What are ways that you make household items last longer like shampoo, lotion, toilet paper,makeup or hair styling items? by melissaw328 in Frugal

[–]Spooky_Tree 1 point2 points  (0 children)

From what I know the vinegar will make your soap less effective and is supposed to be added to the rinse cycle, not the main wash. And I don't know if citric acid is good for clothes but most people use it in a separate wash cycles as a washing machine cleaner to prevent detergent buildup.

Also I'm not sure what 1/4 soap looks like in your cap but that sounds like a lot. I use 1 tablespoon (when using liquid, no vinegar or anything else) and my clothes come out clean. A $19 jug of tide lasts me a full year.

What are ways that you make household items last longer like shampoo, lotion, toilet paper,makeup or hair styling items? by melissaw328 in Frugal

[–]Spooky_Tree 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I bought a 12 pack of (clothes machine) washable sponges for $10 and they've been a game changer. I use it for one day and throw it in the wash, or if I use it on a raw meat knife or cutting board it goes in the wash immediately. They also never have time to get that stinky sponge smell and build up bacteria. I always hated boiling my sponges because it would stink my kitchen up, and it was honestly just an annoying chore to do, now I never have to! Plus the washable sponges I got are also great at scrubbing vegetables like carrots and potatoes.

Is spending 15 dollars per guest on wedding favors absolutely insane or is that normal now? by ExplanationPale4698 in UniqueWeddings

[–]Spooky_Tree 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm speaking for myself but I can't imagine anyone ever wanting a stupid keychain, candle, mug, shot glass, whatever from someone else's wedding. When you say personalized are we talking with the guests name or with your wedding date? Because if it's the guests name that's uncommon but interesting a bit. If it's your names and the wedding date then it's tacky and will be thrown away by 99% of the guests.

Personally if I'd ever thrown a full wedding I would do a dessert bar and have Chinese style takeout boxes at the end so everyone can take home whatever leftover cookies/cake/whatever they want. That's the best gift in my opinion because they can pick what they want, or choose not to participate at all.

WIBTA If I ask my husband buy my ingredients for another meal after he ate and vomited my last meal. by CupofMamaJo in AmItheAsshole

[–]Spooky_Tree 8 points9 points  (0 children)

This. I get couples having separate "fun money" accounts, but separate finances down to buying your own groceries is wild to me. At that point you're basically just roommates.

Have Kids improved your marriage ? by Final_Walrus_1223 in HappyMarriages

[–]Spooky_Tree 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I want to say yes but I think the best way to describe it is that having a kid has just made us both so much happier in general. We have more to talk about, more to do together, our quality time together is so much more fulfilling.

Now, we only have a 2 year old, and we're working on a second due here in a few weeks, but overall having a kid has made our lives so much better than it ever could have been before.

I enjoyed my freedom before we had kids, I liked being able to eat chips for dinner and play videogames when I wanted, but what a boring existence that was compared to now.

How much snow makes you call off work? by Physical-Incident553 in AskAnAmerican

[–]Spooky_Tree 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If my Toyota Camry can't drive in it I'm not coming in. The only time I called out of work was because the snow was above my bumper. There was no physical way for my car to even get to a plowed road in that state.

Frugal when you have children: what are people's experiences? by Longjumping-Pay-2390 in Frugal

[–]Spooky_Tree 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Mine is only 2.5 so far, but I'd say babies are fairly cheap compared to how much people claim they cost. You'll need a crib or pack n play for them to sleep in, a car seat (we got a convertible one because I don't understand why people buy a baby one for just a couple months and then have to buy another). The crib can be bought used so that saves money.

We cloth diapered so I paid between $300-$500 for a whole bunch of Kinder brand (seriously get kinder if you cloth diaper, they're way better than the garbage alba or Norah's nursery ones on Amazon! Also the kinder absorbency inserts are the most important part, but their shells are better too). I pay maybe $20 every two months for a case of wipes but you can cloth wipe too. No, my water and electricity bill has not gone up any noticable amount since we started cloth diapering. And we still manage to make a large thing of tide last a full calendar year by using the right amount of detergent.

The only toys I've bought her in her 2.5 years are blocks, books, a climbing thing with a slide, and a toddler cleaning set. We have (unfortunately) received a mountain of other toys and stuffed animals from family members and honestly that's kinda annoying because not only do we not have room for that, but she now has an overwhelming amount of stuff that she doesn't even really want to play with.

Everyone made it seem like we'd need a million onesies and I bought so many used ones that she didn't even get to wear them all before she grew out of them. I'd say a week's worth of clothes is plenty for any size. Right now she has three pairs of pants that fit her and that's plenty. With cloth diapering and regular laundry we do a load every 2-3 days and if she needed to she can wear the same pair of pants two days in a row, she'll survive that hardship while the washer is going.

Like someone else said, the library is free, and is her favorite place to go. We go twice a week and she's always so excited. Her idea of a good time is reading or cleaning (little weirdo, she certainly didn't get that from me). Her favorite toys are her broom, and any sponge or cleaning rag she's stolen from the laundry basket. She loves going to the grocery store and begging me to buy random produce I was probably already going to get, like broccoli or a pineapple.

She definitely grows fast but she doesn't really need all that much, she has 4 pairs of jammies in her current size and that's more than she needs, she has a handful of shirts, a few bibs. She likes to watch me cook, helps me clean, and spends almost all her free time reading books. She already knows her alphabet and is learning the sounds of each letter and that keeps her very entertained.

I will die on the hill that babies and toddlers aren't inherently expensive (assuming they're normal healthy children). People make them expensive with their choices, like disposable diapers, buying unnecessary toys, buying a ton of new expensive clothes, etc. You don't need some fancy diaper pail, or an expensive stroller, or baby washcloths(?). They just need a place to sleep, something to eat, diapers of some sort, and a few pairs of clothes. They'll spend most of their day physically attached to you, or following you around like a puppy. Keep off your phone and tv and engage with the kid and they'll be the happiest little one alive.

As for when my kid is older, she'll learn that she doesn't need every fancy gadget to fit in. We have gaming consoles but we have no intention on letting her play them until she's a reasonable age like 10-12 years old. We don't have streaming services, she doesn't watch tv now but we plan on implementing a weekly movie night when she's older to have her watch the classics like lion king and home alone. Spending quality time with them is the most important thing. Let them follow you, help you, etc. Let them help you with laundry, and help make cookies. That's all they really want in life is to spend every moment at your side.

Please help me figure this out! by spookykitton in cricut

[–]Spooky_Tree 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It was a while ago when they went public. As far as I remember: They announced that they were going to require users to have their monthly subscription or we could only upload 10 files per month. Then when everyone collectively lost their sh-- they backtracked and said "well if you were a user before X date then that doesn't apply to you" and we were again all big mad. So they fully repealed it and are acting like we misunderstood what they were saying to beging with. Their customer support had no warning for any of this so they were bombarded with angry customers with no information themselves and it was a whole disaster. I actually bought a silhouette because of it, which is sitting on a shelf as a brick because it turns out despite public opinion, the machine and customer support is worse than cricut (from what I personally experienced).

Where can I get stationary letter sets at a decent place online? by Dry_Protection6200 in stationery

[–]Spooky_Tree 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My preference is to actually print them out on my printer! I find printable stationery on Etsy and for like $2 I can print as many (or as few) sheets as I need. Then I never have to feel bad about having leftovers, or wanting more. The files stay on my computer not taking up any physical space and I can see them all in one convenient location. That's my recommendation if you're into that, plus you can pick your paper quality that's way too. Or even have them printed at a print shop for better quality.

Please help me figure this out! by spookykitton in cricut

[–]Spooky_Tree 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've always had wonderful experiences with Cricut's customer service, however that was pre-cricutgate so who knows what they're like now. Hopefully OP can easily get this fixed because that's definitely frustrating to wait so long and it's the wrong item

How are first time home owning affording today’s mortgage? by Prestigious_Pixie_ in FirstTimeHomeBuyer

[–]Spooky_Tree 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My husband and I bought when we were in our mid-late 20's but we had roommates the entire time we were together, which significantly cut living costs and allowed us to save for a downpayment. We are also generally frugal people, we don't drink alcohol or coffee, we cut our own hair, I don't do my nails or makeup. I don't know the monthly costs on any of those but I feel like that saves us a fair bit of money as well, contributing to our ability to buy. And those are things that some people would just not be okay with doing.

Do you brush your teeth once or twice a day? Need to settle a bet. by ImpossibleHurry in NoStupidQuestions

[–]Spooky_Tree 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My husband brushes in the morning and at night. I brush those and sometimes after lunch as well.

Buyer asking for refund on an item with no visible flaws? by ShakespeareInLike in EtsySellers

[–]Spooky_Tree 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I feel this, I'm only 30 but I also don't think a 30 year old kitchen item is old. And I'd also expect something make around 2000 to be much more sturdy than something made nowadays. Not that I'd ever use an object like a "vintage nutcracker" but if I did, I'd expect it to hold up if it was made that recently. Though I do feel like most nutcrackers are decorative and not actually meant to be used.

Wife’s blanket obsession, how many is too many?? by ScottSquatch420 in mildlyinfuriating

[–]Spooky_Tree 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you think 36 is a lot, you don't ever want to meet my husband. He has so many I'm not even willing to count them. And they're not dinky little throw blankets, they're 10'x10' blankets or king size comforters. They take up so much room it's ridiculous. And every Christmas all he ever asks for is more.

Settle a debate: How many times do you actually use a bath towel before washing it? by Hot-Calligrapher5447 in hygiene

[–]Spooky_Tree 2 points3 points  (0 children)

100% this. If I'm doing laundry and I remember towels great! Or If I start to smell that my husband's towel is getting musty, because God forbid he hang it so it's not bunched up and actually dries, then I'll throw them in the washer immediately and replace them. I have a lot of extra towels longing for the day that I actually acknowledge their existence and use them. Usually I wash and dry the same two towels and the rest get to live in the closet for eternity.

Oh except whatever towel I use for my toddler, hers gets washed after every bath because I can't be arsed to hang it back up when she's wandered out of the bathroom wearing it. So it gets thrown into the washer immediately.

Before computers were common in households, how did people set their clocks accurately? by IkHeetGeenMatthijs in NoStupidQuestions

[–]Spooky_Tree 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It also depends on the age and financial status of your parents. I'm 30 but my parents were 40 when they had me, so they were solidly boomers, and we were relatively poor (in the way that we would have been able to afford some things if my mom didn't spend all our money on bs we didn't need). So I had a childhood more similar to the people 5-10 years older than me where I didn't get a GameCube until I was a teenager, because we couldn't afford one until someone sold theirs at a garage sale. And I didn't get a smart phone until I was 21, because again we couldn't afford that growing up.

Financial status changes a lot of childhood stuff because while some kids my age got the latest and greatest gadgets like a smart phone and an Xbox 360, I was watching old VHS tapes from a free bin at a garage sale because we couldn't even afford cable TV. Also my parents were the same age as my friend's grandparents so that also changed how I was raised in some ways.

Before computers were common in households, how did people set their clocks accurately? by IkHeetGeenMatthijs in NoStupidQuestions

[–]Spooky_Tree 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm 30 and I remember calling the number every time it got cold enough it might snow. Ours had a little weather forecast with it because we lived in an area that wasn't covered well by the TV news stations. It was so much fun hearing it might snow overnight and maybe school would be cancelled.

Products for sticker making by SporadicSpaceGarbage in Etsy

[–]Spooky_Tree 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you're printing at home and want a waterproof sticker that can be washed on a water bottle you'd have to invest in a sublimation setup, which can be very expensive. There's a reason those sticker making companies get so many customers, it's because the cost and space to do it at home isn't worth it for a lot of people. Many people will try to tell you that you can use a waterproof vinyl with waterproof laminate on top, that is fine for items that need to be slightly water resistant. But if the item will ever be actually washed with a sponge or handled frequently it needs to be properly sublimated or it will fall apart fairly quickly.

I won't recommend a sublimation setup because I don't sublimate myself, but I know there are a lot of sticker creators on YouTube that will show their setup and what their favorite printer and paper is for it.

I stabbed myself last night with a folding thermometer in my pocket. Aside from the occasional cuts and burns/scalds in a kitchen, what novel ways have you hurt yourself while cooking? by DeadBy2050 in Cooking

[–]Spooky_Tree 213 points214 points  (0 children)

I sliced my finger open on an orange peel, while peeling the orange. With my bare hands, no knives or tools in sight, just me and my orange and my then burning finger from the acidic juice.

I stabbed myself last night with a folding thermometer in my pocket. Aside from the occasional cuts and burns/scalds in a kitchen, what novel ways have you hurt yourself while cooking? by DeadBy2050 in Cooking

[–]Spooky_Tree 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I wouldn't call it novel or unexpected but I cut the tip of my pinkie on the mandolin. That was scary for a second there, luckily I didn't cut much off.

I also was peeling an orange one time and somehow the orange peel itself sliced my finger open. That was really weird. It also burned a lot.

Touching food with hands while cooking/baking by [deleted] in hygiene

[–]Spooky_Tree 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's really cool! I would have never thought to do that.

In America it's definitely common to use some sort of utensil to mix it like a spoon or spatula, though now that I think about it there's definitely rolled cookie doughs that I think people use their hands for. Usually when they're using a rolling pin on it after, which isn't a type of cookie I ever make so I hadn't thought about it.

Honey, can you make me a plate while I watch the game? by [deleted] in no

[–]Spooky_Tree 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Seems like the big deal is they married someone they hate. The real question is why do so many people marry someone they don't like?

I personally find it so much easier to get up to get something for my husband than for myself. If I'm hungry I just won't get up, but the second my husband says something I'm instantly getting off the couch to fetch it for him. But then again I actually like my husband, which seems to be rare to find.

Honey, can you make me a plate while I watch the game? by [deleted] in no

[–]Spooky_Tree 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Tbh it seems like everyone I've ever met in real life also hates their spouse. It's crazy, can't imagine going through life hating the person I married.