Thrifty Tip Tuesday: Things you should (almost) never pay for

Anyone who's been couponing seriously for any amount of time can tell you there are things you never need to pay for- or that you can buy so cheaply it's almost as good as free. The key is being open to new/different brands or stockpiling when your brand is the current freebie. Make sure you buy in advance, otherwise the one week without free toothpaste will be the week you run out. Here's a list of some things you shouldn't be paying for and where to get them now.

• Toothpaste: Colgate Total is $2.49 this week at Rite Aid with a $2.49 SCR (single check rebate- super easy to do!). Add a $1 coupon here (if your RA takes printables) and you have a moneymaker. My mom has always loved the Rembrandt toothpaste, it's usually too expensive- but will be free at Walgreen's next week. There's almost always free toothpaste somewhere.
• Toothbrushes: You can get Reach toothbrushes this week at Walgreens with an in-ad coupon for $0.99. Use the $1 coupon from 8/2 and you've got a free toothbrush.
• Shampoo: I don't see any deals on this at the moment, but they do come around and often.
• Razors: Men's Zone 6 Blade Razor System will be free after RR (register rewards) next week at Walgreens.
• Air Fresheners: There's always some sort of cheap, free, or moneymaking scenario on these- especially Glade products.
• Soaps/body washes: If you're not stuck on any one brand, there are frequently deals on this as well.

Even if you or a family member is brand loyal, it might be worth it to try something else for free. My husband's favorite shampoo is Prell, but I've never seen a coupon for it and I was getting tired of searching at 2-3 stores every time he needed a bottle (no one seems to have it stocked sometimes). I bought some free Pert at Walgreens and put it next to his shampoo in the shower when he began to run low. He switched without a single comment or complaint- even though I've seen him spend up to an hour looking for the other brand in the past.

I've established a bathroom stash with these products (buying a few freebies at a time) and it's really awesome knowing that when we run out of something I won't have to run right out to the store and pay full price. Just remember, that it's easy to go overboard when buying freebies- try to stick with what you know your family can use before the product expires.