Let's make Homemade Vanilla Bath Bombs! These are so simple and fun to make. They make fantastic gifts too! Recently we attended a birthday party for a new four year old and she loved that she could use them in her bath that evening. đ The other thing I love about this DIY is that you can customize the scent to the person you're gifting it to. Maybe the recipient would prefer peppermint or lavender or even eucalyptus scented bath bombs. Simply replace the vanilla essential oil with the oil of your choice.
*If you have a manicure, wear gloves, or use a fork during the mixing process.
In a mixing bowl combine citric acid and baking soda, being sure to remove all lumps.
Add in melted butter and vanilla essential oil and continue to mix.
Using your spray bottle of Witch Hazel, spray the mixture 2-3 times and mix, slowly adding more witch hazel until the mixture holds it shaped when pressed together.
Pour into silicone molds, making sure to compact them tightly.
Allow to dry in silicone molds for 12 hours. Once 12 hours is up, remove from molds, and allow to dry an additional 24 hours for a nice hard bath bomb.
TO USE:
Break bath bomb under running water for a nice fizzing and relaxing bath.
Thanksgiving. A time to gather family and friends. Many family and friends, which of course, can be expensive! But hosting Thanksgiving dinner doesnât mean you have to spend and arm and a leg to create a Thanksgiving to remember.
Consider these tips for a thanksgiving on a budget:
Determine your Budget
First things first, determine how much you can spend. Decide on a budget, then use it to plan how you will spend that money. Even if your budget is $75, Thanksgiving dinner can be done, but it's important to have a number in mind so you know how to divide it up to cover all the bases.
Plan the menu
Now that you're armed with a budget, it's time to start planning the menu. The best way to keep your budget in check is to plan simple dishes with in-season ingredients. Recipes that include fancy/expensive ingredients can really eat up the budget in a hurry. Don't forget to put those coupons to use!
Make it a potluck
While you're planning your menu, you decide if your guests will be bringing any dishes to help with costs. A potluck can be tons of fun. I love tasting all the different dishes, especially since they're usually different from the usual fare that is served at home time and time again.
Decorate with the outdoors
While a Thanksgiving table can simply be decorated with the food that is being served, you might want to add a few items to make it more festive. Consider using items that you can collect from the outdoors. Leaves, pine cones, and cedar branches can all add a nice touch to the dinner table. Throw in some items you already have on hand (candles, table cloths...) to finish it off.
Borrow
If you find you don't have enough plates, or you don't have a roasting pan, it's completely unnecessary to run to the store to buy those items if you can easily borrow them from someone.
Finally, you can celebrate Thanksgiving on a budget, but it really all boils down to the fact that you're celebrating with family and friends! Take the time to enjoy each others company. That my friends, is free!
What are your tips for a budget-friendly Thanksgiving? What are your favourite Thanksgiving recipes?
Repurposing glass light replacement globes into inexpensive but long-lasting Jack O’Lanterns can be a great way to dress up your home for the holidays without killing your family budget. Simple, easy to make, and inexpensive. Brilliant!
Halloween is such a fun time of the year. Seeing all of the little ones in their cute and scary outfits, passing out candy, decorating and parties!
Halloween can also get pretty expensive, some of those awesome costumes will run you $50 or more! That kind of money seems a little excessive for one day of fun. Getting your decorations, candy and Halloween costumes on a budget is doable and actually pretty easy.
Affordable Halloween Costume Ideas
First of all, here are some creative Halloween costume ideas on a budget that are fun and easy to put together:
Ghost: An old white sheet with cut-out eye holes.
Zombie: Torn-up old clothes, dark makeup, and fake blood (which can be made at home with corn syrup and food coloring).
Mummy: Toilet paper or white bandages.
Tourist: Hawaiian shirt, shorts, a camera, sunglasses, and a fanny pack.
BlackCat: Black clothes, a headband with DIY cat ears (made from cardboard), and drawn-on whiskers using eyeliner.
Superhero: An old bedsheet or towel as a cape, tights, and a t-shirt with a drawn or taped-on emblem.
Vampire: Black clothes, a makeshift cape (old sheet), and dark makeup for the face. DIY fangs from paper.
Hippie: Tie-dye shirt, headband, bell-bottom jeans, and peace sign accessories.
80s Workout Enthusiast: Neon leggings, headband, and an old sweatshirt cut at the shoulders.
Skeleton: Black clothes with white tape or paint to create a skeleton outline. Add some face paint for extra effect.
Pirate: Striped shirt, a bandana, eye patch (which can be DIY with cardboard), and some torn pants.
Witch: A black dress, DIY pointy hat from cardboard, and a broom.
Robot: Cardboard boxes, tin foil, and silver paint.
Lumberjack: Plaid shirt, jeans, beanie, and a cardboard or plastic axe.
Now that you have some simple to put together costume ideas, let's take a look at even more ways to save.
Host a Costume Swap
In mid to late September put together a Halloween costume swap. Invite moms from your community to bring costumes from previous years to the swap. Everyone at the swap gets to look for costumes that fit their children. This is a great way to get a free costume and connect with other moms in your local area. You can advertise your costume swap by work of mouth, flyers or create a Facebook group for people in your area.
Shop Second Hand Stores
Come early October second-hand stores will be flooded with Halloween costumes. Before you look at any high-priced costume shops make sure to check out local thrift shops. You can find basic costumes to very impressive and expensive costumes. The best part is the prices are great!
Shop Late
Halloween stores need to sell all of their merchandise before Halloween. Once Halloween is over these shops close their doors for the year. Try shopping one or two days before Halloween and you will probably see lots of costumes that have been discounted by 50% or more! This could mean some huge savings but the downside is the inventory is usually limited.
Make Your Own
Making your own Halloween costume is possible and can be done without touching a sewing machine. Look around your house and see what you already own and what you can turn into a costume. Have an old cheerleading outfit, football uniform, golf clubs or just a scary mask sitting around. Get creative and let your imagination run wild. Get your children used to making their own costumes and not dressing up in the same costume everyone else is wearing. You can also spend some time searching Pinterest for creative and fun costumes to make at home.
Visit a consignment shop.
Check out local consignment shops for used costumes. Many consignment shops carry childrenâs costumes during the fall season, so you can often find one at a great price. If you want, you can even take some of your old costumes in for cash. This will help free up some funds for this yearâs costumes. Call your local consignment shop and ask if they will be carrying Halloween costumes this season.
Saving in Other Areas
For Halloween candy and decorations there are also ways to save. Make sure to check your local Dollar Store for decorations and candy. Typically, they have a large selection of holiday items. Shopping the day after Halloween can sometimes save you up to 75% on next years decorations!
What are your favourite Halloween costumes on a budget?
