Save Money While Washing Your Hair

I wrote a couple days ago about saving money by making your own beauty care products. Making your own products, such as the ones I listed recipes for, is a great way to be frugal without giving up your beauty routine. But one other way that you can save money and still look great is by going No Poo.

No, it isn't what you think! What the "poo" in No Poo stands for is shampoo. That's right, skipping the shampoo when you wash your hair can save you money each month. But don't think that it means letting your hair become a dirty, oily mess. There is a system to No Poo that, when done correctly, can leave your hair looking better than ever. That's because most shampoos are made with chemicals that actually strip and damage your hair. Choosing to go No Poo can save your hair's health.

And it can save you money. With shampoo costing $4 per bottle and up you can spend quite a lot to keep your hair clean. Those who go No Poo spend just pennies a month to make their own cleaning paste from baking soda and water. Then rinse it off with vinegar and your hair will become healthier and more beautiful than you've ever known.

A disclaimer here: Because of years of regular shampoo use it can takes days or weeks to get your hair back to a healthy, chemical-free state. Often people will find their hair looking quite bad while they wait for it to even out. Think of it as the dark before the light, and buy lots of hats. It's worth it though! If you are interested in learning more click here to read about what is No Poo.

Low Cost Baby Care

Having a baby can be expensive, that's what they say. But what if there were a way to lower your costs? I've written an article on how to have a baby without spending a lot of money as well as a tip on making your own baby food. So what else can you do?

If you are crafty you can skip buying and go straight to making new thins for your little one. Clothing, bibs, even the bedding can all be sewn for a fraction of the cost of new. Thre are several sites that offer free clothing patterns, even patterns for knitting and crocheting too. There are even patterns to make crib sheets and quilts if you need to.

Thre are many baby items that are freguently needed and can cost quite a lot lof money. Diaper rash cream is one such item that can add up. Instead using Vaseline or petroleum jelly works just as well in creating a protective barrior. The gel from an Aloe Vra plant works wonders on diaper rashes also. Many breastfeeding mothers also swear on applying breastmilk to a diaper rash to both soothe and heal the rash.

There are many ways to help lower the cost of having a baby. Making your own baby items is one simple way to save a bundle for your bundle. If you have anyother tips please share!

Make Your Own Personal Care Products

Making your own products is a great way to save money. Not only that but using natural ingredients is often better for you than the chemicals found in many ovr te counter personal products. In the spirit of saving you money and time I am going to share my three favorite recipes for personal care products. I hope you enjoy!

Facial Cleaner

4 very ripe, medium sized strawberries

1 drop peppermint essential oil

This is a very easy to make, low cost, and effective way to clean your face. Slice the strawberries and remove the green stems. In a small bowl mash the strawberries slices into a pulp. Then squeeze the strawberries, you can use a cheese cloth or even nylon hose, catching the juice in a small bowl. Mix the oil with the juice and stir. Apply this mixture to your ace and neck, avvoiding the eyes, and let sit for one minute. Then rince with cool water.

pH Restorer

2 cups water

1/4 cup raw apple cider vingar

10 drops your favorite essential oil (lavender or lemon work nicely)

Combine in a plastic container and stir to mix. I use cheap plastic squeeze bottles that I can find in beauty supply shops for $1. You can use this as an astringent on your skin, applying about a teaspoon to a dry cotton ball then washing the face. You can also use this as a rinse for your hiar to restore the pH shampoo strips away.

Purifying Clay Mask

1 tablespoon powdred French green clay

2 drops chamomile essential oil

aloe vera juice

French green clay (AKA Illite Clay) is one of the most effective and most commonly used mineral skin clays. Don't worry, you can buy an 8 oz jar of French Green Clay Powder for around $6. IN a small bowl swisk the clay with just enough aloe vera juice to form a smooth paste. Then stir in the oil. You can use this as a facial mask by applying to the face, lett dry for 20-30 minutes, then rinse clean. It can also be used as an overnight blemish treatment. Dab some oneto the blemish and let harden overnight. Rinse clean in the morning.

Tips For Using Coupons

Using coupons can be a great way to save money on the things you need. But in the excitement of saving money some people can use coupons and end up spending more than they planned. How? It is all in the fine print.

Coupons often have limits put on them. Where you can use them, how many items you can buy, and if you can use them on with other sales are some of the limitations that companies can tack onto their coupons. Not knowing these limits can sometimes end up costing you more. Before you go shopping take the time to review what limits are on your coupons and decide if they will really help you. Saving a few cents off a frequently purchased item may seem great, unless you have to drive out of the way to use it or you can only use the coupon with the purchase of a product you do not normally buy.

Also always be sure that the coupons you are using have not expired. Some may last months while others may have a usage time of a few days or weeks. Taking a stack of coupons to the counter only to discover that half of them are out date is not only embarrassing it can also cost you if you are shopping with limited funds.

Before you go shopping take some time to check you coupons. It can save you time and money.

Garage Sale Shopping Tips

Garage sale season is winding down. As the summer ends and fall begins to show more and more the typical weekends full of yard sales seem less and less frequent. But you can still take advantage of those sales to get great bargains on things you need. With patience and an eye for a discount anyone can save money by visiting garage sales. Here are some tips to help you:

• Find good areas and stick with them. Driving all over town trying to find deals can end up costing you time and money. Instead find an area that you know has the best selections. Often high class areas will have items for sale that are of higher quality and used less. Also stick to areas that you know you can get what you need. if you are looking for children's clothes an area populated by singles or elderly is less likely to have what you might need.


• Shop with a list. Often we can be dazzled by all the things for sale that we end up walking away with far more than what we need. Instead keep a list of what items you are looking for and try to stay with that.
  


• Set a budget for what you will spend. Make a note of how much total money you have and are willing to spend. Keeping that number in mind will help you not to go overboard. It also helps to keep an individual budget. Make a list of what you are willing to pay for certain items and stick with that. For instance, you might make a note of not spending more than a quarter on a book or more than $2 on a pair of jeans.
  


• Don't be afraid to haggle. One of the joys of garage sales is being able to haggle down the price. This takes balance, as trying to go too far down is seen as rude and can make the seller refuse to sell to you. But haggling the price down some, especially if you are buying multiple items, is a great way to save a little more.

Shopping at garage sales can be great ways to get items you need, find gifts for friends and family, and even find items that can be resold for a small profit. By being smart about how you shop at garage sales and yard sales you can save money and still walk away with what you need.

Coupons Can Save You Money

Every frugal shoppper knows that coupons can save money. Though it may not seem like much one by one those few cents can add up. That's part of how America's cheapest family saves money on groceries. You can clip coupons from newspapers that often have flyers featuring coupons from local grocery stores. Certain brands of food will also toss in aditional coupons into newspapers around the country.

You can also get coupons online. Visit the websites of your favorite brands and you will often find special discounts only available online. Even some grocery stores offer special coupons you can only find online. You can also visit websites specifically designed to help you save. Coupons.com and Wow Print Couons Coupon Chief are two such sites that allow you to pick which coupons you want to use and print them off to use instore. Other sites such as Coupon Chief and Coupon Cabin have discounts that you can use when shopping online.

To those trying to be more frugal coupons can be a great way to save money on your grocery bills.