Frugal Living Tip: Eliminate Waste

We are definitely living in a “disposable” age. We expect things to be ready-made, and then we throw them out when we’re done. Unfortunately, with the evolution of all things “convenience” we no longer have the “reuse” mentality. Our grandparents were so skilled at this art form. Flour sacks were converted into dish towels and dresses for girls. Jars were reused to store food, or tools like nail and screws, or even buttons and sewing supplies.

Today’s tip is to eliminate waste. Or we can flip it the other direction and say we should (re)use everything! And I’m not just talking about recycling cans and cardboard. For instance:

Did you know disposable swimmie diapers can be reused? After using the disposable swim diapers {like Huggies Little Swimmers}, wash them in the laundry!  When they weren’t “messy and beyond help”, I washed them in the laundry, and was often able to use one package all summer long!  Just don’t put them in the dryer or they’ll become crunchy… instead, just let them air dry, and they’ll be as good as new!

Save magazines for your kids to use for crafts. They develop cutting skills, they develop cognitive skills, etc.

Stop using disposable papers goods – instead use cloth napkins, cloth cleaning rags, kitchen towels, reusable glass containers (instead of baggies), soup bowls can keep nearly anything hot not just soup. Carry leftovers or a baked potato in it.

If your kids are like mine, they don’t like eating the heels of the bread loaves. Save those! Ends of bread loaves can be cooked and ground up to make bread crumbs, or cut up and made into croutons.

Browning bananas – freeze for baking later, or puree and make a popsicle. Just don’t get freaked out by the nearly black peels. They will taste wonderful in whatever baked good or popsicle you  make!

If you find yourself with a tiny bit of vegetables left from dinner, save them! Maintain a freezer container and throw them in together. Once you have enough make yourself some vegetable soup!

Boil a leftover rotisserie chicken, chicken bones, or even a whole fresh chicken in a stock pot with some of your leftover vegetables and some seasoning. Save the water as chicken stock for soup night. If you need a good recipe to do this, Gina over at Skinny Taste has a great recipe.

That’s all I’ve got for you this week. Have you gotten any new ideas? Had an a-ha! moment? Snorted in disbelief? Did you try to trim your hair? {just remember, I’m not responsible for the result if it’s negative. If it’s good, then I absolutely take credit! }