I searched high and low in every store and could not find a good, old-fashioned poofy powder puff. I use Gold Bond Power in various and sundry places and had been using my hand or a wash cloth to apply it. In the midst of searching another store, my husband suggested I take an old sock and fill it with powder and use that. WOW! What a suggestion!
When I got home, I found a cotton anklet that needed a job and put about 1/2 cup Gold Bond Powder in it. I twisted the top and tied it off with a rubber band. I poofed power in all the right places, and it didn't make near the mess the other ways had done.
My husband! The inventor of poofy powder socks.
By Elaine from OK
Do you have any tips on how to use all of a product or get the most out of a product like toothpaste or shampoo? Post your ideas below or send them to daily@thriftyfun.com
When you are near the end of a tube of lotion, shower gel, facial scrub, etc. and can't easily get that last bit out, don't throw
it away. Leave the cap on and cut the top of the tube off far enough so that you can reach your fingers into the bottom to scrape out that last tid-bit. I have gotten more uses out of things which over time saves money (and resources).
Beth
I buy the generic Lubriderm lotion for my husband. There is usually a good 1/2 inch of lotion left at the bottom of the bottle when the pump stops working. I stand the old one on top of the new one (after the new one has been used a little) and tape them together with a little masking tape. Then when I come back a few hours later, the old is COMPLETELY empty!
Lynn
Check out stores which sell kitchen gadgets. I have a little two sided plastic "funnel like thing" [sort of shaped like an open ended hourglass] which fits over the the necks of two bottles [ketchup, karo and other tall narrow neck type bottles].
You place the gadget over the neck of the new bottle, turn the other bottle upside down and place the neck in the other side, so it drains down into the new bottle.
KayD
When the old bottle is almost empty there is usually enough room at the top of the new bottle to pour off what is left. The old bottle balances easily on top of the new and drains to the last drop. If you are not sure whether the new bottle has enough room use some before draining the old bottle.
Michael
You can only squeeze so much of the toothpaste out of the tube. When you have squeezed all you can, split the tube open with a pair of scissors. You can get several more brushings out of what's left inside. Just remember to store in it a plastic bag, because it will dry out if you leave it out in the open.
April - Bedford, Indiana
Regarding the tip about turning bottles upside down to get every drop. I have a shower caddy that allows the bottle to sit that way all the time. Plus, when I reach the end of a shampoo or conditioner bottle, I add a bit of water to the bottle and shake it up. I can usually get another couple of days worth that way.
Jess
I got something on ketchup!If your down real low on ketchup and there 's just a little at the bottom of the bottle,and you gotta tip it upside down to get it to the top,that takes long for it to slide down,put the bottle in your hand,and take your arm and swing your arm around and around in circle's about six or so time,all the left over ketchup is at the top of the bottle,and you can use the last bit instead of tossing it.
A few ideas serve me here.
For toothpaste, I flatten the tube when it is about three/fourths empty then roll from the bottom and secure with a large paperclip. Keep rolling and securing as the tube empties. By the time the last portion is reached the tube is very tight and will allow for a number of two-hands squeezes pushing into the cap area to remove the last amount. This method has eliminated the messy method of splitting the tube for a scraping. Recently, I found that a small office clamp is superior in convenience to even the paperclip.
For items like detergent and shampoo my technique is different. When bottoms-up convenience passes, I turn the container upright and allow any left over amount to drain to the bottom. Then using a cutter blade, I cut off most of the upper portion exposing the reside which is usually a significant amount. The collection then can be poured into the new container and finally the last drops scraped out. For detergent I go still another step for a complete cleaning. I put the "cleaned out" container piece into my dishpan and run dish water directly into it. The hot water completely removes any lingering product. I literally get benefit of the last drop.
I use liquid fabric softener that comes in a cardboard container. When that container is empty I leave it open for several weeks and it serves as an air freshener even after all residue has evaporated. The fragrance so permeates the cardboard that its effect lasts a long time.
For tubes of blush and lipstick when the tube can no longer be extended and the surface no longer applies color, I use my fingernail and finally the plastic tip of an eyeshadow applicator to scrape the remainer out and apply. This technique yields an amazing quantity.
Of course, there is the traditional method for catsup. Add a small amount of water to the residue and shake well.
When making gingerbread cookies the recipe calls for molasses and hot water. After pouring out the last of the molasses. I put the measured amount of water into the molasses bottle and shook well. The water cleaned out the remaining molasses beautifully.
I had bought a couple of room deodorizers in the plastic containers that look like an egg. After the jel had shriveled to a tiny lump, I opened the container and removed the chunk of dried jel. The fragrance was still strong enough to effectively be used as shoe deodorizers.
~Charlotte
You can extend lipstick more effectively & make it look better if you use a lipstick brush for dipping into the tube & then applying it. You can also make a new shade by digging out all the old lipstick & combining it with other old lipstick leftovers & a bit of petroleum jelly & putting it in a small container like a pill box. Heat a moment in the microwave if it needs melting a bit & stir with a popsicle stick. Use a lipbrush to apply. Small, stubby bristled paintbrushes work well as lipbrushes. - Alekscat - Richmond,VA
When the shampoo bottle is empty [well, almost] I save it for bath-time. As I fill the tub with water, I hold the bottle under the spigot a moment, and get enough shampoo from it for a nice bubble bath.
By the way, I often buy bargain shampoo just to use for bubble bath. It works great, some brands have a wonderful scent, it's delicate on my skin, it keeps the tub spotlessly clean, and ounce for ounce, it is usually much cheaper than bubble bath. - Eastwood
We live on a limited income, and shop at Dollar General stores often. There, we buy DG brand antibacterial soap for bathing. A 40 oz. bottle cost $2.
It's surprising how much product is left when you think the last drop has been squeezed from that tube of facial cleanser, moisturizer, or hair gel.
Can't get lotion out of that tube? There's plenty left after you've squeezed as much out as you can! Cut the end off with scissors. For small tubes, your finger can get the rest out.
A large portion of our grocery budgets go to non grocery personal care items. How do you save money on toiletries like shampoo, soap, lotion and other personal care products? Here are tips from the ThriftyFun community. Post your own ideas here.
Do you love your bath salt, but it is never enough, and it costs too much to continually replace? You can mix your current bath salts with equal amounts of baking soda to give you more and it also softens the water even more for you.
A dime sized shampoo works great for me, even when my hair is long, and it saves money too. Just put a dime sized plop of shampoo in your hand, rub it, and spread it over your damp hair, and nope, it does not usually lather in your hair.
We always save the soap, shampoos, toothpaste, and lotions we get at hotels when we stay in them. They come in handy when we run out of out regular soaps and things, especially when we can't make it to the store right away.
Get all the product that you paid for out of the bottle or tube before throwing it out. Plastic tubes are easily cut in half with scissors. Then you can reach in and get out the toothpaste, lotion, or whatever is in it.
