Making My Herb Garden

This spring, my mom and I decided to make herb gardens using stair stringers and flower boxes.  Armed with only a picture, we (mostly Mom) brainstormed, constructed and created a masterpiece!  This herb garden is perfect for our narrow balcony and takes up less space then my herbs did last year.  An added bonus is that the height makes it easier to pick the herbs.

Supplies:
22 - deck screws
3 - plastic planters
2 - stair stringers
Scrap Wood 2-pieces that are 31.5 inches long, and 2-pieces that are 16 inches long

We used our stir stringers the opposite way they were intended so that they were taller and narrower.  You could use them the other way if you wanted.

We drilled holes in the stair stringers that lined up with the holes in the bottom of the planter, but ended up drilling new holes in the planter because our screw heads were too small.

Then we screwed the planters to the stair stringers.

Next we screwed the 31.5 inch boards to the back of a stair stringers.

Then we screwed one board across the front of the stair stringers and the last board across the back to provide extra support.

Here is the final product!!  Since it is pressure treated wood, I will be waiting until next year to paint it.

I added some rocks, then dirt, and planted my herbs.  It worked out great on our small patio.

Homemade Laundry Soap

In my quest to save money and live a little simpler, I decided to try making my own laundry soap.  Even though it is just two of us, I typically do about 6 loads of laundry a week.  I found an easy recipe (which was a must) and mixed it up.   I made my first batch in mid-January and just ran out this week, that means the soap lasted close to 4 months! I was unsure if I would like it but have found that it cleans well and leaves clothes brighter, even when washing in cold water.  It doesn't have a strong scent, but you can use fabric softener or add a few drops of essential oil to each load.

Cost breakdown: I bought enough of everything to make 3 batches and it cost a total of $23.  Each batch costs me about $7.67 and lasts 15 weeks or about 90 loads of laundry!  That's 8.5 cents a load!

Supplies:

55 oz Arm and Hammer Washing Soda
4 lbs Arm and Hammer Baking Soda
76 oz Borax
3 lbs Oxi Clean
3 Fels Naptha Laundry Bar  

*I have been making smaller batches and keeping it in an empty, gallon ice-cream pail.  To make a smaller batch, you can use: 19 oz washing soda, 22 oz baking soda, 26 oz Borax, 19 oz Oxi Clean, and 1 Fels-Naptha bar.  

Step One:
Using a cheese grater, grate the Fels-Naptha bars.


Step Two:
Add all ingredients into a large bowl or bucket.



Step Three:
Stir everything together.







Step Four:
Store in an air tight container.

Use: I use the scoop that came with the Oxi Clean and use one scoop per load.  When I wash A's work clothes I add an extra scoop for a little extra cleaning power!

Young, Fabulous, and...broke?

We are not actually broke, but some days it feels like it.  When I switched jobs, we knew I would have to take a drastic pay decrease.  I crunched the numbers and decided that having to limit our spending a little (ok, a lot) was worth loving my job again.  Things started out ok and A took on some side jobs to help make ends meet.  We have, however, incurred some additional expenses that we had not planned on.  These things can never be planned for, but it can make for some scary and stressful times (I am sure some of you can relate to the stress finances can cause).  And with the holidays, side jobs for A are pretty much non-existent...Anyone need a painter? ;)  So 2012 is starting out a little on the difficult side financially.

Last year, I was set on bringing our debt down and creating an emergency savings account.  Let's just say that didn't happen.  I had the best of intentions, but was unwilling to give up the quality of life A and I had been accustomed to.  The choices we made brought us to this point and so only we can make the changes necessary to improve it.  In order to be comfortable in the future, we are going to have to make some sacrifices in the present.          

This year, one of my challenges goals will be to find ways to live more simply and cut costs to help us improve our financial situation and our lives overall.  We took the first step this year by growing a garden, and I froze some salsa and tomato sauce with our harvest.  I plan on attempting this again this year and hopefully learning how to can even more items.

I am currently looking into homemade laundry soap and household cleaners.  I like this idea not only because it will save us money, but because it is better for us and the environment.  It seems like a win, win.  I will be sure to keep you posted when I try these out in case you are interested in trying them out yourself.

Let me know if you have any other ideas to help us live more simply (and fiscally responsibly) over the next year.