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While I work with families to raise healthy kids, I also try to help families hack their retail experience to keep their finances healthy. During office visits, I guide parents and teens to make wiser purchases, teaching them to read nutrition labels and active ingredient lists, rather than judging quality by labels that just look pretty and promising. Here’s an inside look on what I discuss plus some extra tips that I don’t have time to mention in the office. If you would like a quick summary to reference while searching on Amazon or browsing through Target, then sign up for email notifications and I’ll send a pdf with highlights from this post. For those who already follow the blog (thanks!), I’ll send an email out containing the pdf so you don’t have to re-subscribe.
Save money by looking for generics
Save money by reading the ingredients label
For example, on my Acne Attack Plan post, I share the evidence-based ingredients that fight acne. One of them is benzoyl peroxide – 2.5% of it is just as effective as 10% at cleaning acne and maybe a little cheaper. Further more, benzoyl peroxide by any price is still… wait for it… … … benzoyl peroxide. Reading the active ingredient labels might help teens and parents save money by choosing the least expensive benzoyl peroxide product such as this AcneFree cleanser, my favorite, a huge bottle from a company that doesn’t waste money on advertising so us consumers can save – win/win.
Even in the office, I am often looking up a medication on google to check the active ingredients so that I have a more accurate list of what my patient has already tried and to be able to comment on whether or not they should continue taking it. Bonus points for the parents who take photos of their child’s medication or the active ingredients list to save me time! Otherwise, it’s a google lineup of all the Mucinex boxes – does your box look like this purple one, the orange one, or the blue one?
Another example of this is demonstrated in the quest to quench thirst. When trying to find a healthy drink to hydrate, check out the ingredients. Are you paying a premium for expensive water (and expensive urine as most vitamins just get peed out anyway) or a premium for a heavily sugared drink despite “all natural” packaging. Some teens will respond to my query about fruits and veggies in their diet by excitedly sharing that they consume Naked drinks at school. Look at the nutrition label, they range from 10-23 gram of sugar, no fiber. Or you can avoid having to read drink labels by just turning on the tap.
In conclusion, read the labels, and drink more water.
Save money by ignoring “baby” and “infant”
Let’s talk switch gears and talk about seriously dry skin. The “baby” lotions are expensive and come in small tiny quantities, which are not very useful because dry skin often requires multiple applications. In fact, if the babies have dry skin, their parents probably also have genetically pre-disposed dry skin and need a coating of cream themselves. A small several ounce size baby lotion will not fit the needs of a parched skin family at all, so skip the baby aisle of moisturizers. Rather, head over to the regular health aisle (or Amazon) for a large tub of Aquaphor (part of my kids’ routine between bath and books) or economy size Aveeno, Cetaphil, or Cerave lotions/creams. Or, in a pinch, head over to the kitchen for a wad of coconut oil or drizzle of Crisco oil. Yes, that simple stuff works.
I also talk to my patients about buying children’s ibuprofen and children’s acetaminophen instead of the infant’s. If you calculate price per fluid ounce, the children’s is less expensive every single time. Maybe this doesn’t seem like a big deal, but I’m a big believer that small differences add up, and if you think of all the aches and uncomfortable fevers you will be treating from from back to back viral illnesses in a germ/daycare-exposed child, this requires many many bottles of medicine. Furthermore, the infant’s ibuprofen is a more concentrated formulation, which means that the dosing is not as common and may lead to confusion and error. Stick with children’s and your money will stick with you.
Save money by teaching your kids to be media savvy
Being media savvy also fits in nicely with my discussion with families on decreasing screen time and obesity. There is a well established link between being sedentary in front of a digital device and obesity. This is partly because kids who watch more TV, and therefore exposed to more ads, are more influenced to buy more unhealthy foods. Decrease screen time and decrease spending on the junk. Check out some tips on decreasing screen time here.
It’s also important to teach kids to be discerning with marketing messages. Asking the food industry to regulate itself has not worked – young kids still see about 3 food ads per day, regulations by age groups don’t work because younger kids will watch programming made for older kids, and the target keeps moving with new technologies to regulate now including shows on YouTube and streaming services. Where government regulations and food industry good will have failed, parents have an opportunity to succeed. Watching TV and YouTube and their ads together will give parents teachable moments to talk to their kids about how the advertisements can be misleading and how to poke holes in their enticing imagery and catchy tunes.
Grocery shopping together is another opportunity for parents to talk to their kids about spending wisely and not falling prey to sly packaging as many studies show that kids’ purchasing choices are influenced by the cartoons on the packaging. I love a quote from this study that “parents bring home the bacon, but it’s probably the kids that pick the brand.” Dietary habits and brand loyalty start even before 6 years old, so if the advertisers don’t think your kids too young to pick up on food packaging designs, then they are not too young to start a conversation about marketing and reading labels.
It’s easy to teach your kids to be media-savvy, but it requires parents to be aware and intentional about passing along those messages to their kids. Like any important lessons in life, talk early and often with your kids. Since media is so pervasive in our lives, these conversations about spending wisely & viewing ads wisely can lead to many other practical lessons on anything from nutrition to screen time limits, to substance use and abuse. More practical tips here.
Save money through subscriptions and memberships
I don’t have time to talk about other memberships at well visits, in between discussions about healthy eating, home and car safety, and developmental screenings, but I do mention them during pre-natal classes where I recommend joining Costco, Sam’s Club, or BJ. I have a Costco membership which has served me well with saving money on gas, kid’s jackets, wipes, food, and a cordless Dyson vacuum that has been a workhorse for picking up kitchen crumbs. I found that pull-ups and diapers are cheaper when purchased on sale and with coupons at Target or Amazon.
With regards to Amazon and Target, being a member also lowers or eliminates the minimum purchase needed for free shipping. This also saves money AND time (which is money too!) because I no longer have to search for a product that I don’t really need to reach the $25 or $35 threshold to qualify for free shipping. With a minimum purchase requirement, I usually end up buying something I don’t need, spend more than the threshold, waste a couple hours trying to search for that perfect item to qualify for free shipping. That’s a couple precious hours I could have used to finish notes, play with my kids, or work on a blog post. But worry not with Target, I pick the flour or shirt I need, complete my purchase, and move on with life.
Save money (and the world) by teaching your kids to save
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This is not medical advice. Consult your child’s doctor for proper guidance and recommendations that fit your child’s specific needs.
[…] To be honest, when my kids are at the beach more than a couple hours, I reapply with the spray because it’s just easier to spread on gritty sand covered skin. My choice for that is just the Target brand – check out this post on the benefits of buying generics and other tips on saving money. […]