Many American households waste a surprising amount of money buying items that go to waste. People are often overzealous in their use of disposable household goods, such as toothpaste and paper towels, and that results in wasted money when those products need to be replaced in the near future.
Here are six common household items that often go to waste, which costs consumers money.
[Read: How to Find an Affordable Housecleaner.]
Cleaning products. It is incredibly easy to overuse household cleaning products such as window cleaner and floor cleaner. Often, the bottles deposit far more of their contents per squirt than consumers anticipate, which causes most of the cleaning product to go to waste. It often only takes a fraction of what you typically use to get the job done.
In addition, most household cleaners are replicated by a combination of baking soda and vinegar that, along with water, can handle almost any household cleaning task on its own. You don’t need the expensive cleaners in the first place.
The next time you need to clean a window, take an old spray bottle, fill it up with a mix of water and white vinegar and see how far you can go with just a single spray of the mixture. You might be surprised by how much you can clean with a single shot.
[See: 10 Big Ways to Boost Your Budget — Without Skimping on Your Daily Latte.]
Toothpaste. Commercials and packaging love to show toothbrushes covered with enormous gobs of toothpaste, but the truth is that you only need a tiny dab of it, probably less than could cover the nail on your pinky finger. Why do toothpaste commercials show so much being used? The advertisers want you to buy more toothpaste.
To properly clean your teeth, you only need a very small amount of toothpaste. Try using a pea-sized amount the next time you brush your teeth, and your mouth will wind up perfectly clean. In fact, many dentists recommend this practice.
Shampoo and conditioner. A similar phenomenon is true for shampoo and conditioner. The bottles are often designed with an enormous dispenser, which results in a large amount of shampoo or conditioner on your hand if you don’t use it carefully. The truth is that you don’t need nearly that much.
One very effective solution to the problem of overuse is to simply use a pump bottle for shampoo and conditioner (and liquid soap if you use that in the shower). You can get inexpensive pump bottles on Amazon or at your local department store that will drastically reduce the amount of shampoo or conditioner that you get on your hand with a single pump. Over time, that will save you quite a bit of money.
Doubt it? Try intentionally just using a few drops of shampoo and conditioner the next time you shower and see how your hair feels after a thorough scrubbing. Chances are that with just a few drops (or a few extra drops beyond that), your hair will feel great, even though you used a tiny fraction of what you used to.
Laundry detergent. Most laundry detergent bottles come with a poorly marked cap that indicates how much detergent they recommend for a load. Many people don’t even bother with the cap and end up dumping far too much detergent into the machine. Even those who do follow the cap end up putting in an unnecessary amount. Again, the cap is marked to make sure you put in more than enough, so that you’re back to the store buying more before you know it.
Try using a smaller amount of laundry detergent with your next load. Fill up around a tablespoon of the liquid. You’ll likely find that in anything but the toughest loads, your clothes come out perfectly clean. Use a couple of tablespoons on particularly dirty clothes.
[See: 12 Ways to Be a More Mindful Spender.]
Paper products. From napkins to paper towels to scratch paper to toilet paper, many paper products go to waste without even being used. People will often grab four or five sheets when only one is necessary, then toss the unused or barely used extras in the trash with the rest.
Rather than using this wasteful approach, intentionally use one sheet at a time for most of your needs, or consciously try to use fewer sheets. You’ll find that most of the time, it makes no difference at all, and you’ve saved yourself some paper products.
Water. This is one of the biggest wastes. Many Americans don’t think twice about lingering in the shower, running the sink while brushing their teeth, running the kitchen sink while doing another kitchen task or overwatering their lawns. The cost of that wasted water disappears almost invisibly into your water bill.
It’s so easy to waste less water. Take efficient showers. Turn off the faucet when you’re not using the water that’s pouring out. Most newer houses have efficient shower heads and toilets, but if you live in an older house, consider efficient replacements. Slow down on your lawn- and garden-watering routines. You’ll find yourself with a lower water bill after a few tiny changes.
Most of the changes described here are minor ones that you’ll scarcely notice at all once you’re used to them, yet they’ll each drastically cut down on the cost of those household supplies simply because you’re no longer wasting them. Getting the most bang for your buck from your household products is pure financial efficiency.
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6 Common Household Items You’re Wasting Without Realizing It originally appeared on usnews.com
