There are plenty of monthly boxes and product subscriptions out there, but will they really save you money? With too many options for any type of item out there we are going to blanket all subscription programs that give you a discount for having regular shipments and multiple products.
From hygiene to grocery you can subscribe to regular delivery to your home, all for a convenient price – but what is the real value of that price? Before signing up for a monthly fee, consider how it will actually affect your wallet. If you don’t normally buy a product regularly, maybe that 5% discount is really 95% an unnecessary expense?
Track the Frequency of Purchases
Do you already stock up on certain products when you go shopping, or are you routinely restocking multiple household items? Depending on your home these might be different things, whether it is toilet paper or a certain snack, if you are buying an item weekly you may want to consider a subscription.
Optimize Your Savings
Most subscription services give you a discount for the more you buy. Most subscription services will give you a discount on items if you buy multiple products in one shipment. Keep your items in one shipment together to get the greatest discount on each product. If you only have one item, it may be more cost-effective to buy in bulk in place of subscribing.
Stick to Your Services
Don’t buy products outside of your subscription service. If you need to restock the product in your home before your shipment comes in, you should probably update the frequency(or amount per shipment). Keep in mind to get the most out of your subscription your products will have to all come together.
Manage Your Stock
If you have a lot of one thing piling up, you must take it off the subscription or replace it! Try looking for another product you might need regularly to keep your savings high in your subscription. Don’t add something just to keep your savings high, instead, removing the item may be the best solution to avoid multiple overstocked products in your home.
Don’t let one product become so overstocked that it expires or just overflows, besides wasting your money you will be wasting space!
Compare In-Store Prices
Before you sign up and start getting shipments of your toiletries, take a look at the prices in the stores you already go to. Are they comparable to what you’re getting online? Are they better? Though the discounts and percentages online may be appealing, don’t be fooled by advertising.
Would a bulk buy be better? If you are purchasing items that don’t expire, in-store bulk may be a better savings option.
Shopping from a Box
It can be incredibly convenient to use online subscriptions to get your items directly to your home. Although it appears to be cost-effective on the surface, subscription shopping can become ineffective and costly. If you don’t do your research and monitor your stock, you could be wasting your money.
Subscribe responsibly and make the most out of those programs available to save more money on the things you buy regularly.
