Home Fixings

So I know I posted last month about how at times cooking from scratch is not the most cost effective method, but this month I am being reminded just how much home "fixings" can be the better deal.

--The husband's new bread maker is turning out to be a wonderful addition. He's already made 3 loaves: white, whole wheat (AMAZING!), and granola. We also used it last night to make homemade pizza dough. So while it will take many loaves to equal out of the cost of the machine, we're still getting savings via the ingredients on each loaf of bread not including the health benefits. It's definitely nice knowing what exactly goes into each loaf of bread, and the taste really is a million times better than any store bought loaf.

--We also noticed that Roxi was limping on her left paw after we had taken her on her first big vet trip. Since we have to take her back for a booster vaccine later, we really didn't want to have to make yet another vet trip in the interim (and pay yet another office visit fee!). So the husband got on the internet and discovered that what was wrong with her paw appeared to be an inter-digital cyst. In further research he also discovered some home remedies via blogs and other posts. Since the stuff they suggested using didn't appear to be anything that would harm her (just in case our diagnosis was off), we went ahead and bought the stuff to try fixing it at home.....and it totally worked! We ended up soaking her foot 2x a day in Epsom salt and warm water, and then applied ear cleaning wash by a natural pet care company to the growth areas. In less than a week there's only one little spot still visible and in a few days it should be gone too.

*On a side note, this is a major public health phenomenon too....a large percentage of individuals in the United States (and probably globally w/ internet access) tend to research health symptoms online before seeking medical attention....never a bad idea although questionable treatments should probably always be discussed with an individual in the medical field BEFORE attempting at home care....

Just a couple examples of home fixings that really are the better deal! Now if only on this chilly Louisiana morning, I had double panes on my windows!