Don't Throw Money Away!

I was doing my daily Swagbucks and saw an article about throwing away money. It focused primarily on those items we purchase only to throw them away. Some examples were paper plates, plastic wrap, paper towels, and tissues. The point was to not buy these disposables in the first place if there is a reusable alternative because it can save you money! Buying them is essentially throwing money in the trash. Now who would ever actually throw real money in the trash? Not me!

We have quite a few reusable items in our home. Some were bought with the intention of saving money, while others are more convenient or better for the environment. In our home we have rechargeable batteries, reusable grocery bags (primarily obtained free), glass containers for food storage, reusable sandwich and snack bags, reusable water bottles. We use rags for most cleaning, including on our Swiffer which we use both dry and wet.

I do purchase toilet paper, tissues and paper towels. I personally rarely use the paper towels, but I do see that my husband it quick to use them for cleaning and one daughter uses them to wipe her hands and face. I buy the select a size, so I think we are going through the paper at a slower rate.

If you are looking to trim expenses, it is good to take a look at what you are buying and throwing away. There may be an alternative that is less expensive, and maybe even better for the environment! Do you buy any disposables that could be replaced? Have you invested in some reusable items? What other items do we Americans buy that could be replaced with a reusable version which could save us money?