How To Make What You Have Last Longer

Saving money isn’t always about how to find deals on clothing or how to save on your energy bills, although those are all good things.

Many times, it’s about making the things you have last longer and therefore stretching your dollar.

The longer your things last, the more money you’ll save because it means less replacements!

This is a pretty extensive list ahead, so let’s get saving!

Try these tips to make what you have last longer and keep stretching your dollar!

Because when you make items last longer, the more money you’ll save!

And, with these lasting longer tips, you’ll save more from going in the trash can and into the landfill too.

Plus, by stretching your dollar, you’ll be able to make due what you have so you don’t waste it.

Oh, and don’t forget to please comment at the end if you think of something to add to it!

Stretching Your Dollar In The Kitchen

Fresh produce will stay fresher longer when wrapped in a paper towel. Check out these other ways to make your produce last longer with these ways to keep stretching your dollar.

Avocados: Find a great deal on avocados? Once you get them home, make them into guacamole, being sure to add lemon juice and load into a freezer Ziplock bag. Press the bags flat and squeeze out as much air as you can and freeze! Now you’ll have it when you need it!

Fresh Herbs: Crush or chop any fresh herbs that you’ve not used and place them on a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Then dry in a low oven until fully dried. Grind into a powder or chop smaller and store in an airtight container.  You can also freeze them in an ice cube tray with some olive oil for easy meal preparation.

Lettuce, Cilantro & Green Onions: Once the produce has been washed, place in between a kitchen towel to absorb any moisture. Then, place the towel inside a plastic container.

Mozzarella, Feta, Gorgonzola (or any soft cheeses): In a small plastic bowl with lid, add a salt water solution and submerge the cheese. It will stay good for months.

Potatoes & Apples: Store together in a dark, cool space together. The apples will keep the potatoes from sprouting.

Salsa, Sour Cream, Cottage Cheese: Turn your jars upside down when you store them to prevent mold developing.

Tomato Paste: Scoop out the leftover tomato paste with a cookie scoop and place them on a cookie sheet with some parchment paper. Freeze until solid and then add to a freezer bag. That way the tomato paste doesn’t get wasted and you have some whenever you need it.

Watermelon, Melons and Fruit Salads: Add a colander to a bowl, and add the cut watermelon to the colander. This leaves the fruit to drain through the colander, so it won’t get soggy.

More Kitchen Tips

Flour, Rice, Dry Mixes: Store dry goods in the freezer so they last longer and don’t get bugs inside them. Flour and other types of grains are the best candidates for this. Did you realize you can even freeze your cookies after they are baked… although, who doesn’t eat up all the cookies in a batch?

Meat: Purposely make a double batch of any meat when you cook to freeze one for a quick dinner either later in the week, or next month.

Use one main meat item, such as a rotisserie chicken, and get several meals out of it. Eat one for dinner, make sandwiches the next day and then cook the carcass for broth.

Reuse: Keep your plastic containers from cottage cheese and other products to store things in such as leftovers or even items from around your house.

Soup Ready: Keep one of those empty sour cream containers in the freezer ready to fill with ingredients for soup. Toss in onion peels, vegetable ends, small pieces of leftover meat and make a broth with it for soup.

Saving On Personal Care Items

Stretching your dollar can often be overlooked in the bathroom. Don’t miss these lasting longer tips to make items last longer!

Bar Soap – Use a small mesh bag to place soap scraps in and then use them for washing hands. Or place the bar in a soap holder that drains the water away from the bar. This keeps the bar dry and it will last longer.  Soap drainers, much like these, lift the bar off the counter and let the water drain off.

Deodorant: With tweezers, pull the platform from the spindle that has the last bits of deodorant stuck in it. Add the platform to the cap and blast with a hairdryer until the deodorant has melted into the cap. Add the deodorant liquid to a new stick. Wait until it has dried before applying.

Hairspray: If you have a metal container, squeeze the container to release the leftover hairspray left. If you have a plastic hairspray bottle, add the last bit of liquid to your next spray bottle.

Perfume: Add the last drops of your favorite perfume to an unscented lotion. Now the lotion is scented with your favorite scent!

Razors – Clean and dry your razor after each use (just wipe the blades on your towel) to help them stay sharper longer. You can also apply some baby oil to your razor to help it last longer. Also, use conditioner as a shaving cream. It not only is great for your skin, but good for the razor too.

Shampoo/Conditioner – Did you realize you can get a double use out of your bottle of shampoo? For me (and those of us with a lot of hair) I already use two bottles of conditioner for each bottle of shampoo. I realize it would be better to stretch the conditioner, but I haven’t found that to work very well. Instead, when my bottle of shampoo is 1/3 used, add water and stretch it to last another whole bottle of conditioner! So now, instead of using 2 bottles of shampoo for each bottle of conditioner, you can stretch it to two!

Shower Gel – When you use a pouf or loofah along with your shower gel, you’ll only need a small amount to produce a lot of lather.

Toothpaste – Roll up from the bottom. When it is all squeezed out cut open the tube and get one last use.

Saving On Makeup

Makeup is expensive! Period. Start using these tips to stretching your dollar on all your makeup products! You’ll not only make items last longer, but you’ll be saving your hard earned money too!

Crushed Makeup: Fix broken makeup by first crushing the rest of the makeup into powder. Apply several drops of rubbing alcohol and then mixing it into the makeup. Press the makeup back together and into the container with the back of a spoon. Once the alcohol has dried, the makeup can be used again.

Foundation: If you’re down to the last couple of drops, add a few small blobs of facial moisturizer to the bottle to make a tinted moisturizer. That way you’re not wasting the last bits left of your foundation. Also, you can use a Q-tip to get the last bit of many kinds of makeup out of the container. Just one extra use is stretching your dollar and adds up to a whole bottle eventually!

Lip Gloss: Down to the last drop? Pull off the rubber squeegee at the top of the tube. This will let you get the last bit left before you can run to the store to get a new one. This also works with concealer bottles too!

Lipstick: Broke your new stick? You can do these things: melt it down and pour it back into the tube or use a lighter to stick the broken piece back onto the stick. When you get down to the last little of your lipstick, you can also use a lip brush to get the rest out.

Makeup Palettes: Freshen, disinfect and clean your makeup palette by spritzing rubbing alcohol onto your palette and wiping the residue off with a cotton ball, cotton pad or paper towel. This not only disinfects the makeup, but it will help reveal true colors and clean the makeup palette.

Mascara, Gel Eyeliner or Creme Shadow: Add a couple of drops of saline solution to revive dried makeup. Although, mascara should be replaced every three months due to possible bacteria buildup.

Moisturizer, Lotion or any Tubes: Cut open the tube to reveal the last bits left. Use your finger or a Q-Tip to reach the leftovers. Put the tube top back over the bottom to protect any leftovers you can still use or put it in a jar.

Nail Polish: Is your nail polish too tacky to apply? Add several drops of nail polish remover to revive your dried up nail polish.

Powder: If the oils from your face have left your pressed face powder or blush hard, apply a piece of packing page. This will remover the hard parts leaving the fresh powder underneath. You can also pop the bottom on most loose powder containers to reveal the last bit of powder left.

Stretching Your Dollar On Cleaning Supplies

Hand & Dish Soap – Make hand soap last longer by investing in a foaming hand soap dispenser. Simply dilute your regular hand soap with 1/3 water and it will last longer without any lack of cleansing power. You can do this with dish soap too.

Then, make your own hand soap with my DIY Natural Foaming Hand Soap! At around 6¢ per bottle, the price can’t be beat!

Laundry Soap – This may be hard to believe but you can dilute your laundry soap by half, and you won’t even notice. Or simply use half as much!

If you’re looking to make your own to save even more money, try these DIY Recipes:

• DIY Liquid Laundry Detergent
• Powder Laundry Detergent.
• Natural Fabric Softener
• Laundry Stain Remover
• DIY Dryer Sheets
• Laundry Scent Booster

Dryer Sheets & Sponges – Cut both of these items in half so that you get twice the bang for your buck. I promise you will not miss the other half.

Cleaners – Don’t spray directly on counter tops or appliances. Instead, spray the cleaner on a cloth and wipe things down. You’ll use way less and have the same clean effect.

Try these DIY Cleaning Recipes to save you more money:

• Disinfectant Spray
• Shower Cleaner
• Vinegar Citrus Cleaner
• Stainless Steel Cleaner
• Glass Cleaner
• Toilet Cleaner
• Wood & Furniture Cleaner
• Garbage Disposal Cleaner

Cleaning Towels – Cut old towels or T-Shirts into squares to use just like you would a paper towel. Only they can be washed and reused. I also use these as all-natural dryer sheets by spraying with vinegar and adding a few drops of essential oils on them.

Saving Around The House

Candles: Did you know that candles will burn slower (therefore lasting longer) when they are frozen first? Pretty neat, right? Also, as you get to the very bottom of a candle, melt down the remaining wax and pour it into a single jar you keep just for this. Then, visit the craft store for a new wick and Voila, you’ve got a whole new candle! You can also reuse your wax melts again by just adding more candle scent to them!

Crayons: Melt old crayons in the microwave (or a double boiler) and pour into silicone ice cube trays or soap molds. You can easily make rainbow crayons out of the small broken pieces!

Electric Bill: Lower Your Electric Bill By $40 Per Month with these tips. 

Flowers: Use these tips to make your bouquets last longer!

Mattresses: Make sure you flip and rotate your mattress monthly in order to give it even wear so it will last longer. Also use a mattress protector. It will protect against spills, stains, mold, and allergens.

Markers: Dried out markers can be revived by soaking in a bit of alcohol.

Pillows: Clean and fluff your pillows regularly to keep them working and looking like new. Use a pillow protector as it helps to keep your body oils from flattening the pillow fibers.

Appliances:

Air Conditioner: Have your air vents cleaned yearly and replace filters monthly to keep your air conditioner in tip-top shape. Also, have it serviced once a year by a technician to help it stay running in tip-top shape.

Dishwasher: Clean the built in disposal often. Check the jets to make sure they are clear and free of buildup and the seals around the door to make sure they are free of debris.

Dryer: Make sure you clean the dryer lint out of the dryer with every single use! Use a duct brush to make sure the inside of the dryer is free of lint and debris. Don’t overload your dryer which is the quickest way to break a belt.

Oven: Check and clean seals regularly. Replace when needed.

Refrigerator: Your refrigerator will last longer if you clean and vacuum coils on a quarterly basis. Keep the seals clean by washing with soap and water often.

Washer: Make sure it is level and the water hoses are good. They can wear over time which include blistering and breaking.

Water Heater: Flush your water heater yearly to clear the heater of any sediments.

Vacuum: Before using, check the vacuum for clogs in the hoses and clear any hair and debris from the brush. Then, before using on your carpets, make sure you have picked up any large debris or items that could catch up into the brush. Don’t bang into your furniture as it may wear on the parts inside the vacuum. Slowing down helps to pick up more dirt and debris. Also, run the vacuum in overlapping patterns will make sure it has picked up the dirt well. Once you are done, clean out the bags or any dust compartments. Then, clean or replace any filters regularly.

Saving Your Clothes

Good clothes are often expensive. That’s why we need to use these stretching your dollar tips to make them last us a long, long time.

Clothing – Wear it again! The washer and dryer are the biggest reason your clothes wear out faster. If you haven’t worn it long, doesn’t have stains or smells, hang it up to wear again. I often leave the shirt or dress inside out so that I know I’ve already worn it once. This way, I’ll know to wash it after I’m done wearing it that day. This process also saves on water and clothes cleaning supplies.

Consider hanging up your clothes because the dryer wears them out sooner. It will also save you money in energy costs as well.

Jeans – To keep these looking like new, only wash when needed. Turn them inside out and then wash in cold water. Line dry to keep them looking newer for longer!

Mend It : Did you know that YouTube has hundreds of videos on how to mend clothes and other items around your home. Instead of tossing an item in the trash or donation bin, mend it!

Shoes: Use a magic eraser to clean white parts of shoes. Apply Shoe Goo to repair cracked parts of shoe toes and gorilla glue or super glue to repair separating parts of shoes.

Got a scuff mark? See if there’s a Sharpie marker in the same color to match! You never know what will cover a scuff mark.

These simple tips have the potential to save you big in the long run.

Remember, stretching your dollar over the long haul is more successful when treated like a marathon than a sprint. 

There are many other ways you can stretch things as well. You simply need to think outside the box.

Because when you make items last longer, the more money you’ll save!

And, with these lasting longer tips, you’ll save more from going in the trash can and into the landfill too.

Plus, by stretching your dollar, you’ll be able to make due what you have so you don’t waste it.

Don’t miss these other great tips on What it really means to be Frugal!

YOUR TURN: What items have you had a long time that makes you think you really got your money’s worth? Let me know in the comments below!

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