Rethink and Repurpose Items to Save Money in Your Household

My mother's favorite perfume involves bleach, vinegar, baking soda and/or ammonia. In her world, those four items replace most expensive household cleaners---and play a role in warding off diseases.

I joke, but she's onto something. It's effective, saves money---and I've heard of no major diseases infiltrating her homestead.

Advertising hype tells you to buy "x" product because it removes soap scum or grime. Mom's simple concoctions do the same. Add in lemons and witch hazel to cover even more household needs.

"Nourished Magazine" features "Clean and Green: Natural Cleaning Formulas," full of basic household items that can be used to create cleaning products---ranging from oven cleaners to bathroom products---to air fresheners and deodorizers.

Want more? Look around your home with the eyes of a visitor so you can see things in a different way.

Here are a few ways a frugal shopper can save money on things used every day in the home:

Know what you own. Yard sales are proof that we have all of the gadgets we need to get the job done. We buy and re-buy because we forget what we own. A frugal family needs organization more than it needs more gadgets or products. How often do you buy a spice you already own because you can't find it? Organize them.

Treat every possession you have as an investment. If an item is good enough to warrant space in your home, it's good enough to maintain. Nowadays, it's cheaper to buy a new item than to repair your broken one. We're throwing money and our environment out the window by buying the same items over and over again. Save money by maintaining what you own.

For example, clean out the intake element at the back of your hand-held hair dryer to avoid an overheating problem. Check the back and bottom of your refrigerator, cleaning the vents and coils to avoid wear and excess energy use.

Re-purpose a good. Cooks buy cheesecloth for baking which sits in the pantry after that one use. If that's you, you're not taking advantage of the many uses of cheesecloth. If your family suffers from allergies, put a thin layer of cheesecloth over your air vents to catch dust particles. Beyond the kitchen, some people use cheesecloth as a makeshift fishing net.

Blend it/Chop it. Most of us have a blender and food processor that we keep tucked away for that rare party or holiday baking event. Keep it out to make smoothies or baby food. Little jars of baby food are great for traveling, but at home, you always have enough food to make up a serving for baby.

Personal hygiene. I authored a monthly column on Inventors/Inventions for "New Business Start Ups," so I was lucky enough to try out cool gadgets. Inventor John Hastie gave me a RazorMate, his invention designed to keep razor blades sharp. That was more than 20 years ago, and today I still don't buy razors often. Store your razor in the RazorMate cradle, and the blade stays sharp. I save on razors and Band-Aids. A small investment makes an item you use daily last longer.

Fabric care. That vinegar I've talked you into using for cleaning will keep your towels fluffy and increase the life of your clothing in general. Detergent wears fabric down. If you think your rinse cycle takes care of the problem, open up your washing machine after the rinse cycle. You'll see soap suds. Add vinegar to the final rinse of your washing machine (and dishwasher) to eliminate detergent suds.

Look around your home to find items hidden in various storage closets. Then re-think the uses of those items. If something gets a place in your home, it should be prepared to do double duty.

More from this contributor:
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