Homemade Stain Spray

Make your own stain-fighting spray for the laundry! I put 1/2 a spray bottle full of Tide laundry detergent (Tide is awesome at fighting stains). Then, I put a little bit of Dawn dishwashing liquid and fill the rest with water. Shake it up, and there you have it – your very own stain-fighting spray! I think that this fights stains MUCH better than the stain-fighters that I buy in the stores.

–Tammy from Fort McCoy, FL

Use Plastic Grocery Bags for Packing Material

Another good use for all those grocery plastic bags is to use them as packing material! When you send a gift, or when you make a move to a new home, these bags are great for wrapping glassware and other breakables!

–CKDavis from Flagstaff, AZ

Ask Your Cafe For Used Coffee Grounds

Many cafes will give out quantities of used coffee grounds for your garden for free! Our local Borders does this and it is wonderful for the garden, esp. acid loving plants like azalea, lilac, hydrangea, etc. All you have to do is ask!

–Carol from Landisville, Pa

Dilute Fabric Softener For Twice As Much

I love using fabric softener for my laundry, and one bottle of fabric softener makes two for me, and I’ll share how:

I saved one of my empty fabric softener containers and when I bought a new one the same size, I poured 1/2 the contents into the empty, saved, bottle and filled both bottles to the top with water. I use a 1/2 capful in each load and it lasts me for more than a month. Try it.

Note: Most fabric softeners these days are ultra brands or very thick and loaded with perfumes and work just the same when diluted.

–sbb1 from Umm al Quain, UAE

Multipurpose Bath Products

Did you know that you can multipurpose many bath and body products? For instance, I like to purchase scented bubble bath at the dollar store and use that for my hand soap. It’s not only cheaper than hand soap but, and here is what I like, it comes in so many more scent choices. Landers makes huge bottles that come in fruity scents, and my local Dollar Tree is now selling aromatherapy scented shower gels which can also be used. Hey, it’s not bath n body works, but way cheaper. And a great savings (and a little bit goes a looong way!)

–Carol from Lancaster, PA