The price of personal hygiene

[BrainInAJar]

Hi all,

I know this is not exactly breaking news but OMFG the cost of living!

I have a decent job and a modest lifestyle in terms of financial outgoings so relatively comfortable. And I'm pretty low-maintenance in terms of personal care (I don't spend a lot on hairdressing, nails, tweakments etc).

HOWEVER, I'm finding the cost of just BASIC hygiene noticeably growing ridiculous.

I buy cans of 250ml spray deoderant in my weekly shop. With clubcard discount that is £2.50. It lasts 2 weeks for me when applied once daily. In summer etc that would only last a week! I'm pretty sure the cans used to be bigger, last longer and be far cheaper!

My other basics: shampoo, conditioner, bars of soap, basic moisturiser, cotton wool, toothpaste. None of them fancy but the cost really does add up.

Coupled with the cost of having an actual shower, it's bloody ridiculous. It's like something out of the 19th century for a person to be thinking that they need to think about the cost of keeping their body clean!

Thanks for listening to my rant!

I agree but equally I'm finding it's forcing me to try more eco friendly brands that last longer (bar soaps, bar shampoos etc) but I'll never give up my Mitchum deodorant!!

I have lived through periods of poverty. There's always ways of making things work. Roll on deodorants last longer and I certainly don't pay anywhere near as much as you do. Soap lasts for ages, I refuse to use shower gels because of all the packaging. You do need to make sure the bars aren't pooled in water and the hardness of them varies (the tip above about keeping them in drawers with clothing is amazing!) You only need a pea size amount of toothpaste, I think most people overuse due to marketing. The difference between brand names and supermarket own is often negligible.

I don't wear makeup daily but coconut oil is lovely for removing makeup and I've used it as a moisturizer and a hair mask. I buy it from Lidl when I goes on sale.

Period products were always difficult for me before reusable became a thing. I have a very heavy flow due to endo and even expensive product don't save me from leaking. When I was a child I used to use all of my paper round money and some I'd get from birthdays/Christmas buying pads and tampons. I've used rags from old clothes and wadded up toilet roll. I've found that cups are the best thing for me with a reusable pad for any leakage (I wash the pads in the sink and air dry) But I do get the initial outlay is expensive.

Fussy deodorant sticks last 3 months, are excellent & are only £5 per refill.
Shower gel is 45p in Aldi & is very good. I haven't tried their shampoo but they have a fair selection, worth looking at their toiletries range.
May be worth using a mooncup or washable bamboo sanitary towels to save on sanitary products costs. I've had my moon cup over 3 years now so well worth the £10 outlay.

I hear this sort of complaint from people who do all of their shop in one place. You pay for convenience

I agree, it's something we've never done, because the savings that can be made are significant and once you get into the swing of things, it doesn't take any more time because you buy in bulk and rotate round shops. Obviously I have to add the usual disclaimer that it doesn't work for everyone due to available shops, lack of storage or cashflow, but most people could break away from 'get everything from Tesco in one weekly delivery and then complain how expensive it is'.

Is Tesco really the only shop you can use? Asda is usually cheaper for delivery. Do you have to get delivery? If you don't have a car can you use a shopping trolley? Could the OP get an online delivery once or twice a month to meet the minimum delivery amount then do a weekly shop in person for fresh food. Occasional trip to Home Bargains/H&M/Savers for toiletries.

Get it right and the saving could be 20/30% at least, which even for a one person smallish shop could add up to hundreds of pounds a year compared with buying the same things from the same (expensive) shop in a once a week delivery.

Can’t add anything except to say I use Salt of the Earth deodorant stick. It works amazingly well, way better than any other deodorant I’ve ever used and lasts for well over a year. It doesn’t mask odour, it neutralises it. Even works on sweaty teens, thank god!

I thought the supplies in public buildings, like the boxes in toilets, were for using there and then as opposed to taking a stash home with you?

I’d have no issue with someone struggling to pay for period stuff to help themselves like this.

I think it’s crap to do so if you can afford to buy said period products yourself.

Many people don't actually need deodorant as it's only if.you have an overgrowth of bad bacteria that you smell after sweating. It depends on your skin though everyone is different and sometimes igs hard to know what you smell like to others. But I agree, the cost of everything is just silly now..

They are but some people take the mick a bit. Loads get taken from work.

Try Mitchum roll on, much better for you than a spray.

It would have done for me too. My periods only lasted a couple of days and were extremely light. 48 tampons, especially if super absorbency, would have lasted me for ages. However I appreciate I am unusual and very fortunate

But where do you draw the line at what is essential care and having to pay for it?

Are you saying: women get periods so they shouldn't have to pay for tampons?

They also poo, so they shouldn't have to pay for loo roll?

They sweat, so they shouldn't have to pay for deodorant?

I use Lidl and Poundshop.

I kinda want to know what kind of periods you have where one box of tampons last 3 months.

Mine. Two boxes of tampons for £2 from Superdrug lasts 3 cycles for me. If you have a different cycle, then good for you.

It's fantastic that places are providing free period products for people that are caught out or struggle to afford these things.

That doesn't mean that the rest of us need free period products. Even I f 48 tampons only lasts you one month, most people can afford £2.

You are welcome to have a different opinion, I'm not interested in debating though.

It feels like lots of posters are missing the OP's point, which is:

It's insane that in one of the richest countries in the world, middle-income people are now wondering whether they can afford to shower every day.

I agree - it IS insane and god knows the stress that lower-income families are under.

It doesn't have to be like this - most of it is the result of Tory policy - and I hope that at the next election we all show that we know that.

So you get a box of 24 tampons from superdrug for a quid?

All of this! I’ve been really impressed with Aldi’s shampoo and conditioner, amd it’s a third of the price of the branded stuff…spray on deodorant is always the most expensive option

Have you tried Mitchum roll on OP? Absolutely fantastic only thing that works on me and lasts alot longer than sprays x

I don't know about all areas but a lot of libraries and council buildings are giving away sanitary products in our area.

I have very light periods and so I am lucky enough to not have to pay much for sanitary products. However, I am aware that I’m in the minority and many people have heavier periods so have to pay much more per month. In fact, apart from myself, I don’t know anyone who would be able to get away with ‘paying £2 every three months.’

I don't think that middle income people are wondering this. If they are, then they need to have a serious look at their spending priorities

I use roll-on deo, similar price and lasts for months? And I use it at least twice a day most days because I go to the gym/play tennis a lot. I think roll on is more effective anyway, and you're not wasting half of it being sprayed around the room.

Their soaps tend to be bigger so I think they're good value - and they smell gorgeous. I'm often to be seen in TK Maxx sniffing the soaps

I work for my LA the posters in the public loos all say take what you need for now and later. It doesn’t tackle period poverty if you have to depend on the local library being open every time you need to change a tampon.

Have you ever experienced peri flooding? One pack wouldn't last long at all j can tell you.

I can assure you my costs were FAR higher than that until I got treatment.