I had a realization this week as I was checking out of the grocery store. If you follow my blog, you know that I meal plan and make once-weekly trips to buy groceries. It’s actually a pretty big deal to make that weekly trip because our small-ish town has limited grocery stores, so we take a good part of the day and head to the next big city nearby.
Ok, so this was my thought: Reusable grocery bags. Why isn’t everyone using them? Here are 5 reasons why you should be using them (and 1 reason excuse for not using them).
1. They’re good for the planet (duh). Some cities are plastic-bag-free and you actually get charged for not bringing your own bag!
2. They pay for themselves. It may take a while, but most stores offer a 5¢ credit for each bag you bring. This adds up! See? Saving $$ 🙂
Side note: most of my bags were free to begin with. Grab them at fairs, conferences, etc. and save even more $$$
3. You can fit more stuff in them (this is the saving time part). I take half as many trips from car to fridge when using these bags. When you’re shopping with new baby twins, it’s all about saving time!
4. They are more durable than store bags. We shop mostly at those kinds of stores that are cheaper, but you have to bag your own purchases. I’ve noticed that heavy cans and boxed goods will tear right through those plastic bags.
5. They fit compactly into the car… Ok, I could only think of 4 really good reasons.
Why bringing your own bag is not worth it:
1. You have to plan ahead and make sure you’ve got your bags before arriving at the store. But if you’re determined not to use plastic bags, you could always buy a few reusable ones while shopping. Every store sells them these days. See? No excuses.
Well, that was my great big ‘A-Ha!’ for the day. What do you think? Share in the comments.