One of my favorite past times is to make my homemade soy candles and soy melting tarts. They come in all types of yummy scents. They're super long lasting and clean burning. They make great gifts, too!
Stop by Simmons Homemade Soy Candle shop at http://simmonshomemadesoycandles.blogspot.com and tell me what you think. All orders received before September 7th, 2012 will get 10% off of your purchase price (not including shipping).
Have a blessed day!
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Make Ahead Whole Wheat Pancake Mix
I have been trying to feed my family in a healthier way. I have been adding more whole grains, fiber rich foods, fruit, and vegetables to our diet. I have also been slowly eliminating any processed or bleached foods, including white breads, pastas, rice, etc. and changing them out for healthier alternatives such as whole wheat breads, rices, and pastas. But buying these healthy foods can sometimes be costly and how do you do this without breaking the bank? ......Make your own!
I came to this conclusion after buying a box of buckwheat pancake mix. You know, the ready made mix? Well, one box is only going to cover about 2 breakfasts worth of pancakes for my family of 5, soon to be 6 :)
I also, wanted to start stocking my pantry at the same time, so what better way than to make my own "make ahead" whole wheat pancake mix? I'm saving money and time and also giving my family a healthy breakfast. Americans do not eat enough fiber. This can cause many health issues and this is one easy way to incorporate fiber into your diet.
Enough said, here's what I did.
Make Ahead Whole Wheat Pancake Mix
(adapted from Cooks.com)
10 c. 100% Whole Wheat Flour (I used King Arthur Flour)
2-1/2 c Instant Non-Fat Dry Milk
1/2 c. Sugar
1/4 c. Baking Powder
2 Tbsp Salt (I used sea salt)
I came to this conclusion after buying a box of buckwheat pancake mix. You know, the ready made mix? Well, one box is only going to cover about 2 breakfasts worth of pancakes for my family of 5, soon to be 6 :)
I also, wanted to start stocking my pantry at the same time, so what better way than to make my own "make ahead" whole wheat pancake mix? I'm saving money and time and also giving my family a healthy breakfast. Americans do not eat enough fiber. This can cause many health issues and this is one easy way to incorporate fiber into your diet.
Enough said, here's what I did.
Make Ahead Whole Wheat Pancake Mix
(adapted from Cooks.com)
10 c. 100% Whole Wheat Flour (I used King Arthur Flour)
2-1/2 c Instant Non-Fat Dry Milk
1/2 c. Sugar
1/4 c. Baking Powder
2 Tbsp Salt (I used sea salt)
Put all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix together really well.
Next you will need to put your mix in a large air tight container. Label it and store it in a cool dry place. I used a nice large clear container with a white lid that I had purchased at Walmart, to store my mix in. I also, printed a label with the instructions for making the pancakes/waffles on an Avery shipping label and placed it on the front of the container.
This mix will keep for 6-8 months. I doubt it will last that long in my house. We LOVE pancakes! This recipe makes about 13 cups worth of pancake/waffle mix. Yep! I said waffle mix! :)
TO MAKE THE PANCAKES OR WAFFLES:
2 c. Homemade Pancake Mix
1 c. Water
1 Egg
2 Tbsp Oil (3 Tbsp for waffles) or you can use coconut oil for a healthier alternative ;)
Beat smooth with a wire whisk or fork. This makes about 8- four inch pancakes or 4 large waffles.
Let me know if you have any "make ahead" recipes! I would love to know!
Next you will need to put your mix in a large air tight container. Label it and store it in a cool dry place. I used a nice large clear container with a white lid that I had purchased at Walmart, to store my mix in. I also, printed a label with the instructions for making the pancakes/waffles on an Avery shipping label and placed it on the front of the container.
This mix will keep for 6-8 months. I doubt it will last that long in my house. We LOVE pancakes! This recipe makes about 13 cups worth of pancake/waffle mix. Yep! I said waffle mix! :)
TO MAKE THE PANCAKES OR WAFFLES:
2 c. Homemade Pancake Mix
1 c. Water
1 Egg
2 Tbsp Oil (3 Tbsp for waffles) or you can use coconut oil for a healthier alternative ;)
Beat smooth with a wire whisk or fork. This makes about 8- four inch pancakes or 4 large waffles.
Let me know if you have any "make ahead" recipes! I would love to know!
Thursday, August 23, 2012
How to Save on Your Electric Bill
With the price of everything going up in our economy we must strive to lower what we can in our budgets. Doing so make you a better steward of God's money and allows the extra money saved to go towards a more needed area in your budget.
I've done a bit of research and I have come up with these helpful money saving tips to help lower the cost of your monthly electric bill.
KEEPING THE BLINDS CLOSED during the day in the summer months for a cooler house or open them in the winter to help warm your home. This will save you on your cooling/heating bill. I also recommend changing out your thin curtains for energy efficient light blocking curtains if possible. We live in a two-story Cape style home and the upstairs doesn't cool as well as the downstairs, so I make use of these curtains in my children's rooms and it has definitely made a huge difference in the temperature. I also, have these type curtains in my bedroom due to my hubby's work schedule. It sometimes requires him to work overnight shifts which means he will have to sleep during the day and these curtains definitely make it dark enough for him to sleep comfortably as well as cooling off the bedroom substantially. The light blocking curtains also help insulate the windows from drafts, making them a great choice in the winter months as well.
KEEPING YOUR THERMOSTAT A FEW degrees higher in the summer months and a few degrees lower in the winter. It is recommended to set it at 78 degrees in the summer and 68 degrees in the winter. However, I personally think 78 degrees in the summer is too hot for me, but every little bit helps, so I try to set it at 72 degrees. I can deal with 68 degree setting in the winter ;)
SWITCHING ALL OF YOUR REGULAR ENERGY SUCKING LIGHT BULBS for the more energy efficient CFL light bulbs. This is a 75% energy savings compared to the use of regular bulbs. They are so worth it!
USING ONLY THE WASHER and trying to use the clothesline to "solar dry" your clothes if possible. This will cut your energy use so much and you get the bonus of that fresh outdoor scent on your clothes!
UNPLUG ELECTRONICS AND APPLIANCES WHEN NOT IN USE. We call these power vampires. Even when they are shut off they are still pulling electric as long as they are plugged in. This includes any phone chargers, computers or laptops( if you will be walking away from your computer or laptop for 5-10 mins put them on sleep mode to save at least 5% on energy) toasters, tv's, dvd players, radios, game consoles, etc.
WASHING CLOTHES AND DISHES IN COLD WATER ONLY. Using cold water reduces your washer's energy use by 75%. I would also recommend washing ONLY full loads and using the shortest cycle necessary to get your clothing clean.
KEEPING SECOND STORY DOORS CLOSED during the day for cooling and heating efficiency. Like I said, in my home there's a definite difference in the temperature on our second floor and by keeping those doors closed, my air conditioner and heater doesn't switch on as much during the day.
USE WEATHER STRIPPING OR CAULK on and around leaky doors and windows and install gasket covers behind outlet covers. This will save up to 10% on energy costs!
KEEP CEILING FANS OR BOX FANS OFF when not in the room. Fans only cool people. Not rooms. They make the person feel cooler, so you can turn your thermostat on a higher setting, but this only works if you are actually in the room. So if you're no longer in the room turn them off to save on your cooling bill.
KEEP THE REFRIGERATOR CLOSED UNTIL YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT. This is especially for the children. Don't allow them to stand in front of the fridge holding the door open while they search for something they may want. This lets all of the cool air out of the fridge and makes it work harder to cool the interior once the door is closed. Also, make sure your freezer is stocked. The freezer is more efficient at cooling when it's full than empty.
KEEP YOUR SHOWERS COOLER AND SHORTER. Reducing the showering time by just a few minutes can save hundreds of gallons of water per month for a family of four (more so if you have a larger family). Showering accounts for 2/3 of your water heating costs and if you cut your showers in half it will reduce your water heating costs by 33%!
DECREASE THE HOT WATER HEATER TEMPERATURE to "normal" or 120 degrees. This alone can save between 7-11% on energy costs.
INSTALL LOW-FLOW SHOWERHEADS AND FAUCETS for a savings of 10-16% on water heating costs.
MAKING SURE THE FIREPLACE DAMPER IS CLOSED when not in use to prevent escaping heat or cool air from your home.
Of course there's always some no brainers like turning off the lights when you're not in the room, but I figured you already knew that.
I would love to know any other things that you do to save on your electric bill that I haven't mentioned. Please comment below :)
I've done a bit of research and I have come up with these helpful money saving tips to help lower the cost of your monthly electric bill.
KEEPING THE BLINDS CLOSED during the day in the summer months for a cooler house or open them in the winter to help warm your home. This will save you on your cooling/heating bill. I also recommend changing out your thin curtains for energy efficient light blocking curtains if possible. We live in a two-story Cape style home and the upstairs doesn't cool as well as the downstairs, so I make use of these curtains in my children's rooms and it has definitely made a huge difference in the temperature. I also, have these type curtains in my bedroom due to my hubby's work schedule. It sometimes requires him to work overnight shifts which means he will have to sleep during the day and these curtains definitely make it dark enough for him to sleep comfortably as well as cooling off the bedroom substantially. The light blocking curtains also help insulate the windows from drafts, making them a great choice in the winter months as well.
KEEPING YOUR THERMOSTAT A FEW degrees higher in the summer months and a few degrees lower in the winter. It is recommended to set it at 78 degrees in the summer and 68 degrees in the winter. However, I personally think 78 degrees in the summer is too hot for me, but every little bit helps, so I try to set it at 72 degrees. I can deal with 68 degree setting in the winter ;)
SWITCHING ALL OF YOUR REGULAR ENERGY SUCKING LIGHT BULBS for the more energy efficient CFL light bulbs. This is a 75% energy savings compared to the use of regular bulbs. They are so worth it!
USING ONLY THE WASHER and trying to use the clothesline to "solar dry" your clothes if possible. This will cut your energy use so much and you get the bonus of that fresh outdoor scent on your clothes!
UNPLUG ELECTRONICS AND APPLIANCES WHEN NOT IN USE. We call these power vampires. Even when they are shut off they are still pulling electric as long as they are plugged in. This includes any phone chargers, computers or laptops( if you will be walking away from your computer or laptop for 5-10 mins put them on sleep mode to save at least 5% on energy) toasters, tv's, dvd players, radios, game consoles, etc.
WASHING CLOTHES AND DISHES IN COLD WATER ONLY. Using cold water reduces your washer's energy use by 75%. I would also recommend washing ONLY full loads and using the shortest cycle necessary to get your clothing clean.
KEEPING SECOND STORY DOORS CLOSED during the day for cooling and heating efficiency. Like I said, in my home there's a definite difference in the temperature on our second floor and by keeping those doors closed, my air conditioner and heater doesn't switch on as much during the day.
USE WEATHER STRIPPING OR CAULK on and around leaky doors and windows and install gasket covers behind outlet covers. This will save up to 10% on energy costs!
KEEP CEILING FANS OR BOX FANS OFF when not in the room. Fans only cool people. Not rooms. They make the person feel cooler, so you can turn your thermostat on a higher setting, but this only works if you are actually in the room. So if you're no longer in the room turn them off to save on your cooling bill.
KEEP THE REFRIGERATOR CLOSED UNTIL YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT. This is especially for the children. Don't allow them to stand in front of the fridge holding the door open while they search for something they may want. This lets all of the cool air out of the fridge and makes it work harder to cool the interior once the door is closed. Also, make sure your freezer is stocked. The freezer is more efficient at cooling when it's full than empty.
KEEP YOUR SHOWERS COOLER AND SHORTER. Reducing the showering time by just a few minutes can save hundreds of gallons of water per month for a family of four (more so if you have a larger family). Showering accounts for 2/3 of your water heating costs and if you cut your showers in half it will reduce your water heating costs by 33%!
DECREASE THE HOT WATER HEATER TEMPERATURE to "normal" or 120 degrees. This alone can save between 7-11% on energy costs.
INSTALL LOW-FLOW SHOWERHEADS AND FAUCETS for a savings of 10-16% on water heating costs.
MAKING SURE THE FIREPLACE DAMPER IS CLOSED when not in use to prevent escaping heat or cool air from your home.
Of course there's always some no brainers like turning off the lights when you're not in the room, but I figured you already knew that.
I would love to know any other things that you do to save on your electric bill that I haven't mentioned. Please comment below :)
Saturday, August 18, 2012
10 Ways to Save Money
Just recently I have quit my full-time job outside the home and have now become a full-time stay-at-home-mom. This brings many things into perspective. One being, we now will be going from 2 incomes down to 1 income. My husband is such a hard working man and God has truly blessed us in many ways and has never ceased to provide for us and I want to do my best at being the help meet my husband deserves. And one of the ways I can do this is to do whatever I can to save money in order to stretch our income and I would like to share them with you so that you can start saving, too!
10 Ways to Save Money
1. Don't buy cleaning cloths or store bought dust cloths. Use old clothing as dusting or cleaning rags! This is a great way to recycle an old t-shirt or less than perfect towel. Not only are you saving money by using what you have you are also lessening what goes into our landfills. :)
2. Just say no to store bought household cleaners! Why pay a small fortune for household cleaners when you can easily make them yourself? I have been doing this for awhile now. I use a very simple recipe. Just plain old white distilled vinegar and water (50/50) in an old spray bottle that you have cleaned out and it's safe to use everywhere in the house! I use it to clean the mirrors,windows, counter tops, bathroom and kitchen sinks, toilets, stove, floors, and more! It's non toxic ( unlike the store bought cleaners ) and vinegar is a great disinfectant!
3. Never buy laundry soap again! Again I say, make your own. It's easy, super cheap, and lasts a long time. There are different recipes for making your own laundry soap; powder, liquid, or paste like. I've used the powdered which works very well. You only need 1 Tbsp per wash load. For the recipe go to the Duggar's website here (my links aren't working so I have copied and pasted the links for you) http://www.duggarfamily.com/content/duggar_recipes/30456/powdered_laundry_detergent_top_load_machine .
The recipe I prefer is the "paste". It still uses only 1 Tbsp per load, but seems to last longer than the powder recipe to me and you can get the recipe by visiting Beautiful Somehow's blog here http://beautifulsmhw.blogspot.com/2012/04/frugal-and-simple-laundry-week-homemade.html .
Lastly is the liquid recipe. This is supposed to last the longest out of all 3 recipes. However, it does require you to use a 5 gallon bucket and frankly, I just do not have that kind of extra space in my home. You can also get this recipe by visiting the Duggar's here http://www.duggarfamily.com/content/duggar_recipes/30455/homemade_liquid_laundry_soap_front_or_top_load_machine_best_value .
4. Use the plastic grocery bags for the waste paper baskets in your home. I use them in my bathrooms. They're free and have easy to carry handles!
5. Use vinegar in place of expensive fabric softeners. Yes, I know. Here she goes again talking about vinegar. Seriously though, it's wonderful and softening your clothes and brightening brights and whites! All it takes is a cup of vinegar in the rinse cycle. I promise your clothes will not come out smelling like you were dying Easter eggs! No hint of vinegar smell at all.
6. Skip the dryer and hang your clothes out on the line! I like to call this "Solar Drying" :) A few benefits of Solar Drying include: your clothes last longer, the sun is a natural whitener, no static cling, and it's FREE!
7. Use cloth napkins instead of paper. They're super easy to make. You can use cotton or flannel fabric from an old shirt, table cloth, or sheet. I prefer to cut mine 11 inches x 11 inches and i sew along the border with a tight zig-zag stitch to prevent them from fraying too much. I like the country look, so i do let them fray a bit. Wash then use! That's it! (Once used I just throw them in with a load of laundry, then they're ready for using)
8. Unplug any appliance that you are not using. Even if the appliance is turned off it's still using electric. Cell phone chargers, computer or laptops, microwaves, toasters, coffee pots, etc. (please don't unplug your refrigerator lol)
9. Install a water filter to your kitchen faucet instead of buying bottled water.
10. Make homemade wet/dry cloths for your "Swiffer'ish" product by using old cotton t-shirts. Just cut them to size and use dry or lightly spray your homemade all-purpose cleaner on your floor surface and wipe away.
I hope you can use some of these tips. I would love to hear any of your money saving tips or frugal ways.
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