Saving money is a challenge with numerous ways to make it work. The biggest issue with saving money is that most of us believe that saving money is only linked to couponing, sales, and ways to stretch your clothing budget further or earning free money.
However, there is another potential way that you could save even more money, inconvenient ways they may be, they can save you $100’s over the course of a year. By inconvenient, I mean making your family’s commonly used items homemade or switching to more cost effective options.
Paper Towels
(This one annoys all my neighbors when they come over and it annoyed my hubs for a long time too, until he realized it truly does save us money.) Get rid of them and replace with white bar mop cloths. You can save an average of $260 a year by making the switch. You can purchase bar mop cloths anywhere and buying them in white allows you to bleach any stains. Bar mop cloths are super absorbent and can be reused multiple times. Keep them next to your kitchen sink in a pretty container and you are all set!
Detergent
Make your own homemade laundry detergent. Making your own detergent can seem time consuming but it will save you a ton over the course of the year. Most homemade laundry detergent recipes will cost you roughly $0.06 a load and my family has saved over a $1,000 in eighteen months just by making our own laundry detergent. Another way to save in the laundry room is to clothesline dry your clothing. (This is great to do with little ones clothing – they dry fast hanging up.)
Daily Shower Cleaner
You can make this homemade too! All you need are equal parts vinegar and water. To cover up that vinegar smell you could use lemon or orange juice. If you have any essential oils at your disposal, you could add a drop or two to the solution. Possible Savings: $20 a year (per bathroom)
Fabric Softener
Use ¼ cup of vinegar in your washer’s fabric softener compartment and you could save an average of $78 a year. (I promise, it will NOT make your clothes smell like a pickle factory.)
All Purpose Cleaner
Use a more concentrated version that requires you to dilute before use. Buying a more concentrated cleaner can cost you more up front but since you will not need to purchase it as often you could potentially save over $70 a year. Another option for an all-purpose cleaner is equal parts water and vinegar.
Refill Liquid Hand Soap Dispensers
Instead of spending a bundle every couple of weeks replacing your hand wash dispensers consider buying a large liquid hand soap container and refilling all of your already purchased hand soap dispensers. Possible savings: $100 a year. If you are worried about germs, you can purchase a dishwasher safe refillable liquid hand soap dispenser and run it through the hottest cycle before refilling.
Floor Cleaner
Use a ½ cup vinegar for every gallon of water. This solution does not leave a sticky residue and is safe for hardwoods, laminate, and tile. If you have a spray mop that does not have a refillable charger, just poke a hole at the top of the charger and use a funnel to refill as many times as needed. If your spray mop does not come with a washable/re-useable cloth just use a microfiber cloth instead of the disposable ones. Possible savings: $75 a year.
If you decide to use all of these options, you could possibly save your family an average of $600 a year. It is no fun to have to be inconvenienced but considering the time that it would take you to clip the coupons, search the sales, get in your car, drive to the store(s), and back home, you could have made every item on this list yourself and saved the trip (and the gas!).
I personally use all of these methods of being inconvenienced to save our family money and now, they no longer seem inconvenient.
What are some inconvenient ways you have been able to save?
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Our Pinteresting Family says
Great ideas! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Michelle Nahom says
Great ideas! I just started making my own laundry detergent and it works just as well as the stuff you buy at the store. And is a lot cheaper! Thanks for these other great ideas!
Kaila Ramsey says
I use lots of vinegar and water for cleaning….we also use cloth napkins instead of paper towels…I want to make laundry detergent but that wont happen until we run out of all the stuff we got on sale with coupons a while back!
Adrian's Crazy Life says
I don’t really use any tips like these. Probably my biggest cost save is to just stay out of stores. I am quite the impulse shopper and so many times, I would stop into a store for one thing and come out with five things – most of them unneeded. I also stopped “recreational shopping”. I never just go and wander through a store just because I’m bored because I know I’ll overspend if I do. I find other ways to spend my time, and if I need something I either go straight and and straight out, or I give my husband a list and let him do it. Sometimes it’s just about being aware of your weaknesses and working around them.
Mary says
Oh, I can so relate to this! I challenged myself not to buy any “home projects” for the month of December. One of my downfalls is that I like to repurpose and update items I find at thrifty stores. I just had to stay away!! So hard!
Jessi says
Oh yes! I’m in the same boat! I always argue with myself “well, I can fix it up and then sell it, so it’s a return on my investment”. I have to stay away too! 🙂
Mary says
Amen to that one. It’s my biggest problem when it comes to sticking to a budget.
Matthew says
one unconventional way we save money in my family is by using family cloth for toilet paper. We also use cloth wipes for diaper changes and make our own diaper woo solution. These save us a lot of money.
Jessi says
Awesome job Matthew! 🙂
Lucy says
we invested in a steam mop and use that for all our floor cleaning. We make our detergent, dryer sheets, and household cleaner.
charlene says
i have found to save money is to stockpile on toilet paper,paper towels,deodorant,shampoo,toothpaste ,bodywash i probably i probably have a years worth lol but hey that stuff is expensive and costs money !
Jessi says
I stockpile toilet paper too! 🙂 Glad I’m not alone – and hey, if the world ends we have plenty of toilet paper for everyone! 🙂
Trish says
When you are trying to save money on cleaning supplies vinegar definitely becomes your best friend. My family has gotten used to the smell and it goes a way quickly. Paper towels have become only for special things like making bacon. Great points,
Jessi says
I keep one roll of paper towels for bacon too! 🙂
Jenny says
Coffee filters are good for bacon and very cheap, too.
Jessi says
Oh, I’ve never used coffee filters for bacon before! Is it good just for draining the grease or is there another special property to them? I love using coffee filters to clean windows. 🙂
Jenny says
Just the grease draining part.
Jessi says
I’m definitely going to have to try that! Thank you Jenny! 🙂
K. Yocum says
For bacon, I take the cooked bacon & set it on my cookie rack over the smaller pan to drain. It keeps its heat if I set it up in the microwave & drains very well while I’m finishing up eggs & toast.
Mary says
Thanks for the suggestions. I have always wanted to try my own laundry detergent. Have you found that it really works? I’m all for saving a dime
My blog is about penny-pitching decorating .
Jessi says
Yes! I love our homemade detergent! My hubs was skeptical at first but now loves it and loves that I can wash his hunting gear in it because it doesn’t have a fragrance. 🙂
Sherry Hackney says
$1,000 in detergent use saved in 18 months? Wow! you must use a alot! $55 a month for laundry soap is a bit much. Using less of everything is my best tip.
Jessi says
We do use a lot, especially when potty training!
Darla says
I make my own laundry detergent as well as face wash. Doing both things saves me a ton of money, but I don’t think either is inconvenient. When I run out of face wash I walk to my kitchen and mix up some more (olive oil and castor oil). I make enough laundry soap to last me 6 months and I really never worry about running out. These two things are some of the most “convenient” things I do for myself!
Jessi says
I have yet to start making my own face wash – definitely next on the list! 🙂
Jenny says
1. Washing and reusing gallon size Nancy’s yogurt containers as tupperware (they can’t be microwaved, of course…but we don’t have a microwave!)
2. Speaking of those yogurt tubs, they are also the BEST for single serving salads. You pop all the ingredients in, add dressing, put the lid on (Nancy’s has a good seal, unlike some other brands) and shake it like a polaroid picture. Voila! Perfectly mixed salad ready to take anywhere.
I love my Nancy’s Yogurt. Not sure if it is only found in Oregon but it is fantastic. The Whole Milk Honey Yogurt is superb.
3. Speaking of the toilet paper thing, my husband usually tries to schedule his bathroom visits for when he is at stores. He was just telling me about which stores have the best bathrooms in terms of privacy, toilet paper, and cleanliness!
4. Very easy although not super quick…still, I set aside about two hours and made 100 envelopes that are ready to send out. And they are really interesting and have lots of personality. 🙂 Greeting cards are so expensive!! I think a homemade one (especially if you have kids to contribute drawing or writing) is a nice gesture…not to mention handwriting practice for kids!
Jessi says
I’ve never heard of Nancy’s, but I’m to google what their tubs look like! My Grandmama always saved those huge gallon containers that sorbet typically come in to use as leftover containers and seriously, your husband’s bathroom habits are cracking me up! If only I could convince my hubby of that….or at least convince my toddler that he does not need to throw a whole roll of toilet paper into the toilet….
Jenny says
He comes from a family that is beyond frugal. I mean, way beyond. I mean, think the Great Depression never ended. When he grew up, he swung to the opposite end of the spectrum because he was so sick of that attitude. Now the pendulum swing is starting to come to normal…
Jessica says
I’m surprised you don’t have hang-drying your laundry on this list!
Jessi says
I would love to be able to line dry my clothes! And you’re right, that’s an amazing way to save money! 🙂
Cynthia L says
Jessi, I just found this post on Pinterest and have to say I love it. So many great ways to save a little at a time, but they really do add up. I follow many of them – right now we are moving away from paper towels. I hate to spend the money on something that goes in the trash.
Jessi Fearon says
Thank you so much Cynthia!
Cathy Williams says
I do all of the things you have listed as recently hubby was made redundant and we have to be really, really careful.
Another thing I’m doing (that I haven’t read anywhere yet) is to make hubby a load of handkerchiefs from my old dressing gown that was going to be thrown out. His nose is always running and we get through a LOT of tissues! My father has always used hankies instead of tissues.
I have washable training pants for my daughter and washable bed mats as well. We get through a lot of these as well.
I did wonder if it was cheaper washing all these extra things but quickly dismissed it as I also make my own ‘laundry sauce’ that sets like apple sauce!
Happy saving! Cath xx
Stacey Grant says
Here are some other ideas,
1. Make your own bread crumbs from the ends of a loaf of bread. My family refuses to eat them so I collect them in my pantry, where I let them dry out. When I have enough, or they are getting in the way, I puree them in my food processor.
2. Make your own dog cookies. There are tons of recipes out there. The one that my pooches like is whole wheat flour, peanut butter, pumpkin puree, molasses and an egg. Way cheaper than buy the ones in the box.
3. Wash and reuse ziploc bags.
4. Grow your own food. I recently began growing my own green onions and celery from the ends that I usually threw away. It takes a little time, but very satisfying to grow your own. I am going to try growing tomatoes in a container soon.
5. LED light bulbs. It may cost a little to purchase them at first, however we changed about 75% of the bulbs in our house and have seen a $20/month saving.
6. Make your own ‘Fabreeze’. Essentially fabric softener, baking soda and water in a spray bottle.
7. Line your drapes with camp space blankets (the thin silver ones). You can pin them to the drapes or tack them there. They act as a insulator, saves money on heating/cooling.
Wishing everyone a safe and cost effective day:)
Angie says
My brother-in-law, who owns a car wash, recently gave us some awesome microfiber cloths that work fantastic on stainless steel appliances. I don’t know the name, but they are light green and he said he purchased them at Sam’s Club. Just squirt a little window cleaner on the appliance and buff away. They work so much better than paper towels or even old rags (my usual go-to for cleaning).
I used vinegar in the wash when my flip flops (that have a cushioned sole) began to reek. They smelled so much better and bought me more time before having to replace them (I tend to be a minimalist when it comes to shoes, once I find a style I like that’s comfortable I stick with them).
Maggie says
Could you please share the math you used to come up with those savings numbers? I have never spent in total the amount you claim to have saved with each of these swaps. Additionally, the cost of using vinegar for fabric softener is greater than using either liquid or sheet fabric softener, based on some generic prices for those items and your recommendation of using a quarter cup of vinegar per load.
Jessi Fearon says
Hi Maggie! I don’t those numbers anymore since this is an older blog post, but since we shop at Aldi Vinegar is about $0.60-0.80 for the smaller container. Vinegar is also amazing at getting out strong odors in clothing – like chemical smells. Also, this math was based on what we were spending for our household so your numbers would be different and you may or may not be able to save as much depending on the stores available in your area.