5 Ways to Make Alternative Health More Budget-Friendly

Today’s Daily Tip: Trade or share items with a friend if possible.  “Extras” can be put to good use and both of you can save money.

Making the decision to use alternative health is an important one. Most importantly after that? Gathering the ingredients and supplies you’ll need to implement this change.

However, rushing out and buying every herb and essential oil available (not to mention all the supplies you could need) is costly, and will clutter up your house really fast. Yes, I’m speaking from experience here …

Fortunately, there’s a simpler way, a more budget-friendly way to ease into alternative health without giving yourself an ulcer over the initial cost:

1. Try Small Amounts First

One of my biggest mistakes was purchasing a lot of different herbs, essential oils, and supplies immediately after deciding to use more natural healthcare. What I recommend doing now is starting small.

Buy small amounts of a few essential herbs (like chamomile, lemon balm, and red raspberry leaf) from the bulk section of your local health foods store or online. Test out a few recipes with those and move up from there.

Or, buy a kit with small amounts of essential oils to try out and only buy more when you run out.

2. Keep it Simple

After your test-run, evaluate what you used the most and buy more when you run out. In our house, I use therapeutic-grade essential oils for most of our healthcare needs. They’re stored nicely in a small wooden box.

I also have small packages of 12 herbs that I consider essential in our home.

For supplies, I keep candelilla wax (beeswax works great, too) and shea butter on hand for ointments, in addition to coconut oil, which makes a great carrier oil.

Here’s a great list to get you started if you’re not sure what to get.

3. Split Bulk Orders with Others

Now that you know what herbs you’d like to have on hand, you can save more money by buying them in bulk. Places like Mountain Rose Herbs and the Bulk Herb Store are the perfect resources for doing this.

Dried herbs are recommended to be used within a year (though my dad, who’s been managing an herb farm for the past 20 years, says they’re fine even after that) so if you don’t think you’ll use them, why not split them with others?

This will cut the costs for everyone and you won’t have to worry about your herbs going to waste.

4. Grow Your Own Herbs

Many herbs can easily be grown in your own garden. Calendula, peppermint, lemon balm, lavender, chamomile, and echinacea are just a few that even I haven’t killed (I’m not exactly known for my green thumb).

You can find herb seeds with other seeds in local stores. Or you can buy them online from places like Heirloom Organics or Burpee. Seeds are another great thing you can split with your friends.

This is also a great activity to do with your kids – as you plant, you can discuss the different properties of the herbs.

5. Make Alternative Health Part of Your Budget

Alternative Health felt expensive to me at first because it wasn’t a part of my budget. When I needed some more lavender essential oil or another bag of calendula, it would come out of our “other” expenses.

Now, I budget a certain amount each month for alternative health because it is our healthcare plan – we consider these our insurance premiums (my husband’s insurance premiums are covered by his work).

If we don’t use the budgeted amount one month, the money gets rolled over into the next month.

These simple steps have made natural medicine much more affordable for our family and I hope they help you as well. Even if you’re not a beginner, these tips can help you simplify alternative health even further, clearing up more space in your busy life.

How do you save money on alternative health?

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