3 Daily Life Hacks That Could Save You $700 Per Year
According to the bureau of labor and statistics the average American spends $763 per year in personal care products and services. As a San Francisco resident, I think a lot of people would agree with me that this number is on the low end. There’s nothing sexier than being fiscally responsible and 2019 is the year to get crafty with spending. Plus all that money you save can go towards amazing experiences rather than consumer products.
I love life hacks and being thrifty, and honestly I barely ever buy personal care products. Instead I make my own. I don’t buy shampoo, conditioner, facial products, and now I don’t even buy deodorant. I often get told that I have great skin and hair, followed by “what products do you use.” The greatest thing about these daily life hacks is it’s possible to be frugal and at the same time bring less toxins into our homes and therefore our bodies. So here are my go-to no-products.
- Baking soda as a shampoo replacement:
If I was stranded on a desert island and could only bring one thing with me (beside food and fresh drinking water) it would be baking soda: aka sodium bicarbonate. I first started using baking soda as replacement for shampoo about 6 years ago. I’m now a huge no-poo (that’s no shampoo) avocate. I simply mix one heaping tablespoon of baking soda with 1 cup of warm water in the shower. I then dump the mixture on my scalp and use my fingertips to clean the roots of my hair. Then rinse and my hair is clean. I have luscious thick hair because I’m not stripping the nature oils, or clogging my hair follicles by using shampoo. Plus I save a ton of money. Buying shampoo, that will be empty before I know it, will run me $25-$55 or I can spend $4 on 5 lbs of baking soda which will last me FOREVER! When I first started no-poo it took a few weeks for my hair to get use to this regiment (it was a little greasy at first), but then natural waves, which I didn’t know I had, appeared in my hair. I usually do this regiment once or twice a week, with my best hair days 2–3 days after I wash it.
Baking soda has many other amazing uses. It’s an alkaline substance so it is good for the digestive system, so it’s great if you get heartburn. It cleans almost anything — try it for: washing clothes, removing stains in your rug, scrubbing pots and pans that have hard to remove crap. You can use it for whitening your teeth (not too much or you will strip the enamel), cleaning your month as a mouthwash, and a gentle facial scrub. Of course there are those classic uses as well: deodorizing your refrigerator, and baking your favorite cake;-)
2. Apple cider vinegar to condition your hair:
Back to the hair…after I use baking soda to clean my hair I then rinse with an apple cider vinegar solution as a conditioner. The no-poo regimen must be followed by the apple cider vinegar rinse if you want to be able to get a comb through your hair. To make the solution: combine one half of a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar; to one cup of warm water. Pour the solution into your scalp and then use a comb to detangle your hair in the shower. Then rinse, and enjoy your clean detangled hair. Apple cider vinegar is around $9 for a large bottle, and a good conditioner can be even more expensive than shampoo ranging from $20-$90. Winning!!
Apple cider vinegar should be a staple in your kitchen as well. It contains vitamins B1, B2, and B6; biotin; folic acid; niacin; pantothenic acid; and vitamin C. It also contains small amounts of the minerals: sodium, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, iron, and magnesium. Apple cider vinegar can also contain significant quantities of acetic acid and citric acid.
To name just a few things apple cider vinegar is good for strong bones (preventing osteoporosis), weight loss, leg cramps, settling the stomach, sore throats, and it helps to rid the body of toxins. Some people apply apple cider vinegar as a skin toner, to soothe sunburn, for shingles, insect bites, and to prevent dandruff. I drink a few ounces of apple cider vinegar with a glass of water every morning because it’s so good for the body.
3. Hibiclens rather than deodorant:
First I should say that I am obsessed with microbiome, gut health, and living in balance with the microbes that make up much of our body and environment. So my use of Hibiclens is experimental and I can’t be blamed if, in the future, we figure out that we desperately need the microbes that live in our armpits. But my vanity takes precedence here.
I haven’t use traditional deodorant since I found out about the heavy metals that are used in antiperspirant, and I almost never buy a product if I don’t know what the ingredients are, so most traditional deodorants are out for me. I’ve tried the deodorant crystal, and all kind of other deodorant products from the health food stores I frequent. But they barely work.
I have a fairly clean diet, but when I drink coffee, and I like a little coffee in the morning, it makes my body odor pretty bad. So besides deodorant, are there other options? YES!! Try using Hibiclens as an armpit cleaner daily. Hibiclens is a skin cleanser and antiseptic, it kills germs on contact, and can continue working for up to 24 hours! It is gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin, and can be used daily.
Make sure when you buy it you get the foaming pump. I keep the bottle in the shower and use it in my armpits every time I shower. Give those armpits a good clean and you won’t need to use deodorant. You won’t be saving too much swapping out deodorant for Hibiclens, maybe a few bucks every month. However, for those of you who can relate to this struggle this hack is worth more than gold.
Now that you’ve saved all that money you can put it to good use, and enjoy fitness and wellness experiences with your favorite local instructors. Visit www.lubbdubb.io to find and book classes with some of the best instructors in your area. By booking on LubbDubb, rather than discount platforms, your money goes directly into your favorite instructor’s pocket. Support your local instructor by help them make a livable wage!
