New Cost Analysis on Homemade Laundry Soap (Still a Bargain to Make)

Homemade Laundry Detergent

1 Box of Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda© (55 oz)

1 Box Zote© Laundry Flakes (17.6 oz)

1 Box 20 Mule Team© Borax (76 oz)

In a large mixing bowl combine the entire box of laundry flakes (6 cups per box) and washing soda (6 cups per box), then measure out 6 cups from the box of borax and put into mixing bowl.

Pour the remaining borax into a gallon Ziplock bag and tightly seal to keep moisture out of it.

Mix the powder extremely well and place into empty paint can.

Start the washing machine and use warm water. Put one spoonful into the machine, wait a minute then add clothes.

Cost Analysis (9-19-15)

1 Box Zote Flakes............= $2.64

1 Box Borax.....................= $3.97 (with 4 cups left over) final recipe cost is $2.38

1 Bx Super Washing Soda= $3.97

================== =======

Total …................................$8.99

This makes a total of 18 cups and the measurement for each load is 2 TB (Tablespoon).

There are 16 TB in a cup...so there are 288 TB in this batch.

288 Tb / 2 TB equals 144 loads this batch.

$8.99 / 144 loads equals $.0624 per load. 6.25 cents per load

Time to prepare took less than 15 minutes.

Most of the major brands run around 20 cents per load to wash your clothes. This is close to a 66% savings.

Asthma Suffers or Family Members with Asthma: 
From Monsoon Matriarch:

Check places like Lowe's and Home Depot if it's not in your grocery. I have to double bag Zote and keep it in the garage because it slams my asthma. Fels naptha is less of a trigger for me. If you have someone with allergic asthma in the family, check Zote with them in the store before buying.

Keep Right On Prepping - K

A Little Feedback To Washington

I had the opportunity to talk to the Director of Food Services for one of the largest school districts in the state, and I asked her how it was going. She explained that Arkansas has the healthiest trash cans in the America. I gave her a puzzled look, and asked her what she meant. The district's federal funding is tied to the Michelle Obama mandate that all food trays have to have a healthy fruit/vegetable on it. While that seems like a great idea, the reality of the situation is that the kids go through the line, get their food, and drop the unwanted fruit/veggie into the trash can as they go to their table.

The director has tried unsuccessfully to have fruit bowls placed on the tables so that the kids that want a healthy option can pick their own fruit. Great idea! No waste, and mission accomplished. Unfortunately, the ivory tower has no ears, and her good ideas haven't produced any positive results. She equated it to trying to milk a bull.

Seriously, what is it gonna take for common sense to rule the land once again? Maybe God had it right when he flooded the planet to start over again...

Keep Right On Prepping - K

Week Four

This is the topic of my Emergency Preparedness class at my local university. It's an graduate level course and I'll be doing random posts about the course throughout the semester. Let me know if you'd like more...

There are two important terms in Emergency preparedness: mitigation and preparedness.

Mitigation is a means of reducing or eliminating the impact from a disaster while preparedness is the state of readiness to respond to a disaster.  A good analogy would be getting out of debt for a financial crisis (mitigation) and having a few months worth of cash at home (preparedness).

Preparedness Cycle:

Step 1. Planning- creating a risk assessment to plan for the most likely disaster to happen in your area. A hurricane plan for those in Florida would be a good start, but no so much if you live in North Dakota. 

Step 2. Organization and Equipment- In keeping with the hurricane scenario, you would want to have sheets of plywood pre-cut for your windows, food, water, medicine, battery powered lamps,etc...

Organization could be as simple as keeping all your supplies in the same area of the garage or a detailed plan on who in the family goes to the grocery store, who puts up the plywood, and who would collect all of the wind blown items in the yard before the hurricane makes landfall.

Step 3. Training- This might include teaching the kids how to turn off the gas line to the house, how to light the gas grill, or teaching the spouse how to assist in the placing of the plywood over the windows. Training = Knowledge.

Step 4. Exercise-  This could be as simple as a mock evacuation or a weekend living without power to test the first three steps and identifying any shortfalls. Did we store enough water? Did we forget the spare batteries for the lamp? How are we going to flush the tiolet or how to go to the bathroom? How is the dog gonna do his "business"?

Step 5. Evaluation and Improvement- This final step in the preparedness cycle takes the lessons learned and applies them to future processes. The bulk of your knowledge will come from exercising the plan and actual disaster experience.

Keep Right On Prepping  - K

Post 9-11 Thoughts (Soapbox Edition)

It seems a shame that the 9-11 attack didn't produce better results.

We still have an open border, where we have to classify illegals into 12 categories so that they can stay here.

A surveillance state where the government spies and collects information on it's own citizens more that threats from foreign powers.

The EMP commission has recommended shielding our electrical system, but politics has made our power system more vulnerable each passing year.

We should pay more and respect our armed forces that put their life on the line for this country, and make the patriot route a viable career choice.

The finance and appeasement of governments that want to see the United States defeated and burned to the ground.

The division of the American people against one another instead of building a united peoples for a strong and proud nation.

The import of 100,00 Muslims that will create their own enclaves rather than joining the "melting pot".

The erosion of our constitutional rights, Bengazi, Fast and Furious and other illegal activities without repercussions on the offenders.

God Help Us.

Another Reason to Keep Right On Prepping - K 

Where Were You....

I was in my new home on my day off, when I plugged in the TV and turned it to the news to see the second plane hit the twin towers. Surreal...walked around most of the day in a kind of hazy awareness and wondering how people could do this? A lot of the world hates America...

I'm sure a terrorist organization would love to pop off a few EMPs over the continental US.

Keep Right On Prepping - K

On the way to school, I tried to explain the importance of 9-11. Both my boys can't understand why someone would fly a plane of full of people into a building. Not one, but three planes as weapons. I can't explain it, and happy that they can't phantom it.  - K

More Fees To Work

With the continuing decline in our economy, more and more resources will be needed from those being productive members of society. For example, I have to pay a $35/year fee to be licensed with the state, $108/year to a national organization for my Continuing Education (CE) credits, $35/year for Basic Life Support (BLS) certification, and various other small fees. All for the privilege of working.

The fees are manageable, but I expect to always see new ways to increase the government's cash flow because I have a job.  I am all for certification in the health care field, but don't bleed my paycheck.

Keep Right On Prepping - K 

My Very Best

On my one year anniversary at my MRI job, I've decided to be a champion for the poor. These people need someone to provide the very best MRI services that can be provided for them.

Especially the poor that don't have a job, and enter my clinic smelling like weed and alcohol. And it's doubly  important to give these same people excellent quality images that come into the clinic for a lawsuit. They deserve everything they get from that "accident".

I'll be applying for sainthood towards the end of my career.

Keep Right On Prepping - K

Something My Dad Would Do...

We needed to get shoes for the boys last evening, and made a stop at the shoe store. As I was going into the store, I noticed that a vehicle was illegally parked in a handicap parking spot. Thankfully, upon entering the shoe store I noticed the mall security guy. As I'm walking past...

K- "You might want to call the cops, a car is illegally parked in the handicap parking spot."
Store manager - "Thanks!"
Rent a cop - (sizes me up then exits the store without saying a word)

Here's a picture of the vehicle...

AR Plate 139 SLS

Keep Right On Prepping - K

Open Carry In Arkansas ???

In 2013, Act 746 added a few words to the statute that made it a violation to carry a handgun, knife, or club for the use "with purpose to attempt to unlawfully employ the handgun, knife, or club as a weapon against a person." The Attorney General at the time, Dustin McDaniel, said in a nonbinding statement that it did not  permit open carry. The current governor, Asa Hutchinson, and the current Attorney General, Leslie Rutledge, have commented that they believe open carry is legal in Arkansas under the current statute.

On May 4th, 2015 Richard Chambless was arrested in Bald Knob at a McDonalds for openingly carrying a weapon. On Tuesday, August 25th,  he was convicted for carrying a weapon and disorderly conduct. I suspect the disorderly conduct conviction came as a result of him standing up for his rights. We can't have people standing up for their rights, now can we? He was sentenced to 15 days in jail and a year of probation. His attorney is appealing the conviction. The governor, Asa Hutchinson says that "I expect an appeal to the Arkansas Supreme Court because it's a constitutional question, it's an important question for the Arkansas Supreme Court to clarify."

I've expected a case to make it to the Supreme Court of Arkansas much sooner, and will be elated to hear the court uphold a constitutional carry right in Arkansas. I'm a supporter of concealed carry, since I'd prefer the bad guys not to know that I have a weapon, ergo a target. I'm also a supporter of open carry...however you choose to defend yourself and family.

Your thoughts?

Keep Right On Prepping - K (and I'll keep an eye on this case)

Keep The Feet Happy!

Back in December of 2012, I bought a pair of TruSpec boots, then six months later I wrote this review [May of 2013,].  These boots got a heavy workout in the daily grind of kitchen restaurant work. Sneakers with usually only last about 3 months before needing replacement, but I wore these boots six days a week for over a year, then at least three to four times a week going around town or school. Needless to say, these boots have gotten A LOT of miles on them.

 
These boots cost $50.00, and I would definitely buy these again for the value, function, and durability. I highly endorse these boots. These have been retired to yard work, and I'm sure that they will last until the next pair of boots gets downgraded to domestic duty.

Keep Right On Prepping - K

The Home Front

In an effort to sale the rent house, we dropped the price by $4000 when the new photos of the refinished floors were updated on the MLS listing. Sweetheart and I have talked about possibly keeping the house if it doesn't sell by January. In which case, it will be a permanent rent house due to the tax liability. The mortgage is low enough to enough over twice the amount of the mortgage, but one tenant can wipe out a year's profit through damage and neglect.

 The house has gotten about 15 lookers, but no offers. Hopefully, it'll happen quickly...


Keep Right On Prepping - K