Buy Re-Useable Household Supplies for Big Savings

Posted on Thursday, September 10th, 2009 at 5:21 pm in Financial Planning

In recent years there’s been a noticeable shift towards using disposable cleaning products, water bottles, tableware and other common household items. However, when you’re on a tight budget this is one area where you can save a lot of cash if you change your habits. On top of that, you’ll be playing a valuable part in conserving the environment since you won’t be throwing out a whole lot of paper, plastic and foil items that would normally be dumped in a landfill.

Although disposable items are often cheaper to buy, and can be handy in certain situations, by definition they’re designed to be used only once, so you end up having to buy more on a regular basis. The beauty of buying re-useable supplies is that once you’ve paid for them, you don’t need to spend any more money while they’re in use. Here are some examples of household supplies you can start saving money on today:

Paper towels: Rather than spending $10 a month on a big pack of paper towels, check the cut-price supermarkets and dollar stores for excellent deals on cotton washcloths. You can often pick up a pack of 10 or 12 for just a few dollars, and they’re great for cleaning up a mess. Just machine wash them with your other laundry.

Napkins: Cotton napkins always look great at the dinner table, whether it’s just the family or a formal gathering. You can often find colorful sets of napkins to enhance your décor for a couple of dollars in the sale. They’re easy to wash, and you won’t need to shell out for paper napkins again.

Paper plates, and plastic cups and cutlery: These can be ideal for a picnic or day at the beach, but beware of the cash they eat up when you use them regularly. Real plates, glasses and silverware look so much nicer than disposables, and they’ll last for years.

Ziploc bags, plastic wrap and tinfoil: Do as your mother did and put leftovers in plastic food containers rather than baggies and/or plastic or foil wrap. Invest in a good set of different-sized storage containers and you won’t need to buy all the disposable food packaging.

Lunch bags: Use your new food containers for your lunch, or buy a re-useable lunch bag, and stop using store-bought brown bags.

Shopping bags: Does your grocery store give a discount if you bring re-useable bags? Even at 5c a bag, you can save quite a few dollars every year. Buy a few cloth bags for even more eco-friendly savings.

Cleaning supplies: The supermarkets are full of disposable cleaning products nowadays: wipes, mops, bathroom sponges, there’re all disposable now for extra convenience. But these items are more expensive too. Use washable rags, sponges and brushes with regular bathroom cleansers instead, for big savings.

Water bottles: Instead of buying bottled water, invest in a good stainless steel or plastic water bottle with or without a filter. Fill up from the tap for the biggest savings, or from your water cooler at work or the gym.