Cost of soap making

[AmyW]

I've been soaping for a week. I just totaled my soap making purchases and it's getting close to $300 :shock: and I haven't even bought fancy molds or the soap stamps I want. :shock:

So, um, what should I buy next? :twisted:

 

[c.a.p.]

More of everything!

Welcome to the addiction.

 

[heartandsoap]

LOL!

Whatever your heart desires

 

[JackiK]

It doesn't take long! The nice part is, once you have all your hardware in place, the rest is a little easier.

I did some preliminary calculations and for materials only, a four pound batch costs less than $20 to make, including EOs and colorants. That's 15 bars of soap, which comes out to only $1.33 a bar. Not bad.

 

[heartandsoap]

I've never calculated my costs. Happy just to enjoy it with what I can afford. The one thing I do have in excess is FO. Have not been making enough soap to use it up. So keep that in mind. More is cheaper but will you like it and use it? Buy less until you know what you like. When you like something it gets used.
Would love to get more EO's but buy a little each time. I

 

[soapbuddy]

Have fun with it. After all the money I've spent over the years, I went back to basics.

 

[coco cooks]

I'm new to and have probably spent about the same this month. Its insane but I love it! Once we find our way we can reign in costs. Bright side is I never have to buy soap again!

 

[SudsyKat]

"What should I buy next?" is not a question that has ever occurred to me because by the time I've placed one order, I've already thought of 10 more things that I'd like to buy. It's never ending!! I guess it depends on what you'll need to make your next batch of soap that you're dreaming about.

 

[pixybratt]

"What should I buy next?" is not a question that has ever occurred to me because by the time I've placed one order, I've already thought of 10 more things that I'd like to buy. It's never ending!! I guess it depends on what you'll need to make your next batch of soap that you're dreaming about.

LOL Had the same problem with my last TKB order

 

[sunnyone]

hehe...oh the addiction has just begun i make cosmetics and soap...i think my inventory..physical palnt etc.. is up to about 30k now..if not more it can take over your life hehe

enjoy the journey

:0crystal

 

[AmyW]

I'm so glad there's others that understand :twisted: This is one of my cheaper hobbies too, gardening runs well above 1k/year, and photography? Forget it. If I bought everything I wanted, I'd be living in a cardboard box LOL

 

[BakingNana]

I'm so glad there's others that understand :twisted: This is one of my cheaper hobbies too, gardening runs well above 1k/year, and photography? Forget it. If I bought everything I wanted, I'd be living in a cardboard box LOL

Add quilting and knitting to the list of insanely expensive hobbies. My husband just shakes his head every time he hears me say,
"Gee, I'd like to learn to....."

Welcome to soaping, AmyW!

 

[Dragonkaz]

I started with the minimum of purchases, mostly stuff from the supermarket ... but the addiction has taken hold and now I find myself checking out the products of online soap suppliers.

I'm caught between using natural colourants and using other natural bits and pieces. I have bought a few micas and oxides to experiement with and a couple of FO's ... so I'm having fun with them, while still loving the natural side of soap making.

My first hobby is my vegie garden, which saves me a load of money each year, so it's worth the work collecting seeds and swapping them with family and friends.

Maybe one day I'll feel confident enough to swap soap, but till then, I hope I can continue to enjoy my newest addiction!

 

[Relle]

Forget the money, as long as your happy. Remember you can't take it with you.
Although - dh said he's going to get a vault to be put it after he's snuffed it - with a power point. lol so he can finish off all his hobbies he doesn't get done.

Me, I think I'll need to live 'til I'm 200 to get it all done.

Relle.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Just buy up big. It's good for the economy and you'll be helping to keep the country ticking over. :wink:

 

[c.a.p.]

"What should I buy next?" is not a question that has ever occurred to me because by the time I've placed one order, I've already thought of 10 more things that I'd like to buy. It's never ending!! I guess it depends on what you'll need to make your next batch of soap that you're dreaming about.

Amen!

Usually, after I hit the "buy" button, the very next day (or even before that), there was something that I really wished I had ordered.

 

[Hazel]

I've been soaping for a week. I just totaled my soap making purchases and it's getting close to $300 :shock: and I haven't even bought fancy molds or the soap stamps I want. :shock:

So, um, what should I buy next? :twisted:

I don't even want to total up what I've spent out in the past 5 years on supplies. It's funny how I'll say "Oh, I don't have the money for this or that" but I always find the money to buy supplies. :roll: Although, I've gotten a little bit more willpower about purchases in the past few months. Mainly because I really don't have the money for supplies.

Once you get your basic supplies, you can buy larger amounts and this will save you some money. I bought a lot of different oils and butters but I've found over time that I prefer certain ones. So, I won't buy some oils again once I use them up.

Also, watch the forum for notification about sales. A lot of people will post when suppliers having sales so you can save money this way. I don't know if you saw that WSP is discontinuing molds but there's some great prices.

http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/St ... oryName=++

 

[AmyW]

I'm laughing too hard to drink my coffee! Not sure which is a better way to wake up LOL

I keep doing the "oh I should have gotten X" just after I submit an order. I did it last night but then WSP went down so I had to wait til this morning. Possibly good I did because I thought of a few more things to add to the new order

 

[scouter139]

I keep a page in my soap note book with the names of the companys and what I need from them. As I'm reading this forum or browsing the internet and I see something I might want to try, I try and remember to write it down, especially fragrances someone mentions. Then I check my book before I order to see what else I need. It works most of the time. 'cept of course for the titanium white I forgot to order the last 3 times I placed orders for other supplies.

 

[madpiano]

the good thing about soaping is, that most of the ingredients are available at local supermarkets. So it is quite easy to sneak those in on DHs credit card when he does the weekly shop (lye, olive oil, coconut oil, pigments.....)

At least it was before I got bigger and started selling.