Frugal Tactics: Things I Make That Save Us the Most Money

I am still convinced that a good, simple, homemade cookie

 is preferable to all the store-bought cookies one can find.

JAMES BEARD

I have already talked about how bringing our lunches to work and making our coffee at home has saved us a TON of money. Here is a list of the most expensive things I make to save money.

1. Supplements. This involves some math. But find out which supplements are cheaper to make yourself. Sometimes, you can make a better quality organic supplement for cheaper then the grocery store stuff.  I usually buy one pound bags of herbs from Starwest or Frontier brand on Amazon. Not all supplements are worth making to save money. The savings must be significant because it will take time. You have to do the math on the cost of the capsules, capsule maker, the bulk herb, and your time. 

2. Dish Soap. I have been making this dish soap for two years, and it's wonderful. It costs about $8 in supplies, but I am still going through the initial supplies. It cuts through grease and is cheap. 

3. Elderberry Syrup. This is hands down the biggest money saver for us. We take a spoonful everyday for immunity. Every batch I make is a three month supply. I save one hundred dollars for 1.5 hours of time vs. store bought. The time is mostly boiling ingredients. We also save by not spending money on over the counter cold/flu medicines, lost time out from work, and co-pays because we rarely get sick.

4. Herbal Iced Tea. We slowly gave up sodas, then the sugar free drink mix packets, and now we are strictly herbal iced tea drinkers. At all times, you will find two pitchers of unsweetened herbal fruity iced teas in my fridge. We like all the Celestial Seasoning Zingers flavors. All Zinger flavors contain Hibiscus which has antioxidants and is also great for blood pressure. I use one zinger tea bag, and I'll throw in an additional green tea or lemongrass tea bag for added health benefits. A pitcher of iced tea costs us 20 cents. 

5. Vanilla Extract. Making Vanilla Extract is fun because you can go to the liquor store and ask the cashier for the cheapest vodka they have. The trick is to find inexpensive vanilla beans. Add two beans to a cup vodka and let the extraction happen (3 months).

6. Bread. Start with this no knead roll recipe. Easy, vegan, cheap. Plus, watching this guy is so relaxing even if you don't want to make bread. He is the Bob Ross of bread making. He is soothing, and his no-knead bread is fantastic. I also recommend this Miracle Bread recipe from Home Joys. The bread literally looks like a baguette from a magazine, tastes divine, and it is so easy to make! A hot loaf of bread can turn a bowl of vegetable soup into a hearty, cheap meal.

7. Cards for Holidays. I can't believe how much greeting cards are lately- $4 and up. I think that is crazy.  I try to collect neat images from magazines throughout the year and make homemade cards. It doesn't have to be over the top beautiful. They just have to come from the heart.

8. Popcorn. Popcorn is a cheap salty snack. Stop buying the microwave bagged popcorn and buy one of these microwave poppers or a hot air popper. You only get 3 bags of microwave popcorn for $2. A bag of popcorn kernels is under $2 and will last forever. It's a game changer. You add the butter and salt.

9. Salad Dressing.  A $3 bottle of Annie's Green Goddess was our go to dressing. Yum. But now we make our own dressing. Here is our favorite recipe from our friend:

Duke's Salad Dressing

1 1/2 TB Apple Cider Vinegar (or Balsamic vinegar)
6 TB  Water or Olive Oil
2 TB Lemon Juice
1 tsp Mild Mustard (we use Dijon or the kind with seeds)
1 Garlic Clove diced
2 tsp Honey
1/8 tsp Oregano
1/8 tsp Basil
1/4 tsp Black Pepper


10. Vegan Sushi Bowls. The second I saw this Sushi bowel recipe, the clouds parted and the lights turned on in my mind. Not only is it a brilliant idea and crazy delicious, but it is CHEAP. Restaurant sushi just isn't in our budget. We rarely get to eat it. I think we've had sushi twice in 6 years. Sad, I know. But rejoice with me because we can now make vegan sushi for $5. I also found all the ingredients at my small town super Walmart.

We make ours with sushi rice (seasoned with rice vinegar), carrots, cucumbers, avocado, a sheet of nori crumbled, sesame seeds, cubed tofu (marinated with teriyaki sauce and a tiny sprinkle of Old Bay seasoning), pickled ginger, and drizzled with a wasabi soy sauce. I blend a little wasabi into a dish of soy sauce with a fork. This helps every bite have some heat!  Please check out this amazing woman's blog, I could hug her with joy! Take the left over sushi rice and make a quick rice pudding 

What do you make that saves you the most money? Tell us in the comments. Thank you for reading! God bless you.

Whatsoever you do, do it from the heart, as to the Lord, and not to men.

COLOSSIANS 3:23