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Posts Tagged ‘reusable shopping bags’

There are few places that you can go anymore that don’t sell reusable shopping bags. Whether you are visiting the grocery store, the bookstore, the library or your favorite clothing store, everyone wants to cash in on going green. Every store offering their own design, size and material they are made from. They are quickly becoming the next “status symbol” that everyone must have. Even top designers are cashing in on reusable bags. Which begs the question then, are reusable shopping bags worth the investment?

Let’s start with the impact on the environment. When you consider the impact of using “paper or plastic” on the environment the answer is yes. Reusable shopping bags are definitely the way to go. Now many people have asked which type of reusable shopping bag is better for the environment. There are cotton, hemp, polyester and polypropylene all of which have some environmental impact when it comes to their manufacturing. However it is really negligible when you compare the manufacturing process to the impact using paper or plastic bags.

Now many of you may remember the “tote” bag, a deep bag with two handles that you could basically carry whatever you wanted in them. My grandmother used them for the movies, pool and the beach. They had wild designs or they were very simple. Their purpose was to help you get what you wanted to carry to where it was you were going. I call this the “original” reusable shopping bag. If you have a tote bag at home, you can use it to carry your groceries in. It works just as well and possibly even better.

Designer bags, like Anya Hindmarch’s “I’m not a plastic bag,” canvas bag that is due out this June are nice to look at. They are painted with a good message and soon everyone will want to have one. Are they necessary?

No, you don’t need to spend $15 or more on a bag that you are going to use for groceries or books or clothing. Instead opt for the bags that aren’t going to cost you a fortune and send an even better message.

First look for the free bags. These would be the ones that you have already, such as the tote bags that I already discussed. There are also free bags that you get at golf outings you have attended, if you have gone to a conference or seminar OR you can also reuse any paper or plastics bags you currently have. Don’t throw them away, take them to the store with you.

The next best place to get the reusable shopping bags is the grocery store. Currently where I live, depending on which grocery I visit and the size of the bag I get the cost ranges anywhere from .99 to $2.99. The benefit is that when you take them back to the store to use them, most of the grocery stores where I live will give you a credit on your grocery bill anywhere from .05 – .10 / bag used to bag groceries. It doesn’t seem like much, but if you buy 5 bags and you paid .99 per bag that is 4.95 for all five. Use them each time you go to the grocery store and in a few months you will have recouped the cost of the bags. What is even better, use them at any store that offers a discount and you can earn/save the money back even quicker.

With all the being said, the best reusable grocery bag is going to be the bag that you are going to actually use. You can have 30 reusable grocery bags but if you keep forgetting them at home and then get your groceries bagged in paper or plastic you are not helping the environment or saving money.

Neil Bartlett is the founder of CheapInsider.com. Cheap Insider provides everyone with Tips and Techniques for saving money and finding bargains. To learn more INSTANTLY grab his FREE report “10 Money Saving Tips”