You know I'm tight when ... The Soap Saver

You know I'm tight when ...

... you see this hanging in the shower!

Soap.  In an onion bag!  But there's a reason for this macabre pairing.  Read on !

As we all know, soap eventually wears down to a small stub which slips out of your hand when you try to use it.  Well, I try to use them, maybe you don't!  Maybe I'm the only tight person in the room!

But I cannot bear to see these little stubs of soap being thrown away so  our household collects  I collect them. 

The Photographer's method is to place the little piece on top the new bar of soap.  It's a good idea but when wet and in action, this little soap pile tor can fall apart.

Now, do you remember back in the 50s/60s, when we used to collect the small pieces remaining from a bar of soap and pop them into a little bag made of sponge and sealed with blanket stitch?

I certainly do.

I googled to see if I could find a shot to describe this better.   I found nothing but did discover that there are quite a few like-minded bods out in the blogosphere, because I found lots of pics such as

and

and

even this pretty complicated piece of kit!

Research done, let's return to my money and planet saving efforts.

Tired of the soap avalanches, I started collecting them in a cut-down onion bag.  I thought this was a good idea as this rough little netted bundle creates an exfoliant treatment, which I started giving myself  on a regular basis when I remember.  But it is a tad harsh on the skin!

So I then came up with a better solution.  I started collecting the soap-stubs in a little exfoliant mitt to give myself a gentler exfoliation.  This is all a work in progress.  I think my next step is to knit a little draw-string bag to collect and use my stubs.

More and more of us move to hand and shower washes, leaving the humble bar of soap as but a memory, but it is still alive and relic-like in the less modern household.  Like Chez Pout!

The Photographer still likes soap in the shower and I have to say that I use it a few times a week too, like on exfoliation days!

What do you do with your soap stubs?

Or is it not an issue because you are a soapbar-free household? 

A la perchoine.

  



You know I'm tight when ... The Tube Cutter .

Hi my darlings, hope today is bringing you joy and fulfilment.

Today's been a gob-smackingly gorgeous Spring day so it's brought me joy and fulfilment in bucket loads.  Last week, not so much.  Whilst I wasn't quite confined to barracks, I did spend more time indoors than I would have liked due to rain and winds.  

On one such stir-crazy day, I found myself walking around the bathroom noting signs that a pensioner lives in this house!  You know, random little things,  money-saving, some quirky, some a tad old-lady.  And I started taking photos because, well, because I just like sharing with you guys !

When I took stock of the photos, I realised that these aren't funny ways I'd taken up now that I'm living on a reduced income.  I realised that some are things I've been doing since my early teens, like the one I share with you here today.  

Creams came out of pocket money back then in my teens, or from holiday job earnings, and I often found myself with a seemingly empty tube of moisturiser or foundation, and no money for a replacement.  So I eked every last drop of everything. 

And so this frugal habit has continued, apparently.

 So without further waffle, here's my first stop during my pictorial walkabout.  You know I'm tight when you see ...

this.  The cut tube.

 Tubes eventually appear to be empty.  But they are so not!  I dissect the tube, then I "live" off the cream that would otherwise have been thrown away with the tube.  Often there is an amazing amount still in the tube.  Often I live off the dregs for days.  (I use this Clarins product on an irregular basis so it lasts for simply ages anyway) 

The Clarins plastic is quite hard to snip but this is a better example of my work ...

Unadulterated.

Adulterated.

This is usually the end result, a much neater sealed container.  Aethestically pleasing and far more hygienic as the tube is properly sealed.

BTW, I have quickly become infatuated with this moisturiser.  If you haven't already developed your own little love affair with it I really do recommend you try it.  And Boots is selling this Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream at half price right now, £3.49, so it would be rude not to try it eh?

So let's talk about gels.  

I just love the feel of gels on my skin.  And I swear gel does something quite magical to older skin.  Gel seems to tighten the skin as it moisturises and my skin feels fresher, cleaner too.

So with this big gelmance going on,  I grab an eye gel whenever I can.  Same thing, gel's divine on the eyes too. OK, brace yourselves.  Waitrose Pure Eye Gel is sold at £1.33.  And frequently Waitrose does one of those BOGOFs on it.  I pounce and scoop up multiple buys!

With these two buys my whole face is fully moisturised for under a fiver!

Now, a warning.  If you've read about my approach to about eye hygiene (SEE HERE) , it will not surprise you that I definitely do not advocate using the thrifty cutting open technique with eye products.  Nuff said.

I keep my face clear of any creams or products at night.  My face likes this break and shows its thanks by feeling moist when I wake up. Each to her own, this may not work for your skin type but that's the way my skin rolls.

So with no night cream,  that really IS my full 24/7 skin care for under £5!

And now, this is probably quite "duh", but I've only just realised that the amount that's squeezed out of tube with one squeeze before it runs out of puff is probably the right amount per application.

Yeah, it's really DUH and I am a tad embarrassed about only realising this recently but it really stands to reason that the clever designers would design tubes so that the prescribed amount  comes out in one splosh on your hand.

So, I've got that off my chest, but if you haven't worked that one out yet, well, you're welcome!

And finally, here's the funny thing.   I thought it was just old me who cuts her tubes, so to speak!  But I think Anna of Mutton Style has been tube cutting and Lisa of Coast to Coast showed a pic of her tube work yesterday.  Great minds eh?


So, dear readers, today I've shared with you two great moisturizing products.  And I've shared tube-cutting to get the most from your buys, but maybe you've been doing this for years too?   Maybe you've got money saving tips you'd like to share today?  I'd love to hear from you in the comments box below ..





A la perchoine.