Becoming Zero-Waste on a Next to Nothing Budget! These 3 tips wont break the bank

Becoming zero-waste and plastic free can be intimidating when you try it all at once, especially when your budget is virtually nonexistent. Don't worry, Rome wasn't built in a day (or whatever the saying is)! Doing these 3 simple things is a great way to dip your toes in and begin making a positive impact on the environment.

1. Save those salsa bottles!!

Yep, I said it. Salsa? Spaghetti Sauce? Olive Oil? Candles? These are all things I buy regularly, and instead of buying them in disposable plastic containers, I've found you can find these products in glass bottles (sometimes for the same if not cheaper prices) and they are extremely versatile. Here are some ideas what you can do with these bottles.

• Use them as a vase. Paint it with some cheap paint from Wal-Mart, let dry, and ta da! A simple and beautiful vase. Better yet, leave it clear and add some beads, rocks, or coins as a filler!
• Store things. I like to put things like shells and coins in for decoration and find it a practical way to keep track loose items.
• Bathroom supplies. I love putting my cotton swabs and makeup brushes in cute painted candle containers, and they look so stylish on the counter! You can even paint designs for an extra pop.
• Kitchen utensils. I have 2 old mason jars painted white and in a basket on my kitchen counter with different utensils. I don't have to buy something new, and its waste-free and cute!
• Recycle them. Although reuse is always best, glass is easier to recycle than plastic, and never looses its integrity after being recycled again and again.

2. Reusable shopping bags

Grocery stores sell reusable shopping bags for a couple dollars or less, and some will even give you a discount when you use them! (They're basically paying YOU to shop green.) Don't have a couple dollars to spare? Find an old bag like mine from Magnolia Farms, or make one.

3. Say no to plastic water bottles

It is so easy to find a reusable water bottle at the store! I recommend stainless steel (not plastic, keeps your beverage cooler longer, etc.), but any reusable bottle is better than nothing. Instead of taking Aquefina on your road trip, save money AND the sea turtles by filling your own bottles. Want soda? Some gas stations will let you fill your own bottle (again, I recommend stainless steel, esp for soda since carbonation + plastic = bad), and you just tell them the size when you check out.


These 3 simple tools will drastically decrease your plastic use, and is a way to baby step into zero-waste living. We can do this together! Let me know if you have any stories, tips, or suggestions in the comments!