I’m soooooooooo excited!  Cuddlebug is finally potty trained!!!!! Woohoo!!!!!!

He’s been peeing in the potty for quite a while and about a week ago, he finally figured out that it was ok to poo too.  Yay!  He’s only had about 3 accidents in a week’s time.  Not bad, I think.  We’re using our last package of diapers for night time, but he’s even staying dry at night!  Hooray!  Can you imagine all the money I’ll save by not buying diapers?

Top 10 Tips for Potty Training

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

I have a make up type bag that I keep stocked with soap, shampoo, and other necessary toiletries for my husband and I under our bathroom sink.  It has a duplicate of all the things we use with the exception of my Mary Kay facial supplies.  That way, if we have a trip planned, I don’t have to worry about packing a lot of toiletries.  When we had to emergently hospitalize our 3 week old son, Little Man, my DH had to pack me a hospital bag since I wasn’t coming home for a few days.  This could have been traumatic for him as our 2 year old wasn’t being very cooperative.  But since I had already had the toiletries basically packed, it went much smoother than expected.  All he had to do was find my clothes.

Saving time and stress by having an emergency toiletry bag already packed is well worth the 5 minutes it takes to do it.  Let me show you some tricks of the trade as far as a quick and dirty pre-packed toiletry bag.

Go to Wal-Mart and get some $.50 traveling bottles to put soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, etc… into.

Pack a spare bar of soap along with a plastic bag to put it in after it gets wet, deodorant, shaving cream, and razor.

Don’t forget the toothbrush and toothpaste.

Basically, get a spare whatever you use to bath and take care of hair and teeth with and put it in your bag.

I have a make up bag that is big enough for both me and my DH so we are both covered in an emergency.  The traveling dispensers are a great way to take your favorite liquids without taking the whole bottle.  This way, all you have to do is grab and go without worrying if you forgot anything.  It also saved me from having to explain to my husband where everything was and what I needed.  As parents, I have quickly learned that you never know when you will need to be able to pick up and go with NO notice.  So save some time and stress by being prepared ahead of time.  I hope you never have to use this advice on emergency toiletries for the same reason I did.  But you will want it at some point.  I promise.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

This post is for my mom.  She wanted me to write one about the many uses of vinegar. 

It definitely pays to have some vinegar around the house.  I need to go to the store to stock up on vinegar and baking soda.  I’ve had a mustard stain that won’t come out of my daughter’s clothes.  I think I need to try some vinegar or baking soda.  Both seem to be amazing, inexpensive, and safe products.  Definitely a thrifty choice!    

1.  Add 1/4 cup vinegar to laundry, along with the usual soap, to brighten colors and make whites sparkle.  This will also act as a fabric softener.  Also helps kills athlete’s foot germs on socks.

2.  Soak or simmer stuck-on food in 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup of vinegar.  The food will soften and lift off in a few minutes.

3.  Remove ink stains from clothes by soaking them in milk for 1 hour.  Then cover the stain with a paste of vinegar and cornstarch.  When the paste dries, wash the garment as usual.

4.  Appliances sparkle if cleaned with a vinegar and borax cleaner.  Mix 1 teaspoon borax, 1/4 cup vinegar, and 2 cups hot water and put it into a spray bottle.  Spray it on greasy smears and wipe off with a cloth or sponge.

5.  Deodorize your sink drains: Pour a cup down your drain, let stand about thirty minutes, then run cold water.

6. Use vinegar instead of laundry softener.  Vinegar prevents your clothes from getting that waxy build up on them.  Vinegar is suggested for using to rinse cloth diapers to keep them absorbent. 

7.  Remove water stains from leather by rubbing with a cloth dipped in a vinegar and water solution.

8.  Loosen food grime and clean the microwave: Place a microwave-safe bowl with 2 cups water, 1/2 cup vinegar inside the microwave and microwave on full power for 3-4 minutes (it needs to boil). Keep your microwave closed for a few minutes to allow the steam to loosen the grime, then open your microwave, carefully remove the bowl, and wipe clean.

9.  Remove grease from kitchen walls: Put straight vinegar on a dishcloth to wipe grease off kitchen walls, or the stovetop.

10.  Prevent mold and mildew in the shower: Wipe down tile or Formica shower walls with a sponge or cloth dampened with water and vinegar. The vinegar will clean the walls and inhibit the growth of mold and mildew.

11.  An excellent toilet cleaner can be made from 1 cup borax and 1 cup vinegar.  Pour the vinegar all over the stained area of the toilet.  Then sprinkle the borax over the vinegar.  Allow it all to soak for 2 hours.  Then simply brush and flush.

12.  Add a cup of vinegar to your mop water or mop floors with vinegar and water after a normal mopping.  Vinegar removes the soap scum.

13.   Annie Berthold-Bond says her favorite window cleaning recipe is to combine 2 cups of water, 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar, and up to 1/2 teaspoon of liquid soap or detergent in a spray bottle.  Annie says the liquid soap helps remove the waxy residue.

14.  Boil vinegar and water on the stove to soak up bad smells from your house.

15.  Fill your water reservoir halfway with vinegar to clean your coffee pot.  Follow up by running 1-2 pots of clean water through to remove the vinegar.

16.  Vinegar also works as a safe degreaser.  No harsh fumes.  Use it on grease, undiluted.

17.  Clean vaporizers and humifiers by soaking unit in vinegar.  Soak unit and then run water through it.  I know, I got this tip from the actual directions that came with my vaporizer, but it really does help to remove the deposits and also to sanitize.

18.  After washing your whites with bleach, run another rinse cycle with vinegar.  The vinegar will help to remove the bleach smell.

19.  If you have fruit flies, put some vinegar in a jar on your counter.  (I wish I would have known this one a few years ago.  I had some fruit flies and bought an expensive fruit fly trap.  It probably just had vinegar in it.  Errrr!)

20.  If your puppy (or child) has an accident on the carpet, apply full-strength plain white vinegar for about 10 minutes and then blot dry. You may want to test an inconspicuous spot first.

21.  Adding a cup of vinegar to a dishwashing cycle will help clean your dishwasher and will also help prevent spots from forming on your glasses.

22.  Vinegar helps to kill bacteria.  Mix up a solution of vinegar and water in a spray bottle.  Keep it in your kitchen to spray your sink and countertops. 

23.  Use vinegar to clean your garbage disposal.  Run a tray of ice cubes with 1/2 cup vinegar poured over them.

24.  Use vinegar, hot water, and a little soap to clean baby’s toys.  Rinse well.

25.  I have Pergo floors.  I was glad to find this tip from Frugal Living.  Mix 1/3 part white vinegar, 1/3 part rubbing alcohol, 1/3 part water, and 3 drops diswashing liquid.  Mix this into a (recycled) spray bottle and you have the equivalent of the Pergo floor cleaner. Just spray and mop; also great for deodorizing a room and for a fast cleanup. I also use this on my tile floors with great results. Pergo is better off when water doesn’t sit on it too long, the alcohol is added to make it dry faster.

For more tips on cleaning with vinegar try The Vinegar Book, Housekeeping: About, and Whole Foods Market.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Other uses are cleaning fiberglass, taking out blood, and a cure for ring-around-the-collar.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

So I go to the store and spend tons of money on drain cleaners and use them on a regular basis.  It’s killing me.  Then I found a good recipe for a natural drain cleaner that is safe for my septic system.  Take and pour ½ cup baking soda down the drain and chase it with 1 c white vinegar.  Let it bubble for a few minutes and then rinse it with 1 gallon of boiling water. Now, before you think I am really smart, let me send you to a great article that gave me this wonderful idea.  Now you know I am just a vinegar-holic.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy