Not sure exactly how much I've saved since I started making my own laundry detergent four years ago, but it's a lot! I make it in one of those big Homer Buckets from Home Depot, which I think are five gallons, so I make about 4.5 gallons at a time, I think. We scoop one old Fiesta coffee cup...

I do all the things in both your lists. One thing I've discovered regarding juice/water: My husband and daughter were going through so much juice that it became cheaper to buy a couple of good water bottles and a larger jug of juice or water, and then refill those, rather than buying individual serving...

Tracy, most kids take pre-packaged snacks like chips, mini packets of biscuits and muesli (granola?) bars, and packaged juice boxes. At lunchtime they take their whole lunchbox outside to eat if they want to, and can return it to their schoolbags to play. My sisterinlaw was a primary teacher in a poor...