To not cut up my toothpaste tube to get the last bits out?

Always cut the end of toothpaste tubes and creams.
There is always a lot left at the end and you are seriously wasting money if you don't. I am always surprised at how much is left.

I bought , decades ago , one of those mounds to make a new round soap out of old slivers : works a treat !

Like others, I cut the bottom off tubes etc. but with washing up liquid I always pour half the new bottle into the empty one, and top both up with water. Still gets the dishes clean. I do the same with washing machine liquid.

I squeeze toothpaste tubes hard and upend washing up liquid, shampoo, shower gel bottles etc.

Thatbags there is a toothpaste on sale in the UK called Biotene it is more expensive than other brands but would be a lot cheaper than getting it from the U S A. It does not contain S L F. I am able to get this free on prescription because I have recognised medical condition. If Minibags is eligible for free prescriptions perhaps on her next review she could talk to her doctor about this.

thatbags, I also recommend Sensodyne Pronamel and Sensodyne Complete.

I've always got every last bit out of moisturising creams, hand/foot creams, make up out. It really doesn't take long using a sharp pair of scissors to cut tubes open or being very careful with a 'Stanley ' knife and of course washing your hands before putting any thing into a clean pot. As someone's else said you get a good months worth-common sense to me. One of the assistants in Boots showed me how to get a foundation bottle open to get at the last bits out and suggested using a clean cotton wool bud to reach it at the bottom and put on my face. These things are so expensive and we've never been what I suppose is called 'comfortably' well off. It seemed wicked when we were getting family credit to spend money on these things for myself so when I did I got my money's worth!

Wait until the item is half price and buy 6 at a time - then you won't feel so bad chucking away the last bits.

My ex used to faff about with toothpaste tubes. In the end I chose to buy a new tube for me and leave him to wrestle with the empty one. Worked for me

We turned our heating off and use extra jumpers and stuff. A case of needs must and we soon got used to it.

I cut open hand cream tubes and usually find there is enough left to use for another 7 to 10 days. I am not strapped for cash but I use top end products and I will have my money's worth. I tend to buy moisturiser in jars and you can every last drop out.

I don't think it's anything to do with being frugal. For me squeezing out the last of toothpaste, hand lotion etc, is about eliminating waste from this world and stopping the companies who make these products making vast profits knowing that we won't use all of their stuff.
Save the earth and squeeze!

Not frugal with toothpaste, but with used toothbrushes. When they need replacing the old ones are used for a variety of jobs - cleaning the grouting between tiles in the bathroom and kitchen especially. But I also use one for cleaning the dirt accumulated between the links on the bracelet of my wristwatch and Mrs K does a similar thing with her linked bracelets.

Before they left home, my children derided me for being too frugal with our soap. Our choice of bath and hand soap was Pears, and when the current bar was reduced to a sliver, I would mould it into one of the concave sides of a new bar of Pears. I think they copy me now they have homes of their own.

Toothpaste- no. Even after using the centrifugal force method described above I still manage to get another 2 weeks supply out of moisturisers, eye cream serums etc. They are far too expensive to throw away any left in tubes & it is very easy to cut bottom off soft plastic tube. I must admit to getting a sneaky sort of satisfaction doing this.

I do all of these things. As you've all said there's usually at least a week's worth of product left in the tube and I too hate waste.

I'm almost ashamed to admit this but I also use a teabag twice, but only for myself!

Here another money saver. If you have grubby patches on your carpet in front of chairs etc, instead of buying expensive carpet cleaner which doesn't work, sprinkle on some bicarbonate of soda, brush in with an old toothbrush, leave for half an hour and vacuum. Much better results. Bicarbonate is great for lots of cleaning jobs actually. Internet is full of them.

Surely poking around the bottom of tubes and jars is unhygienic? Toothbrushes and fingers are loaded with germs and it is very easy to get an infection from old stuff.

Having said that, I try to extract the most out of tubes , jars and tubs. I do use water to extract the max out of shampoo, conditioner, washing-up liquid etc. I use most vegetables with their peel and things, I don't bother with "Sell/use-by" dates..

I am frugal but not mean... Is there a difference or is it just semantics?

Buy cheap toothpaste and just squeeze it to the end!

However, some high end cosmetics and creams are incredibly expensive and to throw them away unused is to throw away good cash. I cut the ends off my Boots' face creams (£24 a go now) and they last for at least another week, sometimes more.

This is a practice approved of by the Martin Lewis Moneysaving Community so you'll be in good company if you do it. Many of them paid off their mortgages years early by such tricks.

It really is a case of look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves.

I did know of someone last year who if the grandchildren did not drink all of their squash would put the half inch of juice left back in the fridge. or one packet of crisps between the three of them. The central heating set at 16 in the middle of winter! the list is endless and no not poor, just the opposite. Never trust a skinny cook they say, in my experience a very true saying.

My thing is going as far as possible on my bus pass. I have taken it to get round London. Taken it on holiday to Devon and Cornwall, best thing the Government as given me.

My current Neal's Yard moisturiser si in a lovely blue glass bottle with a pump dispenser. It 'ran out' about four weeks ago but I unscrew the top, give it a shake and there is still enough in it to use daily. I actually want it to run out as I have a replacement I'm looking forward to using!
Also, on a similar subject, does anyone collect the coins left around the house, in clothes about to be washed etc - I do - and I'm so pleased with myself when a purchase amounts to a tiny amount of pence eg £7.02 and voila I have the small change!

I reckon that I'm the 'frugalest' gransnetter ever.

Fancied some branded slippers spotted at John Lewis and asked them to price-match a cheaper price elsewhere. They deducted a tenner off with their 'never undersold' policy.

Husband car renewal policy landed on the mat, £70 more expensive than last year. Did a comparison at Compare The Market, and the same insurer that we are with were offering same policy much cheaper. I phoned our insurance company, and they agreed to deduct £70.

That's just this week!

The=them ( was interrupted)

You can get a whole mug of tea out of one tea bag therefore those people who use one tea bag for a mere teacup should be shut in the stocks and have wet tea bags thrown at the just glaring at dd2 . Use a tea pot ,take the tea bag out when the tea is ready and share a cuppa. I use good tea not floor sweepings and yes I've been round tea factories in India.

I have used one teabag for two cups of tea, seems a waste not to.

I have used one teabag for two cups of tea seems a waste not to.

I will try cutting open handcream 'tubes' to get the last out of them.
I knew a lady once who used teabags 10 times....

I will try cutting open handcream 'tubes' to get the last out of them.
I knew a lady once who used teabags 10 times....