It's an easy and fairly painless leap from paper to cloth napkins. A switch that could save you a few bucks a year, but what about the "other" paper products in your life? You know, the one's you're not so keen to give up?
I'm not talking toilet paper here (although you can certainly go that route), but what about paper towels, diapers (for you parents out there), and even pads (for you menstruating women out there)? These may not be the easiest things to give up, but there are other, more cost-effective options, if you're interested.
1. Cloth Napkins
Let's start with the easiest, least painful switch—I'm talking about making the transition to cloth napkins. Instead of buying the paper napkins or ripping a sheet off the paper towel roll, why not go for the fancier (and more economical) cloth?You can buy them or make them. Either way you're probably saving $6/month. (And, I might add, that cloth napkins don't have to technically be napkins, they can also be cotton dish towels—which are usually even less expensive).
- Savings per year: $60-$80
2. Reusable Paper Towels
In my family these are also known as dish towels (but whatever).
I know, I wasn't in love with the idea when it was first posed to me, either. I mean, the whole appeal of paper towels is that they clean up a mess then you dispose of them, right? How do you put a price on the convenience factor? Especially when you're cleaning up cat puke or something equally as charming.
Good question. So I did the math.
Last year we spent about $180 on paper towels. The cheap ones, mind you. If we bought the better ones, we'd have spent about $240. Over the course of 5 years that equates to $900-$1,200. That's a nice chunk of change. Would I be willing to completely forgo the paper and use cloth (and just wash it) for that price? Probably, but it would take a little getting used to.
- Savings over 5 years: up to $1,200
3. Cloth Diapers
Now, I'm not a parent and I will certainly not tell ANY parent that they should switch to cloth diapers over disposable. I've seen very good arguments for using either or both. When you're busy, tired (and what parent isn't?), or just out and about, disposables are a godsend. When using cloth, there's the extra consideration that you're having to wash the diapers in hot water, but even with that expense you're still saving a lot of money over the course of 2-2.5 years.
Cost breakdown:
- Generic disposable diapers (over 2.5 years) = $1,400
- Eco-friendly disposable diapers (over 2.5 years) = $2,500
- Cloth diapers (over 2.5 years) = $300
That equals a $440-$880 savings per year or $1,100-$2,200 over the course of 2.5 years.
4. Reusable (Menstrual) Pads
This took a lot of getting used to in our household & I freely acknowledge that this route isn't for everybody. In general, you have to get over the yuck factor of having to keep the used pads in a waterproof pouch until you can get them home and into the washer, but they are as absorbent as the disposable kind, less irritating, and they're much more eco-friendly.
You can either make these yourself or buy them online. Etsy has a lot of options. (Not an affiliate link, btw.)
You'll probably either go for it or you won't, but here is the cost breakdown:
- Generic menstrual pads: $5 (36 count) — lasts, at most, 2 cycles.
- Over the course of 1 year: $30
- Over the course of 5 years: $150
- Over the course of 10 years: $1,150
- Name brand menstrual pads: $10 (58 count) — lasts, at most, 3 cycles.
- Over the course of 1 year: $40
- Over the course of 5 years: $200
- Over the course of 10 years: $2,000
- Reusable cloth menstrual pad: about $6 each (I've seen a set of 12 for $65).
- Over the course of 1 year: $65 (12 count)
- Over the course of 5 years (assuming you replace a few): $80
- Over the course of 10 years (assuming you replace the set): $130
The first year, you're not saving anything (unless you make them yourself), but by the fifth year, you've saved $70-$120. By the 10th year, you've saved between $1,000 - $1,800.
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