Recessionista Mama: How To Get Every Bit of Formula Out of Your Kirkland Can

So I have to admit that when I first saw an ad for the redesigned Similac Advance SmartPac canister, I was a little jealous. It's rectangular shaped with rounded edges that match the dimensions of the scoop so you can get every little bit of formula out. It also has a hinged lid with a spot for the scoop to be tucked into, as well as a nifty little indented grip area for one-handed grabbing.

My 11 month old, Pearl, was treated to grade-A, top shelf breast milk for most of her first six months, but then my love of drinking quickly outshone my desire to provide the very best for my child... So onto formula she went.

We started out with Enfamil and were shocked-scared-amazed-pissed off by how much money we were burning through. My pediatrician gave me the green light to switch over to generic brand formula - she swore the health benefits were exactly the same.

So we joined Costco (a short trip up the Deegan to Yonkers for us Bronxites) and quickly realized that their Kirkland brand is the Holy Grail of affordable baby products - diapers, formula, wipes... you name it and they have it CHEAP. I mean, really cheap. The 25 ounce can of Enfamil or Similac powdered formula will run you at least $24 at Target or the supermarket (and you may even have to hand over your firstborn if you run out and have to buy it at your local bodega).

At Costco, you can buy a two pack of the same size Kirkland can of formula for $17.99. We decided now that we plunked down the $50 to join Costco, we should have at least 12 more kids because it is now so affordable to keep their butts clean and their stomachs full.

So, what to do about that jealousy over the fancy-ass new Similac SimplePac?

Simply crush the cheap Kirkland packaging beyond recognition so that you can get each little morsel of precious formula out:

Before:

After:

Just two other comments about the Similac SimplePac while I have your ear:

1) Why in the hell did they hire Ty Pennington to pimp the product? I immediately cringed seeing some dude who I believe doesn't even have kids telling me how easy it will be to hold my baby and get her bottle ready at the same time now that the SimplePac has arrived.

2) Why in the hell do all the women who appear on Similac's website as "Mom Testimonials" look like they had their babies via surrogate mothers? Where are their jiggly spare tires and empire waisted tops?

~Erin