Penny Pinching- Household cleaners part 1
I have been talking to several women about how they pinch their pennies! Whether you just enjoy being a cheapskate or you really need to watch your budget (who doesn't?) I think you'll really enjoy this series on penny pinching. I'm going to start with household cleaning products and see where the wind blows next! Grab a cup of coffee real quick, put your baby down for a nap and I'll be here waiting!
Like everything else it seems, women have strong feelings about natural vs. chemical cleaners. I don't really care what you use, the purpose here is cheap! I hope you can use some of these tips with both types of cleaners. If you do want to find a natural and cheap source for cleaning supplies I will list some websites you can check out!
*I almost forgot!!! Please don't be THAT person. You know the one. Don't boss your family around to save six cents. Don't invite people over and hope they don't use up too much....anything. Please! The heart of saving money is to use that same money in a better way! Take your savings and set them aside for a pregnancy crisis center, use them for a rainy day or even pay off debt....whatever it is, don't be stingy. God loves cheerful givers...and spenders...and savers.... and general cheerfulness all around!
- Necessity breeds invention. There have been times when I have run out of things and have made something else work! I know you all have done this! I have a friend who ran out of dish sponges and it was a week before payday, she simply tossed them in the washer and they came out like new! Now she does that all the time. Stepping back to problem solve has cut her sponge budget in half. Once when we had little money I just watched things run out and found new things to use. I was amazed at how little I really needed.
- Cut everything in half or use half as much. Sponges and dryer sheets can be cut in half, use half as much dish soap, laundry soap, fabric softener etc. You can also half your liquid soaps with water.
- Use a multipurpose cleaner on everything...everything. I use Dawn dish soap and Bar Keeper's Friend for every.thing. Well, not laundry!
- Don't buy a cleaning product that you need to constantly purchase disposable items for.... you know the ones! Mops like swiffers are a money hole. Instead try to purchase something like a shark steam mop. It just uses water and washable cloths. I also sprinkle cinnamon oil around while I steam mop and it smells amazing.
- Consider making your own products. I've asked various friends and family members about making my own laundry soap, toothpaste etc. I would ask to try a sample of theirs before you mix up a big batch of something you end up hating and THEN have to go out for Tide, Crest, or shaving cream.
- Date everything you use. I do this for several reason. One reason is to make sure you are using something long enough before you just pitch it. Another reason would be to try to stretch something a little longer or to see how fast you go through something. I dated my dish soap for about three months to see how fast I went through it. I wasn't cutting down on dish soap, I just wanted to see how fast I was using it so I could budget a certain amount each month.
See Part 2 here for a list of products I use, the prices of each product and several other *hot tips*
Natural Cleaning products that are budget friendly: I have heard good things about these companies, but haven't used them myself except for Thieves cleaner!
Comments
Post a Comment