Extra Frugal – How Frugal Can You Go?
Original version of this post from one of my other sites, Simple. Organized. Life., but has been adapted for My Two Dollars.
I am not nearly as frugal as I probably should be, but I do try my best. I don’t really waste money or food, I don’t ever shop for clothes, and I try to track where our money goes. However, my wife and I love a good meal out and probably spend too much money every month enjoying those meals (Last month was $250. Ouch!) But at home, I do try to be as frugal as possible, and I just found one more way to save a little bit of money…by cutting our tube of toothpaste open when I thought it was empty. I was just about to throw it away to open a new one, and wondered if there could possibly be more still left inside that couldn’t be squeezed out. So I got out the scissors and cut the tube in half. There was still a ton left inside!
Have you ever done something like this? I know I have some frugal readers, as I hear from them all the time with tips and tricks to save more money. I guess the reason I cross-posted this from my other site is to learn just how frugal you guys can get! How far do you take your frugality? Is there something you can share with us that will set off lightbulbs in our head about what else we could be doing? I want to know! I have posted before about different ways we have been frugal, from hauling my own trash to save $27 a month to choosing to not care what others think of us anymore. But I want to know what else I could be doing, as this toothpaste project really got me thinking!
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I am not a frugal as I could be either, but I have quite often made thinks that I could have bought. Oh, and I repair my bike myself…but that is fun!
Thanks,
Nate
We’ve been really regulating out heating and cooling for almost a year now with great success. During last summer, we kept the temp inside at around 75 instead of 70, and cut our electric bill in half most months. During the winter we’ve been keeping the heat at 64 instead of 70. I haven’t received the oil bill yet, but I’d be willing to bet it’ll be much less than last year. I must say that I DO get pretty chilly sometimes in the house. But it’s worth it.
I had the same realization with a tube of lotion a few years ago–it still contained about three days’ worth of product. As far as toothpaste goes, I’m merciless about squeezing the tubes to death so I don’t have to cut them open–it also helps that the material is more malleable. The plastic used to make tubes of lotion, however, seems more resilient, so those I cut open.
I am with you on that, we really watched our temps this winter too!
I bought one of these toothpaste squeezers at the dollar store. Gets all the paste out without having to cut it open.
http://epicfu.com/blog/2008/05/ideas-worth-their-weight-tooth.html
I am sure they are, but I didn’t have to buy anything to get it out.
Yeah, we squeeze the toothpaste until our fingers are finally glad we give it up!!
I read your post a while back about hauling your own trash, and boy does it sound worth while. We make 1 bag of trash a week but I can’t find a dump anywhere nearby!! Guess that one won’t work for me and I’ll have to keep paying the trash company:(
I use the flat edge of my comb to squeeze out as much toothpaste as possible. Basically like the toothpaste squeezer, but I have one anyway! I suspect any sort of flat blade-like implement would work (like the back of a place setting knife?)
Guilty
I use a squeezer for my toothpaste, but I’m a fanatic when it comes to tubes of lotion for hands or face. I cut open the tube where the seamed end is and wrap a piece of saran wrap with a rubber band over the end to keep it from drying out. When my finger isn’t long enough anymore, I cut off some more till I get to the end. I have gotten as much as a 2 or 3 weeks worth of lotion and that is using it every day.
I have a friend who uses roll on deodorant and when she can’t get any more out, she has her husband cut the container open at the neck area, then she uses her finger to get more out. Hey, your underarms are supposed to be clean already, so why not? lol
That’s great Dawn! Will have to try that one next time
Because of my hair dressing experiance, I know that you don’t need an elaborate amount of lather to het clean hair. I have alway’s used a travel shampoo bottle filled half full of shampoo the rest water. Shake till it’s blended.I have made a 12 oz. A 12 oz. Bottle of shampoo has lasted me up to a year or more. Having color treated hair, I need to. Use good shampoos but being frugal want to make sure I get my dollars worth out of an expensive solon shampoo!
We buy large bottles of laundry detergent, and when it gets to the end, my husband props it up so a corner is facing down, then pops a hole in that corner and lets it drain into a cup….we get at least 3 loads worth of soap that would be thrown away!