I would love to claim that this is all in an effort to "reduce, reuse, recycle" and it has that added benefit too. But I really get my motivation from being cheap.
Since Mr. Right is an only child of a SAHM, and he moved 6 hours away, when she comes to visit she loves to do things for him to show how she misses him. Service and Gifts are her two love languages. Every time she comes for a visit she leaves a stockpile of gatorade and snacks. Mr. Right LOVES gatorade. Soon-to-be-Mrs. Right has a grocery budget of less than $100 a MONTH, which does not leave room to give Mr. Right a gatorade (or two) for every day. And while he does like kool-aid, it doesn't offer the convience of being able to grab a bottle from the fridge on the way out the door.
Which brings me to my "green" tip. Once the gatorade that my dear future MIL purchased has been consumed, I load it in the dishwasher. I take the newly clean bottle and fill it with kool-aid. Even though Mr. Right knows that its kool-aid in the gatoraid bottles, he swears it tastes better like that than in a regular glass.
My MIL to be also got me started saving glass spaghetti sauce jars. She used them for leftovers, but I repurpose them a little differently. I have one glass jar that I use for milk. I never get up in time to eat breakfast before I leave the house, so I have my cereal (free cereal thanks to www.moneysavingmom.com links to coupons and deals) sitting at my desk as I'm going thru emails first thing at work. So I just fill the jar up with milk, that way it doesn't take up as much room in the cramped office fridge.
If I have extra of the glass jars, they are also perfect to drain the grease from browning hamburger meat. Just cap it and toss it. No need to worry about the garbage leaking because the lid is secure.
And that's what works for me. Check out more tips at http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com
Hi Brooke!
ReplyDeleteJust started the first season of LOST and I am hooked. Congratulations on your upcoming marriage!! I know you are so excited.
I LOVE your tips for today. I am always in need of jars for the grease....why didn't I think of washing out the spaghetti jars??? That's what you're for! : ) Thank you so much for your help with CVS, I really appreciate all the support and tips!
A word of caution about the gaterade bottles - they are not meant to be heated int he dishwasher nor reused - the plastic breaks down and is leached into the liquid. I would buy Mr Right a reusable bottle for him kool-ade.
ReplyDeletei too use the glass bottles to use hold the grease for the meat as well. I've also learned that glass jars can be also used to transport soups and sauces from my parents' and in-laws' places.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! I bet that would work for kids, too. :) And I have a bunch of spaghetti jars sitting in my pantry that I'm now inspired to find uses for!
ReplyDeleteGood idea, Brooke! I am always looking for something to throw grease away in ...
ReplyDeleteBy the way, thanks for visiting my blog. I couldn't find your email address, so I hope you don't mind me leaving a thank you here.
I, Queen of the Totebags, confer the title of Princess of the Totebags to you!
This is a great idea. Our bottles here are a different plastic and can be reused so I don't have t be as cautious. I do refill toots fruitshoot bottles for when we're on the go.
ReplyDeleteI'll be keeping the jars froom now on for grease. I would have kept one or two to use for salad dressing, just add all ingredients replace cap and shake, but this means less of them will make their way into the bin. Great tip thanks.
And thanks for stopping by, she is feeling a lot better, just the cough to shift now.
I love re-using jars to throw away grease from my ground beef or bacon.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my WFMW tip today too!