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AIBU

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

(95 Posts)
Heirofthedog Fri 01-Apr-16 14:22:02

My DH is going through a super frugal moment. Not that he needs to particularly, we're not very wealthy but not scraping pennies either.
He keeps on sending me tips on how we can economise and has now suggested I cut open my toothpaste and toiletries to eke out the last drops. I think life is too short? Does anybody really do this? Is there so much lurking in the bottom of tubes to make it worth the hassle? hmm

Charleygirl Fri 01-Apr-16 14:24:44

You are more likely to cut yourself if you end up opening eg toothpaste tubes using a knife. I squeeze out as much as possible and if there is some in the bottom so be it. Like yourselves I am not so poor that I cannot afford to buy another tube etc..

Alea Fri 01-Apr-16 14:25:49

Life IS too short -live dangerously, splash out on a new tube smile

MiniMouse Fri 01-Apr-16 15:19:35

Toothpaste no, but moisturiser yes! I was amazed at how much got wasted - about four weeks worth, or more!shock] I find it gets stuck in the top end of the tube, in the 'shoulders', rather than the bottom end.

Alima Fri 01-Apr-16 15:32:28

Do not bother with toothpaste tubes but I do cut the bottom of my hand cream tubes off. There's loads of the stuff lurking in those.

janeainsworth Fri 01-Apr-16 15:35:33

I do hope you're upending all your shampoo bottles, washing up liquid bottles and laundry detergent bottles heirofthedog to get the last dregs out, and you go to the supermarket armed with a calculator so you can work out whether a 2kg bag of Maris Piper potatoes is better value or not, than an 800g bag of King Edwards!
Men, eh! What are they like grin

thatbags Fri 01-Apr-16 16:06:34

I do it because Minibags can't cope with 'normal' toothpaste so I had to send to the States for some special stuff that cost two or three times as much plus postage. I've now found a flavourless kind she can cope with but that also has to be got by mail order. It's no big deal to cut say three centimetres above the nozzle (this is with tubes that stand on their lids), stick an upsidedown glass over it when it's not in use and dig out the last week's worth (yes, that much!) with your toothbrush.

granjura Fri 01-Apr-16 16:17:52

I do it with toothpaste, hand and facecream- it is just amazing how much stuff there is left, actually all around the top, rather than the bottom. With plastic tubes, I cut them in the middle and insert bottom end into top end to keep it sealed.
Not about money, but just hate waste and for ecological reasons.

Marelli Fri 01-Apr-16 16:19:08

Not toothpaste tubes, but I do cut open body lotion bottles and scoop the last of the lotion out. There's loads of it left in there!

janeainsworth Fri 01-Apr-16 16:19:09

Does minibags dislike the taste of ordinary toothpastes or what Bags?
Has she tried Sensodyne Pronamel?
The flavour is very mild (Parma violet-like) and it doesn't contain sodium lauryl sulphate, which some people are allergic to.

phoenix Fri 01-Apr-16 16:20:36

I have posted this before, but here goes.

The centrifugal force method for getting the last bits out of things!

First, make sure the top is securely on.

Secondly, hold the item with the lid pointing down.

Now, swing in circles (from the shoulder). The contents will end up in the neck of the container.

phoenix Fri 01-Apr-16 16:29:38

PS if your DH is determined to get the last bit of toothpaste out of the tube, you can get a little gadget, a bit like the keys used to open corned beef tins, that you attach to the end of the tube and roll up, which squeezes the paste out. If he feels that there is still some in there, he can jolly well take the scissors to it himself!

Alima Fri 01-Apr-16 16:29:40

No, it is far safer to snip off the end of the tube and get to it that way. Could be dangerous if you lose control of whatever it is you are swinging around.

obieone Fri 01-Apr-16 16:33:01

Work out how much he spends on a pint, newspaper or sport etc.
The dregs he wants you to save must be about 40p a week saved?

phoenix Fri 01-Apr-16 17:38:56

alima the method works perfectly well (and safely) with various things, ketchup, shampoo, moisturiser etc, as vouched for by other GN members who responded when I first posted this tip.

Ana Fri 01-Apr-16 17:42:10

I'm not sure it would work with toothpaste, phoenix!

phoenix Fri 01-Apr-16 17:51:07

You never know, Ana no harm in trying!

Ana Fri 01-Apr-16 17:53:09

True - I was just thinking about the consistency of toothpaste, which doesn't tend to be as 'runny' as moisturiser or ketchup.

wot Fri 01-Apr-16 18:02:36

When I was strapped for cash, I used to flatten the empty pArt of the toothpaste tube and then use a stapler to staple it up!

LullyDully Fri 01-Apr-16 18:07:33

I do it with foundation because it isn't cheap.

MamaCaz Fri 01-Apr-16 18:26:02

Heirofthedog: If cutting tubes open is a step too far for you, just leave the nearly-empty ones to OH and start a new one yourself smile I don't go as far as cutting ours open, but I'm a lot more careful than my DH. He throws toothpaste tubes away when I can get several more days' use out of them, so I end up fishing them out of the bathroom bin again blush

rubysong Fri 01-Apr-16 19:11:01

I thought I was the only one who cut open tubes of moisturiser, hand cream etc. I'm sure tons of it is thrown away by people. We fold over the end of toothpaste tubes and hold them with fold back clips.

Auntieflo Fri 01-Apr-16 19:12:44

I do it with tomato puree tubes, so am glad I'm not the only one out there

FarNorth Fri 01-Apr-16 19:30:29

The toothpaste usually is at the top of the tube anyway phoenix and stuck in the "shoulders" as someone already said.
I'd hate to think of you doing your shoulder a mischief with all that energetic swinging.

thatbags Fri 01-Apr-16 19:58:24

We haven't tried Sensodyne Pronamel, janea. Thanks for the suggestion. I'll get some and give it a go.