Cut-price medicine cupboard: From painkillers to eye drops and hay fever pills, how you can save a fortune by swapping costly products for cheap ones that are just as good - best inexpensive electric toothbrush

The staple food of some bathroom cabinets is such a household name, it is hard to imagine that there are other options.
With the help of medical experts, we show you the cheapskate version, saving up to £ 118£952. 51 a year. . .
Take painkillers every day (including pain relief during the period), plus Panadol in advance, 16 tablets, 1 pound. 55, Boots (9. 7p per tablet);
Nurofen, 16, 2, boots (12. 5p per tablet);
Feminax Express, £ 15, £ 3.
25. Super drugs (20. 3p per tablet).
Cheapskate version: Tesco, 16 tablets, 25 p (1. 6p per tablet);
Ibuprofen from Sainsbury, 16 tablets, 35 p (2. 2p per tablet). 'Own-
Brand painkillers
Whether it's Tesco, Botz or an independent chemist
Sultan Dajani, a pharmacist and spokesman for the Royal Pharmaceutical Association, said the brands are as effective as brands and are much cheaper.
"What they do is exactly the same as the brand, better --
Drugs known and contain the same active ingredients.
The active ingredient of the pain is the pain;
In nuolofen, it's ibuprofen.
The price of Panadol and Nurofen is "many times" that of similar products in supermarkets, said Dajani, especially when you think about how often you might use them in a year, WHO estimates, on average, each family will use four packs each year.
Ibuprofen can also treat menstrual pain.
The active ingredient of Feminax is ibuprofen, but the price is much more expensive, said GP Fiona Sanki.
Feminax also contains a salt that "does not have any therapeutic value"-Lai ammonia, Dajani said.
It may accelerate absorption, but this is not finally confirmed. SAVING: £5. 85 (£2.
Of these, 90 were women replaced by ibuprofen ).
Savings for more than a year: 29. 20 (£17.
40 years old, assuming moderate pain for six packs a year ).
Preservatives for mild burns, rashes, wounds and SPOTSTCP, £ 100 ml, £ 2. 19;
Emergency burn gel for boots, £ 60 ml, £ 3. 69;
The beauty of his Diaper Rash Ointment, 30 grams, 3 pounds. 05, all Boots.
Cheapskate version: Sudocrem, anti-corrosion healing cream, 125g, 2.
99, super medicine you can save a lot of money when buying Sudocrem instead of several products with different skin problems.
Dr. Hady Bayoumi, a dermatologist at Spire Bushey Hospital, said many people linked Sudocrem to the treatment or prevention of diaper rash.
But it can be used for all types of pimples.
"This cream can be used to sterilize, inhibit the spread of infection, and prevent bacteria from entering the wound.
This is also good for wounds, spots, minor burns, chilblain, minor pressure sore and sunburn.
For spots and boiling, the cheaper option is to make a paste with baking soda and apply it to the affected area.
Mr. Dajani said that it would absorb moisture and accelerate healing, and he estimated that a family with children would use two bottles of TCP, one tube of burn gel and 12 barrels of Diaper Rash Ointment per year.
With only Sudocrem, they can go through the seven bathtubs. SAVING: £5. 94.
Savings over a year: £ 23. 74.
30, 9 pounds of eye inflammation clean wipes. 99, Boots.
Stingy version: baby shampoo for boots, £ 500 ml.
29 (per 100 ml p 26 ).
If you have blepharitis
The spine of the eyelid is inflamed, causing itching and pain in the eyelid, and the eyelashes are hard or greasy --
Dr. Susan brickney of the optometrist College said it is important to keep your eyelids clean.
Professional wipes can be expensive, she says.
"A small drop of baby shampoo is a very mild detergent that can be much more expensive to put in a cup of cooled boiled water --
An effective way to keep your eyelids clean.
This bottle may last for a year.
Apply with cotton buds to keep the solution away from your eyes.
This method is also a good way to treat styes. SAVING: £8. 70.
Savings over a year: 18.
19 (according to a patient with chronic blepharitis, he wipes a box of wipes every week ).
Ear cleaning system, £ 100 ml, £ 9.
99, boots, stingy version: Sainsbury's olive oil, £ 250 ml.
20 (48 p per 100 ml m), a building-
An increase in earwax can cause hearing loss, ear infection and ear pain, or can give your ears a feeling of fullness.
One way to solve this problem is to soften the wax with a pharmacist's drops of water, but many of them contain home staples such as olive oil or baking soda as active ingredients, Dr. Fiona Sanki said.
The olive oil bought from the supermarket can do the job as well, but don't do it if your eardrum is perforated, as it can cause infection.
Or, with baking soda-
Dissolve half a teaspoon in a small cup of water, then insert it into the ear with a eyelet, which can be purchased cheaply from a chemist. Stubborn build-
It may be necessary for your GP to clean up. SAVING: £23.
78 (compare 250 ml olive oil and 250 ml Earigate ).
Savings over a year: £ 28.
77 (compare one bottle of olive oil with three bottles of Earigate ).
Infant Suspension of cold medicine for children, 200 ml 120 mg/5 ml.
99 Lloyd's Pharmacy (2 ). 99 per 100ml).
Cheapskate version: Oral Suspension for children with Galapagos, 100 ml, 120 mg/5 ml P. , Poundland (£ 1 per £ 100 ml ).
There is an alternative to Calpol for fever in young children, Dajani said.
Pharmacists have prepared their own suspended [liquid] drug for young children with a passion pain, which is the same active ingredient in Calpol.
It can calculate half price.
He estimates that on average, each family drinks four bottles of cabol a year. SAVING: £3. 99.
Savings over a year: £ 15. 96.
Eye drops infected with soptrex, 10 ml, 5.
Roland Pharmacy No. 49
Small spirit version: Nock chlorine eye drops BP 0.
Rowlands Pharmacy 5 pc, 10 ml, 4.
Eye infections such as red ear inflammation are common
Brand products like Optrex contain an active ingredient of antibiotics, called chloramphenicol, Dajani said.
Chemist inventory
Branded eye drops containing penicillin, which work the same way (preventing bacteria from producing proteins that are critical to their growth and spread), are not costly.
He estimated that the patient could drink three bottles a year. SAVING: £1. 49.
Savings for more than a year: 4. 47.
Dry cracking bath for eczema or skin, £ 300 ml, £ 9.
49, super medicine (3. 16 per 100ml).
Cheapskate version: Water Cream, 500 mg, 4.
09, boots (82 p per 100 mg ).
Dr. Sankey says expert soap alternatives can be very expensive for people with eczema or dry, cracked skin.
A large bucket of water cream from your chemist will do the same work as expert soap, as it contains liquid paraffin wax and white soft paraffin wax, which has a moisturizing effect on sensitive skin.
It should also last for a few weeks.
According to Mr. Dajani, a person with persistent eczema passes through the bathtubs of two products every month. SAVING: £5. 40.
Savings over a year: £ 64. 80.
16x200 mg for SPRAINS and BRUISESNurofen, 2 pairs of boots.
Cheapskate version: safe and healthy reusable hot and cold packs for £ 4.
99, Roland pharmacy, ice bags are a great choice for sprains and bruises, says Tim Allardyce, a sports osteopath and director of Surrey physiotherapy clinic.
It reduces pain by reducing the bleeding and numbness areas of the tissue around the wound, thus reducing inflammation.
It works better than oral anti-inflam (such as ibuprofen) because it targets the affected areas precisely.
"Although the ice bag was originally more expensive, you can re-
Using it, it will last for many years.
"You can also use it instead of a product like deep heating --
Most people with sprains and minor injuries do not need painkillers.
Families in general may treat sprains and bruises with six packs of Nurofen each year.
Savings: The initial expenditure was 3 more than a pack of nuroffen.
Savings over a year: 7. 01.
Multi-vitamin/multi-mineral, 30 tablets, 5 pounds.
Holland and Barrett (18 p each ).
Cheapskate version: Vita Well multi-vitamins and iron, 70 tablets, 1 pound, Poundland (1.
Dr GP Fiona Sankey says cheap and happy are the way forward if you have to buy vitamins.
Too much money to waste on expensive vitamins
If you have a balanced diet, most people don't need vitamin supplements because you get all the nutrients you need from your food.
In addition, taking expensive vitamins can also encourage people to eat badly and convince themselves that they are actually healthy.
A major study published two years ago by prominent AmericansS.
The medical journal The Medical Yearbook of Internal Medicine found that there was no evidence that vitamin supplements made any difference in preventing cancer, heart disease, dementia or death. SAVING: £11.
60 pieces (compared with 70 pieces ).
Savings over a year: 61. 13.
A blocked capsule of 24 seeds, 4 pounds.
95, Sainsbury's (21 p each ).
Stingy version: Do your own salt
Rinse with water from salt, 750g, 35 p and baking soda, both drinks are Sainsbury, 180g, 85 p (1 p per dose ). 'Old-
Old-fashioned therapies like salt
Dr. Fiona Sanki said that water flushing can effectively rinse the mucus in the blocked nose.
She recommends mixing a teaspoon of salt with half a teaspoon of baking soda and 8 ounces of already boiled warm water.
This is a cheaper alternative to brand whitening agents like Sudafed, which can reduce the small blood vessels in the nose, thus reducing blood flow, which reduces swelling caused by colds, helps to open the nasal airway and make breathing easier.
This may also be helpful for patients who cannot take relief drugs such as high blood pressure, glaucoma, or heart problems
The reduction agent can be used as a stimulant to make it unsuitable for these patients.
The average family may use three packs a year. SAVING: £3. 75.
Savings over a year: 12. 80.
Sore throat Corsodyl spray, pound. 60 ml boots.
Cheapskate version: Aspirin for boot dispersion, 32, 75 p
Dissolving in a beaker of water with a 300 mg aspirin tablet will work out sore throat as effectively as with an anesthetic throat or oral spray, at a fraction of the cost, Dajani said.
Aspirin is an active ingredient that can reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
This is a great bathroom cabinet staple because it is twice as good as a pain killer.
He suggested, but if in doubt, be sure to read the instructions and check with the pharmacist because people with diseases such as asthma should avoid taking aspirin. SAVING: £5. 55.
Savings for more than a year: 5. 55.
Head Lice Treatment, £ 160 ml, £ 14. 99 (£9.
37 per 100 ml), Super medicine.
Cheapskate version: Fresh and fruit-flavored strawberry conditioner for boots, 500 ml, 1 (20 p per 100 ml), plus a bugcomb, 8 ml. 95, chc.
OrgOrdinary conditioner and comb can be as effective in the treatment of head lice as an expensive expert lotion, according to research published in the Journal of Medical enteology.
Researchers from Belgium studied 605 hairs collected from children with head lice.
They compare how easy it is to remove eggs from hair treated with a normal conditioner, which is sprayed with a professional sprayed removal product.
They found that the conditioner is as effective as the more expensive nit product.
"Vamousse is an effective new way to treat head lice, which claims to kill bugs and eggs," Dajani said . ".
However, it is expensive
Especially because children often
Entomologist Ian Burgess says it's often infected by others at school.
Traditional methods of wet grooming with a conditioner can work effectively, he says, but you have to follow strict guidelines.
It is important to use special detection Combs
Not a comb.
This is a plastic comb with no more than 0 teeth. 3mm apart.
The Bugbuster comb works well.
"It is critical to comb very thoroughly and repeat after a week. 'SAVING: £5. 04.
Savings for the whole year: £ 47.
01 (assuming four infections a year ).
TOOTHBRUSHOral-
B. pro 2000 Electric rechargeable toothbrush, £ 34.
99 (replacement head, 17.
99 points for four people), Argos.
Stingy version: smart toothbrush, 4 PCs for 1 pound, Vico.
Sameer Patel, dentist and clinical director at Elleven Dental Clinic in London, said you don't need expensive toothbrushes to brush your teeth properly. Correct technology is crucial, he said.
If you have good technology, you can use a cheap manual toothbrush.
Tilt it 45 degrees, partially brush on the gums, partially brush on the teeth, and work systematically around your mouth with circular motion.
Don't brush your teeth too hard because you may wipe the enamel off your teeth.
Expensive toothbrushes are thought to be better able to clean teeth, but this is not the case.
Patel recommends changing the toothbrush or electric toothbrush head every three months. SAVING: £33. 99.
Savings over a year: £ 51. 98.
Hay allergy tablets, 3.
Lloyds Pharmacy has seven points and 99 points (57 pence per tablet ).
Version of stingy ghost: Tescoa-
Hay fever and allergy tablets for the day, 10 mg, 14 tablets, 1 pound. 80. (12. 9p per tablet).
The drugs contain the same active ingredient, loratadine, which is the same content as a fraction of the price, Dajani said.
Loratadine is a kind of resistance.
Tissue amine drugs play a role by blocking the role of tissue Amine, which is a substance in the body that causes allergic symptoms such as sneezing and tears in the eyes.
"Patients with pollen fever may need to take a tablet for up to six months a day. SAVING: £6. 18.
Savings for more than a year: 81. 90.