Produce / Vegetable wash

With all the dirt, pesticides and who knows what else on our fruits and vegetables, it is a good idea to wash them prior to eating.

I was looking for a cheap and effective vegetable wash the other day and found 2 recipes I want to share with you.

The first came from Smart-Penny . Simply mix 2 cups plain tap water, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon citric acid powder, 1 teaspoon lemon extract and a few drops of grapefruit oil.
(the citric acid powder can be found in the canning section of your supermarket and the grapefruit oil can be found at a health food store.)

I don't know where I found the second recipe. It is a bit simpler. Mix 1 cup water with 1 Tablespoon lemon juice and 1 Tablespoon baking soda.

With both recipes, mix and put into a spray container. Spray and rinse produce.

Why spend money for the expensive commercial variety when it is so cheap and easy to make yourself?



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Saving money on groceries

Did you know that studies show that a person will typically spend twice as much at the grocery store when using a credit card rather than using cash!

So one very simple tip for living frugally is: use cash. If you don't have the money with you, don't buy it!





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Children earning money

Many times my son has asked what he can do to start earning some money. It is a great teaching opportunity for your child to earn and then learn to budget while they are young.

But what can a child under 15 do? Some ideas:

1. Mowing lawns
2. Car washing
3. Helping an elderly person nearby with various household chores
4. Walking dogs
5. Sell some of there older things at a garage sale (with parents approval of course)
6. The old fashioned lemonade stand
7. Shovel snow if you live in that climate
8. Be creative - let your imagination go and see what you come up with.


Once they find some form of earning, help them see the costs involved too. If they are mowing grass, there is the cost of gas. To sell lemonade, you must first buy lemons or lemonade mix.

Have fun and don't be afraid to try various things. Doing it at a young age is a great way to learn without mistakes costing too much!

Lori


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Check these out for ideas

I found some interesting blogs today that I thought I would share with you. Check them out if they interest you.

• natural pest control
  
• herbal remedies
  
• Bible verses
  
  

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Why live on a budget?

Why is it so important to learn to live on a budget? Consider the following:

The average per household debt in the U.S., not counting mortgage debt, is about $14,500.

The average credit card debt among all American households is $8,400.

We are spending more than we are earning!! Are you prepared for an emergency? What if you lost your job tomorrow?

Start today to commit to getting yourself out of debt. Pay cash for your purchases. Learn to budget.

More tomorrow-

Lori







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Welcome

Welcome to Frugal Living!

I look forward to sharing frugal ideas, thoughts, helpful books and tools etc. on how our family is learning to live on a budget.