Making my own soaps

[s1mp13m4n]

Hello B&B'ers. I am doing the house husband thing and I am finding myself trying to make things to do. I can not just pick up and go because of my eyes so I am stuck in the house pretty much with the baby. That being said and being a guy I like to have a project or something to do when I am not watching the baby so I do not get too bored. I am curious about making soaps for my family and not for selling. I want to know how cost effective it is for example. I mean I can buy a 20 pack of bar soap from Sam's Club for $5 and I can buy VDH shave soap for $1.50, so can I do any better making it myself? I was also wondering about making my own powder laundry soap but I am buying a 200 load 32.5LB tub of it for $14.50 from Sam's Club, can I make it myself cheaper? I have computers as a hobby but seriously there is not much computer work going on for me other than the repair of a freinds or family PC now and then, so that is out. LOL I can car repair to fall back on and auto detailing as well but again for friends and family, not enough to make any money with it. Thanks for the help and advice on the soaps.

 

[Desdinova]

I hope this doesn't sound rude, but if your eyesight is poor enough to prevent you from taking the baby out, how do you detail a car?

 

[TheBigO]

Hello B&B'ers. I am doing the house husband thing and I am finding myself trying to make things to do. I can not just pick up and go because of my eyes so I am stuck in the house pretty much with the baby. That being said and being a guy I like to have a project or something to do when I am not watching the baby so I do not get too bored. I am curious about making soaps for my family and not for selling. I want to know how cost effective it is for example. I mean I can buy a 20 pack of bar soap from Sam's Club for $5 and I can buy VDH shave soap for $1.50, so can I do any better making it myself? I was also wondering about making my own powder laundry soap but I am buying a 200 load 32.5LB tub of it for $14.50 from Sam's Club, can I make it myself cheaper? I have computers as a hobby but seriously there is not much computer work going on for me other than the repair of a freinds or family PC now and then, so that is out. LOL I can car repair to fall back on and auto detailing as well but again for friends and family, not enough to make any money with it. Thanks for the help and advice on the soaps.

Although it isn't very manly, you could make your own yogurt as well. Its pretty easy, the quality of what you make will be bounds above grocery store stuff, and it saves a bunch of money...that is if you use regular yogurt alot.

 

[s1mp13m4n]

I hope this doesn't sound rude, but if your eyesight is poor enough to prevent you from taking the baby out, how do you detail a car?

Honest question well what I should have said was I can take her for a push in the stroller but I can not drive so I have no way to get out and go places unless my wife takes me. The car detailing is close up work and I can do it by feel and sight...the same way I work on our own car. Good looking out though.

 

[mretzloff]

Long story short, the 20 pack of soap for $5 is more cost effective than making soap. Homemade soap is well worth it, though, especially since that "soap" at Sam's is most likely detergent, not soap.

 

[ibrewbeer]

Brew Beer!

 

[Fairlight]

You won't do better for price, but you can do a lot better for quality. Commercial soaps (those that are ACTUALLY soaps and not some other detergent) have the glycerin harvested out for separate sale.

I recently started making my own soap, and I've made three or four batches now. They've all been better than store bought soaps in terms of leaving me with happier skin. I stopped using commercial shampoos in favor of my own bar soap too. Hair feels healthier and female friends have commented too.

There's lots of sites on the internet with information on how to make your own soap. Take their warnings about handling lye seriously.

 

[s1mp13m4n]

The 20 bars for $5 from Sam's Club are Dial, Lever2000, Irish Spring, and Ivory. I was curious about making my own soaps wondering if it were cheaper. I am a value for the money, bang for the buck person. I am simply looking for the best value for my money. A balance of clean and price. I wanted to do the same for laundry soap, but I am not sure that I can beat the deal I have right now with what I am getting from Sam's.

 

[ramblin-wreck]

Yeah I agree that making your own soap probably wouldn't be cost effective but you could do what my Mom used to do when I was a kid. When the bar soaps got to the point that they wern't very usable (too small to make lather, crumbling apart and going down the drain, etc) she would save them and put them in an a container. She would mash them together and after a while would have a large brick of soap that she would cut up into smaller bars. Granted it was of various colors and scents but for washing grime off of little kids faces (mine and my sisters!) it worked just fine.

 

[Wendy]

Brew Beer!

That is a great suggestion : )

 

[bvance554]

I have to give another nod to brewing beer. It can certainly occupy your time and you can brew some excellent beer. Don't like beer? How about wine? Don't drink? You can make soda - cheap.