STOP Buying These Zero Waste Swaps! Here are Their Free Alternatives

Inspired by my new (ish) series, “how much money zero waste swaps can save you,” several of you suggested that I show off some free alternatives to popular zero waste swaps and I LOVE that idea. I’m a huge fan of living zero waste on a budget (you can check out 350+ ways to live zero waste totally for free in this playlist).

Let’s go!

Stasher Bag/Qrumbles

Qrumbles truly are one of my favorite zero waste swaps. I love them especially for sandwiches. But, when you’re at home, you don’t need any reusable option…you probably already have a reusable option at home! Just use containers you already have. If you have a bowl with no lid, add a plate on top or transfer it to a container with a lid. Especially with both Qrumbles and Stasher running $20-40 a piece.

Silicone covers or wax wraps

Similarly, an alternative to saran wrap is beeswax wraps or other reusable wraps. I personally hate them and find them hard to use, but many people love them. Also, there are free ways to protect your food. As I mentioned above, containers you already have or could thrift are going to be your cheapest option.

Unpaper towels

Truly a swap I have never understood are unpaper towels. They’re great, don’t get me wrong. They’re high quality and durable and look aesthetically pleasing, but as a non-aesthetic girlie who wants to save money, I just don’t get it. Instead, I use rags I already have. I’ve even made more rags out of an old towel and you can even make more rags out of other old clothing. Not the cutest, but surely the cheapest!

Reusable coffee cup & reusable water bottle

I’m a sucker for a cute reusable coffee cup. I’ve always had one, but that was a purchase I was willing to make. If you’re not willing to fork over money, a free option is to use a reusable water bottle you already have (you probably have several just like we all do) or use something like an old jar. Jars aren’t great for hot liquids, so cover it with a cute sock or some reused rubber bands to protect your hands.

Maybe this isn’t your forever option as a reusable coffee cup, but it sure does do the job until you save up the money or find the perfect cup for you.

Bamboo utensils

This is truly a low waste swap I do NOT recommend (more swaps I don’t recommend here). Why buy something expensive and not very effective when you likely have an extra set of utensils at home? It’s true, bamboo utensils don’t even work that well. So, pick an extra of your favorite fork and spoon and throw that in your purse or zero waste bag (here’s what’s in my zero waste bag).

Don’t have extra? Head to the thrift store to get an extra set for less than a few bucks!

Matching glass jars

Sooo many people want to achieve that clean, zero waste aesthetic. As we already discussed, not me. But, you can still achieve that look in a cheaper and more eco way by using upcycled jars from pasta sauce, pickles, salsa, and more. You can be lazy like me and leave the labels on or you can take the time to get the labels off and make them as cute as possible.

Reusable cotton rounds

These rounds have so many uses from taking off makeup to applying moisturizer or toner and so much more. But, they’re pricey! Yes, they last forever and WILL save you money over the long run, but save even more money by making some yourself. You don’t even have to sew! You can simply cut an old tshirt into squares or you can get fancy and sew something together. My favorite ones I made were made out of an old pillow case (which you can also thrift something nice still for less money than buying new reusable rounds).

Reusable tissues

The same goes for reusable tissues. I love Boaty tissues that you can buy, but when you can make them for free? You can’t beat that. Plus making them yourself requires an old tshirt and scissors, no sewing required! And if you’re just wanting to wipe your nose with less waste, they don’t have to be cute.

Cleaners

Store-bought yet eco-cleaners from brands like Clean Cult and Blueland are effective and cute, but they can get pricey. And when you can easily make your own cleaners OR just use household products to clean, why spend the money?

DIY cleaners usually consist of soaking citrus in vinegar for a few weeks. But you can also simply use white vinegar as it is. Pair it with something else like baking soda, salt, or lemon for extra cleanliness and effectiveness. I am no pro on homemade cleaners, and I would personally just search it.

New, reusable grocery bags

Reusable grocery bags are a must BUT you don’t have to buy them new! You can use what you have, you probably already have some that you bought on impulse at Target or Trader Joe’s cause you forgot your other ones at home? Yeah, we’ve all been there. Forget buying trendy ones and use what you already have.

Don’t have any lying around? There’s already been so many created, don’t increase the demand, shop secondhand or ask around on your local Buy Nothing Group to see if you can snag some for free. Never heard of Buy Nothing? Learn more here.

Reusable produce bags

Among my list of zero waste swaps I don’t recommend, it’s reusable produce bags. They’re great, but I made my own and quickly stopped using them. It’s just such a hassle to bring in 5-6 reusable large bags and 10 or so reusable produce bags. I didn’t revert back to plasitc, I just quit them entirely!

But, if you do like to use them, I highly recommend just making your own if you know how to sew. They’re easy to whip up from old tshirt fabric and old shoelaces or string you already have instead of buying them new.

E-readers

E-readers are quite popular in the zero waste world. It’s less wasteful to buy a digital book instead of a physical book. But what’s cheaper still and more eco since you’ll be borrowing is to use your local library and your phone you already have. Most libraries team up with apps like Libby and Hoopla to bring you free e-books and audiobooks right to your phone!

You can also use these apps on said e-readers if you already have one. If you really, really want an e-reader, I highly recommend looking secondhand to save money and waste. Learn more about the importance of shopping secondhand here.

Cute, recycled paper notebooks

Ditch the new notebooks, yes, even the eco ones! They’re pricey, and guess what, it’s just going to get recycled anyway…just like that scrap paper you have. You’re recycling it, why not get some more use out of it? I haven’t bought a new notebook in years. If I need a notebook for work, I look secondhand.

But for things like small notes, grocery lists, and so forth, I use scrap paper. Things like the backs of one-sided printed paper, receipts, hand outs, etc. It’s free, I get more use out of it, and I no longer have to buy something new for my notes and lists.

Composting

Yes, composting is great but it might cost you money! Find ways to eat your food waste or freeze it before it goes bad to cut costs. If you do have free compost, I still encourage you to eat your food before composting it when possible. Get the most bang for your buck and don’t let those precious nutrients go to waste. It’s always better to eat it than to compost it and it’s always better to compost it than throw it away. Composting should come last before the landfill, not first.

That’s all for today but there is more where that came from! Leave your ideas down below and I will see you back here for part 2 in the future. But for now, enjoy some of my other content.

As always, remember that your small actions make a big difference in the long run :)

Emma