less-expensive substitutes

[lessisbest]

-When I could no longer find the loose face powder I had used for years, and other brands were over-priced and filled with "gunk" and questionable ingredients, I was determined to find a substitute, I now mix cornstarch with a little cocoa (or cacao) powder to shade it to my skin. It works better than any face powder I've ever used.

-"Zit Fix" - that really works.... a dab of liquid stevia.

-Air freshener - 6-oz. distilled water, 3-oz. witch hazel, a few drops of essential oil of choice

-Skip the more expensive Parmesan cheese and substitute Asiago.

-Deodorant - 1/4 c. witch hazel, 1/4 c. 100% aloe vera gel, 1/4 c. distilled water, 1 t. glycerin - place in a spritz bottle, shake before each use.

What are some of your substitutes?

[kib]

I've just been on a kick about this stuff. I like arrowroot powder better than corn starch, it seems smoother to me but it's not a huge difference.

Shampoo: I was considering nothing at all but can't seem to go cold turkey so currently I'm cheating a little with soapnuts, which is an improvement, and then a rosemary tea as a rinse.


Face and underarm cleaning: I make a concoction that's similar to Seabreeze - water, grain alcohol, and a little bit of coconut, tea tree, peppermint and clove oils, with a few vitamin C capsules thrown in for good measure. I had heard of hot water only or hot water and oil cleaning but my skin actually seemed drier with that so I went back to my alcohol recipe.

Deodorant: coconut oil, arrowroot powder and baking soda, essential oil - a little tea tree for antiseptic, a little orange essence and cinnamon for the yummy smell.

Toothpaste: bentonite clay, arrowroot powder, coconut oil, xylitol and then a little peppermint oil for taste.

I sprinkle a drop of essential oil or two on a towel for "air freshener"

most of the recipes for these things can be found on a site called wellnessmama.com.

I am interested in trying a natural face powder, have heard that in addition to cocoa, cinnamon and ... I think it's turmeric can be used in cornstarch or arrowroot powder, depending on the shade you're going for. - ETA: tried it with just the cocoa, a little too pink for me so I threw in some ginger and gumbo file, the color is good! It's quite drying, though, will have to see how it holds up. I certainly do smell delicious.

The essential oils can be expensive but they last forever.

[lessisbest]

Another money saver is to make your own (milk) kefir using real kefir grains. Unlike yogurt, which needs a new starter after a period of time, kefir grains grow and multiply, and you should have a lifetime supply once you start making milk kefir with them. No special equipment. I make mine in a quart jar with a plastic lid and it incubates at room temperature in the corner on the kitchen counter. I even use powdered milk from our home food storage, so that saves money as well. You use milk-of-choice (cold from the refrigerator) and add the kefir grains and in 12-24-hours you have kefir.

Kefir is not only easier to make than yogurt, but it is also better for you. I use the liquid kefir as a substitute for buttermilk. The curd, which is similar to plain yogurt, is used as is, or drain the whey from it and I use it instead of plain yogurt, cream cheese or sour cream. The drained whey has many uses and is high in protein. I also make coconut kefir using reconstituted coconut milk powder (from Wilderness Family Naturals) and some of my milk kefir grains for a great dessert-style kefir. Yummy topped with homemade granola or fruit for breakfast.

[catherine]

I'm big into vinegar for a multitude of purposes, which DH hates. I don't mind the smell of vinegar when I use it to wash floors. Sometimes I'll throw a used slide of lemon in my cleaning bottle, but unfortunately he still complains about the smell. His mother used to combine ammonia with bleach to clean with, and he didn't seem to mind those toxic fumes, so not sure why vinegar is so offensive to him.

Other less-expensive alternatives I use:

Filtered drinking water out of the tap instead of any other cold beverage
Online yoga classes instead of gym membership
Vegetarian alternatives to meat i.e. portobello mushroom in place of steak

[lessisbest]

Catherine-
You sound like a good candidate for making your own vinegar. Each time we have a whole pineapple, I turn the parings from the outside portion we don't use into vinegar. You can do the same thing with apple parings for RAW apple vinegar (which is what I do after I prepare apples for the dehydrator after running them through my apple-corer-peeler-slicer). Here's a couple web sites on the subject, but you'll find lots more if you are interested.

Pineapple Vinegar - http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2009/11/wild-fermenting-making-vinegar.html

Apple Vinegar - http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/apple-vinegar-from-peels-and-cores.aspx#axzz3IaLWXegB

[catherine]

Catherine-
You sound like a good candidate for making your own vinegar. Each time we have a whole pineapple, I turn the parings from the outside portion we don't use into vinegar. You can do the same thing with apple parings for RAW apple vinegar (which is what I do after I prepare apples for the dehydrator after running them through my apple-corer-peeler-slicer). Here's a couple web sites on the subject, but you'll find lots more if you are interested.

Pineapple Vinegar - http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2009/11/wild-fermenting-making-vinegar.html

Apple Vinegar - http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/apple-vinegar-from-peels-and-cores.aspx#axzz3IaLWXegB

Thank you! Vinegar is one of those things that was a big black "where-does-it-come-from" hole in my brain. I just may try some DIY stuff!

[frugal-one]

lessisbest.... What are your favorite uses of the pineapple vinegar? This is interesting to me as well. I buy pineapples weekly!

[lessisbest]

lessisbest.... What are your favorite uses of the pineapple vinegar? This is interesting to me as well. I buy pineapples weekly!

frugal-one -- I use it for cleaning and also in the washer instead of fabric softener, along with cooking. I also make cleaning/sanitizing wipes out of old washcloths soaked in this solution: 1 c. vinegar, 2 c. distilled water, 20-30 drops Edens Garden "Cleaning" essential oil. I store them in a 48-ounce plastic container.

[awakenedsoul]

I make my own deodorant, too. I use baking soda, coconut oil, cornstarch, and essential oils. I love it! It's so much cheaper than what I used to buy at Whole Foods. I store it in a recycled plastic sorbet jar. For air freshener, I keep a small votive candle holder filled with white vinegar. It sits on the back of the toilet. It really works. I buy white vinegar in bulk at Costco. To clean the tub and bathroom sink I use a paste of baking soda and water. Costco sells baking soda in bulk really cheaply, too. For the floors, I put a tablespoon of Borax and a squirt of dish soap in a bucket of hot water. I like to use cold water with a splash of peppermint oil in the rinse water. It makes the house smell really good. To polish the furniture, I use vinegar and water. To oil the antiques, I use olive oil. Instead of buying meat, I've started buying soup bones. I still make tacos and lasagne with ground beef now and then...but only once a month or so. I reuse the soup bones over and over. They can also be frozen. To feed my plants, I make compost tea. Instead of buying blood and bone meal, I use blood water from my flannel monthly pads. I made the pads out of an old pair of flannel sheets. I wash them in hot water and baking soda, rinse them in vinegar and cold water, and line dry them in the sun. To remove the blood, I soak them in a diaper pail full of cold water and lemon juice. I grow the lemons.

[kib]

I make my own deodorant, too. I use baking soda, coconut oil, cornstarch, and essential oils. I love it! It's so much cheaper than what I used to buy at Whole Foods. I store it in a recycled plastic sorbet jar. For air freshener, I keep a small votive candle holder filled with white vinegar. It sits on the back of the toilet. It really works. I buy white vinegar in bulk at Costco. To clean the tub and bathroom sink I use a paste of baking soda and water. Costco sells baking soda in bulk really cheaply, too. For the floors, I put a tablespoon of Borax and a squirt of dish soap in a bucket of hot water. I like to use cold water with a splash of peppermint oil in the rinse water. It makes the house smell really good. To polish the furniture, I use vinegar and water. To oil the antiques, I use olive oil. Instead of buying meat, I've started buying soup bones. I still make tacos and lasagne with ground beef now and then...but only once a month or so. I reuse the soup bones over and over. They can also be frozen. To feed my plants, I make compost tea. Instead of buying blood and bone meal, I use blood water from my flannel monthly pads. I made the pads out of an old pair of flannel sheets. I wash them in hot water and baking soda, rinse them in vinegar and cold water, and line dry them in the sun. To remove the blood, I soak them in a diaper pail full of cold water and lemon juice. I grow the lemons.:cool:

[awakenedsoul]

Thanks kib. I was just thinking today, "I am so BUSY, just doing this simple living. It seems like I go from dawn to dusk!" (Particularly now that I don't have a car.) It's weird. I like it, but it's a lot of work and it takes a lot of time. It seems like every time I turn around I'm washing dishes, too.

I'm trying to remember what my daily life was like before I started making all of these products. That's another thread...

[kib]

I don't mind an occasional hijack. ;)