Single-use items can be so convenient, but they produce excessive, unnecessary waste that destroys our planet! Switching to multiuse reusable items has been an easy way for our family to not just make a difference in our waste production but save tons of money too.
As a stay-at-home mom without an income of my own, I do my very best to save money for our family in as many ways as I can. One easy way that I do that is by using products that I only have to buy once!
Multiuse reusable items also eliminate extra trips to the store, bring less garbage into your house, and may actually serve their purpose better because of their durability.
I’m sharing with you the 7 multiuse reusable items our family uses nearly every single day, saving us thousands of dollars a year! Plus, I’ve even included some bonus options as well at the end.
Let’s check it out…
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Replace Napkins And Paper Towels
Our family doesn’t buy napkins or paper towels. Did you know the average household can spend around $300 a year alone on paper towels?
These single-use items serve a purpose once and then end up in the trash. A wonderful alternative to this is to purchase microfiber washcloths instead.
We keep a bin of these cloths under our sink and whenever there is a spill, a messy meal, or food to clean up, we simply grab a new one. When the microfiber washcloths are dirty, we throw them straight into the washing machine.
When the next load of laundry gets done, the dirty washcloths get washed and put away. It keeps things quick and easy and doesn’t even require an extra load of laundry.
This is one of the multiuse reusable items that is extremely easy to purchase first and implement a new habit.
Related Posts: What Really Is The Best Cloth Diaper? My Honest Best Cloth Diapers Review
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Use Cloth Diapers
If you don’t have babies in your house, this won’t apply to you; however, you could always consider giving these as gifts at showers to new moms. These ones are a great option!
We cloth diaper our children and it has already saved us hundreds of dollars a year. In fact, one baby could cost $1,000 a year in diapers alone.
I do believe there is a place for disposable diapers like the first few weeks of a newborn’s life, when taking a long road trip, or when you have a diaper rash that just won’t go away. That’s when we have used disposables in the past, saving lots of headaches.
But, overall, cloth diapers are really not that much more work. They only require a bit of care and an extra load of laundry a week, making the cost-saving completely worth it!
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Ditch Single-Use Mop Pads
Do you use a mop that has disposable pads? Did you know they make mops with washable pads now (We use this one!)?
I actually didn’t know that this was even an option at first and am so happy we have made the switch. Not only does it save us money, but I get to fill the mop with the cleaner I trust for my family.
Just like the microfiber washcloths we use, we also throw these mop pads in the washing machine right after we are done with them. They get cleaned the next time someone does a load of laundry adding no additional time or energy to my day!
It is one of the multiuse reusable items I’ll never go without again!
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Buy Silicone Food Storage Bags Or Glass Containers
Storing your food in plastic may seem convenient but I have found that using silicone bags and glass dishes instead or just as easy! They may add one more item to your dirty dish pile every day, but aren’t you doing the dishes anyway?
Not to mention that plastic can also release harmful chemicals into your food. I’ve owned these silicone bags and glass storage containers for years now and not one of them has broken, torn, or become too disgusting to keep.
Considering that the average family spends a few hundred dollars a year on plastic food storage bags and containers, I have saved our family so much money over time!
Related Post: Can You Become A One Income Family? Here’s How We Survive and Thrive!
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Make Homemade Clorox Wipes
Clorox or other disinfecting wipes are extremely useful, but also extremely wasteful! Did you know that there are plenty of natural cleaning products and solutions that are just as effective?
Our family chooses to only use natural cleaning products in our home because we’ve learned the devastating impact that chemicals can have on our bodies. While we usually just spray the surface with the natural cleaning solution, sometimes we also make ready-to-go wipes.
You can make homemade Clorox wipes by placing a stack of rags or cloth scraps in a glass jar and then filling the jar with your favorite homemade natural cleaning solution.
We love to use Thieves household cleaner in our family! You can find more about it here.
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Eliminate Paper Plates And Utensils
Another of the multiuse reusable items our family uses is your basic household kitchen dishes. We don’t buy paper plates for meals and we don’t use plastic utensils if we can help it.
Of course, there are times when most families will use these items, such as camping trips and backyard barbeques. However, we never keep a stack of these in the house to pull out when we are feeling lazy.
You can make a big difference in your budget by choosing to never purchase these single-use items and keep them on hand!
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Use A Menstrual Cup
In recent years the menstrual cup has really been gaining in popularity, which I think is just amazing! Instead of spending hundreds of dollars a year on period products, I have only one menstrual cup in my cupboard.
The menstrual cup inserts similarly to a tampon, catches the vaginal discharge during a women’s period, and removes easily each day. After each use, you simply boil the menstrual cup and reinsert it.
It’s easy, convenient, and safe to use! I’ve been using a menstrual cup for years now and love it.
You can also consider making your own period pads or investing in period underwear to save even more money!
BONUS ITEMS:
Stainless Steel Water Bottles And Straws
Reusable K-Cups And Coffee Filters
Which of these multiuse reusable items will you be switching to first? Did I miss any that you love to use on a daily basis?
Let me know in the comments below!
Kelsey at GoodPointGrandma
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