Non food cost big bucks!

903 Views 16 Replies 16 Participants Last post by Luv2BeFrugal, Feb 25, 2008

hunertime

Discussion Starter · Feb 15, 2008

I am reading a book Cut your Bills in Half I got it at the second hand store.
Grocery stores mark up nonfood items to compensate for low food prices. They suggest buying these at the discount store.
Here is the list:
Brushes, Paper napkins, Shampoo, dish detergent, tissue, garbage bags,
toilet paper, Laundry soap and toothpaste.

What are some thing's you've found cheaper at the discount store?
Thanks

1 - 17 of 17 Posts

Holly

· #2 · Feb 15, 2008

paper plates, make-up,cleaning supplies,
pet foods, aluminum foil.
I'm sure there are lots more.
I buy most of my stuff like that at the Dollar store

mikandmari

· #3 · Feb 15, 2008

That is really interesting! I'm fighting back by rarely buying this kind of stuff. I've stopped using paper plates, haven't touched a paper towel since Jan. 1, and I rewash/reuse not only baggies but saran wrap & aluminum foil too. When paper bags come along I cut them up to save for draining greasy food. It's become 2nd nature to do this, and I designated a drawer in my kitchen to keep this stuff.

I also started watering down the body washes and shampoos. It wasn't easy to get a teenage daughter on board, but I preached until I did. I'm making my own laundry detergent and I cut the dryer sheets in half.

All this in about 1 year of becoming a tightwad Mom! I've noticed I have very little to put out for the trash collectors anymore!

Is this a good book? I'm wondering who the author is? I love reading books like this :fdance:

freyadog

· #4 · Feb 15, 2008

Pretty much the same as the post just above me except I do not use a dryer. Things have just gotten out of hand am I'm not gonna put our money for stuff that we can make do with somewhere else.

pinkdaisy

· #5 · Feb 15, 2008

I would also add to watch the after holiday clearance sales at stores like Walmart and Target. Here are some recent examples:

After Christmas I went to Walmart and bought some of those gift basket set of bath and body products. A basket that was normally $14-$15 was 75% off. I bought two large ones which not only stocked me with body spray and matching bath products but also two beautiful baskets which I now use in my kitchen. They were about $3.50 each for 10+ products and the basket.

Today I went to Target looking for the after Valentines Day sale. I found these boxes of the treats my cats like. The cheapest I have found them is for $1.47 at Walmart. But apparently for Valentine's Day they had a box of them packaged for the holiday. After the clearance that was $2.50 for a set of five packs. That works out to $0.50 a bag! And they are good for a year. So I bought five boxes which is 25 bags of treats for my cats for $12.50.

Today at Target I also found some smaller bottles of vanilla shower gel that are normally in the $1 section for 75% off. They are about 6 ounces or so but were only $0.25 each! I bought the last five bottles they had. I always look for these deals and put them in a basket in my guest bathroom, so when I have guests they have bath products if they forgot theirs.

I always scour all the clearances at Walmart and Target. Sometimes you can find some awesome deals!

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hunertime

Discussion Starter · #6 · Feb 15, 2008

The book is called: Cut your Bills in Half is by the editors of Rodale press it's older but it had get ideasand some about saving heat I have another thread Free Heat with some of those ideas.

cottageliving

· #7 · Feb 16, 2008

I buy cat food and litter at K-Mart and/or Target. The prices there are WAY less than the grocer store and even less than Petsmart.

sweetlittle

· #8 · Feb 16, 2008

I'd agree with this with one exception that I was surpised to find. When our twins were in pull-ups for night the grocery had their store brand much, much cheeper than anywhere else including the mart stores and dollar stores in our area.

I didn't use baby wipes but used wash cloths, and cloth diapers (pull ups were a necessity in this house). We use hankies, towels and wash cloths instead of paper towels, and cloth napkins which I love. There are some very pretty cloth items at estate sales, garage sales, and thrift stores. I find that I feel "pretty" (sounds dorky) or more pampered using these than the generic paper products.

Christa

· #9 · Feb 16, 2008

Yeah, I was amazed to discover the price differences when I was first married and shopping for myself. I hit Wal-Mart once a month or so for non-food stuff (for the most part Winco beats them for food, IME). I'm always on the lookout though--occasionally I'm surprised to find that one of my non-food staples is cheaper somewhere else. And don't forget Dollar Tree!

anna021

· #10 · Feb 16, 2008

All of the items that you all have listed can be gotten almost free or completely free if you have a CVS near by. Their Extra Care Buck program is wonderful, Your first purchase may cost you 10-15 dollars, but after that you can keep rolling those bucks over forever. There's a site moneysavingmom.com, this gal explains the program very well, along with other money saving hints. I've been rolling over the same 20 bucks for over a year now, with really very little effort. Try it, why go without when you can get things free or almost free.

frooz

· #11 · Feb 16, 2008

My husband just noticed yesterday we don't have plastic wrap. I said, we haven't had any for four months and you just noticed now?

I haven't bought paper towels in 2 years. I keep cleaning rags in the kitchen and if we have a spill on the floor I wipe it with one of those and then it gets washed with the cleaning rags.

Everything that goes in the fridge goes in some tupperware mostly bought second hand.

wulong32

· #12 · Feb 16, 2008

anna021 said:
All of the items that you all have listed can be gotten almost free or completely free if you have a CVS near by. Their Extra Care Buck program is wonderful, Your first purchase may cost you 10-15 dollars, but after that you can keep rolling those bucks over forever. There's a site moneysavingmom.com, this gal explains the program very well, along with other money saving hints. I've been rolling over the same 20 bucks for over a year now, with really very little effort. Try it, why go without when you can get things free or almost free.

Yep, all of my non food product Ive been gettting at CVS for free or next to free

imforpeace

· #13 · Feb 17, 2008

I shop at more than one store for that very reason! We do get our cleaning supplies at the health food store for obvious reasons. Other things like paper products and pet supplies we get wherever the best deal is that week. I find some great deals at the dollar store or use my doubled coupons at the grocery store.

Daisygirl

· #14 · Feb 17, 2008

I get most of my kids school supplies at the dollar store. The only exception is Walmart's back to school sale. At that time things like lined paper and pencil crayons are cheaper at Walmart. For the rest of theyear, though, you can't beat the Dollarama. (Our version of the Dollar Tree).

I also use the dollar store for lots of small gift ideas and scrapbooking supplies. They are about a tenth of the price of craft stores for that stuff.

lukesmama

· #15 · Feb 24, 2008

My problem with CVS is that the extra care bucks you get back are short-dated, and if you don't see a good sale on something you need before they expire, you wind up spending more (in ECB) than you would normally at a regular store.

Just my experience. With two young children, I do not need too many extra stops on my shopping route! I'm sure it works for some, though.

julieb

· #16 · Feb 24, 2008

I use CVS for the extra stuff I need in my home. While it is true you may have to buy somethings you have no use for ..... someone will use them. I just took 10 bottles of dawn dishsoap to the women and children's homeless shelter. I will never use all of that and they will. I have also donated hairdye, kotex and makeup to that shelter as well as the battered women's shelter. Alot of times I get these things free by using the extra care bucks and coupons. I not only reduced my budget I am helping others. What a privilege!!

Truth is it does take time and I now consider it a bit of a hobby. Others are catching on to what I am doing though and I find in my mailbox coupons and sales fliers. Now if the coupons would only come clipped out....hmmm.:lemon:

Luv2BeFrugal

· #17 · Feb 25, 2008

We get most of our stuff from Walmart...lotion, skin care, shampoo/conditioner, laundry soap, dish soap, etc. I only get food at the grocery store...unless there's a REALLY good deal on skin care or lotion...occasionally with sale and coupon they beat the Walmart w/coupon price I'd usually go for. (No dollar stores here).

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