Strawberries by the quart for 99 cents!

We stopped in a local small grocery to pick up a bag of dog food for Golden Girl and Holy Terror and as I passed the produce section (which is on the complete opposite side of the store from the dog food aisle  OMG) I noticed a huge display of very large, fat, beautiful strawberries for only 99 cents!  Normally we have to pay $2.50.  Needless to say I stopped immediately - no brake lights - no warning signal - just another frugal shopper that found a fantastic deal that I could not pass up.  I grabbed 8 of the best looking one while using my best double-elbow block moves to keep any other like minded frugal shoppers at bay.

I knew I would have to freeze them as soon as I got home and I am very proud to say that out of all those strawberries only one was bad!

Made my first batch of Homemade Laundry Soap

I first heard of making Homemade Laundry Soap when I was watching an episode of 18 Kids and Counting and have wanted to try it ever since but was skeptical.  Would it clean like I wanted my clothes to be clean?  Would it get the stains out of Motorcycle Man's clothes that seem to appear by
days end?  Would it really get all those grass, chocolate and who-knows-what stains in the darling grandkids clothes?  

Well, the more reading on other folks blogs I did, I found that quite a few of you had already started using this soap and was raving about it - even doing visual tests for us to see with white shirts smeared with yellow mustard, grass stains, juice drinks and chocolate.  That was more than enough confirmation for me and the last time we were at the store I picked up the few - yes - very few items needed to make this wonderful money saving and cleaner clothes household miracle.

I bought a box of:

20 Mule Team Borax - use 1/2 cup per batch

Arm and Hammer Baking or Washing Soda - use 1/2 cup per batch

1/3 bar of Fels Naptha soap (you can also use Zote's pink or Ivory or any all natural soap)

5 gallon bucket with lid (I bought mine at Lowe's)

6 cups water

4 cups hot water

1 gallon plus 6 cups water

Use 1/2 cup per load

I grated 1/3 bar of the Fels Naptha soap and poured it into a large saucepan.  I added 6 cups of water and stirred over medium heat until the soap melted.  Then I added the baking(or washing) soda and the 20 Mule Team Borax and stirred over low heat until dissolved.  Remove from heat.

I added 4 cups of hot water into the bucket.  I had already heated this water in my tea kettle and had it ready.  Then I poured in my soap mixture and used a whisk and stirred until it was mixed well.

Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir well.  Let the soap sit 24 hours and it will gel.  It will have the consistency of  something like "chicken noodle soap liquid".  It will not gel completely. 

 This is how it looks under the suds.   BTW, this plastic glass is one of our iced tea glasses that we have only had a few months and it had turned a dingy brown color from the tea stain that even the dishwasher could not get out.  After dipping in this this picture, I poured out the soap and rinsed the glass and it was amazingly clear!  I of course had to the all the others and dip them in the soap too before putting the lid on the bucket.

I will post pictures in the morning of what it looks like after the 24 hour period.  This only took me 20 minutes to make too.

Coupons and savings...Can anyone help me out there to learn this magic?

I have done very well with getting back into the organized way of life that I always loved so much. I have done alot of reading on other blogs and websites, checked out books at the library and browsed through books at Barnes and Noble and have also started a Household Notebook that is coming in very handy.  It makes so much sense to watch every penny that we have, live on a budget, look for creative and delicious recipes and anything else I can do to manage our home more economically.

Over and over I keep reading about saving dollars with coupons but having never really been one to use them I really do not know where to start.  I have paid careful attention to the other shoppers for the last two weeks that are standing there going through stacks or wallets of coupons.

I have a question - who out there can lead me to a place that will help me learn this art of collecting and using coupons?  I am honest enough to admit that I see this is bigger than me and I will need some help.