Saving Money on Products!

So it's no secret that I am a product whore addict.

Or maybe it was a secret. Until now. Oops.

Anyway, I'm going to talk a little bit about my avoidance of product purchases for the past, well, long time. I won't say year because I think it's been more than that - somewhat. Minus a few mini-treats for myself for special occasions.

When I refer to products, I'm talking about things like bath products, shampoos, conditioners, lotions, creams, things that bubble and much, much more. I am not talking about make-up, because if you've seen a few pictures of me you already know that make-up ain't a part of my daily repertoire. Minus a few lip-balms, maybe some gloss and the once-in-a-while need for nail polish, I am who I am and you get who I am. Or something like that!

Anyway, the rest of it - a true addiction. Totally love walking into stores like LUSH, The Body Shop, Sephora (OMG! Sephora!) and more. Heck, I can find something I want or need in the aisles of Wal-Mart and Target (Tar-jhay), as well.

But when you're a non-working mom like me, it's hard to justify spending the extra money when I've got a cabinet (and then some) full with loads of stuff that I really should use up before I buy more.

So, how do I get to try new stuff and liven things up a bit for myself in the product department? [Heh, I made a punny!] Stick with me and you'll be doing these things for yourself soon enough!

Option #1: Samples
Samples rock. Seriously, they do. And I'm not just talking about the ones you can get off of Walmart.com (you know about those, right? No? Click here now). I'm talking about the ones you can get when you stop in those yummy stores I mentioned above. Nearly every store has a stash of samples behind the counter. Yes, I mean it.

Stop by LUSH and behold the beauty of a special kind of nature. LUSH carries all natural products that you can sink your body into ~ assuming you find a little time just for you. You can buy a bath bomb for about $3, or not, and head to the counter and ask them for a few slivers of some of their best stuff. They have soap samples that are wrapped up nicely, and last for a few showers. And they will happily give you small samples of lotions, shampoos, conditioners and more. And you don't have to spend a penny!

Same goes for Sephora. Looking to find a new perfume, but don't want to cough up the big bucks to wind up with a scent that you don't truly love? Just talk to the staff there. They'll give you a few small samples of scents you're interested in to find a scent that works best for you.
And if you live in NYC, well, the sample haven for product addicts like myself would be Kiehl's. I absolutely love their products, and it was dangerous when I worked (well, let's be honest, I was an intern) a few blocks from their flagship location down on Third Avenue. Except one of the best things was taking a stroll on over to test out some of their incredible products, and walk out with a handful of freebies. Usually I was there to purchase a gift for someone. Even more usually it was an incredible gift basket. But leaving with a little something extra just for me was a delight. Those samples always made me feel a little bit lighter as I made my way back to work.

Since this post has already taken over a lot more space than I intended it to I'll stop here, and write up another installment when I can. In the meantime, remember that sampling is available for a lot more than the bread or cookies at your grocer's bakery or those little cups they hand out at Costco. Which, of course, are pretty yummy and all, but product is product, ya know?

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