Few things are as frustrating as reaching for your favorite product and finding nothing there. Whether someone used the last of it without telling you, or you forgot to pick it up at the store, it’s annoying. For some items, it might not just be annoying but a critical health issue.
What if you could significantly reduce or eliminate that frustration? It turns out you can, with the help of services designed to ensure you never run out of what you need. In this article, you’ll learn about some of the best ways to keep your essentials well-stocked.
Chapter Overview
1. Prescriptions
If you’ve ever grabbed your regular prescription only to find an empty bottle or pill pack, subscription services may be for you. While running out of medication is a drag, the consequences can be more serious than an unscheduled trip to the pharmacy. Depending on the drug, missing a daily dose could increase your risk of pregnancy, say, or cause significant health problems.
Several telehealth services allow you to place a one-time order and get your prescriptions delivered regularly. Services like Nurx, for example, let you order your birth control online with no hassle. Using such subscriptions enables you to permanently cross something off your mental to-do list and focus on other things.
2. Skincare Treatments
With a lighter mental load, you may find it easier to take some personal self-care time. You might treat yourself to pampering at-home skincare treatments — as long as you have some on your shelves, that is. To keep yourself stocked for spa time and everyday needs, consider purchasing skincare products through a subscription model.
Many sites, like Hero Cosmetics, allow you to choose a subscription option, often at a discount. This means you’ll never run out of your favorite products. Instead, they’ll be delivered to your door as soon as you need a new bottle or jar. No more realizing you’re out of your favorite toner and moisturizer just as you’re hoping to use them.
3. Personal Care Items
Getting by without skincare items isn’t so terrible, despite the exasperation it may cause. However, running out of essential personal care items can be a lot worse — and stinkier. Again, ordering these necessities subscription-style can help if you always seem to forget to buy soap, deodorant, or toothbrushes at the store.
There are plenty of companies that offer hair care products, soaps, and even toothpaste on a subscription model. However, there are also brands like Boie that sell toothbrushes and body scrubbers on a recurring basis. Not only can you remove toothpaste from your shopping list, but the toothbrush you put it on as well.
4. Shaving Supplies
For those who include shaving supplies among their personal care necessities, there are services for you as well. Dollar Shave Club is one of the best known, but there are other options depending on your hair removal needs. You’ll simply need to do a quick search for the products that match your preferences and budget.
Depending on the brand, some of these products may be available in brick-and-mortar stores for you to try. Once you find something you like, you can order it online and get sent auto-refills. Or you may want to fully commit to a subscription that sends you new products regularly. Either way, you’ll be able to keep consistently smooth and clean.
5. Household Cleaning
Once your body and face are cleansed and taken care of, it’s time to move on to your house. Few people use all their cleaning products at the same time every time they clean. That makes it easy to run out of something and not realize it until the next time you reach for it. It’s an understandable out-of-sight, out-of-mind situation.
To help prevent that from happening, consider subscribing to a service that provides cleaning supplies. There are all sorts of options available, including some from businesses like Honest that offer natural products. Some companies offer product bundles, while others allow you to select individual products and specify how frequently they are sent. It’s a great way to purchase items that you don’t need all the time but hate to run out of.
6. Caffeinated Beverages
While you may not need your morning caffeine boost every day, it’s definitely something you don’t want to be without. Few things will get a morning off on the wrong foot like running out of your preferred coffee or tea. While the coffee drinkers out there have had subscription options for a while, tea subscriptions are a little newer.
Brands like Sips By allow customers to take a quiz to determine their tea preferences, then they send a monthly box. Many coffee services work in much the same way. So not only do you have a guaranteed monthly supply, but you get to try new flavors and blends as well.
7. Groceries
Another fun way to try new flavors is through a grocery subscription. These services prevent you from running out of essentials, but they also make it easier to taste new things. Brands like Thrive Market allow you to customize your orders and select the frequency of delivery. So you may try something one month, find you like it, and add it to your regular order.
As with other services on this list, ordering groceries through a subscription can help you save money. Some even offer price matching if you find cheaper products elsewhere. With these services, then, you are getting convenience and cost savings. They’ve become wildly popular in the last year, with people avoiding grocery stores due to COVID-19 concerns.
8. Vitamins
If your health is top of mind, you may want to consider a vitamin subscription. Rather than needing to remember to stock up on supplements at the store, you can have them sent at regular intervals.
A few companies are specializing in vitamin subscriptions, including Care/of. Through their service, you take a quiz to determine your health needs. Then your custom-selected pack is sent as frequently as needed. A vitamin subscription can be a great way to take charge of your health with as little effort as possible. Everything you need is delivered to you, and you won’t run the risk of running out.
No matter your reason for considering subscriptions, there is likely at least one that will suit your needs. Consider what items you perpetually forget to buy or hate having to remember. If it’s something that you purchase at least semi-regularly, it’s a good candidate for a subscription. Try a few out, and you’ll never be annoyed by reaching for something that’s not there again.