When did life get so complicated?

When exactly do you think life got so complicated?
Wait a minute, let me rephrase that...when exactly do you think we stopped caring about how things were made/or just got too lazy/busy/crazy to make them ourselves?

I think I remember when it happened.  For me, at least.  It happened twice in my life.  Twice since I had kids.

The first time was when my daughter was 3 months old and I went back to work.  I thought we could make it work, and I LOVED my job.  I was good at it, and it was fun.  I had good babysitters, and I was making good money.

BUT...
we ate out A LOT, and we spent a lot on gas (driving to work 1/2 hour each way, and also driving to the babysitter)  I made convenience meals because I didn't have time to make good ones.

Then I found out I was pregnant again when Grace was only 4 1/2 mo. old, and I decided I was quitting work.  We worked it out and I could stay home if we saved money in some areas.

I started making my own baby food, grew a garden, and started freezing and canning.  I made my own baby wipes and pinched pennies by trying to make things myself.

This worked out great until the kids went to school, and I went back to work.

I still had a garden, and canned and froze my own food (still do), but my time to do the other things got harder and harder.

However, things started to feel more important to me again.  I got  am tired of paying SO MUCH for things in the store.  I care about what is going into our bodies with all the processed food out there, and I want to change it, so I'm starting small.

I've talked about some of these things before, but they are SO EASY, I'm sharing them again.  And then I found something new.

I'm trying this because the grates on my burners are disgusting.

The solution with no scrubbing is here.  It's on my list.

The other products I've cut back my costs on are...Homemade fabric softener. ( I've been using this solution for months now, with the same result as the expensive softeners I used to buy. )

 I've tried different smells of conditioner with this recipe, but my new favorite is the Suave Lilac/Lavender scent.  It's great!  The recipe for the above is here.  This total solution costs me about $2.00 and it makes 1 1/2 bottles of fabric softener.  FULL bottles, not the half full ones you buy for $4.99 and more.  This recipe is a KEEPER.

The next recipe I've wanted to try since before Christmas, but I haven't needed to use it yet, so I haven't tried it.  My bar of soap is waiting for me.  Lilac scented.  I can't wait.  Hand Soap refill.  It cost me all of $5 for the ingredients and it'll make me a GALLON of refill soap.  That's a lot of soap.

The recipe is here.
Now, I'm not making this post to be preachy...far from it.  I just wanted to share some things that have worked for me (or that I'm willing to try) to save money at the grocery store.  It makes me feel better, also, knowing the ingredients I'm putting into something my whole family uses.  Who knew these things could be made with so few ingredients.

Same with the canning and freezing I do.   I know what's in the food because I'm the one putting it in there.  I'm starting small.

You can too.  Ask me anything.  I'm grateful to share!