Ziploc baggies. Paper towels. Paper napkins. Saran wrap. Paper plates. Plastic cutlery. Disposable diapers. Disposable wipes.
These have been around for decades.
Glass-cleaning wipes. Furniture-polishing wipes. Face-cleaning wipes. Disposable bibs. Disposable cameras (yes, they come in digital now). Disposable toilet brushes. Throw-away dusters.
Every year, more disposable items appear on the market.
They are advertised as easier, more convenient.
But they eat away at your budget. You’ve heard the argument for Home-Ownership vs. Renting? The same logic applies here. Why invest your money in something you do not intend to keep?
On our tight budget, I make it a personal challenge to go buy as little as possible from the non-edible section of the grocery store. Here are some tips I have picked up along the way:
- Wash and reuse Ziploc baggies. (It pays to buy name-brand if you plan to re-use!)
- Use Tupperware whenever feasible instead of Saran wrap or baggies.
- Use cloth diapers.
- Use cloth wipes.
- Use cloth napkins.
- Use towels and washcloths in place of paper towels.
- Bring dishwasher-safe plastic dishes, cups, and cutlery to picnics and parties.
- For a streak-free shine on your windows and furniture, use a cloth diaper (a retired cloth diaper).
- Buy household cleaners in large containers and use rags to scrub and polish.
I challenge you to go through your house; go through your daily routine. Count the disposable items you use in a day, in a week. Could you replace those items with something that could be washed and used again?
And if you know of other disposable items hidden in my everyday life, remind me of them so I can save even more money!
For more frugal tips, see Crystal’s blog.
What about re-usable T.P.? Don’t worry- I’m not serious. Really though, I liked your post- it’s thought-provoking.
Tree – There are those who use cloth wipes on themselves; it is possible. I’m just not sure I’m ready to take that step. I get my toilet paper on sale and with coupons, so we’re not paying too much in that department. 🙂
More thoughts- What kind of light bulbs do you use? Have you switched to the energy saving kind? And do you use nursing pads? My mom made me some out of white t-shirts (lots of layers of course). Also, an interesting idea- a friend of my moms gave us some bibs she made us out of washcloths, so you use it as a bib, wipe off the baby, and then wipe up the food area with only one cloth (don’t know if you do that already…)
I put a new washcloth in the kitchen every morning for cleaning up baby (and toddler) messes. It is separate from the dishcloth, so I know it’s clean. And I’ve already blogged about the bib of my dreams…
https://www.thenaturalmommy.com/2007/09/05/the-best-bib-ever/
Good reminder! Our Pastor recently mentioned that God judges not only individuals, but nations, as well. I believe America will be judged for her irresponsible stewardship (i.e., wastefulness). We’re trying to do what we can to be good stewards, but the “disposable attitude” really is everywhere, and it’s important to be on guard!
Oh, forgot to say, no, we haven’t upgraded to the fancy energy-saving light bulbs. Thanks for reminding me! 🙂 I’m just afraid when we move (which we tend to do every couple years) I’ll leave them all here and will lose my investment! Aren’t they supposed to last several years?
And I haven’t needed nursing pads with this baby as much as I did with Olivia. In fact, I’ve yet to use one!
Arlene – If I had heard that (about God judging nations), then I sure don’t remember it! Who is held responsible for our nation’s horrible stewardship? Are we, as citizens? Or does it all fall on the President’s head?
Thanks for the reminders. I’ve been thinking alot lately about switching to cloth napkins. It’s alot of waste using the paper ones for every meal, everyday. I’ll have to be on the lookout for some cloth napkins on clearance.
When we lived in Peru, we couldn’t get paper products like paper towels. I grew up with not using them, and so I go through them VERY slowly now! They are very handy for cleaning up doggy messes (though those are fewer and father in between!). One thing: if you use a paper towel in place of, say, a plate, consider the cost of washing the plate as well.
I’m not sure what you’re talking about losing out on the lightbulbs when you move… You can just take them with you. They unscrew like any other lightbulb. I do have to warn you, though, that they’re best in rooms that you don’t use much: hallways, closets, porch light, etc. They are very dim and can be depressing. We have them in our office right now (as well as other places) and we find that we have to turn on other lights because the energy-saving one is so dim. Unfortunately, we can’t reach the lightbulb to replace it the ceiling is very high.
Ashley – I meant that in the craziness of packing up and moving, I would undoubtedly forget to take my bulbs with me!
I didn’t know they were dimmer – I can’t stand dim lights! Maybe I’ll wait for them to come out with brighter ones. Thanks for the tip!
I have used the energy efficient light bulbs. You can buy the higher wattage which are brighter, but I find that they don’t last as long as they are supposed to last! They do burn cooler, though.