I use coupons, too, but not like I used to, since we have cut way back on our processed foods. I've been making soups and my own bread, then freezing them in small packages. It's like having money in the bank, especially since I bought a lot of locally grown produce cheap this past summer.
You can save a lot of money on cleaning supplies by using vinegar (a gallon at the grocery store costs less than $2 and lasts a long time), baking soda (also cheap when you buy in a 12-pound resealable package), and rubbing alcohol. Lemon juice is another really good cleaning agent, although I rarely use it. Vinegar kills germs, and baking soda is good for all sorts of things. I use it to clean my pots and pans, and the inside of the sink, since it does not scratch. We have a septic system, and these cleaning choices are okay with it, unlike harsh chemicals. Baking soda and vinegar mixed together makes an excellent drain cleaner, which I use once a month, followed by boiling water down each drain. Since I've been doing this we have not had a clogged drain for years. Here are a couple of websites that show more uses of baking soda: http://www.bellybytes.com/articles/bakingsoda.shtml http://lifehackery.com/2008/07/22/home-4/ http://www.doityourself.com/stry/vinegarbakingsoda A friend has begun making her own beauty products. Did you know that sugar is the main ingredient in a popular department store exfoliant that costs over $90 for two ounces? You can easily make your own for pennies. Yogurt makes a wonderful skin cream, and she reports that her skin is softer than it has been for years. I've been buying goats milk creams from a lady in our area who sells at the farmers market. She says it cured her excema. It's very nice cream, quite rich, but without any pore-clogging ingredients. I also use witch hazel as a toner. It costs less than a dollar at the drugstore for a year's worth. And I didn't do this to save money, but my favorite perfumed bath powder is no longer made, so out of desperation I made my own with cornstarch and a few drops of the perfume. It's wonderful, and almost free. With this method I can afford to have all kinds of different scented powders, including some made with essential oils instead of perfume. In the summer I rarely wear perfume, since it attracts mosquitoes, but I still like to use dusting powder. So I have made some with lavender and other oils that repel mosquitoes. The hard part for me is to save on things like coffee. I really don't enjoy drinking poor-quality coffee when I have my two cups in the morning. But I do buy in bulk, freeze half, and then grind my own, which does save some. On Nov 9, 6:05 pm, Justice <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Wow! So much savings! I don't cut coupons because I never want to > buy those things anyway. But I look look at the little flyer they > give out as I drink a cup of coffee and decide which of those in-store > sales look good. Usually there is one fruit or vegetable that is 10 > or 20 for $10.00. This week the organic frozen vegetables were on > sale so I purchased a little more for the future since they keep. > > I stay on the outside of the store, only purchasing produce, dairy, > sometimes chicken and then leave. I stay away from the middle aisles > -- there's where all the tempting stuff is, but everything is > something I don't need (cleaning supplies and bird food are my > exceptions). > > Lucky for me the sushi is on the outside -- I never miss buying a > little. > > Thanks for your lovely note ((((((Merc)))))). > > Good to see you here again. Love J > > On Nov 9, 5:01 pm, "Mercury.Sailor" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Thank you very much! > > > I just want to do what I can to help the economy. > > > Why are consumer prices so high during a time when the economy is > > suffering? I feel like buisness are trying to suck every penny out of > > you. > > > Its unbelievable how much food prices have gone up, I saved $76 > > dollars at the grocery store today. But,I was very careful and really > > paid attention to the prices. I kept thinking to myself, Wow, they > > sure havent missed raising the price on anything! > > > At least gas prices are down, One good thing. > > > I will hold onto my money and wait until next year to do some > > shopping! > > > Thanks!! > > > Mercury > > > On Nov 7, 11:38 am, "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > I am afraid that you will not like my message. > > > > The "shopping and tax cut" policies, help economies only in deflation > > > periods and only in very particular circumstances were comsumption > > > prices fall rapidly. It is not the situation now, and we do not > > > foresee that situation in the near future. We might consider that > > > deflation is ahead, maybe, but with the information that we have now, > > > only on mineral commodities, not in food and not in retail prices in > > > general. > > > > Now, mass "shopping and tax cuts" would hurt US economy even more. US > > > economy needs savings. It does not mean to starve in order to help > > > USA, of course. And it does not mean to feel depressed, life is to > > > enjoy it. It means a certain budget at home that we can afford, some > > > savings that we can invest for example to produce food at home, and > > > discipline to live according to that budget, to have an standard of > > > life according to what we really can afford during a long, deep and > > > tight crisis ahead. This is true worldwide, but in USA it is > > > dramatically true. > > > > That is what unfortunately I have to say. > > > > (((((Mercury))))) > > > > Peace and best wishes. > > > > Xi > > > > On 7 nov, 00:54, "Mercury.Sailor" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > Justice, Xi and Cincy! > > > > > I have a question... > > > > > I want to do everything possible to make sure Obama succeeds. And > > > > right now the economy needs help...What if every person went shopping > > > > and spent some money!!! I just hate that Bush is leaving a HUGE mess > > > > for Mr. Obama. > > > > > Couldnt we have some kind of spend your money campaign to help Obama?- > > > > Hide quoted text - > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "World-thread" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/world-thread?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
