Using half

[amomof4]

I thought it would be interesting if people would list the things that they use only half of something.

I use 1/2 laundry detergent and 1/2 dishwashing detergent. I also use 1/2 sour cream, or close to it by diluting the sour cream with water. We tend to use less that way. It give the sour cream a creamy texture and a milder taste, similar to Taco Bell's sour cream. I actually like it better.

By switching to decaf, I drink 1/5 the amount of coffee. By re-using the coffee filter, I use 1/2 the amount of filters.

[Momtwo]

I also use 1/2 detergent for clothes and for dishes.

I dilute everything:

liquid dish soap
soap dispenser soap
shampoo
conditioner
body wash

[mom-from-missouri]

i use 1/2 fabric softner

[terry1156]

You can use 1/2 or even less with toothpaste and mouthwash. I also dilute many cleaning products like window cleaners such as Windex type cleaners.

[DivaJen]

I use a dab of toothpaste, a small squirt of liquid handsoap, half the laundry detergent, half a dryer sheet (sometimes) - pretty much the same things others have mentioned already.

[CherylOK]

I take a bread knife and cut through the middle of a roll of paper towels, to the core. Then I can tear off 1/2 a sheet at a time. Usually that is all I need, and my roll lasts almost twice as long!

[Tree0164]

I pretty much do the same as most of you. I don't do the papertowels though.

[mom-from-missouri]

Try sometime to wash clothes without soap. Why? To see if it suds up. If it does, (like mine did) that tells you that you have been using too much laundry soap. (plus, all that residue is beside your skin all day). Thats when I went to using less soap and fabric softner.

[Momtwo]

When making casseroles, I only use 1/2 lb. of meat!

[MargaretKur]

I dilute my dishwashing liquid so I get two bottles from one.

I buy the "select-a-size" or "pick-a-size" type of paper towels, although I wish they were perforated at half-size rather than what looks like 2/3-size. My husband prefers these to paper napkins, so I'd be crazy to buy the full size.

I only use a small amount of fabric softener, when I do use it, and only on certain types of clothes that can develop static cling. I read somewhere that fabric softener can make clothes more likely to catch fire (haven't checked it on Snopes, etc., though) so that's even more of a reason to limit its use.

In the winter, when I can get away with it, I only shampoo my hair every other day. That saves on shampoo and conditioner, also on my hair color! I use the semi-permanent which has to be redone about every 4 weeks, but when shampooing less often, I can wait about 6 weeks. That saves me 1/3 on hair color.

[PrincessPerky]

I bet you all think I have scraggly hair but, I only wash it about once or twice a week, and I get compliments all the time on how wonderful it is. Honest.

As long as I brush it (not just comb, and not the fake plastic brush either) the oil from the roots spreads to the whole length and I can skip the wash alot. (I do shower every day though, .)

I think the fact that I do not use ANY 'stuff' on it helps. No gel, no dye, no sprays, nothin just hair and a brush. The oil from my head is perfect for keeping most flyaways in check, and is still not bad enough to need washed. But I couldn't go from every other day to once or twice a week overnight, it was a gradual thing, brought about by a DD who was not happy without mommy for a month or two. TIme stolen to get clean was not always wasted on hair!

Anyway, my DD doesn't either, but my DS and DH do cause they use gel to keep the hair curly not frizzy, bout a pound of it too. I wish I had a way to make gel cheap.

[DivaJen]

I made blonde bronwies last night and used half the amount of chocolate chips suggested. Half seemed like plenty - and I am a big fan of chocloate.

[leewill72]

I give my boys' crew cuts and i bet they still use more shampoo than i do, and my hair is more than halfway down my back.

[barbd00]

I use half (or less) meat. I almost always add my meat to rice, pasta or veggies and chop it up. I can usually use 1/2 lb of burger or 1 chicken breast per meal. That way my family is getting more of the healthier stuff and I am spending less money.

[amomof4]

This is not exactly using half, but almost. I add an extra can of water to frozen juice concentrate. I started doing this when my girls were babies instead of buying the baby food juice stuff. It works well with all juices except orange juice.