Money Saving Tips & Hacks
Check this page often for new money saving tips and hacks as I discover and make them up!
Buy Spray Dish Soap Once, Then Never Again!
Save Big on Mobile Phone Service
Poor Folk Life Hack: Spray dish soap is awesome, but too expensive. Buy 1, use it up, save the bottle. Make your own. Dish soap, water, and just a little rubbing alcohol. Yup. Dish soap only or just dish soap and water will clog the sprayer. The rubbing alcohol keeps it from clogging. I'm gonna be trying this soon as I finish off my 'spensive spray soap. #BruceCoffman
You don't have to name it "Sprm," though. Microsoft Designer AI being naughty.
I see no need to get locked into a pricey phone contract with some huge corporate carrier when there are so many prepaid options using the same networks. I personally use Ultra Mobile and highly, highly recommend them.
Pricey Essential Oils? Nope!
Guess what. You don't have to pay a bundle for pricey essential oils for aromatherapy. On a whim, I pried the top off one of those Glade Plugin refills and poured it into my little diffuser from Family Dollar. Whole little trailer smelled absolutely fabulous. I usually get my generic plugin refills from Dollar Tree, so I'm going to save even more! They have a linen scent I absolutely love and I can't wait to try that in my diffuser.
Where there's a will to live better cheaper, there's a way. And I will do my solid best to find it and share it with you, gentle reader. I especially love this hack because of the variety of those plugin things available, including limited edition scents around certain holidays and seasons. What more could you want?
You Can Do WHAT?
I just found out you can use vegetable shortening (like Crisco) for candles! Instead of wax. Crazy, right? Much cheaper than buying wax for candle making.
From what I read, it is also a great emergency heat source. One person said the large can with a wick will burn for 72 days providing at least a little heat during power outages or other emergency situations. I'm thinking they may have meant 72 hours, but I'm not sure.
For candle making, it can also be scented with essential oils and colored with whatever you traditionally use to color wax candles. They do say it's only good for container candles as it doesn't harden enough for pillar or other types of free standing candles.
Safety note: I didn't share this until I read up on it. Many people who claim to have done it say it is safe and will not cause a grease fire. However, don't sue me if you burn your house down. Never leave any kind of candle or flame of any type unattended. Keep away from children and pets. All the standard precautions. In case of a grease fire of any kind, always smother it out with something dry like baking soda or flour. NEVER put water on a grease fire. It will splatter the grease and spread the fire.
Vegetable shortening for candles? I'm definitely going to try this out!
Easy DIY Budget Friendly Coffee Bar
Choose open designed furniture like the two tiered table shown here for extra storage and easy access. Keep your coffee maker, espresso machine and any other contraptions you use most often on top. Add decorative storage baskets to corral items like sugar, creamer, flavored syrups, etc. Wall shelves are great for storing and displaying coffee mugs as well as keeping them easily accesible.
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