Bang for your buck

**oheoh's momma** · 10-29-2011, 05:58 PM

I am again trying to tighten up the purse strings. What products really give you your bang for your buck? The most cost effective products you use.
for me it is:
Tide with downy liquid
tide drops for hubby's work clothes
dry beach purex 1.97
Magic erasers
fabuloso 3.00
bleach
crest pro white tooth paste
Final touche fabric softner 3.47
vinegar
Comet

**sjohnson3278** · 10-29-2011, 06:24 PM

The products that give me the most bang for my buck are:

Vinegar
Baking Soda
Salt
Lemon juice

These are all things that are cheap and I can use for multiple purposes!

**steelergal** · 10-29-2011, 08:59 PM

Tide with bleach/ Coldwater Tide (the only things that seem to get things clean, especially in our water!)
Magic Erasers (the only thing that seems to help with the water stains in our bath tub)

**Spirit Deer** · 10-29-2011, 11:42 PM

Our pop up camper. It's a rolling hotel room that provides a comfortable, bed-bug place to sleep, shower, cook, eat, store food, and haul all our stuff when vacationing. We lose no mpg when towing with the truck and only 1 mpg towing with the van. It allows us to put money into fuel costs rather than hotel room fees, and is much more comfortable and convenient than any hotel room, at a fraction of the price. Insurance, license, and maintenance costs are the lowest of any RV, so it's also cheap to keep since it's paid for. Traveling with a trailer allows us to bring our dogs along so we don't have to pay expensive kennel fees, and they are much happier with us than in a kennel.

The internet. There is information on anything I want or need to learn about, and having the internet as a resource has saved us thousands of dollars because we can find information to fix or build or buy at the best price just about anything we need.

**khaski** · 10-30-2011, 12:03 AM

I'm totally on board with those magic erasers- the only thing that reliably takes dd's 'art' off the walls! I also find 'Dawn' dish soap can be bit more costly than other brands....but does a far better job, so I use less for the job, it probably costs less in the end than getting the cheaper kinds nd going through them faster.

**Mrs K** · 10-30-2011, 07:45 AM

I agree with baking soda, vinegar and salt.
Lemon juice is rather expensive here so we don't use it to clean.

Food wise: oatmeal is one of the best, cheap, healthy food we can get and I use it a lot in different foods.

Energy wise: a heating matress pad and flannel sheets for the winter, we are warm but don't need to heat the house so much. (our winters are dreadful!)

And I agree with the internet: such a wealth of information!

Hth

**shoiji** · 10-30-2011, 03:36 PM

I love the tub of oxi-clean that I have. Have also purchased the knock-off brands. I have been using the same tub for about 4 years. Really like how it gets out stains and cleans plastic. My garbage pail is about 11 years old. When it gets dirty I just put some oxi-clean in the bottom of the pail and add hot water. All the dirt comes off so easily. I have also filled the bathtub up with hot water and some oxi-clean. Then put my blinds in the solution. The dirt literally dissolves right off.

My down alternative blankets and bedding. I can keep my heat low especially when sleeping and stay very warm.

Bottle of water proof spray for shoes and baggage. Every fall and spring I will spray my shoes and bags. Just taking the time to do this helps to take care of my shoes so I do not need to keep buying shoes. Almost threw out a pair of shoes but with some proper cleaning and a spray they are as good as new again. At about $5 a spray can it is cheaper than buying new shoes or purse!

**peanut** · 10-30-2011, 04:04 PM

I'd agree with the Internet being my big one. After that, the library. But neither of those are technically products. They're services.

Products...hmm...I'd agree with DAWN dish detergent, but only if it's the original formula. I use it for crafting (preparing yarns/fabric for dyeing etc.). It's much cheaper than the alternative. Plus we use it for dishes and general cleaning.

Other than that, it's got to be my yogurt maker. I save hundreds of dollars a year with that puppy. I use yogurt in place of milk in a lot of my baking/cooking.

**Uniwolf** · 10-30-2011, 04:20 PM

I guess mine would be the following...

Dawn (original formula only)
vinager
baking soda
washing soda
borax
bleach
Mr. Clean magic erasers

I make my own laundry soap and cleaners. I have learned over the last year, that I get way fewer headaches since I have stopped using comercial cleaners.

**oheoh's momma** · 10-30-2011, 05:43 PM

I tried homemade laundry detergent it did not work on hubbys nasty clothes. I have allegeries. So tide is the only laundry soap I can use I also use the regular dawn for dishes and a stain remover with toothbrush.

**HappyMama** · 10-30-2011, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by oheoh's momma

I tried homemade laundry detergent it did not work on hubbys nasty clothes. I have allegeries. So tide is the only laundry soap I can use I also use the regular dawn for dishes and a stain remover with toothbrush.

Did you happen to see the 2.00/1 Tide detergent Q in todays P&G insert ?

**FrugalKate** · 10-30-2011, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by sjohnson3278

The products that give me the most bang for my buck are:

Vinegar
Baking Soda
Salt
Lemon juice

These are all things that are cheap and I can use for multiple purposes!

I was just about to say the same thing. I also will cut bleach with water and put it in a spray bottle to use around the kitchen and bathrooms as well.

**FrugalKate** · 10-30-2011, 06:53 PM

Originally Posted by shoiji

I love the tub of oxi-clean that I have. Have also purchased the knock-off brands. I have been using the same tub for about 4 years. Really like how it gets out stains and cleans plastic. My garbage pail is about 11 years old. When it gets dirty I just put some oxi-clean in the bottom of the pail and add hot water. All the dirt comes off so easily. I have also filled the bathtub up with hot water and some oxi-clean. Then put my blinds in the solution. The dirt literally dissolves right off.

Never thought of using Oxi-Clean for the blinds. Thanks for the tip!

**my4littlebuffaloes** · 10-30-2011, 07:52 PM

I was thinking more along the lines of food. Here is my list of cheap, nutritious and filling items.

whole grain pasta
eggs
potatoes
rice

**steelergal** · 10-31-2011, 06:06 AM

I also have to agree with the Dawn! Regular one! It's the only thing that works with our water, it's a great stain remover and best of all- it was the only thing that worked when we got a flea infested puppy! I to this day will wash our dog with dawn just incase he may have a flea!