Household items, whether they are appliances, cleaning supplies, or groceries, make up a significant portion of the average person’s expenses. Not only can the purchase of these items cost a bundle, but often using these items can be expensive as well. One way to cut down on the costs of running a household is to purchase appliances that can save money while using them.

Buy “Do It Yourself” Appliances

Avoid paying extra for services, such as getting meat and cheeses sliced at the deli, by purchasing an electric food slicer. Three pounds of sliced roast beef costs $23.97 if purchased at the deli. The same amount of roast beef can be purchased in the meat section for $ 13.21, baked, and sliced at home. The electric food slicer not only can save hundreds of dollars in deli meats and cheeses, it also allows anyone to slice their own bread, vegetables, and fruits. A bag of sliced carrots for can be purchased for $ 1.99 or pound of whole, fresh carrots can be purchased for $ .79 and sliced at home. The prices for an electric food slicer can range between $34 and $470, but luckily, the inexpensive ones work just fine and are often smaller, taking up less counter-top space. The larger, more expensive, machines are only necessary for a person who does catering from home. No matter which electric food slicer is chosen, the savings generated by owning one will make up for the purchase cost in no time.

Avoid Products Requiring Refills

The dust buster is back! While products like the Swiffer are all the rage right now, the extra products that need to be purchased in order to use it can really break the bank. There is a different cloth for dry surfaces, wet surfaces, and dusting. A brand new Swiffer would need to be purchased if carpet needed to be cleaned, along with all of its accessories. Unlike the Swiffer, the classic dust buster is a one-time buy that can take care of messes on both carpet and hard floors. For $24.95, the dust buster takes away the need to buy replacement wet cloths, dry cloths, duster cloths, or another appliance to clean the carpet. And as for that stain on the kitchen floor? A paper towel or a sponge will work just fine.

It’s All About the Energy

And of course, appliances that use less energy cost less money to run. One way to find energy efficient appliances is to look for the Energy Star Label. This label, which can be seen at , appears on appliances that meet strict energy efficiency criteria determined by the US Department of Energy and the US Environmental Protection Agency. The Energy Star label can help you find almost any appliance with the exception of water heaters, stoves, and ovens. People that choose to use energy efficient appliances see significant drops in their utilities bills.