The Make-Your-Own Guide to a Frugal - and Self-Sufficient Life

I found myself wanting to actually read this book and not just skim through it, which I tend to do. I enjoyed the author's writing style and felt that she gave us an honest and compassionate glimpse into her life. The range of recipes for home and beauty products was thorough.. I also am really excited to make some out the missed for making meal preparation easier and faster! I am so pleased with this book and hope that the author will write another one. Thank you.

This book is perfect for starting with simple living recipes and ideas. I love the story of the author as she has really had to live out what she writes. The only down side it was damaged. The book cover was crinkled up and bent. But it is still a wonderful read and resource.

Little House Living: The Make Your Own Guide to a Frugal, Simple, Self-Sufficient Life by Merissa Alink is a 2015 Gallery Books publication. I was provided a copy of this book as an XOXpert, the official street team of XOXO After Dark.

I admit I grew up in the era of quick and convenient. I bought pre- mixed cake mixes and scoffed at the idea of making anything from scratch. Instead of home remedies, I bought over the counter pain relievers and cold medicines, and never would have considered making my own soap, dish detergent, or other household products.

But, my daughter would tell me about making her own facial scrubs and using peppermint essential oils for various maladies, but I still never imagined myself doing any of these things myself.

First of all, you have to buy all the ingredients, and when I did the math, and figured in the amount of time it would take, I figured I was just as well off buying it from the store… until I got this book.

First of all, it should be noted that this is not just a recipe book for cooking or food. This book has a little bit of everything in it.

Body and Beauty 'do it yourself' recipes such as:

Bath Salts
Lip Balm
Hand Soap
Chest Rub

Household items such as:

Dish Soap
Floor Cleaner
Dusting Spray and furniture polish
Window Cleaner

Ideas for Children and Pets

Diaper Rash Cream
Play Doh
Pet treat mix
Pet Flea Wash

And of course food-

Make ahead mixes:
cake mix
Hamburger help mix
Onion soup
Hot chocolate
Bread
These are just a few examples of the items listed that you can make yourself at home.

Are you on a busy schedule and don't think you would have time to make your own products?

This book is packed with very easy recipes for those on a busy schedule, such as deodorizer disc made out of everyday baking soda and water with a drop or two of essential oils, placed in a muffin tin and left to dry for a day or two. The disc can be placed discretely in odor prone areas of your home. It took me all of five minutes to do this, and the essential oil is not necessary. Baking soda is a natural odor absorber.

The cost?

Well, for some of the projects, there would have to be some investment on your part, especially if you want to put the mixtures into cute containers and such. I made the chest rub, but I didn't have a glass jar to put it in, but I did have a very small Tupperware container that worked perfectly.
Most of the ingredients can be purchased at the store for less than buying them at a health food store, and I had no trouble finding the ingredients. A few items were a little pricey, but once I had everything I needed, I saw that I could make double, even triple, the amount of goods, which meant I saved money and time by making the items at home.

The Items I Made:

I made the chocolate cake mix and the cake turned out great, but it wasn't as moist I am accustomed to. But, the flavor was fantastic and there were some variants on the recipe that I may try in the future.

Bath Salts:

I made bath salts for colds:

This is super easy-

One half cup Epsom Salts

One half cup Sea Salt ( I bought bulk, because it was cheaper)

5 drops peppermint essential oil
5 drops eucalyptus essential oil
5 drops lavender essential oil

Just mix together! That's it!

I also made the chest rub which was simply coconut oil and peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils. Just stir together, and store in a container. It took less than five minutes to make this and it smells like chest rub you buy at the store. I rubbed some on the soles of my feet one day when my allergies were bothering me, and it worked wonders.

As I noted earlier, I made the deodorizer disc, too. But, the disc dried out quickly and broke easily. I ended up putting some of the mix into small Dixie Cups instead.

I also made the dusting spray which consisted of white vinegar and oil ( I used EVOO) and a few drops of lemon essential oil.

Overall, this is a fun book and I loved how easy it was to make the products and the ingredients weren't some kind exotic stuff I could never find anywhere. I'm planning on making more of the food recipes and want to make up some of the body butter for Christmas gifts.

The only disclaimer I noticed was in regards to the use of essential oils, so be sure to read the directions carefully and do not allow children to use the oils unattended, or at all if they are very young.

This is a hardcover book with color pictures and illustrations on glossy paper. The sections are well organized and planned out, with step by step instructions and money saving tips.

Overall, I am a happy customer and will be referring to this book often for many household items and beauty aids.

This book is amazing and has me extremely excited about starting to make my own stuff! This is exactly what I was looking for when I got the idea in my head that I wanted to start making as much homemade things as possible. I have ordered tons of supplies and I can't wait to get started. I may even update my review once I have made a few things and have seen for myself how they turn out.

This is an excellent book. Easy to follow recipes for food and homemade body and beauty products for all members of the family that are inexpensive. Beautiful pictures to enjoy. When you open the book and start reading it you almost feel like the author is in your home. This is the best book I have read in a long time. Can't say enough about it!!

The cuteness-factor in the writing gets old really really quick. The recipes are almost interchangeable at times, which makes me doubt their specific effectivness. Author could also use some more research about the uses/non-uses of some of the essential oils. Won't send it back, as I did read (half) of it, but would not recommend purchase.

The cuteness-factor in the writing gets old really really quick. The recipes are almost interchangeable at times, which makes me doubt their specific effectivness. Author could also use some more research about the uses/non-uses of some of the essential oils. Won't send it back, as I did read (half) of it, but would not recommend purchase.

I thought this book would have recipes that are really made from scratch. No homemade yogurt, no homemade pickles, no homemade mayonnaise. Instead lots of recipes rely on white sugar, and commercial yeast. I don't mean to sound like a snob here, but this is not scratch cooking. I have three small children, and I had to really go in to scratch cooking because of my daughter. She has severe food and chemical allergies. I bought a grain Mill and grind my own grain, I use a sourdough starter, I cut out all vegetable oils. I am now learning how to make cheese. This book is not scratch cooking. Not even close

A perfect book for the new (or veteran) cook, DIYer, or anyone looking to become more self-sufficient. This book is filled with with easy-to-follow recipes that cover almost everything you need in your kitchen, home and for the kids. I love that if I run out of dishwashing detergent, I can make my own, following the recipe in this book. I also love the expansive section on DIY mixes, which are incredibly convenient for busy moms who still want to create homemade treats.

This book is like having my favorite Pinterest board on my counter. It has great recipes and a nice personable narration. Added bonus the author is very responsive on Facebook. If you are trying to go unprocessed or just trying to save money this book has tons of ideas for you. Love the cobbler mix and the instant re fried beans.