How to Make Cash Soap Bars

Whether you've been making soap for years or you're a beginner that just wants to give it a try, this is a great project, especially to give away as a gift! I'm going to teach you how to make a bar of soap with a green surprise inside - cold hard cash. I use a simple glycerin soap block and melt it down to work with but if you're more experienced or what to devote more time to this project, feel free to make your own soap from scratch.

For this project you will need:

Glycerin soap block

Your choice of fragrance oil

Food coloring (optional)

Soap mold (I've used anything from candle molds to cardboard milk cartons)

Plastic wrap

Cash (Either coins or bills)

If you're a beginner I suggest using the glycerin soap block that you can buy from any craft store and melt it down according to the directions. This is when you will also add the fragrance oil and if you want the soap to be colored, add only a drop or two of food coloring, you don't want to die your hands when you're actually trying to wash them.

You can use any type of mold you want, you can buy one from the craft store made for soap or candle making, you can even use candy molds but you should let your soap cool a little bit after melting before you use a candy mold since they are usually made thinner and could melt. If you don't want to buy a mold, you can use stuff around the house, the easiest being a small milk carton with the top cut off.

Next you will need to prepare the cash surprise, if you're using a coin or two just simply wash them so they don't contaminate the soap much; if you're using a bill roll it into a tight sphere and then roll it in plastic wrap and tape it if necessary, just make sure it is as tight as possible.

Pour the liquefied soap into your mold approximately halfway and let it sit long enough so you can place the money on top without it settling to the bottom. Once it has slightly hardened, place the money on and fill the rest of the mold.

After the soap has totally hardened you can remove it from the mold or rip away the milk carton to reveal your new bar of soap. These make great gifts and will encourage your children to wash their hands more frequently. If you're giving them away make sure you tell the recipient that there is a surprise inside since people sometimes keep soap as a decoration, especially if it is a handmade gift.