Saving money is always a good thing. Some save by using coupons, others by cutting back on purchases, but on some necessary items cutting back is not an option. Unless a national brand product is on sale…at a great price…I almost always purchase store brands of products. In our home, purchasing generic laundry soap is a necessity. I cringe everytime I see that $15-20 price tag on the large bottles of Tide, Cheer, etc.

I have shared my laundry soap recipe here before, but today I am sharing someone else’s recipe. Many of you are familiar with the Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar Family with 18 beautiful children and their television series. While looking for a tator tot casserole recipe for My Hero, I came across Michelle Duggar’s recipe for laundry soap. Though it called for the same ingredients as the recipe I have been using, the amounts and directions were different. After giving her recipe a try this time, I believe that I prefer her method rather than mine. Check out her LAUNDRY SOAP RECIPE.

The Duggars also have a new book The Duggars: 20 and Counting!: Raising One of America’s Largest Families–How they Do It that answers questions that many of us have about their amazing family.

Michele’s original recipe calls for a Fels-Naptha Bar, but I used a bit over one bar of pink Zote Soap in my version, which gives it a nice pinkish shimmer. There is a  white Zote Laundry Soap  that I have found online, but not in my local store yet. You will notice in the photo that I have reused older detergent bottles, but some of the mixture is stored in a recycled juice jug. I just could not throw any of it out…so I stole My Hero’s water jug.

Guestimating the current cost of each of the containers, I figure we saved around $54 with making my own soap. Those boxes of borax and washing soda were purchased well over a year ago..so it almost feels as if this was all free. Not knowing how to figure the energy usage cost, we did not take that out of the total..but I do know that the supply cost is around $2. Not bad!

Very interesting idea for “free” lighting. The narration is in Portuguese (i think), but there is closed captioning. This might work in the storage building in my backyard.

I first found this YouTube video over at Homegrown Evolution and was excited to share it with you.

Suzanne, the eBay Selling Coach, is giving away a $25 Shell Card on her blog….eBay Selling Coach! When you stop by and leave a comment for your entry, would you please let her know that I sent you?
She has several opporunities posted for additional entries.

One of our goals here in our Sustainable Backyard is to become less burdened by the material possessions we currently own. Simplification and less clutter are high priorities-thus the Lighten the Load Challenge. Throwing our unwanted items away would be the easiest manner to de-clutter, but it is not the responsible thing to do. Recycling, upcycling, sharing, and selling are our chosen methods of simplification. Selling is a means to becoming debt free as well. The only way I can live the type of sustainable life I want is to become debt free. Through her blog and her WAHM Facebook Group, Suzanne has given me many great ideas for selling successfully on eBay. So, if you are an eBay seller or if you have ever considered becoming an eBay seller, spend a little time on her site. Suzanne offers so many wonderful ideas for making your business grow!

Come visit the Lighten the Load Challenge on Facebook, for fun and commeraderie in de-cluttering and reducing debt in your life!

Monday is now the “official” day for reporting progress, struggles, ideas, and suggestions with the Lighten the Load Challenge. Feel free to link your progress post on your own blog in the comments of this entry…OR…post it at the new Facebook Lighten the Load Challenge Group.

Today’s update includes all progress from January 1 to this point. Here goes:

Sold VW: 1500 Units (weight)

Debt: 250 Units

eBay: 8 Units

Unfortunately, there was no actual debt reduction with the sale of the VW. Tags, taxes, etc. were all due at the end of the year…so the mula went to that huge bill.

I figured the debt reduction on the amount the principal was actually lowered and not on what I paid, ‘cuz you KNOW I am payin’ some interest here.

The eBay reduction comes from the weight of the products actualy mailed. Because of my closed actions last night, I will be able to show more progress in this area next Monday. I have decided to only post a reduction AFTER it is physically shipped.

Taking small steps toward my challenge is what is going to help me be successful. Our family has been fairly sick, with little motivation to do much of anything., but I did conquer one very tiny area of our house. The MEDICINE CABINET. I am embarrassed to report that I had box after box, and bottle after bottle of different meds that had expired. I went through every package, every prescription bottle and cleared out everything that was expired. I even pealed the labels off of the prescription bottles, so that they could be recylcled.

Speaking of which, our recycling bins are filling quickly, which will show a fair amount of progress after the first Saturday in February. I can hardly wait.

So tell us your progress, your struggles, your concerns, and YOUR ideas for reduction of clutter, weight and debt.

In my post, Lighten the Load Confessionals, I shared with you that I am challenging myself to rid myself of 11,500 units of household weight, personal weight and debt between now and the end of the year.

Example: Personally lose 3 lbs  + DH’s loss of 5lbs + $200 in debt reduce + 100 lbs of household items donated, sold, recycled, etc. =

a loss of 308 Units for one week!

With this kind of progress over 52 weeks that would result in a loss of 16,016 units.  Again this is just an example.

Understanding that reducing debt by $200 and reducing clutter by 100 lbs. each, and every, week are a lofty thoughts (I am avoiding the G— word here), I feel I have can reasonably assume that my chosen unit target is attainable.

I am challenging myself and announcing my 11,500 goal publicly so I can solicit your help in  motivating me to post my records for all the world to see.If you are interested in joining me in shedding unwanted, stress-causing, factors in your life….I welcome you with open arms. Set your own parameters to Lighten the Load in your life….everyone has their own concerns, stress buttons, etc. I just welcome having someone to share the challenges, exchange ideas and to celebrate the victories. If you would like, please feel free to grab the widget as small motivational reminder for yourself or as recognition for taking the first steps.  If we develop even a small group, I may just have to design some real badges of honor for completing different levels of the individual challenges. Did that make sense at all?