One of the great things about choosing to be self-reliant and “green” is that often this leads to saving money as well. Here are fifteen green money saving bath and beauty tips you can feel good about.
- Use homemade toothpaste. There are a variety of recipes for homemade toothpaste out there; basically all you need is the baking soda. The extra ingredients add flavor and other bells and whistles. If you really want to be frugal and live like the pioneers did, chew on a twig. No joke – try a piece of licorice twig. Yum!
- When your toothpaste tube is “empty,” use a pair of sharp scissors to cut it in half. There is usually at least an extra 3-5 days worth of toothpaste clinging to the inside of the toothpaste tube. Finish it all up, and when you are done, try making some homemade toothpaste – you may find that you never go back to storebought toothpaste at all.
- Use a low flow shower head to reduce your water consumption and lower your water bill. According to a review by the New York Times one of the best low flow shower heads is the Kohler Purist – despite being low flow it delivers great water pressure.
- Keep the plug in tub in shower and use the washwater to water indoor plants. You may be surprised at just how much water accumulates…..
- Don’t throw out those soap slivers! Save them in a net bag, you know, the kind that your oranges and onions come in. If the bag has held onions, be sure to wash it out thoroughly – you don’t want want to smell like onions. Or use old pantyhose or nylons as a soap bag. Tie it with a pretty ribbon to make your own soap on a rope. If you are really adventurous, trying making homemade soap with oatmeal and your favorite scents – delightful, natural, and frugal too.
- If you aren’t too smelly:), try showering or bathing every other day instead of every day – especially in the winter, when exposure to water can really dry out your skin. Go on, give it a try. If your significant other, office mates or strangers on the bus make unpleasant faces, go back to showering every day. But at least give it a try – you will save money AND time!
- If you are like my husband and travel several times a month for business, you may have stacks of hotel shampoo, conditioner, soap and body lotion. USE THEM UP. Keep them in plain sight in an open basket on your vanity. It is too easy to forget about them if they are stuck at the back of the linen closet or under the sink. Don’t go shopping for any of these items until you have used up your linen closet stash! And hotel body lotions make great purse-sized hand lotions.
- Keep the empty hotel toiletry containers to package your homemade lotions, creams and shampoos. These make lovely gift baskets for families and friends.
- Being hair-free is expensive! Unless you can afford costly and permanent laser hair removal, extend the life of your disposable razor by sharpening it on the side of a matchbox or book of matches – you know, on the strikepad. Of course you could shave less often in the hopes your razor will last longer, but if your significant other makes unpleasant faces…..see #6 above.
- Start using a new toothbrush on the first official day of each season, but don’t throw out the old one. Save them for cleaning in the bathroom, the kitchen, and keep a few in your toolbox for odd jobs. Just remember not to use your old toothbrush after it has been used as a cleaning toothbrush….
- Save money by making your own moisturizer or herbal body butter using flowers and herbs from your garden.
- Don’t use a hairdryer, flatiron or curling iron. Choose a hairstyle that is easy to maintain – after shampooing just let it airdry. Of course, this depends on your hair length and type, but with a little experimenting you will find a style that works. In addition to saving money on expensive personal beauty appliances, choosing an easy to maintain hairstyle will save you tons of time each morning.
- For women- don’t waste your money on new earrings each season. Choose only three essential earrings; pearls, gold studs and silver hoops. One of these is suitable for all outfits and occasions and saves time, money, and aggravation in the morning when you are trying to match jewelry to an outfit.
- Save time and money by washing your tights, nylons or pantyhose while you are showering. Hang over the shower rail to dry. To really save money, avoid wearing sheer pantyhose -they get runs easily and are expensive to replace. Either don’t wear any, or try another kind of hosiery like tights.
- Okay, this one isn’t necessarily green, but it does use up the very last little bit of lipstick in the bottom of the tube. Don’t throw out your lipstick when it appears to be used up -there is a lot more hiding below the top of the tube. Using a lip-liner brush, dip into that remaining lipstick and brush it onto your lips. You will be surprised at just how much lipstick is left, and how much you may have tossed out over the years!
