save money – Oh Lord Help Us

Simple Homemade Deodorant

Be Healthy, Save, Stay SaneMay 15, 2016

In the past 6 months I have had more conversations about deodorant than most people probably have their entire lives. What a strange topic of conversation. “Hey, have you tried this deodorant? Do your pits smell? Do you sweat excessively?” I’m a blast at parties, let me tell ya. Just so you know, I’m not completely crunchy. I’m maybe chewy with a crunchy center.

It started to bother me that anti-perspirants/deodorants actually do what they say. Our bodies are suppose to sweat. Is it awkward sometimes? Sure. But what is happening to our insides when we block up all that sweat? And what are these chemicals that we are applying to a very porous part of our bodies?

There are studies saying aluminum in deodorant is evil, and studies saying that it’s perfectly fine. Who do we believe? I think that if I can make a choice to eliminate the concern (and save some money) then that’s what I’m going to do.

You decide for yourself.

To help I have broken down the ingredients for a popular anti-perspirant/deodorant and also included my recipe for a homemade deodorant that is simple to make, and of course inexpensive.

Ingredients in Secret Original Invisible Solid

Aluminum Zirconium Trichlorohydrex Gly: There are several different types of aluminum used in different brands. They block the pores to reduce perspiration.
There is thought that the aluminum is linked breast cancer. I also wonder if the toxins being blocked in the body could be linked to this (I have not been able to find a study stating one way or the other). There is also thought that the aluminum absorbed into the skin is linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
Cyclopentasiloxane: A skin conditioner.
One or more animal studies have shown tumor formation at moderate doses. Has also shown to be possible endocrine disruption, neurotoxicity, and an environmental toxin.
Stearyl Alcohol: An emulsifying agent.
Possible skin irritant, environment toxin.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate: Skin-conditioning agent.
Possible environment toxin.
PPG-14 Butyl Ether: Skin-conditioning agent.
Hydrogenated Castor Oil: Skin-conditioning agent.
Petrolatum: Skin-conditioning agent.
Considered to be toxic and harmful to humans.
Phenyl Trimethicone: Skin-conditioning agent.
Talc: Absorbent.
Has been linked to different types of cancer.
Cyclodextrin: Absorbent.
Fragrance: To make us smell good.
The FDA allows this on the product label to represent an undisclosed mixture of various chemicals and ingredients. They have been associated with allergies, dermatitis, respiratory problems and possible effects on the reproductive system.
Mineral Oil: Skin-conditioning agent.
Possible human immune system toxicant or allergen.
Behenyl Alcohol: Binder.

Now you might be thinking, “This chic has lost her mind. There is no way I’m going to stop using my store-bought deodorant.” And that’s cool.

Or you might be thinking, “What else can I do?” Well, this is the recipe my husband and I have been using for several months now (we thought it best to experiment with this together) and we have no intention of going back.

Some things I want to be upfront about:

I first made some with benzonite clay, but I felt like it was making me stinky, so I made some without. It was better, and then shortly after I received a notification saying that the kind I had purchased had been contaminated with lead and to throw it out (I was refunded). So make sure you research where your stuff is coming from.
I also used tea tree oil at first. It got to where I couldn’t tell if I was stinky, or if it was the oil. That doesn’t work for me, so I switched to lavender and haven’t had any problem since.
I used an old deodorant container to hold my new stuff. I discovered there were holes in the bottom after I scraped out the old stuff, so I put some masking tape in the bottom so the new stuff wouldn’t pour out the bottom.
This deodorant is really only good for a day. Max. So if you are not planning on showering every day, then you at least have to wash your pits. Please.
I have not been able to tell a difference in my perspiration. Of course, summer is just beginning.
One day I saw a friend while I was out running, and I ran up to hug her. We were both sweaty, so she didn’t mind. She actually told me I smelled good. True story.

Simple Homemade Deodorant

Ingredients and Price Breakdown

1 Tb Coconut oil $0.14
1 Tb Shea butter $0.47
1 Tb Beeswax $0.22
1.5 tsp Baking soda $0.01
1.5 tsp Arrowroot powder $0.06
4 drops Lavender essential oil $0.13

Total: $1.03 for approximately 2 oz.

Step 1:

Place coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax in either a pot to melt on the stove, or in a glass dish to melt in the microwave. It takes about a minute to melt in the microwave. The beeswax is last to melt.

Step 2:

Add baking soda and arrowroot powder.

Step 3:

Stir and add essential oil.

Step 4:

Pour into the container. Be sure to have the container ready and close by. It will start to solidify quickly!!

Let me know what you think!

Want to try this later? Then Pin it!!

Where I got my information:

http://secret.com/en-us/original-invisible-solid
https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/701741/CYCLOPENTASILOXANE/
https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/706325/STEARYL_ALCOHOL/
https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/700898/C12-15_ALKYL_BENZOATE/
https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/705247/PPG-14_BUTYL_ETHER/
https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/702919/HYDROGENATED_CASTOR_OIL/
https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/704786/PETROLATUM/
https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/704817/PHENYL_TRIMETHICONE/
https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/706427/TALC/
http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/talcum-powder-and-cancer
https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/701732/CYCLODEXTRIN/
https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/703977/MINERAL_OIL/
https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/700659/BEHENYL_ALCOHOL/
https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/702512/FRAGRANCE/#

Antiperspirants – Aluminum & Alzheimer’s Disease

Antiperspirants – Aluminum & Breast Cancer

Simple Homemade Toothpaste

Be Healthy, Save, Stay SaneFebruary 21, 2016

I worked as a dental hygienist for 15 years. And I have got to tell you, ever since I’ve started using this homemade toothpaste, my teeth have never felt so clean.

I’m going to share with you my toothpaste recipe, but first I’m going to ~~bore~~ load you up with a bunch of information. Why would I do that? Because I think you can handle the truth. And I think knowledge is power (although ignorance is bliss). And I want you to be healthy and to save money!

You may be wondering, “What’s wrong with store bought toothpaste?”

Several of the ingredients are questionable. And some are just not necessary. They are added to make it smooth, or make is sudsy, or make it a pretty color. There is no therapeutic value.

Fluoride is the only active ingredient in toothpaste and it’s the only required ingredient for toothpaste to receive the ADA seal. As a dental hygienist I’m torn on this one. I’ve seen improvement in people’s teeth (less decay and sensitivity) from using prescription strength fluoride at home, and administering it in the office. As an individual that does not like things being forced on me, I think water fluoridation is wrong. And kind of creepy, actually. As an individual that is continually striving to learn and to be healthier, the risks of fluoride being a carcinogen and having negative effects on our neurological health greatly concern me. Ok, enough about that…

Now let’s look at the inactive ingredients in the two top selling brands.

Colgate Total

Hydrated Silica: An abrasive to clean the teeth and give toothpaste a smooth consistency.
Glycerin: A humectant, solvent, and sweetener.
Sorbitol: A sugar substitute that can be used as a laxative, humectant, and thickener.
It may aggravate IBS.
PVM/MA Copolymer (Polyvinyl methyl ether/maleic acid): A binder.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: A foaming agent.
Possibly carcinogenic to humans. May also cause negative effects in the kidneys, liver, and central nervous system.
Cellulose gum: A thickener and emulsifier.
Flavor: (Good luck trying to figure out what they actually use to flavor that flavor.)
Sodium Hydroxide: Another name for lye. Used to neutralize the pH of the other ingredients.
Carrageenan: A thickener and stabilizer.
It has been linked to inflammation, gut irritation, and cancer.
Propylene Glycol: A humectant, solvent, and preservative.
May be linked to allergic reactions in patients with eczema and other skin allergies.
Sodium Saccharin: An artificial sweetener. At one time it was thought to be carcinogenic, but further studies have disproven this.
It may, however, cause allergic reactions, increase risk for developing diabetes, and contribute to weight gain.
Titanium Dioxide: A whitener used to prevent discoloration.
Is a possible carcinogen and can be harmful to the brain.

Crest ProHealth Inactive Ingredients

Glycerin: same as above
Hydrated Silica: same as above
Sodium Hexametaphosphate: A corrosion inhibitor.
Has been shown to cause skin irritations.
Propylene Glycol: same as above
PEG 6: A binder and humectant.
Has not shown to be carcinogenic in of itself. The problem is that it makes other questionable ingredients more easily absorbed into the body.
Zinc Lactate: Used to prevent plaque formation and gingivitis.
Trisodium Phosphate: A chemical found in cleaning products.
(I guess if your teeth are really dirty…? All these chemicals are getting old.)
Flavor: same as above
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: same as above.
Sodium Gluconate: Used as a stabilizer when cleaning metals.
(Good grief. This is maddening. Are you still with me?)
Carrageenan: same as above
Sodium Saccharin: same as above
Polyethylene: Plastic. Just plain old plastic.
(Why?? I’m so angry. I don’t want to finish.)
Xanthan Gum: A thickener and emulsifier.
Mica: Used as an abrasive.
(This mineral is also used when filling cracks in drywall. I’m becoming delirious now.)
Titanium Dioxide: same as above
Blue 1: (Because what’s one more chemical?)

Were you able to follow along? Are you angry? Depressed? Don’t really care, because you really like the taste of that blue plastic toothpaste?

Now let me talk about the ingredients I use in this simple homemade toothpaste.

Coconut oil: Prohibits growth of bacteria.
Baking soda: Mild abrasive.
Essential oil: I prefer to use peppermint. For the children I use spearmint since it is safe for them. (Please do research on what essential oils you use!)
Xylitol: This is a wonderful natural sweetener. I use this in the children’s toothpaste to make it sweeter. Here’s my simple-dental-hygienist way of explaining sugar, cavities, and xylitol:

The bacteria in your mouth eat the same sugars you do. Then they metabolize it, meaning they poop. This bacteria by-product is an acid that can burn a hole in your tooth. This is a cavity. But when the bacteria eats the xylitol, they can’t metabolize it. They get constipated. And then they die. Yay!

Simple Homemade Toothpaste

Ingredients and costs

1 Tb coconut oil $0.14
1 Tb baking soda $0.01
5 drops essential oil $0.25 (price depends on what oil you use)
1/4 tsp xylitol (optional)

Total: $0.40 per ounce
(Colgate Total is $0.41 per ounce and Crest ProHealth is $0.98 per ounce at Walmart)

If you are using the xylitol, and it’s not in powder form, you will need to melt it in 1/4 tsp water first. Simply place xylitol and water in glass dish in the microwave for 15 seconds. Then add remaining ingredients and stir. Based on your preference, you may want to adjust the amount of ingredients.

Notes:

I make small batches so it does not get dried out.
I keep the toothpaste in small glass jars (with a lid) and dip it out with the toothbrush.
Yes, it tastes salty.
Yes, my children use it, as well (after complaining a couple times).

Yay for clean teeth!!

Here is where I found my information:

www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/water-fluoridation-and-cancer-risk
www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/fluoride-childrens-health-grandjean-choi/ www.practicalgastro.com/pdf/November10/ErfaniArticle.pdf
www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/705417/PVM%3B%3B_MA_COPOLYMER/
articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/07/13/sodium-lauryl-sulfate.aspx
www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/cellulose-gum
www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/carrageenan-natural-ingredient-you-should-ban-your-diet www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/705315/PROPYLENE_GLYCOL/
www.latimes.com/science/la-sci-dietsoda11feb11-story.html
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2202324
articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/01/20/titanium-dioxide-nanoparticles-health-risks.aspx
www.truthinaging.com/review/what-is-it-pegs
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11800050
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11766135
www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-982-zinc.aspx?activeingredientid=982
pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Sodium_D-gluconate#section=Top
www.britannica.com/science/polyethylene
articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/04/25/coconut-oil-toothpaste.aspx

How To Develop A Meal Plan

Be Healthy, Eat, Save, Stay SaneOctober 28, 2015January 29, 2016

Ain’t nobody got time for that!!

This bit of bad grammar is brought to you by my desire to reduce the amount of time we spend in the kitchen. We are busy moms! We have babies to feed and kids to drive to practice and games to play outside (and maybe naps to take)!

Rules

For the way I do my meal planning, there are just two rules.

Rule #1 You have to have a crock pot and microwave. This is the one I love. It leaves the meat so tender that it just falls apart.

Rule #2 You have to be okay with leftovers. I prefer to cook 3 big meals and then reheat, rather than 7 small meals.

Steps

Step #1 Make a list of foods you already have on hand. Especially items that may be about to expire.

For instance, if you have a head of broccoli that has been sitting in your fridge for a week, then your first meal is going to be include broccoli. In this photo you can see that I have starred the kale and avocado letting me know that they need to be used. I hate throwing out food.

Step #2 Make a list of meals that you would like to eat.

Obviously, choose meals that include what you already have. If you don’t have items already in your fridge, then it’s free game!

Step #3 Schedule those those meals while considering if they will work with your family’s schedule.

We are not home Tuesday and Thursday afternoons before dinner time, so a casserole would not work on those days because no one will be home to put it in the oven. On those days we either use the crockpot or have leftovers warmed up in the microwave.

Step #4 Write down a list of ingredients you will need to get.

Go through your recipes, or your mind, to make sure you have everything you will need on hand.

Step #5 Find time to go to the store.

Remember to take the list with you!!

Tips

Tip! Plan a months worth of meals and then shop at a wholesale store.

Tip! Use fresh ingredients first and end with frozen meat and veggies.

Tip! Freeze unbaked casseroles if you want to prepare for more than a week at a time.

Tip! Roast veggies and put in storage containers to reheat with crock pot meals.

Hopefully this simplifies meal planning. Or you can leave all the work to me! Simply subscribe to Oh Lord Help Us with your email. Starting in January I will send you a month’s worth of meal planning, complete with recipes, shopping lists and price per serving breakdown.

xoxo

photo credit: Benjamin Faust

Making Room for a Growing Family

Parent, Save, Stay SaneJune 12, 2015June 17, 2015

With our family (and my belly) growing, we needed to make some extra room for all these kiddos to be able to sleep and still have room to play. There is no better way to do this than with bunk beds! And nothing more fun! So we started looking around to see what our options were. Good Grief!!! They either felt like they were going to fall over, or I would have to sell my left kidney in order to afford it. Solution? Make it ourselves! I looked around for months on Pinterest to get ideas. Finally taking several features that I liked and compiling them to come up with our own plans. I’m quite proud of the result and am more than happy to share with you. At the end of this post I will give a list of supplies needed, but I’ll just go ahead and tell you the cost (because I can’t keep a secret when I’m excited). Grand total (including hardware, but not paint) was $219.30 (without tax). Isn’t that incredible?!?!? Bunk beds like this to be built would be about thousand bucks, no lie. And ours even have secret compartments.

First thing, if you have a ceiling fan, it’s gotta go. We don’t want any kiddos getting knocked in the head in the middle of the night.

This is the head board. It consists of:

2-2 x 10 x 8 ft boards (our ceilings are 9 ft, so we didn’t need to cut these)
5-2 x 6 boards cut to 38 inches
2-boards cut from plywood 9 inches x 38 inches
1-4 x 8 white hardboard cut to 38 inches x 88 inches

Here you can see the back of the headboard.

This is looking into what will be one of the hidden compartments.

This is the foot board. It consists of:

2-2 x 6 x 8 ft boards
3-2 x 6 boards cut to 41 inches

These are the side rails that will hold the mattresses. They consist of:

4-2 x 6 board cut to 85.75 inches
4-2 x 2 x 6 ft (these are what hold the platform for the mattress, please note that these are NOT centered)

These are the siderails that go at the very top.

2-2 x 6 boards cut to 85.75 inches

Here we have attached the side rails. This is definitely a two (or maybe three) person job. Make sure your rails are level!!

Here is the mattress platform resting on the 2 x 2’s. Please note that we did add 2 x 2’s at the head and foot as an afterthought because it was not sturdy enough.

2-4 x 8 OSB plywood cut to 40.75 x 75 inches, then cut notches at foot .75 x 5.5 inches

These are the bookshelf stairs to climb into the top bunk. It consists of:

1-2 x 12 board cut to 55 inches
1-2 x 12 board cut to 39.25 inches
1-2 x 12 board cut to 39.5 inches
1-2 x 12 board cut to 29.25 inches
1-2 x 12 board cut to 19 inches
1-2 x 12 board cut to 8.75 inches
4-2 x 12 boards cut to 11 7/8 inches

Once built, the stairs were attached to the bed with “L” brackets.

We also put bookshelves in the headboard. The bottom shelf was not as deep as to allow room for the hinges to make the hidden compartment. These consist of:

4-1 x 10 boards cut to 38 inches
2-1 x 10 board cut to 38 inches and then ripped to 7 inches

We of course added the all-important safety rail. It consists of:

1-2 x 4 board cut to 85.75
2-2 x 4 boards cut to 15 inches

All wood was purchased from Home Depot.

Extra things we added were the curtains, an LED battery powered touch light, and little fans.

The curtain rods and clips were from Target. The curtains I sewed myself. The inside fabric has a wonderful silver star pattern with a black background, from JoAnn Fabric. The lights (not seen) were from Lowes. The fans from Walmart.

All of the sections were primed and painted before final assembly. I used the same paint that was used on our trim throughout the house. It looks great, and I didn’t have to buy any additional paint.

Aren’t they great (if I do say so myself)!

Here’s the shopping list and price breakdown:

(12) 2 x 6 x 8 @ $5.28
(2) 2 x 10 x 8 @ $7.26
(2) 2 x 4 x 8 @ $2.92
(3) 2 x 2 x 8 @ $1.87
(2) 1 x 10 x 10 @ $22.26
(1) 4 x 8 white hardboard @ $8.98
(2) 4 x 8 OSB plywood @ $7.05
(3) 2 x 12 x 8 @ $8.59
(2) Hinges 2 pack @ $2.97
1 lb screws 3″ $7.94
1 lb screws 2.5″ $9.37
(5) “L” brackets 4 pack @ $2.67

Total: $219.30

Have fun!!

Learn From Others. Be Encouraged. Repeat.

Be Healthy, Save, Stay SaneJanuary 5, 2015March 20, 2016

I think it is so valuable to surround oneself with positive, encouraging, and challenging people. And then to learn from them. There is so much that we can learn from others. When we moved to South Carolina a year and a half ago one of the first things we did was join the YMCA. It has had a tremendous positive impact on our family. And part of that is because I met Chris my first week being there. Right away she made me feel so welcomed and talked with me like she had known me for years. Over the next year she challenged me physically and nutritionally to be stronger and healthier. And it’s her fault that I started competing in triathlons! While she is being an encouragement to others, she is a wife, mother, health coach, fitness intstructor, and business owner. This is definitely someone that I want to learn from, and she was generous enough to let me interview her so that you can learn from her as well.

What all are you juggling at the moment?

I’m teaching fitness classes which is an ongoing thing. Also building my business which includes planning and customizing online detox programs, updating the website, marketing, and making connections with other local business owners with a simular passion. And for the past year I’ve been studying functional nutrition online at Replenish which is part of Holistic Nutrition Labs.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I start with a workout either on my own or teaching a class. Then it’s a couple hours working on the computer building the business. Once it’s 3 O’Clock, it’s all about the kids! Picking them up, completing homework, going to activities, and cooking dinner. And of course mixed in there is grocery shopping, and cleaning. I don’t have a house cleaner yet!

We can’t do it all, and have to sacrifice certain things at times. What do you sacrifice?

Well, I’ll tell you what I don’t sacrifrice. I don’t sacrifice my workouts, or cooking for my family, and my kid time. What I do sacrifice is building my business. There are so many ideas that I have and want to do, but I have to say it’ll come later because there is not the time for it right now. It’s hard sometimes though, because I get real excited and I’m passionate about it and want to try something, but then I am overbooking myself and I get stressed and end up taking it out on the family. It’s a constant going back and forth and trying to find and keep that balance.

Is your house clean right now?

It’s picked up, but there is dust on the baseboards. My husband appreciates organization, so to honor him I keep it picked up. But my junk drawer is junky!

Do you have any money saving tips?

I shop around different grocery stores. Mainly I go to Trader Joes, Publix, and Wholefoods and shop whatever is on sale and in season. This means that sometimes I am meal planning on the fly. Also I will buy in bulk for things that I know we will use, but if I’m making a new recipe I will go to Earth Fare to their spice section and just buy what I need for the recipe in case I don’t like it. That way I don’t buy a whole bottle of a spice that I would maybe not use before it expired. And we don’t eat out. I’d rather spend that money on an organic meal to make at home. I guess I spend a lot of time at grocery stores!

It’s encouraging for me to know that I am not alone in this universe with wanting to do more than I have the time or energy for. It’s healthy to prioritize, and it’s okay to let things further down the list be neglected at times.

If you would like to connect with Chris (and you should) to learn and be challenged, you can visit her website at www.nourish2live.com, or on Facebook.

Sloppy, Sloppy

Eat, Save, Stay SaneDecember 5, 2014

Every week I sit down and plan out what meals we will have for the next week, then make out my grocery list. I have a notebook full of these menus, shopping lists, and to-do lists. The other day, as dinner time was quickly approaching, I said out loud, “I guess I should see what we are having for dinner. Looks like…chicken with roasted potatoes and brussel sprouts.” To which my 6 year old replied, “I don’t want that.” Now, I am not one to alter my plans to appease my children. And I usually love that meal. But I had to agree with him, I didn’t want it either. So instead, I made Sloppy Joes! And served it with baked sweet potatoes. It was, as always, a hit!

It’s one of our favorite quick go to meals, and of course it’s super affordable! And everytime I make it I think of Adam Sandler singing Lunchroom Lady Land. I try to sing it for the boys, but they just give me funny looks.

Here is my recipe (I came up with it all on my own!!)

Ingredients:

1-1.5 lb ground beef or turkey

1 chopped onion

12 oz tomato paste

1/2 c water

1/4 c brown sugar

1 Tb red wine vinegar

2 Tb Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp ground mustard

1 tsp salt

Step One:

Brown meat with onion.

Step Two:

Add everything else and stir. Let simmer for 30 minutes.

Serve on buns. Look here for my recipe for homemade hamburger buns.

Here’s the cost breakdown:

Ground turkey (this is what I prefer to use) 2.29

Onion .38

Tomato paste .78

Brown sugar .14

Buns (I bought them this time): 1.49

Total: $5.08 for at least 8 servings. That’s 64 cents a serving!!

Warm Soup and Golden Buns (what you’ll get from me if you ever have a baby)

Eat, Save, Stay SaneNovember 6, 2014

I love my veggie soup. It’s so yummy, so easy, and so inexpensive. It also has no onions, no garlic, no broccoli; so it’s perfect for new moms that may be nursing. There is also enough for leftovers, so the new mom gets two meals out of it.

I made this this past weekend for a family in our church. We were also going over to a friends house for trick or treating and she was making beef stew. So I decided to make some rolls to go with both! This is my hamburger bun recipe, I just didn’t flatten them so they have more of a roll look about them.

First, the veggie soup recipe:

Ingredients:

20 oz package ground turkey

1 jar of spaghetti sauce

4 cups of mixed veggies (frozen or two cans)

1 quart chicken broth

1 tsp salt

Step 1:

Brown the turkey.

Step 2:

Add everything else and let simmer for at least 30 minutes.

See? How easy is that?

Here’s the price breakdown. I got everything at Aldi. I prefer to use frozen veggies, but they didn’t have it, so I used the can version. But they do have organic spaghetti sauce and chicken broth which I love!

Ground turkey $3.29

Spaghetti sauce $1.79

Mixed veggies $1.30 (for 2 cans)

Chicken broth $1.69

Total: $8.07 for 6-8 servings. That’s $1.01-$1.35 a serving!!!

Now for the hamburger buns/rolls:

Ingredients:

1 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup butter

4 1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 1/4 tsp yeast

2 Tb honey

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

Step 1:

Heat milk, water, butter in saucepan until butter has melted.

Step 2:

In large bowl mix 1 3/4 cup flour, yeast, and salt.

Step 3:

Mix in milk mixture, egg, and honey.

Step 4:

Add remaining flour and knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes).

Step 5:

Divide into 16 equal parts. Shape into balls and place on greased baking sheet. Leave as balls if you are making rolls, flatten them if you are making hamburger buns. Cover and let rise 30-45 minutes.

Step 6:

Bake 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Watch out for sneaky husbands!

Here’s the price breakdown:

Milk $.24

Butter $.37

Flour $1.05

Yeast $.31

Honey $.27

Salt $.01

Total: $2.25 for 16 and there is no yoga mat foam in the ingredients. Did you hear about that? Crazies.

Dating on a Budget: September

Save, Stay SaneSeptember 27, 2014

This month’s edition of “Keeping the Flame Alive” was another successful event. I must admit, I wasn’t really looking forward to it. It felt a little awkward going to watch a high school football game when we don’t know anyone playing, and have no family that goes or has ever gone to this school. Here’s how the evening went down:

After dropping the kiddos off at the Y for Parents Night Out, we had an hour to kill before the game was set to start. We went to a park at the south end of Lake Robinson and thoroughly enjoyed the view and the peaceful tranquility of the moment. It was odd to see such a beautiful lake and not a boat on it. I’m glad we had this quietness, because the rest of the evening was going to be a bit more hectic.

We drove up to the high school what we thought was a little early before the game was to start. Wrong! Oh my word, people take their football so serious here. So many pickup trucks. And they park wherever they feel like it. Walking through the parking lot we could hear the drums telling us that we were late. Hubby says, “I don’t remember there being so much hoopla for football games, do you?” I gasped (thinking to myself, you were homeschooled) and said, “Ummm, we were Number 1 in the state! Yes, there was a lot of hoopla!” And thus began my night of reminiscing.

All the teenagers decked out in their school spirit, with their faces painted. The cheerleaders doing pyramids and running with flags. The marching band and color guard at half time. And of course the football players playing their hearts out. It was so heartwarming. I’ve not ever been one to get sentimental for my past. When it’s time to move on to the next stage of life, I don’t like to look back. Because of this, I don’t share many life stories with my husband. But last night I found myself talking about all these great memories I have of going to football games and then the “fifth quarter” parties our FCA would have afterwards.

Bottom line, this was a good date. We paid $6 a piece to get in and then bought snacks, so a grand total of $16. We cheered when they made a good play, and moaned when it didn’t work out. I look forward to going again, but probably not until my boys go there and we are driving them and their friends.

Mayo Just Ain’t Sexy

Be Healthy, Eat, Save, Stay SaneSeptember 26, 2014

I don’t know how to make this post exciting. It’s about mayonnaise. Some people love it, some people hate it, some people prefer Miracle Whip. I personally prefer mayo, but I’ve been a little disturbed lately about how much soy we consume in our diet. It’s everywhere. And especially in mayo, because it’s made with vegetable oil, also known as soybean oil.

So I thought I would try making my own with olive oil. Ok, people, please listen up and learn from my mistake! DO NOT USE extra virgin olive oil!!! I know it’s better for you, but don’t do it. It’s NASTY!! I had made it before with a different type and it was fine, so I was really confused. After throwing it away, my hubby found an article that explained scientifically why it tasted so bad. I won’t bore you with the science, but pretty much you can’t put extra virgin olive oil in a food processor. So learn from me and don’t waste a cup of olive oil. I use Trader Joes’s olive oil that is part extra virgin, part refined olive oil. Which means it is mostly refined.

Ingredients:

1 cup refined olived oil (not extra virgin)

1 egg yolk

1 Tb white vinegar

1/4 tsp ground mustard

1/4 tsp salt

Step 1:

Combine egg yolk, vinegar, mustard, and salt in food processor and blend.

Step 2:

Gradually add oil. Blend until thick.

The only price breakdown I know on this is for the olive oil. I had the vinegar and mustard and salt, but the cost is miniscule.

Refined Olive Oil: 1.42

Total: approx $1.50 for 8oz of mayo

Keeping the Flame Alive; How to Date on a Budget

Save, Stay SaneAugust 31, 2014September 27, 2014

Once a month my hubby and I are guaranteed a date night, and we look forward to it with great anticipation every time. We have no family where we live and paying for a babysitter can be quite expensive when living on a budget. So every month we sign up for Parents Night Out at our YMCA (you can read about my obsession with the Y here). This way we have about 3 hours of childcare at no additional cost to our monthly membership. Just about every month we would go out to dinner. Which is great fun, don’t get me wrong. But, it kinda gets pricey. And it kinda gets boring. And we have the time restraint of 3 hours. So we have been trying to get creative and save money. Here is a list of 12 dates, one for each month. It’s important to be intentional with spending time with your spouse. Life gets so hectic, with so many things demanding our attention. It’s really easy to neglect the one that you can depend on the most. As we take our dates, I will report back to let you know how it went.

Date #1 Impromptu Picnic (rain optional)

Alright, so our first cheap date was not planned. We dropped off the kiddos and ran an errand, then sat there in the car wondering what to do. We really just wanted to sit and munch and chat and be together. So we went to Trader Joe’s and picked up pitas, hummus, wine (with a screw top), and sweets. We also got a sample cup of coffee so that we had cups to sip our wine out of. Then we sat and wondered where to go. See, it had been pouring rain all day. Not great weather to sit outside. We were willing to sit in the car, but that wan’t ideal. We went to a park with a gazebo, but there was a birthday party happening there. So we travelled to a different park to find a pavilion. First one was taken. Second one was taken. Then we found one that was a bit secluded. Perfect! We sat there under cover, listening to light rain, and thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company while sipping wine out of paper cups.

Total cost for this date: $16.75 (and we took home leftovers)

Date #2: Thrifting and Coffee

This was so much fun! My hubby found a sharp looking, name brand shirt for four bucks, and a DVD for a buck.

At another place we took a stroll down memory lane. I found a cook book that reminded me of one my mother had and used so very often.

Hubby found a series of books that he read as a child.

And we had a great time looking through old albums.

What made this date so special was that even after nearly 14 years of marriage, we were still able to learn something new about each other’s lives.

After thrifting we went to a local coffee shop and listened to live music while chatting over drinks and scones.

Total cost: $8.50 for merchandise, $13 at the the coffee shop

Date #3: Cheer on Local High School Football Team

Date #4: Mini Golf

Date #5: Indoor Rock Climbing

Date #6: Take an Art Class

Date #7: Milkshake and Video Games

Date #8: Crafts and Coffee

Date #9: Planned Picnic

Date #10: Teach Each Other a New Skill

Date #11: Do Something for Someone Else

Date #12: Bike Ride to Ice Cream Shop