What did you do to save $ today?

[freemotion]

Some essential oils are not safe especially inexpensive ones.

Which ones are you thinking of? I can't think of any that would be harmful in the extreme dilution of laundry....there are some that may be mildly irritating (like cinnamon, for example) if used full-strength directly on the skin. I wonder if this is what you are thinking of.....

 

[CrimsonRose]

maybe confusing frangrance oils with ess oils? I know I didn't know the difference till a year ago... thought they were both the same thing! Fragrance oils are cheaper and not good for you! they are made with chemicals not the actual "herb" they are named for...

 

[savingdogs]

I made some and want to add fragrance. How many drops of essential oils do you add to how much detergent

Free, I thought she was asking about essential oils and I am recommending fragrance oils made for the skin.

I can't back up my source or give you the names of the specific oils. When I was looking into it, it sounded too technical to sort out and I ruled out all essential oils for my own use....perhaps I've generalized too much here. I'm not an expert but have done a lot of reading on soapmaking this past year, so I can't remember which website or book I was at. There is a soapmaking thread at backyardchicken that is extremely informative, I would ask "Morgaine" over there this question and you would get probably a very good education in fragrance and soap, she is an amazing resource. She might know essential oils to recommend even, but it was too dicey for me. For me the whole point of making my own soap is to not have a bunch of stuff in it that may be harmful to me (and my allergies).

 

[freemotion]

Got it. To put your mind at ease, pure essential oils are very safe and will harm you FAR less than fragrance oils. As long as they are diluted (as are fragrance oils) and not put directly on the skin, they will be fine. And even directly on the skin, the only problem for most people is a bit of irritation like a sunburn. You don't want to be slathering EO's on small children, pregnant woman, or fragile people, but I can't imagine doing that to anyone anyways.

I've taken courses related to massage therapy and aromatherapy and applying EO's to the skin and the application and safety, and feel quite confident about it.

However, using them in laundry soap...you'll smell them while putting the laundry in, but it won't linger on your clothing, if that is what you are looking for, like the commercial laundry detergents.

 

[miss_thenorth]

However, using them in laundry soap...you'll smell them while putting the laundry in, but it won't linger on your clothing, if that is what you are looking for, like the commercial laundry detergents.


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this is what I was referring to. it would really be a waste of money to use EO's in laundry soap. Fragrance oils, I wouldn't know.

 

[FarmerDenise]

Recently SO and stepson built a new goat house out of stuff we had laying around and some scrounged from the good neighbor. We now have a nice 3 sided goat house that is plenty big for three goats. We can even devide it in 1/2 have if need be, when the girls have thier babies. SO used some plastic like material that I got from a former neighbor many years ago. It is white and he put it on the roof, it lets plenty of light in. We know this stuff is ok for outside, because we built a green house out of it several years ago. For two sides he use odd pieces of fenceboard we had lying about and put them together with 2x4's. For the backwall he used two small peices of plywood, scrounged from the neighbor. We didn't buy a single thing to make this goat shelter.
He put it together so it can easily be taken apart and re-assembled in another location, since we want to rotate the pasture for the goats.

I am sewing stuff for DD's baby. We had a bassinet stashed in the garage. I made all the things to go inside of it: mattress, pad, sheets, blanket, bumper and a canopy. It came out really nice. Even though I purchased some of the fabric, it still cost much less than if we had bought all the stuff. I used sheets and and old crib bumper pad for some of it.

Now I am nearly finished with a changing pad/diaper bag. I used less than 2 1/2 yards of flannel, that I got on sale at @2.50 per yard and an old waterproof pad I already had. I sewed pockets on one side and will put handles on it. When you fold it up a certain way and pick it up by the handles it is a diaper bag. It is big enough to make a play blanket. I also was able to stick with her motiv for the baby's room of safari animals. The folding is not complicated and I sewed "quilting" lines along the fold lines, so you don't have to think about it, when you are trying to grab it up.
I was invisioning being in a public restroom to change the baby, having to hold a crying baby and trying to keep things clean and grabbing your purse and then the changing pad all with just two hands
I figure this to be one of those items to keep in the car.

 

[AnnaRaven]

I used a $50 off coupon at OSH to stock up on canning jars and a FoodSaver that was already marked down.

 

[Ariel72]

I turn the heat down to 60 before bed at night and wait until noon or after to turn it to 65. I've actually gotten pretty used to it. I also don't turn on any lights during the day. My windows seem to let in just enough light all day long. Another thing I'm starting today is handwashing my dishes rather than using the dishwasher.

 

[HEChicken]

I turn the heat down to 60 before bed at night and wait until noon or after to turn it to 65.

Oh wow, my kids would think they'd died and gone to heaven! We keep our thermostat at 57. They complained a little at first but got used to wearing an extra layer. In summer we keep it at 87. That's a little tougher but its doable. When the utility bills come in the mail, its nice not to have to panic.

 

[Denim Deb]

I turn the heat down when my hubby leaves. Otherwise, I come home and I'm roasting. Last night, I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. I think it was just too hot in the bedroom, and I had no heat on in there. Normally, I like to sleep w/the bedroom in the upper 50s, lower 60s. I seem to sleep better at this time of year w/those temps.