I decided to experiment with making DIY natural eye makeup remover out of pure necessity. I was just about to run out of the name brand natural-ish eye makeup remover and thought the $20 price tag attached to it could be better invested in buying some Castile soap, which I could use to make many other homemade products in the future. … [Read more...]
My family is in love with this post right now because they were the recipients of all my creations. These are tried and true DIY snacks using bananas that your family will enjoy, too! … [Read more...]
I have this thing about making red, white and blue crafts, treats, decorations, and food for our patriotic holidays. My kids think it is neat to see what I come up with and certainly enjoy consuming anything I make. I try not to go way overboard, but I like to keep in mind using red, white and blue food items because it can really help decorate the table and make it seem more festive without having to spend money on decorations. … [Read more...]
Recently, when we were on vacation, we ate at a pizza place that served our pizza by the yard with homemade chili oil and fresh basil pesto. We ate there several times and I couldn't get enough of it. I knew I had to make some at home. The cost of chili oil varies greatly with some gourmet bottles costing $20-$30 for an 8-ounce bottle and smaller bottles costing under $10. I made an 8-ounce bottle of chili oil myself for UNDER $1. … [Read more...]
When you live 30 minutes from the store, you try really hard to make sure you have everything you need on hand to do your cooking or baking. But sometimes you do forget to put something on your shopping list, and you don't realize it until you're in the middle of making dinner. With neighbors few and far between and a long drive to town, it's better to make some simple ingredient substitutions to help you finish your cooking. Just a few ingredient subsitutions can help you save money on … [Read more...]
One of the best ways to save on groceries is to have a plan. And if plans go awry, then having a stash of meals in the freezer is a great way to make sure you eat at home instead of hitting the drive-thru. I'm a big fan of make-ahead meals. I'm NOT a big fan of spending all day in the kitchen preparing them. That's why I'm so excited that my friend Erin Chase from $5 Dinners has come up with a brand new set of meal plans to get dinner prepped quickly and on a budget. … [Read more...]
It's easy to learn how to make your own butter. It doesn't take many ingredients or a lot of time, and the results are amazing. Of course, unless you have access to cream from a dairy farm, you won't save any save any money by making your own. I don't have access to free cream, but let me tell you a few reasons why we decided to make our own butter. I like being able to control how much salt is used in the butter. I like being able to teach my children about how a commercial product can … [Read more...]