I realized I was spending $12/month on paper towels without thinking about it; mostly for spills, cleaning, and kitchen messes. Doesn’t sound like much, but that’s $144 a year literally thrown away.
Here’s what I switched to:
- Old t-shirts cut into rags- Perfect for spills, no guilt tossing if it’s nasty.
- Microfiber cloths – A pack has lasted me over 2 years and still going strong.
- “Dedicated” grease rag – One old towel just for oily messes so it doesn’t ruin the rest.
I still keep one emergency roll of paper towels tucked away, but honestly I haven’t touched it in 2 months. I also noticed I take out the trash less often because there’s less bulky waste.
Savings? Small but steady. The real win is mental freedom from buying a disposable item every month.
Who here has been able to go around paper towels?
I stopped buying paper towels (and what I use instead)
byu/heromat21 inFrugal
Posted by heromat21
4 Comments
r/circlejerk
I’ve been using the same pack of paper towels I’ve had for over a year. They’re necessary but if you’re going through that much a month, I think reevaluating your messes is worth a shot. Not everything needs paper towels but you also can’t get by on just washable towels either.
My wife uses these for everything. It drives me nuts.
I’ve never purchased them in my life. I consider them a huge waste in multiple ways.
I use a sponge, which i rinse after each use.