Leslie, the publisher of Crunchy Betty, is an avid blogger of all things homemade beauty and household. From the quirky town of Manitou Springs, CO, she writes about freeing yourself from chemical attachment by learning how to make your own skincare recipes and home cleaners, as well as organic living, and a lot of humor thrown in. Do you have food on your face? You should!

Crunchy Betty’s Top 10 Thriftiest Homemade Beauty and Household Tips

We’re all here to be a bit more thrifty, and let me tell you, making your own skincare/haircare and household products is one of the thriftiest things you can do. And it’s easier than you think! I’ve put together my absolute favorite 10 household and beauty tips for you here at CouponTeacher. I have tons of other recipes and ideas at Crunchy Betty, but I wanted to give you the best of the thriftiest best here. Do you have any to add?

Use ALL your lemon. There are so many things to do with the lemon you have left after juicing, so don’t just chuck it in the garbage disposal! You can sprinkle salt on it and use it to clean your stove or your cutting board. Or rub it over your face for a quick oil-removing, toning mask (just don’t forget to rinse it off after 10 minutes, as it does lighten the skin if left on for too long). And my favorite thrifty tip with lemons: Hull out the meat of half a lemon, fill the rind with sea salt, and tuck it in a musty or stinky area of the house – like near the litterbox – for instant, green, nontoxic air freshening! You can leave it there for up to 3 months.

Don’t toss the tops of strawberries! After you’ve cut off the tops of strawberries, you know how there’s still a little flesh stuck to the leaves? Run that flesh over your teeth – scrub it in – and it acts as a very effective tooth whitener. Just let the juice sit on your teeth for a minute or two, and then swish down with water. Or, if you happen to have a clean, makeup-less face at the moment, run the flesh all over your face for a quick and easy fruit mask. Allow the juice to sit for 10-15 minutes, and then rinse off with warm water. Strawberries help eradicate pimples, lighten dark spots, and give you a super-dose of antioxidants (which also work as anti-wrinkle agents).

Stop buying facial scrubs and make your own. One of the most cost-effective and beautifying things you can do, right now, is to stop buying facial scrubs and make your own. Here’s a thrifty, long-lasting scrub that works with any skin type: 1/2 c. finely ground oats, 1/2 c. finely ground raw almonds, 2 Tbsp. fine sea salt, and 2 Tbsp finely ground dried lavender. Mix it all together and keep it in a small jar in your bathroom (it keeps for 6 months or more). To use: Put approximately 2 tsp in your hand and add a small bit of water, witch hazel (for oily skin) or milk (for dry skin) until you have a watery paste. Scrub your skin with it for two minutes and then rinse off. Finish with toner or moisturizer – or just rinse and be done!

Break out the baking soda – it does a million thrifty things! All thrifty kitchens should be stocked, and stocked well, with baking soda. There are hundreds upon hundreds of things you could do with it, but here are some of my favorites:

• Use it as a facial exfoliator with just a slight bit of water. Make a paste and then gently rub in circular motions over a clean face. It clears off the layer of dead skin to reveal vibrant, soft skin underneath.
• Treat heartburn quickly and effectively with baking soda: Just put 1 tsp of baking soda in a glass of water and drink up. It neutralizes the acids on contact.
• Get rid of warts by sprinkling baking soda over the affected area and then pouring a few drops of white vinegar on top. Do this every morning and night, until the wart is gone.
• Clean your sink quickly and frugally by sprinkling a bit of baking soda over it and wiping it down with a damp sponge.
• Stop paying more for deodorizing cat litter! Just add 1/4 c. of baking soda to Fluffy’s litterbox, and you’ve saved money (and freshened your home).

Use plain white vinegar in the dishwasher rinse well. No need to buy Jet-Dry or anything like it – you can get the exact same results just by pouring white vinegar in your dishwasher rinse well. You could even add a few drops of lemon essential oil to the mix, if you want fresh-smelling, extra shiny dishes.

“Shampoo” your hair with cornstarch. Once or twice a week, skip shampooing in the shower and opt for a “dry shampoo.” Just rub a tablespoon or two of cornstarch over your dry scalp, and brush it out briskly. Cleans oil and grime off your hair and leaves it fresh and looking “just-washed!”

Use olive oil instead of chemical-packed eye makeup remover. If you have olive oil in your kitchen, there’s no need to keep buying makeup remover just for your eyes. Simply pour a few drops onto a cotton ball and swipe gently over your eyes a time or two (you might want a cotton ball for each eye). Cleans the makeup like a breeze, and offers extra amazing moisturizing properties!

Kick the dryer-sheet habit. Dryer sheets are expensive and terrible for the environment. Cut an old pillowcase into strips, put them in a lidded container and soak them in white vinegar. Use these strips just as you would dryer sheets. It totally kills the static and is reusable! Just toss the strips back into the vinegar as they’re dry. I keep two containers in my house – one with vinegar next to the dryer and one empty one in the bedroom, so I can easily sort out the dryer sheets as I’m folding clothes.

Extend the life of your shampoo with an herbal infusion. Shampoos are traditionally more potent than our hair actually needs, so they have a tendency to strip natural oils and overdry hair (which then leads us to buy more product to fix it). You can extend the life of your shampoo by half just by adding a homemade herbal infusion. Simply steep 2 Tbsp of the herb of your choice (chamomile and green tea are great for blonde hair, black tea and cloves are good for brunettes, and hibiscus or orange pekoe tea are good for redheads) in 1 c. boiling water for 20 minutes. Strain and add to 1/2 bottle of shampoo. Shake well. Use as you normally would.

Make a salt scrub for your hands and save on lotion! All winter long, I like to keep a small jar of salt scrub next to the sink. Whenever my hands feel dry, I simply use the scrub and they’re glowing and soft in minutes! One scrub treatment will typically keep my hands moisturized and soft for nearly a week. Combine 1/2 c. fine sea salt with 1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Scoop out a small amount and scrub your hands with it for 2 minutes. Rinse the salt off, but leave the oil on. Continue to massage the oil into your hands. Beautiful!

These are just a few really thrifty tips that you can do at home – right now – with things you probably already have in your kitchen. Healthy, eco-conscious, and – best of all – VERY inexpensive.
Do you have any homemade tips and tricks you use to save money – for your house or for your skin?

A Note From Coupon Teacher, “I can’t wait to try some of these when I have time.  A big thanks to Crunchy Betty for literally saving Thrifty Thursday today!”

Do you have a Thrifty idea? Did you save a ton of money this week?  Do you have a Thrifty deal you want to share?

If so, please leave a comment or link up below!

If possible, please leave a link back to Coupon Teacher so that we can all share ideas.

This is linked to Life as Mom and Madame Deals.

Now, I realize that this varies from area to area in the country and that kids are often picky.  I am going to assume for this article that your child does not received free and reduced lunch.  If you qualify for this program, I strongly encourage you to contact your child’s school.  I hate to say it, but many schools receive federal funding based on their % of students with free and reduced lunch.  I say, if you qualify and it doesn’t bother your conscience, please take advantage.

Saving on Lunches Bought at School:

• Many school lunches are based on a fixed base price, so unless they are really hungry, request that your child does not buy an extra entree or side.  I had a young man at school buy 3 entrees and barely finish 1 1/2 of them.
• Many cafeterias still sell snack type items and even ice cream at lunch.  At my school, a parent can actually block the child’s account for them to not purchase these items.  I know it may seem mean, but many times the kids eat an ice cream bar and a cookie instead of their lunch.  And they pay for it all.
• Pack an extra treat, even if they are buying school lunch. If you feel bad about your son or daughter not being able to buy extras, many schools will allow students to bring food into the cafeteria.  (At least if you send the treat, you know what is in it, what you paid for it, and that your child likes it.)

Saving on Packed Lunches:

• Don’t buy individually wrapped items, unless they are free. It is usually cheaper to buy a whole bag of chips, pretzels, cookies, etc. than to buy individually wrapped ones. The same goes for fruit and veggies. Check out Snack Taxi’s or Lunch Skins to save on the price of plastice baggies and the waste.
• Use leftovers, if your child likes them.  I can still picture one of my students this year loving every bite of some of her mom’s leftovers.  Just be aware that many schools won’t allow students to reheat things.
• Don’t over pack.  Send only what your child might normally eat at home.  I can’t tell you how much food I see wasted every day, and most of it is the healthy stuff.
• Pack unconventionally.  If you child hates sandwiches, don’t force them on him or her.  Think about other sources of energy like healthy crackers, yogurt, fruit, nuts, etc.
• Invest in a good thermos that doesn’t leak.  It will save a ton of money on drinks/juice boxes.

Are you a lunch packer?  Or does your child eat school lunch?  What are your tips for saving?

Do you have a Thrifty idea? Did you save a ton of money this week?  Do you have a Thrifty deal you want to share?

If so, please leave a comment or link up below!

If possible, please leave a link back to Coupon Teacher so that we can all share ideas.

This is linked to Life as Mom and Madame Deals.

I am not getting on a soapbox today.  I am writing this to help myself (and you) remember that it is important to take care of what we have.

Our society tells us, if something breaks, we can buy another. I say, if we care for it, it won’t break as quickly, which will save us money. (This is a lesson we all need to learn, but I urge you to especially teach it to your children.)

Electronics and cell phones. Broke your cell phone because you dropped it? No problem! Order another on Ebay, or maybe it is time to upgrade.  Cell phones and other electronics are not cheap.  Do your best to care for them.

• Carry items carefully and store them properly.
• Don’t get electronics near water. (Yes, you shouldn’t take your cell phone in the bathroom.)
• Do what you can to preserve batteries and/or buy items with rechargeable batteries.
• Treat your electronics well, you probably spend more money on them than any other household item.

Cars and other vehicles. I will say that this is one of my downfall’s.  You don’t need a new car.  You just need to take car of the one you have.

• Change the oil every 3000-5000 miles.
• Keep up the basic maintenance, like brakes, wipers, and tires.
• Wash it occasionally.  Especially if you live in colder climates with lots of salt on the roads.
• Find a good, trustworthy mechanic to take care of things that are over your head.

Personal Items and Clothing. Do you follow the directions for washing your clothing? For example, I just accidentally dried one of my bras.  A few days later, a wire popped out.  Coincidence? I think not.

• Wash most items in cold or warm water to extend their life.
• Keep hair dryers and curling irons unplugged and in safe parts of the house.
• Follow directions for caring for items.
• Get handy with a need and thread. (Repair instead of replace.)

Kitchen appliances and kitchenware. Dreaming of a new fridge, because yours is ugly?  Unless you have an extremely old and inefficient model, you will probably be find without a new one.

• Replace appliances only when the cannot be repaired or are too inefficient.
• Follow directions for caring for your appliances. (Yes, occasionally clean your oven.)
• Don’t put items into the dishwasher, unless you know they are dishwasher safe.
• Store kitchen items in safe, dry, organized places to extend their life.

We don’t have to be a throw away society.  With a few changes, we can learn to save our belongings, and the money we would spend replacing them.

Do you have a Thrifty idea? Did you save a ton of money this week?  Do you have a Thrifty deal you want to share?

If so, please leave a comment or link up below!

If possible, please leave a link back to Coupon Teacher so that we can all share ideas.

This is linked to Life as Mom and Madame Deals.

I have to admit.  It was almost painful for me to write this post.  I feel like I just got out of school, and I still have 5 weeks or so off work.  The thought of back to school is not thrilling me yet, (it will by August 18th, I promise.) I will write another post next week about back to school clothes and shoes!

Shopping for Back to School  Supplies Tips

• Keep an eye on the office supply flyers. Staples, Office Max, Office Depot, Target, and Walmart all started their back to school sales this week.   Several of these stores have mail in rebates, so watch out for freebies. There are also $.01 sales many years.  If your store gets sold out on Sunday before you make there, call and ask when they will restock.  In my area it is usually Tuesday or Wednesday.
• Don’t be afraid to price match. Several of the stores I listed above will price match on exact items.  Hopefully you can use price matches to save you a few trips. Beware though, it will have to be on exact brands.  Most stores won’t price match a store brand.
• Don’t feel like you have buy the whole list at once. You will save money if you watch the sales, coupons, and rebates.  You may not be able to get everything in one trip, but if you make one trip each week from now until school starts, you should save a bundle.
• Watch out for tax free weekends in your state. There are good things and bad things about these weekends. Be aware that although things are tax-free, they may not be at a rock bottom price.  Plus the stores are extra busy during those days. This is a good time to make a large purchase, like a computer or printer to save on the tax.
• Don’t forget the dollar stores. If there are items that you just can’t find for cheap, check out Dollar Tree or Dollar General. You never know what you will find.
• Play the drug store game. CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid all have school supply specials too.  On top of that you may be able to find those tissues, hand sanitizer, and Clorox wipes a lot cheaper. (Yes, those are all on the supply list I give out.)
• Keep track of your spending. If you spend over $30 on supplies after following these tips, I believe you should let the teacher or principal of your school know.  As a teacher, I try to keep my supply list reasonably priced, and if I follow these tips, my list would come in under $15 per student.  If your supply list becomes too much of a burden, let someone know.  I know that my county offers supplies and assistance to those who ask for help.

Are you ready for back-to-school?  Do you have any more tips for us to save?

Do you have a Thrifty idea? Did you save a ton of money this week?  Do you have a Thrifty deal you want to share?

If so, please leave a comment or link up below!

Please leave a link back to Coupon Teacher so that we can all share ideas.

This is linked to Life as Mom and Madame Deals.