Frugal Habits
It was my father who taught me to stick the small, leftover bath soap with the new bar of soap.
When I was little, I guess there was one in the family who opposed to doing this (it certainly was not me!) because he would say over and over again, “What’s the difference between the small soap and the big soap?”
This is one of my quirks which must have made my husband go bonkers when we were newlyweds (Hmm.. maybe my dad was arguing back then with my mom). I would stick the old soap with the new soap before he took his bath, and as soon as he was finished, I would find the two separated.
I would exclaim, “What’s the difference between the small soap and the big soap?”
No answer of his would be good enough to satisfy me.
I cannot bear to see a small soap unused, and allowed to go to waste just because it is a leftover. It really, actually pains me to see it get dry and then later thrown away, because nobody wants to use it. I read a suggestion to recycle it as a freshener for closets or drawers, but I find it unacceptable. I dislike artificial air fresheners particularly in closets. Besides, a soap is for washing, period.
Another practice taught by my father is when the toothpaste tube seems empty, I will cut it in two. Then I will use the toothbrush to scrape the leftover toothpaste in the tube. Try it, and you will be pleasantly surprised at how much brushing sessions you can get out of the leftover toothpaste.
In the first year of our married life, hubby would literally beg me to get the new toothpaste as soon as I walked in the bathroom, scissors in hand. But, boy, I was adamant. We had to scrape off all the remaining toothpaste before I would get out the new one - and that was safely hidden from impatient hands.
Hubby has gotten used to my habits after living together for years. He no longer bothers to get the small soap off the new bar, and he asks for a new tube ONLY WHEN the cut tube is clean as a slate. I think he has finally learned to appreciate the benefits of my ways.
Weird maybe, but we have saved money, unquestionably.
Jo Santos:
Hi Cess,
I’ma constant lurker here in your site. This one I cannot ssem to pass, becuase this oh-so-like me, and my husband as well. We’ve been married for 8 years and he has already gooten to it. Practice lang talaga. BTW, I do it also for facial wash, lotions, etc., sayang kasi
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30 July 2008, 12:26 pmJo Santos:
BTW, I learned it also from my father….
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30 July 2008, 12:28 pmfeng:
naku Cess. same here! ganyang ganyan din ako, said to the max ang toothpaste. at ang little leftover soaps, iniipon ko sa isang bottle with a little water, then I mash it. great for hand washing!
fengs last blog post..NOW EXCLUDED FROM THE PAYROLL
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30 July 2008, 2:39 pmCookie:
I do the soap thing too. My husband hates it too. I even used to collect all his soap chip and make it into a soap ball but I gave up after he kept throwing it away. Haven’t tried the toothpaste thing but I will, for sure
Cookies last blog post..Did You Have A Duckie?
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30 July 2008, 3:22 pmraqgold:
i dont know where our left over soaps are… parati syang ubos kaya i dont really know if i would do something like that or not
raqgolds last blog post..Who’s Getting Married?
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30 July 2008, 3:41 pmsoloops:
Cess,
Tawa ako nga tawa while reading this. My mom used to do it differently with the soap-she would stick foil under one side then after everyone in the family is done bathing, she would get the soap then ibibilad sa araw.
It makes me think tuloy, why do I throw away all those soap chips, sayang..
The toothpaste thing-I do that too.
Another frugal habit-I use used laundry soapy water to clean the bathroom.
soloopss last blog post..forever babies in Mama’s eyes
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30 July 2008, 4:53 pmann:
Noong mga bata pa kami ganyan din mother ko. Ngayon kahit anong bilin ko sa mga bata (particularly Josh) pag wala na syang mailabas na toothpaste tapon agad sa garbage bag.
You gave me an idea, dapat siguro ilagay ko sa mataas na place yung lalagyan ko ng mga bagong toothpaste and soap para di sila agad makakuha ng kapalit.
anns last blog post..Champorado
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30 July 2008, 8:12 pmMommyBa:
at ganyan din ako! my mom’s the one who taught us that naman. at least hindi ako nag-iisa! hehehehehe!
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30 July 2008, 8:56 pmauee:
I do that, too! I get rid of the soap only when we have house guests hehe
Toothpaste… I roll it up like a tootsie-roll. And bottles, hubby & I always put them upside-down. This goes for ketchup, shampoo, lotion etc.
auees last blog post..Barbican Gallery Animation 2008
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30 July 2008, 10:25 pmRach (Heart of Rachel):
Hi Cess. I have the habit of throwing away small chips of soap. I think I like your idea. Nowadays, we really have to make the most of things. I will try to do this next time. As for toothpaste, I use a toothpaste “roller” so I can maximize the contents of the tube.
Rach (Heart of Rachel)s last blog post..Teach Children To Be Successful
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30 July 2008, 10:32 pmEwok:
Oh I do this too. I hate to waste the small leftover soap. Every little thing helps and every little thing adds up later on.
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30 July 2008, 11:38 pmMitch:
I do that hahahaha!
Mitchs last blog post..Litratong Pinoy : Dalampasigan
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31 July 2008, 2:57 amWenchie:
Hi Cess, ako I throw small chips of soap sa toilet bowl. Hayaan ko dun matunaw, he he..Sa toothpaste pag di ako tamad, I also cut it.
Wenchies last blog post..The Real State of the Nation
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31 July 2008, 10:18 ammixednuts:
My hubby is the one who puts the old soap with the big one. It doesn’t bother me. In fact I think it is good idea to use something to its full potential.
mixednutss last blog post..Project Runway Philippines
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31 July 2008, 4:33 pmjulie:
Re soap I do it like Feng, ginagawa kong “liquid soap”
Same with the bottles of lotion, ketchup and other sauces, nakataob. With the toothpaste I don’t cut, I remove the cover and pinch ever so hard
julies last blog post..3 Tips for Keeping Your Cool in Special Education
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31 July 2008, 5:06 pmjeenee:
big soaps are easier to hold.
but because of high prices in the market, people should learn to be thrifty and prefer the smaller soaps. 
nice entries.
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31 July 2008, 5:24 pmMrs. Maybrook:
I did that myself for a while, but my husband asked me to stop. So, I now take the small soap and use it myself until it just disappears. Funny that so many husbands don’t like this!
Mrs. Maybrooks last blog post..Reading Wives and Daughters
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1 August 2008, 9:36 pmsunshine:
haha! natawa ako sa post mo. kasi guilty ako. hehehehe.
btw, i read somewhere that you can melt the soap in the microwave and use it for handwash. try it sometime. mahilig ka naman mag-experiment eh. hehe
sunshines last blog post..When the Stress Comes
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2 August 2008, 6:28 amchateau a.k.a. imom:
hahaha. It’s quite quirky, but I must admit I have some frugal practices too. Like, i turn upside-down those near-empty bottles of lotions and ketchups. Sayang eh. I also make taktak the shampoo and conditioner tubes, haha!
Wala naman masyadong comments si hub… Gustong gusto nya nga nakakatipid sya haha
chateau a.k.a. imoms last blog post..Birthday Thoughts
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2 August 2008, 11:20 amRaquel:
Thank you for this tip Cess. It’s a great idea about the leftover bath soap, I didn’t know about that. But I do the same way sa toothpaste para makatipid.
Raquels last blog post..Why is it so hard to lose weight?
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2 August 2008, 9:30 pmcielo:
hindi pala ako nag iisa, I am passing it to my kids and my alalay. my hubby is also used to it.
ang hirap ng buhay kailangan talaga ng mga ganitong mga practical tips.
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3 August 2008, 11:34 amannamanila:
Yes, those leftover and unsightly soap bits can be a problem.
Maybe, just maybe … put this on liquid soap bottles .. shake, shake, and rattle … you get the drift. Ahh, i will try that too.
In our family, it is my husband who cuts the toothpaste tube in half.
annamanilas last blog post..Conversations With Myself
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4 August 2008, 1:42 pm