Maybe you’re into natural living, or maybe you want to save some extra cash. Maybe you’re like me and sometimes just feel a little crafty and want to make things from scratch. Check out these easy recipes for homemade products to make all of your daily essentials.
Bonus! A lot of these recipes call for the same ingredients, making them all even more frugal.
1. Homemade Hair Masks
Coconut oil makes THE best hair mask. Just make sure you wash and rinse extremely well or your hair will be greasy.
You can pay $28.00 for the Kopari Coconut Melt or you can pay $16.99 for coconut oil at Costco. Since I like saving, I go for the Costco price and get the best deal.
We also have insane uses for coconut oil to help you get the most out of that Costco buy, too.
Shop the best Costco deals.
2. Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets
Start with 1/2 cup of instant oatmeal and then add 2 teaspoons of any spice you choose — cinnamon is my favorite. You can also add dried fruit or nuts.
A 12-pack of store bought packets of Quaker Instant Oatmeal with Brown Sugar at Walmart is $2.50 ($0.25/oz).
I suggest you buy the Quaker Oats, Quick 1 Minute Oatmeal, 18 oz canister for $2.68 ($0.15/oz) at Walmart, then split it into snack-size zip bags mixed with your choice of spices. When you’re ready, cook according to the directions on the box.
Shop the best Walmart deals.
3. Homemade Sunscreen
Sunscreen feels like a necessary evil. We need the protection from skin cancer, but what are all of those nasty chemicals doing to us in the long run? Enter homemade sunscreen. All natural and totally cheap!
Melt 1/4 cup coconut oil, 1/4 cup beeswax, 2 tablespoons non-nano zinc, 2 tablespoons shea butter and 3 tablespoons almond oil in a jar. Cool and apply anytime you’re outside.
If you feel like sunscreen is something you just have to buy, then check out these sunscreen coupons.
4. Homemade Dog Treats
Dogs are the best and they deserve tasty treats. I like to mix a can of pureed pumpkin with a banana in my food processor or blender. Then I spoon it into an ice cube tray and freeze. They’re great to help your dog cool down in the summer heat!
When I buy treats, I always make sure to check out the KCL dog coupon page first.
5. Homemade Toothpaste
We suggest you never pay for toothpaste anyway and wait for our favorite stock-up price: FREE. But if you aren’t into couponing then making your own is inexpensive and environmentally friendly. You just need baking soda and activated charcoal powder — you can snag some on Amazon for around $1.34 an ounce, and it acts as a natural whitener.
Want to see what a good toothpaste deal is? Check this out:
Buy 2 Colgate Optic White Advanced Whitening Toothpaste, $3.99
Buy 2, receive 4,000 Balance Rewards Points
Use two $1.00/1 – Colgate Optic White Advanced Whitening manufacturer coupon
Pay $5.98, receive 4,000 Balance Rewards Points ($4.00)
Total: $0.99 each, when you buy 2
Get toothpaste coupons.
6. Homemade Taco Seasoning
The best thing about homemade taco seasoning is that you can make it as spicy — or not — as you like. Add your favorite spices, like chili powder, cumin and garlic powder. Mix and then store in an airtight container.
You can also just buy McCormick Culinary Taco Seasoning at Walmart for $0.22/oz, but we recommend waiting until a coupon drops to save even more.
7. Homemade Lotion
I like my sensitive skin moisturized always. When I buy Cetaphil from Target, I pay $1.47/oz full price, but I stock up when I get lucky and have a Cartwheel deal and a manufacturer coupon. My deal looks like this:
Buy 1 Cetaphil Restoraderm Skin Restoring Body Moisturizer: $14.69
Use 1 Cartwheel offer $2.00/1
Use 1 manufacturer coupon$2.00/1
Use Target RedCard to get 5% off
Total spent: $10.15
Total Saved: $4.54
Get lotion coupons.
This recipe from Delia in a Nutshell is a little more labor intensive but still around $4.00 a batch and totally worth it if you have sensitive skin.
8. Homemade Glass Cleaner
The secret ingredient to a good DIY glass cleaner? Cornstarch! Seriously. Mix it with rubbing alcohol, vinegar and essential oil for the best glass cleaner ever.
We also have 23 best home cleaning hacks of all time, if that’s your kind of thing.
9. Homemade Face Masks
Confession: I’m a face mask junkie. But, man, those things are expensive! I can spend as much as $9.00 for ONE mask!
This recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of melted coconut oil and 1 tablespoon of organic honey. It gets messy, but after I leave it on my face for 15 minutes, my skin is soft and glowing.
10. Homemade Vegetable Stock
If you eat your vegetables then you can make totally free vegetable stock. Just save your scraps in a freezer bag. Once you have a full gallon-size freezer bag, toss it with some garlic, onion and pepper, then add 12 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer for at least 45 minutes. Strain it into mason jars and you have delicious stock!
Shop the best Ziploc deals.
11. Homemade Smoothies
Smoothie prepping saves my sanity — and my health! Unless there’s a good smoothie deal out there, I make my own.
I put a handful of spinach, a diced banana and a 1/4 cup of frozen fruit in a freezer bag. When I’m ready, I blend it all with a cup of almond milk.
12. Homemade Laundry Detergent
One-fourth cup Borax, 1 gallon distilled water, 2 tablespoons Dawn dish soap and 1/3 cup washing soda. That’s it. Mix it together in a large container for squeaky-clean laundry.
Of course, if you like laundry deals, then we have plenty.
13. Homemade Body Scrub
If you drink coffee, then just save your grounds and mix them with some coconut oil. This is an all-natural scrub that you can use on your skin and your lips to keep them smooth and moisturized.
Shop the best coffee coupons.
14. Homemade Liquid Hand Soap
We see soap coupons often, but when I can’t get a good deal, I like to make my own. Plus, I can use essential oils to customize the scent.
Combine water, castile soap and lemon essential oil — or whatever scent you like! — to make some foamy soap.
RELATED: Top Ways a Newbie Can Use Essential Oils
15. Homemade Bug Spray
I love nature but I hate the bites and stings that always seem to accompany it.
I make my own bug spray by boiling dried herbs then mixing them with witch hazel. I have to apply it more often, but it smells so nice and keeps the bites at bay!
When I do buy bug repellent, I like the clip-ons that don’t go on my skin. Check out this recent deal we found:
Buy 1 Off! Clip-On Refill (reg. $6.99) $1.74 clearance price
Use 1 $0.55/1 Off! Product, manufacturer coupon
Total: $1.19
Total Saved: $5.80
Get Off! coupons.
16. Homemade Lip Balm
I love lip balm and lipstick and lip gloss. My makeup bag is full of all of them, which makes me wonder how much I’ve actually spent over the years!
This recipe from Easy Peasy Creative uses beeswax, almond oil, coconut oil, essential oils and food coloring (which is totally optional).
You can check out these other 7 surprising ways to get free or affordable makeup if you can’t get enough.
17. Homemade Carpet Cleaner
Kids and pets don’t mix with carpet, in my humble opinion. Unfortunately, I have all three, which makes a good carpet cleaner necessary.
I like to mix equal parts dish soap, warm water, baking soda and white vinegar in a spray bottle and go to town.
I also like to buy carpet cleaner when I find deals like this one:
Buy 1 Stainmaster Carpet Pet Stain Remover, $3.97
Use 1 $0.75/1 Stainmaster product, manufacturer coupon
Submit $1.00/1 Stainmaster product, via Ibotta
18. Homemade Lemon Scented Dust Cloths
Dusting is my least favorite chore. But combining old rags — or even ripped up T-shirts — in a jar with white vinegar, olive oil and lemon peel makes dusting my house almost pleasant.
19. Homemade Croutons
Is there a better salad accessory than carbs? I think not. If you don’t use up your bread before it goes stale then cube it and toss it with some olive oil and Italian seasoning. Bake it until toasty and enjoy.
Save them to go with one of these 20 delicious dinners you can make in under 20 minutes!
20. Homemade French Fries
via Dishing Delish
Serious french fry addict here, admitting that fast food just isn’t good for me on the daily. I get around that by slicing up potatoes and then dropping them in my air fryer.
Don’t have an air fryer yet? Check out our air fryer deals page. You won’t regret it.
21. Homemade Swiffer Wet Jet Solution
You can buy the solution when there are coupons for it, but you can also just make it yourself with equal parts distilled water and white vinegar, plus a few drops of Dawn.
Shop the best Dawn deals.
22. Homemade Ice Packs
We go through ice packs aplenty in my house. Rather than buying them, I mix one part rubbing alcohol with three parts water in a plastic zipper bag then freeze. The rubbing alcohol helps prevent the water from freezing solid.
23. Homemade Yogurt Pops
Let your kids pick their favorite yogurt flavors — or get whichever have the best coupons! — and cut a slit in the top. Use a sturdy plastic spoon as a handle then freeze solid. Peel the lids off and the yogurt should literally pop right out!
24. Homemade Dishwasher Tabs
This recipe will take a little longer, but it’s so easy! Make your own dishwashing and laundry detergent tabs with Krazy Coupon Lady’s recipe!
25. Homemade Dry Dog Shampoo
Dogs are man’s (stinkiest) best friend. Lucky for you, we know how to keep them smelling fresh in between baths. Get some cornstarch, essential oil and baking soda ready then follow our 8 tips to make your own dry dog shampoo!
UP NEXT: Check out KCL’s favorite home hacks!
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