Frugal Obsessing

Ok, it's time to make more laundry goo so while Jake was interviewing at Jamestown Settlement I made a quick run to Farm Fresh. The only store in Williamsburg that carried washing soda now has replaced it on the shelf with Tide Stain Release, which is sodium carbonate (washing soda) and oxy clean. And it's 11.99. I compared the ingredients to some dishwasher detergent in the same isle, and guess what! they are essentially the same product. A giant box of cheap dishwasher detergent for 2.99 or a box of Tide Stain release for 11.99....umm duh. One more reason to hate manufacturing giants. I'm sure millions of stupid American households will fall for Tide's new scam even in the economic downfall. So I am doing some research if dishwasher detergent (washing soda and enzymes and silica) can be used to make laundry goo. By the way, I stretch my dishwasher detergent (the cheap walmart powder) with borax and baking soda. The added benefit is no spots.
I also want to make my own bar soap....with lye and lard or recycled cooking oil. But since Red Devil lye was pulled from the shelves this is going to be a challenge. This is more because I want to see if I can do it more than an actual need for a pizza box size of bar soap. ;)
Now on Ara's to do list is a Lowe's run for frugal things such as a programmable thermostat and furnace filters and fridge filter and anything else we might need in the next year and may not have the extra cash for with my job loss.
Speaking of which Ara is driving me nuts with his constant talk about me finding a new job. Yesterday he filled out and online application for me with the college of William and Mary and left the education part blank. I personally think a college would kind of be interested in an applicant's education, but maybe I'm wrong. I just wish he'd back off and quit obsessing. Everyday he asks me if I checked online on the status of all the applications out there. This is only the second day of the first week without a job....I can't imagine how he'll be in three weeks.