Let's Talk Paper Products

This is a subject that often boggles people's minds about me for some silly reason but it is the honest to God's truth.

I do not purchase paper napkins, paper towels, tissues, paper plates or plastic utensils! There I said it. Horse hog you say. Yep, it's true. When my kids were little and I (a divorced mom of three) was trying to find ways not only to cut costs, but to also teach my kids about reducing their cardon footprint, I got to thinkin. Yep that can be dangerous with me, but some times, it just works out.

Did you know that according to Global Pulp & Paper Price & Fact book 2006 and American Forest and Paper Association 2007; more than 7,300 tons of paper towels are made each year and that number is only for the United States. Add the rest of the world in and we put 1 million tons of paper towels in land fills every year.

I decided over 20 years ago to stop using paper towels, napkins, Kleenex type tissues, paper plates and plastic utensils. It was a easy change.

Places like Wal-Mart, etc. sell wash rags in bundles. Generally you can get 16 to 20 wash rags for around $5. At least that was the last price I paid when we bought our house 5 years ago. Now that equals $.25 a wash rag and I haven't bought any since and I still have plenty in the drawer that haven't even been used yet. Basically I use them until they turn back into paper pulp LOL.

In my house if you spill something, you clean it up with a wash rag or a hand towel. Have about 20 of those too! I have plenty of plates and utensils for the family so I don't see the need to purchase paper or plastic utensils to throw in a landfill somewhere hoping they will dissolve some day.

Take a moment and think about how many boxes of tissues you go through every year. If you have little ones that can be quite a few. When my husband met me, he asked me for a tissue one day and I told him he was out of luck. He asked me what I blew my nose on and I told him a hankie. He looked at me and laughed. When he married me 1.5 years later, he became the proud owner of 10 new men's hankies!!! He doesn't leave home without one and you would never see him grab a tissue anywhere. Funny but true.

We also use cloth napkins. No I didn't pay a ton for them. You would be surprised how many people sell cloth napkins at yard sales. I have bought brand new ones that still had the tags on them for $.10/ea or $.50 for a set of 4. Works for me.

Now don't go telling me that you'll be doing a bunch more laundry because you won't. Throw them in with your towels and you are good to go.

Want to cut down on your grocery bill......stop buying paper towels, paper napkins, tissues, paper plates and plastic utensils. Once you get used to using wash rags and dish towels and hankies, you will never go back.

Hugs!