Okay, this may be the thriftiest of all my Thrifty Nifties... Like, super thrifty/frugal.
1. Don't use a full dryer sheet in the dryer. I tear mine in half, and only use one half at a time. Totally works. My mom taught me this one.
2. Wash your windows with newspapers. Save your paper towels. Spray your window cleaner - scrub with your newspaper! This is what we did as kids, and I just started doing it again so I wouldn't have to use my pricey paper towels. When I was first married I used to buy them on sale for less than 50 cents a roll... Every now and then, WITH a coupon I can get them to about 50 cents a roll....
3. My Grandma once asked me if I washed out and reused my zip lock bags. I, of course told her no, and she replied with, "Well, that's why you're poor..." Yes, that's my Grandma. But, Grandma would be proud to know that I have started washing out my zip lock bags. Why was I throwing them away again when they were only a home to some bread?????? Look, how green I've become... My husband on the other hand is not so excited to be washing out plastic bags... He's not very excited about being green, and based on Grandma's standards he also likes being poor. :)
Do you have some more Thrifty Nifties for me? Please share!
4 comments:
I can out thrifty you on these i think.
1- make your own laundry detergent (combine borax with fels naptha soap and washing soda...it's about 7 cents per load) and don't use fabric softener sheets at all. use a white vinegar rinse. dryer sheets leave a coating on your clothes & towels, making them less absorbent. better yet, hang your clothes to dry outside in the sun. :)
2- buy a set of microfiber cloths. i think got 5 for $5. then you can wash all your windows without newspaper or paper towels. you throw the microfiber cloths in with regular laundry once a week.
3- we haven't bought ziploc bags in years! initially invest in some glass storage containers in a variety of sizes. use those instead of ziploc bags.
and you can go one step further and reduce your use of paper towels by using wash cloths/rags for clean up, cloth napkins for meals.
What about using cloth rags instead of toilet paper?
haha - cloth rags instead of toilet paper! Think of all the money we'd save!! genius!!
Jen - I have a plethora of cloth napkins and rags, but I'll never give up my paper towels - it's just too easy with kids.
Glass storage containers aren't practical for me to freeze 10 loves of bread... They'd have to be pretty big...
I thought about making my own detergent for a while, I remember when you did, but so many people said they ultimately didn't really prefer it after trying it... i do hang up some clothes to air dry - the thing with dryer sheets is it removes static, it's my fear of my childrens pajamas catching on fire from static... that's what I've heard anyway...
microfiber cloths are a good idea, I really don't use the ones I have because my dry hands make them icky to touch. But, I'll have to try that. Considering I only wash my windows twice a year, it might be in June when I try. :)
Keep the tips coming!
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