BellaOnline Forums Money Frugal Living Some tips from Dora Renee' Wilkerson.

Hello!
I hope you don't mind me passing along a few tips that I have learned through the years from friends and family.

I love to bake. In the beginning of the week I'll make a master batch of dough up (for pizza, bread, rolls, or whatever.) I buy my yeast in bulk (it's way too $$ to buy those little packets.)
One of my favorite tips was to use an UNGLAZED pizza tile for a baking stone. Makes the best crust for pizza and breads and cost a fraction of the cost of a baking stone (make sure it's UNGLAZED tho.)
I also make most of my cheese up. We raise dairy goats so that's the reason why I started doing that really. You can also do it with store bought milk. Easy to do and it's fun.
Yogurt- we make our own again. How I save money there is that I use one of those small yogurts to make more yogurt. I can do it up to 5 times before I have to buy store bought yogurt again. Just stretches money a tad further.
Swifter- I like my swifter mop but those pads and chemicals add up. So, I take the bottle off and put it upside down in a glass of hot water (that gets the glue to come off of it.) Then I put my own cleaner inside of it (I am a big fan of vinegar and water to clean with. I make my own vinegar..lol..) The pads I just sewed a few up on my sewing machine. When I take them off I just toss them in the washer and I can reuse them again and again.
Line dry my cloths (inside out and upside down..lol.. Less fade and no pinch marks.)
The newest thing I am doing to save a little is Solar cooking- when it's hot out like it is cooking just heats up the house (also cost to run the stove.) So, My loving husband made me a solar cooker up (you can cook WHOLE chicken, meat, beans, grains, breads, and even cakes in them.)
I unplug things that aren't in use.
We have a dehumidifier that collects 77 pints of water. I have to change it 5 times a day (yes, we need either a bigger one or another one..lol) Anyway, Instead of just tossing that out I pour that into my flowers.
Eggs- Oh, I could go on about eggs..lol.. The thing I do with them that I like the most is make a powder out of them so I can easily put them on my plants (clean the shells, heat in the stove a little, then put them in a grinder.)
Ok- I am sure most of you already know those tips but just incase I still thought I would post them.

Dora Renee' Wilkerson
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Hi, Dora, Wow...I thought I was frugal by making my own laundry detergent, but your list puts me to shame! About your dairy goats: I had a couple of good old girls a few years back- a Togg and a French Alpine, and my son was raised on goat's milk. (I eventually sold them and moved on to horses, but that's another story). I loved the goats and am thinking of getting a few again, but I wonder if the cost of upkeep outweighs the savings, with grain prices being what they are. We have access to pretty good hay and have plenty of grazing area, but I thought you'd be the perfect one to ask about the other costs involved. We live in New Hampshire, if that makes any difference. Thanks in advance for any info you can send my way. Marilyn