Whether you’re in a financial crunch or just trying to live within your means, we’re all trying to pinch our pennies and save money where we can. So why not make the things you already have last longer. Here are a few different things you can literally cut in half to make them last longer and save money!
Sponges – cutting these in half will allow you to use less of one. You won’t even miss it and you’ll get double the life out of it. This includes the awesome magic erasers! Just cut them in half before you start to use them and set one aside until the other one is not longer usable.
Dryer Sheets – If you use dryer sheets, tear them in half before you stick one in the dryer (or better yet, you could get rid of them all together!).
Hand/Dish Soap – Start by filling your dispenser only halfway with soap. Then fill the rest with water and tip it back and forth until it’s mixed together. (Try not to shake it, this will cause bubbles to fill the bottle)
Laundry Soap – Depending on your machine, you should be able to only use ½ of what the suggested amount is on the bottle. Give it a try on a load and see if you notice a difference.
Shampoo, Conditioner and Toothpaste – Think you could be using less? Really all you need is a tiny amount of toothpaste to brush your teeth with. And why not see how little you can use to wash your hair with (it all depends on the length and thickness of your hair).
Paper Towels & Napkins – Often times when you reach for a paper towel, it’s to clean up a little spill. So why not rip it in half before you use it and save the other half for another time. (Or, you could get rid of them and use rags and fabric napkins that you could wash and reuse again.)
Juice – When you have 100% juice to drink, you really could water it down to make it last longer. Start with just ¾ juice to ¼ water and then see if you can get it down to ½ and ½. I bet your kids won’t even notice a difference.
Water – I’m not talking about the water you drink here but the water you use when showering, taking a bath or watering the grass. You could be using less than what you are now and save money on your water bill. So make sure when you’re brushing your teeth or shaving in the sink, you turn off the water instead of letting it run.
What are some things you “cut in half” to save money at your house? Do you miss it or notice a difference when you cut them in half? Let us know in the comments below so we can all save more money together!
cherri
I consider myself frugal; but hese ideas are FABULOUS.
Heather
Yay, I’m glad you like them!! Hopefully they help you save you even more!
Melissa
Instead of buying baby food I boil/steam veggies (store bought, frozen, or from a garden) and then puree It, adding water for desired thickness. Then I pour it into ice cube trays. After I flash freeze it, I cover with plastic wrap, and freeze it. Then I pour some into tupperware to use right away. Then I just pop out 1-3 cubes as needed and thaw them, or let them thaw on the go for a few hours out. I save so much compared to buying the store baby food!
Heather
That’s awesome! Such a good idea, thanks for sharing!
Jen Eagar
I rip Huggies wipes into forths, yes forths! Now my baby is a toddler I do thirds.
Heather
Go you! That’s great! I didn’t even think of baby wipes!
Kara
Depending on what I’m making, I often cut in half the amount if meat a recipe calls for.
Heather
So smart! Definitely one I’m going to start to do too.
Nan
We will buy turkeys and hams when they go on sale. (sometimes you can get them for $6-10). Freeze them and then throughout the year we will cook them up. If you break up the meet after you cook them you can use it for soups and casseroles. It will go a long way.
Heather
YES! Buying food and freezing it when it’s on sale is a great idea!! Awesome!
CAS
I don’t wear a lot of make-up so I cut my dry facial wipes in half. A half is enough to get my face clean. I love the wipes, but I don’t feel as guilty about the expense.
To save water, I bought a shower head that has a lever on it. You can turn the water off or down to a trickle while washing your hair, using conditioner, etc. then turn it back on full blast to rinse. I also have a tendency to enjoy long showers, so I set a kitchen timer to remind me to finish up. $ave money and water.
Heather
So smart! We’ll have to see if we can find a deal on a shower head like that because that would really help save on the water bill. (And who doesn’t love long showers 😉 )
Morgan
I’m cutting my hair (basically off!) to save on shampoo, conditioner, and hair products – and because I am ready for a BIG change. Also, to save me from going insane. 😉 Time is money, and doing my hair takes too much of both!
Heather
Wow! Go you! My hair is super long and I tend to use more product because of it so cutting my hair would cut back on other expenses for sure. Good tip!