Saving money ideas:

Josh and I just got done reading this fantastic book. Its called 'The Total Money Makeover' By: Dave Ramsey. If you are trying to get your family on a better financial path you should read it. It will tells you how to do everything, how to invest and how to save for kids college. everything is in steps of when and how to do it. Its a great book. Anyway after that sales pitch i thought i would share some of my money saving ideas and recipes.

One thing that has been so fun and helpful is the brand new idea Josh and I had to live by a budget. :) It took some time to figure out how to do it. But I think it has been fun. Another thing we have done is eliminated everything we can. Like internet :( (today is my last day with it. So i wont me updated as much). We also got rid of our Netflix. But that will be good for summer especially because Garrett seems to get hooked and wont go outside. Same with me. i think we will read more and spend more time playing in and outside.

Here is a fun recipe I got from Church for laundry soap. It was super easy to make and WAY cheap.

1 Bar fels naptha soap, grated

1 1/2 cups arm and hammer super washing soda

1 1/2 cups 20 mule team borax

Fill a five gallon bucket with 4 gallons of hot water, set aside. In a large pot mix all of the soaps with 8 cups water. Heat over medium high heat, stirring until the soaps have dessolved (do not boil, it will scorch the pot). Pour into 5 gallon bucket, cover and let sit overnight.

use 1/4 cup per load of laundry.

Front loader Safe

It is approx. one penny per load of laundry. (WOW)

you can find all the soaps in the laundry isle of the grocery store.

Because Josh takes his lunch to work we go through alot of bread. So i have started to make it. sometimes i barrow my moms mixer but the last time i made it by hand and it was still way easy. It is a little time consuming but kinda fun. Here is a really easy recipe:

Homemade Bread

5 1/2 cups warm water

7 cups whole wheat flour

mix that. Then add

2 T. salt

2 T. yeast

2/3 cup oil or Shortning

3/4 cup sugar or 2/3 cup honey

5 or 6 cups more flour

raise 40 min. pan out let raise 40 more min.

Bake at 350 for 35-40 min.

makes 4 loaves

Okay one more recipe. We love homemade pizza at our house. We are not eating out nearly as much anymore so we have to make things our self. again another really easy recipe.

Pizza dough

1 packet yeast

1 tsp honey

1 tsp kosher salt

3 cups flour

1 cup warm water

1tsp extra virgin olive oil.

mix 1/4 cup water, yeast and honey. let sit for 5 min. add remaining water, oil, 1 cup flour. whisk til smooth. Add salt and remaining flour. knead for 2-3 min. let raise for 30 min. punch down, let raise for 10 more min. cook for 20-25 min at 350.

well I hope you can get some good use out of these recipes and ideas. enjoy! :)