I don't use softener or a ball. Well, I'll use softener once in a blue moon, if I want a nice smell on my stuff, but nobody else's skin can handle it.

Drying everything on low keeps it from having static, and not drying too long. Keeps the electric bill down and saves wear and tear on your clothes too. I wash everything - 'cept the tidy whities - on cold.

Oddly, I find the biggest diff is the towels last amuch better, no puckering, and they stay fluffier. Towels are designed to be fluffy, and fabric softner seems to gum the fibers together and make them less absorbent.

we have been pouring a small amount on a dish cloth about 1-2 tbsp not even and tossing it in on top of the cloths, soft, smells fresh and omg hardly use any I dont need dryerballs although I am going to look into the cost and maybe get a pair

I don't dry my clothes in the dryer right away. I hang up the shirts and pants and hang the underwear and socks on my drying rack. Once they are just damp....almost air dried.....I throw them all in the dryer for about 10 minutes with a squeezed out sponge from my "softener bucket" and they come out fluffy, nice smelling and static free!

Same here Kitty. Clothes don't fade or have a worn out look. Saves a lot of money.

I have to wash all the towels for the club. The cleaning rags too. My electric bill would would be sky high from all those loads.

One thing I did buy at WalMart, a retractable clothes line for indoors. I works perfect in my laundry room. http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...ct_id=10162272

The one I got was about $6. I didn't need a long one. Works perfect for all the basketball uniforms Lil'monkey has.

Okay, ya'll....the coupon/bargain queen has struck!! I got the best deal at Publix this morning and I'm so excited about it. They had Electrasol Finish dishwasher detergent Buy One Get One Free. Regular price is $7.79 for a box of 32 dishwasher tabs. I had 2 coupons worth $2.50 each. I bought two boxes for $7.79 (BOGO) and then got $5.00 off that with my two coupons. So.....I paid a total of $2.79 for two boxes that will last me about three months if not longer.

I was going to start making my own dishwasher detergent with a recipe Joelle sent to me but this will be cheaper for right now. I'll use these until they run out and then use the homemade stuff.

I also got a deal on Quaker Instant Oatmeal. It was BOGO, too. And I had two $1 coupons. So I got two boxes for $1.79. Regular price is $3.79 each.

It doesn't take much anymore to make me happy.........

Here's the recipe for dishwasher detergent. If you make your own laundry detergent then you already have the ingredients!

The recipe for creating your own inexpensive homemade dishwasher detergent is quick and easy.

What you'll need:

Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda

20 Mule Team Borax

Distilled White Vinegar

Here's what you do (read slowly because there are only two steps):

* Step 1: Add one tablespoon of Super Washing Soda to the dishwasher dispenser

* Step 2: Add one tablespoon of 20 Mule Team Borax to the dishwasher dispenser

You're done. That's the recipe for homemade dishwashing detergent. Now the recipe for removing the water spots that so frequently occur with automatic dishwashers:

* Pour distilled white vinegar into the dispenser for the clear rinse gel.

Once you've run your dishwasher, be sure to hold your glasses up to the light and inspect them thoroughly. You'll find that the homemade detergent cleans as well if not better than the store bought detergent.

Cost Comparison:

Depending on how much you pay for your dishwashing detergent and how much you pour into the dispenser will determine how much you are paying per wash for your detergent and spot removing gel.

The cost for this recipe is less than 4 cents per load.

Calculation as follows:

Cost of Borax: $2.50 for 76 ounces = .03/oz or .015 for ˝ oz

Cost for Washing Soda: $2.50 for 55 ounces= 4/oz or .02 for ˝oz

Recipe calls for ˝ ounce of each so the cost per wash is 3.5 cents. How much does your detergent cost (this week)? Next week the price may probably go up.

frank and i are trying to cut our heating bill by 25% ... not sure if we can with all the sub zero weather we have been having ... each of the areas in our house are individual (like a bedroom is individal) kitchen, laundry, and livingroom all open into each other (no doors just doorways) the kitchen has sliding glass doors and a large window (would love to make it a bay window) both of which keep the kitchen and the laundry room cold ... livingroom also has a large window so these rooms are always cold ... anyway frank and i hung a sheet (doubled over for thickness) between the kitchen and the livingroom ... we noticed a huge difference in temp for the livingroom ... close vents in kitchen and our heater doesn't kick on as much ...

I bought the dryer balls and they were so NOISY banging around in the dryer!! Even shutting the laundry room door didn't help and we couldn't stand the racket!

I tried giving them away and no one wanted them for the same reason so ended up tossing them. They never worked anyhow as clothes came out full of static in the dry area we are in. Fabric softener is a MUST here in the desert.

well minus the cement pond I feel like granny clampet, boiled down the soap added the water and other products testing it on a medium load of some dirty cloths, and if it works we got 5 gallons of laundry soap pluse the makings for another 25 gallons and it all cost us a total of twelve bucks and we will have over 25 gallons of laundry soap 299 x1 289 x1 99x6 not bad shall make my final decision after the cloths come out in twenty momentos

well hmm what to say what to say. i had my hesitations on this my jeans looked really blue and clean the throw rug from the bathroom look real clean, now do I want to sit down with a calculator and see how much money I wasted over my life on laundry soap

Janie that was my worry the noise, that would drive me nuts and as you all know, that is already a short drive