May
25
I’ve been thinking about this subject for a while and trying to decide whether to share it or not…because if I tell you, you might think I’m crazy or just a little bit weird! Or you may already think that and are just being nice. 😆 But here goes:
At times I seem to be rather quirky obsessed cheap frugal about trying to get every.single.last. drop of a product out of the container it’s in! If it’s in a bottle it can be rather easy, just open it up and pour out the rest. When the hairspray bottle won’t spray I just pour out the old into the new bottle and keep going. When the liquid dishwasher or laundry detergent bottle starts getting hard to squeeze I keep it turned upside down so I can get more out. Once I think I kept using the dishwasher liquid for almost a month by keeping it upside down! I’d shake on it each time and there’d always be enough to pour in the dispenser, and that can be a real moneysaver if you can go several weeks longer using different products. One of the harder containers for me to totally empty is some kind of tube, whether it’s the one my tinted moisturizer in is or a tube of lotion from Bath & Body or some kind of hair product. When it gets low I start squeezing from the bottom, trying to push it all toward the lid. Then I bend it all around and squeeze the nozzle from side to side….it works but it gets rather tiresome doing it every day. (I know, I know: I should probably just throw it out and not be so obsessive about using it all but there’s just something in me that won’t let me do it.) Today I ran across the BEST TIP EVER for getting all the product out of a tube! And I tell you I’m giddy, just GIDDY with the excitement of it! I think it was Coach J that left me a comment yesterday with a link to someone’s Lost post. I went to her blog to read about Lost and found this wonderful tip!
Here’s what to do…..CUT the tube in half or almost at the halfway point and then with your fingers you can reach in and get everything out; brilliant! Amanda has written about it so well already and will tell you exactly how to do this. She’s gotten 2 extra weeks out of her hair product this way! Her pictures and explanations are great and she even shows you how to put it back together to keep it from drying out. You can check out her fun post here. I think you’re gonna love this; you gotta go over to see for yourself! It is just such an ingenious idea and I wonder why I never thought of doing it before! It’s such a simple thing but it doesn’t take much to make me happy sometimes!
I’ll be trying it out soon on my tube of tinted moisturizer:
I just love this fun little bloggy world!
May 25th, 2007 at 12:47 pm
i never in a million years would have thought of that.
May 25th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
I saw that post yesterday too, and my obsession is more about products than using the last little bit so now I’m on a spin trying to find rusk wired gel. Ugh. We are so funny.
May 25th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
You’re so fun! I loved your post. Thanks again for the linky love.
And oh! I know what you mean about getting GIDDY! I feel the same way about it. I waited weeks before I could open that dumb thing up just to post it on my blog! 😉
May 25th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Yeah, maybe I should have said that it was certain products that I love and want to use all of! Which is how I am with the moisturizer and my store doesn’t carry it anymore so I want to get every last drop out. Still do with dishwasher stuff but am not as tied to it as I am certain other products!
May 25th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
Well I can’t see me keeping the dishwashing liquid upside down or anything – I’m not as frugal as you. But I know what you mean when you’re almost out of your fav product AND they don’t make it anymore. Great tip and no, don’t think you’re a bit weird!!
May 25th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
You’re not weird. Or if you are, then I am too. I think most of this comes from the way we were raised. We were both raised by the same frugal parents. I always say it’s because they were Depression era children – they didnt’ have much and they learned to squeeze every last bit of something, or find creative ways to use things. I’m this way and always will be. I don’t think it is bad at all. Nothing wrong with being thrify and good to the environment at the same time 🙂 And I totally agree on the product angle, especially if you can’t find it anymore.
Great post, and love the tip 🙂
May 25th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
Well, I’m glad I set you two up! ha, ha!! I like this tip very much, too and will have to try it first chance I get. I turn my cleaners upside down to get every last drop, too. I don’t think you’re weird!! 🙂
May 25th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
Great idea. Thanks for sharing!!
May 25th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
HA! Before I even got to the suggestion I was thinking, “I should tell her about cutting the tube in half and scooping it out from the top.” That’s a trick my aunt shared with us…I haven’t done it yet, but I know about it!
May 25th, 2007 at 6:36 pm
You crack me up! Ya know, I tend to flip everything upside-down in order to get it all out, too. I’ll have to check out her post. :o)
May 25th, 2007 at 9:08 pm
Like Claire reading through the post I was thinking cut the bottom off the tube. I’ve never done it, though. I usually get bored with products before they ever reach the bottom. I do like my oil of olay though and they have that crazy pump bottle now that you can’t do anything like that to. :v(
May 27th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
You’re just too darn cute, girl!
I really do try to make the most of things, too…but I’m thinking I’m maybe not quite as obsessive, er, I mean determined as you.
By the way, I tagged you…a book meme, if you’re interested.
May 29th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
That is a most awesome tip. I will be trying that one for sure! Hope you are having a wonderful week.