We talk a lot about saving money on groceries or cutting eating expenses but what about health and beauty essentials or cleaning supplies? How do you save money on essentials when the cost of everything seems to go up every single month? After decades of figuring out how to save on household items, we have a number of tips for you…
How to Save Money on Household Essentials
Fortunately, you can save money on almost anything you might use if you get creative and follow some of our top tips for saving money on household essentials. These ideas apply to most things you might buy, including larger purchases, such as furniture. Save money on essentials by:
1. Make a Master List
Start by making a list of the items you buy regularly. While we recommend using the brand that is the best value, people do sometimes find something works best for them, such as a particular type of deodorant or laundry detergent. Note if there is any flexibility in brands on your master list.
How often do you buy the item? You should know the answer to this, because if it only goes on sale every six months and you use two a month, you’ll want to buy enough of the item to get you through until the next sale. When it comes to saving money, you often must plan ahead and take advantage of loss leaders.
2. Watch for Sales
The median household income is around $70,784 per year, but you may be able to live just as well as someone making more if you’re smart about how you spend your money. Pay attention to what goes on sale when.
For example, if you normally buy laundry detergent pods from Sam’s Club or Costco, pay attention to the flyer they send to your home. You can grab some coupons or instant savings and get a little money off the already discounted bulk rate.
For example, if you use Charmin toilet paper, Sam’s Club often runs a discount that comes off at the register of around $4.00 off. If you are a Plus member, you might find having items shipped is smarter than going into the store. It’s tempting to buy things you don’t really need when you’re trying samples and seeing new items on display.
3. Buy in Bulk
Speaking of warehouse memberships, you can sometimes save money if you buy in bulk. However, be sure to compare like to like. Some things are not a great deal and you’ll have to find room to store the extra items.
You can also avoid having to watch for sales when the items are always a bit lower than retail. For example, a can of Starkist Chunk Light Tuna in Water (5 oz.) is $1.14 at Walmart. A 12-pack of the same tuna is $10.98 at Sam’s Club, or $.92 each. You’ll find similar deals for household items such as paper towels, toilet paper, cleaning supplies and health and beauty.
Just do the math and make sure it’s a good deal. Watch the package sizes, too. Again, not every item at a warehouse will be a good value. Always crunch numbers.
4. Use Coupons
It is harder than it used to be to utilize coupons, but they are still to be had. You can often find good deals on household items by clipping digital coupons for places such as Dollar General (be sure to shop on a Saturday and use the $5 off $25 coupon), CVS, Walgreen’s and Kroger.
One thing we love to do here at Crabby Housewife is double up on offers and also get cash back from places such as Ibotta. Check out information on the various rebate apps and choose one or several that make the most sense for your needs.
5. Find New Brands
Never marry a brand. Instead, be willing to try new ones. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve found a new brand I love, started buying it and everyone else loves it to so they raise the prices or change the formula. My new wonderful and inexpensive brand is ruined. Time to move on.
Like anyone, I have a few favorites that are non-negotiable, such as using Tide Pods and Dawn dish soap. However, most of the time I am willing to try new brands and things until I hit on the perfect combination.
Should you buy generic? Absolutely. Often, the generic versions are the same as brand name. The manufacturer simply changes out the label or packaging and spits it out in the generic form. You’re getting the exact same product for less.
6. Comparison Shop
Take note of how much the item costs at different locations. You may want to keep a master list. If something goes on sale, you’ll immediately see if the price is a good one. You’ll also know who carries the item at the best price, so if you must replenish your household items before they go on sale, you can at least pay the best price possible.
Look at bonuses, too. If the shampoo you like is the same price at Kroger and Walmart, but you get some extra fuel points for buying it at Kroger, go ahead and collect the points to save money on gasoline.
Reset Your Life Goals
Every year, my husband and I do a no spend month challenge. We buy only the absolute essentials during that time, such as some fresh fruit and milk. However, we don’t eat out unless we either have a gift card or sell something and use those funds. It forces us to get really creative, but it also clears out all the clutter so we can redo our budget and see what we need and where we spend out money.
