Here is something I've been doing and it has saved me a lot of money. After our baby was born, I wasn't working and I went to the hair salon to buy my hair products and simply couldn't pay the $76 of product I was buying.
So, I started buying better drugstore items and found there is no difference.
In a further attempt to save money, I dilute shampoo and conditioner (except the deep treatment) by 50% water and once again, there is no difference.
I also look for the "free after rebate" for Walgreens and Rite Aid, gotta love the free stuff. I've got for free, everything from hair product, toothpaste, tooth brushes, medicine, makeup, food, baby items and much more, all for free. And, yes, I buy it even if we don't need it because it will be free (be sure to follow the rebate instructions carefully).
Another way I have saved is going to drugstore makeup. For example, Lancome makes Loreal (I think it's that one but you get the idea.) I found a list online that listed who made what. If I don't like it, I take it back to Rite Aid (keep all receipts and packaging). I went from using $35 toner to witch hazel for $1.09 with no difference at all.
Hair color. I would cringe at the $100 bill every few months and figured I could do it myself so I did for $10 last month and just got some for free.
Overall, I figured I have saved over $500 this year alone on these type of purchases and haven't noticed a single difference.
It took some trial and error for the makeup and hair but I did that with the spendy stuff. I know I could get the products a dollar or so cheaper at Walmart but I like Rite Aid returns policy (you can return literally anything, I bought the wrong cough syrup, opened it and they allowed me to return it!) and it's so much easier than going to the big stores.
One last thing, I use inexpensive (like Suave) hair conditioner for shaving cream and also for a "lotion" in the shower. Simply put some on (diluted :) ) like you would lotion and then when I cool rinse my hair, some of the excess comes off. Don't dry really hard with the towel and it is just like you put lotion on. Saves me a lot of time and money.
Hope this helps a few of you see how the savings can add up.
I can't find the website but a few of the lines are mentioned in a book by the author of Shop, Save and Share (forgot the author). I haven't read this book but it's her book after the one I mentioned.
I have used witch hazel as a "toner" for years as have my mom and aunts before me. The idea of using conditioner as both shaving cream and as body lotion is another I have also used, but these ideas came out of sheer necessity since we never could afford those "pricey" items before OR after the babies arrived. I thought I was an oddball for using the products I had in more ways than one, but now I see that others, like yourself are doing so as well...thank God...and thanks for helping others to understand that truly we can make do with what we have and still get great results! Kind Regards, Ursula
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