Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Living Naturally and Saving Money Pt. 3

Make Friends with Baking Soda.

photo credit


One of the easiest and cheapest ways to make natural changes is by using baking soda for more than just baking. Baking soda is a natural deodorizer and exfoliant and can be used for a variety of personal hygeine and cleaning purposes. Here are a couple ways Paul and I use Baking Soda around the house to save us money:

· Deodorant. Forget those fancy (and expensive) “natural” deodorants that cost an arm and a leg. By far, the best deodorant we’ve used is baking soda. I leavebaking soda in a jar with an old make-up brush in our bathroom. Every morning we dust our armpits and are good to go. Not only does baking soda help reduce perspiring, but it eliminates any odor. It works for me, but more importantly, it works great for Paul J. If you have sensitive under arms, try mixing in a little arrowroot powder to soften the mixture.

· Shampoo. Shampoos contain all sorts of chemicals and additives that are not beneficial to your body, not to mention the fact that all those chemicals get washed down the drain and into our water supply. Not only are these shampoos bad for your health and the environment, they are detrimental to your wallet. To wash my hair, I take about a tablespoon of baking soda and add enough water to make a paste and rub it into my wet hair in the shower. No, it doesn’t foam and it doesn’t smell like “Sea Breeze” or “Tropical Sunshine,” but if that doesn’t matter to you, than it makes a great shampoo. Since using the baking soda on my hair, I only wash my hair 2 – 3 times a week. I also use apple cider vinegar as a conditioner rinse after using the baking soda. Note: everyone’s hair and scalp are different so what works for my hair might not work for yours. I know someone who just uses apple cider vinegar on their hair, but I tried it and it does not work for me at all!

· Cleaning. I use baking soda for all sorts of cleaning! I use it in the bathroom for the sink, toilet and tub. I use it in the kitchen for hard to clean pots. My next post will be about saving money with do-it yourself non-toxic cleaners, so stay tuned for more details on this subject!

So what can you save?? Take a look at this cost comparision:

Deodorant
Tom’s of Maine Deodorant 1 stick: $5.99
Homemade Deodorant: <$1
Savings: $4.99

Shampoo
ABBA Pure Basic Shampoo 33.8 OZ: $25.00
Homemade shampoo 33.8 oz: <$1.00
Savings: $24.00

(Obviously you can find cheaper shampoo than Abba, but even the cheapest brands (Suave) will be more expensive, not to mention unnatural.) So, live simply, live naturally, and make friends with baking soda!! ~Emily

1 comment:

Bethany Rydmark said...

So...it's been about two weeks since I've switched to baking soda for deodorant! I've used my antiperspirant a few times here and there, but by and large, I've managed the new routine.

I followed your lead and got a little glass jar from the dollar store and an old makeup brush. So far, I've only had a minor irritation or two - but my new order from Glory Bee arrived recently, and I now have some arrowroot powder to mix in and hopefully soften the texture.

Wish me luck :)

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