Frugal Zero Waste Swaps

Here are five frugal zero-waste swaps that you can do without putting a strain on your wallet. If you are interested in being zero waste don’t feel pressured to go out and buy new products. You can use what you have first then replace items as they run out.

Updated January 28, 2021

Reusable water bottle

Line dry your clothes

Use cold water instead of hot water

Take short showers instead of baths to save water

Cloth napkins

I made cloth napkins out of a pillowcase I bought from a thrift store using for inspiration. But I also use bandanas as napkins because they work just as well.

Make rags out of old t-shirts

You can make rags for cleaning out of old clothes instead of throwing them away.

Reusable grocery bags

Many stores have started allowing people to bring reusable bags again but I would double-check with the stores in your area for their policy.

Bamboo Toothbrush

Bamboo toothbrushes are more sustainable because you can compost the tootbrush handle once you are done using it. You do need to remove the tootbrush bristles with pliers if you plan on composting the tootbrush when you are done using it.

Reusable straws

If you are ordering food from a restaurant, coffee shop, or another food establishment you can ask for no straws. But if prefer to use straws there are alternatives in a variety of sizes and styles made of bamboo, silicone, metal, and glass.

Freeze produce scraps for composting

If you are interested in composting but you don’t have a compost bin you can freeze your food scraps instead. Then you can make a stock or take the food scraps to a place where they can be composted. Check your local area to see if they have any farmer’s markets, farms, or composting sites where they can compost your food.

Comment down below if you have any other zero-waste swaps that you have done.