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:
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
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!)
ecokaren says
Great list Gina! Thx for including a few of mine!
Gina B says
Thanks for sharing your expertise, Karen!
Heather says
Awesome list! Saving for later!
Gina B says
Thanks Heather!
Gina B says
Thanks for that tip, Lydia! I know some readers are allergic to corn, we avoid it as much as we can too.
Carrie says
I really want to get into natural cleaning! Thanks for the links!
Gina B says
Yes! We use the big names – Seventh Generation, Meyers, Shaklee, but it’d be nice to DIY it!
Carrie MkgLemonade says
Great ideas! Eating clean can be expensive so it’s nice to save money where you can.
Gina B says
Good point! Even if you’re buying organic products to mix, it’s still cheaper.
Kim @ DESIGN + LIFE + KIDS says
These are great!
Gina B says
Thanks!
Kristina Greene says
Great list Gina! Thanks for including mine.
Gina B says
Any time Kristina! Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Jessica @EatSleepBe says
Great links here! We love using homemade remedies and naural alternatives.
Gina B says
Thanks! Feel free to share any linke, I can add them!
Jessica @EatSleepBe says
Great links here! We love using homemade remedies and naural alternatives.
Lindsey @ sisterstosons.com says
Awesome round up! Can’t wait to try out that kiwi mask!
Gina B says
I know, right! Thanks.
Heather says
It’s really amazing how much money you save when you DIY!