You invested in your health… you saw some benefits… and now you're wondering… how do you make essential oils last longer so you can save more money?
Budgeting is a must in 98% of families. We have many members on tight budgets that use oils regularly, thanks to their ability to stretch their oils.
Why I chose to invest in oils
When we started using essential oils regularly, I was making $974 each month, and had just moved in with my boyfriend (now husband) to keep from being homeless. I was responsible for covering some utility costs, my cell phone, items I used for hygiene/makeup, my dog's food, my food, and barely had $100 left at the end of each month to stretch for gas, car insurance, and anything else I needed. $100 doesn't go very far.
After dealing with chronic autoimmune issues plaguing my health for 8 years, we switched to the Paleo diet, which substantially helped reduce my seizures and other symptoms. Switching to a nontoxic lifestyle with the rest of our household products significantly helped stop the rest of my symptoms. These were no longer luxury items in my life… they were necessary to help me continue my healing by not bogging down my body with toxic chemicals that were only making my symptoms worse.
Living a healthier lifestyle without toxic products costs money. Coupons just aren't available for fruits, veggies, meats, essential oils, healthy makeup, and nontoxic cleaning supplies. Because I was insisting on using higher quality products, I felt responsible for footing the bill… and let's face it… $100 doesn't stretch far when it comes to buying premium priced products.
I was pleasantly surprised when I started using essential oils that we were actually saving money. Who would have thought these little expensive bottles of oil would actually produce a more cost effective lifestyle! But that begged the question… can we save even more?
Can you make essential oils last longer so you can save money?
The short answer: Yes.
Many blends call for using more oils than you need. When you make a roller bottle of a blend, you really only need 1 drop of essential oil per 2ml of carrier oil. Many DIY blends call for much more, often one drop EO to one drop carrier oil ratio. What I like to do with these is to make a big batch of the blend, and then use that pre-mixed blend to place 5-10 drops into a 10 ml roller bottle (because often I try for 5 and end up with 7).
While diffusers are great, you really don't need the expense. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my diffusers and now have one in every room in our home (including bathrooms), but we didn't start that way. I did start with one diffuser that we used a lot, transferring it between rooms, depending on where we were in the house. But I found that all I really needed was one necklace.
I could add 1 drop of essential oil (or pre-made blend) onto a piece of felt or scrap leather, add it into my diffuser locket, and BAM… that sucker smelled amazing for 3 DAYS! 1 drop lasted 3 days!!! Meanwhile I was adding 3-5 drops in my diffuser that would run for 5 hours.
Using Essential Oils in Recipes
Yes! I do save money by using Vitality Essential Oils in our culinary recipes (baking, cooking, drinks…etc). While it is a controversial topic and definitely not for everyone, if you haven't tried using essential oils in some of the dishes you make, I feel like you're missing out. The flavor profile is beautifully rounded by comparison to their dried herb or spice counterparts. Just make sure you're using your oils in your recipes safely.
I also have a handy chart you may enjoy that helps you determine how much essential oil to use in your recipes too.
And don't forget to browse through some of the recipes we have here on EssentialOils.Life too!
Did you find this post helpful? If you enjoyed this post, please comment below and share.
Nicole
P.S. If you are looking for more info on how to use essential oils, let us know! We have several coaches around the country who LOVE helping people live healthier… or check out our Essential Oils Online Course!