Have enough money to last until the end of the month, it is often a real struggle.
We can end up with a dry account while the end of the month is still far away...
Fortunately, you can easily save money on a daily basis by avoiding buying certain things.
Indeed, some things that we are used to buying automatically can be easily replaced by others much cheaper...
...and others can be removed from our shopping list altogether!
Here are 13 things I stopped buying to save hundreds of dollars a month . Watch:
Instead of buying fabric softener and dryer wipes all year round, think twice!
Not only are these products expensive, but they are also bad for your health, because they are full of synthetic products.
Fortunately, to soften laundry, perfume it and remove static electricity, there are 2 super effective and very economical alternatives.
Instead of fabric softener in the washing machine, all you need to do is use white vinegar and essential oils. Find out how here.
And instead of dryer pads, invest in these hedgehog-shaped dryer balls or even better make them yourself by following the tutorial here.
These dryer balls not only soften laundry, but also save energy all year round.
They rotate in the dryer, which allows the hot air to circulate better and dry the laundry faster.
Until now, I had a French manicure done about every two weeks for 30 € each time. This represents an expense of 720 € / year.
And I'm not talking about specific treatments or nail polish for special occasions, or pedicures.
However, taking care of your nails is easy and it only takes 20 to 30 minutes. In addition, it relaxes.
I found a complete manicure kit for gel nails under $50. I've been using it for 3 months, and I can tell you that the result is impeccable.
I use this kit once a week and it takes me about 20 minutes in total to do my nails. And it lasts more than 10 days even though I wash my hands frequently.
For a long time, I used a make-up remover from a major brand at more than €10 a bottle. And this one only lasted a month. And besides, my skin was very dry.
I searched for a long time for a more natural alternative and adopted coconut oil!
Coconut oil is an excellent makeup remover. Just put a little oil on your fingers to melt it and apply it on your face, rubbing gently for about 1 min. Then, wipe with a cotton ball.
Since using it, the condition of my skin has changed dramatically:it is supple and hydrated. And I have hardly any acne anymore.
To discover: 50 Coconut Oil Uses You Should Know.
It's nice to arrive at work with your big hot coffee bought in the corner Starbucks.
But it's about 4 to 6 € per day or more than 1100 € over the year! And since I'm totally addicted to coffee, I can't live without it.
So instead, I got a coffee machine as a birthday present and now make my own coffee at home.
This machine prepares cappuccinos as good as on the market and for a quarter of the price! It even froths the milk and makes it super tasty and creamy.
I buy a large packet of coffee beans of 2 kg (which is about 250 cups of coffee), for a price of 0.08 cents per cup.
And to bring my coffee, I found this mug that keeps my coffee hot for 7 hours.
Packed lunches are among the top expenses. Every lunchtime, I have between 7 and 10 € (i.e. between 1575 and 2250 € per year).
Thinking about it, and with a little organization, these are expenses that can easily be avoided.
For this, I bought this compartmentalized box to carry my picnic.
I also got into the habit of freezing my leftovers. When I'm short on time, I have a ready meal that I just need to thaw.
To discover: Cheap Lunch:It's Possible and Easy.
To have a clear conscience, I joined a sports club where I paid a monthly subscription of €30. I admit that I haven't set foot there often.
I thought it was a small expense and even forgot to cancel my membership.
It was when I calculated the annual cost that I got scared (more than 350 €).
So I canceled my subscription and now I walk, climb the stairs, and do these exercises at home that don't even require any equipment.
Plastic water bottles are not only harmful to the environment, but they are also expensive for nothing.
Especially since tap water in France is of very good quality and above all almost free in comparison.
However, if you don't like the taste of tap water, use this pitcher with a filter that removes the taste of the water and the residues of chlorine or other additives present in tap water.
The filter must be replaced regularly, it costs 20 € for 6.
The other solution is to buy a glass or steel water bottle to always have water with you.
To discover: Bottled Water Can Be Hazardous To Your Health. Here's Why.
Even if I don't use a lot of it, it's an unnecessary expense that comes up too often in my shopping cart.
In addition, this paper is not great for the environment or for health.
Studies have shown that regular use of aluminum foil can be harmful to your health. So I prefer not to use it anymore.
Instead, I use reusable, easy-to-clean silicone baking mats.
To preserve my food, I opted for waxed cloth cling film. Find out how to make it here.
I started by sorting through my closets, and I put up for sale the clothes that I no longer wear.
Then I decided to stop buying clothes and accessories from big brands and I turned to cheap brands.
They offer quality clothing at a much lower price.
The only exception is sportswear where I prioritize comfort and safety, especially for running shoes.
Specific brands offer shoes that last over time.
It's better than buying a new pair of cheap shoes every two months.
To discover: 10 DIY Tricks to Make Your Old Clothes Fashionable.
In my cupboards, before I had 1000 cleaning products for the different rooms of the house. It takes up space, it's expensive and it smells bad...
Exit all these products since I discovered everything you can do with white vinegar.
It costs less than 50 cents per liter and I can clean absolutely everything:bathroom, toilet, countertop, fridge, floors...
Compare with all the products you have in your cupboards at a minimum of €2.50 per bottle and do the math!
To discover: 20 Secret Uses of White Vinegar For a NICKEL HOME.
In my opinion, home air fresheners are a complete waste of money.
Deodorizing sprays or plugs are expensive and their synthetic scent is not always pleasant.
This represents between 5 and 9 € for the product that needs to be changed every month, i.e. between 60 and 100 € per year.
But I haven't given up on good smells in my house. Now I make my own air fresheners in glass jars.
I put baking soda in it with a few drops of essential oil.
The perfume diffuses for several weeks and it is enough to stir the baking soda to reactivate the perfume. It's easy to make and very economical.
To discover: The Best Tip To Deodorize Your Kitchen Naturally.
I love spicy dishes. And I have to admit that I'm particularly fond of certain ready-to-eat spice mixes like guacamole or fajitas.
But these little sachets are very expensive for what they are and in addition, they are super salty.
Come to think of it, these mixes are very easy to make yourself, as they only contain a few basic spices that you can buy in bulk.
Now I make my own mixes and save money. Plus, I know exactly how much salt and sugar they contain.
To store them, I even made my own spice rack with small glass jars. Check out the trick here.
The big pharmaceutical companies obviously avoid disseminating this information:generic drugs are as effective as those of the big brands.
The only difference being their price.
These drugs are identical in terms of dosage, quality and effectiveness. They don't belong to a big brand, that's all!
The pharmacist often "forgets" to ask you if you want the generic version of the drug, so you pay full price.
But, since knowing that, I only buy generics, including the pill.
A box of 3 strips costs 38 € and only 18 € for the generic. That's €80 saved per year!
