What has MaryJane's stitching book got to do with saving money?
On page 87 there is a pattern for 'Rosebud Dish Scrubbies'. I made these to throw in with
gifts and use them myself. And I just love them. They are easy to whip up while watching
TV or just sitting on your duff. I have to tell you in honesty, though, I didn't use the pattern.
I'm not that learned in the art
of crocheting, so I just took what I knew and went with it.
I made a top and a bottom circle
and sewed them together. They are flatter, but I prefer this to the puffy ones with the pattern.
They work perfect on Teflon pans too. They are made by cutting 10 yd. of nylon netting (tulle)
into 3" strips. You then fold/roll this into an 1" strip as you are crocheting it, using a size J hook.
I got my tulle for .35 a yd. X 10 yd=$3.50. The pattern says it will make 12. I think my way of
making it grossed more. At any rate, they are cheap and nearly indestructible. I just put them
in hot bleach water and keep using them. They don't even lose their color. Also, you can match
them to your kitchen colors since the nylon comes in such a wide variety of choices.
Another tip; I always use cloth napkins. These are my everyday napkins. I bought the
gold ones for .25 at Value Village and my MIL made the black ones for me. When I
first was married my MIL always used cloth, and I just picked up this habit.
I buy plastic bowl covers instead of using disposable plastic. They ate $1. for a dozen, with
various sizes at our Dollar Store. They wash easy and last for about a year for me.
I buy the large, commercial size foil. It is 'heavy duty' which allows me to wash it and
re-use it. Now I know that sounds extreme. Believe me, if it's messy ribs, it goes in the
trash. But usually it's very easy to wipe the wee bit off the top and reuse. We all have
our limits to what we will be bothered with. But I don't find any of these tips bothersome.
Now, what money saving kitchen tip do you use on a regular basis? I'd love to hear
something new I haven't tried yet.
Have a wonderful Tuesday-Kimberly
Thanks for these great tips. My hubby would give you a big hug for all this advise. He does not like waste. I do rinse out zip lock bags and reuse them. Guess I need yo do more. Have a fabulous day.
ReplyDeleteI like your idea of making 2 circles and sewing them together for scrubbies. I just found some netting in the craft closet and can put it to good use.
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of cloth napkins too. We have become a throw away society and need to start cutting back on the garbage. I'll have to look for bowl covers, though I use a lot of glass jars (saved from jams and spaghetti sauce etc) to store things in. After several uses I can recycle them when a new jar comes along.
Thanks for the ideas. I used to always use cloth napkins and the plastic covers, but I got out of the habit. I should get back to using them. Have a great day.
ReplyDeleteWhat fabulous ideas...
ReplyDeleteYour little scrubbers sound wonderful! I don't crochet at all, so I guess that's out. I used to do what I learned from my mom. She always saved the wax paper from the cereal boxes. The packaging that the cereal is actually in. She would fold it up and use it to put cookies hot from the oven on. I used to do that and then I grew more "sophisticated" and bought racks for the cookies to cool on. Not sure if it works any better, though.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day, my friend.
Hugs, Cindy
Gosh, I wish I could think of something that you haven't already tried, I think mine would be in getting three meal if I can out of a pot roast to feed 6 people, the roast one night, tacos the next night and use it for taco soup the next night. Since our biggest expenditure is our food bill that is where I am always trying to do it cheaper.
ReplyDeleteWhen my husband left his job after 22 years and started over in a new field, we had to cut in every-way possible. I cook all the time now.
So I guess that is why the other things I either make or do without. I will think on it though. I like your ideas very much.
Cute scrubbers! I use the Skoy reusable paper towels for most things. I also pack lunches in various sizes of tupperwares instead of sandwich baggies.
ReplyDeleteGREAT money saving tips!
ReplyDeleteWishing you a wonderful day! How is your son?
Blessings!
Gail
what a great bunch of tips, we have always used cloth napkins too, save a tree and all that .
ReplyDeleteThe scrubbies are a great idea!!
I have never tried those covers but I see them in the dollare store all the time, I think I will give them a try, thanks for sharing!
You put me to shame,Kimberly! I am so proud of you for doing all of those things. xo Diana
ReplyDeleteI love maryjanes books and magazine. I bought some of those scrubbies at a craft fair and love them they never wear out.
ReplyDeleteI may have to try to make them or send the pattern on to my aunt.
good tips on saving. I try to not throw food away I get creative with the left overs to make a diffrent dish.
Cathy
Gonna start looking for cloth napkins this spring at the garage sales. Great idea.
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful money saving tips! Thank you for sharing these!!
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother used to have those shower cap sort of bowl covers and I was recently wondering if they still had them. I like to purchase the commercial sizes of plastic wrap and aluminum foil. I'm not as frugal as you with washing them out. We also use cloth napkins. I like broadcloth or the kind that are made from tea towels. I do like paper towels for some chores and I buy the select-a-size ones because they are cheaper that way and the perforations ensure a good clean tear. Some things I am not good about being economical. I'll always use Tide because I like the way it works better than any other detergent and better than homemade. Have you tried the homemade detergents, shampoos, deodarants, etc.?
ReplyDeleteMy late mil would love you! She always reused tinfoil, plastic bags, etc. I have some of the bowl covers and as I was putting my stew leftovers in the frige tonight I thought I should use one of them - as I tore off the plastic wrap. You have inspired me! I will try to use less of the wrap.
ReplyDeleteI love the scrubbies! My grandmother used to take paper towels and tear them in half for her and my grandpa to use. She also washed her foil. If she used styrofoam plates, she would rinse those as well!
ReplyDeleteThese are all great tips. I sometimes save the plastic bags that bread comes in to reuse for something else. Your scrubbies look quite useful.
ReplyDeleteLove this post, we can all use new ideas for saving. I didn't know that you could still find those bowl covers, my grandmother always had them on her bowls, I hope they have them at our Dollar stores. - One way I save in the kitchen is by using vinegar for disenfectant...counters get a good spray after dishes and I also spray fruits and veggies then rinse and prepare. xo
ReplyDeleteSome great ideas. I love those little scrubby things too. Mimi
ReplyDeleteI love my scrubbies. I have an Aunt that keeps me supplies. I am a great user of tea towels(flour sack) instead of paper towels. I even use as my napkin for just me. I've been known to be messy when I eat. Great as a bid also. LOL I do break out my fabric napkins for company, hee-hee. I do fold and save my aluminum foil. I am so open to anymore ideas, so keep them coming.
ReplyDeleteHummmm. Thinking about living in small spaces, these are really good ideas that I will incorporate into my new life.
ReplyDeleteAnymore ideas?
These are some great tips! Thanks, Kimberly!
ReplyDeleteI use cloth napkins, too. Sometimes I will reuse zip lock bags after rinsing them out. I also use vinegar and water (instead of windex) to wash my windows.
Some great ideas here, Kimberly. I didn't know they sold those plastic lids anymore. I see a trip to the Dollar store in my future.
ReplyDeleteDon't you just love MaryJane's books? I get so many good ideas from them. I love those bowl covers--I'm going to look for some. They would make my refrigerator look much more cheerful!
ReplyDeleteBetsy
Good tips, Kimberly!
ReplyDeleteI reuse dryer sheets all the time and instead of plastic wrap I have sets of pyrex casseroles and bowls that have snap on plastic lids. I also save all my vegetable scraps, such as peelings and onion skins and the ends of celery, etc, and wash them well and freeze them in a large freezer bag. When the bag is full I place it in a pot and boil it for around an hour, strain it, and make broth that I use as a base for soups.
I love all these tips and use them all. I also crochet dishcloths and they are great scrubbers.
ReplyDeleteFarmgirl #377 (me)loves MaryJanes Books. Great and simple ideas.
Great tips Kimberly!
ReplyDeleteI save the wax-paper-like inners from cereal boxes & use them where I would have used wax paper. Can't remember the last time I bought a roll.
ReplyDeleteI'm can't wait to see if I can find some of those bowl covers!
My husband, son and I have recently downsized to the extreme of staying in a motel.
ReplyDeleteBefore you pity, I take care of it, I am teaching my 4 yo son to read, and I have a lot of disabilities, so a hotel makes sense.
I look at what I don't NEED to spend. For instance, when you recycle, your trash bag expenses (and your plastic contribution to the earth) will get cut WAY down. Composting cuts down on this, as well.
I don't use foil, wax paper or plastic wrap any more. I simply use pots&pans&lids, or plasticware that I can wash & reuse.
p.s. LOVE this site!