Comparison Cost of Essential Oils

Adding something new like essential oils to your healthy lifestyle can feel expensive at first, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming. Really, it's all about perspective. And if you have a small budget, like us, you can ease into it gradually by buying one bottle a month--or every other month. Once you realize how effective they are and are using them regularly, you'll use the oils up more quickly, of course. This had me a bit worried at one point, but a friend of mine pointed out that when your child is sick you spend at least a co-pay of $20, if not more. The doctor may or may not prescribe antibiotics--depending on what the illness is (and in our case it's normally a virus, so seeing a doctor isn't of much help)--which may or may not work. On the other hand, you could pay more or less $20 for a full bottle of an oil that would yield many doses and help in numerous ways. Of course, there is a place for antibiotics and you must use your own experience and common sense in deciding what needs to be done in any given situation. But in my family's and many others' experience, pure essential oils, like doTerra's, really do work to lower fevers, boost the immune system, ease pain, soothe, etc, etc. With no side effects.

So...for those just getting into this, exactly how expensive are essential oils?

I found a couple of breakdowns that were helpful to me and that I wanted to share with you:

Amber at doterrabyamber.com includes a complete list on her great blog, but here I will just include some of the most popular oils:

Cypress .07
Eucalyptus .06
Frankincense .28
Lavender .09
Lemon .04
Marjoram .08
Melaleuca .08
Oregano .08
Peppermint .07
Rosemary .06
Wild Orange .05
Wintergreen .07
Balance .08
Breathe .08

Citrus Bliss .05
Deep Blue .39 (10 ml)
DigestZen .13
OnGuard .13
Slim & Sassy .10

Most nights after my shower I like to use a drop of Melaleuca (aka Tea Tree) mixed in a few drops of fractionated coconut oil as a facial cleanser/moisturizer. This nourishes the skin, kills germs, and doesn't clog pores, and is the best thing I've ever found for my face. As you can see from the above list, my daily cost for this facial treatment is eight cents (plus a few drops of the coconut oil, which is even less expensive per drop). I dare you to find a facial astringent/moisturizer that inexpensive that works as well! :)

On that same website, is a very interesting comparison of the price of treatment with essential oils vs. the price of traditional western medicine.

Another website I found explains why it can be argued that essential oils are "Much, much, much cheaper than over the counter and prescription drugs." She tells a true story about how diarrhea in a young child was fixed using DigestZen when other (more expensive) remedies had no effect. (DigestZen has helped me several times when I've had indigestion, so I know personally that it works.) And the total cost for this last method? Twenty-six cents. 

The blog author continues by saying: "There are around 250 drops in a 15ml bottle. If you are using 2 drops per application, you can use that oil 125 times before it’s gone! Talk about cheap! And the BEST part is.. most essential oils have a 1-2 year shelf life and depending on the oil it could have a shelf life of 5 or more years!" (Frankincense, for example, while more expensive than many oils, has an indefinite shelf life and actually gets better with age.)

So, as with most things, this is all about perspective. And once you take everything into consideration, trying essential oils for yourself, I think you'll understand what all the hype and excitement are about!

Protect, Prevent, and Heal with OnGuard

I was already a fan of OnGuard essential oil when I learned about the study done at a hospital in Colorado. The hospital had very high rates of MRSA, which eventually resulted in many fewer patients admitting themselves. In desperation, the hospital allowed a study to be done using OnGuard essential oil. What is so exciting is that as ongoing studies continue to show, this blend of oils actually is effective against this scary and antibiotic-resistant illness!

Not only is it effective, but Jennifer Eddins, SM(ASCP) found that "using 3 drops of OnGuard in 32oz tap water in a spray bottle that was then sprayed and dried on surfaces made the MRSA organism not viable for 7 days." (Link) Seven days--after it has dried! When I first learned that it floored me. This is powerful stuff!

What's in it? Wild Orange, Clove bud, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus and Rosemary. It smells delightful, it even tastes good, and since it's pure, it doesn't cause any harmful effects. So it's even safe around (and on) kids--which is why we use it in our nursery at my church, instead of hand sanitizer, before our little children eat snacks. They love how it smells and I love that I don't have to worry about them ingesting any of it.

In addition to being effective against MRSA and an excellent disinfectant, studies are also showing that OnGuard is effective against the flu virus. "Despite antibiotics not being able to treat the influenza
virus, results show On Guard® Protective Blend reducing this virus by up to 90%." (See the article here, which details the procedures of the study--starting on page 4. And this article gets even more specific about OnGuard's effectiveness against influenza.) 

Like the author of this blog, we use OnGuard often in our home, because it also boosts immunity--which shouldn't be a surprise, since clove and cinnamon are some of the most powerful antioxidants. (Example: An ounce of clove oil has the antioxidant capacity of 120 quarts of blueberries. Source.)

How I use OnGuard:

• Applying it on the bottoms of my children's and my feet when we are sick, threatening to get sick, or have been around someone who is ill.
• Applying it on the neck when I feel a sore throat coming on, or behind the ears if they start to ache.
• Ingesting by putting a few drops in a capsule and swallowing it with water. I do this when I feel an illness coming on or just feel like my immune system needs a boost. (This usually nips the pending problem in the bud.)
• Weekly spraying it on surfaces around my home that need to be disinfected, such as doorknobs, banisters, counters, toilet handles, and garbage cans.
• Using it as a substitute for hand washing when needed.
• As an air freshener when needed.

All this and more, for only 13 cents per drop! (See cost comparison here.)

Budget Saver Tip #9: Toilet Paper

Toilet paper is one of those necessities (unless you've become completely green in this area, like one of my cousins) that is a pain to buy. I hate having to buy it because it's not cheap and that means I have less budget money available for other things. But, fortunately, I don't have to buy it often--like maybe every three months or so (when I buy the huge 24 roll packs). I grew up using plain Scott tissue and made the conscious decision to continue using it once I left home, since it is so cost effective.

If you just have to have your soft, cushy, thick toilet paper, then this tip won't be one you want to adopt. But if you're not picky (which my husband and I aren't) and just need something to get the job done--and that will help you save money--Scott is your brand. Why? In a nutshell, each regular roll has 1,000 squares. (Be sure to check the package, though, because Scott also has softer varieties that have fewer squares per roll.) How many squares does yours have? Have you ever checked? Do a price comparison and you will see the difference. I think I replace about one roll per week for our family.