How to Save Money on Household Items: 22 Easy Tips

Household items can take up more of your budget than you expect. Laundry detergent, toilet paper, dish soap, cleaning products, trash bags, paper towels, shampoo, soap, and other everyday essentials may only cost a few dollars at a time, but you keep buying them throughout the year.

To save money on household items, focus on the things you buy regularly. Check what you already have, compare prices by quantity, try store brands, avoid paying more for gendered products when a similar cheaper option works, buy in bulk when the numbers make sense, and look for reusable alternatives to products you constantly throw away. You can also make products last longer instead of replacing them before you’ve used everything.

You don’t need to make your home extremely frugal. A few small changes to what you buy and how you use it can make household spending easier to manage.

Check what you already have before shopping

Before buying household supplies, take a quick look around your home.

You might think you’re out of laundry detergent, only to find another bottle behind the towels. Or you may discover three different surface cleaners under the kitchen sink.

This happens easily because household products don’t all run out at the same time.

A simple list on your phone can help you keep track of what you have. You could divide it into:

• Cleaning supplies
• Laundry products
• Bathroom items
• Kitchen supplies
• Personal care
• Other household essentials

When something is almost finished, add it to your list. When you’re shopping, check the list before putting another bottle or package in your cart.

Compare the price per unit

The package with the lowest price isn’t always the cheapest option.

Look at the price per ounce, kilogram, liter, load, sheet, roll, or individual item, depending on what you’re buying.

For example:

Detergent B costs more at checkout, but each load costs less.

The same comparison works for toilet paper, trash bags, paper towels, dish soap, batteries, and other household products.

If your store displays the unit price on the shelf, use that number. If it doesn’t, you can divide the price by the quantity yourself.

For example, if a $10 pack contains 100 trash bags:

$10 ÷ 100 = $0.10 per bag

That gives you a better way to compare it with another package.

Try store brands

You don’t have to buy the most familiar brand for every household product.

Store brands and generic products can be worth comparing for basic items such as:

• Trash bags
• Sponges
• Cleaning cloths
• Paper products
• Storage containers
• Basic cleaning supplies
• Soap and toiletries

I also read about someone who said they usually buy the store brand because it reduces the number of decisions they have to make while shopping. I actually like that idea.

If you already know that the store-brand dish soap works well for you, you don’t have to stand in front of the shelf comparing five different brands every time you need another bottle.

Shopping can involve a ridiculous number of tiny decisions, so having a few default products can make things simpler.

Of course, there are products where you may have a strong preference because of quality, allergies, performance, or personal needs. In those cases, your usual product may be worth paying more for.

Check for the pink tax

You’ve probably heard the term pink tax, which refers to situations where products marketed toward women cost more than similar products marketed toward men.

The pricing isn’t always straightforward. Research has found price differences between gender-marketed personal care products, while other research has found that women’s products aren’t more expensive in every category and that products marketed toward men and women can also have different ingredients or features.

Still, it’s worth checking before paying more for something simply because it’s marketed toward women.

This can apply to products such as:

• Razors
• Deodorant
• Shampoo
• Soap
• Shaving products
• Personal care products

Compare the price, size, ingredients, features, and intended use.

For example, if a men’s razor and a women’s razor have similar features and one costs less, you can compare whether the cheaper one works for you. You don’t need to choose a product based only on the color or the section of the store where it is displayed.

The same applies in reverse. A product marketed toward men isn’t automatically cheaper either. Compare the actual products in front of you.

Unisex products can also be worth considering when they meet your needs.

Buy household items in bulk when you know you’ll use them

Buying a larger package can make sense for products you use regularly.

Toilet paper, laundry detergent, trash bags, tissues, and other products with a long shelf life can be good candidates.

Before buying in bulk, ask yourself:

• Is the unit price actually lower?
• Do I use this product regularly?
• Do I have enough storage space?
• Can I use it before it expires or becomes unusable?

For example, imagine one package contains 100 trash bags for $12, while another contains 100 bags for $18. You’re getting the same number of bags, so the $12 package costs less per bag.

Bulk buying can also go wrong when you buy more than you actually use.

A six-month supply of toilet paper may be practical for your household. Six bottles of a cleaning product you rarely use may simply take up space under your sink.

Don’t buy something just because it’s on sale

A sale can make a product look cheaper than it really is for your budget.

Imagine a $10 cleaning product is reduced to $7. If you already needed it, that’s a useful discount. If you bought it only because it was 30% off, you still spent $7.

I like thinking of sales as a reason to move a planned purchase forward rather than a reason to create a new purchase.

If you’re nearly out of laundry detergent and your usual brand is discounted, buying it now makes sense. If you have three unopened bottles at home, another discounted bottle may not be necessary.

Use reusable cloths instead of paper towels for everyday cleaning

Paper towels are convenient, but they’re also something you keep buying and throwing away.

For everyday jobs such as wiping counters, cleaning tables, or dealing with small spills, washable cloths can be a practical alternative.

You can buy inexpensive cleaning cloths or use suitable old cotton clothing as cleaning rags.

For example, instead of using several paper towels to wipe down the kitchen after cooking, you could use a washable cloth and put it in the laundry afterward.

You don’t have to stop using paper towels completely. They can still be useful for particularly messy jobs or situations where you prefer a disposable option.

The idea is to look at the things you throw away regularly and ask whether a reusable version would work for certain jobs.

Consider bar soap instead of liquid soap

Bar soap is another option worth comparing with liquid products.

A bar can be used for handwashing or bathing, depending on the product. Solid shampoo and conditioner are also available if you want to try them.

One thing worth comparing is how long each product lasts.

For example, a $4 bar that lasts several weeks may cost less over time than a $6 bottle that needs to be replaced more often.

You don’t need to replace every liquid product in your bathroom. If you prefer liquid soap, that’s perfectly fine. But if you’re looking for household expenses to trim, solid alternatives are worth checking.

Use baking soda for suitable cleaning jobs

Baking soda is inexpensive and can be useful for certain cleaning tasks.

It can be used for things such as:

• Removing certain odors
• Scrubbing suitable surfaces
• Freshening some fabrics
• Cleaning certain kitchen and bathroom areas

You often don’t need a large amount for a simple cleaning job.

You may also find recipes for homemade cleaning products that use baking soda. Be careful with these recipes because different surfaces need different cleaning methods. Baking soda can also be abrasive, so check whether the surface can handle it before scrubbing.

Also, don’t mix cleaning products together unless the product instructions specifically say that the combination is safe. In particular, never mix bleach with other cleaners.

Baking soda can be a useful household staple without needing to replace every cleaning product in your cupboard.

Use the recommended amount of cleaning product

More detergent or cleaner doesn’t automatically mean a better result.

Check the instructions on the product and use the recommended amount.

Laundry detergent is an easy example. If the label says a certain amount is enough for a load, using much more can make the bottle run out faster.

The same idea applies to dish soap, floor cleaner, and concentrated household products.

You don’t need to guess how much to use. The manufacturer’s instructions are usually the best starting point.

Finish products before buying new ones

This is one of the habits I personally use at home.

When I have skincare products in bottles or tubes and there’s still product inside that I can’t easily get out, I sometimes cut the bottle in half so I can reach the remaining product.

It can be surprising how much product is still sitting inside when the pump or opening makes the container look empty.

I also do something similar with shampoo. When there’s only a small amount left in the bottle, I add a little water, close the bottle, and shake it so I can use what remains.

I wouldn’t do this with every product because it depends on the product, packaging, and manufacturer’s instructions. For products where adding water could affect how they’re preserved or used, follow the label instead.

The same idea applies to the rest of the house.

If you have half-used cleaning products, soaps, toiletries, or laundry supplies, check them before buying another version.

Try product samples before buying the full size

If a store, brand, event, hotel, subscription box, or other legitimate source gives you a free sample of a product you’re interested in, trying it can be useful before spending money on the full-size version.

This can be particularly handy for skincare, shampoo, conditioner, cleaning products, or other items where you aren’t sure whether you’ll like the product.

A sample doesn’t mean you need to buy the full-size version afterward. You can simply try it and decide whether it’s worth buying.

It’s also worth being selective. A free sample is only useful if it’s a product you’d realistically consider purchasing.

Stop buying products you rarely use

Take a look at the household products you’ve bought over the past year.

Are there things you used once and never touched again?

Maybe you bought a special cleaning product for one particular job. Maybe you bought a kitchen gadget that seemed useful at the time. Maybe you have several products that perform almost the same task.

You don’t need to eliminate everything that you only use occasionally. A product can still be useful even if you only need it a few times a year.

The point is to notice what keeps getting purchased without getting used.

Keep a household shopping list

Keep a running list of household items you’re running low on.

You can use your phone’s notes app or a simple paper list.

For example:

Cleaning

• Dish soap
• Laundry detergent
• Sponges

Bathroom

• Toilet paper
• Soap
• Toothpaste

Kitchen

• Trash bags
• Paper towels
• Food storage bags

When something is almost finished, add it to the list instead of immediately buying it.

Then check the list before your next shopping trip.

You can also add the usual price beside products you buy regularly. If you normally pay $8 for a particular detergent and see it for $5, you have a reference point for deciding whether to stock up.

Give household items their own budget category

Household products can be difficult to track because you don’t buy the same things every week.

One week you might buy detergent. The next month you might buy toilet paper and cleaning supplies. Then you might go several weeks without buying anything.

Putting these purchases into a household category in your budget makes them easier to see.

For example:

Your own spending may be higher or lower depending on your household size, location, shopping habits, and the products you use.

The useful part is knowing what you’re actually spending rather than guessing.

Check clearance sections

Clearance sections can be useful for household products you already need.

You may find discounts on:

• Cleaning supplies
• Towels
• Storage products
• Kitchen items
• Personal care products
• Seasonal household goods

Check the price and quantity before buying.

A product marked down by 50% isn’t necessarily cheaper than a similar product at full price elsewhere. The actual price per unit still matters.

Borrow things you rarely use

You don’t need to own every household tool you might use once a year.

For example, you might need a carpet cleaner, ladder, specialized tool, or another piece of equipment for one particular job.

Before buying it, consider whether you can borrow one from a family member, friend, neighbor, or local lending program.

Buying something that spends most of its life in storage can be difficult to justify when you only needed it for one afternoon.

Take care of the things you already own

Replacing household items can get expensive.

Regular cleaning and maintenance can be worth doing when the manufacturer recommends it. This can include cleaning filters, replacing suitable parts, keeping appliances clean, and following care instructions.

For example, a vacuum cleaner may need its filter cleaned, while a reusable mop may need to be washed properly between uses.

For electrical, gas, plumbing, or other potentially dangerous repairs, follow the manufacturer’s instructions or use a qualified professional.

Don’t turn your home into a warehouse

Stocking up can be useful, but you still need somewhere to put everything.

Buying ten bottles of detergent may sound like a great deal until you have to find somewhere to store ten bottles of detergent.

Before buying large quantities, think about:

• How quickly you use the product
• How much storage space you have
• Whether the product has an expiration date
• Whether the product can be stored safely
• Whether the unit price is actually lower

A good deal is less useful when you buy far more than your household can reasonably use.

Be careful with very cheap household products

A cheap product can cost more if you need to replace it frequently.

Imagine a $3 cleaning brush that wears out quickly and a $6 brush that lasts much longer. The $3 option looks cheaper at checkout, but buying several replacements can change the calculation.

You don’t need to buy premium products either.

For products you use often, look at price, quality, and how long the item normally lasts.

Keep track of the products you buy repeatedly

You don’t need to research every household item from scratch.

When you find a laundry detergent, trash bag, cleaning cloth, or other product that works well at a reasonable price, write it down.

You could keep a small list like this:

When you’re shopping again, you have a reference point.

You can still compare prices when another brand is on sale, but you won’t have to start from zero every time.

Look beyond the shopping cart

Household costs aren’t limited to products you buy from a store.

Water, electricity, heating or cooling, internet, and other household bills are also part of the cost of running a home.

If you’re trying to reduce your overall household expenses, it’s worth looking at these costs alongside your shopping habits. My guide on how to reduce household expenses covers more areas of household spending.

For example, if your water bill is higher than you’d like, you can also look at these water-saving tips to lower your water bill.

Rent can take up a large part of a household budget too. If housing is one of your larger expenses, you can read these ways to save money on rent for ideas that focus specifically on housing costs.

And if your household shopping includes food as well as household supplies, these tips for saving money on groceries can help you look at that part of your budget separately.

A Simple Way to Save Money on Household Items

You don’t need to change every product in your home.

Start with the things you buy most often. Look at how much you’re paying, how quickly you use them, and whether you have cheaper alternatives that you actually like.

Before your next shopping trip, check what you already have. Compare unit prices. Look at store brands. Check whether a sale is actually useful. Compare gender-marketed products when you’re shopping for personal care items, and consider reusable options for products you constantly throw away.

For me, even small habits such as cutting open an almost-empty skincare bottle or getting the last bit of shampoo out of the bottle are worth doing. They don’t require a complicated budgeting system. It’s simply a different way of looking at products that would otherwise end up in the trash.

If you want to look for more unusual ways to cut everyday spending, you can also check out these unhinged but legal ways to actually save money.

Household items are repeat purchases, so the little decisions matter because you make them again and again. You don’t have to make your home as cheap as possible. You just need to know which products are worth buying, which ones you already have, and where your money is going.