You will find however, that there are a few ways in which to tackle the increasing costs of running a household, it simply takes a minute to sit back and consider where you are spending all your money, why, and how you could change that! There are many ways in which you can ensure that you are getting as much for your money as possible, so let’s have a look at a couple.

For a start, you need to be sure that your cleaning materials and products are lasting you as long as possible. Sustainability is the key to saving money, because if you are having to buy new things every week then you will be wasting your cash! The key may well be to look in to using a little less cleaning product when you clean, and seeing if you can do the job just as well. Try putting half as much bleach down the toilet, or reducing the amount of times that you spray the surfaces in the kitchen down, and see if the cleaning power is compromised. You may find that you had it right all along, but at least now you know where the right amount lies!

The same goes for the effectiveness of the products that you are using. If you use a big name brand for your cleaning, then you may well find that you are paying for the marketing rather than the contents of the bottle! Lesser known brands and super market own brand cleaning products an often be just as effective, so it is well worth looking in to. Do a simple test by noting down the amount of times you use the cheaper product, as well as the normal product, to see which one lasts longer.

You may find that the cheaper one does the same job, which means you can switch to that, saving you a fair bit of cash!

Cloths, sponges and paper towels are all things that are thrown away after very few uses. For this reason, it is always best to try and avoid them, as they only mean buying new ones again and again! If you can ensure that you are using cotton cloths, flannels and heavy duty sponges, then your payout for more solid materials will be worth the amount of time that they last! You will also be doing the planet a favor by reducing the amount of waste that is dumped across the globe!

Using alternative methods can reduce the amount that you spend as well. Steam cleaning has come on in leaps and bounds, so you don’t have to use any chemical products. The heat in steam cleaning kills the bacteria, as well as loosening the dirt. All you have to do is wipe it away after you have blasted it! Using vinegar, lemon and baking powder can also be a bit cheaper than big name cleaning products, as well as being a lot safer for your family as well as the planet.

Have a look online to see what ‘recipes’ you can make with these ingredients; you may be surprised by how effective they are!