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You’d be surprised to know how many everyday products we buy at insane markups can easily be done at home for a fraction of the price. Not only that, but they can often be much better than the retail option. Here are some examples of things you could easily make from home instead of buying.

Beauty Products

There are so many beauty products that you can make from home. And what’s better is that they’re often much less riddled with chemicals than store-bought options. You could make everything from lotion, lip balm and even shampoo from the comfort of your home. Another advantage of making DIY beauty products is that you can add your own personal touch to them by playing with scents and textures. If you don’t know where to start, you can visit 10awesome  for some great DIY all-natural lip balm recipes.

Candles

Candles  are another product many of us buy but are incredibly overpriced. You can easily make candles at home with some of your leftover candles and a few containers. Or, you could buy paraffin wax from a arts supplies store and make your own candles using essential oils, wicks, and candle dye.

House Cleaning Supplies

Some people say that the only cleaning supplies that you need are vinegar and a good piece of cloth, and they’re not entirely wrong. You’d be surprised to know how much you can get done with some of the stuff in your pantry. Vinegar, for instance, is perfect for hardwood floors, computer screens, mirrors, and windows just to name a few. It’s also a natural degreaser and works great to clean kitchen appliances like coffee makers and microwaves. Just put a bowl of vinegar  and water in your microwave and heat until it boils. You’ll be able to clean up even the most gunked up microwave in seconds after that.

Sauces

Quality pre-made sauces can not only be very expensive but are also one of the easiest prepared foods to make. Not only that, but homemade tomato or applesauce is so much better than what you’ll find at the store.

Another advantage of making your own sauce is that you can buy produce when they’re in season and preserve them this way. Sauces can easily last you up to a year if properly stored. And if you’re intimidated by the whole process, just use a crockpot; it’ll handle most of the dirty work for you.

You could also make your own condiments as well. Homemade ketchup knocks any store-bought version out of the park and is super easy to make. Things like pickles can also be done with stuff you probably have at home already. With a little bit of imagination and elbow grease, you could easily cut your grocery bill in half by making a few minor changes.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many ways that you can save money by making instead of buying. Just by switching to DIY products, you could set aside a nice chunk of money each month with little effort.