Good to the Last Drop

I'm sure everyone has noticed the way manufacturers are doing their packaging these days. The most noticeable for me is the upside-down squeeze bottles. From mayo, ketchup, and jelly to shampoo, lotion and makeup. And the way some of them are shaped, you can't get the top off...at least by unscrewing it.

Here's where I break out the scissors!

My makeup used to come in a small bottle, now it's in an upside down tube. When I can't shake, squeeze or cajole anymore out, I've been cutting the end off. I have gotten at least five more applications by doing this (I store it in a ziptop baggie so it doesn't dry out). The same goes for toothpaste. Unless you're the type that can flatten it flatter than a crepe', cutting it lengthwise can get you three, maybe four or more uses.

The list of items you can do this with is endless, and it just takes a minute or so.

~Adding a little water to shampoos and conditioners (or cutting into it if it doesn't unscrew).

~I use the same brand of lotion all the time. It's a pump type, so I know I'm definitely not able get all of it out. Rather than using my scissors on the bottle, I'll start on the next one for a several uses then turn the old bottle upside down onto the new one.

~What about the never-ending bar of soap. Always sticking the sliver of soap to the new bar, or saving all the slivers, adding a little water and remolding them.

~In the kitchen I liked the Bottom of the Jar segments I'd seen on the Rachel Ray Show where she'd add other ingredients to what was left in a jar that we'd normally just throw away. Dressings out of the last dollop of mayo. Marinades out of the last couple spoons of jellies.

Any other ideas you've done with squeeze bottles?

WASHING DISHES THE OLD FASHION FRUGAL WAY

Since it is just the 2 of us in our house hold I do not use my dishwasher except when we entertain or have large family dinners.

I have always just washed the dishes in the left hand sink and run the water constantly as I rinsed and placed them in the right side sink. A lot of times Mickey dries them as I wash or I dry them when I have finished washing all of them.

Recently my blog friend, Soholiah, was in Africa, working at a Children's Home, and did a post about doing dishes the Old Fashion Way with dish pans. It brought back memories of my mother using a dish pan. I realized that I would not be using nearly as much water if I used a dish pan to rinse the dishes in, rather than wasting water as it constantly ran during the process.

Hence my new pink plastic dish pan that fits perfectly in the side sink.

As I rinse the dish I then just place it on the towel to the side of the sink on the counter. You can see from the small amount of dishes we have per meal that this is my preferred frugal way of doing them.

Just another small way I have found to economize on the water and electric bill. Not wasting as much water, and drying them by hand towel.

Addemdum: Be sure and read Tammy's comment which covers another "frugal" point about using the dish pan that I failed to cover. Thanks Tammy!!!