I read and researched the ingredients, its scary. I'm not going to give you any examples, you need to take the time and research it. This is about your health, and the health of your kids.
Keep in mind- With couponing you have to go buy papers($1.75 per paper where I live, plus the time it takes you, plus the gas it costs you to drive and get the papers), the time it takes to organize coupons(approx 30-45 minutes), search sale ads( approx 45-60 minutes), then go to the store. Now fight the Sunday crowds to get that sale item. Oh wait you mean you couldn't get to the store Sunday? So now you have to go during the week and hope and pray that the sale item is still on the shelf. Well I'm glad I do not have to deal with any of it anymore. It has taken some adjusting over the last 18 months, but I am proud to say I have done it! I have gotten our shopping list at the grocery store down to nothing anymore. On average my MONTHLY grocery bill is $250 for my family of FOUR.
So since January 2013 (read about my goal from 2013 and January 2014) I have been trying my best to eat healthier and use less chemicals. I can not believe how much simpler my life has gotten. I started slow. We all know nothing happens overnight. When I ran out of something I would look for the homemade versions online. I would try a few "recipes" and see what worked for me. Most of the time the homemade versions worked wonders!
Homemade Laundry Soap - I can not believe how much money I have saved over the last 18 months. For $12 I get ( $4 box of washing soda, $4 box of Borax, $4 gets 4 bars of Fels-Naptha Soap). I have made laundry soap 4 times (in 18 months). EACH TIME I make laundry soap I get 9.5 GALLONS of laundry soap. Oh and did I mention I know EXACTLY what is in my soap!
Store bought laundry soap- Average cost for 1 gallon of soap $12.00 (x 18 months = $216) Oh but you use coupons and wait until its on sale right? That's fine, you still can't beat my homemade price!
$216 Store bought (every 12 months)
- $12 homemade (remember mine is every 18 months)
I have saved $204 on my grocery bill over the last year making my own laundry soap!
Homemade Eczema Cream- Poor Adyson was having a hard time with severe dry skin/eczema last winter. I took it upon myself to research the problem. The recipe I created worked wonders. I did take her to the doctor. Of course the doctor was ready to write a script and shove us out of the office. I explained to the doctor I prefer NATURAL medicine first and if the script is still needed then we could come back. The doctor wanted to know what I had in mind, I showed her the "recipe" and brought in a what I had already made. She squeezed some out of the tube and rubbed it on her skin. The doctor LOVED it. Her words were "I wish all parents could be more interested in their children's health and try home remedies first". Yes it cost me $13-$14 dollars to make this recipe, but now I have enough to make several batches and I know whats in it. Oh and that script that the doctor was going to write me, it was going to cost $30-$40 to fill it.
There aren't many/few coupons for good eczema cream.
Script $35 - $14 homemade = saved $21
Half Homemade Beauty -Most of these beauty items you can make from what you have on hand. Yes you are still using some commercial stuff, but you can always substitute for the natural/organic. I am switching to the natural/organic as I run out of the original product. Also you may spend some money to get started, but you will be able to make several batches.
Store Bought-
Body Scrub $10
Make up wipes $6
Baby wipes $2
Facial Toner $4
Total $22 -monthly ($264 yearly)
Homemade
Body scrub $1
Make up $1
Baby wipes $1
Facial Toners $1
Total $4 -monthly ($48 yearly)
Saved $22-$4 = $18 monthly ( $216 yearly)
Homemade dinners Breakfast and snacks with these posts I doubled most of the recipes and was able to freeze them for "TV dinners". Some of these I use as a "boxed dinner" recipe. Such as the Sloppy Joes, I can put all the dry ingredients into a plastic sandwich bag, write the full recipe on the outside of the bag. When I want to cook it I add the wet ingredients when the recipe tells me to.(While the dinner is cooking I refill the bag and put it back in the cupboard.) I do not buy "boxed dinners" anymore. I create my own. I know EXACTLY what is in them. No more store bought frozen breakfast meals, or boxed dinner meals. The homemade tartar sauce is the BEST I have ever eaten, and I will NEVER buy store bought again!
To make homemade boxed dinners is simple, most of us have the spices sitting in our spice racks. The noodles/rice in the cupboard. Meat in the fridge.
Store bought boxed dinners $1.79 x 4 nights a week =$ 7.16 x 4 weeks = $28.64 monthly x 12 months = $343.68 yearly
Homemade boxed dinners $0.50 x 4 nights a week = $2.00 x 4 weeks = $8.00 monthly x 12 = $96 yearly
I have saved $247.68 yearly by making homemade boxed dinners
Cleaning stuff I have been VERY pleased with the cleaning recipe I have created. Its labeled as a floor solution in that post, but you can use it as a Multi-Purpose solution for windows, kitchen, bathroom, floor even making your own cleaning wipes! All from the list of my must haves at the BOTTOM of this post. Its nice to go from 6 different bottles under the sink to 1 bottle under the sink. The kids don't have to ask me "What do I use to clean..."
So I was able to get rid of, glass cleaner , kitchen cleaner, bathroom cleaner, toilet cleaner, floor cleaner, store bought cleaning wipes. The prices below are average prices for the products in general. Some of you use the almighty coupon and wait for it to go on sale. Others of you buy the cheapest brand. Others won't use anything but the national/name brand.
Glass cleaner $3.00 ( I used 2 a year) = $6
Kitchen cleaner $3.00 (I use 4 a year) = $12
Bathroom Cleaner $3.00 (I used 4 a year) $12
Toilet Cleaner $3.00 (I used 4 a year) = $12
Floor Cleaner $3.00 (I used 4 a year) =$12
Cleaning Wipes $3.00 ( I used monthly) $36
Total ....................................................... $90
Homemade cleaner-
1 cup water
1 cup vinegar
5 squirts dawn dish soap
5 drops orange or lemon essential oil
Put it in a spray bottle and use it just like you would any other cleaner!
It costs me $0.50 per bottle to make my cleaner. I make a bottle a month. Takes 1 minute to make!
Plus buying my reusable wipes (from the dollar store) 2 times a year = $2.00
My annual total is $8.00
Cleaning wipes- keep your container from your old wipes
1 cup water
1 cup vinegar
3 squirts dawn dish soap
3-5 drop lemon or orange essential oil (optional for smell)
2 packs of resuable wipes. They come 10"x 20" so I cut them in half so I get 10"x 10"
Mix liquid together in a cup/bowl. Cut your wipes in half. Stuff wipes in the container. Pour liquid over the top. Use just as you would other cleaning/disinfecting wipes. When you use all your wipes (I put mine a mesh laundry bag)wash them. Takes 1 minute to make.
I save $82 yearly making my own cleaners.
My favorite items that I keep on hand (and you probably won't find a coupon for them)... By using different combinations of the following ingredients you can do/clean EVERYTHING.
1. Dawn dish soap. The PLAIN BLUE dawn. (I am not paying $1.75 for a paper, $3.03 in gas to get a $.25 coupon)
2. Vinegar- both white and apple cider
3. Baking Soda- I buy it by the 12 lbs bag at Walmart
4. Washing Soda
5. Borax
6. Essential Oil- Tea Tree Oil, Orange oil, Lemon Oil, Lavender Oil,
Yes some homemade versions were a fail too! - I tried making homemade dish soap, dishwasher detergent. These failed because in my area I have extremely hard water. I tried several recipes and couldn't get anything to clean the dishes. So I did have to go back and continue buying the store bought versions.
So for everyone out there saying "I don't have time" think about this. You just spent how much time on Facebook? Pinterest? Google? Couponing? Playing a game on your phone? But you have the time to do all those other things. Its a commitment, just like couponing, etc. You just have to say "I'm going to do this". Now if you go back and add up all that I saved. I have saved on AVERAGE $770.00 THIS PAST YEAR just by taking a few minutes ONCE A WEEK to make my own stuff.
I also know exactly what is in EVERYTHING I make and to me that is PRICELESS.
So what are you going to make?
