Saving money on Personal Care

HAIR: I just cut my own hair. It needs a bit of touching up, but dh won't do it in case I get cross...just quietly, I'm more cross at the possibility of leaving it all uneven at the back, or going to a hairdresser to tidy it up...but he is convinced he won't do it right (even though I cut the back myself by bringing the hair round the front! Can anyone do worse??).

Technically I didn't save any money, because I don;t spend any. I went to a hairdresser the last time I butchered my own hair (2 years ago), and once when J-Man was 2 (8 years ago). Both times I spent $15-20 which is the going rate for a cheap (no washing, no style) haircut.

I save money on hair products by not buying any. I have not used shampoo for around 6 months. My basic hair routine is that I wash my hair 5-7 times a week. One of those times I wash with baking soda, another time I wash with apple cider vinegar and essential oil, the other times I wash with plain water.

I have no idea how much this saves, it doesn't matter to me. It is just one of those things where I think if hair is meant to be self-cleaning, and oil-regulating then I should do it.

I think it looks ok, no worse than when I used products. I occasionally get an itchy scalp, and this worries me- but ultimately, I have always had this, so I'm not about to go back to buying products.

If you want to attempt this, it can look a little groady (is that a word?) for the first 3+ weeks. This is my third foray in to "No Poo", and it got better much faster. I think the key that has kept me going this time, is that I didn't wash with Baking Soda and ACV, and I have days when I use nothing but water.

I'm not sure how people can do this while they are working. I felt embarrassed enough just with ordinary life...still, I knew my hair was cleaned every day, and it wasn't as though I wasn't showering. It just take a little time for the hair to work out how much oil it needs (since I'm not stripping the oils with shampoo and replacing them with conditioner).

Tombliboo has never had hair products on him. Princess, who has skin just as sensitive as mine, has had a variety of "natural" , "organic" and "Baby" products- all of which upset the balance of her skin and hair terribly. Her hair never looks (and feels better) than when she washes with baking soda. She doesn't like the smell of vinegar, even when I water it down, but will consent to it's use on occasion.

DEODORANT: There are huge links between breast cancer and aluminium containing deodorants. We stopped using them years ago, but replaced them with natural products which sometimes worked, sometimes didn't. They cost a bomb usually, so there are no savings in that regard.

A few months ago, dh and I started using baking soda as a deodorant. Not only does it work- it is cheap (@$2.50 for a 500g box) and friendly to the environment.

DH thought I was a bit dotty until he tried it- and discovered he could work all day and mow the lawns and not smell a bit! It sounds too good to be true, and it is really.

I have one issue- my sensitive skin. If I use the baking soda every day, I get a bit f a rash. I'm not sure of the reason, and it is possibly unique to me, but it is an issue. However, after using this for several months now, I have noticed that I do not need it every day- this is incredible news for me, because I used to put deodorant on after my shower, before I went out, before bed...several times a day basically, and still stunk!

FEMININE HYGIENE: A moon or diva cup will save $$$ each month, and last for many years. It also has zero impact on the environment, as opposed to disposable products which I can only imagine the cost to our planet. Reusable pads are a wonderful option too, and you can buy them in organic cotton or bamboo (which uses less chemicals to grow, and renews speedily). If you can sew, you can make your own- if not, there are a few people making them to sell on Trade Me. There are loads of different options. Don't get the patterned ones if you have sensitive skin :0)

TOOTHPASTE: I have an objection to mass-medicating in the form of fluoride (or anything really). Most people get enough fluoride from ordinary water-drinking, and do not need it applied directly to the teeth. Too much fluoride can result in fluorosis of the teeth, which is irreversible. This is particularly pertinent for children, because their bodies are so much smaller than our's. Also, because of the tendency of young children to eat the paste.

Natural toothpastes that don't contain fluoride are readily available in health shops and some supermarkets. But guess what? You can also use baking soda! Well, my kids aren't particularly keen, apart from J-Man who likes the feel of his teeth after brushing with bs. The cool thing about bs is that it makes your teeth really white! After 3 days use, I noticed a dramatic difference with my teeth. Now I don;t use it that often. I usually brush only with water, because after all it is the brushing that removes plaque, not what is on the brush.

You can mix the baking soda with stevia or xylitol to make it a bit more palatable- I don't like it, but it could be an option.

SOAP: I need a cheaper alternative to mainstream soaps. We've been buying our soaps from Blue Earth for the last 2 or 3 years. They make gorgeous natural soaps, but they are not cheap. I usually spend $45 (to get free postage) about every 3 months. This also includes an essential oil. They also tend to send offcuts as samples which are much appreciated too. When you consider the supermarket sometimes sells 5-packs of soap for $2, lol, it is not a good choice...but this is the problem really. I could go waaaay cheaper, but it wouldn't be good for the environment, or my health. In fact, I kind of resent the whole idea of doing things on the cheap because of the inference that I don't give a stuff about the world I live in or my body. Take eggs for instance- Free-range (non-organic...there are no organic eggs at my local shop) eggs are $3.50 for 6 at my supermarket. However, cage eggs are $6 for 30! For an additional $2.50, I could get 24 more eggs. Or, out another way, free range eggs cost approximately 5 times more than than those produced by battery-hens. But I don't consider the other eggs as an option, as much as it is nice to save money.