Comments (scroll down to add your own):

1. Your personal finance wisdom knows no bounds.

   Comment by FMF — Sep 6th 2007 @ 9:53 am

2. you have to be kidding me… ahhahahahaha this is ridiculous

   Comment by jim — Sep 6th 2007 @ 10:14 am

3. I think you’re brilliant! Great tip!

   Comment by Kim — Sep 6th 2007 @ 10:24 am

4. How sad is it that as I read this I keep thinking, “Wow, why didn’t I think of that?”

   I haven’t refilled a tube, before, but I have gotten every last tiny bit out of the tube including resorting to using a toothpick and cutting it open. Granted, it was a very expensive tube of toothpaste that my wife and I only use once a day, but still…

   Comment by Blaine Moore — Sep 6th 2007 @ 10:26 am

5. Nice tip; I didn’t think refilling a tube could be so easy. Since I travel more than a few times a year, I’ll be doing this as well.

   Comment by Him — Sep 6th 2007 @ 10:56 am

6. That’s kind of nuts. What I do is stop using the regular sized tube when I’m down towards the end. I keep that one for travel and pull out a new tube. I realize on short notice, this stunt was your best bet, but you are darned lucky. I kind of picture a Buster Keaton/Charlie Chaplin routine with stuff dribbling out everywhere. Now that’s entertainment!

   Comment by mapgirl — Sep 6th 2007 @ 11:43 am

7. Mapgirl, unfortunately, they don’t allow anything larger than a 3.2 oz container no matter how much it contains. As long as your almost empty container is less than 3.2 oz, then you are fine. If it is larger, you run the risk of being forced to toss it.

   Nickel, not a bad idea.

   Comment by Patrick — Sep 6th 2007 @ 8:43 pm

8. I can’t believe there is someone else out there that does this and I can’t believe that someone hasn’t come up with a larger container that can be refilled from or an adapted that can be screwed to each tube to make it a little less messy. I’ve been refilling travel tubes for years.

   Comment by Breckrider — Sep 7th 2007 @ 6:52 am

9. I should make fun of you, but I do this regularly with my hair gel. Somehow I get plenty of small toothpaste from my dentist visits.

   Be proud!

   Comment by Jonathan — Sep 7th 2007 @ 7:19 am

10. How about not brushing you teeth on the plane and bring a full size toothpaste in your luggage? Eat gum for 10 hours won’t kill you and you will save a lot of time!

    Comment by The Financial Blogger — Sep 7th 2007 @ 8:15 am

11. Jonathan: I should make fun of you simply based on the fact that you use hair gel.

    TFB: I don’t check luggage when I fly for business. It’s really not worth waiting around to check the bags in or to pick them up at baggage claim just so I can bring a full-size toothpaste.

    Comment by nickel — Sep 7th 2007 @ 8:20 am

12. I’ll have to remember that. It sounds awfully tricky, though.

    Comment by Mrs. Micah — Sep 7th 2007 @ 1:21 pm

13. Shhhh – don’t tell TSA

    Comment by Pam — Sep 7th 2007 @ 7:05 pm

14. Done the same thing with everything. Especially with the rigid rules now.

    Comment by Livingalmostlarge — Sep 12th 2007 @ 9:28 am

15. I hope to never be so frugal as to feel the necessity to do this, however, as a business traveler I have been in the same situation of need a 3oz or less container. I might end up trying it sometime if the situation presents itself. Most hotels will give up a free travel size of most personal hygiene products.

    Comment by SavingWithMe — Sep 14th 2007 @ 9:14 am

16. Hi,
    I found a great way to do it clean. Go to the hardware store and ask for a “sample” piece about 1 inch of 1/2inch inside diameter clear vinyl tubing. You can use it as a transfer tube. Check out and comment on my video;
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tvDCl4EFdw
    Francine

    Comment by Francine — Nov 28th 2007 @ 12:30 am

17. Honestly, my way is cleaner. Nothing escaped, and I wasn’t left with a little piece of vinyl tubing with toothpaste inside of it.

    Comment by nickel — Nov 28th 2007 @ 7:08 am

18. I was unpacking, refreshing and putting my suitcase out of my sight for a week when it hit me– My little thing of toothpaste was damn near empty. This would sure be a hassle come Monday when I leave again for basically a couple weeks. Then I thought about how cool would it be to have a small toothpaste tube that was refillable. Brain is instantly full of freezer bag zips and other hard to explain contraptions.

    Surely I wasnt the first to think of this???

    I googled it kind of hoping nothing would come up, although I figured it would. Sure enough there was what looked to be a ton of links on the subject.

    After about a whole 2 seconds of research I find this site, run and try it. Works like a charm 1.8oz of toothpaste once again!! I do, however recommend blowing the empty tube up first.

    Maybe I am not as smart as I think I am, but I think its pretty cool and in a small significant way it will improve my life.

    Thanks Nickel!

    Comment by Hawk — Feb 8th 2008 @ 5:55 pm

19. I think its a great idea, long ago I bought small travel size bottles for my shampoo, conditioner and body wash, why not refill the travel toothpaste tube too?

    I usually have plenty from my dentist and I am also dubious about if I would be able to make a non-messy transfer from one tube to another, but it is worth a shot!

    Comment by Danielle — Sep 8th 2008 @ 9:50 am

20. Not only did you take the time to practice thrifty living, you took the time to write an article about this.
    But, I am not mad at you.
    This economy has me looking at the following:
    1. home made shampoo
    2. lots of thrift stores
    3. how to melt shaved soap, and make my own liquid hand soap.
    4. how to make my own detergent with borax and something else – - – I forgot what
    5. how to make my own lip balm (google search)
    2 tsp. Petroleum Jelly
    1/8 tsp. Honey
    10 mini Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Chips (any brand will do though)
    1/8 tsp. Shortening (Crisco)

    and drum roll please . . . . .
    Bath Powder Recipe 4:

    1/2 cup cornstarch
    >2 tbsp arrowroot powder
    2 tbsp baking soda
    A few drops of essential oils of your preference

    Comment by TC — Oct 20th 2008 @ 2:38 pm

21. For medical reasons I cannot use mint-flavored toothpastes, but I have never seen travel sizes of cinnamon-flavored toothpastes. You solved a big problem for me. Thanks for this tip!

    Comment by Walter — May 29th 2009 @ 11:31 am

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