I'm sure that you all probably already know [and do] this but a few of the things I learned over the past week or so are:

Dilute your liquid laundry soap [it works just as well if you do especially if your clothes aren't really dirty such as mine.]

What I mean by really dirty is that I don't have grease stains and no kids so don't have all the dirt and things on my clothes that young children do when they go out 'n play.

Another thing I found is that when I diluted my Dawn Direct Foam dishwashing liquid - it worked just as well and had just as much suds as before.

Also, instead of paying for the Fabreeze type of fabric freshner, I now will just use fabric softner and save $.

I thought I'd write these out in case someone can use the tips and also, so I can put them in my "Articles, Hints & Tips" category and go back 'n read them again later.

There are times I get lazy or forget and to go back and re-read could be valueable sometime down the road.

I have major sinus problems and each month for I don't know how long, have had to buy a box of sinus pills to last me the month.

This week I did some searching to see if I could find a home remedy of sorts that would do as good so I wouldn't have to buy the pills any longer.

What I come up with is that peppermint tea is supposed to work for this.

Today while at Walmart, I bought a box of peppermint tea [just to see if it woud work or not] and had to try it tonight and yes - it did seem to work!!

So, the next time instead of buying the expensive tea bags, what I may do is to buy some generic tea bags and a bag of sugar-free peppermint hard candies [which would dissolve in hot water] and voila! I should have peppermint tea for cheaper.

According to my figuring - at $3.24 a box per month for 12 months, it comes to $38.88 [plus tax, or at least I think they charge tax on that here in PA.]

And, over a 5 year period of time - I'd be saving $194.40. Close to $200.00!!

I really hope this will work [I'm going to try it till this box of tea is gone to make sure that it'll consistently work before I spend money for tea and peppermint candy that I wouldn't otherwise use for anything.]

Wish me luck!

I like the frozen citrus bars they have in the stores but they're usually over $3.00 a box and I hate paying that much.

The other night I got to thinking - why couldn't I buy those popsicle mold things they have and put some of my Crystal Light in them 'n freeze them.

I'd have basically the same thing for a fraction of the cost [plus the added bonus of very few calories!]

So, I just did a "buy it now" on Ebay and total with shipping it come to $10.00 and I know that in the end, I'll save many times over the $10.00 that I spent on them.

I used $10.00 of my Paypal money to buy this.

I found the following tip on about.com

Any time you peel vegetables like carrots or potatoes, or trim vegetables like celery or onions, scrub them first, then freeze the peelings and trimmings until you have a gallon or so.

Put it in a pot of water and cook until everything is done, then strain the solids and use the remaining broth for a soup base.

This is a little tidbit that I found at The Dollar Stretcher.

http://www.stretcher.com

We all know that little things can add up in a hurry. But, often we fail to realize just how much the small stuff is costing us.

As a junior high math teacher, it's always fun to shock my students by having them work up a few calculations like the ones below.

I can always hope they'll become frugal adults someday!

A $1 soda every day for a year = $365

If you must have that $3 latte instead, your annual cost = $1095

Paying just one bill with a $3 late fee every month for a year = $36

Over the course of a 50-year adulthood, that late fee = $1800

One fast food meal ($16 for a family of 4) per week for a year instead of quick hotdogs at home (about $4) = $624

If your family usually prefers the local buffet for $28, those annual hotdog savings would = $1248

If you buy a bag of ice for $1 every two days instead of making your own, your annual ice cost = $182.50

Keep buying that ice for 50 years of your adult life, and its cost = $9125

If you discard half a gallon of spoiled milk per week at $2.30 per gallon, in a year your waste will = $59.80

Keep wasting that milk for 50 years of your adult life, and your loss will = $2990

If your family buys half a pound per week of $5/lb. deli cheddar cheese instead of $3/lb. American slices, your annual cost = $52

If you keep buying the cheddar for 50 years of your adulthood, its extra cost = $2600

If you mail five bills per month at a cost of about 40 cents each instead of using free online banking, your annual cost = $24

If you continue to mail your bills for 50 years, your cost = $5200

If you buy four new books per year at an average cost of $15 each instead of buying used at around $4 each, your annual added cost = $44

Keep buying those new books for 50 years, and your cost = $2200

If you rent one new release video per week at $3.50 for a year, your cost over borrowing from the library = $182

Keep renting those videos for 50 years, and your cost = $9100

If you buy the premium cable package at an additional $35 per month, your annual cost over basic cable = $420

Keep buying that premium package for 50 years, and your cost over basic cable = $21,000

If you carry a credit card balance of just $1000 for a year at 18% annual rate, your annual interest = $180

If you keep the $1000 balance for 50 years without ever paying it off, your interest = $9000

So yep, those "little things" do add up!

Putting this is my "Articles, Hints & Tips" category for things I want to look at later [or to remember!]

This link is for how to save $ on cat litter.

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05jul25a.cfm

One good tip I found on there was:

Mix the scoopable brand of kitty litter with a plain generic brand of kitty litter.

Do this at a 50/50 mix. This still allows the litter to clump up from the moisture, but will stretch the litter further.

You might want to try to mix it with more of the generic litter, until you see that the litter doesn't clump anymore.

My mother has done this for years, and it really works well!

I've always loved this saying:

"Use it up, wear it out;
Make it do or do without!"

We are so blessed here in America that we have so much.

Many times we [at least I do], buy things just because I "think" I just have to have them.

There are a lot of times that I could make do with what I have but just didn't want to [I wanted NEW!]

Well - times are a changing and from now on, I fully intend on [or hope to anyways!],

make the "use it up, wear it out", my own motto.

Love,

Jennelle