Ten things to stop buying today to save money
We all need to save money these days. It feels like the value of a dollar gets smaller by the day! These everyday items you can stop buying and easily replace with less expensive options and even help out the planet in the long run.
Paper towels
While there may be a time and a place to put paper towel to use, most of the time, old towels or old shirts can work just as well. I actually like using old rags better than paper towel for cleaning glass. They don’t leave little bits of paper on the mirrors! They’re also easy to toss in with your dish rags and towels to wash on laundry day.
Disposable Disinfectant Wipes
When it comes to common products that make life easier but are wasteful, disposable disinfectant wipes come to mind. Sadly these also have quite a high cost. You can easily make your own by filling a small container with a disinfectant solution (1 cup water, 2 tsp bleach, 2 tsp dish soap) and tossing in rags. This is a great way to reuse old t-shirts! Because you are using old t-shirts, you can toss it guilt free if the mess is too hard to get out of the cloth.
Glass Cleaner
Another thing that can be a waste of money is glass cleaner. At $3 or so for a bottle of cleaner you are basically throwing your money away. You can save a large amount of money by filling a bottle with half water and half vinegar or rubbing alcohol. It works just as well for just a fraction of the price.
Dryer Sheets
You can save big bucks by making your own Dryer sheets. You can find my recipe to make your own homemade dryer sheets right here. To make things even easier, you could simply add some white vinegar to the liquid fabric softener dispenser of your washing machine.
Diaper wipes
If you are a mom, you know how handy diaper wipes can be, even for older kids! The good news is, you can make your own easily and save money. If disposable is a must, try cutting a paper towel roll in half for this. If not, baby wash cloths from the dollar store are perfect for a washable version. Mix a few drops of baby wash or castile soap into about a cup of water, then pour over top of the cloths or paper towel that are in an airtight container.
Lotion
Lotion can be made for a fraction of the cost without all of the chemicals that are bad for you. All you need is 1 part shea butter and 1 part coconut oil. Add a few drops of your favourite essential oil to make it smell amazing!
Shaving cream
You can use nearly any oil, body butter, or even conditioner in place of shaving cream. This is a great one to stop buying for healthier skin too.
Foaming hand soap
Foaming hand soap can be made for next to nothing. Refilling your bottles saves you so much money! Simply fill your used foaming hand soap bottle with 1/2 water and 1/2 soap. Shake well.
Related: DIY Foaming Hand Soap
All purpose cleaner
It’s so easy to whip up a batch of homemade all purpose cleaner. Here’s my recipe that you might like to try. Or you could simply use some castile soap mixed with water.
Modge Podge
Every craft lover knows the wonders of Modge Podge. The good news is this expensive crafting staple can be made by mixing half school glue and half water together. Use the same as ready made for all of your crafting fun.
I’d love to know some items that you have stopped buying because you’ve found an alternative. Let me know in the comments!
