Don't Flush away Money on Toiletries

by Shaunna Privratsky

We already have to worry about bad hair days, wrinkles, aging skin and our overall appearance. Now we're supposed to worry if our teeth are white enough? What is next, tongue pinkener?

On a recent trip to K-Mart, I checked the price of Crest Whitening Strips. The "sale" price for a box was $27. Even with my $7 off coupon, that was more than I wanted to spend. I bought the $2 tube of whitening toothpaste instead. Speaking of teeth care, we never buy dental floss. The dentist is more than happy to give us free samples at our cleanings and checkups.

The average family must pay a fortune for toiletries. Even buying at discount stores was breaking my budget, so I came up with some cost-cutting tips for toiletries.

As my daughter enters the pre-teen years, hair products have suddenly become an issue. She insists on a detangling spray to help comb through her straight, shoulder length hair. It definitely lessens painful brushing in the hair-raising rush before school.

The pricier brands run $3 to $5 for an 8-ounce spray bottle. Suave For Kids Detangling Spray is only $1.78 for a 10.5-ounce bottle. I take it one step further. I pour half of the new bottle into the empty bottle and fill each with water. The spray lasts twice as long and actually works better since it is thinner.

My cool-conscious son loves the look of spiked hair, but I hate the prices of name brand gel. We compromise with glitter gel from The Dollar Store. So far, the 8-ounce bottle has lasted seven months and it is still over 3/4 full. I swear by Suave's Naturals Extra Hold Hairspray. It is inexpensive and yet it holds my hair in place and gives it lift.

Suave has an excellent line of shampoos and conditioners at affordable prices. We like mixing and matching the various fragrances for sweet smelling tresses. They have a kid's shampoo that is supposedly tear-free, but my kids say that it stings eyes.

Although the Suave company offers great products at good prices, they can be beat. I also buy Alberto VO5 and White Rain if it is cheaper. I try to avoid paying more than $1 a bottle, and if the price goes down to 78 cents or less, I stock up like it was December 1999.

Liquid soap is nice, but good old bar soap lasts much longer and is cheaper, too. For the shower, we use various brands, depending on coupons or sales. For hand washing, I use the tiny free bars of soap from past hotel visits. One bar lasts approximately a month.

My husband used to need disposable razors every two weeks. I would reuse his discards, not minding the duller edge since it stroked my frugal ego. Then he received an electric razor for his birthday. All of a sudden I saved $6 to $10 a month!

Bic offered several promotions for new products this summer. I stocked up on three dozen or so razors, completely free with rebates and coupons. The best part is, they are mine, all mine. I don't even mind the razor sharp edges.

What would a bath be without bubbles? I buy the giant 48-ounce bottle at The Dollar Store and it lasts me and my two children six weeks or more. A capful of shampoo works in a pinch, but can be drying to the skin.

Speaking of dry skin, have you perused the lotion aisle at your favorite store lately? With all the anti-aging, anti-wrinkling, sun-blocking, medicating and rejuvenating lotions available, it is bewildering and budget busting, too. I have sensitive skin and used to faithfully buy Oil of Olay skin cream. Then the price doubled, then tripled while the container got smaller.

Apparently, my loyalty was only skin deep, because I switched to Vaseline Intensive Care Renew & Protect lotion. It has Retinol and UV protection and is silky smooth on my face and hands. Best of all, it only costs around $4 for a whopping 24.5 ounces instead of $14 for 4 ounces.

How about products that make us smell fresh? Deodorants and anti-perspirants provide protection but shouldn't stink up your bill with exorbitant prices. Look for sales or use coupons.

Perfumes and men's colognes are based on personal preferences, and can be very pricey. I like to sample various kinds and locate one I'd like. Then I spray a sample card with the perfume's name and store location. Most drugstores or perfume counters supply these free. If anyone needs a gift idea for me, I hand them the card and I'm assured I'll get the scent I want.

Cosmetics can take a chunk of change, yet I cut corners when I can. When I need a fresh bottle of foundation, I watch for sales and bring coupons, usually found in women's magazines like Glamour. I use my tubes of lipstick until they're flat, and then I get another two to three months' worth out of it by using an inexpensive lip brush. (It coats better, too!) I buy quality lipstick but wait until there is a two for one sale or a really great coupon.

Where you buy is as important as watching for sales. If you're at a grocery store, you will undoubtedly pay double or triple for any non-food items. That $2 tube of toothpaste will be marked $4.89. It's more convenient, but the extra cost adds up in a hurry. Wait until you need a few things and make one trip to Wal-Mart or another discount store for big savings.

No matter what you need to keep looking, smelling and feeling your best, you can save money on toiletries. Compare prices, check out store or generic brands and be willing to forgo brand loyalty. Use coupons whenever possible and watch for weekly sales. Stock up when you find an excellent buy or items your family uses regularly. Above all, don't flush away money on toiletries.

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Shaunna Privratsky is a fulltime author with over 500 published articles. In between finding a new house, caring for her disabled husband and getting her two teens ready for school, Shaunna writes about saving money at The Discount Diva http://shaunna67.tripod.com/id21.html Check out her ebooks and free newsletters today.

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