This is probably the biggest misunderstanding when people get started using essential oils. When a person becomes a Young Living member, the oil kit to get started is $160. Most potential clients only see dollar signs, and don’t realize that the small investment of $160 will save them multitudes in the long run. However, there are so many ways I use oils in my DIY products that I then don’t have to buy in the store. You must also take into account that utilizing essential oils in DIY products also eliminates many synthetic, toxic chemicals from your everyday life. Check out our Essential Oils for Beginners post if you are unfamiliar with how they work or if you need a basic understanding of them.
Please note that the year before I went oily, I spent all of the $2500 in my medical flexible spending account by March. After I went oily the next year, I went through my entire FSA by December (and that was more of a use it or lose it situation). That’s all I’m going to say about how much they support my family’s immune systems.
Products I make and no longer purchase:
- Candles or plug-ins of any kind. Did you know that burning a candle for an hour is like smoking a cigarette? Indoor air pollution is a hazard, and I only diffuser essential oils in my home. This is a savings of approximately $200-$300 for our family.
- DIY Facial Moisturizer– Annual savings of $45-$400 per year depending on the price of moisturizer you currently use.
- Thieves Household Cleaner – This is one of the biggest savings! One bottle of Thieves Cleaner from Young Living is $22 (wholesale member price) and makes THIRTY bottles of cleaner! This is the only cleaner I have used for four years! It’s so green you can spray your fruits and vegetables with it and eat them, yet you can use it to clean your toilet, sinks, countertops, mirrors, errrr’thing in your house. You can also pre-treat stains on your clothes, use it as a laundry booster, etc. It’s mind blowing! I can’t put a number savings on knowing that I can have my cleaner under the sink and don’t have to worry about my boys getting into it and getting hurt.
- Homemade Flea & Tick Spray– I was spending $45 per month for Advantix (I have three dogs), and now make my own spray and collars for pennies. Annual savings of $600 per year for my family.
- Bedtime Rub – This is a salve that we make locally that helps many people support their sleep and get off medications like Benadryl and other sleep aids. This is a savings of $300-$400 per year, depending on how much you are spending on these other products.
- Wool Dryer Balls – So the ingredients in “fragrance” are not required to be listed on everyday products by the FDA. Many times toxic chemicals like parabens (known endocrine disruptors) are included in “fragrance” and we’re slathering this stuff all over our bodies, breathing them in candles and plug-ins, etc. So I no longer buy any type of dryer sheet or dryer softener. I only use vinegar as a softener and my dryer balls for fragrance. It also reduces your dryer’s electric use by at least 15%, you can just throw a few drops of oil on them, and your clothes come out smelling just as fresh.
- Replacing Herbs in Recipes – I no longer purchase dry herbs at the grocery store, which are very inexpensive and expire before I even get a chance to use them. Essential Oils do not expire if kept in a cool, dark place. I love cooking with essential oils and no longer need herbs. Annual savings of $200-$300 per year.
- Homemade Deodorant – This happens to be my homemade recipe (There are tons of them on Pinterest). I love knowing that I’m not putting aluminum in my pores.
- Homemade Laundry Detergent – My favorite recipe for this is in the Chemical Free Home book by Melissa Poepping. Again, this is made with less toxic synthetic chemicals, and is a huge savings. The savings is $300-$600 per year.
- Homemade baby bum cream – This is just one of the many products I make, but I also hack the Kidscents Body Wash from Young Living by putting it in a foaming hand soap pump and making it last months longer.
- Breathing wellness rub – I love using this during certain times of the year, when I’m coughing a lot or not feeling my best.
- Air Freshener – I no longer buy toxic laden chemical junk air fresheners from the store. I now purchase these glass spray bottles and fill them with distilled water, 1 tbsp. of witch hazel, and 30 drops of my favorite essential oil in an 8 oz. spray bottle. This is an annual savings of $24-48 for most families.
- Homemade Hand Sanitizer– As a teacher, this saves me at least $50 per year, since I have two separate classrooms at two schools, plus my home.
These are literally just some of the ways that my eo’s save me money everyday. When you become a wholesale member with Young Living we put you into a Facebook group to teach you all the other ways you can save using your oils. There are so many more ways to use them, but I don’t want to overwhelm anyone! 🙂
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