One of my favorite ways to trim money from my spending is to find simple little substitutes for my regular expenses. If I can trim a few bucks from the cost of household supplies, routine purchases, and other things like that, over the long run, that can add up to a lot of money with virtually no change in my life. Here are twelve of my favorites (not including my “infamous” homemade laundry detergent).

Laundry Softener -> Vinegar
Instead of buying expensive laundry detergent, just use half a cup of white vinegar to the “softener” cup in your washing machine. It accomplishes the same effect as softener – it makes your clothes really soft – plus it breaks down the laundry detergent, making the clothes much better for people with sensitive skin or allergies. What about the smell? Once the clothes are dried, you smell nothing at all. You can buy four gallons of vinegar for $6, meaning the cost per load is about $0.05, while a load’s worth of Downy costs about $0.15. You save a dime per load and your clothes are less chemical laden.

Ziplocs -> Reusable Containers
Ziplocs – especially the small ones – usually wind up in the trash after one use. On the other hand, a reusable container can last for years. Since a typical Ziploc costs about $0.10 and you can get a reusable Rubbermaid container for about $1.00, you break even on the container after about twelve uses or so (the cost of washing the container in the dishwasher is estimated there) and everything thereafter is pure savings.

Dishwashing Detergent -> Simple Homebrew
Instead of using liquid or powder dishwashing detergent (and paying a stiff premium for it), just take an old milk jug, put two teaspoons of liquid dish detergent and four teaspoons of baking powder in it, then slowly fill the jug with warm water, sloshing it while you do it (even better, just slowly add the soap as you’re adding the water). Then put that jug under the sink. Each time you do a load, fill up the cup with the homebrew. It works like a charm. The jug will provide enough for eight to ten loads of dishes for about a penny each, compared to about thirteen cents per load for ordinary detergent.

Knife Set -> Chef’s Knife
You’re just getting started in the kitchen and you think it’s time to get yourself a big ol’ knife set. Don’t. Unless you’re doing crazy things in the kitchen, all day every day, you really only need one knife – a chef’s knife. Head down to your local retailer and check them out. One good chef’s knife will make kitchen work easier than an entire block’s worth of other knives. It’s really all you need – I can’t even remember the last time I used a knife besides that one. Just learn how to properly hone it and sharpen it (both are easy – check out this YouTube video).

Windex -> Vinegar
Seriously. Just use vinegar instead of Windex when you clean your windows. It cleans off almost anything on a window and doesn’t streak and, more importantly, doesn’t leave a film behind as Windex often does. Just put some vinegar in a spray bottle – maybe that Windex one that you didn’t buy a replacement for – and just wash windows as normal. You’ll be quite happy with the results – and you’ll save about a penny per squirt.