Paper towels seem to be a household staples these days. I’ll admit that I used to be a paper towel junkie. I’m talking paper towels for everything—wiping up spills, cleaning counters, washing windows, blowing noses, and everything in between. It took me a little while to realize that these handy little squares of flimsy material were costing me a bundle every month. And I just ended up throwing them in the trash in the end!
So, I started looking for ways to save money on paper towels, and I realized something. There are really only two things you need to do to save money on paper towels…
- Never pay full price.
- Use fewer paper towels.
Seemed pretty simple to me!
First, most people looking to save money on paper towels know to never pay full price for them. National brands sell for a little over a buck a roll. It may not seem like much, but that $1 per roll can really add up, especially if you’re using a few rolls each week.
Instead of paying full price for something that will end up in the trash anyway, start watching for two things—sales and coupons. By themselves, sales and coupons can help you save money on paper towels. It’s when you combine the two, though, that you get the biggest bang for your buck.
Probably the best way to save money on paper towels, though, is to use less. Or stop using them completely. I can hear our gasps of horror right now, but don’t worry. It’s not as difficult as you’d think. Well, at least it wasn’t for us.
The key to ditching paper towels, or at least cutting back, is to have lots and lots of rags on hand. The big packs of cheap washcloths work well for this, or you can cut up old t-shirts for rags. Both of these work just as well as, if not better than, paper towels for most cleaning jobs. You may still want to buy paper towels to get streak-free windows, though.
Most people don’t like using rags to replace paper towels, because they think they get gross and germy and they think that reusable rags are too much work to keep clean. You can keep them relatively clean by rinsing them well after each use. They can also be tossed in a bucket with a solution of water and bleach or vinegar until you can toss them in the laundry. Save time and even more money by tossing them in with a load of laundry you’re already doing.
