Health & Beauty — half price deals

Buying health & beauty on special

Health and beauty is consistently the largest half price category in both supermarkets, and it is the one where the discount is most worth acting on. Shampoo, skincare, vitamins and cosmetics carry high margins, so the "half price" figure is measured against a recommended retail price that the product rarely sells at anywhere else. A 50% cut on a $30 serum is a real $15 saving in a way that a 50% cut on a $2 tin of tomatoes is not.

These products also keep. Unopened toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo and body wash last years, and vitamins are stamped with a best-before date that is usually a long way out. If you use a specific brand, this is the category where buying three months of it at once genuinely pays. The one thing to check is the date on anything with an active ingredient — sunscreen and some supplements are discounted precisely because the batch is getting closer to expiry.

Related reading: how to check a half price deal is really a deal and what is actually worth stockpiling.