How to Cut Bathroom Expenses in Half

Whenever I see my six-year-old daughter take a bath by herself, she squeezes as much soap into the tub water as she can. I cringe because it’s such a waste. The plus side is I don’t need to wash her hair because of the clumps of soap already floating around. 🙂

I think about how many of us, as adults, waste products in the bathroom. Yet, beauty and household items are the things I find myself buying every three months and sometimes once a year.

It saves you money to shop in bulk or buy these items for free and stock up.

If you want to save money in your bathroom this year, here are 14 smart and unique ways to do just that.

Bar Soap

The truth is bar soap is so much cheaper. If you get a loofah or, the super cheap route, a washcloth, you can get it to lather up. Buying bulk bar soap at Costco or BJ’s is a money saver.

If you must buy body wash, use a loofah to lather it up and help it spread all over the places, it needs to be not all over your shower walls. Yes, I’m speaking to my children here.

Loofah Bath Sponge

Buy a Loofah or bath sponge only at the dollar tree or in the dollar sections at your local grocery store. You shouldn’t pay more than $1 for these.

You don’t need to pay $2 or $4 for fancy loofahs if it pulls on your heartstrings to have that higher-priced loofah put on a Christmas/wish list. 🙂 This is a great frugal choice for the shower.

Use less Shampoo/Conditioner/Body wash.

This idea will surface in plenty of Frugal Living communities for laundry soap. Everything is so concentrated now you can use less and still get the same amount of cleaning.

I love using the Dove Body Wash ( I got a three-pack for $4 at BJs on clearance), but I only need a quarter size. It’s tempting to squirt a good amount on the washcloth but stop and be more conscious.

If you find your family going through shampoos, conditioners, etc., too quickly, use less.

Wash Your Hair Every other Day

This will be a personal preference for some. I’ve talked with my girlfriends about this several times, and a handful always refuses to wash their hair every day.

It doesn’t mean you can’t shower. It just means you skip shampooing. There are a bunch of articles on the benefits of doing this. Here is one.

Ditch Shaving Cream

It’s really more about the razor than it is about the shaving cream. I’m really stuck on my Dove Body Wash from Sam’s. The three-pack there lasts me and my girls months.

I also use this for shaving cream. It’s all about the loofah, which gives you a nice foamy lather to use as shaving cream.

You can get away with using a bar of soap as shaving cream too. So it’s one less thing to buy and get nasty in the shower.

Skip it.

Ditch Name Brand

This one took me a little bit because I thought only certain shampoos worked for my hair. Although there has to be some truth to it, I’ve found that cheap store-brand shampoo and conditioners also work great on our hair.

For example, BJ’s has a two-pack of their own shampoo and conditioner for $5.99. It is next to Tresemee, and I would think it is the same as Tresemme if I had to guess. Each bottle is 28 oz.

So it lasts a while. A $2 BJs coupon makes it only $3.99 for TWO!

Especially needed with more females than males in this household. I’ve heard great things about the Kirkland brand, too, in our Costco Facebook group.

Forget the Makeup Remover Wipes

Although you can find store-brand makeup remover wipes to be cheaper, they will always cost more than the traditional bottle and cotton ball.

Honestly, I buy cotton balls once or twice a year from BJs. I know I’m obsessed with my wholesale clubs. But this bag has jumbo-size cotton balls. You can pull them apart and use the other half next time.

Or if you have a ton of makeup on, one jumbo cotton ball does the job. I have found BJs size cotton balls to be the softest and work the best. When I got ones from Dollar Tree and Tops markets not impressed. My favorite makeup remover/facial cleanser I use now is the Garnier Micellar.

I haven’t bought another bag yet. This means this year; I’m paying 58¢ a month for my cotton balls.

Forget Mouthwash

No need to buy expensive name-brand mouthwash. Honestly, all you need is Hydrogen peroxide. Again, you can get at a wholesale club, and it will last you all year.

You don’t need much, and it works just as well. And again, you don’t need to use it daily, which saves more. Read this article if you don’t believe me.

Use a Low Flow Shower Head

This is a good one to help you save money on your water bill.

This type of showerhead mixes air with the water dispensing, so you feel like you are getting a strong flow, but it’s really using less water.

Refill Soap

Don’t get sucked into buying new plastic bottles of soap all the time. If you want to save money in the bathroom, buy a soap dispenser and get huge jugs of it at BJ’s or Costco and refill it. This is another item I buy once or twice a year. It’s $5.99 at BJ’s for two.

Free Toothpaste

Luckily toothpaste is an item you can still find for free or $0.50 a tube in the couponing world. Keep an eye on a coupon blog like The Krazy Coupon Lady for what store has free this week. Search for free toothpaste, and I’m sure you will have a few to pick from.

There are so many couponers on Tiktok as well now, making couponing for bathroom/personal care items even easier.

If you want to learn how to extreme coupon read this asap!

No Leaking

Always keep an eye on your faucets for a drip. If you have a leaky faucet, the cost will add up. The same goes for your toilet constantly running. If you notice a leak, it may be time to replace it.

All Purpose Cleaner

There really isn’t a need to get different cleaners for every room in your house. Opt for a general-purpose cleaner to save time, money, and shelf space. Again geez, I almost wonder if this post should be on my BJs’ blog 😉 but this $3.99 cleaner has been our go-to lately.

I mop the floors, wipe the bathroom down, and more with it. It has lasted us through summer, fall, and now almost into winter; I will need to repurchase some in a week or two. $3.99, though, for six months is a steal!

Now this one, I will say household cleaners are cheaper at Dollar Tree over Sam’s or BJ’s!

Less Bath Time

If you are in the midst of young kiddos and still taking a bath, consider reusing the water for the second child or having their bath together. Showers actually use less water than filling up the bathtub. Encourage your children to start showering, and if they are hesitant, offer them a bath a few times a week instead of daily.

Those are my favorite ways we save in the bathroom. Sure, there are many more ways, like turning down the hot water temperature, but let me tell you.

In the long winter season, my treat is a hot shower—all the savings I do on the above-mentioned means.

It’s all about balance and being mindful of what we use and spend daily. It’s important to look closely at anything you may be overusing or wasting in the bathroom.

When you start saving and being resourceful in one area of your life, you’ll notice it seeps onto every other aspect. And that, my friends, is how financial freedom, peace, comfort, and joy are found.

Before you go, check out this:

• 7 Budget-Friendly Kitchen Updates That Aren’t New Cabinets or Countertops
• How to Get Rid of Ants in Your Home Naturally (and on a Budget!)
• Simplify Your SAHM Schedule with Daily Routines
• Staying Home with Kids in 2025? These Budget Tips Will Change Everything
• How TikTok Convinced Me to Love Fake Flowers Outdoors (And My Window Boxes Have Never Looked Better!)