Note From Jenny | Living on a Budget

I (Jenny) hope you enjoyed our speaker last week and her talk on living on a budget. I appreciated all her handouts and resources. I was thinking of a few other money saving strategies. I would like your ideas too.
One thing I have done this time with my son Simon (wish I had done it the first time with Anna) is make some of my own baby food. It is really pretty easy, doesn't take much time, and is very cost effective. There are several recipes out there- here is an easy one- or you can simply take frozen or fresh fruits and veggies, steam or cook to soften, blend or grind them up, and add water to get desired consistency.

Baby's Chicken and Apples

Ingredients

1 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast half
1 medium (5 to 6 ounces) apple, peeled, cored and cut up
2 teaspoons unsweetened apple juice

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, cook chicken breast half in enough boiling water to cover for 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (internal temperature should be 170°F). Remove from saucepan; cool. Reserve the water the chicken was cooked in. Cut up cooked chicken into small pieces

2. Meanwhile, grind apple in a food mill or mini food processor with the apple juice until the consistency of applesauce; set aside.

3. Grind chicken in a food mill or mini food processor. Mix ground chicken and applesauce together. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons reserved cooking liquid for the consistency your child likes. Use within 1 day, or freeze up to 1 month.

To Freeze: Spoon finished food into ice cube trays. Cover with waxed paper and freeze until firm. When ice cubes are frozen, remove cubes from tray and store in a resealable plastic freezer bag or freezer container. Label package with contents and date. Use within 1 month. Before serving, let thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

To Serve: Heat thawed mixture to lukewarm in a small dish set in a pan of hot water. Stir before serving. Always sample a small bite to make sure the food is not too hot.

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Another thing I have heard about (haven't tried it though) is to make baby wipes. I googled it and found these instructions.

Lisa's Baby Wipes

1/8 - 1/4 c oil (mineral or baby oil) 1/8 - 1/4 c baby shampoo
1-1/2 - 2 cups water 8 drops of lavender oil
5 drops of tea tree oil (optional) ½ roll paper towels

Add the baby shampoo last, mix the solution gently.

Another Baby Wipes Recipe

2-1/4 cups water 2 tbsp baby shampoo
1 tbsp baby oil 1 roll paper towels, cut in half

And finally, one last idea that I would really like to try is making my own laundry soap. A friend told me about the recipes on the Duggar family's website. Here they are

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value

4 Cups - hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.


Powdered Laundry Detergent - Top load machine

1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax

-Grate soap or break into pieces and process in a food processor until powdered. Mix all ingredients. For light load, use 1 Tablespoon. For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 Tablespoons. Yields: 3 Cups detergent. (Approx. 40 loads)


What do you think? Do you have any experience with these types of things? Any other ideas you are willing to share?