Frugal Tip: Heating Pad

So we are trying to save money, cut back, use what we have and just become more frugal. So occasionally when I run into those frugal ideas I thought I would share them with you.

The other night when Beau had is big back spasm, and was in severe pain, his brother told us to put some hotpacks on him to see if we could loosen up some muscles. Of course we don't own a hot pack. It would take me way too long to go to the store to get one, and that would cost money which we were trying hard not to spend. So I resorted to a technique I learned years ago of sewing up a washcloth or hand towel in half, filling it with rice and then sewing it closed. You then put it in the microwave for a couple of minutes and you've got one great hot pack.

It worked great and helped him out a ton! Well he used it so much, and threw it in the microwave a little too long and burned the rice making the whole house stink, so I tossed it in the garbage thinking I'd sew up another one quick... well it never happened.

So last night he's tossing and turning all night because he can't sleep because of the pain, which means I wasn't sleeping either. In the middle of the night I asked what I could do help him out. He asked if we had another hot pad anywhere? I said no - sorry. Did he want me to get up and make him one quick?

He said no but I know in his mind he was thinking..."No I won't make you it's the middle of the night, but if you wanted to I won't stop you. I'm dying."

The thoughts going through my mind were "It's the middle of the night, I don't want to pull out the sewing stuff and throw one together, I'm exhausted."

So half asleep I'm thinking what can I use besides having to sew something up? I swear the Lord prompted me again, similar to Isaac's bean episode. I instantly had the thought - use a sock. A sock! Ingenious. I jumped out of bed, grabbed some socks from Beaus' drawer, went into the kitchen filled it up with rice, tied off the end, heated it up and was back in less time than it would have been to try to make one, or go to the store. It worked wonderful! It works better than the towels. So never again. If we need an instant heating pad, we're finding a sock.