I have asked this question before, with a similar photo, but I ask again, is this cheap or just frugal.
Yes, I did buy a special implement, to make sure the transfers went well, but is it frugal? It works very nicely for HP Sauce bottles as well. When I start mixing the cereal (i.e. putting “the bottom” of a box of old cereal into a newer box), then I will know I have become my mother.
originally published on May 6, 2015 { 16 comments }
Good ideas 
Frugal and smart!!
It will take a long time for that gadget to pay for itself. It sounds like you were going to do this anyhow, with or without the gadget.
Frugal.
Frugal as I do it all the time with condiments, shampoo, conditioners, lotion (depending on what it is). Basically anything that doesn’t have an expiry date.
Absolutely good frugality – though I can do without the gadget – one of my Mom’s funnels with the skinny spout cut off works fine. Mostly it’s used to wrangle mega tin (cheaper) of ketchup into the couple of bottles or jars we have around. Generally though, a ketchup bottle with the dregs in it gets a slosh of water/wine poured into it, shaken, then poured into whatever soup is on the go. Same thing with a detergent bottle: fill it with water shake a bit to get the remains of the soap into the dishwater. Keep it simple, always keep it simple.
#Frugal.
How about environmentally friendly? 🙂 If you didn’t drain the remaining ketchup, it would go down the drain when you rinsed the bottle and more of it would end up in waste water. People often don’t consider that unused product ends up in a landfill or water treatment.
I cut open toothpaste tubs and lotion bottles. I paid for the product, why waste it?
That’s frugal in my book. Cheap is when you go to McDonald’s and take the free ketchup and use it at home.
That’s frugal. You could have been even more frugal if you didn’t purchase the gadget.
The gadget was about $4, and given the number of times I did this without it, and the mess that I created, I viewed it as a worthwhile investment.
I’ve had good luck balancing the bottles without the gadgets. I do the same with shampoo bottles.
It is a tenuous balancing act with this, the gadget makes it easier for simple souls such as myself. I wouldn’t use it for Shampoo bottles (I would use brute force on those). Also some bottles are easier than others (Detergent and Softeners for example):
‘The bottom’ of the cereal box is the best part.
Plus if you pour it into a new box, it just falls .. to the bottom.
But that is frugal. Cheap would be filling your bottle with ketchup packs you took from a restaurant.
Frugal. …But more on top of that. I wash the finished bottles in the sink with other dishes after dinner and if the ketchup/mustard/brown sauce/etc., bottles aren’t almost entirely empty it makes a helluva mess in the water and on the other dishes. It’s better to let the excess drain out (and save it) before washing.