Saving money- Everyone wants to!

I am reminded of an old saying that lots of parents say- If your friends are jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge would you do it? (I used Brooklyn since that's my daughters name) Are you doing things just so you are not different than some of your friends? That is the real question. Since some kids would love the chance to take a action packed risk like jumping off a huge bridge, I don't think we need that kind of question anymore & since we are all adults now, we can basically do what we want. (minus breaking the ten commandments & the laws) So anyways what I am getting at is..... It is ok to be different! especially if it works for your family :) We stopped buying laundry detergent a couple of years ago & haven't looked back. Yuck you say... oh no LOL I make it! I still wash clothes, I have to! With 3 adventurous kids & a hard working man that is filthy when he gets home. I wanted to give you a couple of ways that we save money. So here is my recipe for laundry detergent..... Also I clip coupons, lots of coupons. I keep them organized & spend more time than others planning my shopping trip. No, I am not one of those people you see on TLC I don't have a room of toothpaste or a thousand boxes of cereal. LOL  I have just figured out what works for us. Spending less than $200.00 a month on food for  a family of 5 is great! & no I don't spend 40-50 hrs doing it. To me that wouldn't be worth it. I am a stay at home mom so I can spend time with my kids. I know now days that seems very odd since a lot of moms are counting down the days of summer break until they get rid of there kids, but I am happy to say I don't look at it that way. Since I stay home I have to find other ways to put my money in. The way I choose to do it is by saving. It is ok to save. It is cool to save. Say it with me I love to save money!!!! :)