Stretching the Grocery Budget: Aluminum Foil to the Max

In stead of using aluminum foil once and throwing it away, I have always washed it and used it until it can't be used any more. It may seem like pennies but if I can re-use and recycle it makes good sense to me.

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[Anvilshock]

Trying to use inherently single-use products multiple times instead of using proper reusable items - Only in America.

[thewheatguy]

@Anvilshock ~ Question: What other proper reusable item takes the place of aluminum foil? I'm curious. Perhaps I've not thought of what that would be before (which I can't seem to think of it now, so that's stating the obvious.) Please tell me what is an actually intended reuse item that can be used exactly like aluminum foil?

I love to learn new things! Please do share!

[Anvilshock]

@thewheatguy That is such an American way to think. "I want to change for the better, but God forbid I don't want to change my ways of doing it." Please don't feed that stereotype. The point is not to replace al foil but to change style of cooking and householding so that you don't have to resort to using in the first place. I don't know for what purposes you use al' foil. I rarely use it myself so I won't know where to start to give you pointers.

[thewheatguy]

@Anvilshock - This is changing the 'ways of doing it' for some people.

About all I use al. foil for is to cover casserole dishes or line the bottom of the oven when/if something leaks. So why not wash and reuse it rather than lazily toss it. Save $ and land fill space.

I admit to being taken aback by your assumption of a stereotype. ALL PEOPLE tend to lean toward their comfort zones initially.

[Anvilshock]

@thewheatguy "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." (Einstein) - But if it is within your comfort zone to complicate your life with patchwork solutions rather than eliminating the need for those patchworks altogether, who am I to argue.

You seem to use al foil quite rarely already. That's nice, but sadly your video didn't underline that the best moneysaver is not reusing throwaways but to use less and fewer of them in the first place.

[thewheatguy]

@Anvilshock - you wrote: "......the best moneysaver is not reusing throwaways but to use less and fewer of them in the first place."

Best point! Well stated. I agree.

[thewheatguy]

@Anvilshock - I find that it waists more time to be argumentative over minuscule points than it does to wash aluminum foil.

[thewheatguy]

@Octomundunchkin ~ There's little guilt once I finally feel like tossing it this way.... If I use it several times, and then use it for something raw or super sticky....then it's done the work multiple time.

Glad to spark your brain with something new!

Best Blessings!

Donna

[Octomundunchkin]

Wow, I'm a fairly frugal person but I never imagined washing the foil to reuse it. Seems like the most obvious thing to me now. Thanks so much for this tip! :)

[thewheatguy]

@edithisel - I know what you mean!

It used to seem weird to me watching my grandmother do some things, but now I do so many things she did....She was a new wife right at the beginning of the Great Depression and many stretching skills she carried on and I got to benefit from them. Didn't know it at the time, but Grammy infuenced me for THIS time....

Thanks for the comment and kind encouragement!

Best Blessings!

Donna