The Debt Free Mom: Day 144

My Favorite Email!

I’m curious about how you learned to live debt free.

First I would recommend reading the book The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. It was a huge eye opener for both my husband and I.... It was the first wise financial decision we made....We had it in our shopping cart and were going to charge it to our credit card, we looked at each other and said this is crazy. We put the book back on the shelve and checked it out at the library :)

~The first thing we did was sit down together and add up how much debt we had. I thought we had around $20,000 but in reality we had $48,000.

~Saved $1000 Emergency Fund

~Then we payed our debt off smallest to largest no matter what the interest rate was

~We make a budget and put a name to every penny

~We use the envelope system....taking out cash for budget categories....that way we do not overspend....when the money is gone from the envelope we know we are done spending for that category

~Canceled Cable...don't miss it....still don't have it, have basic cell phone, basic home phone we cut back on anything and everything we could.

~Squeezed every penny out of the budget to throw on our debt

~My husband and I started communicating about money....that was huge for us.... now we are on the same page and were and are intense to make sure we honor God with our finances

~Coupons

~and most important lots of prayer

Wishing everyone the best of luck.....be intense....and tell every dollar where to go!

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Day 144

Make your Own Laundry Detergent

.....thanks Heather

*1/2 bar of Fels Naptha soap (or 1 whole bar of Ivory soap)

*1 cup Borax

*1 cup Washing Soda

*1 TBS. GlycerinGrate the soap.

Heat on stove in 8 cups of water until melted. Simmer a few minutes to make sure the soap is thoroughly melted. Stir in remaining ingredients until all are dissolved. Add enough cold water to make 2 gallons. (I use a 3 gallon bucket to add the hot and cold mixture and then use a funnel to pour final product into a 2 gallon laundry jug).You will need to shake the jug before each use.

I am kinda of a laundry detergent snob. I always use Tide and stock up when it is on sale. But I did smell my friend Heather's laundry and it smelled pretty good. She also uses vinager for her fabric softner. Maybe just maybe someday I will give it a try!

P.S. I was told she bought all the ingredients at Wal-Mart.

You can read about Heather's adventure here

3 comments:

HS Mom of 4July 18, 2009 at 9:50 PM
Don't know that I'll try it either. (1) I don't use liquid detergent in the first place and (2) I've never ventured from Tide since the one and only time I did, my hubby had a reaction to the new soap.
Otherwise, it sounds like a good deal. Been hearing about it from others too.
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MandyJuly 26, 2009 at 6:33 PM
I've not been able to find Fels Naptha at Wal-Mart but they definitely have it at Dillons. I think it was $1.29 per bar.
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Cav5MomJuly 26, 2009 at 7:18 PM
Thank you!!!!
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