Every year we spend money on purchases that may be falsely advertised, environmentally harmful, or simply overpriced. But we don't have to keep making those same mistakes. Here are some of the worst offenders you should avoid in 2023, along with more practical (and cheaper) options.
Handy? For sure. Good for the planet? Not even a little. The use of baby wipes, disinfecting wipes, and their ilk has grown substantially in the last decade ... and that was before the coronavirus pandemic made disinfecting wipes a must-have product for many people. Consider biodegradable, compostable wipes for baby or yourself, and reusable microfiber cloths for cleaning and dusting around the house.
Related: Things You Should Never Clean With Disinfecting Wipes
Airborne is a popular supplement that has been marketed as a cure for the common cold and general immune booster. The product contains vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other supplements like ginger. But as researchers at Ohio State University point out, there's no scientific evidence that Airborne and similar products can prevent or cure a cold.
Related: 30 Things You Need to Know About Cold and Flu Season
Straws have become the poster child for society's plastic overuse and, while reducing the millions of drinking straws used each day alone won't save the planet, it's not a bad place to start. Especially when it's so easy to either replace them with a stainless-steel version or just not use one at all.
Related: Products to Help You Use Less Plastic
In their efforts to cut out sugar and calories, diet soda drinkers may be exposing themselves to entirely different health risks. Numerous studies have linked excessive diet soda consumption to developing metabolic syndrome, which often leads to diabetes or heart disease, as well as stroke and dementia.
Related: 29 Foods Diabetics Should Avoid
Statista estimates that more than 40% of American homes own a Keurig or other pod-based coffeemaker, which added up to billions of pods placed in landfills until Keurig made all of its K-Cups recyclable in 2020. Still, a Keurig cup of coffee, even at its cheapest sale price, runs 50 cents — while a cup of drip coffee can be just 16 cents. Even if you can recycle the cups, you may still want to save your money.
Non-recyclable plastic utensils may be cheap and convenient, but they contribute to mounting environmental issues. They cannot be used again and end up adding to landfills and sometimes polluting waterways, while more plastic cutlery is manufactured from non-renewable petroleum. Consider switching to compostable cutlery made from cornstarch-based CPLA.
Related: 21 Things in Your Kitchen You Should Get Rid of Right Now
Americans use about 100 billion plastic sandwich bags every year. That doesn't account for other countries, or for the quart- and gallon-sized versions we also use. At an average cost of 1.7 cents per bag, that's about $380 million we are, quite literally, throwing in the trash each year. Instead, buy yourself some reusable beeswax paper, and save money and the planet at the same time.
There are ways to save on prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs. Ask your pharmacist about generic substitutes and compare prices at warehouse stores like Costco or Walmart as well as mail-order suppliers like Express Scripts.
About 150 million Americans use disposable razors, and all that plastic eventually ends up in a landfill. Those who shave regularly would do better to invest in an electric shaver, straight razor, or refillable razor. Just be sure to compare prices on blade refills, which can be the most costly component in the long-run.
Thousands of accidents involving children happen each year due to harmful ingredients like bleach and ammonia, linked to liver and kidney damage, being consumed. Choose non-toxic or natural cleaners found in most markets, or save money by making your own cleaning solutions from vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda.
Dryer sheets contain chemicals called quaternary ammonium compounds (QACS) that coat clothes to make them seem softer, without actually doing so. QACS not only affect fabric quality — making certain fabrics less wickable and fire-resistent — but can gunk up your dryer's lint trap over time, irritate sensitive skin and, worst of all, have been shown to cause or worsen asthma. Invest in some wool dryer balls instead, which are just as effective while also reducing drying time and cutting energy costs.
Related: Do Wool Dryer Balls Really Work as Well as Dryer Sheets?
The average American consumes about 44 gallons of bottled water. Do your part by replacing bottled water with tap, especially given that there's little difference between the two and it saves money, too. Consider a reusable insulated tumbler, too, for hydration on the go.
Related: These Walmart Tumblers Rival Yeti's at a Fraction of the Price
Brand-name clothes are among the most brazenly overpriced of all retail products. While designer jeans like a $425 pair of PRPS may be marked up as much as 300%, even jeans from discount stores may be marked up by 100% or more.
Related: 50 Well-Made Products You'll Never Have to Buy Again
Conventional laundry detergents can contain toxins that cause adverse effects ranging from irritated skin to discolored clothing, especially the cheap, off-brand stuff. To avoid contact with such chemicals, look for 100% non-toxic detergents, or make your own homemade powder solution.
Greeting cards may come with neat designs or jokes, but to the frugal-minded they probably aren't worth the price stores charge for them. It's almost always more cost effective and memorable to make your own.
Related: Thoughtful and Easy DIY Holiday Gifts That Will Save You Money
The product you purchase to clear acne may end up making the problem worse. Many drugstore brand treatments contain irritants ranging from witch hazel, which can increase redness, to eucalyptus, which stimulates oil production. Start with benzoyl peroxide and consult the Mayo Clinic's guide for more detailed advice on finding the right acne treatment.
A dozen roses sell for $10 or less wholesale, but certain florists and grocery stores can resell them for as much as $20 to $60 or more when demand is high around Valentine's Day. Save money by comparing prices between grocers, farmers markets, and online retailers like The Bouqs Co.
Related: Great Gifts for Plant Lovers
The price you pay for a cup of soda dining out can be 300% to 600% more than what it costs the restaurant. When dining out, forego the markup and caloric intake of fountain drinks (not to mention alcoholic ones), and just drink water until you get home.
Packages of pre-cut fruits and vegetables found at many grocers may save time, but they're likely to be less fresh and cost as much as 40% more than their uncut counterparts. Produce is easy to find cheap, so don't give into this supermarket ploy to get customers to spend more money on the same product.
Cardboard boxes of tea bags create unnecessary waste for a beverage that could easily be consumed without excessive packaging. It's much more environmentally friendly, and often tastier, to use loose-leaf teas that can be stored in refillable tins and brewed with reusable infusers.
The retail markups for eyeglasses can be as high as 1,000% for designer frames from some opticians, chain stores and mall kiosks. The best ways to find reasonably-priced frames with your prescription are through warehouse stores like Costco or online retailers like Zenni Optical.
Soaps that more effectively kill bacteria sound like a win-win for consumers, but they're no more effective than conventional soap and water. In fact, they contain a chemical called triclosan that can enter the bloodstream, leech into waterways, increase the risk of developing allergies, interfere with thyroid regulation, and even spur the evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
It's no surprise that products intended to kill insects and invasive weeds can also harm humans. Common products like the weedkiller Round-Up and insecticide Raid are known to cause kidney damage, respiratory irritation, and negatively impact the central nervous system. Such harm can be easily avoided with organic pest-control products like boric acid or white vinegar.
Related: 22 Tips to Keep Gardening Dirt Cheap
The market for air fresheners in aerosol, solid, or plug-in form has grown along with concern over harmful pollutants they often contain. Phthalates, which are banned in children's toys in some states due to hormonal and reproductive disruptions, and carcinogens like naphthalene and formaldehyde are just some of the common toxins.
Diamonds can sell for as much or more than 200% over their wholesale prices. It was only an artificial shortening of supply and clever marketing that led to the tradition of diamond engagement rings costing the equivalent of two months' salary. Synthetic diamonds and similar gemstones like Moissanite are a fraction of the cost and can be almost indistinguishable from the real thing.
Like most costs associated with higher education, college textbook prices have been climbing in recent years, yet undergrads are spending $100 less on their required course materials than students a decade ago. The decline is thanks to a proliferation of online shops that resell or rent books, so there's less reason than ever to pay full price.
About half of Americans take a daily multivitamin, despite a lack of evidence that they make any positive impact on health, according to Johns Hopkins University. Eat a balanced diet to obtain your vitamins and minerals rather than spending money on supplements that provide no nourishment or measurable health benefits.
Car rental companies often push temporary insurance policies that can cost even more than the vehicle rental itself, so you'll be paying $30 per day for a service that costs the company $3 to $4. These overpriced collision damage waivers are good for peace of mind, but it's usually more cost-effective to rely on your own insurance — though in the event of a crash, this will require paying for damages up-front, then recovering funds by filing a claim.
Non-stick pots and pans that wash easily save time, but come with hidden drawbacks. What keeps food from sticking on this kind of cookware is a chemical coating called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, or Teflon), which when heated to very high temperatures releases carcinogenic gases like tetrafluoroethylene and perfluorooctanoic acid. Already own non-stick cookware? Play it safe by using them for low-temp cooking only.
Related: The Best Cheap Cookware Sets