Turning Bar Soap into Liquid Soap

Use this method to make your own hand soap, body wash, face wash, and even dish soap! For dish soap, I recommend using a bar of antibacterial soap that contains no moisturizers, such as Dial antibacterial (see below for price breakdown). For a good multipurpose soap, use Dr. Bronner's. It's organic, fair trade, made in the USA, and can be used for everything from washing yourself, your floors, your carpet, your pet, your dishes, or even your clothes.  

Personally, I'm a big fan of Dr. Bronner's. Although a little does go a long way, it is still insanely expensive. I used to buy Dr. Bronner's liquid soap in both the 16 oz size and the 32 oz size (for those of you who don't know, Dr. Bronner's famous liquid castile soap comes in a plethora of sizes). If only I knew then what I know now. I could have saved so much money, saved the world from all those plastic bottles, and still enjoy the same exact product. Let me give you a break down of their prices:

Dr. Bronners Magic Pure Castile Liquid Soap

*prices gathered from Dr. Bronner's website as of December 23, 2012

**price per ounce has been rounded to the nearest cent, except in the case of the bar soap

By now you're probably thinking one of two things. 1. "Wow! That is a remarkable savings!" OR (if you are a Dr. Bronner's snob) 2. "I dilute my Dr. Bronner's liquid soap to a 1:10 ratio, so I'll just keep spending a little more to save myself the hassle." Well, I have news for you, soap snob... the liquid soap made from a bar is much thicker than the store bought liquid soap and it too can be diluted. It's the consistency of egg whites (FAR thicker than the premade liquid soap). I use about 1-2 tablespoons of homemade liquid soap to a quart of water to clean my entire kitchen (floors included). Also, the process of making liquid soap from a bar is far from being a hassle. It's so easy a child could do it and it takes just a few minutes of your time.

Want to go even cheaper? Here's a breakdown of various dish soap prices versus the liquid soap made from a bar of Dial Antibacterial. The liquid soap made from the bar is also a great choice to use as hand soap and even body wash.

*prices gathered from Walmart's website on December 23, 2012

**price per ounce has been rounded to the nearest cent, except in the case of the Dial bar soap

Now that I've thoroughly convinced you with these shocking prices, let me show you just how EASY it is to turn ANY bar of soap into liquid soap. 

Watch TV for Free! Get an Antenna

Antennas have come a long way and chances are, they're nothing like you remember. They are now smooth and sleek, usually easy to hide, and most don't require frequent adjustments in order to better your signal strength. 

I have two televisions in my house, each with its own antenna. The antenna on my living room TV cost roughly $45 while the antenna I use on my upstairs TV was $35. I figured being higher up, less strength and range capabilities would be needed, and I was right. Both antennas can pick up all the network television TV channels. For those of you who don't know what network channels are, it means that I can pick up all the big stations, like ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX. I also get CW as well as a few different versions of PBS, such as the Create Channel. I think in total, I get 19 channels, all completely free of charge.  Picture quality is great with the bigger channels being broadcasted in HD. You'd honestly never know the difference. Between my antenna, Netflix, and the internet, I can honestly say I do not miss cable television whatsoever.

Before you purchase an antenna, I suggest you go to http://www.antennaweb.org. There you can learn everything you need to know about what kind of antenna will work best in regards to your location. That site helped me learn that all the major TV towers are within a 25 mile radius from me, with the majority of them being southwest of my house. This helped me choose an antenna with the appropriate range. If you are far away from TV towers, there is still hope! You can purchase a rooftop antenna to wire your whole house. Some people even have luck installing them in their attics if outside installation isn't possible. 

If you have an older, analog TV, you are going to need to buy a digital converter box in addition to an antenna. This will convert the signals from the antenna (which are digital) to analog so that your TV can use them. Converter boxes cost approximately $30 and come with their own remote, which you'll need to use to change the channel. If you have a newer, digital TV, then a converter box is unnecessary. Just plug the antenna straight into your television and you are good to go.

Flat antenna mounted behind the TV

RCA antenna that can be painted any color

unPaper Towels (cloth paper towel alternative)

Paper towels is another one of those regular, everyday items I do not buy. I find them unnecessary, wasteful, and frankly, I would rather spend my money elsewhere. Recently, I started making unPaper Towels and giving them as gifts as well as selling them. They are reusable and washable, pretty, and functional. I make mine with plastic snaps on the corners so all twelve towels can be snapped together and rolled up. My favorite use for my set of unPaper Towels is using them as cloth napkins. Of course, like many things that save money in the long run, these are a bit of an investment, at $40 a roll. If you can sew, they are relatively easy to make yourself. 

For sale on my Etsy store

Preserving Food with Freezer Trays and Making Baby Food

Making your own baby food is another great way to save money. It's also is a great way to avoid preservatives, dyes and chemicals that go into the production of commercial baby food. Unlike some people may lead you to believe, making baby food does NOT have to involve buying a $100 or more baby food appliance and various (and unnecessary) accessories. All you need is some ice cube trays (either the fancy ones with lids or the run-of-the mill trays topped with some plastic wrap) along with either a food processor or a blender (or even hand-held potato masher) and you are set.

Firmer fruits like apples and pears should be peeled, cored, and sautéed in a covered pan with some water until soft before blending while vegetables should be steamed or baked until soft. When blending, add either plain water or water the fruits/veggies were cooking in until the desired consistency is reached. You may also add breastmilk or formula to creamier foods such as mashed potatoes. Soft fruits such as banana, avocado, and mango do not need to be cooked prior to being mashed/blended.

Once you have your baby food made, it's time to store it. The cheapest and most convenient way of preserving baby food is to freeze it in baby food freezer trays (or plain ice cube trays). By doing this, the baby food is frozen into perfect, one ounce portions, allowing for either a little bit of food to be reheated or a lot. Once the baby food is frozen, transfer the cubes into a zip lock bag so the trays can be used again. 

A huge advantage to the freezer trays is that they don't need to be put away once your baby grows up and that they can be used for all sorts of things. Lately I've been using them to freezer my toddler's favorite meals. She loves soup and anytime I make one of her favorites, I freeze a bunch in the trays. That way, when we have a meal that isn't so toddler-friendly, I can reheat something for her that I know she'll love.

Don't have a baby? You can save money with freezer trays! Other things I have used the freezer trays for include homemade pesto, herbs, and various sauces. Store bought pesto is very expensive and for the same price of a small container, I can make enough to fill 3 freezer trays (36 ounces). Having one ounce cubes of pesto makes cooking a breeze. All I do is microwave a cube or two then pour over cooked pasta or ravioli. For freezing herbs, like cilantro where it's common to only need a little bit per recipe, finely chop and place the herb into a freezer tray then add just enough water to cover. Once frozen, I transfer to a freezer bag and write "Cilantro: 1 cube = 2 Tbsp". Using frozen herbs is best for soups, sauces and dips and if you wish to use a frozen herb like you would fresh herbs, I recommend you defrost the cube thoroughly, drain out the liquid, then pat dry before use.

split pea soup placed in freezer trays

lids in place, stacked, and ready for the freezer

4 ounces of chicken corn chowder 

chicken corn chowder after being brought back to life

Natural Crystal Deodorant/Stone Deodorant

Shortly after moving to Texas, I discovered my tried and true deodorant (Dove, if you must ask) just wasn't working for me any more. I spent the next couple months trying new brands only to find that they'd work for a while... that is, until my body acclimated to the new brand... then it would stop altogether. I found a way to trick my body by rotating three different deodorants frequently and that worked alright for the rest of the summer. One day, I decided that there has got to be a better way. While searching Amazon, I found an odd clear rock that so many reviewers swore by. I thought they were nuts and that it couldn't possibly be doing anything. It had to be some sort of successful placebo, driven by wishful thinking. Still, I was intrigued.

Fast forward a few months. I was in Whole Foods, browsing the body care section when I saw a deodorant stone for around two dollars. For that price, I just had to try it once and for all. I quickly became a believer. The stone is made from natural salts that kill off bacteria. This is NOT an antiperspirant, after all, sweating isn't bad... it's only bad when mixed with bacteria, creating a bad odor. To use, simply get it wet and rub on your underarms. It can also be used on feet. I suggest using it twice a day... once when you are fresh from the shower then again towards the end of the day. My husband quickly fell in love with it as well and that $2 stone lasted 2 1/2 YEARS! Its demise came when it was accidentally dropped, shattering into a few dozen pieces.

Deodorant stones can be purchased as just a stone or a stone that is set in an applicator. The applicator variety is about 2-3 times the price, however, the stone inside it is MUCH larger than the loose stone variety. When purchasing a stone in person, I suggest looking at it closely and choosing one with as few bubbles as possible. These bubbles can feel pretty rough against your skin once the stone is worn down to reach one. If your stone gets a rough spot either from an air pocket or from accidentally dropping it, simply take a piece of sand paper and file the rough spot down.

deodorant stone

deodorant stone set in an easy-to-handle applicator

Reusable Cloth Toilet Paper

Prepare yourselves! This one is going to be a big pill for most people to swallow. There are actually people out there that do not buy toilet paper and instead, use cloth wipes!! I know, I know... this sounds weird and gross, right? But hear me out! Toilet paper is costly (around 20-80 cents a roll depending on what you get) and harmful for the environment. Forests are cut down just to get the core material needed for the production of toilet paper. Toxic fumes are released into the atmosphere due to the chemicals used in paper pulp manufacture. Rolls are packaged in plastic wrap that will live on in landfills indefinitely. Trucks are needed to transport the finished product from factory to stores everywhere (transportation is the largest source of air pollution in the United States). All of this and what do we really have to show for it? Nothing (but pollution)! It's all getting flushed down the toilet.

Now, if you are currently cloth diapering a baby, using cloth toilet paper is a very easy and painless transition... after all, the cloth wipes can be washed right along with your child's cloth diapers. If you are not cloth diapering a baby, then I suggest making enough wipes so that you can do a small load of laundry once a week. Cloth wipes are easy to make. A single layer of flannel with surged edges is one way to make them. Two layers of flannel sewed together, turned right side out, then top stitched is another good one. If you are completely helpless in the sewing department, you can purchase cloth wipes (used for cloth diapering), use cheap wash cloths (I buy 18 packs of washcloths for $4 to use for general cleaning), or even cut up old t-shirts. For storage, a small wet bag (waterproof and stink-proof, washable reusable bag) works wonderfully.

Another thing to consider is that using cloth toilet paper doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing ordeal. Many people use cloth toilet paper for pee only and even families that exclusively use cloth toilet paper will still buy the disposable toilet paper for guests. I strongly urge you to at least give it a try. I'm willing to bet that you will be pleasantly surprised. Cloth toilet paper makes even the fluffiest/thickest toilet paper feel like cheaply made garbage and it will NEVER leave pieces behind (take that, Charmin!)

Eat More Beans!

Dried beans, that is!

Beans are packed full of protein and fiber and they're CHEAP. Dried beans cost approximately $1 per pound (2 to 2 1/4 cups of dried beans is roughly a pound) and once fully cooked, the end result leaves you with as much as 6 times the amount of beans you started with! They are easy to make but they do require a few extra steps than your store bought canned variety.

The easiest way to prepare dried beans is to soak them overnight in a large bowl of water. In the morning, drain and rinse the beans then place in a slow cooker on high with plenty of water until they are done. Depending on your slow cooker, the amount of beans you are cooking as well as the type of bean, cooking can take anywhere from 4-8 hours. Once done, beans can be used right away (doubtful if you're like me and cook 2+ pounds of beans at a time) or froze flat in freezer bags for future use.

Another method of cooking beans is by using a pressure cooker. This saves time, frees up space in your freezer, and gives the cooked beans a longer shelf life. For more on pressure canning, see my post Preserving Food - Pressure Canning.

Use navy beans to make baked beans, pinto beans to make refried beans, chickpeans (garbanzo beans) to make hummus, great northern beans to make Greek-style Bean Burgers or black beans to make veggie burgers. The possibilities are endless.

2 pound bag of dried beans

approximately 12 cups cooked beans