Store bought granola is expensive and loaded with all kinds of preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, and God only knows what else.  Whenever possible I like to make my own version of store bought family favorites.  This is my recipe for homemade granola.  This is a very basic recipe.  You can add pretty much anything you want once the base granola has cooled.  By making your own you can control what is being consumed by your family and save yourself a bit of cash too.



Homemade Granola Recipe:

• 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 - 2 cups, depending on your preference, nuts or seeds (peanuts, sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, pecans, etc) 

See the golden color of the shredded coconut?

Girl helping to store her favorite snack.

I recently realized how our new way of living really is saving us money, and in turn is also keeping us healthier.  I sat down and made a list of all the things that I no longer buy whether because I have found a less expensive way to do it myself, or because I want to avoid the harmful chemicals contained in the products.  This is what I came up with.

• deodorant - contains harmful chemicals and the cost adds up.  Let's say I was buying three sticks of deodorant each month for myself, Russell, and Boy 1.  Let's also put the price on a more modest scale of $2.50/ea.  That is a savings of $7.50 each month.  I now make our deodorant using coconut oil, arrowroot powder, and essential oils.  I'll post a recipe and how to in the future. 
• laundry detergent - I wash anywhere between 4 and 8 loads of laundry a week.  The cost of laundry detergent definitely adds up.  By making my own (laundry detergent recipe here) I am definitely saving a good chunk of change.  I figure the cost of my homemade detergent is around 0.05 cents per load.  I am also avoiding strong perfumes and other chemicals AND I am reducing waste by reusing containers and not buying more! Sounds like a home run, saving around $20 each month.
• fabric softener - I won't lie.  I miss fabric softener.  I love the smell.  I love the way it makes clothing smell.  There is just something so comforting about it.  But, alas, it is not necessary, and it does contain chemicals.  I use vinegar now instead.  Thankfully vinegar does the job without leaving a stinky smell on the clothes.  Savings estimated at around $6 each month.  
• household cleaners - I buy zero household cleaners now and instead make my own.  I mostly use vinegar but I also use homemade concoctions from rosemary tea, lemon juice, alcohol, borax, fels-naptha, etc.  I'll estimate $3 each month since this was not a monthly expense.
• toothpaste - I read bad bad things about fluoride and glycerin in our toothpastes and that was the end of that.  I now make ours.  It doesn't taste fabulous, but it gets the job done.  Savings: $3 each month.
• dryer sheets - another luxury I gave up.  Totally unnecessary, serves little purpose.  Saving me $5 each month.
• chap-stick - This was an easy one to get rid of because I really enjoyed making our own lip balm.   I found some local beeswax and a simple recipe.  A very little goes such a long way.  Look for a recipe in the future.  I won't include this in the monthly savings because it was purchased on an as needed basis.  
• cold medicines - We went the entire cold season without purchasing cough syrups or sinus medication.  Instead, we used things like our vaporizer, neti pot, honey, vinegar, lemon juice, and vitamin C.  Again, I won't include this one since it was an as needed type of purchase.
• face wash - Boy 3 has teenage acne, and I, who had beautiful clear skin as a teenager, am developing the horrible stuff now in my 30s!  I was buying a mid-priced acne face wash for the both of us to use but not any more!  We now clean our face with homemade soaps that we purchase locally and then use Bragg's Apple Cider vinegar as a topical treatment.  It REALLY works. Saving me $4 each month. 
• lotions - so many yucky things in lotion.  We just skip it altogether and use either olive oil or coconut oil for moisturizing now. I believe you should not put anything on your skin that you would not put into your mouth.   Let's say around $2 a month saved.  
• prepared granola - This one is HUGE for me.  I love my granola recipe and it saves me so much money.  By making my own I know exactly what is going into it.  Look for a recipe soon.  Total saving for my large family are at the very least $10 each month. UPDATE: GRANOLA RECIPE POSTED! 

Money in the bank!

Vinegar is an incredibly useful and inexpensive must have in any home.  Don't let the stinky smell steer you away.

1. Window cleaner - mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle.  
2. Fabric softener - pour 1/2 cup white vinegar into your washing machine's fabric softener dispenser or add to the rinse cycle
3. Sunburn - Soothe sunburn with a spray made of 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water.
4. Clean coffee pot - remove stubborn stains from the carafe by swishing 1/4 cup white vinegar around in it then washing.  Also to clean the inside of your coffee pot mix 1/2 cup vinegar with enough water to fill your pot and run through coffee maker.  Run clean water through once more. 
5. Dishwasher rinse - For spot free glasses fill your dishwasher's rinse aid compartment with white vinegar.
6. Hair conditioner - In the shower, rinse your hair with white vinegar for shine and softness.
7. Stop stings and bites - Using a cotton ball dab white vinegar on insect stings and bites for instant relief.
8. Kill unwanted weeds and grass - Mix equal parts white vinegar and water and spray onto unwanted weeds and grass in your garden.
9. Polish chrome fixtures - Shine up those faucets by dabbing white vinegar on a cleaning cloth and wipe down chrome fixtures.
10. Facial toner - Depending on your skin type use either diluted, or undiluted vinegar on a cotton ball in place of a commercial toner. (keep away from eyes)  I have found that this keeps my 30 yr old acne at bay too by creating an acidic environment where bacteria can not thrive.  

I hate wasting fresh produce.  Well, I never really waste it as it always goes to the worms anyway, but I still hate throwing it out.  Did you know you can regrow your green onions and have them available for quite a long time?  Mine have been going strong for three weeks now.  They also add a bit of greenery to my kitchen, which is always nice.

• 1 bar Fels-Naptha .99
• 1 cup Borax $3.49
• 1 cup Washing Soda  $3.49

It was a bit cold and windy today but Boy 3 and I did get outside for just a bit to take some photos of the flowers that are blooming.  I love the first colors of Spring.  The weather has been very strange here in central Virginia.  Yesterday there was snow on the ground, tomorrow it is supposed to be near 70 degrees!