Personal care products can be pricey, but they’re crucial for your hygiene, confidence, and health. It’s easy to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on personal care items and toiletries each year. If you’re looking for ways to be more frugal with your money, this is one area you may want to examine. Here are some tips for saving money on your daily hygiene needs.
Buy Fewer Single-Use Products
In a fast-paced consumer era, single-use products abound. They’re often made from cheap materials and have an appealing price tag. However, consistently buying and using such products can end up costing you more money in the long run. They’re also terrible for the environment.
Whenever possible, buy fewer single-use products and use longer-lasting, reusable options instead. For example, investing in a bidet could save you hundreds of dollars in toilet wipes and toilet paper each year. Similarly, purchasing a reusable period cup or period underwear can help you use fewer disposable period products each month. Many of your go-to disposable products have reusable alternatives from makeup wipes and tissues to cotton swabs and razors. Making the switch is a small change that can increase your savings over time.
Use a Flexible Spending Account
A flexible spending account offers pre-tax money for eligible healthcare costs. If your employer offers an FSA, you can opt to have pre-tax dollars automatically diverted into it each pay period. At the end of the year, any money you haven’t used will disappear, so it’s important to make good use of the funds before they’re gone.
Most personal care items are eligible to be purchased with an FSA plan. These may include face wash, hand cream and body lotion, lip balm, and feminine hygiene products. You can easily find FSA-eligible items online by typing “FSA” or “FSA Store” into the search bar on Walgreens.com or Amazon.com.
Take Advantage of Cash-Back Apps
Did you know some apps will give you money back for shopping at certain stores? This is one of those rare times when something that sounds too good to be true is actually true! Rakuten, Fetch Rewards, and Ibotta are all popular options. Besides giving you a certain percentage of cash back on your purchases from participating stores, these apps can also help you find good deals.
Once you download the cash-back app(s) you want, use them to save money on everything from apparel to makeup and beauty treatments. Depending on the retailer and app you use, your percentage back could range from 1% to 10% of your total purchase price. Look for seasonal promotions where you can earn a higher percentage back during certain holidays.
Download Coupon Apps
Extreme couponing isn’t as popular as it once was. Pulling out hundreds of coupons each time you go to the grocery or drug store can earn you some annoyed glances these days. Fortunately, using coupons is no longer as cumbersome as it used to be. Downloadable coupon apps make it faster and easier to save money on everyday personal hygiene items than ever before.
For example, Target Circle is a Target-specific coupon app that automatically applies eligible discounts at checkout. You simply have the cashier scan your barcode or manually enter the number at checkout. You can also use the app to save money on eligible purchases you make online.
Buy “Two-in-One” Products
People are often conditioned to think they must buy a separate product for every personal need they have. However, you can save money and counter space by snatching up multipurpose items wherever you can find them.
For example, a single lipstick can be used to color your lips and add color to your cheeks. Some lip colors also work great as an eye shadow. Similarly, 2-in-1 shampoo plus conditioner products can help you save money and time caring for your hair.
Wait for Holiday Deals
Salons, massage therapists, and other personal care providers will often offer discounted gift certificates around the holidays for gift-giving purposes. However, there’s no rule saying you can’t buy them for your own use. Snag some when they’re cheapest, then hang onto them until you’re ready to use them. This is an excellent way to save money on services throughout the year that might otherwise be too expensive.
To ensure you don’t miss out on the best deals, sign up for mailers and email lists to your favorite personal care service providers. Don’t forget to join any rewards programs they offer so you can save even more money.
Recycle Packaging/Use Refills
Did you just finish up a small bottle of hand soap or shampoo? If so, don’t toss the bottle away quite yet! Instead, check to see if you can purchase reusable products for that container. You can often save a lot of money on things like soap and sanitizer by purchasing large bottles or containers designated as refills.
Even some brands of deodorant and makeup offer refillable options. You can typically buy the refills in bulk without the fancy packaging. Then, when you run out of your favorite products, simply refill the original containers instead of throwing them out. It’s a great way to save the planet while also saving your bank account.
No one should ever feel like they can’t afford to take care of themselves. While it’s true that personal hygiene and beauty care products can be pricey, there are ways to make them more affordable. Use these tips to save money on personal care essentials so you can stay confident, clean, and healthy all year long.
