Best Ideas

from the January 2012 Meeting

Shop From Your Food Storage

Buy staples (flour, sugar, toilet paper, cocoa, peanut butter, toothpaste, deoderant, shampoo, etc.) on sale in bulk. Figure what your family needs for 3 months, 6 months, 1 year and buy enough to last until the next sale. Then replentish what you have used when the item comes on sale again. Put away a little money each month for the next sale.

Reuse Items When You Can

Plastic ziplock bags and even aluminum foil can be washed and reused. Be sure you get them dry before storing them for reuse.

Take Advantage of Garage Sales

New isn’t always better. Look for canning jars, wrapping paper, bows, cards and even clothing at garage sales. Just because someone else is tired of storing an item doesn’t mean it isn’t as good as new if it is something you need.

Make Your Own Scubbers

Renee Parry is a wiz at making crocheted nylon net scrubbers. They clean anything without scratching and can be thrown in the washer when they get dirty. She would be glad to show how to make them.

Felted Wool Dryer Balls

Cut down on dryer static naturally. Fabric softeners can shorten the life of your dryer. Make these using leftover wool yarn. Roll a ball, secure the end, place it into an old nylon stocking to keep the yarn in place, and run it through a hot wash and dry cycle with a batch of towels. Remove the balls from the stocking and use 4 or 5 of them with a dryer load. They keep the clothing separated and cut down on static.

Storage for Plastic Grocery Bags

Keep your plastic grocery bags organized for reuse. Make a holder with a rectangle of fabric approx 18″ 13″. Sew into a tube 18″ by 6″. Make casings at the top and bottom of the tube and insert elastic loosely leaving the ends compressed somewhat, but still open. Sew a hook on one end to hang the bag from a hook. Grocery bags can be pushed into the top and pulled out the bottom as needed.

Foldable, Reusable Tote Bag

I’ve taken my favorite foldable tote bag everywhere, markets, grocery stores, Chile and used it for dirty laundry, food, beach stuff, cool finds at the market. It’s small when folded and surprisingly roomy when opened up. If you’re interested I’ll show it to you and we can talk about cutting a pattern.—Jane Ann

From Ulene Pemberton

Storing items in LABELED containers is a gift to husbands, care-givers, guests, children, even to Mother who will not be prevailed upon so much for explaining or finding things for those in need. This is helpful in every room of a house, including bathrooms, freezers, and the refrigerator.

Pizza cutters are a great kitchen tool. Yes, they can be used for cutting pizza, but also for cutting other pies, cakes, bread cubes, sandwiches, waffles and pancakes, (especially for children who need smaller pieces to chew), bread and roll dough (much quicker than hand-shaping each), biscuit dough, certain fruits and vegetables, lasagna and other casserole dishes, etc.

If a minimum amount of bacon or ground sausage is needed for a meal, especially when cooking for just two people, take time to cook the entire pound and freeze what is left for later use. One time clean-up is always an advantage. Also, cut the bacon into bits with kitchen shears before cooking; it is much more efficient. Some later uses for these meats, having them cooked ahead, are: mixed into scrambled eggs, added to omelets, casseroles, salads, mixed with hash browns or scalloped potatoes. When they are previously cooked, they make a nice, flavorful, quick addition to enhance and give color to a favorite dish.

From DeNai Garn
Money saving ideas for provident living

Take care of toys so that they can be passed to younger kids

Raise pigs, chickens for butchering (this can be a several family project)

Raise a garden for freezing or canning.

Composting

Saving clothing from older kids for younger.

Shop DI or garage sales instead of the mall

Use coupons or discounts when possible