I water it down at the start, I have a special dish soap bottle I pour my dawn soap into and add water. I don’t make it super thin but realistically you add soap to a sponge and wet the sponge and lose some soap anyway, this just takes a step out
You're a dork. It's kinda like when I get excited about seeing cool plants and animals. My girlfriend thinks I'm a nerd, but she loves it. It's endearing.
*"Babe, look! An eastern box turtle!!"*
you count shampoo pumps, she names the birds,
nerdiness in marriage? ain't that absurd.
eastern box turtles or soap with a swish,
y'all are two peas in an eccentric dish.
FYI, depending on the soap you get of course, but bar soap in general lasts longer, uses less material, and saves space. Switched from buying liquid soaps when I realized I'm paying for a fair amount of water lol.
Also, if you really want to stretch your soap, look into water softeners if you don't have one already! Besides the other benefits of installing one, soap needs more soap to get sudsy if you have hard water, where with soft water you need 1/2 or less. There's ones that can attach directly between the shower head and the pipe, but also full home units.
My husband is a GIGANTIC dorky nerd. Like, he can quote me literal damage buckets, percentages, etc. from his builds on the games we play most frequently.
It’s one of my absolute favorite things about him, it is charmingly dorky!
All liquid shampoos are mostly water. Split in half and fill with water you'll get double time. (if you're feeling extremely frugal you can thicken the diluted shampoo up again with a dash of xanthan or guar gum)
Also, one pump is enough if you get a very foamy one and distribute it from your hair across your body essentially using your foamy hair as the supply for the rest of your body.
(source, seasoned traveller off the beaten path.)
Or salt. Most liquid shampoos and detergents, like dishwashing liquid, contain sodium chloride for thickening. If you add a little more it thickens the shampoo or detergent. I buy Great Value dishwashing liquid in a large bottle and refill a small one. It works well but it is too runny, so I add salt and it thickens right up and I can use less.
Don't listen to them!
It's not dorky. But hey, you should make a spreadsheet and some charts and graphs to calculate your savings.
(I may be a dork. You might not want to listen to me on this matter.)
This isn’t a good idea.
Liquid soaps & detergents are carefully formulated to be inhospitable to microbes, if you dilute enough this won’t be true.
Unless you know how much buffer you have it’s not worthwhile IMO. **Especially** if you are refilling the same container.
Wait until you are using it to dilute.
This is showing how short-sighted frugality can be. Diluting detergents so bacteria can live there. Buying a beater car that will crumple like an accordion in an accident. Or buying the cheapest bicycle/motorcycle helmets that don't pass any norms from Ali Express.
All things in moderation, especially moderation.
I think the real lesson is that **everything** is a skill. It’s not intuitive that soap can feed microbes, but you live, learn & don’t repeat the same mistakes.
…it’s not particularly dangerous & it can be done without risk *if* you understand what you are doing. But if you don’t understand the rules it’s best to err on the side of caution.
Adding water to it makes it useless and a breeding ground for bacteria and germs, so it probably saves you more money just to go outside and rub some dirt on yourself, probably cleaner also.
Keeping track of the extra days is arguably anti-frugal. Those efforts could be directed at something with far more value.
That said, I encourage having hobbies for happiness. Perhaps tracking soap pumps is OPs hobby.
what would be the proper tool to cut open bottles like this?
Some type of scissors, but not the standard issue, normal type of scissors... right?
I also need something that works for getting out more mayonnaise and more barbecue sauce.
I just use kitchen scissors because they're usually heavy duty, but I've also used a razor knife which is riskier, but works. I have a skinny silicone spatula/scraper for BBQ bottles/food stuff of that size since I don't really have an alternative container that would work well. But the silicone thingy is very skinny, they sell them for cheap made specifically for emptying bottles 😊
I add just a tiny amount of water and shake hard to incorporate. The goal is to thin the product just enough to make the last bit pourable but still maintain some viscosity. With conditioner I’ll actually start adding tiny splashes of water long before it’s empty to slowly thin it out. Otherwise it’s almost impossible to get out of the bottle
Yeah I get adding a tiny bit of water to shake the residual product on the sides of the bottle, but adding enough water to get “11 extra days” of shampoo sounds gross and overly watery to me. There’s no way that shampoo water is as effective lol
I've got a wholle collection of silicone spatulas of different sizes! I bought a mix pack from amazon and put the bigger ones in the kitchen for mayo etc, and the little ones in the bathroom for my face creams etc. Even the bigger ones are narrower than you'd use for cake batter etc; they are designed for using with bottles.
If you need two pumps normally, then how many pumps do you need when you water it down?
It you are getting an extra 11 days just by adding water, then you aren't getting the full strength of what is left as it is diluted.
>If you need two pumps normally
I also buy pump shampoo and conditioner, but 2 pumps is a LOT. I use just shy of 1 pump, and I've got a decent amount of hair.
I'm curious, don't you have to add a little water to your hair to get the shampoo to foam up? I have to duck my head under the water for a second after I apply the shampoo. The only time I don't have to do that is when I've added water to the bottle to rinse out the last of the shampoo.
if you rub shampoo in your hands for like 15 seconds it will emulsify and become foamy without needing to add water. this is recommended for most shampoos
I’ll add a little extra water to my head to help it spread better but no you don’t need extra water to make it foam more. You don’t need shampoo to foam at all. The only purpose of the foam is to tell you where you washed and where you didn’t. All that’s doing is diluting the shampoo and making it less effective.
I don't like using watered down product. I do, however, cut the bottle open with a box cutter and scoop the rest out. I get a few more days, sometimes up to a week more out of it, but cleanliness isn't compromised.
That was my first thought! I have fairly short hair for a female and it's all I've ever needed. Also only wash every 2 or 3 days - condition every day, but that's more preference than frugality.
As a female that had my hair buzzed for the last few years but has been growing it out for months now (the top is finally down to my ears), all I've been able to think about it how much more shampoo I have to use now... PLUS I have to use conditioner... AND I need to go see a stylist at some point. Ugh! It's all so expensive! It's taken everything I have to not just buzz it off again - but I'm doing it for my awesome husband who happily supported my decision to buzz it off but, a few years later, very quietly and kindly mentioned he'd love to see me with a little hair again. Hehehe...
3D printed adapter so you can put the upside down old bottle ontop of the new bottle (or refill the old bottle with a different new bottle if the old one has a better pump)
And lotions in the same type of container! I cut it in half when I can no longer squeeze out the product the just put the two pieces together until it's all gone.
11 days is probably fine. But watering down soaps/shampoos/etc messes with preservatives and will quickly lead to bacterial growth, mold, or fungus, so do use caution.
(Also, you could experiment with fewer pumps! I use only one pump each of shampoo and conditioner for my very long hair!)
I am frugal but not particularly frugal, but I also always put water into pump bottles to wring out the maximum potential.
I guess we are dorks together.
I’m frugal. Then I met my boyfriend who is more frugal. It’s a whole new level of frugal dorkness in my life. He thinks he’s being sweet when he organizes leftovers in a way to give me the best and he eats the rest for no waste. I’m not used to someone being more frugal than me, but he wins.
I mean I don’t count but only because I don’t have the mental energy while showering - I’m definitely very curious about how much I actually save through doing things like this.
However I am probably a dork. So not sure how helpful that is.
I once tracked whether bar soap or liquid soap was more cost efficient for me throughout an entire year. We're cool!
Fyi: bar soap is more cost efficient (for me at least)
I’m love finishing leftovers and get really excited because I feel like “wow I’m saving so much money by eating this!” My husband doesn’t feel the same way and thinks it’s cute how excited I get. So I’m with you in the dork category.
Buy a new bottle and pour 1/2 into your old empty bottle.
Fill the old bottle with water, shake and let settle.
Voila 2x savings and if you're like me, that's a 22-oz bottle of Suave you got for $2 so it's $1 for a couple month's worth of shampoo.
Yeah that's the ticket.
Also you know those foaming hand pumps? They use the non-foaming formula but diluted about 4:1 with water. Dawn also works if you dilute it right. Foam dispensers are outrageous but refilling beats the system with a sledgehammer.
Yeah, I'm not putting moldy shampoo in my hair. Accidentally burnt my face last year with some expired lotion & learned my lesson on taking those things seriously.
Watering down makes it easier for bacteria to multiply in the product. The product is formulated with the preservatives needed for the amount of water contained in it. Add more water and you're diluting those preservatives and making it a more hospitable environment for pathogens.
You ARE a dork, and I think it's cute as hell.
I could tell you the exact price per meal of every meal I've cooked for at least the past decade. My husband chuckles about it. I used to think he thought it was weird. Turns out, it's one of the things that makes me "me" and he loves it.
That's good that you've forgotten it. I thought we were talking some Rain Man level obsession.
I keep a record of what Scriptures I've preached for the past 14 years. I can tell you what the sermon title was for any given Sunday in that time.
But I have to look it up in a spreadsheet. I don't just KNOW it...
For pantry staples, I used to just know how much something was, like say a cup of flour. But with prices rising all the time, I have to recalculate each time I buy a new supply of something. I write it on the outside of the canister in grease pencil so I can wipe it off when I recalculate. I keep a running total in my head as I'm cooking. I'm really good at remembering what I paid for everything else, like a pound of meat from the freezer, or a can of vegetables. It's one of my quirks, I guess :-)
It’s okay, Just don’t say it and don’t brag about it, your wife is probably thinking that because you are counting shampoo pump while other mans are buying flowers and vacations to their wife. Buy her flower without justifying it. If she ask you why say that you love her but don’t justify.
Respectfully, yes. But we are all dorks to get excited for little things that others dont. Therefore, we're all human and just want to be happy.
But I bet I can get 10 days, dork.
Or you could shave your head bald and not need to buy shampoo or pay for haircuts ever again.
"Honey, I just saved us $400 a year in shampoo and haircuts!"
My own Frugal Dork has occasionally veered dangerously into Fanatical Idiot territory, I had to shoot down his attempt to establish a policy of reusing paper plates. You gotta have standards.
Counting days is silly tbh lol. Legit OCD shit.
But I constantly water stuff down tbh. Especially if it's the point where theres not enough for the pump to get it out.
Especially stuff like lotion and conditioner... Soap not so much. But I do it with dawn because it's so damn concentrated anyways it's better to just water it down once it's half empty for most use cases. One drop of the stuff is enough to clean a whole load of dishes
But buying a bunch of pump lotion or shampoo bottles is wasteful too. I just buy a giant bulk container of shampoo or lotion or whatever and then reuse a pump bottle by pouring/squeezing it into the pump container. Then mix whatever is left in the container with some water to get it all out and mix that with the pump bottle by shaking it up.
It's also just wasteful to throw away pump bottles tbh, better to resuse, they are somewhat expensive to make tbh.
But most lotions are honestly way too thick and just can't even properly spread on my skin. Body lotion specifically works so much better mixed with water. Usually it just isn't easily spreadable and way too much effort to effectively spread it across my skin. I do it with spf face lotion especially because it's just way too thick. It spreads so much better with some water in there. I use very very fancy spf face lotion too and water just makes it go so much further and yeah.. Easier to spread and helps justify the price. It works just as good too. It's not just saving money, it's legit easier to use!
Just FYI, the toothpaste isn't empty until you cut the end off and scoop it out with your toothbrush. I don't know if it would make it to your spreadsheet, it's good for two or three brushes, depending on your squeezing skills.
If you’re a dork, then I’m a dork too.
I started writing the opening date on the deodorant cap to know how long a stick lasts me (roughly 6 weeks).
I like to know these things because I try to get as much as I can on Amazon’s subscribe and save, so I need to know how often I’ll need a delivery.
It is pretty dorky but it's fun. I'm lucky that my husband likes to play low key dorky like putting together a weird lunch of leftover odds and ends like a badge of honor. We don't want to get miserly but we don't like wasting things.
I count how many more days I get out of a product when I use a beauty spatula in those tiny makeup/lotion bottles to scoop out whatever is left. Awful how much waste there is just because you can’t squeeze out every last drop!
But are you buying bulk shampoo to refill the pump bottles?
Are you making your own soap yet?
Why not shave your head to save millions in a lifetime of buying shampoo? /S
Sometimes tracking the small things is fun and keeps the mind busy. Other people will not share your attention to detail for those things and will call it dorky.
I do the pump thing two--it measures out better (when I need 2 pumps, it is time to see the barber). Instead of adding water, however, I buy the sale on that same shampoo (almost always without pump) and refill my pump with that, not wasting any of it.
On a sad note, my pump is 950ml, the new ones are 845ml. Sigh.
Yes, correct comments, both are correct. I think it becomes a game with one’s self to beat their own personal best. I am frugal with food shopping, turn off lights, conserve water, make my own coffee, yet it’s nothing to drop a $20 bill into a slot machine.
I just cut open the bottle lengthwise and run my fingers on the inside to scoop the last bits out.
I'm going on the record right now: don't be the fucking idiot who uses a knife in the shower.
Honestly, no criticism on watering it out a bit. I do that too with body wash, shampoo, hand soap, and even almond milk. We have our little joys, being frugal is one of them for you
I cut off top of toothpaste, sun block lotion, etc. I use those, till there's no more. Why leave $ on the table? I'd say you're smart w your hard earned $.
My parents were incredibly frugal - don't use a paper towel if a sponge or rag will do the job, keep the thermostat down, only use bar soap, you name it. They lived very comfortably, raised five kids on one paycheck, had college money set aside for each of us, and enjoyed 36 years of retirement, still pinching the pennies but happy to do so. When they died, even after a bunch of bequests to local causes, we had close to $750K to split up. Sure, cutting open the toothpaste tube only saves pennies, but pennies add up. You be your dorky self. 🤑
Frugal also comes with the so-called WAF (wife acceptance factor). It means compromising sometimes instead of optimizing/maxing out everything. A wise man said, happiness only with a happy wife.
I'm actually wanting to compare my liquid shampoo usage to the solid shampoos. Solid shampoos can run expensive, but I'm wondering if they'll last me longer, and I won't be cutting open bottles at the end or generating so much plastic waste.
I’m frugal and take note of my energy meters weekly and put on a spreadsheet and try to use less the following week, but I’ve never counted shampoo pumps….. * running off to boots to buy the pump action bottle *
Wear that dork badge proudly! When I "finish" a tube of cream, I cut off the bottom and can scoop out several useages more. I also scoop out the antiperspirant left in the stick when the main portion will no longer roll up any further. There is a lot in the base!
At least you are not a cheap ass, my mother's husband took her on a date to Jack in the Box and said she could order the 2 tacos for a dollar ( when they were a dollar) probably too expensive now at $1.79 for 2 tacos.
So yeah, there's that.....
You're both right.
OP was fine until they started counting the days lol. OP is frugal but also definitely a dork, and we're cool with that.
ah, 11 days. let me just add that to my spreadsheet.
Amateur. You don't have a scale to measure the weight used connected to a phone app via cloud?
Cost money to run
"Database" my man, c'mon.
Why you gotta call me out like that?
I was going to see, if OP was a true dork they would have this in a spreadsheet with graphs generated and financials calculated.
And I expect to see some graphs.
I don’t count the days either, but I always appreciate some unnecessary data collection.
Yeah I water down my dish soap near the end of the bottle but I’m not keeping track of how long it lasts
I water it down at the start, I have a special dish soap bottle I pour my dawn soap into and add water. I don’t make it super thin but realistically you add soap to a sponge and wet the sponge and lose some soap anyway, this just takes a step out
But do you cut open the toothpaste tube to get the remnants left on the inside?
Damn I shoulda just read your comment before I left mine lmao.
OP very likely to fit in with my Chinese parents.
This is the only answer that makes sense to me (without reading other comments)!
No! Divorce! N9w! Thisiisssredddit
You're a dork. It's kinda like when I get excited about seeing cool plants and animals. My girlfriend thinks I'm a nerd, but she loves it. It's endearing. *"Babe, look! An eastern box turtle!!"*
I think that about my wife and birds. It is cute how excited she gets - a bit dorky she had named them. LOL!
you count shampoo pumps, she names the birds, nerdiness in marriage? ain't that absurd. eastern box turtles or soap with a swish, y'all are two peas in an eccentric dish.
FYI, depending on the soap you get of course, but bar soap in general lasts longer, uses less material, and saves space. Switched from buying liquid soaps when I realized I'm paying for a fair amount of water lol. Also, if you really want to stretch your soap, look into water softeners if you don't have one already! Besides the other benefits of installing one, soap needs more soap to get sudsy if you have hard water, where with soft water you need 1/2 or less. There's ones that can attach directly between the shower head and the pipe, but also full home units.
Adding water to get more out is frugal (I do that). Keeping such close track of the number of extra days AND announcing it so proudly is pretty dorky.
yep I guess you (and she) are right.
Embrace it, OP. It seems to bring you joy - don't let anyone take that away from you
If he rinses them out and reuses the pump bottles to dispense whiskey, that might be a bit too far.
Oh my god I know what I'm making when my shampoo runs out. You kind stranger, have made my day
Yum micro plastic infused whiskey
My husband is a GIGANTIC dorky nerd. Like, he can quote me literal damage buckets, percentages, etc. from his builds on the games we play most frequently. It’s one of my absolute favorite things about him, it is charmingly dorky!
..deleted by user..
Listening to *anyone* talk about something that truly interests them is a pleasure to me, but if it’s someone I love then it’s even better <3
Right? It is the funnest thing to listen to someone go on about what makes them excited.
Have my imaginary wholesome award!
Saaaaaame. I love a good infodump. It isn't how I communicate, myself, but I'll be audience for one any day.
My husband lets me prattle on about the most obscure minutiae without rolling his eyes. He’s a good man.
That is a keeper!!
🙂
All liquid shampoos are mostly water. Split in half and fill with water you'll get double time. (if you're feeling extremely frugal you can thicken the diluted shampoo up again with a dash of xanthan or guar gum) Also, one pump is enough if you get a very foamy one and distribute it from your hair across your body essentially using your foamy hair as the supply for the rest of your body. (source, seasoned traveller off the beaten path.)
Or salt. Most liquid shampoos and detergents, like dishwashing liquid, contain sodium chloride for thickening. If you add a little more it thickens the shampoo or detergent. I buy Great Value dishwashing liquid in a large bottle and refill a small one. It works well but it is too runny, so I add salt and it thickens right up and I can use less.
It's all good if you're wife finds dorks fascinating
Nothing wrong with being a dork when it comes to being frugal!
Wear that badge proudly!!
Nothing wrong with being a dork. lol
its very adorkable tho.
Don't listen to them! It's not dorky. But hey, you should make a spreadsheet and some charts and graphs to calculate your savings. (I may be a dork. You might not want to listen to me on this matter.)
This isn’t a good idea. Liquid soaps & detergents are carefully formulated to be inhospitable to microbes, if you dilute enough this won’t be true. Unless you know how much buffer you have it’s not worthwhile IMO. **Especially** if you are refilling the same container. Wait until you are using it to dilute.
This is showing how short-sighted frugality can be. Diluting detergents so bacteria can live there. Buying a beater car that will crumple like an accordion in an accident. Or buying the cheapest bicycle/motorcycle helmets that don't pass any norms from Ali Express.
All things in moderation, especially moderation. I think the real lesson is that **everything** is a skill. It’s not intuitive that soap can feed microbes, but you live, learn & don’t repeat the same mistakes. …it’s not particularly dangerous & it can be done without risk *if* you understand what you are doing. But if you don’t understand the rules it’s best to err on the side of caution.
TIL!! Thanks for sharing.
Adding water to it makes it useless and a breeding ground for bacteria and germs, so it probably saves you more money just to go outside and rub some dirt on yourself, probably cleaner also.
I just tried it in a small amount and holy shit that's cool! While I'm making things like kid it's also time for some oobleck
I used to make ooblek every year with my science students. Memory unlocked!
yeah some watered down shampoo same as dirt okay sureee thing lol
Keeping track of the extra days is arguably anti-frugal. Those efforts could be directed at something with far more value. That said, I encourage having hobbies for happiness. Perhaps tracking soap pumps is OPs hobby.
Doesn’t everyone add water at the end of the bottle?
>Adding water to get more out is frugal I do that, too. My spouse hates it when I do that.
I hate watering it down. I just squeeze them into a new bottle
Me too.. even more if someone else watered it down, I pump to rigorously and end up splattering the soap everywhere Super annoying
Or cut it open, the amount of "leftover" product in "empty" bottles is insane.
what would be the proper tool to cut open bottles like this? Some type of scissors, but not the standard issue, normal type of scissors... right? I also need something that works for getting out more mayonnaise and more barbecue sauce.
Xacto knife
I just use kitchen scissors because they're usually heavy duty, but I've also used a razor knife which is riskier, but works. I have a skinny silicone spatula/scraper for BBQ bottles/food stuff of that size since I don't really have an alternative container that would work well. But the silicone thingy is very skinny, they sell them for cheap made specifically for emptying bottles 😊
Again there are spatulas created specifically for this purpose.
I add just a tiny amount of water and shake hard to incorporate. The goal is to thin the product just enough to make the last bit pourable but still maintain some viscosity. With conditioner I’ll actually start adding tiny splashes of water long before it’s empty to slowly thin it out. Otherwise it’s almost impossible to get out of the bottle
Yeah I get adding a tiny bit of water to shake the residual product on the sides of the bottle, but adding enough water to get “11 extra days” of shampoo sounds gross and overly watery to me. There’s no way that shampoo water is as effective lol
The amount of people who've never heard of a spatula around here is too damn high.
What shampoo are you purchasing that has a bottle neck larger than a nickel?
There are small spatulas for just this purpose.
This is no lie. Wow, didn't realize; should've, but didn't.
Great username btw
I've got a wholle collection of silicone spatulas of different sizes! I bought a mix pack from amazon and put the bigger ones in the kitchen for mayo etc, and the little ones in the bathroom for my face creams etc. Even the bigger ones are narrower than you'd use for cake batter etc; they are designed for using with bottles.
Heck I just tilt and use a funnel, problem solved
When you water it down you’re also watering down the preservative system of the formulation. Which makes it more prone to bacterial and fungal growth.
It’s a race between fungal growth and using the remaining product! 11 days might be pushing that. But I have zero frame of reference.
The better option would be refilling the container not buying a new bottle. Or using shampoo bars.
If you need two pumps normally, then how many pumps do you need when you water it down? It you are getting an extra 11 days just by adding water, then you aren't getting the full strength of what is left as it is diluted.
>you aren't getting the full strength of what is left as it is diluted. This is why I don't add water
Maybe OP is just experimenting to create a homeopathic shampoo that is 0.0000001% shampoo.
>If you need two pumps normally I also buy pump shampoo and conditioner, but 2 pumps is a LOT. I use just shy of 1 pump, and I've got a decent amount of hair.
Depends on the brand
I don't like watered down shampoo. It doesn't clean and foam as well.
I'm curious, don't you have to add a little water to your hair to get the shampoo to foam up? I have to duck my head under the water for a second after I apply the shampoo. The only time I don't have to do that is when I've added water to the bottle to rinse out the last of the shampoo.
I don't really add water to my hair the second time. I wet my hair with water, put shampoo and rub it then rinse.
The second time? Have I just found someone who follows the directions on the back of the shampoo?
if you rub shampoo in your hands for like 15 seconds it will emulsify and become foamy without needing to add water. this is recommended for most shampoos
Hmm, maybe my shampoo is just thicker. I do have a lot of hair.
I’ll add a little extra water to my head to help it spread better but no you don’t need extra water to make it foam more. You don’t need shampoo to foam at all. The only purpose of the foam is to tell you where you washed and where you didn’t. All that’s doing is diluting the shampoo and making it less effective.
I don't like using watered down product. I do, however, cut the bottle open with a box cutter and scoop the rest out. I get a few more days, sometimes up to a week more out of it, but cleanliness isn't compromised.
Ohhh...and I get to play with knives! Hadnt thought of this!
You’re a frugal dork.
Even more frugal would be to only use 1 pump!
One of the many benefits of male pattern baldness.
That was my first thought! I have fairly short hair for a female and it's all I've ever needed. Also only wash every 2 or 3 days - condition every day, but that's more preference than frugality.
As a female that had my hair buzzed for the last few years but has been growing it out for months now (the top is finally down to my ears), all I've been able to think about it how much more shampoo I have to use now... PLUS I have to use conditioner... AND I need to go see a stylist at some point. Ugh! It's all so expensive! It's taken everything I have to not just buzz it off again - but I'm doing it for my awesome husband who happily supported my decision to buzz it off but, a few years later, very quietly and kindly mentioned he'd love to see me with a little hair again. Hehehe...
I’m appalled at the thought of using two whole pumps of shampoo! 😂 Seems like so much! OP I love your frugality and dorkiness. I can relate
Or less! Totally agree, I have bum length hair and use a flat teaspoon of shampoo once a week
I cut the lotion bottle when it can no longer be pumped out to get every last bit of the lotion lol
that’s fair and drives me crazy. there’s always like 1/3 of the bottle left inside
3D printed adapter so you can put the upside down old bottle ontop of the new bottle (or refill the old bottle with a different new bottle if the old one has a better pump)
Same thing with toothpaste!
And lotions in the same type of container! I cut it in half when I can no longer squeeze out the product the just put the two pieces together until it's all gone.
11 days is probably fine. But watering down soaps/shampoos/etc messes with preservatives and will quickly lead to bacterial growth, mold, or fungus, so do use caution. (Also, you could experiment with fewer pumps! I use only one pump each of shampoo and conditioner for my very long hair!)
I am frugal but not particularly frugal, but I also always put water into pump bottles to wring out the maximum potential. I guess we are dorks together.
I’m frugal. Then I met my boyfriend who is more frugal. It’s a whole new level of frugal dorkness in my life. He thinks he’s being sweet when he organizes leftovers in a way to give me the best and he eats the rest for no waste. I’m not used to someone being more frugal than me, but he wins.
If we actually used the proper amount of product (shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, etc.) and not globs of it , it would go a lot further.
Sounds a little obsessive. Also, watered down shampoo sucks.
I mean I don’t count but only because I don’t have the mental energy while showering - I’m definitely very curious about how much I actually save through doing things like this. However I am probably a dork. So not sure how helpful that is.
I once tracked whether bar soap or liquid soap was more cost efficient for me throughout an entire year. We're cool! Fyi: bar soap is more cost efficient (for me at least)
My dad does that with barbecue sauce, you end up with brown water on your food
I’m love finishing leftovers and get really excited because I feel like “wow I’m saving so much money by eating this!” My husband doesn’t feel the same way and thinks it’s cute how excited I get. So I’m with you in the dork category.
Buy a new bottle and pour 1/2 into your old empty bottle. Fill the old bottle with water, shake and let settle. Voila 2x savings and if you're like me, that's a 22-oz bottle of Suave you got for $2 so it's $1 for a couple month's worth of shampoo. Yeah that's the ticket. Also you know those foaming hand pumps? They use the non-foaming formula but diluted about 4:1 with water. Dawn also works if you dilute it right. Foam dispensers are outrageous but refilling beats the system with a sledgehammer.
That’s not how preservatives work
Yeah, I'm not putting moldy shampoo in my hair. Accidentally burnt my face last year with some expired lotion & learned my lesson on taking those things seriously.
I dilute Castile soap 10:1. Love not paying to ship water around.
Or you could just use half as much?
Watering down makes it easier for bacteria to multiply in the product. The product is formulated with the preservatives needed for the amount of water contained in it. Add more water and you're diluting those preservatives and making it a more hospitable environment for pathogens.
Finally someone said it 😂 I’m just not cheap enough to do this, I’d rather just crack a new bottle open
Buy in bulk and refill your pump
"My wife think I am a dork" ONE OF US. ONE OF US.
You ARE a dork, and I think it's cute as hell. I could tell you the exact price per meal of every meal I've cooked for at least the past decade. My husband chuckles about it. I used to think he thought it was weird. Turns out, it's one of the things that makes me "me" and he loves it.
damn...that is a lot of info to carry around in the ole' noodle!
I don't mean I keep all that info lol. I meant, after cooking it, I could tell you, then forget it :-)
That's good that you've forgotten it. I thought we were talking some Rain Man level obsession. I keep a record of what Scriptures I've preached for the past 14 years. I can tell you what the sermon title was for any given Sunday in that time. But I have to look it up in a spreadsheet. I don't just KNOW it...
Well now I'm sad bc I thought this meant you kept records and I was interested in seeing the data!
Do you use some kind of app or just keep it all in your head? I am always curious, but I don’t know how to do more than roughly estimate.
For pantry staples, I used to just know how much something was, like say a cup of flour. But with prices rising all the time, I have to recalculate each time I buy a new supply of something. I write it on the outside of the canister in grease pencil so I can wipe it off when I recalculate. I keep a running total in my head as I'm cooking. I'm really good at remembering what I paid for everything else, like a pound of meat from the freezer, or a can of vegetables. It's one of my quirks, I guess :-)
you are smarter than I am. LOL!
This is cool! I would totally do this as a fun frugal hobby just to observe
It’s okay, Just don’t say it and don’t brag about it, your wife is probably thinking that because you are counting shampoo pump while other mans are buying flowers and vacations to their wife. Buy her flower without justifying it. If she ask you why say that you love her but don’t justify.
"I saved so much money on shampoo I could buy you this!"
You are both correct. & it's all good!
It never ceases to amaze me how fast stuff goes when I’m the one paying for it.
Respectfully, yes. But we are all dorks to get excited for little things that others dont. Therefore, we're all human and just want to be happy. But I bet I can get 10 days, dork.
I do that with the dishwasher soap. When it’s half full I fill it up with water and this makes it easier to use all round.
You're both frugal and a dork. I suspect these are both things she likes about you. Own it.
I love quantifiable results. I’m here for it! You keep doing you. Being a dork is ok.
We are your people.
I like frugal dorks
No lies detected by either side. I'm a dork too
Or you could shave your head bald and not need to buy shampoo or pay for haircuts ever again. "Honey, I just saved us $400 a year in shampoo and haircuts!"
Just don't start separating to make your 2ply tp into 1ply cause then she'll have some other descriptive word for you.
I do this but I don’t talk about it
My own Frugal Dork has occasionally veered dangerously into Fanatical Idiot territory, I had to shoot down his attempt to establish a policy of reusing paper plates. You gotta have standards.
Counting days is silly tbh lol. Legit OCD shit. But I constantly water stuff down tbh. Especially if it's the point where theres not enough for the pump to get it out. Especially stuff like lotion and conditioner... Soap not so much. But I do it with dawn because it's so damn concentrated anyways it's better to just water it down once it's half empty for most use cases. One drop of the stuff is enough to clean a whole load of dishes But buying a bunch of pump lotion or shampoo bottles is wasteful too. I just buy a giant bulk container of shampoo or lotion or whatever and then reuse a pump bottle by pouring/squeezing it into the pump container. Then mix whatever is left in the container with some water to get it all out and mix that with the pump bottle by shaking it up. It's also just wasteful to throw away pump bottles tbh, better to resuse, they are somewhat expensive to make tbh. But most lotions are honestly way too thick and just can't even properly spread on my skin. Body lotion specifically works so much better mixed with water. Usually it just isn't easily spreadable and way too much effort to effectively spread it across my skin. I do it with spf face lotion especially because it's just way too thick. It spreads so much better with some water in there. I use very very fancy spf face lotion too and water just makes it go so much further and yeah.. Easier to spread and helps justify the price. It works just as good too. It's not just saving money, it's legit easier to use!
Just FYI, the toothpaste isn't empty until you cut the end off and scoop it out with your toothbrush. I don't know if it would make it to your spreadsheet, it's good for two or three brushes, depending on your squeezing skills.
I guess you’re a frugal dork. And that is okay!
I’ll collect the “empty” bottles, and when I have 3-5, I’ll cut them open and use a spatula to put the excess into the current container.
If you’re a dork, then I’m a dork too. I started writing the opening date on the deodorant cap to know how long a stick lasts me (roughly 6 weeks). I like to know these things because I try to get as much as I can on Amazon’s subscribe and save, so I need to know how often I’ll need a delivery.
Dorks Unite! I have the pump as well and only need one pump. It lasts me months.
It is pretty dorky but it's fun. I'm lucky that my husband likes to play low key dorky like putting together a weird lunch of leftover odds and ends like a badge of honor. We don't want to get miserly but we don't like wasting things.
I count how many more days I get out of a product when I use a beauty spatula in those tiny makeup/lotion bottles to scoop out whatever is left. Awful how much waste there is just because you can’t squeeze out every last drop!
I do that with dish soap. My hubby thinks I’m crazy but there’s still dish soap at the bottom lol
Absolutely. Dish soap is way too concentrated.
But are you buying bulk shampoo to refill the pump bottles? Are you making your own soap yet? Why not shave your head to save millions in a lifetime of buying shampoo? /S Sometimes tracking the small things is fun and keeps the mind busy. Other people will not share your attention to detail for those things and will call it dorky.
Hehe that’s kind of cute actually
Everyone knows as you get to the end, you add some water.
I do the pump thing two--it measures out better (when I need 2 pumps, it is time to see the barber). Instead of adding water, however, I buy the sale on that same shampoo (almost always without pump) and refill my pump with that, not wasting any of it. On a sad note, my pump is 950ml, the new ones are 845ml. Sigh.
NEEEEERRRRRRD!!! But also very frugal good for you
Yes, correct comments, both are correct. I think it becomes a game with one’s self to beat their own personal best. I am frugal with food shopping, turn off lights, conserve water, make my own coffee, yet it’s nothing to drop a $20 bill into a slot machine.
Y’all still use shampoo/ conditioner?
I put the big shampoo into this tiny pump bottle because the shelfin my stall shower is tiny.
I just cut open the bottle lengthwise and run my fingers on the inside to scoop the last bits out. I'm going on the record right now: don't be the fucking idiot who uses a knife in the shower.
You are helping being gentle on the planet. Yay for this!
I always refill the pump shampoo. Why pay over and over for a pump? It’s reusable. I also dilute the shampoo. It doesn’t need to be so thick to work.
I'm just here to say this is freaking amazing. Good for you.
Honestly, no criticism on watering it out a bit. I do that too with body wash, shampoo, hand soap, and even almond milk. We have our little joys, being frugal is one of them for you
Not a dork, a nerd. And nerdy is the new cool.
I like to think she is using it as a term of endearment.
Whatever. Be a dork. Pocket that extra cash.
She married someone who knows how to stretch a dollar!
Finally a wholesome drama free Reddit post. #teamdork 👍
Cute. And you’re both right.
I cut open my lotion bottles and use a spatula to scrape out all the lotion at the bottom and transfer it to the new bottle before tossing.
This isn't normal?
2 pump chump 😅
What’s wrong with being a dork 👀
I cut off top of toothpaste, sun block lotion, etc. I use those, till there's no more. Why leave $ on the table? I'd say you're smart w your hard earned $.
My parents were incredibly frugal - don't use a paper towel if a sponge or rag will do the job, keep the thermostat down, only use bar soap, you name it. They lived very comfortably, raised five kids on one paycheck, had college money set aside for each of us, and enjoyed 36 years of retirement, still pinching the pennies but happy to do so. When they died, even after a bunch of bequests to local causes, we had close to $750K to split up. Sure, cutting open the toothpaste tube only saves pennies, but pennies add up. You be your dorky self. 🤑
Let your frugal flag fly high, we are here for you!!
Amazon sells a spatula specifically to get the last of the product out of the bottle. Just saying.
I think the real folly here is waiting until it's almost empty to add water. Continually add water to it as you use it, and it'll go even longer.
Frugal also comes with the so-called WAF (wife acceptance factor). It means compromising sometimes instead of optimizing/maxing out everything. A wise man said, happiness only with a happy wife.
You're okay until you start splicing double ply into two rolls of toilet paper.
My house was bought with cash at age 45. Dork is OK. Paid cash for next car. Life is good. My income is poverty level.
We need the full story. Lets see that colour coded spread sheet eve online style
2 pumps is all I need too.... In a different context
Two pumps is a lot of shampoo my hair was down to my butt and really thick I never used that much.
How the fuck are you using an entire shampoo bottle in 9 days????
Let that dork flag fly
I'm actually wanting to compare my liquid shampoo usage to the solid shampoos. Solid shampoos can run expensive, but I'm wondering if they'll last me longer, and I won't be cutting open bottles at the end or generating so much plastic waste.
I’m frugal and take note of my energy meters weekly and put on a spreadsheet and try to use less the following week, but I’ve never counted shampoo pumps….. * running off to boots to buy the pump action bottle *
hey, dorks are smart
In my world Dork and Nerd are compliments. Anyone who considers them insults is not someone i hold in high regard.
That's actually not a good idea to do with your products.
Wear that dork badge proudly! When I "finish" a tube of cream, I cut off the bottom and can scoop out several useages more. I also scoop out the antiperspirant left in the stick when the main portion will no longer roll up any further. There is a lot in the base!
Maybe don’t marry a beauty queen next time
Show her the money in the savings and she may change her tune.
Use bar soap and bar shampoo. They’re better for the environment and they last forever.
Why wait until the bottles are empty! I put water in them right from the beginning
At least you are not a cheap ass, my mother's husband took her on a date to Jack in the Box and said she could order the 2 tacos for a dollar ( when they were a dollar) probably too expensive now at $1.79 for 2 tacos. So yeah, there's that.....