How to Save Money in the Bathroom

No, I am not talking about extreme measures here, just some quick, easy tips to save you money.

1.       DIY face mask that really works made from plain old aspirin. Do follow the directions carefully:

http://www.acne-treatment-and-cures.com/aspirin-mask.html

2.      Use cheap shampoo.  It really does clean as well as expensive stuff.  If you have dry, thin or damaged hair use a shampoo that contains a mild cleanser like sodium laureth sulfate.  If you have oily hair use a shampoo that has a stronger cleanser one like ammonium lauryl sulfate.  That is all you need.

3.      Use shampoo as body cleanser.  Yep, since shampoos are pH adjusted for your hair, they work well on your body too.

4.      Use a scrubbie.  Just a dab of liquid body soap will clean your whole body when you use a scrubbie.

5.      Dollar store denture tablets work great as toilet bowl cleaner.  An added benefit…no scrubbing.

6.      If you sew:

a.      Cut up old towels, zig-zag around the edges and make washcloths.

b.      When buying new towels, don’t buy hand towels or wash cloths.  Just buy one or two extra bath towels, cut them up and finish the edges.  You will spend half or less of what hand towels or wash cloths cost.

7.      Before putting up a new shower curtain liner, reinforce the holes.  I do this with a strip of packing tape across the top edge.

8.      Let towels dry completely.  Make sure your towel racks are wide enough for your towels, and don’t use hooks.  The towels will stay fresh longer.  Less laundry is always a plus.

9.      Let damp clothing or towels dry before putting them in the laundry.  This keeps mold or mildew from forming on the rest of your laundry.

10.   Make your own scrubs:

a.      Sugar:  ½ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons “pure” oil, a few drops of scent and a few drops of food coloring if desired.  Pure oils are one-ingredient oils such as olive oil, almond oil or grapeseed oil.  These should be stored in the refrigerator because they can go bad. 

b.      Salt:  ½ cup sea or coarse salt, 2 tablespoons “pure” oil, a few drops of scent and a few drops of food coloring if desired.

The sugar scrub is good for the more sensitive parts of your body.  Since sugar contains a natural acid, it is good for exfoliating your face, hands or chest area.

The salt scrub is for the other parts of the body, and is especially good for the feet and elbows. 

These are also great gifts, just package, label and give.  

A New Spice Shelf

I love to cook, my husband loves to cook, my daughter loves to cook.  We make most of our meals at home and trade off the cooking duties.  I also have a lot of spices.  I buy them at the Farmer's Market because they are so much cheaper.  They come in large containers, too much to fit in a normal spice jar.  This is one of the containers that held chives:

 I was lucky enough to find some glass jars at a local thrift store:

 I was able to purchase 2 cases for $3.00 per case.  That gave me 24 nice glass jars.  My clever husband measured the space where I wanted to put them, measured the jars and made me this shelf:

 As you can see, I have hand-printed the temporary labels for the jars.  We would like to eventually etch the jars.  I love my new shelves and it really frees up counter space.  The spices are easier to find and they look great in the kitchen.
Thanks for looking.