You haven't felt the struggle until you've taken the baking soda from the kitchen to brush your teeth with until payday. Extra points if it was a refrigerator deodorizer.
One time I was so broke that I smashed my gel deodorant with a hammer to get to the last of it that wouldn't come out by twisting the dispenser wheel. Then I used my hands to apply the gel for a few days to get me through to pay day.
My family used to do that, but mostly because they were penny pinchers. Like we had money to buy toothpaste, they just wanted to save it for some nebulous reason. They also paradoxically used up a fuck ton of toothpaste every brush and that's why they ran out so often. I just used a pea-worth and managed to stretch it out
I was watching the show Good Times about the struggle of poor black family. But after some episodes I felt it wasn't realistic and the family isn't really poor.
Can we make toothpaste tablets a thing finally ffs.
Glass jars with tablets that break under a bite and then foam like tooth paste with fluoride and shit. You can get them online.
It's less wasteful since the jar is reusable and doesn't contain plastic. And you don't have to go to extremes to get the last of the paste out of the container.
There's like a ton if you Google, Bite fits the description they gave and they also have deodorant apparently, or maybe byhumankind? Seems like you have options.
if you live in the US and are on Medicaid, you might be able to get a box of dental supplies for free. i have UniCare and they sent me an electric toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss. i'm sure other Medicaid/Medicare insurance companies offer similar, so make sure to check their websites.