One of my secret weapons for saving money is to skip the convenience items in favor of making my own.

If you can buy it in a box or a bag or it's encased in plastic, you can probably make it yourself way cheaper. And it's bound to be healthier, fresher and involve less packaging.

My latest DIY remake is for instant oatmeal packets. After doing a little online research and whipping up a batch in the kitchen earlier this week, I'm a little embarrassed to admit I've ever purchased the instant packets.

Making your own is so easy. And cheap. And contains only two ingredients, both of which you can easily pronounce.