Living on Less Than $28,000 A Year: How our family of six survives (and even thrives) on an income that is less than half the national median income, and what the government calls “below the poverty line” (less than $29,990 annually) for our family size. [Read other posts in this series here.]
_________________________________________________________
Join me on Twitter or Facebook for instant updates or subscribe to my FREE e-newsletter to get posts right in your inbox!
_________________________________________________________
Non-food items like toiletries and cleaners can be a big part of any family’s budget. Here are some ways we keep costs down:
Stock Up
When we find shampoo, razors and other toiletries on sale, I buy enough to last for 2-3 months (the time it usually takes for them to go on sale again). By using this strategy, I pay a lower price for items than I would if I simply purchased them when we ran out of them. This is an especially great strategy to use in combination with coupons.
For example, in our area, 12 double roll packs of Angel Soft toilet paper go on sale for $5.49 a pack. If I happen to find a printable coupon I can get them for as little as $4.49 a pack. I buy 5-6 packs at this price and we are stocked up until the next sale cycle (about 8 weeks).
Use Less
Advertisers are constantly showing toothbrushes with gobs of toothpaste on them or people washing dishes in sinks full of bubbles. The manufacturers of these products want you to use more, so that you have to buy their products more often. Use less and save more! [You can read more about this strategy here.]
Simplify
You really don’t need one special cleaner labeled “bathroom” and another labeled “kitchen” for the kitchen. I use three basic household cleaners which also happen to be cheap: vinegar, bleach and Bar Keeper’s Friend (read more here). By keeping the cleaners to a minimum I keep more money in my wallet.
Make Your Own
There are lots of recipes for DIY cleaners online. I have personally tried Orange Infused Vinegar and DIY Laundry Detergent. I have several other ideas on my Pinterest Board here.
How do you save money on non-food items? Leave a comment and so we can all learn from each other.
next post: What would you do with $100,000 more?
Click here to see all the posts in this series.
You May Also Enjoy:
This is more of a tip to save on services rather than non-food items, but I read a comment about a hairdresser bartering haircuts for nails and what not….the way I’ve saved on haircuts and things like that in the past is my local college! The cosmetology department offers cheap salon services in order for their students to gain experience. Although this sounds like taking a big risk, I assure you they only let seasoned students work on the clients and the professors are always around to lend help. The discount in prices is outrageous! I got color and highlights that would typically cost around $100 in any other salon, for $25! And if you keep coming back they discount it even more! I went back for color and highlights again and only paid $12.50! If you have a local college or cosmetology school in your area, I’d check into it!
Great tip! Thanks Kristie. 🙂
For body soap I purchase a large container of generic “soft soap” from Walmart and fill a pump container diluted with water for using in the shower. I use a regular pump container NOT a foam pump for the shower/bath. Large container of generic is much cheaper than using name brand individual bottles of body wash. I use diluted generic dish soap to refill foam pump bottles for hand washing in bathroom and kitchen. I use 5% to 10% soap and fill with water.
Thanks for the tip Dianne!
We shop at Target where we bring printed target coupons, manufacturer coupons and stack them with sales on non-food purchases. By bringing your own re-usable bag, you get a $0.05 credit to your bill- a small way to save! Red card also saves you 5% on every purchase! Price match (check with your local store if they offer this) from competing store circulars and save again!
Don’t forget your local businesses! I am all for saving a buck wherever possible and in urban areas there is plenty of competition and choices for low cost food. However, I live in a very small somewhat isolated rural town (under 900 people) with only one locally owned grocery. I pay considerable more for my groceries but by buying out of town or on-line I am taking money out of the pockets of my friends and neighbors who work there. I would rather pay more than not have them in business and be forced to drive to the nearest town (45+ miles) for groceries. So I do the best I can with the options I have!
I have to travel for work at times and I use one of the little hotel soaps to make about a 1/2 gallon of liquid soap that we use as body wash and/or hand soap. I’ve found several different ‘recipes’ on line and some call for glycerin depending on the type of soap you use. I just refill a body wash/ soap bottle (that I probably got free with coupons 🙂 so it’s pretty much free! Woo hoo!!
We also make our own laundry and dishwashing detergent, and make household cleaners. The one thing I buy at the dollar store that is Fabulous is LA’s Totally Awesome cleaning spray. It cleans everything better than anything I’ve paid 10x more for!
Great idea with the DIY hand soap Jessica. Could you add a link for the best “recipe” that you have found? Thanks!
I just found your site through pinterest and love how openly you write. I have saved a ton of money over the past year by using mainly vinegar, baking soda, borax and bleach. I buy in bulk which saves me even more! I will be trying a homemade laundry soap to see how it works for my family as well. I love saving money on cleaners but also enjoy allowing my children (2 and 8) to help clean without worrying about the chemicals! I have yet to actually use essential oils all the homemade cleaners say to use, because i just cant bring myself to spend $10 on a 1oz bottle of oil, so instead i soak vinegar in orange rinds or put some lemon juice in with my gerneral cleaner.. although i can barely smell the vinegar anymore. 🙂 Personal hygiene items i buy either in bulk, on sale with coupon, or on clearance. I never pay full price for deoderant, body wash, toothpaste (i like using baking soda), contact solution or hair care products.
Oh, almost forgot! We also make our own toothpaste and deodorant.
Toothpaste recipe:
2 Tbsp. coconut oil (I’ve subbed in cold-pressed sunflower oil which also worked well)
2 Tbps. baking soda
2 tsp. real sea salt
20 drops peppermint essential oil
(Some folks need some sweetness and add Xylitol, but my family likes it as is.)
Deodorant:
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 1/2 Tablespoons grated beeswax
1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup cornstarch
You can also add essential oils if you need some scent.
Add the coconut oil, and beeswax to a small saucepan. Slowly melt over VERY low heat. Once melted, remove from heat and add baking soda, and corn starch. Mix with a spoon until smooth and creamy in consistency, then add the essential oils if you want them, and pour into your containers. Let stand to cool and solidify.
We use cloth instead of paper wherever possible. We use cloth napkins, hankies, cloth menstrual pads & Diva cup (you’d be AMAZED at the saving from that alone!), cloth tp for #1s, and rags or sponges for cleaning. We make or own dish soap, laundry soap, and dishwasher detergent from soap nuts, our disinfecting/cleaning solution with water and a few drops of tea tree oil (ends up being much cheaper and better for our health than bleach), we buy goat milk soap from a local farmer who sells it to our food co-op for wholesale price, and I wash my hair with home made apple cider vinegar (incredibly easy to make!!). My hair turns out really shiny and smooth from it. Some folks like to wash with baking soda first, but my hair is to dry for that. Also, instead of the expensive face wash I used to buy, I wash my face with honey (yes, really) and it’s even better than the face wash!! Also, we use felted wool balls instead of dryer sheets to keep the static off of the items that need to be dried in the dryer.
Can I just say HOW MUCH I Looooove Bar Keepers?? I keep a bottle under each bathroom and one in the kitchen. You have a great blog. My husband lost his job today, so now its just me working. I hope I can stick to this to help!
I am so sorry about your husband’s job loss Amanda. Hopefully he can find work soon. Hang in there!
Thanks for all of your great ideas! I’m reading through your whole series right now, and I’m glad I am. I love finding new ways to save money. We use cloth napkins and rags instead of paper towels and paper napkins. I dilute my soap (I use Dr. Bronner’s which actually instructs you to dilute anyway.) Also, I use vinegar and instead of cleaning powder, I use baking soda. It works great.
I buy toilet paper at a resturant supply store, Cash n’ Carry. A case of 90 rolls cost about $30 and lasts our household of 5 women for about 6 months. They are big rolls.
I made an earlier comment about checking the sq ft of the toilet paper I buy. I try to get as close to 1c per sq ft as possible for example $3.99 for 331 sq ft is just over 1c.
I don’t buy paper towels – I use rags to wipe up spills on the floor or dishrags on the table or counters. I use dish towels to dry my lettuce and other veggies/fruit that I wash. Still looking for a salad spinner at a garage sale or thrift store.
I’m very economical on toilet paper – you don’t always need a ton (dh needs to learn this). My grandma always folded hers over her hand 2x (I know this because I was a caretaker to her and she sometimes needed help). You can gently squash the new roll so it doesn’t unroll as easily.
Currently I’m not buying trash bags. I’m using the million paper bags I have saved or been given as trash bags and using my garbage disposal more. Food scraps great for composting but I don’t have one.
Now I take my cloth bags to the 2 stores that give 5c credit for using and get plastic ones at Walmart since they don’t credit. Be sure to frequently wash the cloth bags!
I need to find a pump bottle for my shampoo, conditioner to not use as much – always seems to pour out more than I need. I use just a smidgen of toothpaste and I cut open the tube once it seems like it’s empty – lots more in there.
For shaving, I have a plastic tub that I put a little water in, I have a chair covered with my bath towel and I sit outside the tub to shave my legs. No running water, I can easily wet my legs and rinse my razor thus saving me on water and then I can do a quick shower to completely rinse.
We recycle cans (my parents also give me theirs) and have started finding things or been given things that we can take for scrap metal.
GREAT ideas Cheryl–thanks!
Another great reason to stock up on sales – it always seems like if you aren’t stocked up, everything runs out at once! There’s nothing more disheartening than realizing that half of your grocery budget is going to those non-food purchases like detergent or shampoo or trash bags. I always try to stock up on one of the extra things each week so that I never really run out of anything.
Also, for those of you with wily hair that needs special (and usually quite expensive) hair products, one thing I do to keep the costs down is to ask for these products as gifts for Christmas and birthdays. In the last year, the only hair product I bought for myself was a single bottle of conditioner – and I still got to use the expensive stuff that make my hair manageable 🙂
I usually go to http://www.sweetfreestuff.com or check out All You’s Free Sample of the Day for hair care products. It’s a great way to get high quality brands for free. 🙂
So I want to know how you manage with the amount of toilet paper you buy. We get our toilet paper at Aldi. We go through an 18 pack of toilet paper in a week.
Hi Judith- Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I just updated the post. I had been buying 4 packs when the paper went on sale, but I realized recently that I have to buy a couple of packs in between to get us through to the next sale cycle.
We go through a 12 double roll pack about every week and a half. The Angel Soft Double Roll Toilet paper seems to last longer than other brands I have tried, I guess there are more sheets.
I have started checking the sq ft of the toilet paper I buy. If it costs $6.99 but you only get 282 sq. ft that isn’t as good a deal for me as paying $3.99 for 331 sq. ft. I don’t always do the math but I try to get as close to 1c per sq. ft as I can.
I know this post wasn’t exactly geared towards clothing and shoes and the like but all the talk of couponing made me think of a tip I use.
I work at a Payless ShoeSource and the advice I give all of my customers, especially my big families is that they should sign up for our email or text coupons because we don’t require that you print them out, all you need is the number and most locations accept the coupons even if they’re expired. Also if you don’t have a coupon don’t be afraid to ask if any of the associates have any extra coupons because many of us keep them on hand if a customer needs one.
Another tip I use is I made a free email account which I use strictly for getting emails from different stores my household shops at. I only check it when I need to go shopping for things that aren’t part of my normal monthly purchases (clothes, toiletries, etc) but since I have this email account filled with coupons for different stores I haven’t paid full-price for a single clothing or entertainment item in over 6 months.
Thanks Akalei. I especially like the tip about a separate email address for coupons!
The seperate email address is a great idea. I was thinking i could even take it a step further and make a joint email account for myself and my boyfriend as a “household” email. That way we won’t have to remember who gave their email address for the rewards programs or online bill accounts.
Also, having worked in retail myself, i agree about asking for coupons/discounts. Ask for open box or display prices too. As long as you are polite, but persistant, you would be surprised how far people we go to help you.
If you have babies, use cloth diapers! Happy wallet, happy earth, happy baby with a cute and less-rash-prone bum. If you like sewing, make them yourself! All the materials are available online or in most fabric stores. The amount you will pay for the diapers, detergent, and teeny-tiny addition to your electric and water bills seems like a lot up front (it might cost you $200-$500, depending on the system you choose), but that’s better than upwards of $3500 to get ONE BABY through the diaper stage in disposables. Diaper detergent isn’t expensive when you consider the per-load cost, but you can also make your own out of fairly simple ingredients, like washing soda or borax. We also use a concentrated green all-purpose cleaner for everything…it’s called Downeast…it’s like an unscented version of Pine-Sol. Just a little capful in a spray bottle, fill the rest up with water, maybe drop a teeny bit of essential oil in there, shake ‘er up, and go to town! I think we end up paying about five cents per bottle. You could also do the same with vinegar, but I’m not really that crazy about the smell. We use the vinegar and baking soda volcano technique for tough messes…a salt and lemon scrub can work wonders too. Also, this goes without saying, but no-name laundry detergent and dish soap (about the only cleaning products we buy, along with the all purpose cleaner) are way cheaper, work just as well as the big brands, and you really don’t need to use as much as the package says. One more laundry tip: if you’re crafty and have some wool roving or wool yarn laying around, wrap it up into tight balls , tie the balls up into pantyhose, and felt them a few times in the washer and dryer. Then toss five or six of them in your dryer instead of fabric softener sheets! It’ll soften, cut static, and cut your drying time. Plus, the balls will last for several years. You can even use old 100% wool sweaters for the core of the ball so you don’t need as much yarn or roving! If you like the scent of dryer sheets, put a little essential oil on the wool balls and your laundry will be glorious.
I have some wool bits lying around that I was trying to come up with a use for- thanks for the tip!
As for diapering- Cloth is not for me, so we do disposables, but I buy Walmart’s Parent’s Choice brand (Which work WAY better than Huggies, Pampers or Luvs!) – We go though 2 cases a month of diapers @$20 a case and one case of wipes @$11 a case- estimating that potty training will be done at 2 1/2, that’s 30 months @ $51 a month= $1530 total by the end, and I have twins 🙂
Ditto. I buy diapers and wipes at Costco. They last for weeks and weeks, plus my son loves playing in the big box the diapers come in. 😉 We’re starting potty training this month with my 22 month old because I’m expecting again in Dec and don’t want 2 in diapers. 😛
When my kids were little I very seldom used wipes but did use kids wash cloths to clean them and just throw them in with other loads (of course with “messes” you do have to rinse those out). This really saved me lots of $ and for alot of the time I did use cloth. We didn’t have a Walmart here back then.
This may seem obvious but my husband and I use all the same products. We used to have separate shampoo, soaps, razor blades, lotions, etc. Now we use the same stuff (when applicable) in unscented formula. Most of that man/women marketed/scented stuff is waaay too marked up in price anyway.
Minimizing the amount of different products you bring into your home will always save you money no matter how accomplish it.
I also made sure to read my appliance manuals and not use more soap or whatever than suggested. I then kept reducing it until I noticed a difference.
Check to see if you have hard water. A water softener is a big investment in the beginning but will save a ton on soap and other cleaning products in the long run. Plus everything from your drinking glasses to your shower curtain stay in good condition longer.
I would just like you to know that I have many of your posts bookmarked. I’m going to be moving out on my own soon, and will continue to work part-time while attending graduate school full-time. Finances will be tight, but I have you and your wonderful site to help me make my ends meet! Thank you so much for all your valuable advice!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me Jennie. I am excited for you!
This is what I use all the coupon match up sites for – you can find some great deals. ALSO check to see if a local store will price match – If they will then that may be a better deal. If you can combine a price match with a coupon, or even a store that will double coupons, then you are talking FREEBIES =) Items I never pay for using this method of double coupon store and/or pricematching stores- Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Papertowels, Dish soap, bar soap Carefully read those coupons – they may have a picture of the latest greatest most expensivest – but – they may also be good on the older, smaller, CHEAPER version =)
It can also pay to be very loyal to one store – like CVS or Giant Eagle. Rebate programs work well or buying my other items – laundry detergent, shampoo, deoderant, make up, razors =)
Couponing for food really does very little to help my budget – but couponing for taxable items is where it is at!
My husband and I are pretty brand-loyal with some things. He LOVES Axe body wash. We stocked up on his body wash when it was on sale at Publix several months ago. We bought about 40 bottles for about $60 where as if we bought it retail, it would cost about $280! This will last him about 2 years which means I don’t have to buy it again any time soon!
That is smart shopping. 🙂
Haha! Thanks. My mom has taught me how to be a couponer, but I only do it on stuff that we KNOW we use or consume. We also stock up on meats by buying from warehouse clubs or Zaycon foods, always looking for what’s cheaper but we never substitute quality. I can go weeks without going to the grocery store except for milk or eggs. It can be tough. My BIG investment was in an upright freezer this year. It was a chunk out of our income but being able to freeze stuff that is hard to buy cheap has big a huge savings.
Lots of great suggestions here. I ditched shampoo & conditioner a few months ago for baking soda and apple cider vinegar and coconut oil when necessary. I also wash my hair and shower less often, as a result. I almost never buy cleaners: I bought quality micro-fibre clothes and I can clean just about everything in my home with just water, including glass and mirrors. I made some orange infused vinegar, which I use for tougher jobs. I have used less than a pea-sized bit of toothpaste for brushing my own teeth for years (college roommates asked me how I managed not to get toothpaste all over my mouth as I brushed… the answer is use less!). I don’t buy paper towels: we have rags. I have a few hankies for when I am sick, but still buy kleenex as well (hankies feel so much nicer). Cloth diapers, cloth wipes. I hate throwing things away. Also, I find if I just shop less, I buy less. Funny how that works. 🙂
So true that when you shop less, you buy less. Staying out of stores means more money in your wallet. 🙂
We do most of the stuff people mentioned above as well as what you have in your post. I stock up on things from CVS when the sales are good (I wont have to buy razors, shampoo, deodorant, body wash, toothpaste, etc. for another year) as well as stocking up on paper products and cleaning wipes (Im obsessed with cleaning wipes). But we also use cloth napkins and cloth paper towels that Ive made as well as cloth diapers. I also made trainer panties for my 2 year old rather than buy pull-up type trainers. I also breastfed all my kids to save on costs for formula (wow, thats like $100+ a week to spend on formula alone). I made my laundry detergent for a year or so but switched back because my clothes didnt smell clean. I have over a years supply of detergent so Im good for now but might go back and try a new recipe once my supply runs out! I just wish I could do better at saving on food during the week, I always seem to stay around $150 a week….ugg
I would love to know how you made those pull ups. Would you be willing to share?
If you check out my pinterest board “Sew for me and us” (http://pinterest.com/katzakeen/sew-for-me-and-us/)
I have lots of tuts in there that are free!! BUT, my fav one is a pattern that I purchased on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/listing/98152675/the-underwear-style-training-pants
and I LOVE IT!!! I was hesitant to purchase it since Im big on “free” but it was worth the money! Ive made about 20 pairs for my 2 year old and to buy them at the store was around $7 for a 3 pack. If you dont want to spend the money, head over to pinterest and get you some free patterns, there are tons out there that work just as well!! 🙂 (I hope this helps!!)
Thanks Kat!
I haven’t made homemade detergent (YET) but plan to. I have started using 1/2 c white vinegar in my rinse water and it makes even my hubby’s smelly work clothes smell fresh and makes them soft even with hang drying!
I’ve used bleach and water solution and old washcloths/rags to clean and disinfect for years. I used to spend so much money on disinfecting wipes. Such a waste! I also use vinegar and water for mopping our hardwood floors. I just scored a huge container of HE lavender scented laundry detergent at Sam’s for $13, which should last almost 300 loads. I shouldn’t have to buy any for an entire year and will only cost me about $1 per month.
Great deal Val!
I think 300 loads would last me just under 3 months – lol- great deal though!
I try to combine coupons with CVS Extra Care bucks to get toiletries for cheap or free. I use vinegar and water mixture to clean almost everything…and I love Barkeeper’s Friend! We try to make our own powdered laundry detergent too!
I take advantage of the Dollar General $5 of $25 purchase to stock up on paper goods and cleaning supplies. Plus you can use manufacturer coupons along with their store coupon.
*$5 OFF of a $25 purchase
I couldn’t agree more with the use less idea! I’ve slowly decreased the amount of conditioner I use on my hair and now I’ve found just a little more than the size of a penny seems to work fine!
Also my hubby has started shaving with a straight razor, which will save us some money, since razor blades are so stinkin’ expensive!
I just joined Dollar Shave Club. It is very affordable and you can choose how often you receive new cartridges. No shipping charge for the medium and higher end selections.
Thanks for the tip Christine!
Dollar Tree has cleaners and other household items, and everything’s a buck. These items are just as effective as the more expensive brands elsewhere. I also find that the more often I clean, the less product I use in the long run.cloth wipes in place of paper towels is a huge $ saver at my house. And I love to re-purpose items for alternate uses around the house.decorated boxes as storage, empty cans and cartons for organizing smaller items. It is unreal to me how much a person could spend on organizing tools, when there are things all around us that don’t cost any extra!!
Use a foaming soap pump for hand soap. Even dish soap. You only have to fill it with about 10% soap and the rest water. Put the water in first though so you don’t have an overflowing foaming mess when you fill it! I also rarely use paper towels and use cloth ones instead (those cloth baby diapers are amazing). Fantastic on spills, which in my household could eat away at half a roll of paper towels at one time!
I bought a foaming soap dispenser to try this with, it’s almost empty then I’ll try the 10 percent soap to 90 percent water!
Let me know how it goes! It’s amazing how watery soap needs to be in order to be dispensed through those pumps. But hey, that’s great for the pocketbook!
Just to let you know, some people use a lot more soap in their mixtures (up to 50%!), but I’ve had no problem with a small amount. I wonder if that could depend on the specific dispenser used. Creamy (non-clear looking) liquid soaps (the ones with lotions or moisturizers) don’t work. They tend to separate from the water when sitting there. Some people use shampoos or body washes, but I haven’t tried that.
We use cloth napkins, hankies instead of Kleenex, and washable towels not paper towels. I use vinegar,water and newspaper to clean windows and glass. Baking soda and vinegar for cleaning products, make my own laundry detergent, and I use a hand crank washing machine for small loads. VERY small amounts of toothpaste. Hubby has to have one specific kind of shampoo–we get it at Sam’s–even w/coupons it is cheaper that way. I don’t have special mops, brooms,etc.
In the summer, CVS has a big sale of things like deodorant and shampoo. I’m not a big coupon clipper, but for this particular week, I get enough BOGO coupons from PG&E to purchase these items for almost the entire year. I also believe in cleaning with vinegar, baking soda, and watered down bleach. I use a putty scraper to help with stuck-on goo on most surfaces, and even use it to scrape the sides of my tub down before I scrub with a baking soda paste. I do like magic erasers, but usually cut them in half before I use them; otherwise I tend to throw them away when they are all yucky and waste them.
I shop at Melaleuca. The only store that pays you to keep shopping there.
I use Amazon.com for the bulk purchases. With Subscribe & Save and Amazon Mom, I save 15-20% on baby items, toilet paper, paper towels, etc. The prices aren’t always cheaper, so you have to compare to your local store. But it has saved us a few trips! Plus, it ships for free to your house.