Simply Camden

When it comes to shopping for household basics, little things can really add up.  Cleaners and wipes, Deodorant and toothpaste, individually these items may not cost that much, but with a house full of people using them, they run out quickly.  They’re necessary daily tools in the home, which means they make a regular appearance on the family budget.  And if you’re not careful, household staples like these can take a real chunk out of that budget.  There are ways, however, to save money on these necessities and possibly the easiest is to check savings sites such as CouponCravings.com.  It may take a small bit of your time, but in the end, the savings are worth it.  

• Do-It-Yourself Household Cleaners:  The Natural Resources Defense Council lists eight essential ingredients to have on hand for making your own cleaners.  Some of these items, like baking soda, you may already have stocked.  Others, like Borax, may require an initial trip to the store.  However, once you’ve collected these items you have the means to make cleaners for all the rooms in your house.  Since it only takes a small amount, often mixed with water, to create these cleaners, you’ll save money and trips to the store.  As an added bonus, the homemade cleaning products are environmentally friendly and don’t contain the harsh chemicals of most store-bought cleaners.

• Do-It-Yourself Drugstore Items:  Parentables gives more DIY tips for additional household items, like deodorant and toothpaste.  Again, increased savings is not the only benefit of making your own.  The homemade versions of these items also have no harmful chemicals.  You’ll be doing your body a favor as well as your pocketbook.  

• Online Shopping: Unfortunately, sometimes saving time is as much a factor as saving money.  In this case DIY projects may not be the answer for your family.  But you can still cut costs by shopping for household basics online instead of heading out to the grocery store.  SmartMoney.com explains how new sites like Soap.com and Alice.com are making it easier to shop for these necessities on the Internet.  They have regular coupons, fast and often free shipping, and they even send out reminders when you are likely to be low on products so you don’t run into the problem of having to make a last-minute run to the grocery store. 

Household cleaners and other basics are necessities that seem to always require replenishing.  This doesn’t have to mean a continual drain on your financial resources.  You can save money by taking the time to make your own cleaning products or drugstore basics, or you can search online for deals that will ease the burden of your monthly household needs.

Article submitted by Kate Sorenson of CouponCravings.com