People are always looking for ways to save money on essentials like bathroom products and other monthly necessities. Most people immediately think of coupons as the best way to save money at the drug store, but that may not actually be the most effective way of doing it.
Think about it; spending hours looking through coupons to save an extra 25 cents on shampoo? The payoff isn't worth the investment of your time. The truth is there are much easier and more effective ways to save money on essentials without needing to spend hours looking through coupon booklets.
Make Your Own Products
In the green living community, people have been making their own beauty products and cleaning products for years. The beauty isn't just that you ensure your products are safe, but you also end up saving a lot of money.
Why spend hundreds of dollars on a moisturizing wrinkle-reducing cream when you can just whip up your own in five minutes with coconut oil? Or, why spend money on cleaning products when you can just use apple cider vinegar and water to create cleaning solutions?
All you have to do is research online and you'll find a goldmine of recipes for products you can make on your own with stuff you probably already have in your kitchen.
Subscription Boxes
If you've been paying attention the last couple of years, you may notice there are online subscription boxes for everything. The convenience they provide at such a low price makes them a great way to get what you need each month.
In fact, these monthly subscription boxes have such a strong following that investors are taking note and throwing their money at them. For example, Ipsy, the make-up subscription service launched by YouTube make-up guru Michelle Phan, has received $100.3 million in funding.
Not only do investors know a good deal when they see one, consumers can end up saving a lot of money as well. Fashionistas can save money by considering make-up subscriptions, a sock of the month club and even runway rental services. People who love to organize can save money on planner supplies. Men can save money on razors. Dog lovers can save money on snacks. The possibilities are endless!
No gas money and avoiding the store make these subscriptions a worthy investment for millions of people. Many of these services also have referral programs where you can invite your friends in exchange for free boxes, so if you work it right your essentials end up costing you nothing.
Buy Men's Products
This one is for the ladies. You may have recently heard of a phenomenon called the Pink Tax. Essentially, it's a retail practice where women's products cost more than men's products. Just take a walk down the shaving aisle at a drug store and you'll see they charge more for a woman's razor than a man's. The same applies for shampoo and deodorant.
The easiest and most effective way to save money, in this case, has absolutely nothing to do with coupons. Chances are if you use a coupon for a woman's product then you'd just end up paying whatever a man pays at full price. That's why you're better off just buying men's products.
The bottom line is there are less time-consuming ways to save month on your monthly essentials. The next time you need to buy some shampoo, cleaning supplies or socks try skipping the coupons and give some of these alternatives a shot instead.