Over the past weeks we’ve written about the most popular resolutions people make from year to year. From our particular vantage point of Ocean Canyon camping and RVing, we’ve tried to help you lose weight, get fit, get organized, enjoy life more, learn something new and spend more time with important people in your life. [If you missed any, you can find them here and on Bear’s Den Resort and Tres Rios Resort Websites.

Counting down the top resolutions people make each year, we’re saving money this week! Who couldn’t benefit from this one? In the last article we told you we would be discussing three everyday items that are perfect for packing in your RV or in your backpack for your camping trip. They take up very little space, more than pay for themselves in their versatility and you probably already have them at home in your kitchen. The first was aluminum foil. What’s this week’s wonder of the camping world?

Baking Soda!

Sprinkled dry:

• Into your hiking books, it will keep your feet drier, fresher and (some believe) will prevent blisters.
• Into your tent and sleeping bags, it will neutralize odor.
• It’s useful to quash a fire – especially a grease fire – that gets out of hand, because it deprives the fire of oxygen. Depending on the size of the fire, you may want to toss a few handfuls. [Don’t get confused and throw flour on it, or you’re likely to  set off a small but unpleasant explosion].

Made into a paste:

• You can brush your teeth with it – and freshen your breath at the same time!
• It will cool, soothe and take the sting out of most bug bites.
• Mixed with water:
• It’s a good antacid.
• You can use it to wash your clothes, and they’ll stay clean-smelling longer without the floral scents that draw pests.
• Swish about 3 teaspoons of it with water in a musty canteen. Let it sit an hour and rinse completely.
• It’s a great soap-free dish washer. Crumple up some tin foil to use as a scrubber.

One of the great things about baking soda is when you toss that wash water and it finds its way through the drains and back into the ecosystem, it won’t pollute Lake Texoma nor its aquatic life! And that’s great to know for the next time you come fishing with us.

For more ways to use this dollar store gem, go to http://www.allyou.com/budget-home/live-green-save/baking-soda-00400000048014/. Meanwhile, we hope to see you back here camping with us soon!