amo_mea_filiis. Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 Another budget killer are all those pain in rear daily used things. I often end up having to run out to grab these things. How do you plan to keep things in stock if you can't afford a lot? Toilet paper, shampoos, conditioner (dd cannot use the cheaper stuff), trash bags, feminine products, tooth paste, laundry detergent, etc. Most of these things have to be brand specific, not always the cheapest. I switched laundry detergent and ds got all rashy and itchy again, so i have to switch back. Anyone know how to use CVS and their great deals? I've read that you can get things like toothpaste nearly free, but i don't really shop there. I think if i planned to buy these things at specific times i could end up with some in stock and save at least gas by not running out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth S Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 I see you have specific limitations. I buy whatever generics I can at Aldi. It's worthwhile to experiment with their products, as the savings are enormous. Over several months, I gradually added to my "inventory" of TP, paper towels, etc. so that I have about a month's worth in stock. Obviously, you are not able to build this up immediately, but if you find generics that work for you, then the savings will give you some slack in your budget to allow you to stock up. I've also used "half & half" products--using 1/2 generic and 1/2 name brand until we adjusted, or dilute OJ if we're about to run out. Every family has different levels of compromise. :) And homemade alternatives (or using less product--I remember my successful trial of only shampooing ONCE per shower) can be empowering. You can run the washer without detergent if needed! There are many WTM threads here filled with inspiration! All the items you listed are sold at Aldi. (And I would only buy the "expensive choice" for the single family member who absolutely needs it.) Toilet paper, shampoos, conditioner (dd cannot use the cheaper stuff), trash bags, feminine products, tooth paste, laundry detergent, etc. For us, it's also a matter of training our kids so that they will make frugal choices as young adults. Happy Shopping! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb in NZ Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 I've moved to homemade to reusable alternatives for many of the things you mention, both for economic reasons & health reasons. The only paper product I do still buy is toilet paper, but I have figured out our typical monthly usuage & I stock up when my favorite brand goes on sale. Shampoo & conditioner---I stock up when on sale & use a pump to not over use. The men in my house just use bath soap. Trash bags---I reuse the plastic grocery bags as liners in my kitchen rubbish bin. Here we have to buy the city's special bags to put out each week, but we usually only need one bag (about the size of a medium kitchen bag in America) each week. We recycle / compost / etc. a lot of our waste & choose low waste options whenever possible. Feminine products---about 8 years ago I switched to cloth pads & later a DivaCup. Dd has only ever used these reusuable options. I switched for health reasons, but it is so-o-o nice not to worry about running out of feminine products. Tooth Paste, Bath Soap, Toilet Paper, Dish Soap---I know what we typically need for a month & I stock up during sales Laundry Soap & other household cleaners---I now use homemade options & stock up on Baking Soda, Vinegar, Washing Soda, Borax, & Dr. Bronners Liquid Soap about twice a year. I make up a monthly supply at a time. I like homemade much better than the cheap stuff & our budget just won't handle the expensive stuff anymore. Surprisingly, I've found that homemade cleaners clean better than what I was using before. Ds#1's work clothes are filthy from working in an heavy engineering shop & my homemade laundry soap (washing soda + borax + Dr.Bronner's Liquid soap with a vinegar rinse) gets out the grease & grime that the expensive detergents wouldn't touch. And now my laundry just smells clean instead of like it was bathed in heavy perfumes. JMHO, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Coupons!!! I have an 8 month supply of toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, body soap that I got for between 50 percent off to free! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 :iagree: With Deb in NZ and the above. I have eliminated some of these expenses entirely by using reusable and homemade items. I also alternate an expensive shampoo and conditioner with a cheaper one. My hair is high-maintenance, but it works out acceptably if I can alternate. For trash bags, I try to recycle and compost as much as possible, just so I'm not going through so many bags. I do have a CVS card. If I'm working the grocery and sale layering, I can get some items for very little or free. I filled my kids' Easter baskets last year with CVS items and candy and spent very little. I got a bunch of bonus cash and used it for toiletries and makeup. I plan to do that again this year. I just don't use this strategy continuously because I want to use up my stocked items before I add a bunch more. It is worth it to try generic products, though sometimes it doesn't work out. Oftentimes, they are literally identical to the brand product. I just bought some cold medicine for my son; they were less than $3.00. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheryl h Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 I have heard that if you write or email the manufacturer of your favorites and tell them how much you like their product, they will send you coupons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 I stock up on stuff from amazon. My toothpaste, dishwasher tabs and shampoos/conditioner is cheaper using subscribe and save through them. I have to watch preservatives( we also avoid certain things aka we are green) and such so I can't shop in CVS or if they do have it, it is too pricey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renmew Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 I haven't been ready to make my own detergent yet, but I've been using the dollar store version with a little vinegar added with great results! It's no worse than the Tide, but much much cheaper. I don't buy any paper cleaning products, except toilet paper (I buy a bunch when on sale), and use rags for everything else. It helps that Aunt Flo only comes to visit 3-4 times a year. I clean with bleach or vinegar, nothing fancy to buy. I also use mainly grocery store plastic bags, except in my kitchen, but as I recycle a lot, I only have to replace that once a week. Shampoo can be the cheapest thing on the shelf, and as that frequently changes, you don't have to worry about build-up. Two kids use the cheapy conditioner, and the youngest and I use a slightly more expensive store brand, but it's purchased when on sale (and in a pump). Oh, for bath soap, I use the Irish green bar. It is soooo cheap, and does the job just fine. I bought a box of 12 bars for five bucks when I bought this house... two Thanksgivings ago. There are two more bars remaining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redheadmom Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Coupons with sales are a great way to get these for very little and still use the brand names that you need. For trash bag, toilet paper, etc, I usually buy in bulk at Sams club or the very large packages to keep the per item cost as low as possible. I also buy store brand for most of these at Walmart or Aldis. Two good places to start with coupons and matchups are Krazy Coupon Lady and Southern Savers. You can choose the stores that you shop at and they will show you the best deals for the week and the coupons that match up to them. ETA: Baking soda and vinegar are two of my favorite cleaners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 I prioritize what needs to be brand name and what can be generic. If budget is an issue for a week and I need something, I often run to Dollar General, which has a dollar section. It's not a good investment all the time, but if you're out of toothpaste a small tube is better than nothing. I bought the guys a shampoo/conditioner/body wash 3 in 1 product. They're quite happy with it. I use the curly girl method and only use conditioner and apple cider vinegar on my hair. I received a nice expensive bottle of conditioner for Christmas, it should last until May or June. Again, I shop at Walmart or Dollar General for items (only two places in town besides the expensive grocery). I price compare, most of the times the store brand is cheaper than the name brand even with a coupon. I also cut back on the quantity of what I use, laundry detergent especially unless it's a really dirty load. I don't run the dishwasher until it's full (which can take up to 3 days sometimes). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 I use coupons. Between the Sunday paper and printing coupons off the internet, I almost always get toiletries BOGO, and I get money off all the other stuff. There are coupons for feminine products and toothpaste available constantly if you check the Sunday coupons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Toilet paper, shampoos, conditioner (dd cannot use the cheaper stuff), trash bags, feminine products, tooth paste, laundry detergent, etc. Most of these things have to be brand specific, not always the cheapest. I switched laundry detergent and ds got all rashy and itchy again, so i have to switch back. I'm limited in brands, too, because we buy only cruelty free products (those that don't contain animal products and aren't tested on animals). In practice, this often means I end up buying the expensive, natural/organic stuff, which is a real killer when the budget is tight. I've experimented with making my own laundry detergent, but I haven't been happy with the results in the long term. So, my strategy now is to watch sales and for coupons (although they don't come along too often on the one or two brands I buy) and to just try to be sparing with the stuff I do purchase. I've found you don't need as much detergent per load as the bottle tells you to use, and when I'm really running low and trying to stretch until the next shopping trip or the next payday, I do fine using as little as half the recommended quantity per load and adding a dollop of baking soda. Shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste, too, I try to stock up when I find on sale or see a coupon, and then I hassle my family about using as little as they actually need and squeezing out every last drop of product. (My husband, out of habit, tossed the remains of the previous tube of toothpast when he opened the new one. I rescued it and am still using it up almost two weeks later.) I use plastic grocery bags to line the kitchen and bathroom trash cans and toss those directly in the garbage can. I do buy a box of big trash bags maybe once a year, when we do a big yard clean up or something like that. So, if I ever really need one, there are usually a few kicking around in the garage. But they are not on my regular list. I routinely buy the cheapest, store-brand feminine products and have never noticed any difference between those and the name brand items. Walgreens occasionally puts their house brand on sale buy one, get one free, and I buy a few months' worth at a time then. I've also tried the Aldi's brand and liked them just fine, too. I always buy the store brand toilet paper. Again, when I see it on sale, I buy at least double my usual quantity, more if there is room in the budget that week. I don't buy enough at CVS to make good use of their rewards program. And, since I'm limited in brands, my ability to play the game well is hampered. However, I do have the Walgreens reward card, and I get an occasional $5 just by filling prescriptions and buying things when they are on sale. When I do get a reward, I use it on my next regular purchase. I do the majority of my household cleaning with simple stuff like plain wrap bleach and white vinegar. For all of these things, plus bath soap, dish detergent and such, I try to make sure to always have at least one more in reserve so that, as you said, I don't have to make a special trip to the store because we've run out of that one item. Not only does it save on gasoline, but it minimizes the temptation to spend on impulse buys while I'm there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGHEALTHYMOM Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 DG has online deals (limited) and $5 off coupon with free shipping. I used to use Prime on Amazon. It is just too tempting to buy too much on there for me. DG diapers with the coupon is much better now, and I use cloth diapers at home too. Krogers has a clearance aisle and I look there for toiletries. I make a 5 gallon bucket of laundry detergent at a time and usually buy a small bottle on sale every few months if we are running low and I don't have time to make it. I have to hide food and toilet paper! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 I don't spend that much on that stuff because I use a lot of alternatives. I use cloth pads for my periods. I dilute shampoo and conditioner one to one with water. I don't wash my hair except about 1x a month. I do baking soda and vinegar in between. my hair looks better than it did before. We use mostly baking soda, dr. Bronners (a drop goes a long way), vinegar and soda water for housecleaning. For laundry detergent, I usually get a deal at Big Lots by stocking up when they have a bunch of eco friendly stuff and I use about 1/4 of the regular amount. We don't use paper towels or napkins. We get bio bags at Costco for the garbage and compost. We don't line the recycling bin and that is the largest amount of waste. Body soap is easy to find a sale on. Dishwashing detergent is one thing that I don't cheap out on. I usually get the ecover tabs but we hand wash our main dishes and only run the dishwasher once every other day for cooking pans, silverware and such. I stock up on the toothpaste when I find a sale. It's not the cheapest but I have braces and try to take really good care of my dental hygiene as a result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Anyone know how to use CVS and their great deals? I've read that you can get things like toothpaste nearly free, but i don't really shop there. Get the free CVS reward card (forgot what it's called) if you have not. When at the store look for the coupon printing machine. Scan the CVS card as many times as you like, different coupons print out each time. You can use both store coupon and manufacturer coupon on the same item so that is how most people get it nearly free. When you buy a certain amount of stuff from CVS, you also get a store voucher. That also comes out of the coupon printing machine. Walgreens and Rite Aid used to have plenty of Free After Rebates (FAR) but now it is rare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily_Grace Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Shampoo - I stock up when it's on sale Conditioner - apple cider vinegar. Bath soap - sale Paper products - cheap napkins are bought about once a year for bacon grease. The rest of the time we use cloth Dishsoap - I hand wash with ultra concentrated, stocked up when on sale House cleaning - one bottle of concentrated Mrs. Meyers has lasted me 3 years ($12). Most days I use elbow grease with a little bit of baking soda or vinegar if needed Laundry soap - charlies soap is the cheapest I've found, and hypoallergenic. We are sensitive here, too. Feminine - diva cup We spend an average of $20 mo on household running items, including a monthly package of pull-ups and what's needed from the above list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaKim Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Everybody else has given great advice on how to save money on the things you buy. So I will just add how I avoid the running around and back out to pick up things. I go shopping once a week (used to be once every two weeks, but I don't really have room in the fridge for two weeks' worth of food). I keep a running list during the week. For things we always use ( shampoo, toilet paper, ketchup, etc. ), as soon as we open a new bottle or pack or whatever of the product, that goes on the list, and I buy that the following shopping day. That way, we always have one opened, in use, package, plus one unopened in the house. If something I use all the time happens to be on sale on my shopping day, I may buy extra even if I don't need it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 another thing that really helps is keeping a physical list of items you need in the kitchen. I grocery shop about once a week. I always shop with a list and know if something is really low or could wait another week, like toothpaste or laundry detergent. If I don't have enough to buy everything on the list (which happens), then I make sure it gets on the new list and bumped up in priority. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 We don't use paper towels or napkins. Paper products - cheap napkins are bought about once a year for bacon grease. The rest of the time we use cloth I forgot to mention this is my previous post. We, too, don't buy a lot of paper products. We use cloth napkins, and I cut up worn-out towels to use for cleaning rags. I buy a roll of paper towels every few months to use for draining fried foods, and I stick with the cheapest store brand made with recycled paper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 I have managed to get enough of the non-food items (sales! coupons!) so that now when I am down to the next-to-last (or so - depends on the item and how long the last one will last) of anything, I put it on the grocery list...and have a couple weeks to find a coupon and/or a sale. For example - I just started using my next-to-last jug of Tide...so have my eyes open for coupons/sales now. When I can, I will buy a couple more jugs. The ever-changing list lives on the 'fridge, and all know to put items on it if they see we are going to run low. Also - we don't use napkins, paper or fabric. A paper towel works if you need a napkin - or one of my many small kitchen rags, which then get tossed into the daily laundry pile. I guess you could consider the kitchen rags to be "napkins" ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 I'm not super frugal about it, but unless I'm really desperate, I just never buy that stuff at the grocery store because their mark up is higher than places like CVS or even Target. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Can't add much to these great tips, but I do try to keep an eye on what staples (food or otherwise) are getting low, and I'll add them to a running list that I keep with me at the store. I live too far from the grocery store to get any fliers, and I don't always remember to check the online flier, so I'll have a note: watch for sale on coffee, or chicken breast, or shampoo, etc. So if I get to the store and see that something like that is on sale, I'll buy at least a month's worth. Do you have a warehouse club near you? I don't know if it would help you or not, but I looked at a BJ's membership last summer. I definitely would have saved by buying one; things like butter were way cheaper, and DH's toothpaste was only $2 a container, instead of the $3.50 I pay at the regular grocery store. (The meat prices were comparable to the grocery store sale prices, but the nice thing is that they were consistent.) I ultimately decided not to get a membership because I don't have to go in that direction very often, and I do have to go in the opposite direction once a week, so it would add extra time and gas to get to BJ's (which negates the savings). But you might check into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 I'm not super frugal about it, but unless I'm really desperate, I just never buy that stuff at the grocery store because their mark up is higher than places like CVS or even Target. Unless it's on sale and you have a coupon and your store doubles it. Like recently Kroger had Dawn dish soap on sale; the price was lower than walmart's regular price. I had a coupon for 50 cents which kroger doubles, so I got the dish soap for less than $1.50. Not the tiny bottle, the medium one--24 oz. Dawn is worth waiting for the sale and stocking up on--to me. Otherwise I'd never buy it at the grocery store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I am always surprised by how many things are actually much cheaper at our nicer groceries than they are at Walmart or especially CVS. I think sale shopping and/or coupons makes a huge difference. BOGO sales are awesome, especially since you can use a coupon on each item. When I was a good couponer, I generally got all that stuff free or nearly so. Now I am not couponing, but we always load up on sales and just keep aware of which items are cheaper where. I think Sam's Club toilet paper is a great price for good quality. I love their Member's Mark or whatever it is. It isn't CHEAP, but it is not too pricey, and is waaaaayyyy nicer than the similarly priced cheap stuff we get at Walmart when we run out of the Sam's TP. :) So, when I get to Sam's, I try to buy a LOT of the TP to avoid running out. :) I have been making my own laundry detergent the last year, which I use for 90% of things, and that is maybe 3c/load! (The borax, washing soda, fels naptha recipe). With chemical sensitivities, using DIY cleaners like white vinegar, etc, is going to be a really good way to go. But, I just now loaded up on my version of "Tide" detergent. For years, I would keep Tide on hand for really dirty stuff, and use cheap or DIY detergent for most things, but break out the Tide for stuff that was really dirty, b/c Tide really is soooo good at getting stains out, and it can save nice clothes from the trash sometimes. However, then a couple years ago, I tried the Sears detergent I'd heard about on the couponing sites, and I found it GREAT! Now, the version I bought first (a year's worth) was the one with OxiClean, and the one I just ordered on sale is the one w/o Oxiclean, so I am not 1000% positive this one will be just as great, but I am confident enough that I went ahead and ordered 2200 loads worth. (Yes, you read that right! 1100 loads for work -- vet hospital, and 1100 loads for home -- should last me a couple years!) I ordered four boxes of this (Sears UltraClean with Stain Fighters 275 load): http://www.sears.com/ultra-plus-trade-powder-laundry-detergent-w-stain-fighter/p-03209898000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1 It's on sale for 16.99 (normally 26.99) and if you order > $59, you get free shipping to your door. AND, if you order over $50, you can use a 5off5o coupon code, there are several out there, I used SEARS2013 So, order four boxes, add the coupon code, ship to home . . . So, there you go. 1100 loads of HE detergent (so safe in front loader, safe in septic, etc) for at total of $66.74 (after my state sales tax, YMMV.) It'll last me a couple years, even if I don't make my homemade. But, I'll probably keep making my homemade, using that for most things, so I probably won't need to buy laundry detergent again until 2015 or 2016 so. Heck, maybe I'll send some off to college with my eldest in 2014! And, that is doing 10-15 loads a week at least. We are messy people. So, anyway, I make this lengthy diatribe into laundry detergent to mainly make the point that shopping sales carefully, then buying in BULK, can end up saving me a lot in the long run. It's easy to spend $18 or so on 100 loads of Tide. I generally see it around 15-18c/load! That box might only last me less than a couple months. Having found it GOOD and CHEAP and just stocked up and stashed the excess in the basement makes it so there is zero chance I'll be overpaying for laundry detergent anytime soon. :) It was a minor hassle, yes, but now I don't have to put that item on our shopping lists AT ALL for YEARS. So, there is a big time savings there as well. Shop carefully, know your prices, and stock up! Happy shopping. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsmith Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Coupons combined with sales. Personally, I hate dealing with coupons and figuring out who has the best sales, so dh has been taking care of this. He's been saving us a ton of money too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 But, I just now loaded up on my version of "Tide" detergent. For years, I would keep Tide on hand for really dirty stuff, and use cheap or DIY detergent for most things, but break out the Tide for stuff that was really dirty, b/c Tide really is soooo good at getting stains out, and it can save nice clothes from the trash sometimes. However, then a couple years ago, I tried the Sears detergent I'd heard about on the couponing sites, and I found it GREAT! Now, the version I bought first (a year's worth) was the one with OxiClean, and the one I just ordered on sale is the one w/o Oxiclean, so I am not 1000% positive this one will be just as great, but I am confident enough that I went ahead and ordered 2200 loads worth. (Yes, you read that right! 1100 loads for work -- vet hospital, and 1100 loads for home -- should last me a couple years!) I ordered four boxes of this (Sears UltraClean with Stain Fighters 275 load): http://www.sears.com...=1&blockType=G1 It's on sale for 16.99 (normally 26.99) and if you order > $59, you get free shipping to your door. AND, if you order over $50, you can use a 5off5o coupon code, there are several out there, I used SEARS2013 So, order four boxes, add the coupon code, ship to home . . . So, there you go. 1100 loads of HE detergent (so safe in front loader, safe in septic, etc) for at total of $66.74 (after my state sales tax, YMMV.) The OxiClean version of this is on sale now for $10.99/box, down from $19.99/box. The SEARS2013 code is still good and if you order enough, you can get free shipping. Store pick up is an option too, w/ no minimum. This box only will clean 120 loads, but w/ baseball season having begun, the kids' TKD uniforms being used twice weekly (and needing to be nice and white for belt testing and tournaments), and the lovely Virginia clay we live w/, I loaded up. Thanks, StephanieZ, for posting this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkermamaof4 Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 I don't think anyone has mentioned naturoli's soap nuts for detergent. I just split the 8 lbs of them from amazon.com with 8 friends so we could each try 1 lb. We had to order extra bags. So far, so good. They are natural and way cheaper than detergent. I was making detergent before this and my whites weren't getting clean (but I didn't try adding oxiclean). Also, try scott tissue that has the 1000 sheets per roll. It lasts so much longer. I too switched to baking soda for shampoo and acv for conditioner about a month ago with no trouble at all. I mentioned it to a very hip friend who confided that she has done it for 2 years. lol. Who would have known?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkermamaof4 Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 Also, it really helped me to create a list of everything we use in alphabetical order. Before shopping I would go through it and check if we needed any. Keep a running list of what is needed as you use things up. And always have 2 or more of everything in the house. So I have a spare or 2 of everything, and when I open the spare I add it to my shopping list, rather than adding it when I am out of my only one. Now I use plantoeat.com for all meal planning. It creates a shopping list for me of everything I need. I can check off everything I have already. I love it. If you want to check that out, I'd be grateful if you used my referral link: http://plantoeat.com/ref/0nal2ekzib I've written about it recently on this forum in more detail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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