Creative Recycling

I get a lot of budgeting newsletters and many of them have clever ideas that I have incorporated into my life. Last Tuesday I hinted at a few creative recycling ideas in an article on reusing containers from the grocery store.

I only got one response (SSG your Starbucks card will be in tomorrow's mail!) and perhaps my parameters were too vague so next contest will be more clear. In the meantime here are some of my favorite suggestions from my newsletter article (written by Tricia Goss):

1. Grated Parmesan Cheese containers usually have a flip top with 2 different sized openings (holes and a larger single opening). Use for powdered sugar to dust baked goods or fill with baking soda to use as a bathroom cleaner. Also good for homemade spice blends that you can shake out or spoon out as needed.

2. Many condiments, such as mayo jelly and ketchup, come in squeezable bottles. Clean and use for homemade pancake or waffle batter making breakfast a snap. Also, wash and reuse so you can buy larger less novelty containers of these condiments and just refill.

3. Small plastic containers, such as yogurt or pudding cups, are just the right size for homemade popsicles. Fill 2/3 of the way with juice of your choice cover with wax paper or plastic and insert a wooden stick. This is a great diet tip too as you can control your frozen treats!

4. Glue the lids to small glass jars under the cabinet of a garage or work room and fill the glass jars with hardware or craft items. Screw the jars back to the lids for out of the way storage and easy identification of supplies.

The lesson here is, the next time you are about to throw something away look at it in a different light. I am sure there are helpful uses for most containers (heck there are whole stores devoted to buying new and expensive ones) that will keep them out of the landfill for awhile. If you think of a great reuse for an everyday item please let me know, I am always looking for new ideas!