Saving $ - Don't Buy - Reuse

 There are so many ways we can save money.  The first is just don't go out shopping and buying new things or gadgets.  Gadgets can be addictive!  We have so many things in our homes that we can use for other things.  Many of these items are things that may just get trashed.  Turn that trash into treasures and $$.

Here are several ideas on things that you can reuse in new ways and save a little money and help save the environment as well.

No need to have a fancy steamer for veggies.  I had one - hardly used it, took up space - donated.  This is my standard now!

I use a very old sieve over a pot with a little water.  I place a lid on and steam away.  I do have a double boiler as well with cookware - but for me this works perfectly.  Don't judge on the looks of that sieve - it is OLDER than me!!!!!  Yep, it was mom's and that things has been through a lot.

Recipe books.  Sure, a notebook will work just fine.  I like these little $1 photo books I have gotten at the Dollar Tree.  I have different categories - canning, baking, meals, mixes, etc.  I like this method as it is easy to find all my handwritten recipes.

No need to buy some fancy egg cooker.  I can make perfect round eggs for biscuits simply using a large mouth canning ring!  Grease it and place in pan - crack egg and cook.  Can flip the entire thing over to cook other side.

Coffee filters - so many uses!  Filters can be purchased for little money and they have so many uses.

Absorb grease from fried items.  Microwave cover for bowls to keep down splatters.  Use in the bottom of air fryer to catch grease.  Use for snacks (paper bowls).  Use in the bottoms of pots and planters to prevent dirt from falling out.  Use to filter fresh juice (catch pulp or seeds).  Sooooo many uses!

Bacon grease!  Great for frying all kinds of things.  Gives great flavor.  I also keep a jar for hamburger grease as well (beef).  I use these for frying potatoes or other veggies.  To give anything a little more flavor.  Saves on using bottled oil.  P.S. a little bacon grease is great with baking biscuits and /or cornbread!  I do keep mine in the frig - but I remember mom kept hers in a tin on the stove.

Jars, jars, jars.  Keep your jars from store bought items.  They are great for dry storage of all kinds.  I also make jar recipes and they work perfectly for my soup mixes and when I gift, I am not giving away my precious canning jars.

Jars  can also be clamp type jars you buy at thrift or decorator/discount stores (see red one in top pic).  I really like those clamp tops.  I have a few old ones as well.  Keep those plastic bottles from herbs and spices too.  They have shaker tops and are great for storing your homemade spice mixes or for your home grown herbs.  There is absolutely no limit to how you can use jars. 

Heck they make nice flower vases as well!

I even use them in the bathroom.  Great for cotton balls (which I get from vitamin bottles) and for Q-tips.  Water bottles can be used for homemade drinks to go and here is one with salt water in bathroom for rinsing mouth.

You can use anything from spice bottles to gallon jars for storage.  I LOVE BOTTLES AND JARS!

Baskets of every sort.  This is my bill paying basket - bills, checkbook, stapler, correction ribbon, tape, paperclips, etc.

I have baskets for books, for napkins, for bathroom items, towels, vitamin bottles, snacks, groceries, extra candles, etc.

Basics can be wicker and they can be plastic or metal.  Anything from a tiny piece to a milkcrate.  Use for all kinds of storage.

Even in the outdoors you can reuse things in new ways.  Here is an old wagon used to hold many of my fossil rocks that I collected for free.  You can use shells, rocks, logs, chunks of wood for risers in gardens, even plants.  Make starts from other plants, separate plants, get starts from others.  I have a store purchased water barrel and I have a homemade one as well.  I got a 55 gallon barrel (clean - no chemicals).  I cover top with screen to keep out bugs and then I placed a piece of lattice over it - so animals can not fall in.

Here you can see both barrels.  I attached a small piece of hose from the one in front (at over flow spout) to drain into the second one!

You can use old buckets, wheelbarrows, toys, pots, etc. for decorations and for planting.

DON'T FORGET:

Trash clothes - take off buttons and/or zippers for reuse.  Use these items as rags.

Stained t-shirts or jeans use for yard work or painting

Extra paint from projects - you can mix different colors together to make a new color for accents or small projects (latex w/latex or oil w/oil)

Food leftovers - make soup or casseroles.  Start a freezer bag for future soup.  Don't forget compost

Old worn out bedding - use for pets.  Old blankets or comforters can be used as stuffing for handmade quilts

Newspaper - makes great drop 'cloth' for many projects, make plant starter pots, line pots, use as kitty litter, drainage for fried food (place a coffee filter or paper towel over it (don't place food directly on print) - paper is so absorbent, it also makes a great weed barrier in gardens.

Feed bags - those neat and pretty plastic bags bird seed and such comes in - make reusable grocery/carry bags out of them.  They are so pretty and unique

Lids from peanut butter jars and lids from grated Parmesan cheese fit standard canning jars

Those squirt tops from dish soap bottles - fit water bottles and indiv. pop bottles.  Great for kids to use for playing water games or good for drinks (keeps out bugs)

There is so much more we can do - to save money and to save bringing more stuff into out homes.

USE WHAT YOU HAVE - get creative and think before you purchase.

There is absolutely NO limits to what you can reuse.  It all saves money and it saves the landfills as well.