For this week’s Frugal Friday tips, I would like to share with you a few things that I do on a daily basis to save money and be frugal.
I use a tea bag for 2 days. I just set it up on top of the microwave after the first use and save it for the next day. I don’t like my tea very strong, so that does make a difference.
Next I hang our clothes outside to dry. I don’t have a clothes line yet, so I put the clothes on hangers that have swiveling necks.
When I’m not able to hang the clothes outside, I still use the dryer, but I don’t use dry sheets. I got this little tip from Amy at MomAdvice, and it works great. I bought a cheap bottle of laundry softener, then I soak a wash cloth in the softener and hang it out to dry. It lasts usually about a week for me, but I do tons of laundry, about 20 loads.
You can see by this picture that I paid $2.48 and started using this bottle of softener on 3-19-09, and I still have some left.
By trial and error, I learned what is easiest for me. First, and most importantly, use a wash cloth that is a different color than any of your regular towels and wash cloths. It’s much easier to spot when you take the clothes out of the dryer. Secondly, use a large enough tub to soak the wash cloth in. I started with an old whipped topping container and it was just too small. And third, do a couple at a time, so you have one to use while the other is drying, because it does take a couple days to dry.
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~Frugal Friday hosted by Life As Mom
I love how you used the fence for a clothesline! I hope you get a ‘real’ one, because I love mine, but in the meantime, that’s a very clever idea.
I also like your fabric softener idea. I think I’ll have to make up my own for those days when I can’t hang wash outside…or when I miss the rinse cycle. Very clever!
That’s a good tip about using a washcloth that’s a different colour to spot it easier, it ahd never occured to me before!
Thanks for this tip! We seem to go through a lot of dryer sheets.
I wish we could get a clothes line, but our neighborhood rules don’t allow them… I still sometimes put our sheets outside, though, on the deck, because what is better than sheets that have hung out in the sun to dry?
My husband likes his jeans and cotton shirts line dried, but I have to confess–I don’t like line-dried clothes. Even using fabric softener I can never seem to get them to feel right. I love the idea about the fabric-softener soaked washcloth, though, I plan to try that one soon!