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June 19, 2014 by: Gina

Eating (& Living) Clean on the Cheap: Make Your Own

Filed Under: what to eat

A series on frugal living wouldn’t be complete if I did not include a section on DIY – how to make your own everything.

Unfortunately, I am NOT a do-it-yourselfer, however, I have LOTS of friends who are. The key to DIY is getting a recipe, resource or guide that shows you what to do and how to do. The more complete, the better. Without further ado, here is a list of DIY resources and tutorials to make your life easier:

DIY-frugal

The more you can do for yourself, the better. Another tip from a friend who suffered from gout: celery seed extract was one of the few things that relieved his pain for a substantial period of time.

HEALTH CARE

  • My post on how I reduced Zoe’s fever and more resources for natural health care
  • Elise’s Cough Syrup
  • Incredible Toothpaste
  • Check out The Elliot Homestead’s Homemade products page for recipes for chapstick, eczema cream, heartburn remedies and more.

FOOD & GARDENING

  • Susan Vinskofski of LearningAndYearning.com has a whole category of gardening tips.
  • Anna Hackman of Greek Talk shares her Top 5 Tips on How NOT to Ruin Your Vegetable 
  • Backyard Chickens Are Easy (just make sure they’re allowed!)

CRAFTS & GAMES

  • Tic Tac Toe Board Game

BATH & BODY CARE

  • Easy Foaming Hand Soap
  • How to Make Dandruff Shampoo
  • Yearning and Learning’s Skin Care DIY Category of articles including petroleum jelly substitutes and toothpaste.
  • Moisturizing Avocado Face Mask,
  • Skin Brightening Kiwi Mask
  • Sugar Scrub vs. Sea Salt Scrub
  • Luscious Lip Balm Made Easy
  • Coconut Oil Body Lotion, Eye Makeup Remover & Eye Cream 
  • Whipped Body Butter
  • How to Make Lavender Sugar Scrub

CLEANING HOUSE

  • This is a lovely recipe for a Natural Countertop Cleanser.
  • Distilled white vinegar is a great stain cleaner but remember that it can come from GMO corn.

REDUCE WASTE

It’s a no brainer that you’ll save money if you recycle and upcycle. Here are some great ideas:

  • Anna Hackman of Green Talk gives you 16 Ways to Use Food Leftovers, a frugal post if ever there was one!
  • Want to a great way to reduce waste? In Growing Food from Food Scraps, Jen of Jen & Joy Go Green teaches you how to recycle those scraps!
  • 7 Ways to Use Leftover Shampoo
  • Mason Jar Ideas
  • 5 Upcycled Wine Bottle Ideas >> My favorite!
  • Create a Coupon Wallet from a Reusable Grocery Bag (No sewing required!)

 

 

Filed Under: what to eat

Download my book full of detailed worksheets to help you plan for your child!

Graduation Day: A Lesson in Faith
Hershey Lodge: Allergy-Free Kids Welcome

Comments

  1. ecokaren says

    June 20, 2014 at 7:40 am

    Great list Gina! Thx for including a few of mine!

    • Gina B says

      June 20, 2014 at 8:49 am

      Thanks for sharing your expertise, Karen!

  2. Heather says

    June 20, 2014 at 8:47 am

    Awesome list! Saving for later!

    • Gina B says

      June 20, 2014 at 8:49 am

      Thanks Heather!

  3. Gina B says

    June 20, 2014 at 8:51 am

    Thanks for that tip, Lydia! I know some readers are allergic to corn, we avoid it as much as we can too.

  4. Carrie says

    June 20, 2014 at 9:15 am

    I really want to get into natural cleaning! Thanks for the links!

    • Gina B says

      June 20, 2014 at 9:24 am

      Yes! We use the big names – Seventh Generation, Meyers, Shaklee, but it’d be nice to DIY it!

  5. Carrie MkgLemonade says

    June 20, 2014 at 9:53 am

    Great ideas! Eating clean can be expensive so it’s nice to save money where you can.

    • Gina B says

      June 20, 2014 at 10:11 am

      Good point! Even if you’re buying organic products to mix, it’s still cheaper.

  6. Kim @ DESIGN + LIFE + KIDS says

    June 20, 2014 at 10:00 am

    These are great!

    • Gina B says

      June 20, 2014 at 10:11 am

      Thanks!

  7. Kristina Greene says

    June 20, 2014 at 12:37 pm

    Great list Gina! Thanks for including mine.

    • Gina B says

      June 20, 2014 at 1:08 pm

      Any time Kristina! Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

  8. Jessica @EatSleepBe says

    June 20, 2014 at 1:07 pm

    Great links here! We love using homemade remedies and naural alternatives.

    • Gina B says

      June 20, 2014 at 1:08 pm

      Thanks! Feel free to share any linke, I can add them!

  9. Jessica @EatSleepBe says

    June 20, 2014 at 1:07 pm

    Great links here! We love using homemade remedies and naural alternatives.

  10. Lindsey @ sisterstosons.com says

    June 20, 2014 at 3:14 pm

    Awesome round up! Can’t wait to try out that kiwi mask!

    • Gina B says

      June 20, 2014 at 3:56 pm

      I know, right! Thanks.

  11. Heather says

    June 22, 2014 at 10:02 pm

    It’s really amazing how much money you save when you DIY!

Welcome!

Gina Badalaty

I’ve been blogging since 2002 with about raising girls with disabilities. I'm on a mission to help moms like me thrive and live toxin-free! Read more!

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