I enjoy making homemade soaps. Just don't do it very often. Maybe every 3 years. I get an itch and just start pumping it out :) Hubby is a butcher and gets me the fat for free. I pay about $3 for a can of lye that makes 20 bars. You can add honey, oatmeal, glycerin, etc. I really got into it and now have a box of cool molds and fancy smells. I bought the best molds at the Dollar Store,sets of 4 molds; seashell, turtle, crab, fish plus bucket and shovel for sand play- $1 each set!!! I also use PVC pipe for molds and just slice the soaps with a marble cheese slicer I got at a garage sale. I started when I was raising goats and needed to use up the extra milk. For me soap making is easier than making goat cheese :)
I really wanted to see someone make it before I tried. There are some great sites out there now and good internet sites to refer to. Homemade soap makes great gifts and can be a great part time business on the side if you find you really like it.
Check out my free report How I Feed My Family of Ten on $100 a week. Available at http://www.all-about-meat.com