What Things Do You Make LAST LONGER?

[BCHGRL]

Clothes - my mom and I are the same size so we shop each other's closets for new clothes. My mom is still wearing some of my clothes from high school (mid-90s). We buy more less-trendy clothes (polo shirts) that never really go out of style.

Do the same as everyone else for laundry, dishwashing detergent and dryer sheets. I guess this is not making something last longer, but if I have a dry clean item that isn't very dirty, I use a dryer sheet to freshen it up rather than expensive dryell or dry cleaning. I wash some dry clean only items in the washing machine if they are a cotton type of fabric.

Pantyhose - Somehow I have a knack for ruining them so I only wear them when absolutely necessary (i.e. meeting with customers) so I haven't bought new ones in years.

Car - maintain both paid off cars with regular oil changes and check-ups with the hopes that they will stay in good repair for many years to come.

Old towels and rags - use as rags to clean cars

Dining out - never let a good leftovers go to waste

Plastic bags from the grocery store - save and carry my lunch in them.

bridal bouquet - silk flowers that are now a wall decoration in my guest bedroom. I also used shells as my wedding aisle, so now we are using the shells as decorations in our home.

[Ima saver]

I turn bottles upside down too. We get our oil changed every time needed. Sometimes, i reuse aluminum foil! We bring all leftovers home, if we don't eat them (and we usually do) then the dogs get the leftovers.

[LuxLiving]

Suck my lolly instead of biting!

[PrincessPerky]

Originally Posted by LuxLiving

Suck my lolly instead of biting!

heh

[DivaJen]

I reuse plastic spoons and such when we get them from other places.
I use bread bags, tortilla bags, etc. for packing sandwiches and such.
I use waxed paper repeatedly, and aluminum foil too.

A few things that come to mind.

[scrava]

This isn't actually mine but I got it from another board:
water your plants w/ water collected in a dehumidifier.
I also change clothes when iget home from work in order to keep work clothes nicer longer.

[Ima saver]

I buy plastic cups and washed them each time in the dish washer, so we use them over and over again.

[LuxLiving]

We use a thermos for coffee. Seems like on ours it -used to be- that the burner was always what went out. Now we brew, carafe to thermos, unplug maker.

[fruggal]

I have to use a special pricey shampoo for a hair problem, so to save money I buy the cheapest on sale shampoo I can find and use it as a first shampooing to remove styling product build-up and rinse well. Then I only have to use a half-dime size or less of my pricey shampoo for the second lathering and it works just as well. Since doing this, my pricey shampoo lasts 3 times as long as it used to.

[snafu]

Use water that potatoes cooked in to water plants. Cook down poultry or beef bones to make stock. Freeze leftover veggies in zip bag for home made soup or stew.

[rob62521]

If you make bread, snafu, that potato water is good flavoring.

I use the paper coffee filters more than once since I don't make a full pot.

I use cloth napkins and unless they are badly soiled, we use them more than once...same with towels.

I save my plastic containers for a friend who owns a small restaurant. She often takes leftovers home and she uses these to take them home.

I take my coffee in a thermos instead of using disposable cups and I have been reusing a glass bottle to make my own bottled tea. I also use a small thermos for water instead of buying bottled water.

[Nightfly]

On cars: I keep an eye on all of the engine fluids on a regular basis (at least once a month). Keeping them washed and clean also removes any pangs of "gee, it's time to get a new car..."

[photo]

A big one is cars. We do our research, buy new and drive them until either they die or are in need of repairs that don't justify the costs.

Bed sheets. The older the softer, right?

When milk nears its expiration and there's a moderate amount left, it's pudding time.

Paper -- unless it's a sensitive or financial document, any paper with extra space goes into a pile that becomes grocery lists and so forth.

Speaking of paper, I only print with color when it's a map (too difficult to read B&W for me) or something where color is important. Also, I print on the economical setting unless there is a need for something more formal.

One thing I despise is trying to squeeze the last out of the toothpaste. Why can't manufacturers put it in a little jar so we could easily scoop out the last remnants?

[DebbieL]

I water down shampoo and conditioner at the end of the bottle. I can usually get at least a few more uses out of it that way.

I never use as much laundry soap as they want you to. I eyeball it, but it sure isn't what the directions say.

I squeeze the hell out of the end of a toothpaste tube. I haven't actually gone so far as to cut one open yet, but I've been tempted

I use lipstick/cover up well past the bottom edge of the tube. I hate that they only put about 1/2 of the product in a way that is usable for the packaging. I always just use the other end of a pair of tweezers (the handle part) to dig my way in and scoop it out afterwards. I get several months more out of these items by doing so. It's ridiculous if anyone just throws it away (and I'm betting a lot of people do).

I have loads of others too, many of which have already been mentioned in this thread.

[snafu]

Debbie: Talk to someone at the cosmetic counter about using a lipstick brush. It gives a smoother look using less product and allows you to use every last bit. A quality brush, well cared for lasts many years.

[nelly.hartley]

My mother used to reuse left over tomato ketchup sauce by adding vinegar to its last drop. It was really funny to see my mother trying to use all of it. The vinegar would make the taste weird.

[DebbieL]

Originally Posted by snafu

Debbie: Talk to someone at the cosmetic counter about using a lipstick brush. It gives a smoother look using less product and allows you to use every last bit. A quality brush, well cared for lasts many years.

Good idea!