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January 24, 2022

Just how far will you go to save money?

Sara Noel, founder of the Frugal Village, thinks people should make better use out of everyday items lying around the house. And she has a big following, one that loves squeezing just a little bit more out of every dollar.

So it's not surprising that items like toothpaste savers and caps that keep the fizz in opened soft drink cans, long the territory of late night infomercials, are showing up in big-box retailers like Wal-Mart along with custom sites chockful of money/time saving gadgets.
Just how much can you save by getting at every last drop? Well, more than you might think.

When Consumer Reports ran a series of tests to gauge how much skin lotion, detergent, and toothpaste is typically left over after you think you’ve used it all up, they determined  that, depending on the product, almost a quarter of the stuff you paid for could have easily been tossed in the trash.

The tests found out that lotions were the hardest to empty, and pump bottles leave 20% of the lotion behind.

To get at the rest, swap out the pump with a regular lid or flip-top saved from another empty bottle. Turn the bottle upside down to let gravity do its work, according to this report. You can also add a tiny bit of water or apply heat to eke out those last drops.

Is this more trouble than it's worth or do you have a frugal tip that's served you well?  

By Gordon Powers, MSN Money

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Gordon PowersGordon Powers

A long-time fund company executive, Gordon Powers now heads up the Affinity Group, a financial services consulting firm. Gordon was a personal finance columnist for the Globe & Mail for many years, has taught retirement planning...

Jason BucklandJason Buckland

The modern-day MC Hammer of money, Jason can often be seen spending cash that isn’t his with the efficiency of a Wilt Chamberlain first date. After cutting his teeth as a reporter for the Toronto Sun, he joined the MSN Money team with...