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Many people have the tendency to just pitch items without a care in the world. That’s crazy! There are plenty of household items that deserve a second look. Here are a 9 things you should reconsider before tossing:

1. Food

Food waste is a huge problem. In the US, we throw away 40% of our food supply every year. Many people often toss food because they either don’t want to eat leftovers or because they don’t want to put in the effort to preserve it. For instance, if you make too much food to eat before it spoils, considering freezing a portion of it for a later date. Or if you have fruit that is slightly bruised, cut out the bruises instead of merely tossing it in the garbage. Old bananas are great for banana bread, remember.

2. Printer Cartridges

Printer cartridges can be pretty expensive, which is why it doesn’t make too much sense to throw them out. It’s cheaper to buy printer ink and refill cartridges yourself than to buy new ones each time your printer runs out of ink. While it may seem like a hassle, it’s the cheaper option in the long run. I even know a millionaire who finds it worth his time to refill his own ink. There are also a few companies that will refill your used cartridges for a discounted. Watch this YouTube video to see how the process works. It’s pretty simple.

3. Paper or Plastic Shopping Bags

It’s easy for the number of shopping bags to fill up your trash can. While you don’t need to keep all of them (consider donating them), it’s smart to keep a few to reuse them for other purposes. For instance, plastic shopping bags make great trash bags for waste baskets.

4. Electronics

Electronics are also something you probably shouldn’t just throw in the trash. Sometimes people throw out perfectly good electronics because a newer model came along. If your electronics are in decent condition, consider finding a place to recycle them instead of letting them go to waste in a landfill. Earth911 has a directory of places that will take used and unwanted electronics.

5. Shoe Boxes

These boxes are really just boxes, after all. They make great storage containers. Of course, if you have dozens upon dozens of shoe boxes lying around, go ahead and get rid of them. But before you do, see if you can use them for a different purpose. Because of their shape, they’re easy to stack and store. Some people also keep their shoe boxes so they can put their shoes back inside to make for easier storage.

6. Torn Clothing

It’s easy to want to discard clothing with imperfections. But if you have torn clothing that is easily mended, don’t toss it into the trash. Instead, invest in some thread and a needle and begin sewing. Or, if you’re not that handy with sewing materials, drop it off with a friend. Heck, even consider paying a tailor if it’s a quality garment.

7. Food Jars

Like a couple of the other items on this list, food jars are something you should consider reusing. After you clean them, they can be great storage containers for loose spices, soup you want to freeze, or fruit or vegetables you want to can for later. They’re also great storage containers for other household items you want to keep in one place. Saving and washing old pasta jars or baby food jars will save you the money you would have otherwise spent on storage containers.

8. Scraps of Cardboard or Newspaper

While no one wants to keep a pile of cardboard or newspaper scraps, they may come in handy. If you like to go camping or have bonfires, newspapers are great to use to help start a fire. Old newspapers are also good if you’re planning on painting and don’t want to stain your furniture or floors. Cardboard is great to use to steady the back of picture frames, as well. There are plenty of uses you can find for these materials.

While many parents strive to teach their children money management skills, it’s also a great idea to help teach them to be financially generous. Many of us donate to charities or fundraisers to help people or organizations in need, and anyone who has children can follow some of these tips to help teach their kids about financial generosity as well:

Lead By Example

If you’re going to teach your children to be financially generous, you should lead by example. Most young children imitate their parents, and you don’t want to get stuck telling them to do something that you don’t participate in. A great way to encourage them is by showing them where you donate to charity or where you volunteer for a specific organization.

Teach Financial Responsibility

Another excellent way to teach your children about financial generosity is to do so while you’re teaching them about financial responsibility. A common way to do this is by using the “three envelopes” method. You can take three envelopes or jars (or any container of your choice) and have them separate money into piles for saving, spending, or giving. Some parents add a fourth for investing. The money they put away can be money from their weekly allowances, birthdays, or holiday gifts, but it’s important to teach them the reasons that it’s in their best interest to separate out this money for different purposes rather than simply spend it all.

Donations

Another way to teach kids about financial generosity is by encouraging them to donate items to charities. This can take the form of choosing cans to donate to a food pantry or picking out gifts to donate to an organization around the holidays. Or you can have them pick a charity or organization they want to donate to if you’re looking to get them more personally involved. You are likely to have more success if you let your children choose what organizations they are most interested in and then encourage them to make donations once they have chosen. In all likelihood, each child will have different interests and donate toward different causes, but still get the same important lesson.

Volunteering

In much the same way that giving donations is a great way to teach financial generosity, volunteering is also an excellent way to do this. It’s important for kids to understand that financial generosity doesn’t always have to be about writing a check to a charity or dropping a couple of dollars into a donation container. Sometimes offering to volunteer counts as well. Having your children volunteer an afternoon or a couple of hours of week for a cause that they believe in can be a great way of teaching them about financial generosity, not to mention it’s an experience that can really help them out down the road.

Take on a Family Project

While simply donating money is a wonderful way to support a cause or foundation, sometimes children don’t really understand the purpose behind it. A great way to get them more involved is by taking on a family project. This works especially well when children are young and may not have yet chosen specific causes that they like for themselves. Everyone can sit down and decide together what charity or organization that they want to help out. This is a wonderful way to get your children to become more hands-on about donating both their time and money.

Acknowledge Instead of Reward

If your child is already generous by nature, or takes your advice to heart, it’s important to remember to acknowledge their generosity rather than reward them monetarily for it. Many people like to reward their children for generous acts thinking that this will encourage them to do this more, but it could actually have negative connotations. For instance, they could start only performing generous or kind acts with the expectation to be rewarded afterward. You should encourage them to be financially generous without expecting compensation for the act.

Raise Awareness

Sometimes children don’t always understand why they should be financially generous. This can be an opportunity to raise awareness about different causes and organizations, as well as awareness about what it means to be financially generous. it’s also a great opportunity to explain that there are many differences in the world, and even in their own country. Providing them with explanations and examples can help encourage them to be financially generous in the future.

Make the Experience Hands-On

As stated earlier in this article, making an experience hands-on can be a great way to help your child become more involved in financially generous acts. For a lot of people – adults as well as children – physically doing something creates a greater impact and a greater sense of personal pride and inclusion. Having your child work as a member on a food drive or raise money for an event or charity might make them feel more involved in the process and help encourage them to do similar acts in the future.

Teach Them Why It’s Important

While you can raise awareness about different charities or the needs of different people, it’s also important to teach your children why being financially generous is important. There should be plenty of opportunities where you will have the chance to do this, but you need to take the time to explain to the child rather than just do it and assume they understand why. When you do something financially for others, explain why it’s important to you to have done that. That gives the child an opportunity to consider your reasons and make similar decisions on their own.

Encourage Generous Acts

Encouraging your children to be financially generous is probably one of the most important lessons you can give them. This can be anything from supporting them if they choose something as simple as bringing in a can of food for a school food drive to praising them for something as little as donating a few coins to a charity donation box. A simple act can go a very long way and it’s important to remind them of that.

(Photo courtesy of Alameda County Community Food Bank)

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