Tightwads Re-Use and Recycle

[nuisance26]

~I thought we might be able to inspire each other to find new uses for things we normally throw away. I probably re-use and recycle too many things to list, but off the top of my head;
1.Diapers, cloth ones and cloth wipes. BIG money saver.
2.Bread, cereal and ziploc bags, quick covers and aluminum foil. Cereal bags work well for any time you would normally use waxed paper.
3.Oil for frying. I keep 2 seperate containers. The "clean" and the "only suitable for frying something breaded".
4.Dryer sheets. I cut each into fourths and re-use about 6 times each(when I use the dryer, that is)
5.Tea bags
6.Towels. 3 or more uses before washing
7. My clothes, 'cept undies, I wear 2 or 3 times before washing.
8.Ratty clothes for fabric & notions
9.Old juice jugs in the fridge to hold water and homemade tea
10.Plastic grocery bags for trash.

What are some of yours?~

[rachelMcK]

I use old coffee cans to thaw meat it (so it doesn't go all over the fridge), to hold flour, sugar etc. Old margerine containers to hold hot chocolate, juice mix (bought in bulk). I make pillowcases out of ratty sheets. I also made my own fabric sheets for the laundry, i use a piece of an old sheet, dipped in a bit of fabric softener and some essential oils that I like mixed in. I let them dry so the softener is one the fabric and then wet them with water when i need to use them. I'm looking to use the rest of that sheet to turn into rag curlers for my hair. I reuse jars to make mixes in them. I reuse tea bags if i remember. I know there is more but i can't remember them all.

Wow, i didn't realize how frugal I was getting until now!!!

[slowtypinwoman]

~ c.c. aplications come with a dummy card with a your name here type thing. I use them for scraping food from pots and pans.

[Jill B.]

All plastic containers for leftovers in the freezer and for lunch bags. Nylon net bags for dish scrubbers. Buttons from shirts, etc that are going for rags or trash. Birthday candles (just clean off bottoms). Computer CD cases as coasters.

[tigo]

Candle nubs- I melt them down and make new ones
Plastic bags for kitty box scooping and lining household trash cans.
Containers from foods- I use them for everything such as storing my stock piled items (anything not already in a can) to growing herbs.
blue jeans- I make all sorts of things- rugs, pot holders, etc.

[staceyy]

Plastic coated paper plates and cups can be washed over and over again in the dishwasher.

I wash my plastic utensils

I use paper towels twice for drying my hands

I wash and re-use bread and plastic bags my produce come in. I slit them open, dust with flour, and roll my pie and cookie doughs out on them. I top them with a second slit bag before rolling out.

I save plastic containers for storing my food in the fridge

Swiffer dusters can be washed in the washing machine and re-used over and over.

[nuisance26]

Thought of some more.
1. I save the flour I use to roll breads and crust. I brush it off the counter and use it again!
2.Junk mail envelopes and letters. Just turn em over and use for lists and sketches.
3.Vacuum cleaner bags. I open the seam, dump the dirt, staple close and re-insert into my machine.
4.Dipping milk. Recipes calling for dipping in a mixture of milk and eggs I save the leftovers in the freezer to throw into cornbreads or muffins.

[jinx]

Glass Mayo jars and the like I like to use to for storing soup leftovers.
Plastic tub containers are also used for leftovers, or to take lunches to work.
Old sheets I cut up to rags, to use as dust cloths.
When I clean out the closets, and there are any clothes too old or worn to give away or pass on , I cut off all the buttons, and if it not too much work I grab a seam ripper and remove the zipper from dresses, skirts.
Also here is one from my DH. When he cleans out the fireplace, he will store the ashes, in coffee cans, to use on ice and snow instead of salt or ice melt. His theory is the darkeness of the ashes, will not reflect the sun like snow or ice, therefore cause melting. It also adds traction, and is not harmful to our plants that line the driveway like salt can be. It does work, if the ice isnt too thick. We still keep a bag ice melt in the shed just in case.

[kabin63]

Stacey, Do you have to wash the swiffer dusters on gentle, or just on a regular cycle? I just bought one of those things and really like it, but I don't want to spend money to replace them...

[dmvezina]

I was wondering the same thing about the swiffer dusters. I just recently bought one too and love it also. I didnt' realize they could be washed!!
They don't fall apart in the washer?

[FrugalWitch]

You can wash the Swiffer dusters? How great is that! Yes please tell us on gentle cycle or what? Drip dry? Enquiring minds want to know!

[McD]

I am also excited about washing swiffer dusters.

I read in Family Circle that a woman cuts some of the pictures off of Christmas cards she receives, trims the edges with scrapbook scissors to give them a fancy border and then reuses them as Christmas present tags.

I thought that was pretty cool.

[staceyy]

I wash my swiffer dusters on regular, I throw them in with with my normal laundry. They're pretty dry when they come out of the wash. I just sit them on the counter for about an hour to completely dry.

[frugalnana]

I also use the empty coffee cans. To drain grease into, for scraps, store dog biscuits in them, store nails, fasteners.
Take buttons off shirts and zippers off pants. Use those clothes either for rags or for material to make something else.
If I use jar gravy or can gravy I put a little water in and swish around to loosen gravy in can.
Save soap in can once I get an amount that will equal a bar of soap, I use a pan just for this purpose and melt, then use different tins from garage sales to make a bar soap.
Save containers from cool whip, or anything that has a container that food came in for either storage or to send leftovers home with kids or for ourselves.
Heels of bread I keep in a container in freezer for either stuffing or to make bread pudding.
I use the window washer fluid that you buy for cars to clean windows in the home because its cheaper. I also use amonia. Just depends.
I put paper between my matress and box springs. (I think I got that idea from the Tightwad book. ) But it does work for in the winter time.
Bread bags I use for when I am breading something.
Plastic grocery bags for our wastebaskets and I use them to store potato peels scrapings from carrots etc. I usually grind them up and put in dog food.
Save old tooth brushes to scrub in hard places in tub or sinks or for other stuff.

[nuisance26]

Here's a couple more I did yesterday.
~Cut circles out of empty milk jugs. I use them to seperate baked goods inside of plastic containers, and to seperate hamburger patties in the freezer.
~Replaced some of the milk in a muffin recipe with syrup I saved from draining a can of mandarin oranges. I reduced the sugar in the recipe also.