We’ve changed quite a bit over the years as a society.
Back in the day people made much of what they needed instead of running to the store. It was cheaper that way, and people had this amazing ability of creating many things from their own two hands.
I think it’s safe to say we’ve lost a lot of that art. The great thing is, we can get it back!
Skills used to get handed down from generation to generation. That’s not happening for many people anymore for a variety of reasons. But thankfully we live in an era where information is literally at our finger tips.
I’ve learned hot to create so many things just by watching Youtube tutorials, reading blog posts, and reading books. And of course I’ve had many questions I’ve asked friends who have done these things before me.
Right now we are living in a time where making your own items when you can instead of buying them can really help the current situation. I feel like every post I write lately somehow addresses the pandemic going on, but I think it’s changed so many of our lives that it’s hard to talk about anything without referencing the huge elephant in the room.
The truth is, the pandemic has affected our finances, and our ease of going to the store. What used to be a routine trip to the grocery store has turned into quite an ordeal. I know that for me personally I find myself quite anxious these days on a shopping trip. I don’t want to break the rules (in our area we have arrows on the floor and x’s telling you where to go and where not to go, along with places to stand when you are in line to maintain social distancing), I also try to go when I know there won’t be a long line to get into the store as stores are limiting the amount of people allowed in. And many of our shelves are empty, so what I am looking for isn’t even there anyways.
So the less trips I have to take to the store, the better. On top of that, saving money is a HUGE objective right now. If homemade products can save me money, let’s do it, right?
In addition to saving money by making these items yourself, you can also make money by sharing your crafting journey on a blog. Not only can you save money making the products yourself, you can inspire others to get creative, and you can make money from the actual blog! (You can see how to do that here.) So, there are multiple ways to save money when you start making your own items!
THINGS TO MAKE INSTEAD OF BUY TO SAVE MONEY
Cleaning products
I make many of my own cleaning products because it really only requires a few items. As long as I have some baking soda, vinegar, and some essential oils it does the trick for most jobs. And it’s so cheap to make. Here are 10 cleaning recipes you can start out with.
Bar soap
I can make a whole year’s supply of soap in one afternoon. Check out my tutorial on how.
Candles
In my home I prefer beeswax candles because they are not toxic to burn like paraffin wax candles. Beeswax candles aren’t cheap though, so it’s cheaper to make them myself. Here’s a candle making tutorial to help you get started.
Elderberry syrup
Elderberry syrup is great for boosting your immune system, and during the colder months I like to make sure I am taking it along with my kids. However, a bottle of elderberry syrup is INSANELY expensive. There was no way I could buy enough for the season with my budget. I just bought my own dried elderberries and made the syrup myself for a lot cheaper. It’s pretty simple to do, check it out here.
Raised garden beds
I see a lot of people buying raised garden beds and they aren’t cheap. The thing is, they aren’t super complicated to make and you will save a significant amount of money if you can make them yourself. We made a cold frame this year which is similar to a raised bed, but if you need a tutorial try this one.
Dehydrator
I know this one may seem a bit weird, but if you are a homesteader you might want one. I was going to start looking at thrift stores for one until I discovered I can easily make one myself that uses the power of the sun! Brand new dehydrators are not cheap, so if you can make one for free, why not? Check out this tutorial for one.
Laundry soap
Laundry soap is super cheap to make and you can make a huge batch. Homemade laundry soaps are really good for people with sensitive skin as well. I recently purchased some soap after making our homemade soap for years and my oldest child broke out into hives because of all the additives in the store bought kind. Back to the homemade soap we go! I share my recipe in this post.
Bone Broth
Bone broth is so good for you and is a great addition to your diet. Homemade broth is as simple as throwing things into a pot and letting it boil for hours. I make mine in the slow cooker for an even simpler way to do it.
Granola
In my area a small bag of granola is not cost-effective for us. My kids would eat it in one day anyways. I like to make my own granola for a fraction of the cost with this recipe.
Play dough
Kids love play dough and you can have them help make it too to be part of the process. It only requires a few ingredients, many you probably already have on hand. Check out this playdough recipe.
Air freshener
I’m not gonna lie, with three kids, a dog, and a homestead my home needs something to freshen the air. The good news is, we don’t have to use store bought air fresheners if we don’t want to. Check out these 8 ways to make homemade air fresheners.
Pie crusts
I don’t know what it was, but for the longest time attempting to bake a pie intimidated me. The crust seemed complicated. Turns out nothing could be further from the truth. Making your own pie crust is quite simple when you use a recipe like this.
Vanilla extract
Real vanilla isn’t cheap. You can make your own vanilla with just some vodka, vanilla beans, and time. Check out this recipe here.
Yogurt
You don’t even need a yogurt maker to make yogurt as there are many other methods people use. Here’s the way I make homemade yogurt.
Hand sanitizer
In light of what is going on in the world right now it can be difficult to even get hand sanitizer. I know I can’t find it on the shelf. You can make your own with this recipe here.
SAVE MNEY AND LEARN SOME SKILLS
So as you can see there are many things you can make at home that can save you money and a trip to the store. You will also learn some new skills as you learn how to make new things. Is there something you make all the time instead of buy it that isn’t on the list? I’d love to hear what that is in the comments below.
I never knew I could make DIY hand sanitizer; that is really cool! I am planning on trying that out after we have our home’s carpet cleaning in sacramento ca finished.