making that yet, but I plan to!

The cost for my supplies which were 1 large box Borax, 1 large box of Washing Soda, and 3 bars of Ivory (they were on sale) totaled about $11.00. I haven’t done a cost / price analysis yet, but I’m pretty sure this first batch is going to last a long time and I have supplies for several more batches. According to my estimate, I think I’m washing laundry for about half-a-penny per load.

Fabulous?

I beieve these products are SUPERIOR to what I could buy in a store.

Supplies:
White Vinegar
Baking Soda
20 Mule Team BORAX
Arm & Hammer Washing SODA
Ammonia (lemon)
Rubbing Alcohol
Ivory Soap bars
Lemons
Pure Vanilla Extract
scrubby pads
Dobie pad
Towels / Rags
Sponges

TIPS:

• You can use crumpled up newspaper to clean windows, instead of pricey paper towels
• You can use a piece of crumpled up foil as a “scrubber” for stubborn stuck-on food. (This is a camping trick. We always brought foil with us camping, never brought a sponge)
• Protect your hands / nails — wear gloves, these ARE chemicals

Homemade Laundry Powder
1 bar Ivory - processed to shred fine
1 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (not baking soda)
1/2 cup BORAX

Mix well and use 1 to 2 Tablespoons for each load, dissolved in water before adding clothes. Can use 1/2 cup vinegar in rinse cycle for a fabric softener.

Dishwasher:
1/2 washing soda 1/2 borax mix - fill detergent cup. Use vinegar in place of “Jet Dry”

USES FOR WHITE VINEGAR
I can’t even begin to sing the praises of vinegar. Vinegar soaks up / rids the environment of odor. Beware, it is an acid. Don’t spray / use it on marble or any other porous surface.

I keep a large clear spay bottle with 1 part vinegar, 1 part water mix. I spray it on the stovetop, counters, sinks, drains. Wipe up with hot soapy water. It disinfects and and cuts through grease — after the vinegar smell dissipates, you just smell “freshness”.

I spray some inside my glass coffee carafe and wipe out to remove coffee residue.

To whiten a sink (I have the white iron / porcelain sink) sprinkle with Borax, then spray w/ Vinegar / H20 mix, scrub with a sponge and let sit.

I rarely use the other ingredients / recipes here.

For my woods, I buy a citrus wood oil spray product. I know I can make a homemade wood polish - I just never have, YET.


General Cleaning Supplies Recipes

Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner Like 409
1 Spray Bottle, Labeled. Mix:
2 tb Pinesol
2 tb Lemon ammonia
Fill remainder of spray-bottle
With water.

Mix all together and keep in marked bottle away from children and pets

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Air Freshener

Soak cotton ball with Pure Vanilla Extract. Place in vacuum bag, under car seat, in drawers / cabinets, on a tray.
Spray / Fine mist around the room with vinegar / water mix. The vinegar smell quickly dissipates, leaving a fresh scent.
Also, a cotton ball soaked with an essential oil, like rose oil or lavender.

Fabric Refresher (like “Febreeze”)
3 Tablespoons Ultra Downy or Ultra Gain + water in spray bottle.

OR

Spray / Fine mist around the room with vinegar / water mix. The vinegar smell quickly dissipates, leaving a fresh scent.

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Homemade Citrus Vinegar for Cleaning

Fill a quart jar with the peelings of any citrus fruit-grapefruit, orange, lemon, lime, what-have-you.
Cover the peelings with white vinegar, and allow it to sit for
about 2 weeks. Occasionally shaking the jar. Remove the peels, and
you can strain it as well. Use this vinegar in any of the following
ways:

Pour into a small dish, and set in a room to absorb odors. (Plain white vinegar will do this trick, too!)

Make an all-purpose floor cleaner by mixing 1/2 cup to 1 gallon of
water. (I prefer ammonia for floors)

Glass Cleaner: Combine a quart of water with 1/2 cup of the vinegar
and add it to a spray bottle. Use as you would glass cleaner.

Glass Cleaner - Alcohol + Water OR Vinegar, Ammonia, Water

Vinyl / Ceramic Tile floor cleaner: Add 1 cup citrus vinegar with two gallons
hot water

To clean ovens: Spray or pour the vinegar on burned or soiled areas.
Close the oven door and allow it to sit for 2 hours. Wipe clean with
a sponge or rag that has been moistened with warm water. You may
need to repeat.

Homemade Windex-Syle Window Cleaner
1/2 c Sudsy ammonia
1 pt 70% isopropyl rubbing Alcohol
1 ts Liquid dishwashing detergent
Water (Enough To Make One Gallon)

Lemons are great for everything - but they can also be pricey.