Miserly Tips!

So ladies and Gents.. today I was reading an article on miserlymoms.com.. AWESOME site lots of cool tips and GREAT recipe ideas! Here are a few pointers I got from it.. Some I knew..Others I didn't...Enjoy saving money! !

1.) Need Glass cleaner... a lil bit of Vinegar diluted in a spray bottle of water... (you can even use your empty Glass Cleaner Bottle) smell of vinegar lingers for just a little bit

2.) Vinegars also great in the dishwasher as a rinse aid

3.) Vinegar diluted in water cleans floors

4.) Vinegar diluted in water cleans windows

5.) Fabric Softener is way too expensive... so buy a bottle of liquid softener.. dilute it with water at a ratio of 4 parts water 1 part softener.... mix it up in a bucket.... put a few sponges in it.... and each time you dry your clothes grab a sponge give it a lil squeeze and toss it in your dryer... easy WORKS and cheep!

6.) Cloth diapers seem the way to go.. I have a few friends with babies and they all highly recommend them if your are trying to save $$$

7.) If your like me ..you use your printer.. well here's a tip... save the old junk paper you have printed and that would typically be trash.. and the kids can use the back to work out math problems as scratch paper.. can draw on them as art paper... and you can use them for note taking or list making .

8.) You can use an empty hand soap bottle next to your laundry basket as a pretreater for your laundry. Just fill it with some laundry soap.. When you get a stain..squirt some out ..rub it in on the stain.. and it will be ready for Laundering

9.) Want to stretch your hamburger's.... add a little bit of bread crumbs.. or oatmeal to it... And then grill them up... It will actually help them from falling apart as well...!

10.) Any one still use hairspray?? Remember this tip... don't throw away a shirt cause it has pen ink on it... Spray it with Hairspray, rinse, then launder it.

11.) Don't be afraid of the second hand store for clothes! Especially for your kids who will stain them up and ruin them... You can get brand name items for a BUCK! So what if they were "hand me downs" take them home and wash them =)

12.) This ones gonna sound silly... Put a clean 1 quart mayonnaise jar or pickle jar in your toilet tank to conserve the amount of toilet water with each flush... hehehee I like this one and may try it myself!

Hope these little tips help.. As I said I just read them haven't been able to try them all out.. Let me know what you think =)

Bread Recipe I used.... Simple and Successful!

Yummy and Delicious... and the Kids and I had a blast... and Oh Yea... EASY to do! !

Beginners White Bread

Makes 2 Loaves
5-1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 envelopes Fleischmann's® RapidRise Yeast OR Active Dry Yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine


Directions
If using RapidRise Yeast:
In large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast, and salt. Heat water, milk, and butter until very warm (120° to 130°F); stir into flour mixture. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in 1 cup flour; beat at high speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cover; let rest 10 minutes.
Divide dough in half. Roll each half to 12 x 7-inch rectangle. Beginning at short end of each rectangle, roll up tightly as for jelly roll. Pinch seams and ends to seal. Place, seam sides down, in greased 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 inch loaf pans. Cover; let rise in warm, draft free place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Bake at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Remove from pans; cool on wire rack.

Are you Self Sufficient??

In wake of the huge earthquake in Japan, the Tsunami, the nuclear problems Japan's having, the gas prices, the economy, the messed up government, the fall of our U S dollar, the children of today and their lack of morals, the Book of Revelation, even the "doomsday predictions"...

It all got me thinking.. Am I self sufficient.

If I suddenly had to care for my family with no money, no stores, no power, no water for a week could I?? What about a month?? Six months?? .....

Could I do it. Could my family survive whats happening in Japan today.

So that is my quest. To say certainly YES. We could do it.

We began some time back with a food storage, I am learning how to do things the way Grandma and Grampa used to do... Growing my own food and canning it. Making my own fresh delicious bread! And of course Strawberry Jam was a hug sucess! All the while teaching these things to my children as we go..

I am basically getting all my "ducks in a row" just in case something happens... as it did in Japan..

... And it cant hurt.. So why not.

I'll keep you all up to date and post recipes and sites of everything I learn... I want all my friends and loved ones prepared... Just in case.. No one knows the future.. I pray nothing bad does happen! But I can assure... My family and I will be OK. And I hope you all follow along and will be as well. =)