Good Til The Last Drop: Use it Before You Throw it in the Trash
I'm In Debt
- Posted:
4/10/2009
With all the talk about reducing expenses during some difficult financial times, people are finding pretty clever ways to cut back or save money. What about all the times we throw a container in the trash when we know there is a little something left inside? It may seem like that little bit of soap or toothpaste can't possibly amount to enough to worry about, but you may just be surprised to discover how much is left in common items that get tossed before they're completely gone – and how much money you could save if you got into the habit of using it all before tossing in the trash.
Here are some tips for getting “the last drop” of some common household items:
Toothpaste: Once the tube is just about empty and you can no longer squeeze enough out to brush with, use a $3 toothpaste squeezer (available at most pharmacies or Walmart) or cut the tube in half with a pair of scissors. You'll be able to squeeze it out where you cut.
Moisturizers/Hand creams: if you buy the kind in tubes (similar to toothpaste) you can cut it in half like you would toothpaste to get the last of it out. If you have a pump container, remove the pump (use the moisturizer that will stick to the pump itself) and use a cotton swap/q-tip to pull out the rest.
Shampoos and conditioners: just before you're ready to toss in the garbage, add a little water and shake it up. You can usually get one or two more washes out of the bottles when you add a little water to pull it off the insides of the bottles.
Hand soap in plastic bottle and laundry detergents: Add a small amount of water and shake to loosen from the bottle. Alternatively, you can poke a small hole in the bottom corner of the plastic container, leave the top off the top, and let the soap drain into a bowl.
Lipstick: Use a chopstick to pull out the remaining lipstick product once the tube seems empty. Transfer the lipstick from the chopstick into a small jar with a lid, and use a lip brush to apply the color. You can also mix different shades of lipstick to create a unique color with this method.
Mayonnaise or peanut butter jars: go to the dollar store and get a set of spatulas in all different sizes. You'll have one that fits into the mouth of all different sizes of jars and can pull out the remaining food before throwing in the garbage. Scoop into a small re-usable container until you want to use it again.
Tomato paste and similar thick, canned foods: Use a can opener to remove both ends of the can and push one end through to the other side – the remaining tomato paste or thick food will be pushed through with the lid.
Honey or molasses: Put the jar into a hot-water bath to make the inside more liquid, and it will just pour out. You can also put the container in the microwave for a few seconds if it isn't metal.
Olive oil: Create a salad dressing right in the bottle by adding ingredients like vinegar and herbs and shaking well, or warm it like you would honey or molasses.
Comments
