Tightwad: a person who does not like to spend or give money.
cheapskate, penny-pincher, scrooge, skinflint, miser
You might be a tightwad if… You use a mini spatula to get the last bit of lotion out of the bottle once your husband has thrown it in the trash.
And then, to prove your point, you weigh said lotion {3.5 ounces} and then present the salvaged lotion to your husband and say “Look honey, there was still 3 weeks of lotion left in that bottle.”
The equivalent of a travel sized bottle of lotion saved from the trash. Yee-Haw!
~Mavis
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Tina P says
WOW! I never realized how much is wasted. Thank you for sharing! Mini spatula get ready!
Jennifer says
I don’t know about you, but I personally don’t like things in a pump bottle. I always feel there is so much left in the bottle that could potentially go to waste. Then there is the hastle of leaving the bottle upside down and unscrewing the pump lid and having it all come gushing out on your hand. Do the manufacturers do this on purpose just so we buy more of their products? lol Good for you scraping all that out of the bottle. I loved your post about the toothpaste! I may have to try that.
Mavis says
Ha! I just had this conversation with someone! They were telling me how much they hated pumps for that exact reason. I personally like the pump for most of the bottle, and since I usually cut it open and get out every last drop, the convenience of the pump is worth it to me. I totally get your point that it leads to more waste than the squeeze bottles, though. It’s a manufacturing conspiracy, I tell ya. 🙂
Sharon says
Hey, at least it came in a plastic bottle that you could cut open. It’s really annoying when it’s in glass and just won’t empty out. I do the same when the mustard bottle gets near empty; there’s always quite a bit left.
Jenn says
For the mustard bottle, add olive oil, vinegar and a bit of honey. Shake it up until the mustard dissolves into the mix. You now have salad dressing.
Tom Hull says
Dear Sharon;
To empty product from shampoo bottle, salad dressing bottle or any bottle with long neck and screw top or pop top stopper. Take a long boot lace and tie a slip knot in one end that you fasten to the neck of the bottle . Next tie a half hitch or a clove hitch to the base of the container using the boot lace. This allows you to hang the bottle up side down from the boot lace. You should have a couple of feet of boot lace left ,make sure the stopper is secure on the container and swing the bottle around on the end of the lace. The centrifugal force pushes what is left of the product into the neck where it can be squeezed out. Swing a couple of times to get it all out.
Teresa says
He, He. I’ve done that too. I also mix water in the pump soap for the bathroom, and the dishwashing liquid! I use 1/2 of recommend powder for the dishwasher and washing machine. A service tech told me that about 20 years ago to avoid detergent build up in my machines. It works great!
Tricia@OurProvidentHome says
NEED.TO.BUY.MINI.SPATULAS!
Seriously, so cute. I do the upside down pounding thing. It never occurred to me to cut it open…
Mavis says
Everything is cuter when it’s miniature!!
Sherry Anderson says
So funny. I split my lotion bottles when the lotion is almost gone all the time. What’s not to love about saving money?
Heather says
I seriously read this as spit….ah what a good laugh after I re-read it!
Stacy says
I always do this with my make up/foundation…there is always about a months worth left after it’s ’empty’ It is a tinted moisturizer…I cut 1/3 off the top and use it as a cap. Instead of squeezing it out of the bottom, I just uncap it and scoop out product each day.
*Different topic…but still a money stretcher, but I always way my pre-bagged produce as well. Sometimes I find a 3 pound bag of apples that has almost an extra full pound….along with potatoes.
Mavis says
I do that, too. But I started it to find the ones that weighed less than they were supposed to. Strawberries are notorious for this.
Daddio7 says
At one time I had a job programming the automated machines that bag potatoes. At first we had an old spring scale machine. Each bag was topped off by a person looking at the scale needle. With 2 seconds to decide if the bag was light another potato was just tossed in. The automated machine had computer controlled scales and could make each bag within a few grams of perfect. These machines cost $250,000 so a smaller farm might use a manual spring weigher. That is where overfilled bags come from. Automated machines fill so fast if a piece of fruit bounces out that package will be light.
There was the shameful time I changed an 8 lb program to 7.5 lb to double dump for 15 lb bags. The next time we ran 8 lb bags they where light, all 5000 of them. The shipment got kicked back and the crew had to empty every one and we reran the load. As God is my witness I thought the change was temporary.
suzanne says
Great story. Happens to all of us 🙂
Gardenpat says
I have a special little funnel I use to turn almost empty plastic bottle contents into the new bottle with same contents. Seems like “full” bottle never starts out all the way to the top! Done this for years! Why waste perfectly good food or product?!!!
Mavis says
A funnel is a great idea!
Mavis says
Exactly! Love that you funnel things!!
Melissa says
I totally do this~
Tina says
Genius! ! Love that idea!
Cindi says
I always cut my bottles open and I have used a spatula — but I never thought of transferring what I saved to another container (with a lid). Usually the cut-open bottle ends up drying out before I’ve used it ALL — you have given me a great idea.
Marybeth says
Just dug a body wash container out of the recycle bin. I’m sure I’ll get another week out of it.
Carrie says
Love this idea! Mavis, you are a penny pinching genius!
Brianna says
Looks like you got the “20% Bonus” the bottle was claiming to contain. Who would have ever thought that much would be hidden along all of the interior surface areas? My hubby wouldn’t go for this unless I applied the lotion right away on him or I put it in a cute jar like yours. If you have any penny pinching tips for kids toiletries I would love them. I don’t want to “ration” them and I want them to be independent (bathe themselves, brush teeth, etc.), but there is only so much toothpaste, shampoo, detangler, and soap waste I can handle before I get frugal angry. Any tips or tricks would be awesome!
Patricia Z says
Hi there,
I buy the big bottles of shampoo, bubble bath and other items (often not much price difference for the larger quantity) and then fill smaller refillable pump dispensers that only dispense a small amount per pump. Adding a little water seems to help make it last longer as well. It works pretty well for my little boys. For my teenage daughter, well, I have found that she is less likely to be wasteful when she is using her allowance to pay for all of the expensive hair products she likes to use. 🙂
Heather says
Frangry! I know exactly how you feel. I water down everything. And detangler is a little conditioner in a quart of water.
ann in E. oregon says
I always turn the bottle upside down (same w/ shampoo, ketchup, whatever) , but never thought to cut it open! Brilliant! 🙂
Where did you get that cute little jar??
Sharon says
The jar looks to be a Weck jar; they are awesome. I buy them at World Market in Eugene, Oregon. I used to get them at a cute little shop downtown but they closed.
ann in E. oregon says
Thank you Sharon! 🙂
Lori says
wait, doesn’t everyone do this??
renay says
Why do you use to cut it open? My scissors can’t do it…
Nichole says
One of those retractable straight edge blades. Just do it over a towel so you don’t cut the table/counter. Works like a charm!!
Jenny says
Haha that’s great! I don’t trust myself cutting open a plastic bottle like that though. I usually add some water at the end of a lotion or shampoo/conditioner bottle, that stretches it out a few days or weeks.
I have been known to use the same tube of toothpaste for an entire year, though. I just bought a new one the other day and don’t plan on replacing it until 2017 at the earliest!
Teckla says
I haven’t cut containers open yet, but I may just have to try it! I do turn them upside down, drain them into the next bottle, with or without a funnel, and squeeze out every drop I can. With ketchup, BBQ sauce, mustard and some salad dressings I add a wee bit of water and shake to get as much loosened as I can, then use it in meatloaf or perhaps a roast. They could be drained and mixed in a small jar as well, I suppose and either frozen or refrigerated until there is enough to use. Probably other things they could be used in; maybe baked beans, chili, stews or soups? Would depend on what a person likes. I love all the ideas that are shared on your site!
Stacey says
I have the worst time trying to get all the lotion out of my large pump bottles. Usually I use the shake-like-mad technique, but yours looks much better! I love the little glass container. Where did you get it?
Dawn B says
For things like BBQ sauce and Ketchup we always used a bit of vinegar instead of water. Will have to try the cutting bottle thing though and get some smaller containers. Sounds like a super idea!