Tea Bag Savings

**Kaos Kitty** · 01-19-2009, 05:43 PM

Dh and I drink 4-6 cups of tea every day - and saving and re-using our tea bags has really helped to stretch our tea budget. Here's a few tips I discovered:

1) Using 2 used tea bags instead of 1 new tea bag tastes about the same.

2) 90% of the caffeine is released in the first use. Want an evening cup of tea without the caffeine? Save the used morning caffeinated tea bags for an evening relax cup of tea!

3) A soap dish with strainer (to let soap dry) is great to have on the counter to let tea bags dry and keep them from getting moldy. (soap free of course

)

Any other tips for saving on tea are welcome!

**homesteadmamma** · 01-19-2009, 05:46 PM

Dh uses a tea bag 3 times before he puts it in the compost pile. He's the tea drinker here.

**IntlMom** · 01-19-2009, 06:13 PM

I can go with using it 2x, but that's my max.

It just has to steep longer the second time.

**Grainlady** · 01-19-2009, 07:47 PM

Another bag re-user here. I'm giddy I can still get 100-bags for $1.00 at Wal-Mart. I also use loose tea and I can get by using much less than the recommended amount - especially when using a quality tea.

In the summer I'll stick my used-once tea bags in a plastic container in the freezer until I have 5-8 bags. I will use them to make a concentrated form of tea (1-quart of hot water). You can do the same thing with tea bags that haven't been used (3 or 4 bags). The concentrated tea is kept in a container in the refrigerator and is used to make iced tea by-the-glass. That way we don't have to have a large pitcher taking up space in the refrigerator.

**Kaos Kitty** · 01-19-2009, 07:54 PM

Originally Posted by Grainlady

Another bag re-user here. I'm giddy I can still get 100-bags for $1.00 at Wal-Mart. I also use loose tea and I can get by using much less than the recommended amount - especially when using a quality tea.

In the summer I'll stick my used-once tea bags in a plastic container in the freezer until I have 5-8 bags. I will use them to make a concentrated form of tea (1-quart of hot water). You can do the same thing with tea bags that haven't been used (3 or 4 bags). The concentrated tea is kept in a container in the refrigerator and is used to make iced tea by-the-glass. That way we don't have to have a large pitcher taking up space in the refrigerator.

I too buy the Wal-Mart Great Value Pekoe tea, not quite as inexpensive up here in Canada, I get the large box of 460 tea bags for under $6.00. I love making cold tea in the summer but I never thought of freezing my used bags for it. Great Idea! Thanks!

**Kaos Kitty** · 01-19-2009, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by homesteadmamma

Dh uses a tea bag 3 times before he puts it in the compost pile. He's the tea drinker here.

Homesteadmamma - I aspire to be as frugal! I haven't quite committed to the 3x rule yet!

**Rhayne** · 01-19-2009, 08:11 PM

We buy Lipton English tea which is very strong. I use the tea bags 3 times. I don't care for strong tea so it works for me and a 100 bag box lasts forever.

**Michelle** · 01-19-2009, 08:26 PM

I was pleasantly surprised to see Dave using his tea bags twice. I don't drink it often, so I don't even think about doing that.

**joyofsix** · 01-19-2009, 08:46 PM

I am so showing this thread to my dh. DD and I use our tea bags 2 or 3 times too. He thinks we're nuts (but he doesn't drink tea.) I also reuse coffee grounds (adding 1/2 as much new coffee) but shhhh that's between us.

**zakity** · 01-19-2009, 09:36 PM

I reuse mine at least three times, sometimes four. I have a plastic 8 ounce cup in the fridge door that I put my tea bags in. I store my spoon and my scoop for my stevia in the cup also. If I only get two cups out of a tea bag, I will use it the next day.

**frugal-fannie** · 01-19-2009, 10:34 PM

I like mine really strong, So I would take 3 used bags to make a half decent cup of tea. I do buy the walmart brand for 1.00. I have over 40 boxes in stockpile as I expect that price to go up. It is about 1/4 the price of Lipton down here. I do love the Red Rose Tea and if it has the Wade animal you could save the animal and have the tea, sell the animals later and get back some on the price of your tea.It is hard to find down here in the US and really expensive.I also compost my tea and coffee grounds, and the puppy has been grabbing them and eating them so I guess we really recycle

**Trishagirl** · 01-20-2009, 09:18 AM

Great tips on being frugal with the tea bags. I sometimes reuse my bags when I think of it. I usually get my Bigelow green tea at a salvage store so it's pretty cheap but I just got some new white tea and krogers it was on sale and I enjoy it and it's supposed to be good for fine lines and wrinkles too! LOL

**JENROY** · 01-20-2009, 02:26 PM

I make my tea in the coffee maker. A full pot (12 cups) only takes 3 tea bags.

**spyzvixxen** · 01-20-2009, 10:15 PM

In my effort to save $, I've been weaning myself from coffee to tea (that I got free during triple coupons). I like it strong so I make 2 bags at once, save & reuse for the next cup.

**lukesmama** · 01-28-2009, 04:56 PM

I have not tried re-using tea bags, but I do find I can re-use coffee grinds if I add just one more scoop (but I only make 4 cups a day).

So, this saves the cost of a filter every other day, and cuts the coffee cost in half since I normally use 2 scoops per 4-cup pot. (Although, I admit, I've gotten lax about doing this and need to start back again!)