Frugal Friday--Reuse Plastic Storage Bags

One of the frugal tactics I have used for a long time is reusing the plastic storage bags.  You can see from the picture that I regularly purchase Ziploc brand.  And this is clearly not sirloin steak in 3.5 oz portions.  

I have purchased the store brands before because they cost less, but the last package I had the bags were not sealed all the way around, particularly down at the bottom.  And in sheer frustration I've went through three or four bags trying to find one that wasn't split.  


I marched them back to the store, well ok, I drove, but when I got to the store I marched in there and demanded my money back.  Ok, so I asked politely for a refund of both my open box and the unopened box.  Yes, I buy things in pairs.  That is a whole other issue for another post.  Focus people.  


I don't usually ask for a refund on opened boxes of things, but I was truly dissatisfied and felt like the bags should at least come out of the box and make it through one use.  Any extra uses I get out of them is a bonus and where frugality kicks in.  


I'm getting soft in my old age, and if I have a bag with chicken I don't usually wash it out and reuse it anymore.  But if pretty much anything else goes in there, I will take the time to wash the bag and then hang them out to dry, using my knife block as a bag dryer.

Any bag that gets a hole goes right into the trash, no sense washing it if it can't be pulled out of the drawer and used without too much thought.  After they are dry, they go into the drawer ready to be pulled into action.  

The boys, C&S,  have regularly made fun of me for this practice, but I continue.  I'll not be mocked out of my frugal tactics.  L never said much about it, but I knew I had converted him when he stopped someone at work who had only a slice of bread in a ziploc bag and then threw the bag away.  


Dude, you can't throw that bag away.  You only had a slice of bread in there.  Use it again, or give it me, and my wife will use it again.  The guy picked it out and at least pretended to take it back home.  


So you never know who's watching your frugal life and when they might spring into action on your behalf.