How do you get yours?

You can cut plastic tubes across in half and use the top half as a lid by pushing it down on the bottom half. There is always loads of cream left inside.

We save all the small leftover slivers of soap (Dove) until we have 5 or 6 then DH puts them in a bowl and microwaves for around 30 seconds (no water). He then moulds them by hand into a new bar.
Similar to others, When I can't get any more facecream etc out of the tube, I cut off the bottom keeping the lid in place and use it from there. There's usually lots and lots left. I seal it with a bulldog clip so it doesn't dry out.

If I use a whole Brillo pad it goes rusty before all the soap has gone, so now I just pull about a third of a pad off and use that.

I cut plastic tubes (toothpaste, hand cream) in the middle and use the top half as a lid, as Phoebes describes. If I just cut the end off, I can't reach down to the other end to fish out all the remaining gunge. Well, toothpaste, I scrape it out with the toothbrush.

Shampoo, I have have very short hair and only use a bit the size of a pea to wash my hair. A medium-sized bottle lasts months and I can use good quality shampoo without breaking the bank.

As I have a dishwasher, which uses much less water than hand-washing, I try to save up the hand-washing and only do it every two or three days. I leave the water in the bowl to pre-rinse the next lot. (Not always the washing up water - [yuk] there is often water in the bowl from hand-washing throughout the day, too. )

Someone recently mentioned that those e-mails you get with loads of vouchers for various things really can save you money - I always delete them, but maybe I'll take the time to read them first. I noticed that there was a good underwear brand with a 20% offer recently - DH needs some new underpants!

I have never managed to plan my week's menus using the special offers from the supermarkets - I do make a plan and list and keep to it, getting most of my shopping from Aldi or Lidl, though, which means you don't get too distracted by snazzy items such as "luxury biscuits" or cakes, sweets, and their crisps aren't very good either - so that is a sort of saving, I suppose. Also saves calories!

I try and keep a check on foodstuffs nearing their use-by date, so I don't throw away too much.

I wish some things came in smaller packages - sometimes I have to throw out food that has gone off because I didn't manage to use it all up before it went mouldy or rancid.

When I buy bottles of squash, I hunt carefully through the bottles on the shelf, because there are always some which are "overfilled" where the concentrate is right up to to the cap of the bottle.

With a concentrated squash this could be a good couple of extra glasses of drink

Always buy a family sized loaf of bread and use it slice by slice from the freezer. A slice defrosts I n a minute or two or if for toast straight into toaster from frozen, you can also buy the yellow stickered loaf for next to nothing and put that in there!

I stopped buying clingfilm a long time ago and don't miss it at all. Leftover food goes into washed empty margarine tubs or pyrex. If you don't overheat things in the microwave there's no spatter problem. I rarely buy plastic bags, reusing the ones our bread comes in- I even wash them
And finally, my family joke about my recycled kitchen foil.....it gets used, wiped/washed reused many times. Unless it was first used for fish or chicken, of course, I do have my limits

The timer on my central heating boiler stopped working a couple of years ago so I just switch it on manually now when the water starts to cool down, it has saved me an absolute fortune, before the minimum I could run it without switching the whole thing off was an hour twice a day

Wow! Some brilliant, money saving ideas, thank you everyone and I'm pleased that many of you are finding this thread both entertaining and useful. Keep them coming GNetters! ?

Bought a bread maker ; much cheaper ( nicer) loaves but without preservatives they don’t last as long, so when a chunk is left I blitz some into breadcrumbs and cut some into croutons then freeze them: then I can make a fresh loaf . Also have been gradually amassing my Autumn/Winter wardrobe by seeking out some really nice ‘ pre-loved ‘ items.

My teabags go around my roses or blueberries. Seems to work a treat. I use washable little cloths for cleansing my face (instead of cotton wool). Old towels get cut up for cleaning cloths. I scrounge things where I can from Freecycle. Got a lovely armchair for my elderly Mum, a small digital radio can you believe and lots of plants for the garden plus some pots. I love getting something cheap or free - it appeals to my frugal side.

When walking the dog, I use plastic loaf bags, vegetable bags etc to pick up his mess, instead of using dog poo bags.

Also, cut wet wipes in half to wipe my hands.

Oh, lots of things I do, that seems to upset the OH!!.
I buy a large bottle of washing up liquid, and decant into a smaller bottle ( which has been used now for well over a year), I turn the bigger bottle on it's end to get every little last drop out, and even run it under the tap to get the remaining bubbles out into the washing up bowl.
I buy a 3 litre bottle of Vimto and decant into smaller more managable bottle.
Washing liquid (Surf) have a big container and buy smaller containers to pour into ( it has a bigger handle, easier to pour), again up end it to get all out.
When I have tubes of hand cream, face cream etc, when it gets too hard to get out by squeezing, I cut the tube, and just get it out by poking my finger in and getting out the amount I need. Similar action taken with toothpaste tubes.
Waste not want not is a very good motto to live by!!

Squeeze the fairy liquid bottle into water and it sucks some water back into the bottle and you get another couple for goes at it lol

My son suffers with dry skin and the best thing we have found for him is Aveeno, he likes the pump dispenser. After it stopped pumping the cream I thought that it still felt heavy for a supposed empty bit of plastic, so I cut it about 3 inches from the bottom (leaves a small pot then) to find quite a bit of cream still in there. Now I always cut them open. Put a bit of tinfoil over the top.
I always reuse plastic bags when possible, wash and dry them. Only time I don't is if they've had raw meat or fish in.
Take away containers are great for freezing bits and pieces. I rarely throw any food out, you can freeze most stuff.
Use less washing liquid than stated and stopped using softener. Bit of washing soda occasionally. Machine stays much cleaner and rarely smells horrible now.

We buy a particular brand of teabags that are really strong, and we make tea in our little teapot using only one bag. Leave it to brew for a few minutes and bingo, one teabag for two cups of tea.

1. Cut toes off an old pair of nylon stockings. Cut the foot and legs into 2 cm rings. The rings of nylon can then can be used for plant ties which do not damage plants.

2. Use scissors to cut the complete top a bags of frozen or dried products to produce a strip. Use the strip as a bag tie to seal the bag. As the bag gets lower cut off another strip.

I open coffee, flour and sugar packets completely so they resemble flat pieces of paper. There is always more inside.

We turn containers of body shampoo upside down and stand them behind the bath taps when they are supposed to be empty. There is approximately a week's worth of soap left.

If you cut Brillo pads in half, use scissors, it helps to sharpen the scissors!

I live alone, but usually buy lage family sized packs whenever possible as it is usually much cheaper /Kg. Meat and fish I cut into one serving portions, bag and freeze (one of my best purchases was a proper butcher's knife), veg I blanch and freeze, dry goods I decant into smaller airtight pots. This also means that I need to shop less frequently, so miss all the impulse buys. Since I retired, I have to watch the pennies, but have plenty of time, so this works for me.

Once the colour catcher has done it's job in the washing machine, I let them dry, save them then if I have and oily pan to clean out, I use the washed colour catchers (they are nice and absorbant) to clean the excess oil or grease out before washing the pan out.

I also scoop out the unreachable bits of lipstick, put them in a small pot and microwave. When hardened, use the tip of my pinkie to apply the lippy!

Charity shops sell bath oils/soaks etc very cheap and are good quality as they are unwanted gifts. Also they stock lovely scarves and very reasonable

I feel very wasteful now!
Mind you, I do only use a very small amount of shampoo and conditioner, as well as a tiny amount of toothpaste, after my dentist asked me if I used toothpaste every time, and told me it’s not really necessary, especially if you use an electric toothbrush.

Oh, and I keep used oil in a jar to re-use for frying.

I use an ecoegg for washing - no more powder or fabric conditioner.

Never throw a tube of anything away until I've cut off the end and used up whats inside.

Use tin foil sparingly, and often manage to get three or four uses out of it before it goes in the recycling bin.

All old clothes, which aren't suitable for the charity shop, are used as cleaning clothes.

If we go to a restaurant and any food is left over I always ask for a Doggy Bag. In fact, if friends don't want to take their food home I take that too.