One way is to make little changes that can eventually make a big difference:
- Try using just a little less coffee ground then you do now. You might not be able to tell the difference.
- Try using a little less shampoo and conditioner.
- Try using a little less mayonnaise.
- Try using a little less laundry detergent.
- Try using a little less dish detergent.
- The list could go on and on.
I challenge you to find one thing that you could use just a little bit less on. Try it and see if it works for you and be sure to let me know.
I am going to try to use a little less shampoo. I have thick hair and I use more than I should.
Wanna learn how to save even more money? Be sure to read through all the Let’s Save Some Money posts.
Kristine says
I use a lot of baking soda and vinegar to clean and disinfect. Both are super cheap and not harmful to kids/pets/environment. I make a spray out of water, vinegar and a few drops of tea tree oil to use on my counters, windows, bathrooms. It’s a great disinfectant and cleaner. I also have been making my own hand soap…I know, I know really hand soap!, but it is cheap and makes a ton. I like it because it is all natural and less harsh on my hands.
Love the TP idea!!
Becky Williams says
Okay this is a fairly new money saver for me but I was out of dishwasher detergent and had a full dishwasher and no clean silverware!! A friend of mine posted in her blog that she had just bought a dishwasher and was researching making her own detergent since all the labels read that they contained borax… So this is what she came up with and I tried it – it works like a charm!! She makes her own soda ash and here is what she wrote: “I pulled out a large box of baking soda, sprinkled it onto a sheet pan and baked it for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Viola! Detergent for my dishwasher. One teaspoon per load, 1/2 teaspoon if it’s a lightly soiled load. I’ve used it all week, and everything has come out perfectly clean, even the girly’s non-stop parade of peanut butter covered cutlery and a bruiser of a lasagna pan that had a crusty mess baked on it.”
I highly recommend it – I’ve done 3 or 4 loads with great results!!
Lorena says
We always use less laundry detergent. Can’t wait to use the TP trick, we’ve got 5 bathrooms & go thru a TON of TP! I also agree that buying the select a size (store brand) paper towel help us to through less, most times all I need is the smallest size.
katie says
I have declared January a “use it up” month. I had a bottle of aloe (a ginourmous one at that) that has been in my closet for a looonngg time and we had already bought a smaller bottle on vacation once, so I have been using the older one to shave my legs. I don’t believe the aloe cost that much..probably cheaper than shaving cream at regular price (of course I don’t pay full price for anything!). I have also started watering down my little girls shampoo, conditioner and body wash. She was using too much and not getting it rinsed out very well anyway.
Stephanie W says
I buy the cheapest conditioner possible (I’m still working on the stash I got on clearance at Walgreens for .25 each MONTHS ago) and use it to shave my legs instead of using shave gel. It works way better, in my opinion.
kara says
I also use cheap conditioner to shave my legs. It work great and doesn’t leave my legs itchy like shaving gel does.
Ange says
I have thick, naturally curly, dry hair. A few years ago I started washing only every three days, but conditioning every day. My hair is much softer.
I also dilute our milk :) Use half of what the laundry detergent bottle says, I use two dryer sheets in the dryer, but for three loads of laundry(works the same), don’t flush toilets through the night, and this year we are planting a pizza garden(round shaped, divided into six sections for herbs and vegetables).
But I am definately going to have to start giving that TP a squeeze!
Crystal S. says
I seem to have missed the crucial “squeezing the TP” post. Are you saying squish the core so it doesn’t roll as freely? So then you use less?
I have to admit that I am one of those people who definitely uses less than the recommended amount of laundry soap, hand soap, lotion, toothpaste, etc. I’d probably have to say that I’m bordering on not enough to be effective sometimes. People probably look at my sandwiches and say “for heaven’s sake can you even taste the jelly!?” Not sure how I got to be like that. I know money was very tight during my childhood. Maybe that has something to do with it.
We buy Brawny select-a-size paper towels and it helps us go through a lot less. Each one is about half a standard paper towel sheet. Other brands that call themselves select-a-size seem to be about 3/4 of a sheet – which is still more than you need most times.
Randi says
Crystal S.
Exactly! Before you put the roll on the holder squish it flat, and it doesn’t roll as fast so you end up using less.
Martha in Georgia says
I use a tiny bit of toothpaste, A roll of paper towels lasts for months – I mainly use them to soak up the grease from dirty pots and pans before washing them or to wash windows/mirrors. I’ve tried using newsprint for windows but it smudges my woodwork badly.
My problem is with laundry detergent. I’m a big fan of using less, but I have HORRIBLY dingy whites. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I know you’re not supposed to use bleach every time because it breaks down the fibers in the fabric and I try to use warm water consistently. I always use more detergent in my load of whites. Can anyone offer me suggestions for brightening my whites?
Kelley says
I have the same issue with whites. I use a product like oxy clean. I don’t buy actual oxy clean because it’s more expensive, but Sun detergent puts one out that is about 1/2 the price. I usually get it at Family Dollar. They usually have it the cheapest there. I haven’t seen any coupons for it.
Ruth says
Def the less laundry soap. I have been doing it for years. I don’t even use dryer sheets. Napkins is another thing I cut in half for my girls. They barely wipe their hands or mouths and it’s such a waste to throw them away. I don’t use hair conditioner either. I could work on less time in the shower. I do looove my long showers, though. :)
Kylie- Cheap Single Chick says
The big thing I do is after I’ve used some of the shampoo, conditioner or body wash out of the bottle, I add water and water it down. It works just as well, and helps me use every last bit that’s in the bottle. When it gets down to the end, I add some more water. You’d be amazed how soapy body wash is.
I also have started using bottles with pumps for my shower stuff. I tend to use less when I use a pump bottle of shampoo or body wash than if I pour it. When the bottle’s empty, I just refil it with more shampoo, boday wash, etc. This works great with the watering down of the products, since it helps it flow a little better through the pump, as well!
cheapsinglechick.blogspot.com
samantha says
I love the toliot paper idea! I am going to try that we go through so much with our little girls. I have started using half the laundry detergent I used to use and cant tell. It is still the same to me. I use a ridiculous amount of shampoo and conditioner. I go through the big bottles of pantene in 2 weeks just me. I think I may try to reduce my useage. I have really long thick hair but I probably use way too much. I have never heard of using baking soda or apple cider vinegar. Would that make your hair funky? I am all into ideas on how to use less! I use grapefruit juice to clean with since we have a tree. Just squeeze them and they make an amazing cleaner. S
mell
good too.
diane says
I think the thing I waste the most is paper towels. I am going to challenge myself to use less of them in the kitchen.
Megan says
i do the use a little less with lots of things-dish soap, laundry soap, toothpaste, I dilute all of my kids milk and juice-just emptly calories anyway. house hold cleaners. you would be amazed what you can clean with just water! I pretty much only use two cleaners in my house simple green and a bathroom cleaner. Simple green tells you to dilute it.
Britt says
I have heard that a good way to judge the amount of shampoo is to think of a quarter.
Kathleen Carscadden says
I haven’t used shampoo in a couple of months. I “wash” my hair with baking soda and condition with apple cider vinegar. It has made such a huge difference. I now lose almost no hair in the shower and have even noticed some new hair growth at the hairline – not that I need new hair, I have very thick hair. I figure this will cost me about $2.00 a YEAR.
Kristin from Couponing to Disney says
Kathleen – How does this work exactly??
Kathleen Carscadden says
I use 1 tbs of baking soda in 1 cup of water. Apply this to the scalp and massage just at the scalp as if you had shampoo and rinse. Then I use 2 tbs of ACV in 2 cups of water (because I have longish thick hair) and rinse the hair – massage and rinse. I just use a tupperware shaker cup. It works wonderfully – it does take a bit of time to get use to and many people go through an oily stage as their hair regulates the amount of oil produced with out being stripped away by the degreasers in shampoos. I started it because it was sooo cheap and what did I have to lose – others do it because it is much more natural and eco friendly or they have allergies. What ever the case, my hair is fuller, cleaner and has so much body – made this disbeliever a believer.
Randi says
I did this for a while too, and I noticed that my hair was overall much healthier. DH hates it though, so I stopped. My hair always smelled like the vinegar until it dried, but then it had no smell.
When I was doing it I had a left over squeeze bottle (from an art project, think tiny mustard bottle) and I would stick the baking soda in there in advance. On hair washing days I would fill the bottle the rest of the way with vinegar, while I was already in the shower, it’s fairly messy. Then I would squirt the mix evenly around my scalp and massage in. Rinse well. I have thick, curly hair that comes to the middle of my back, so I only wash my hair about every 2 days.
Tammy says
Mary-you are cracking me up on the inside (I was reading your comment while sitting at a wrestling match so I couldn’t laugh out loud!). I love the fish food coupon and the tp! We don’t have to have the no flushing rule since most of the time I think my girls are just to lazy to flush -lol! I guess it saves water though:) I think I’m gonna give the tp roll a squeeze- love that idea!
carol says
I have found the laundry soap is the one item you can cut back and not know that you have used less. I have a tablespoon by my washer to help me use less than what the cup on the bottle. I only need about two tablespoon of soap for a kind-of dirty laundry.
I also found the best way to use less of snack food was to pre-package them into snack bags. this way i could put what my kids will eat at one time, not a serving size. They want a little less than a serving size so i can get one more serving out of a bag.
Lori says
I just cut my dryer sheets in 1/2 and have not noticed a difference.
Kelley says
That’s a really good idea Lori. I’m going to have to give it a try.
Tricia says
I have an ice tea maker and was using three tea bags- now i use two and i like it the same! i also use less laundry detergent, a pea sized drop of toothpaste and half a sheet for the dryer.
Micael says
I love this post.
Henry could def. stand to grind less coffee. I need to really think about what I could use less of though since I try to be so frugal with everything as it is. Probably paper. I’m bad about scribbling notes on whatever is handy and just wasting it (I do recycle it though!)
Mary says
I used to fill the liguid detergent cap to the top and then dump more in the washer. Now I only fill it to the one or two and my clothes are just as clean. The same thing works in the dishwasher, more or less.
I also squeeze the TP before putting it on the roller. The kids really do use less that way.
This may sound yucky, but unless we have company, we don’t flush for #1 until there are 2 TP’s in there. More than that might stop up the toilet. This saves water. #2 is always flushed, of course. :p
We sometimes skip baths, too. It’s not necessary to take a shower/bath every single day.
I have a lot of hair, too. I am thinking about getting it cut shorter so that should save shampoo and water.
I need to work on not printing so many coupons. This would use less ink and paper. I tend to print more than I can use/organize sometimes. This would be a challenge for me. Right now, for example, I have 2 fish food coupons and zero fish. :)
Melanie says
I squeeze the TP rolls too! Works better for the kids than DH though.
Tina C. says
There’s a few things I do to use less / save money:
1. Use reusable kitchen towels in place of paper towels whenever possible. We were going through a roll of paper towels a week- for two adults!! Bad for my wallet and more importantly, the earth!
2. plan not only dinners out of stuff I have sitting in my pantry, but lunches the next day. I also really pay attention to what I am throwing away in food, and try to adjust my purchases accordingly. If I happen to buy to little for the week, I just send my hubby to the grocery store.
3. We live in Florida, so 9-10 months out of the year I grow my own herbs and use them instead of buying them. I can go almost a full year w/out buying basil, oregano, thyme, and jalapenos. It’s not a huge savings but a savings none the less!
4. I have a major weakness- cosmetics. I stretch my expensive items as much as possible by supplementing them with the drug store items when nothing special is going on. For instance, instead of using my $16 a can Oscar Blandi dry shampoo on work days, I use the Tresesseme brand that I got for $1.xx and save the expensive stuff for traveling, or whenever I want to feel pampered.
Kristin of Couponing to Disney says
Those all sound like great ideas! :)
MM says
don’t quote me on the company that researched this but, i belive consumer reports did a study on laundry detergent that proved that you only need to use at MOST half of what is suggested to use on the bottle of laundry detergent. that should also help your washing machine last longer too they found.
Kristin of Couponing to Disney says
I would believe that. :)