BATHROOM essentials are blowing a huge hole in family budgets.
It’s not just the cost of filling the fridge that has soared over the past year.
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The outlays for stocking up on everything from shampoo to shaving gel have jumped too.
Official figures show that prices for health and hygiene products have gone up by 11 per cent over the past year.
Our analysis, using supermarket comparison site trolley.co.uk, found the price of one popular branded toothpaste had jumped by 43 PER CENT – a real kick in the teeth for hard-up shoppers.
But where you shop can make a huge difference.
We bought a basket of toiletries at supermarkets and found a price gap of £23 between the cheapest and most expensive stores.
Mel Hunter looks at how to scrub up without getting taken to the cleaners . . .
General toiletries
DON’T get rinsed by the rising cost of popular haircare and shower products.
Overall prices for shampoo and conditioner have risen by one per cent, according to trolley.co.uk, but we found the cost of some toiletries had jumped by up to 33 per cent.
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Yet you can dodge the rises by avoiding big-name brands.
Ele Clark, retail director at Which? says: “Consider a cheaper, or supermarket own-brand product to save money, as spending more doesn’t guarantee quality .”
The new Boots Everyday range has shampoo from 75p and shower gel for 85p, as well as moisturiser for £1.50.
But if there are brands you like, download a loyalty app wherever you are planning to shop.
Also, as many stores are now pushing special prices for loyalty customers, there are great promotions around.
For instance, L’Oreal Elvive Colour Protect Shampoo, 400ml, is £3 for Sainsbury’s Nectar cardholders. That’s £2 less than at other stores including Ocado.
Some shaving products have shot up in cost too. Gillette’s Sensitive Skin shaving foam costs 40 per cent more than a year ago at £1.66 for 200ml.
But Aldi’s Lacura shaving foam is 95p and you get extra in the can at 250ml.
For razor blades, Lacura 5 Blade refills are about £1 each, whereas Gillette Mach 3 ones are on average £2 per blade when you buy an eight-pack.
Asda is best value for toilet roll.
Its Shades So Soft did well in our consumer tests, but since then it comes with double the number of sheets.
A pack of six – which it claims is equivalent to 12 rolls at other brands – costs £5.45, while a nine-pack Andrex Classic Clean costs an average of £6.13.
Baby care
PARENTS of young kids kids have been hit particularly hard.
Our analysis found the cost of nappies has jumped by 15 per cent over the past year, while some branded ones had risen by as much as 27 per cent, with popular baby wipes hiked by nearly 33 per cent.
Coupon Queen author and mum-of-four Holly Smith has tips to save on baby items.
She says: “Go to the Pampers website where you can get a free pack of nappies worth up to £13.
“Also on the Huggies site, you can get a sample but they will also send you a coupon for money off.”
Own-brand nappies can also be great value.
When mum-of-four Lynsey Hope, 41, tested nappies for Sun Money recently she gave Aldi’s Mamia Ultra Dry range top marks – beating Pampers’ Baby Dry range.
Plus they are a fraction of the cost at around 10p or less per nappy depending on the pack size, compared to around 21p for Pampers in many shops.
Mums and dads should also sign up for Boots’ Parenting Club to earn 8 Advantage Points and get a free Aveno baby shampoo worth £6.50 But prioritise getting the lowest price over earning points.
Period products
ONE in eight women struggled with the cost of period products last year, according to the charity Action Aid.
Trolley.co.uk’s index shows that tampons have risen by an average of seven per cent.
But some branded ones have gone up by much more, with Tampax Pearl applicator tampons up by 21 per cent for a box of eight.
This is another area where you can make big savings by switching to own-brand options.
Holly says: “They are often the same product in different packaging.
“Also, don’t forget to compare the different super- markets and see which own- brand is the cheapest.”
Instead of paying an average of £3.29 for a box of 18 Tampax Pearl applicator tampons you could pay 69p for a box of 20 of Aldi’s Lunex.
Holly also suggests swapping heavy-flow sanitary pads for maternity pads.
“They do the same job but they’re cheaper,” she says.
For long-term savings, Holly is a fan of washable period pants. Primark now does a pack of three for £13.
They should pay for themselves after a few months.
Dental care
WITH costs up at the dentist and many struggling to get appointments, it’s more vital than ever to look after your teeth.
But some toothpastes have risen by as much as 43 per cent – such as Colgate Advanced White, which now costs an average of £3.90, up more than £1.18 since last year.
Ele says: “Compare the ingredients on the labels to see if you could make a saving.
“Cheaper toothpastes may not make fancy claims or have bold packaging designs.
“But if you do not have any particular dental issue, a standard fluoride toothpaste will do the job just fine.”
The price of Sainsbury’s own toothpaste won’t leave a bad taste in your mouth at 50p for a 100ml tube.
