The Bag's the Hook

There were some things I did to reduce before, but what really got me hooked was reusable bags. I didn't like the idea of buying a little bag that cost $3, looked ugly, and I knew I would forget it. One day when we were at Half Price Books, we saw their b(eco)me green reusable bags for sale for a mere 98 cents! These things are large and sturdy. And you can put it over your shoulder, which helps when bringing them in from the car. And fewer bags means less fumbling getting the groceries in. We got five to put in Jeff's SUV and one to put in my car. And they're great. The grocery store we frequent gives 5 cent discounts for each bag you don't use, which is a nice bonus.

I was finding I was in places like Walgreens a lot, and didn't have my bag with me, either because I forgot it (which was usually the case), or it was too cumbersome to carry around with me. So I got three little ChicoBags ($7) that are the size of a plastic grocery bag, but fold up into a little bitty pouch. The little bag is attached to the inside of the bag, so you'll never lose it. And it's only about three inches in height, so it fits well in my purse. And they're machine washable and hold up to 25 pounds! And they can also attach to your key chain or belt.

It was very easy to buy some bags, and use them at the grocery store. The next easy step was to buy a few to carry around with me all the time.