Stocking up toiletries

[chicklets123]

Do you buy when it’s on sale an extra bottle if you routinely use the product or wait until you need it to purchase?


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[kanga1622]

We always have extra on hand if it is a product we have been happy with. Finding it on sale/discount will always lead me to buying extra if we will use it before it expires.

We typically have several extra shampoo, tp, Kleenex, deodorant, toothbrushes, conditioner, and body wash in the cabinet. We don’t stock much extra of toothpaste because it does break down some past the expiration date any my kids get tired of the same brand/flavor if we have too much on hand. When we get to about half a package of toothpaste, I add it to the list.

[Zikoris]

I normally use stuff up completely before replacing it. Sometimes I grab an extra one if there's a sale, but I just don't have the space to store a bunch of stuff I'm not using. Same for kitchen pantry stuff - I have space for like two bulk things in my cupboards, which goes to sacks of rice and flour, and everything else has to be in smaller sizes and only replaced when totally gone.

[K_in_the_kitchen]

Pre-pandemic, my usual M.O. was to buy a replacement when I opened the one in the cupboard. If I came across a fantastic sale, or if the item was hard to get, I would buy more. Now, during the pandemic, I aim to have 3-6 months of toiletries.

[rantk81]

Pre-pandemic for any shelf stable items, I’d wait for sales or deals and stock up.  Now? I guess I was semi “traumatized” by several instances of not being able to buy the stuff that I want or that I normally buy... so most of my purchases now are quite insensitive to price.  I buy whatever I need, whenever it’s available.  And I do continue to stock up.

Fortunately, I’m in a financial position where this is possible and not a hardship for me at all.  Less than optimal? Sure... but not as bad as not having cleaning supplies or other basics when I need them....

[the_fixer]

Do you buy when it’s on sale an extra bottle if you routinely use the product or wait until you need it to purchase?


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I try to buy most things we use on a regular basis that do not spoil in bulk when they go on sale.

Makes a big difference In my savings


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[Christof]

I do buy more when it is on sale. We switched to buying bulk for some items to reduce plastic waste. For those items I usually buy when what we have will only last for a few weeks.

[MudPuppy]

I order shampoo bars from a local maker so I tend to order several at once. I do probably need to stock up a bit more on other things like deodorant now that I think about it.

[GuitarStv]

I've always kept a large stock of toiletries on hand.  TP, toothpaste, soap, razors, etc. I've usually got several months to a year's supply at any given time.

[SimpleCycle]

I am "procurement" for our household, and DW is really bad at telling me when things are used up, so I tend to keep at least one extra of everything on hand.  We have a linen/toiletries closet and we have a couple shoeboxes of toothpaste, deodorant, soap, and the like.  The real trick to keeping this simple is only using a few products.

[FIRE Artist]

What I buy for toiletries I  buy at Costco and pretty much know when and how often my deodorant, shampoo, body wash, toothpaste and moisturizer goes on sale.  Some of these items are sold in multipacks so I would say that I usually have a few on hand and only purchase these items max twice a year each.  Some things like toothpaste I only purchase every couple of years due to the multipack, me being a household of one, and using an electric toothbrush means very slow consumption. 

Toothpaste is something I will likely switch to picking up at a grocery store one tube at a time once my current stash is either used up or expired. 

[Cranky]

I always have a backup of any item that is regularly used in our house. In the Before Times, I bought stuff like that when I found a deal. Now I just buy the giant economy size on my next grocery order.

I don’t drive, and running out of stuff in the winter when you have small kids is a huge pain, at least to me.

[John Galt incarnate!]

I always have a backup of any item that is regularly used in our house.

+1.

[Rhinodad]

We stock up when there are deals. Target would run a free $15 gift card when spend $50 on household items, so we would try and stock up while spending $50 each time, paid for with discounted gift cards at $50 per purchase. Included foil, plastic wrap, parchment, tp, dish detergent, dishwasher pods, etc. They typically ran this 2x per year, so we would try and stock up for about 4 months worth at a time, then pay for the final 2 months with the free gift cards. Rinse and repeat at the 6 month mark. Worked great, especially this year.

[Taran Wanderer]

I've always kept a large stock of toiletries on hand.  TP, toothpaste, soap, razors, etc. I've usually got several months to a year's supply at any given time.

Same here.  Having extra toothpaste, lip balm, and toilet paper makes me feel secure... even when there isn’t a pandemic. 

[Sibley]

Depends on the item.

Kleenix? I buy by the multi pack, and I try to keep at least 6 boxes on hand. Because I can go through a box in 2-3 days in a bad allergy/sinus phase. Right now, I have 3 multipacks in the closet. (That's a bit much, I failed on the memory side, but will use it no problem). Toothpaste I tend to buy about 4 at a time, wait until I'm on the last tube, then buy about 4. Shampoo/conditioner, I buy when I'm getting low. Contact fluid - several boxes at once, then wait until I'm on the last one. I don't have a ton of bathroom storage so I'm limited there.

[HPstache]

Double up when it's on sale.  Saves money and sometimes saves a trip.

[Retire-Canada]

Do you buy when it’s on sale an extra bottle if you routinely use the product or wait until you need it to purchase?

I buy soap in bulk so a package will last a year or so. I won't normally buy more than one package, but it's also rarely on sale. Shampoo & toothpaste go on sale and I will buy extra if the sale is good. Between soap, shampoo and toothpaste that's 95% of the $$ I spend on toiletries.

[GuitarStv]

I haven't purchased shampoo in close to a decade.  Turns out there's no need for it at all.

[MudPuppy]

Hey now, some of us are just naturally greasy

[GuitarStv]

Hey now, some of us are just naturally greasy

I'm plenty greasy.  I just use soap.

[Retire-Canada]

I just use soap.

Shampoo is just hair soap.

[John Galt incarnate!]

Double up when it's on sale.  Saves money and sometimes saves a trip.

When  I am in my *stay-at-home mode I dislike its interruption because I have to  go to the store to get _______ .

More annoying is having to go to the store at a time of day and on a day  that is not when I typically go.

This is the main reason I keep a backup supply of various items.

*Sometimes I'll stay home for 3 weeks in a row.

[GuitarStv]

I just use soap.

Shampoo is just hair soap.

Your hair doesn't need any different soap than the rest of your body though.  Do you have special butt soap?  :P

[NumberJohnny5]

Your hair doesn't need any different soap than the rest of your body though.  Do you have special butt soap?  :P

Duh.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CIU7H6/

Though personally I use a liquid soap dispenser for the nether regions, and shampoo for elsewhere.

[Just Joe]

I figure I'm Wookie-like enough that shampoo works for all purposes...

[MudPuppy]

Butt soap butt soap butt soap

[GuitarStv]

Your hair doesn't need any different soap than the rest of your body though.  Do you have special butt soap?  :P

Duh.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CIU7H6/

Though personally I use a liquid soap dispenser for the nether regions, and shampoo for elsewhere.

rofl

[BudgetSlasher]

Our house is split.

I'm the kind that likes to keep one in "inventory" so as soon as I open one I like to get the replacement.

The DW on the other hand will get a replacement when the current one is getting near empty.

[MissPeach]

I've done both approaches. I prefer in normal times to get a new one when I open the latest one for most things. I have very sensitive skin and scalp so I have a hard time finding things I don't react to at some point. When I found my skin and hair turning into super sensitive I had a small stock pile of what I was using and I remember having to get rid of a bunch of things I couldn't use. Reducing waste is the best way to save money IMO.

For some products where I'm less sensitive like toothpaste or TP I just buy a few when I see it on sale.

[alcon835]

Same. I am of the belief that there should always be at least one back-up

[Metalcat]

I just use soap.

Shampoo is just hair soap.

Your hair doesn't need any different soap than the rest of your body though.  Do you have special butt soap?  :P

Technically, hair doesn't need any soap, it's scalps that sometimes need detergents, and many scalps would respond very, very badly to hand soap.

It's actually the less oily people like me whose scalps would have a meltdown if I used body soap.

When I had hair though, I mostly just used water.

[Retire-Canada]

Do you have special butt soap?  :P

I might, but it's starting to feel creepy that you want to know so I'll just leave that mystery. Although I will note that my butt has never had dandruff. ;-)

[asauer]

I almost always have a couple extra of most household products.  I have teens who never realize they're running low on something until it's completely gone.  And I like to have extra in case neighbors need something which has happened a few times (especially this year!).

[GuitarStv]

Do you have special butt soap?  :P

I might, but it's starting to feel creepy that you want to know so I'll just leave that mystery. Although I will note that my butt has never had dandruff. ;-)

This data point may speak more for the hairiness (or lack thereof) of your ass than the soap you use.

[Retire-Canada]

This data point may speak more for the hairiness (or lack thereof) of your ass than the soap you use.

Happily that's none of your business.

[TomTX]

I haven't purchased shampoo in close to a decade.  Turns out there's no need for it at all.

Yep. If I get particularly dirty I may rub the bar soap across my hair as well - not a deep lather, just get the surface stuff. Most of the time it's just water. Haven't used shampoo in a long time, and my hair looks great.

Note: It's my home-made 20% superfat coconut oil soap. I make 6-8 months worth in a batch, so I suppose that is "stocking up on toiletries."

[Cranky]

My dh can absolutely wash his head with whatever soap he uses on the rest of himself (his back is probably hairier than his head at this point!)

The rest of us would not be too happy with that solution.