The average American household spends approximately $6,081 monthly, which is higher than the $5,557 monthly spending in 2022. As expenses keep increasing due to inflation, changing buying preferences, unexpected events, etc., people would be delighted if they could save some money. This article lists 12 reusable items to help Americans save significant money without compromising product quality.
Reusable Water Bottles
Everyone needs a big, high-quality water bottle to stay hydrated. Since a water bottle is required daily, people can save a lot of money by replacing disposable water bottles with reusable ones. This single swap can help people save approximately $1,350 a year, which is huge. The best part about reusable water bottles is that they last several years, helping you save money in existing and subsequent purchase years.
Reusable Menstrual Products
Quality menstrual products aren’t as affordable as they should be. If these product spending have been creating a dent in your budget, replacing single-use menstrual products like pads, tampons, etc., with menstrual cups can save roughly $1000 a year. A menstrual cup is made using medical grade silicone and designed to last for years, adding on product savings in the following years.
Reusable Coffee Cups
36% Americans prefer visiting a coffee shop at least once a week, and 12% visit daily. Even if one buys the cheapest coffee from a store, multiple buys a day can compound to hundreds of dollars in a year. However, people can save money on coffee purchases by using their reusable coffee cups. Starbucks offers a $0.10 discount on drinks and 25 stars in the Starbucks reward program to customers bringing a clean, reusable coffee cup. This amount may look tiny, but multiply it with your family’s yearly coffee purchases, and you’ll have massive savings.
Bidet Attachment
People spend around $60 to $90 a year on toilet paper, and this spending is for one individual. If you have four or more family members, this spending can easily reach the $240 to $360 mark. Americans can end this recurring spending by investing in a bidet attachment to save the entire amount. This durable attachment can last years, saving hundreds of dollars on autopilot.
Reusable Coffee Pods
People who use a single-use coffee pod to make one freshly brewed coffee daily spend roughly $219 every year. This amount doubles and crosses the $400 mark for people who make coffee twice a day. Fortunately, people can save all this money by buying a reusable coffee pod. You can find reusable coffee pods for as cheap as $9.99 and save hundreds of dollars a year that you would have used for buying single-use coffee pods.
Reusable Shopping Bags
While single-use shopping bags don’t cost much, the amount can be significant for frequent shoppers. An average American household uses around 1,500 plastic bags every year. Even if it costs a nickel, it accounts for roughly $75 a year. The amount can be higher for regular shoppers and those with more family members. People can save this amount by getting reusable shopping bags made of cotton, jute, hemp, etc.
Reusable Paper Towel
Everyone needs a towel in their kitchen, bathroom, etc., to maintain hygiene. While these are considered essential purchases, single-use paper towels can create a hole in peoples’ budgets. Single-use paper towels are estimated to cost $268 a year, and it can be more for bigger families. People can save this amount by replacing single-use paper towels with reusable towels that cost $14.95 for five reusable paper towels. These towels can be used year-long, resulting in significant savings for bigger houses.
Reusable Glass Cups
Some people use disposable cups for drinking beverages, especially while hosting parties at their houses. People running restaurants and cafes are some of the biggest users of single-use cups. They not only harm the environment but also cost a lot of money. Replacing these with reusable glass cups can add money to your account by preventing mindless spending on single-use cups. Those replacing plastic cups with reusable glass cups reported an annual savings of $500.
Metal Straws
An average person uses 1.6 straws daily in the U.S., making it 584 yearly for a single person. If you have a larger family, you will end up buying hundreds of straws every year. The challenge with disposable plastic straws is they pose a threat to the environment and are a recurring expense for almost all households. While the investment in these straws depends on the quality of disposable straws one buys, it can be slashed down to $3.99 a year by buying metal straws that last several years.
Reusable Ziploc Bags
If you pack your kids, spouse, and your lunch for school and office daily in a single-use Ziploc bag, you may be spending roughly $12.48 every month or even more, resulting in an annual expense of 149.76 or more. The expense can be more if you pack multiple meals a day for everyone in the family in these single-use bags. However, this expense can be brought down to $22.99 a year by using reusable, easy-to-clean Ziploc bags.
Silicone Baking Mats
Those using air fryers, ovens, etc., for daily baking require plenty of parchment paper. While a single roll can cost about $5.16, the total investment can cross the $61.92 mark a year. This expense can increase significantly in homes where baking is a part of daily meal prep. People can save a lot of money by replacing these products with silicone mats. They cost as low as $9.99 and can last for years.
Reusable Razors and Blades
A standard disposable razor lasts three to ten shaves. Since both men and women have razors in their grooming toolkits, they don’t hesitate to spend a good amount on them. Many people spend on disposable razors that cost them $14.97 for a few months, followed by a new purchase. This recurring spending can be stopped by buying reusable razors for as little as $9.99. Over a period, this replacement will generate significant savings.
