I’m no clean living guru, rather, I'm what you’d call a reluctant crunchy.

Though I’m definitely getting more and more crunchy, I still truly seek to find unbiased information and make decisions based on the set of facts that I have. 

By nature, I’m a skeptic. 

In college, I wrote a persuasive essay arguing two opposing viewpoints, and my professor's comment was, “Great critical thinking. You’re equally persuasive with each argument, I’m not sure which side you’re on. Are you sure you want to be an accountant?” 

While it’s true we are told many lies about the safety of products that we consume for monetary gain, we are also told lies about the harm of certain products for monetary gain. 

Thus, it’s important that you think critically (and practically) based on the facts you have by constantly asking yourself critical thinking questions anytime you are being persuaded. 

When it comes to cleaning products, I’ve changed my mind after doing a lot of my own research in the past year about the human immune system, studies showing the effects of consistent exposure to toxic chemicals, and corruption/suppression of information. 

For this reason, I’ve started overhauling our home ditching and switching products, starting with our cleaning supplies. 

I try to find products that strike a balance between practical, affordable, and safe. 

Cause $90 shampoo just isn’t in the budget. 

The upfront cost when you begin the switch to clean living seems like a lot (and it can be).

However, be encouraged! I think you’ll find that certain product alternatives to the generic/cheaper brand are actually cheaper or only a little bit more expensive. 

Here are my tips for non-toxic living, of course, as always… on a budget!

These are the steps I’m personally taking right now as I make the switch to a more natural, non-toxic, clean-living lifestyle. 

In addition to DIY recipes, I am currently using the Young Living Thieves Starter Kit.

It is tempting to throw everything in your house in the trash once you decide to switch to a more non-toxic lifestyle. 

When I first began the switch, this is exactly what I did. I’m kind of a go-big-or-go-home kind of person. Well, not kind of. I just am.  Everything was going great until I realized I had to replace it all. Needless to say, back to the trash I ran. 

Instead of throwing everything out, prioritize and move one step at a time. 

You can even break everything down into micro-steps if you’re on a really tight budget. 

Just with anything else (like personal finance) , baby steps are still steps forward! 

I’ve decided to start switching out my cleaning products first and I’ve been replacing them with the Young Living Thieves brand.  

I plan on doing my cosmetic products next. This will make me weep. I love my high-end super toxic makeup ;) But! I’m going to give the Young Living Savvy Minerals line a try, and use some tips I’ve researched to make it go as far as possible. 

Price-wise, the makeup will be an easier switch because I buy mostly high-end makeup anyway. 

Don’t buy it unless it’s in the budget.  If you've never made a budget before, this step-by-step guide will help you do get started.

Ideally, you could throw everything in your home out and replace it with non-toxic products the same day. But that takes time and money. Just like with everything else, we need to consider opportunity cost before making decisions! 

Overhauling your home to make it a safer, cleaner environment is not a license to go on a shopping spree and spend frivolously. 

Rather, plan for the cost of product replacement. There are two ways you can do this: 

Before dropping a chunk of change on non-toxic, clean living products, run the numbers.

When I bought the Young Living Thieves Starter Kit, the cost wasn't the issue, it was the perceived VALUE I was getting for the cost that made me reluctant.

However, after running the numbers based on a number of reviews from others, some simple math determined using Young Living for my household cleaner would actually be a wash in regards to cost.

Though it seemed like it would be more expensive in the long-run, the fact is that it's actually just a greater up-front cost.

DIY as many products as you can. There are SO many different natural recipes you can try that end up being way more cost-effective than anything you can get from the store. 

Vinegar, water, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, castile soap, essential oils, etc. are inexpensive ingredients that are common in DIY recipes. 

You will save tons of money using just these ingredients and replacing toxins in your home.

Many times, influencers (for lack of a better word), make you feel like if you don’t use their product they sell or promote to make money, you’re not doing it right. 

This goes for companies like Young Living as well. However, there are DIY recipes that work just as well that are a heck of a lot cheaper! 

Keep in mind: 

While I am loving the Young Living products I’m using, if there’s a cheaper route that is just as effective that I love just as much, I’m going to use it. 

Hint: recipes to come soon!! Stay tuned :)

I’ve been trying out ALL KINDS of recipes. My husband calls me the fruity-tooty queen. His own words for crunchy ;) 

If you’re like hey, yes, I want to do this… but I’m not sure where the money is going to come from, here are a few ways you can cut costs in your budget to make room. 

If you’ve never made a budget before, you’ll be amazed at how much money you can save and how much you were wasting before budgeting! Once you start budgeting, you suddenly feel like you have a lot of money. Instead of wondering where all your money went, you TELL It where to go. 

You can get started with my free monthly budget template !

I signed up for Young Living to get the 24% product discount and try the Thieves Premium Starter Kit.

Additionally, I wanted to show that just because a product seems expensive up-front, doesn't mean it is more expensive! Often times, high-quality, clean-living products in the end cost less or just about the same as the cheaper, toxic version.

Because these products are more efficient, versatile, and need more dilution, they are more sustainable.

All that being said, I want to review the Young Living Starter Kit I purchased.

This is exactly what comes in the Young Living Thieves Starter Kit:

As I mentioned before, I'm a reluctant crunchy. I'm going to be honest when I review clean living products and whether I think they are really worth the cost.

I will be repurchasing the Thieves household cleaner, Thieves toothpaste, and Thieves essential oil. Everything else that came in the starter kit was not worth the cost in my opinion.

Additionally, you can DIY the exact recipe Young Living uses yourself as long as you have the Thieves essential oil. More to come after I try it myself!

Stay tuned for more on my reluctant crunchy journey! ;)