When summer comes around, one thing that people tend to stock up on is bug sprays or lotions. But this year many people are on tighter budgets, and one approach is to make your own natural bug repellent by mixing simple ingredients at home.

For the health conscious consumer, making your own bug repellent is an ideal way to go.

The first thing you need to do when making a natural, Deet free insect repellent, is to decide on what kind of insects you want to ward off. Certain ingredients will be more effective than others depending on the type of bug.

Mosquitoes are probably the most annoying insect during the summer months, and their bites can be quite painful for some people, and very annoying for virtually everyone. Mosquitoes are usually repelled by the scent of oils, such as cinnamon oil and castor oil, and so those can form your main ingredients.

You can’t, however, just smear cinnamon oil or castor oil over your body. You want it to be a natural, natural pest repellent that doesn’t smell too strong or make you look funny when you go out.

Additionally, these oils and others can be used to ward off other insects that can cause rashes or certain types of skin irritations, if the amount used is too concentrated. What you need to do is mix the oil, called an essential oil, with something else to dilute the potency.

Of course water does not mix with oil, so you’ll have to use another type of oil, called a carrier oil, or alcohol. Cooking oil is a safe carrier oil. Mix the two oils or the essential oil with alcohol so that there is only a maximum of 10 parts essential oil to 100 parts of the mix liquid; 10 percent is a safe yet still effective ratio to use for a natural pest repellent.

Your natural bug repellent will then be ready to be applied either as a lotion or insect repellent lotion. Like most any commercially made insect repellent, your homemade batch will need to be reapplied if you get wet or after you’ve been outside in the sun for an extended period of time.

A homemade bug repellent, though safer than most commercially made products, can still produce a chemical reaction; pregnant women should check with their physician before using.

Saving money is more important these days than ever before, so making your own natural bug repellent is just one small way to save money and to contribute less damage to the environment, while also staying healthier at the same time.

Finally, a natural insect repellent will have a much softer impact on the environment.