Maybe it's just in my culture, but we were always trained to use everything until the last drop, no matter how cheap the product is. It doesn't matter if it's toothpaste, tomato sauce, makeup, or even food at a restaurant, we have always been careful not to waste resources, especially ones we have paid for with hard earned money. I think this is one trait that most savers tend to neglect and it really ends up raising expenses without you even knowing it. For example, not using every last drop of makeup before throwing out the package may not seem like a lot at first glance, but when you consider how much you're wasting through the course of a year, you find out you could have essentially saved one or two bottles of that product had you just finished the bottle completely each time. Which products do you completely use up before throwing away the packaging? Which ones are you guilty of not finishing all the way through?
I feel the same way as you, although perhaps not so much with cosmetics as you can get infections from old makeup. I get laughed at for some of my penny-pincher tricks but I waste less by doing them. One thing many people laugh it is that I add a bit of water to a jar of spaghetti sauce and shake it up to get every drop. I keep this in the fridge, sometimes adding to it by doing the same with tomato sauce or even ketchup. This is a wonderful way to add a little extra flavor to recipes.
I use up as much product as I can in everything from toothpaste, pasta sauce, lip gloss and face masks. I usually roll the tubes, turn bottles or jars upside down or cut open tubes. It does depend on how messy it can be or whether the product is worth it. I like to make sure the last bits of marmite or peanut butter are scraped out and make sure I save enough for a sandwich.
This is a really good question and in fact I make an effort to use my products to the last drop, but some are really hard to do it, like creams for babies that come with that small pump on top. In those cases I even cut the package with a knife and remove the cream to a jar, many times it's a big quantity!
I also hate wasting. I'll try to hold on to stuff that seems empty to others because I know I can get one or a few more uses out of it, when they would just throw it away! Drives me crazy. I also cut packages with knife and scissors sometimes if it's cream, like Sunflogun! Or actually *keep* packages if it's bags that can be reused or boxes -- even pizza boxes sometimes, I'll just rip them out, use them to write on, and then if I can recycle it.
I always try to use things up to the last drop. It can get kind of frustrating when the packaging makes it difficult, but I still make an effort. I think the only things I don’t always use up are cosmetics as well, especially mascara. But other than that, if I can wring one more use (or ten) out of a product I’ll do it.
I always use products up to the last drop. It's being practical. I want to get my money's worth from everything especially in shampoos, conditioners, and lotions. Sometimes, to really empty a shampoo bottle, I put some water in it to dilute the shampoo. It works and saves me a day of using another bottle of shampoo.
I definitely use every bit of the products I buy. When I was in college and there was a shared laundry room, girls would toss out laundry detergent bottles with an inch of detergent in them and I would pour them all into one bottle to get a few free loads worth of laundry detergent. Throwing away a fraction of your products is like setting money on fire.
I always use products up to the very last drop. I have to get my money's worth and I wouldn't want to just waste it. With toothpaste, I take a flat comb and press down on the tube moving toothpaste from the bottom up. I get about another 1-2 days use when I do that. Even with lotions in bottles, I'll either cut the bottle and use the lotion on the bottom, or turn it upside down and let gravity do its work. Also my powder, I'll scrap the edges and use my brush to apply the makeup. I've been using the dust particles for about 3 months now!
I make it a point to use all my products up to the last drop mainly because if I don't, I'd feel like I wasted my money especially if the products are pricey. I also like squeezing out and using every bit there is of that product because the way I see it, there's still some inside so why not get it out and use it? Just like what I'm doing now with my tinted moisturizer. I can't even use the pump anymore because there's barely any product left but I'm planning on cutting the packaging to get some of the product out. Why not make the most out of what you bought? It's still the same product, right?
I see the toothpaste tube being cut in half over here and then you will have to use your toothbrush to scrape the contents of the tube, so when I get to live alone I will do the same. I also use products to the last drop except for perfumes that can't be reached anymore by the "straw".
I do this myself. Even though the tube seems to be empty, there's still loads left in there if you cut it open so this is what I do. There's usually enough for another 2-3 days left in there so I make sure I use this up before starting a new tube.
I think that it largely depends on what the product is, as to whether or not I am going to squeeze for the very last drop. It would also depend upon how full I am at the time. I can buy food, and throw quite a lot of it in the bin simply because I am full, and I don't want to see that particular food for another year or so lol. But generally, the rule is to use everything to the very last drop, yes.
I notice that when people start to buy their own products, they use them much more sparingly, and they use up the entire package. I've seen it with my kids as they grow. When everything was "free" for them, meh, they didn't worry so much. When that special shampoo costs so much that it equates to nearly an hours worth of work at their job, they get a lot less wasteful. That's a good thing of course.
Yeah I try to do that too but it does get frustrating. The most frustrating is Nair and toothpaste but if I can't get it all out I ask for help. I'm sure they design the package that way to make you think you're getting more and end up buying it more often. The only thing I don't use to the very end is pencils but you can often get those for free and I'm so tired of regular pencils.
Argh yes, I agree with this. You just know there’s so much more in there, but it’s dang near impossible to get it out half the time. I haven’t had to cut anything open yet to get to the unused product inside, but there are a few things I’d consider doing that with.
Yes, the packages are far from being optimized for us to use the product until the end, but that is made on purpose so that we just buy more product sooner. We can always cut the package, it's some work, but ultimately it does pay off.
Recently I tried cutting facial wash bottles in half and I was very surprised with the amount of facial wash that is still being retained at the sides of the bottle. I thought that I was able to squeeze the bottle dry but man was I in for a surprise. It's a good thing though because I was able to stock up on my facial wash supply because I'm still utilizing every amount of facial wash that I can use thus saving money in the process.
I agree with this. I grew up with my mother moaning about us children being wasteful, and you almost can get annoyed about that, because if you are done with something then you are done and the next logical step is to throw it away, or use what you think you need at the time, until you are full. But as you grow up you really start to use what you need.
Sure, if we are paying stuff out of the effort of our work we start to understand the concept of saving, and this includes using sparingly as you mention, but also using things up to the last drop.
