Those pesky snack displays at the grocery store!

Since I only have one child old enough to want treats when we go to the grocery store, I have been in the habit of buying those ever present, prominently displayed string cheese sticks or fruit leathers for her every time we shop. However, I realized that even though they were only .25-.33 cents, I was teaching her that she always gets what she asks for without considering money. It seemed like such a little thing, but one day I realized she expected it and I wanted her not to take it for granted.
So, I got her a little purse of her own at a rummage sale and we let her keep any change she finds, as well as small amounts of money sent to her in holiday cards. Now when we go to the store, she brings her money. If she has enough, she can buy herself a snack, but if not, or if she forgets her purse, she doesn't get anything. When she has forgotten her purse or doesn't have enough money, I've been surprised that she hasn't been mad or begged at all! Now I'm not the bad guy for saying no anymore. :)
When she runs out of money she can earn more by doing extra chores around the house. These are in addition to her regular daily chores (more on that later). She does not get a regular allowance and since she is only 3, she's not earning big bucks here. Just enough change to have some to spend at the grocery store.
A small thing, perhaps, but I feel better knowing I'm teaching her how to spend her money and appreciate earning it and the things she buys with it more.

The anti-canner has mended her ways!

Years ago I would have laughed in your face if you told me I would one day start canning. I have always been resistant to the idea after seeing my mother slave away for days in the hot kitchen canning. However, the lure of paying only $15 for a 25lb. box of fresh peaches was too strong to withstand. I got 11 quarts of peaches from one box, which is substantially cheaper than buying peaches from the store-especially if you want the ones not packed in high fructose corn syrup!
The process over all was not too bad. I did it at night with a friend, after the kids were in bed. It was quite fun and goes much faster with two people!
I'm not saying I'm going to can everything from now on, but I have to admit a great sense of accomplishment when I look at my beautiful rows of canned peaches! Besides, it is always nice to learn a new skill and know that even if I choose not to can, at least I am capable of doing it! That feels good.

Laundry Update & further tips

So, I've been using the homemade laundry detergent for a month now and am happy with the results. It seems to clean just as well as the store bought detergent I was using. I have been mixing it up in 1/2 batches and putting it in old milk jugs. That way it is easy to pour.
Also, in that time I have run out of liquid fabric softener, but I read you can use a half cup of vinegar in your fabric softener ball instead. It sounds like everything would come out smelling like vinegar, but it doesn't. Neither does it smell perfumed though, just clean.
Another tip I found is to throw a safety pin into the dryer with your clothes, which reduces static. Crazy, but it worked!!

Homemade laundry detergent

Success!! I made my own laundry detergent using water, borax, washing soda and a bar of soap! It was very simple to make (it only took 15 minutes!) and it works great! I have a top loading washing machine and used cold water in the wash/rinse cycles. My clothes came out very soft and clean. You can also use this to pretreat stains as well.
Here is the recipe I used from thesimpledollar.com, complete with instructions and photos.
The only thing difficult about it was finding a store that sells Arm & Hammer Washing Soda. I found it at a locally owned grocery store rather than a large chain, but you can always ask your store to order it for you if they carry other Arm & Hammer products.
Now on to fabric softener . . .

Frugality Reality

Like many people I know, we are trying to cut costs. After looking on the internet I have been able to find an abundance of information on frugal living, from feeding a family of 4 for a month on an incredible $200, to baking your own bread and making your own laundry detergent & cleaning products. But how realistic is it for the average person who wants to cut food costs, but who either cannot or does not want to hunt for their own meat or buy an entire side of beef at a time?

On the flip side, I have also seen many segments in the news and television programs that promise you ways to cut your budget in half. I patiently wait through the entire news hour for these amazing tips only to be given advice like, "don't buy pre-cut and packaged fruit, make your coffee at home instead of buying several a day, bring your lunch to work instead of eating out everyday" . . . etc.. But what about those of us who are already doing the obvious and still looking for ways to cut back?

So, since I am not a hunter and I have never ever had enough money to spend on eating out everyday, I am beginning a quest to find my personal happy medium.
I am going to put some of the more practical sounding ideas to the test and let you know how they translate into reality.
Now I'm off to make my own laundry detergent!