Budget Busters

I don't mind grocery shopping. In fact, I've told you before how I think about it like it's a game and I'm always trying to find the best deals, because I'm cheap like that. There's only one part I dislike, because the purchase of these can be budget busters and that's toiletries-- otherwise known as HBAs (health & beauty aids). I can be humming along with my budget, not paying a lick of attention to the fact that we are beginning to run low on something and WHAM! There goes my super low grocery bill.

When I calculate how much money our family is spending every month, I throw everything in, not just food. There are some weird things you can only get at Walmart or Target (you know what those things are... you have them lurking under your sink or in your laundry room, just like I do and you may only buy them once-- in your life!). That's why I stock up when shaving cream, hand soap, toothpaste, etc is on sale, because you can always get it on the cheap.

A friend and I were recently discussing how certain toiletries can be budget busters. The item we were referencing was razors. I'll admit that for years we bought the $0.97 5-pack at Walmart. I mean honestly, they're disposable and I'm not shelling out big money on something that won't work right after you use it for a week. That's when I discovered the drugstore sales on razors...

CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens all run deals periodically on nice razors, like pictured above, for next to nothing. About once a month, but no less than once a quarter, one of the 3 big drugstores will have a sale where the razor "costs" $8.99, but will be in the neighborhood of $4.99 after coupons and $0.99-$1.99 after coupons back at the register toward your next purchase. Talk about a deal! For that price, you can buy a new shaving "system" and forget about replacing the stinkin' blades. Financial Guy may think he's whittling his face with a stick, should he ever have to go back to using those $0.97 5-pack razors, again! :)

Keep your eyes open for the next big sale on razors and should your local store be out, don't forget to get a rain check! To get you started, go here to snag some coupons and watch for more in the newspaper! Happy Friday, everybody!