I have collected a lot of recipes for things I can make at home to save my family some money. Most of these work pretty well, but you may have to tweak some of them to get them the way you want.
Warning: Essential oils are mentioned in some of the cleaning recipes. You should use essential oils with caution. Not all essential oils are the same and some can cause allergic reactions. Also, it is recommended that you use glass when storing anything made with essential oils because they can eat away at plastic.
Cleaning products
Lysol Spray – This recipe is made with vodka, but you can use rubbing alcohol, vinegar or hydrogen Peroxide.
Clorox disinfectant wipes – You can make these with water, rubbing alcohol and Dawn dish liquid (or your favorite dish soap). You can get the exact recipe here
Laundry detergent – I like to make liquid laundry detergent because the powdered kind doesn’t seem to dissolve in my washing machine very well. I haven’t used the homemade powdered version, but the store versions would just clump up. I am not the best person to ask about washing laundry though so it may have just been me. If you would like to read about my first attempt at making liquid laundry detergent you can go here and here is my second attempt which I liked much better.
Bleach Alternative – This recipe is used in place of bleach for whites in your laundry. It is made with 3 percent hydrogen peroxide so it could still bleach colored clothes. The recipe calls for adding 2 cups in with your usual detergent, but in the comments, it was mentioned that you could start with one cup. She also warns that you need to keep it in a dark place or in a dark bottle because it won’t last long if exposed to light. Evidently, hydrogen peroxide starts to break down when exposed to light.
Dishwasher detergent – I have used this recipe and I loved it. Using the vinegar rinse makes a big difference. If you decide not to use it, your dishes may come out cloudy. I don’t have a dishwasher anymore, but if I did I would still be using this version. This site also added a tablet version
Daily Shower Cleaner – This is that stuff that you spray in your shower or tub every day so that it stays clean longer. If you use this after cleaning your tub or shower, you won’t have to clean it as often.
Stain remover – This is a simple and easy stain remover.
Soft Scrub – This is recipe is made with Castile soap which I think is kind of expensive. It is mentioned in the comments that you can use dish soap or dishwasher liquid. Someone mentioned that they ran out of the Castile soap and used dish soap and it wasn’t as effective. It seems that the dishwasher liquid would work well, but isn’t as organic as Castile soap.
Dryer sheets – I have used the wet dryer sheets, but I haven’t tried drying them on the clothesline before. This site says the dry dryer sheets are reusable over and over again. The recipe calls for fabric softener, but it doesn’t use much. You can use a store bought kind or your favorite homemade version.
Toilet Cleaner – You can use the toilet cleaner tabs, the liquid that you leave and forget until the next morning, or you can use baking soda and vinegar this way. I personally love the idea of pouring the liquid and forgetting it until the next morning.
Fabric softener – This recipe calls for Suave Rosemary and Mint Conditioner. I haven’t tried this one yet, but it sounds like it would smell wonderful. You can use any conditioner you have, but I would love to find this one on sale.
Hair and Beauty products
Shampoo – Have you ever heard of “no poo” shampoo? Well, it seems to be a big thing on the internet so I decided to try it. I liked this one because I could lather it up and it was made with a delicate baby shampoo. It also left my hair feeling clean and didn’t dry my hair out like my regular shampoo. This recipe uses coconut milk and she even shows you how to make it homemade. If you prefer a more natural shampoo, you can try this one.
Lotion – I haven’t made any of the lotions on this site, but they all look really good. If you would like to see a list of homemade lotions, go here and search on the site for lotions. Or try this link that might go directly to the search I tried.
Lip balm - All-Natural DIY Lip Balm
Make-up remover wipes – recipe
Gifts
Mother’s Day - 13 Handmade Ways to Say “I Love You” This Mother’s Day
Father’s Day - 31 Handmade Gifts Dad Will Love, 50+ Creative Father’s Day Gift Ideas for Every Kind Of Dad
Birthdays – 2 Inspiring Gift Basket Ideas That You Can Easily Copy
Christmas – 10 Unique Ideas for Easy-To-Make Stocking Stuffers, Top 25 Homemade
Holiday Gifts Ideas with Essential Oils
Any occasion - Simple Handmade Gifts – Part One
Teachers - Simply Sensational Gifts for Teachers!
Processed and canned foods
Mac n Cheese - Top 10 Mac & Cheese Recipes
Baked beans - The Best Baked Beans Ever
Drinks
Frappuccino – My girls and I love this recipe. It is definitely better if you make her concentrated coffee from this iced coffee recipe. By the way, the iced coffee is delicious too.
Pumpkin Smoothie
Frosty – My youngest daughter and I made this version, but we don’t have an ice cream machine so we just stuck it in a plastic container and placed in the freezer. It has been so long ago that I can’t remember how it took to get the right consistency in the freezer. I was thinking that it might have been about 2-3 hours. We left the leftovers in there overnight and it was just like eating ice cream from the store. Yummy!
Nesquick – This homemade recipe tastes pretty good, but the cocoa doesn’t dissolve very well. There are some tips for helping it dissolve on the site.
Condiments
BBQ Sauce – Homemade BBQ Sauce
Ranch Dressing - An Ode to Homemade Ranch Dressing!
Candles
Citronella – Make Your Own Citronella Candles For Backyard Bugs!
Seasonings
Taco – Homemade Taco Seasoning
BBQ Rub - DIY BBQ Spice Rub Recipes
Desserts
Candy Bars – 25+ Homemade Candy Recipes
Cake Mixes – Homemade Cake Mix – Chocolate & Yellow
Pudding – Homemade Pudding Mix
Dog Food and Treats –
Homemade dog food may not save you money, but I put it here so that you will have some safe alternatives in a, “Oh, no we forgot dog food” moment. Or maybe the budget is tight and you are thinking about feeding your beloved pet some table food.
There are a lot of different homemade dog foods and treats out there. I have collected some of them here, but you can do a search or go on Pinterest to find more.
Baking Goods
Sweetened condensed milk – Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk Recipe
Powdered sugar - Homemade Powdered Sugar - 2 Ingredients
Miscellaneous
Bug Repellant - Make Your Own Natural Mosquito Repellent
Poopourri – This is the stuff that you spray in the toilet before you go to cover any bad smells. I love this idea and it is so easy to make. It is made with distilled water, vodka or rubbing alcohol and essential oils. Here are the recipe and some tips. If you like using witch hazel, you can use this recipe.
You will notice that a lot of my recipes come from One Good Thing By Jillee. I love her website. It is full of homemade recipes that actually work. You could probably spend hours on her site and still not read everything.
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