A great way to use Yogurt that is close to expiration

My kids love go-gurts.  You know the stuff that comes in a tube that is meant for lunchboxes.  I buy them and freeze them and they eat them like popsicles.  I recently was at the store and they had several yogurt cups on clearance since they were close to expiration.  I had coupons which made these free!  I took them home and was informed that the flavor I purchased was not what they liked.  This particular variety had two colors in it, pink on bottom and white on top.  I took the lid off, stirred it well so that it was all pink and stuck a plastic popsicle stick in it.  You know the ones that are designed for the molds so you can make your own popsicles....  I stuck it in the freezer and the next day I ran warm water over the outside of the yogurt cup in order to release it from the cup.  I handed it to my ultra picky kid (who now could not see the label) and told him it was a yogurt pop.  He loved it! 

Homeade Dishwasher Detergent

I hate to buy dishwasher detergent.  I have looked at making my own, and wondered if it would really work.  Well, yesterday I was out of dishwasher detergent and my dishwasher was full of dirty dishes.  I didn't want to wash them all by hand...  I got online and searched for "recipes" to make a batch.  I looked at several different combinations and read comments posted about them.  I ended up going with the basic mixture and trying it out.  It really worked.  I am pleased with the results. 

Now, some people posted about build-up after time so I will have to wait and see if that happens.  Depending on what brand of dishwasher detergent you buy (if you use coupons, etc.) it may not be that much more expensive.  The homeade stuff costs about $.03 per load and the brand stuff is about $.09-$.15/load best I can figure.  Not a huge savings.  If you washed one load every day, it would add up to somewhere between $21 - $43/year savings.  Using the homeade stuff I am putting less chemicals into my septic tank.  It is also nice to know I have another option if I don't want to go to the store or don't have coupons.

The recipe:
1 cup Borax
1 cup Arm and Hammer Washing Soda (not baking soda)
4 packets lemon kool-aid with NO Sugar (for the citric acid)
1/4 cup white vinegar (as a rinse aid ~ optional)

Mix the borax, washing soda and kool-aid together.  Use about 1 tsp (I used a cereal spoon).  Add the white vinegar as a rinse aid if needed.  I didn't do this as my dishwasher is old and doesn't have a rinse-aid compartment and I don't typically use one anyway.  I was going to try it, but forgot until after the rinse cycle was already finished.  I realized I didn't need it anyway.  I think I will continue using this method instead of the other commercial brands (unless I have a great coupon which gets it for free.....)