Welcome back to another in my summer re-run series. I’m glad I can take the opportunity to bring forth a few of the posts I’ve enjoyed in the past. I know many of you are way too busy to scroll around and find posts for topics you may have missed but would very much like to enjoy.

This is a great topic for the summer – foot soaks.  We’re busy running around having fun this summer and our poor feet are suffering.  Mostly, they’re hot!  A little pampering goes a long way with our feet.  They work so hard for us, don’t they deserve a special treat?

Here’s a post I think you’ll enjoy, especially after a long, hot day.  Relax and enjoy:

Most people fall into two categories when it comes to their style of energy-level-maintenance. Some folks run around all day at top speed, then need something to help them slow down and relax, sort of shut the engine off before bedtime. Then there are the folks who run around like crazy, then in late afternoon, their battery runs down and they need something to re-energize them to get them through until bedtime. Whichever model of busy homemaker you are, have we got a treat for you!

Foot soaks are one of the most inexpensive, but most rewarding, luxuries you can do to pamper yourself. There are many store-bought varieties of foot soaks which are excellent in their way. However, oftentimes we’re way too busy to think about taking the time for a foot soak let alone actually going out and buying one. Rather than deny yourself the pleasure of taking ten minutes out of your day for a foot soak, let’s check the kitchen and bathroom cupboards for ingredients to see what you can do today to create a few moments of luxury at home.

Relaxing Foot Soak

Let’s start with a foot soak for the “run around like crazy, need to relax” homemaker. Here are some simple ingredients when put together in a tub of nice, hot water will cause you to say “awwww… that’s just what I needed.”

• A generous squirt of honey.
• A drizzle of vanilla extract.
• A drizzle of almond extract.
• A squirt of shampoo.

Grab a big supply of towels and a washcloth. Take a dishpan or tub that just fits your feet and place it on the floor, fill with ingredients, then pour nice, hot water in, just enough to cover your feet, and swoosh around. Grab a hot cup of chamomile tea for the ultimate relaxation drink and soak your feet for about ten minutes, then gently wash and pat dry.

Recharging Foot Soak

Now, how about if you are the “run around like crazy, need to recharge” homemaker. There are many invigorating ingredients that will work for you. Here is a simple recipe for a foot soak that will have you up and running around again in no time.

• A handful of Epsom salts (keep the box nearby).
• A handful of baking soda.
• A drizzle of olive oil.
• A generous squirt of lemon juice.
• A few crushed mint leaves if you have them, or substitute some peppermint oil.

You’ll need a big supply of towels and a scrubber brush, loofah, and washcloth. You want to be re-energized, so your feet need some soothing mixed with a bit of gentle scrubbing and stimulating massage. Use a dishpan or tub that fits your feet, fill it with the ingredients and nice, hot water and mix gently. You’ll want a cup of tea to invigorate, like green tea with mint. Soak your feet for about five minutes. Then, sprinkle another handful of Epsom salts into the water, gently rubbing the salts on the bottoms of your feet, then on top, and up your ankles, until the salts dissolve.

Massaging Marbles Trick

One other “ingredient” that works for both relaxing and invigorating your feet and body, is marbles. If your child happens to have a collection of marbles, see if you can borrow enough to cover the bottom of the dishpan. While you are soaking, gently glide your feet over the marbles, giving your feet a little “marble massage.” As I said, this little trick will magically both relax and invigorate your feet, depending on what you need most.

These are just a few combinations of ingredients you can find around your house to build a nice foot soak for yourself today. Don’t be surprised if you start looking at your pantry with luxury in mind instead of baking!

Welcome back to another installment of my summer re-run series. I know how hard it is to find the time to look around a website to find the topics that interest you. That’s why I’m bringing some of the more timely topics to the forefront again.

This post is pretty timely in my house right now! Summer road trips have left the inside of our car, well, ridiculous. I’m sure many of us are in the same situation. Snacks, toys, maps, beach towels… all those things we need for a summer drive, never seem to make it out of the car. Then there’s the sand and dirt from the beach and the lake. Yes, it’s time to give the car a bit of attention.

Here’s a simple quick tune-up for the interior of your car:

This week’s Tidy Tuesday is dedicated to the car interior. I don’t know about you, but our car is in dire need of some attention. Since it’s supposed to be fairly warm and sunny today, I’m about to tackle that task.

Here’s my plan of action:

1. Take a trash bag to the car and remove any papers, wrappers and other trash.
2. Take out anything else that doesn’t belong in the car (think lost toys, books, bags etc) and return them to their proper home.
3. Vacuum the entire car thoroughly.
4. Wipe down all hard surfaces with a damp cloth.
5. Clean inside of all windows. Go over the outside as well.
6. Spot clean any stains on the carpet or seat covers with carpet cleaner or dawn dish washing detergent.

That’s it. I better get going on this

Ready for more spring cleaning tips? Take a look at the following Hillbilly Housewife Ebook

Spring Cleaning Guide

Welcome again to another edition of my summer re-run series. I am bringing topics from the past back up to the forefront this summer so you don’t have to take time out of your busy schedule to sit at the computer and scroll around looking for topics you missed – or can’t recall where to find one you are looking for.

I hope you’ll enjoy this Frugal Challenge today.  I thought it was a timely subject since we’re all running around like crazy this summer.  It’s hard to resist pulling into the fast food place when you’re headed back home from the lake or beach.  But, if you do that even a few times a week the cost really adds up.  Take a moment if you will to read this post.  This is a classic money saving step for so many of us.  Enjoy:

Another Monday, another frugal challenge. Are you ready? This week the challenge is to not eat any “restaurant food”. That means no eating out, no take out, no pizza delivery and not fast food. Are you game?

We hardly ever eat out these days, but that wasn’t always so. When I was working, I was notoriously bad about ordering a pizza or heading through the drive through on my way home from the office. Just the thought of having to cook and then clean up was just more than I could handle after a hard work day. I’m sure some of you are in the same boat.

Here are some thing that helped us make the switch to a homecooked meal existence:

Plan Ahead – If you have what you need at home to cook a fast and simple meal, you’re much more likely to do it and of course you’ll have dinner on the table without too much work or fuss. I make a menu plan for the week and then get what I need in one shopping trip.

Have Some Emergency Meals Ready – This really works well on those days when you’re super busy. Just cook up a few things that will store well in your freezer. Casseroles and baked dishes like lasagna work really well for this. I also like to keep one or two frozen pizzas from Aldi in the freezer for the same reason. I can pull them out, cook them and have dinner ready in about 30 minutes.

Simplyfy – You don’t have to cook a fancy meal every night. My family is perfectly fine with pasta and tomato sauce, a quick stir fry or even eggs and toast or pancakes for dinner. Find a couple of meals that you can put together fast and come back to them on nights when you’re tempted to order out.

Of course dinner isn’t the only meal we tend to eat out. How about lunch, breakfast or a quick snack? Not this week. Pack your lunch and take it with you to work and pack your breakfast or eat it at home before you leave.

Like all of our frugal challenges, this one is designed to develop a new habit that will save you money (in this case by cooking all of your meals and get out of the eating out habit), but this one also has an added side benefit. You’re most likely going to eat a good bit healthier by sticking to homecooked meals.