Reuse, Recycle, Remake

Part of being frugal is to try to recycle, reuse or remake what you already have. I am amazed at the creativeness some people have to do this. I can take simple things, like using coffee containers for cookies, leftovers etc. But when I see people using and reusing things I never would have thought to try I am awed.

There was a woman in one of our churches that loved our kids. She was an elderly woman and loved to sew. She would go to the goodwill or such places and buy huge ladies dresses. She would get them for about nothing or nothing and then cut them up and make my daughter the most beautiful clothes.

I have seen people make skirts out of jeans and purses out of jeans.

One of the ways we can all save money is to start looking for what we can do with things before we just chuck them out. I have a few sources that I would like to recommend.

How Can I Recycle This has many ideas for what you can do with things before throwing them. If you do not find what you are looking for write in and people will answer you. There is everything from extra cucumbers to old T-shirts.

Waste Nothing is a yahoo group where people share with one another on how to use everything. I have been amazed at the items that they find uses for and saves money.

The Tightwad Times is also a yahoo group that is connected with the tightwad gazette.

The Instructables is a website that has instructions for anything from the weird to fun to frugal.

I know there are many things we could be using and not tossing. I see what I throw away and know that much of it is money going in the garbage if I would just stop and find a way to reuse or remake what I have.

How about you? Do you reuse, remake, recycle? Hope over to Biblical Womanhood for more frugal ideas.