Often when you want to save money the advice you are given is to keep track of all your spending. While this is good advice and will help you to expose any wasteful spending habits you may have there is another way to save money, examine your trash!
When you look at what goes into your trash you will see what you are spending your money on and what is being wasted! If your goal is to save money you do not want ot find these ten things in your trash!
Disposable products. DO you find paper towels, napkins plastic silverware, paper plates, disposable cleaning wipes and Baggies? These are all things that can be replaced by reusable options. Reusable options are cheaper over the lifetime of the product than their disposable counterparts.
Wasted Food. Leftovers, produce that has gone bad, expired canned goods and food thrown away because no one liked it is all wasted money. Don’t buy food that you know you won’t eat and regularly go through your pantry so you will use up items before they expire.
Boxes and wrappers from highly processed foods. There are so many food items found in the grocery store that are highly processed. Not only are these items bad for you but it’s expensive! Boxed and frozen dinner kits, canned food like Spaghetti O’s and most boxed snack foods fall into this category. It is much cheaper and healthier to make your own homemade version.
Single serve product wrappers. Those prepackaged snacks are convenient but expensive. It would be much cheaper for you to purchase the bigger size and parcel it out yourself.
Cans and candy bars from vending machines. Anything sold in a vending machine is overpriced. Bring snacks and drinks from home
Discarded junk that could have been sold or donated. Books, DVD’s, household items and clothing can all be sold or donated as long as they are in serviceable condition. If you are throwing away serviceable items in the trash you are throwing away money.
Packages from Commercial Cleaning Products. Did you know you could easily make your own cleaning products at home? They work just as well and will save you so much money! Vinegar, baking soda and essential oils can be used to make almost any product you need.
Take out boxes and wrappers. Do you find yourself ordering take out often? If your trash is full of wrappers and boxes from pizza or fast food, try cooking at home.
Single use water bottles. Instead buy a sturdy, reusable bottle and drink tap water. If you hate your tap water buy a water filter. It will still be cheaper than buying single use water bottles.
Papers and magazines you don’t read. If you find that you are throwing away issues of magazines and papers unread, you’re wasting your money. Stop your subscriptions. You can often go to your local library and read the same magazines for free.
Shopping bags, tags, and packaging from new stuff. When your trash is full of shopping bags and tags from clothing, wrappers and packaging from new stuff ask yourself if it was really needed. Try looking for deals at your local consignment shop instead of buying new all the time.
Once you follow through on all these steps there will be very little left in your trash. You will find yourself saving money and generating very little trash!
Linked To: TuesdaysWithATwist, WhimsyWednesday, PennyPinchingParty, ThinkTankThursday
Nancy on the Home Front 