What Do You Reuse to Save a Buck?

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What Do You Reuse to Save a Buck?

Submitted by: Tip Hero 03/17/2009 9:12 PM

Many TipHeroes have shared ways that they reuse and/or repurpose items to save money and resources, a return to the 'waste not, want not' attitude of generations past.

What do you reuse to save money?

Please share your tips below, so that other TipHeroes can benefit from your money saving tips.

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10 Ways to Reuse Plastic Grocery Bags

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we wash and dry sandwich baggies drying them inside out. we recycle paper bags by decorating them to make wraping paper.

Posted by P.k on March 19, 2009 1:34 PM

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we use our own bags for grocery shopping, but from the days when we didn't we still have PLENTY of those plastic bags left. we use them in our small wastebaskets, so we've never had to buy liners.

Posted by heather meyer on March 19, 2009 1:41 PM

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I use so many little baggies making 3 lunches 5 days a week. My kids remember to bring them home and I reuse them for chips, crackers, and their not so messy sandwiches.

Posted by Robin on March 19, 2009 1:59 PM

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I reuse plastic grocery bags to line my trash cans. This not only helps save money, it gives me a reuse for the bags so it's helping the environment.

Posted by Anne on March 19, 2009 2:09 PM

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I reuse the bags inside of cereal boxes, instead of grabbing a new plastic bag to store bread. I also reuse the inside plastic bags of waffle boxes. They are small and great to store cut veggies.

Posted by RD on March 19, 2009 2:09 PM

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Ziploc bags are my uber-green save....not that we use a lot but I hate the thought of sending one more piece of plastic to the landfill. Wash 'em out, pop 'em over an clean jar and re-use.

Posted by Sheri on March 19, 2009 2:16 PM

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Coffee Cans as rice and flour containers.
Paper label over cleaned out can used for 30 years

Posted by Brooke F. on March 19, 2009 2:24 PM

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Old clothes turned into handbags and potholders.

Posted by BrookeF. on March 19, 2009 2:26 PM

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Buttons - before I throw out a clothing item that can no longer be used (torn, ragged, etc.) I take off all the buttons. Even the smallest button can be used to back up a larger one to make it tight.

Posted by Dee on March 19, 2009 2:37 PM

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I reuse the fabric from unusable clothing donated to our local ministry center clothes room. A shirt with a tear or a stain usually still has lots of usable material, but they were just throwing it away until I asked them to save it for me. So far, I have used the fabric in making costumes for our local community theater and reusable grocery bags, but I know I will find many more uses for it. I'm thinking about making diaper covers, aprons, pillows, quilts . . . the list goes on and on.

Posted by anonymous on March 19, 2009 2:39 PM

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I reuse orange juice cans. They are the perfect size for starting plants grown from seeds.

Posted by anonymous on March 19, 2009 2:44 PM

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Don't know if this covers the topic of re-use or recycle, but I know that many grocery stores and fast-food places will accept expired coupons. I found out one day when I inadvertently handed over an expired coupon and the Arby's cashier said it was okay because they still honor them. After that I decided to hand over expired coupons at Wal-Mart and other grocery stores. Guess what? Coupon was scanned, savings was had, and no questions were asked.

Posted by Holly on March 19, 2009 2:58 PM

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I reuse those little plastic boxes with tops that strawberries come in***they are perfect for storing leftover salad or chopped greens**Also my cat litter boxes are cut down and made into magazine storage bins (they are really quite sturdy)**Also I replaced my swifter pads for mopping with squares of felt which can be rinsed out and sticks to the velcro type pad on the bottom of the mop great

Posted by vicki on March 19, 2009 3:22 PM

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Years ago I made a whole batch of fabric facial tissue and use those instead of the paper kind. The only time I buy the paper facial tissue is for my childs class at school. I also use cloth towels in our kitchen to pick up messes and to wipe and clean our hands.

That is all I can think up for now.

Zig

Posted by Zig on March 19, 2009 3:31 PM

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I take the t-shirts of my husband's that turned too gray for him to wear, and cut the bottoms off all the way around, from under the arms. I make two pieces out of each t-shirt, and then sew the edges down when I am watching tv at night. These 'nappies' as we call them, have saved me a ton. I use them in the kitchen, also. They are my paper towel replacements! I used to go through a ton of paper towels. No more.

Posted by Joy Marshall on March 19, 2009 4:02 PM

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I save all the jars that come from items such as pickles. I soak them so I can remove the labels, and I use them instead of plastic storage dishes for my leftovers in the refrigerator. Not only are they healthier than using plastic, but when I open the refrigerator, I can see into the jars and know what I have available to reheat for quick dinners!

Posted by Joy Marshall on March 19, 2009 4:06 PM

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I have been using the same old coffee can for storing rubber bands for 30 years. Got this idea from my aunt at that time. They come from celery, scallions, asparagus, mail, etc. I have never had to buy any. It stays on top of my refrigerator.

Posted by Lynne Rosalie on March 19, 2009 4:06 PM

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I save beer bottles. Some times I find them along our road, even. I clean them and during the summer, I buy very cheap canned beer and put some in each bottle. The bottles are hung from the tree branches in the yard. This is my mosquito repellent! The mosquitoes fly inside the bottles for the beer, and then they drink and drown!

Posted by Joy Marshall on March 19, 2009 4:09 PM

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My husband and I eat a lot of fresh produce. When it not growing season so I can grow our own produce, I have to purchase from the store. I save all the wonderful rubber bands and giant twist ties that come on the produce. They are invaluable in my kitchen. I use them to close up items that come in a bag, such as a partially used bag of corn

Posted by anonymous on March 19, 2009 4:15 PM

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My husband and I eat a lot of fresh produce. When it not growing season so I can grow our own produce, I have to purchase from the store. I save all the wonderful rubber bands and giant twist ties that come on the produce. They are invaluable in my kitchen. I use them to close up items that come in a bag, such as a partially used bag of corn meal or brown sugar. I prefer this to placing them in storage containers because they are in their original wrappers and I can recognize them quickly in my cupboards.

Posted by Joy Marshall on March 19, 2009 4:16 PM

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I reuse the plastic peanut butter jars. One son uses the medium size for his lunch box. Since he pays for milk at the beginning of the school year, he doesn't have to carry a drink. The jar is just big enough for a sandwich and a piece of fruit. The cylindrical shape fits right into one of the zippered outside pockets of my son's schoolbag. Peanut butter jars are also good for holding crayons, perler beads and other craft supplies. On our toolbench there are peanut butter jars holding nails. In our junk drawer there's a jar that holds miscellaneous small items, so the drawer is more organized. WARNING: wash the peanut butter jars by hand because the dishwasher melts the plastic just enough for the cover doesn't fit tight anymore.

Posted by Kate S. from Nashua, NH on March 19, 2009 5:08 PM

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42 things we reuse to save a buck....

Editor's Note: We were so impressed with this response that we moved it to its' own tip page. To read this tip click on the following link: http://www.tiphero.com/tips_1387_42-ways-to-reuse-save.html

Posted by anonymous on March 19, 2009 5:20 PM

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I hate to waste solid soap. It might look a mite tacky, but I toss soap scraps too small to bathe with into a plastic bowl on the bathroom counter. Baching it, nobody cares if I use a margarine tub, but I guess a nice bowl would do for a family. Every so often I pour out the "juice" and wad the soap together. These wads are used for hand and face washing. In the meantime, shower soap goes further when applied with a sponge (or a rag for the back).

Another baching it tip that looks cool (if you are the kind of guy that looks good with that kind of style). Don't get professional haircuts. Every month or so stand in a dry bathtub and completely buzz off your hair with inexpensive (e.g. Wahl) clippers, then finish with electric shaver. Vacuum up the hair, shower, and you're good to go.

Posted by Hawky on March 19, 2009 5:21 PM

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Those little square tabs that close most bread bags? I reuse those as "scrapers" for anything stuck on the counter or stove top. They're just the right size for a little job and then can be washed and reused again or tossed.

Posted by anonymous on March 19, 2009 5:24 PM

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Used cat litter. I pour it into mole, gopher, etc. holes in the yard. The predator stink frightens away the little beasties. (To be fair, I end up discarding most of the litter nowadays, because the moles have learned their lesson :-)

Posted by Hawky on March 19, 2009 5:27 PM

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J & J buddies children's soap comes in a pre-sewn type of double layer washcloth. When the soap is gone we keep the washcloth. They are the right size still for a childs hands and face so I don't have to buy washclothes. They last about 6 months after the "buddies" soap is gone before they start to look tattered.

Posted by Michelle K on March 19, 2009 5:30 PM

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A second purpose for used refrigerator and freezer baking soda. Dump it in the washing machine with a load of particularly grody laundry and the normal detergent. Those old moldy towels and sweaty clothes will no longer emerge from the dryer in a disgusting state. Ammonia works for this too, but hey the soda is free.

Posted by Hawky on March 19, 2009 5:46 PM

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Perhaps this is more of a "spare usage" than a "reuse" comment, but there is usually no need to keep the water going all the time during a shower. Wet down, shut water off, soap up starting with the "cleaner places" and ending with the "dirtier places," turn water back on, rinse soap off all over, exit shower, dry off.

Posted by Hawky on March 19, 2009 5:55 PM

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More on old electronics, used flashlight batteries, electrical stuff, etc. There are cool things a science minded boy (or girl) can do with these things. When I was a kid I did things on my own that might get the cops called if I encouraged the next generation to do it or put it in a science fair. Like make carbon arcs from two "D" flashlight battery carbons sharpened in a pencil sharpener, mounted on a board just touching in two curtain rod hangers, together with open 120 volt wiring and an old broiler oven element to limit current to a non fuse blowing level. (Don't look at it, it is insanely intense and will quickly fry the eyes.) I never got electrocuted, believe it or not. Now we are admonished not to even serve juice to the kids from certain kinds of plastic. Sigh. instructables.com is a good general reference for this kind of cool stuff. As would be old kids' library books from the 50's and 60's.

Posted by Hawky on March 19, 2009 6:08 PM

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Old PCs and bright kids -- one word: LINUX!

Encourage the next generation of computer whizzes in an environment that is considerably more kind to the resources of wheezy, old personal computers (and their owners' pocketbooks) than our most flashy modern monetized environments.

Linux and an accompanying embarrassment of programming riches, almost all open source (can be tinkered with at will) are free on the internet. Guide or limit the kids' access to the internet as you must as a responsible parent (or scout leader or aunt or uncle). There are certainly places where you would warn your kids never to go at night. But with Linux it is very hard for any intruder to bring the system down or corrupt it with viruses or spies.

Posted by Hawky on March 19, 2009 6:20 PM

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You can use old white buttons off of dress shirts and sew them around the neck of a dark t-shirt to dress it up and make it feel like new.

Plastic credit cards that are received in offers make great scrappers for dishes.

Old greeting cards can be folded into nice decorative boxes.

The metal tops of juice cans that peel off with plastic tab are smooth and make great game pieces for Matchgame / Concentration for smaller kids can use stickers and you can also use for spelling words when they are older.

Small travel shampoos can all be emptied into a large bottle. A squirt of this can easily clean the toilet for a quick swish and swipe - not toxic and smells good.

Posted by anonymous on March 19, 2009 7:23 PM

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plastic cottage cheese containers and some plastic ice cream containers make great holders when you cut the bottom out of the container for q-tips, and cotton balls. They fit easily in the bathroom drawer and cut the clutter from the top of the cabinet.

Posted by Elaine on March 19, 2009 7:32 PM

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My water heater is in the garage. I put an empty plastic bucket, that had pool chlorine tabs in it, in each bathroom. It takes 3 gallons of water before we get hot water to the showers. Each shower saves 3 gallons of water down the drain. I lift out the bucket before a shower. After, I water plants or pour the 3 gallons in the pool.

Posted by pffphx on March 19, 2009 7:49 PM

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I discovered a way to "reuse" gray water from my laundry by accident. If you have a laundry (slop) sink, this will work for you.
Put a gallon or 2 gallon container in your slop sink and put the discharge hose into it. The bucket, or in my case, large stainless steel bowl, will hold 1 or 2 gallons of the last rinse cycle's water. When starting the next load, pour the gray water into your washing machine.
You're saving water and the planet!

Posted by Missy on March 19, 2009 7:56 PM

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in addition to other people's suggestions here's a few we use

shot rubber gloves can be sliced into rubber bands or cut into jar openers

milk jugs with the tops cut off and handles intact are great for small kid's toys, under-sink storage or in the garage

toilet paper tubes and cardboard egg cartons for gerbils to play in and chew on

clean backs of junk mail letters, cut into quarters as note paper near the phone,
junk mail outer envelopes to write grocery lists on and put coupons in, return envelopes carefully opened, turned inside out, and reglued to mail letters

jelly jars can be reused for canning, generally with boiling water processing the seal holds

shredded paper put into the compost pile, just soak it in water first before adding it in

scraps of old gift wrap paper, shredded to put into gift bags, or cut into strips and used as decoration on packages

old sheets cut into napkin sized squares zig zag stitched on the edges = cloth napkins

old men's ties put into crazy quilts, actually any great older fabric put into crazy quilts as long as they're of like kind. wash and dry first to see if they'll hold up

there are many more, but they escape me at the moment

Posted by oddfox on March 19, 2009 8:35 PM

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Some save a buck ideas I use are: * Save old bread heels in the freezer. * When you get enough make bread pudding, or use for stuffing. * I use a pill bottle in the car to hold change. When you need a little change at drive up windows, or toll booths you have it.
* I have cut my husbands hair for over 30-years. When in the military you need a hair cut at least once a week. After 20-years of military service, I can't imagine what we have saved. * I save bananas that have gone soft in the freezer. When I have enough make banana bread. * If you like granola cereal make your own. Easy to make and healthy too with all that oatmeal. * If you want to freshen your carpet, sprinkle with baking soda, wait a few minutes, then vaccum. * When were using cloth diapers, the old raggy ones I folded and sewed into small pads to line the diapers at night. If you are using paper diapers, go back to cloth. Saves you many bucks and the enviroment. I have many ways to save a buck...but that is all for now.

Posted by Naomi on March 19, 2009 10:45 PM

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Another way I save a buck is to reuse my water bottles. I may purchase a 24 pack of water, as my water is horrible tasting. I save these 24 for refilling. I purchase a gallon of water, they get refills for 25 cents at the store. I then keep refilling my small water bottles to take in the car, to work, to the gym, on a walk.

Posted by Naomi on March 19, 2009 10:51 PM

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A few days ago I called our local school and asked the lunch lady if she would start saving me the no. 10 cans. I'm going to start using them to put my excess aloe in and then I can give those to other people. Or might hang them from the fence and plant other things.

I"m also having them save me the plastic buckets that pickles and other food comes in. I use those for storage and other things.

Zig

Posted by Zig on March 20, 2009 12:20 AM

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to poster Naomi. Plastic water bottles should never be reused. ANY plastic that has a #1 on the bottom is single use only. I use a stainless steel water bottle.

Posted by Susan H on March 20, 2009 4:35 AM

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I shaved about $17 off my electric bill by unplugging anything I'm not using with the exception of my computer and TV and a lamp in the bedroom that's plugged in behind the dresser. (I would have to move the dresser each time to plug or unplug it....not practical).

I reuse plastic freezer bags all the time as long as they did not contain chicken. I reuse sandwich bags because I only use them for chips. I use good old fashioned waxed paper for sandwiches.

I reuse dryer sheets at least twice.

I line my cat's litter box with newspaper BEFORE I put in a liner. Then I use newspaper on top of the liner BEFORE I fill with litter. When it's time to clean the box (daily) I scoop and if necessary remove the newspaper liner that's on top of the plastic liner. Then when it's time to remove the liner, I still have clean litter to reuse in the box. Doing this, I only have to buy litter about once every 3 months and I only have to actually maybe wash the entire box once every couple of months. Kitty's happy and so am I.

Posted by chef4u on March 20, 2009 8:33 AM

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I have a cannister vacumn cleaner which uses a cloth bag and they are kind of expensive to replace.
Every so often I take the bag out and go into the garage over the trash can and remove the dust and dirt, it's a little messy and dusty. Takes about 5 minutes to empty, if your allergic to dust i would wear a mask of some sort.

Posted by anonymous on March 20, 2009 10:15 AM

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I bought wooden clothes pins at a dollar store and use them in the same way you would use chip clips. I use them to re-close frozen items such as bags of waffles, frozen vegetables etc.I use them for any pantry item such as flour, brown sugar, cereal, etc. You may need to use two or three to close bags tightly. They are very inexpensive and last forever.
Posted by susan on March 20, 2009 10:39am.

Posted by susan on March 20, 2009 10:44 AM

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Use a newspaper under one paper towel to drain the grease off food when you fry it.

Old purses get cut down to patch houseshoe soles. Old leather luggage can be used to resole street shoes, if you are handy with a sharp knife.

Five-gallon food grade buckets can be used for dry foods storage. Non-food grade buckets are great for items which might mildew in storage, since they are stackable.

Turn misprint printer paper upside down and reuse it on second prints.

Wire coat hangers can be cut into "V" shapes, compressed, and then used as stakes for twine to run beans or peas to a central stouter pole. Hangers can also be cut into a shape resembling a crochet needle, then used to fish out hair or other objects from sink drains.

Nylon stockings, cut into pieces, are great to tie tomato plants to stakes. And, of course, onions can be inserted in the legs, a knot tied between each onion, and the stockings hung for storage so the onions do not rot so soon.

Posted by anonymous on March 20, 2009 11:25 AM

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Birthday cards...this is an idea from a family friend. Her family reuses the cards with a new envelope and sends them back and forth between themselves. Some of the cards have been in circulation for twenty years or more. It was fun to watch my friend looking at her birthday card, and enjoying the old entries dated and signed by various members of her family, including her long-dead grandmother.

Posted by mary on March 20, 2009 1:35 PM

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I reuse our old or out grown clothing to make cat toys. There's not a consignment store within an 80 mile radius and we're under several feet of snow for 5 months of the year so yard sales aren't always an option. This is my way to stretch the dollars we spent on the clothes while saving us money on toys for our kitty!

http://frugalfrontporch.blogspot.com/2009/01/kitty-toy-ideas.html

Posted by JennatFFP on March 20, 2009 2:07 PM

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I reuse greeting cards two ways:

1. Put a plain white label over what has aleady been written, and write over it.

or

2. Cut it at the seam, and reuse the left side of the card, which shows the cover, and write my new greeting on the back. I either send this as a postcard, or enclose it in a gift bag.

Posted by Lolo Dixon on March 20, 2009 4:48 PM

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I make paper beads from slick colored ad inserts. Cut into narrow triangles. Starting from the base, begin rolling around a toothpick. When you reach the tip, secure with a drop of glue. Let dry completely, string, then dip in polyurethane if you want to make them waterproof.

Also, I use plastic shopping bags to make "plarn"- plastic yarn. From it, I crochet rugs, exercise mats, hats, purses, totebags- you name it!

Anonymous

Posted by anonymous on March 20, 2009 6:23 PM

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I reuse paper coffee filters. Just put the grounds on plants as fertilizer, sometimes put the grounds down the disposer to sweeten its smell, then let the paper filter dry out, and it's ready for the next day's use.

I tear dryer sheets in half and reuse them once or twice.

I've reused plastic water bottles, even those with the number 1 on the bottom, and I've saved money and haven't died.

Printer cartridges!!!! I buy 16 ounces of printer ink on eBay once a year, and I refill my printer cartridges. (Easy one is Lexmark 70, but there are others equally easy.) The first time is a little challenging, but after that it takes about 1 minute to refill. Each refill costs me about a dollar, as compared to about $20.00 for a new cartridge.

Baling twine - either the twine kind or the plastic kind. I make rope from it (braid three strands or more together.)

Plastic laundry jugs. I clean them out, spray paint them, and use them to store CAT FOOD. I buy the cat food in a 20-pound bag, but the bag might attract mice. So I have 4 laundry jugs that I fill each time I buy the cat food. It's easier to fill the jugs if you make a paper cone.

I also store cat litter in the plastic jugs, and I paint them a different color.

Posted by jgs on March 20, 2009 7:08 PM

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calendars from previous years can be made into boxes, gift tags, envelopes, and note cards. You can add a small amount of ribbon, lace, or yarn to make a nice holder for a special gift or messsage.
I save bread bags and double wrap breads, rolls, etc. when freezing.
I have a container in my freezer for left over veggies/broths and when I have a container full we have soup.
This also works for left over juices in canned fruits. I use this for making jello or adding liquids when I make sweet breads or muffins.

Posted by Jeanna on March 20, 2009 9:44 PM

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Rinse out ketchup bottles, salsa jars, tomato sauce cans, with a little water and freeze. Add layer upon layer until container is full, then add to the soup pot. Save all meat broth for soup, casseroles, gravies etc.

I also save all vegetable broth, except for asparagus, spinach, broccoli or cauliflower, in the same way. The condensed flavors make vegetable soup taste as though it's been simmered for hours, and you are adding nutrients to your soups, stews or casseroles. (You can use the asparagus, spinach etc broths for those particular kinds of soups - ie broccoli soup, cream of asparagus, or potato soup, depending on your tastes.) We drink any veg. broth not going into the freezer rather than pouring it down the drain. If you don't like it straight up, add a little tomato or V-8 juice or a little lemon juice. You can also heat and serve like boullion. Water from steamed vegs. can also be saved and used to cook rice or pasta. Note: If you salt your vegetables, you will probably not have to add salt when making soup. Ditto with the tomato products as they are usually heavily salted.

I save even tiny bits of meat or chicken and throw them into the soup pot. I keep a container for chicken and one for meat in the freezer. Just be sure you date all your containers so that you use them in a timely manner.

Posted by anonymous on March 21, 2009 1:14 PM

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