homemade and homegrown

[Buff Hooligans]

Kristina, I never did a cost comparison on homemade glycerin soap versus storebought or handmilled quality soap (like Southern's). I just know I like to chose my colors and additives and shapes, and it's a fun, crafty thing to do on a winter evening. It has the benefit of instant gratification too. They are ready to use within hours.

For homemade cleaners, you've picked a good time to be interested in that. I just saw a women's magazine that gave a whole page full of recipes for different types of non-toxic homemade cleaners. I bet you could find tons on Google.

Best of blessings to you on making one salary stretch!
(Wish I could grow fruit!)

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Enh, bread IS easy to learn to make! Measure carefully, learn to knead (unless you happen to own a stand mixer, in which case use that) and make sure to follow directions. Choose a simple recipe to begin with, and make that ONE recipe 2-3 times a week for a couple weeks til you really have the hang of it. Just do it! Once that recipe is behaving well for you, then you can try others.

Of course, a bread machine is even quicker and easier

I use one, mostly because my wrists do not enjoy kneading and I don't own a stand mixer, but it also allows me to just dump the ingredients in and forget it. I use the bread machine for kneading pizza and other dough even if I'm not baking it in the machine

If you do use a bread machine, start with recipes that are designed for that specific brand of machine, otherwise it may not come out right. So if you buy a machine in a garage sale or thrift store make sure it comes with its manual, which should include some recipes.

Quote:
Don't forget that while homegrown eggs are certainly cheaper, not everything else is. If your main goal is to economize, it really pays to sit down and figure out how homemade vs storeboughten will compare. Otherwise you may actually end up spending more. This is especially true of things that require you to buy significant amounts of special supplies/equipment, e.g. soapmaking. Remember that huge factories often have economies of scale and access to simpler/cheaper processes/ingredients than you will ever be able to use at home. Sure, things you make/grow yourself are SOMEtimes cheaper, and IMO are almost always better for you and easier on the environment... just dont' necessarily expect to $ave too much.

FWIW, I find (I'm a stay-at-home mom too) that altering or reducing what we use makes a much bigger contribution to the budget than 'just' going homemade. For instance, you asked about "homemade" household cleaning products -- really, your biggest savings are likely to come from switching over entirely to plain old water + elbow grease for most purposes. And having eggs for dinner 1-2 times a week, in place of $4-5 worth of store-bought meat each time, really adds up too

Anyhow good luck (p.s. canning is EASY, too, just try it!) (p.p.s have you seen the Dollar Stretcher website, www.stretcher.com, it might have some of the sorts of information you're looking for)

Pat

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Patandchickens is right about handmade bread. I started that way, then we were given a bread machine for Christmas ten years ago. Just remember that if you don't want to bother with sifting the flour before measuring, at least fluff it up in the package first before scooping it up with the measuring cup.

 

[silkiechicken]

About the saving money thing... It costs me more to raise chickens for eggs than it would to buy them from costco... and I don't have extravagant housing. It costs me about $3 a dozen in food alone...

 

[poppycat]

Like patandchickens said, bread is EASY without the bread machine. I make it in a big bowl and knead it on the counter. It only takes a teeny bit of practice.

If you get a chance, check some bread making books out of the library to see if you can find a few recipes that work well for you.

Personally, I only pursue the "homesteading" type stuff that I would am interested in from a hobby perspective. If you don't enjoy doing them, they become just plain old work that I'm not getting paid for. But if it's something you like to do and you can save a little cash as well as reap some satisfaction, then it's worth it.

Good Luck

 

[Zenbirder]

I have found used bread machines are fairly easy to find and inexpensive. People get them as a gift and have no real interest in making bread so they dump them at a goodwill or yard sale. One of the problems I hear in using them is that people measure out the ingredients, and then the dough may be either to wet or dry and the results are not the greatest. If you want to bake often I think you will want to invest in one, they are one gadget I think is worth it. Here is how I make bread, I use a bread machine but don't really measure:

about 1 1/2 cups water
1 egg
a splash of canola oil
approx 2 cups of fresh ground whole wheat flour
about 2 heaping tablespoons wheat gluten
approx 1/2 tablespoon sugar
a long dash salt
approx 2/3 tablespoon yeast
a scoop more flour
Turn the machine on and let it mix a couple of minutes, it should be like thick batter, then I add more flour by sight 'till I get the right consistancy. Test with a finger for moisture content, you want "not sticky or overly moist but not dry". Scrape the side of the bread machine with a soft spatula if necessary.
I don't really measure anything precisely, and I do vary the ingredients also from time to time. Too much sugar or yeast can over proof it and cause it to fall, so skimp a bit on those at first. After a few loves you should have a feel for how much to add. This also makes a great dough for a real stick-to-your-ribs home made pizza, use a whopping big perforated pizza pan.

In my experience it is easier to start out saving home grown food by freezing, pick up a book on it at the used book store, Rodale's Home Freezing is one I use. Canning takes more equipment, but is worth it for some things. It is nice to grow winter squash, especially butternuts keep easily and are very good nutritionally. If there is a home extension office they often have women who can mentor you.

My advice for saving $, don't go to the stores (mall, department etc.) as much as p[ossible, shop for what you need secondhand when you can. And most of all, Keep asking questions, we love helping

 

[mosier]

This is the easiest bread recipe ever! And no kneading is involved. All that is required is flour, yeast and salt, a pot to bake in and a bowl to mix. Super simple, and really good to eat!

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html

 

[jkm]

I make all the bread for our family, by hand, using a wet dough formula, the recipe above is the harder version, this is the simple one.

2 cups cool water, pinch of yeast, splash of olive oil
four cups of flour added very slowly! beat each one in .

after cup three let the dough sit for an hour, add number four, loosely knead for a minute or two,
raise in a warm place, or a cool place over night.
heat oven to 480 degrees, (I use a china floor tile as a baking stone, much cheaper than a real baking stone, from home depot, 2.50$)
flip this wet dough out onto a peel, slide into oven onto hot stone
bake about 40 minutes

this is the basic artisan bread from
NO Knead to Knead , a famous bread book. ( library)
the next best bread book is
the Bread Bakers Aprrentice. (libary)
the website Fresh Loaf has all the time saving hints, I find handmade better tasting than a bread machine, and much less mess.

I teach a handmade bread class, this is a popular recipe.

another rescource for saving money and enjoying life is the old Tightwad Gazette books, easily available from the library.
and the classic Money or Your Life

have fun being frugal

(I have done the frugal life for years,
no debt, van paid off, work 16 hours a week, live in a nice house with extra payments on house with my mother and sister, have a fun little business, its like being retired at 46.
I do some canning, have a freezer, but am not obssed with frezzsing veggies, I love my vacumn food saver, great for meat and salmon)
just waiting for my girls to lay!

 

[DuckLady]

I have homemade ketchup simmering on the stove right now.

 

[Kristina]

OK I think I'll save the bread recipes...hopefully I won't flop on that LOL. The soapmaking thing....more of a hobby than anything but I DO LOVE homemade soap! I'm all about avoiding stores as much as I can where possible....reason being that I always find SOMETHING else to buy that I really don't need. Before when hubby was working on the boat it was just me and the two kids eating at home...real simple meals were fine. The week out the month that hubby was off well we made a big grocery bill and he really loves microwave and go stuff. Well that made the food bills expensive. Now with him being home every night and having a cut in budget I have to find a way to stretch food bills. (I must admit I am a do-it-my-selfer where I can be). I've started doing some garage sales for the babys clothes because he's 16 months and growing like a weed! My oldest just started pre-k and all the public schools around here where uniforms so mucho money saved there! I hope I can find a bread machine at a garage sale one of these days or I might ask for it as a christmas gift!

I am proud to say though that I made egg noodles tonight for the first time (with DD's help

) My hubby was eating them just dry yuck! So I boiled some and to my delight they actually worked like noodles LOL! I made some pepper jelly today too and he LOVED IT!! I get excited when hubby actually LIKES what I make!

terrielacy can you share how to make homemade ketchup?

OH I blew out some eggs this afternoon and made christmas ornaments

I think I'm gonna do my whole tree like that!

OK lots more I couild go on about but I'm sure you've all had enough for now

edited for spelling