Reuseable grocery bags?

[getforfree]

why would you want to purchase bags and pay for them?

I don't want to pay extra + I don't want to be bothered to remember carrying them around. Or even worse, spend money to launder them and space to keep. I like plastic bags because I can use them as garbage bags and use them to take my lunch with me to work.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Because it's better than having a ton of plastic bags? Nicer for the environment? And I use an insulated lunch bag for work.

[Caoineag]

why would you want to purchase bags and pay for them?

I don't want to pay extra + I don't want to be bothered to remember carrying them around. Or even worse, spend money to launder them and space to keep. I like plastic bags because I can use them as garbage bags and use them to take my lunch with me to work.

I have more plastic bags than I can use up and we use them to clean up after the dog. Also, every store that sells them discounts your groceries for 10 cents per bag. It doesn't take long to recoup the cost and save more in the future. As to taking food to work, that is why I have a backpack. Also environmentally, plastic bags are a nightmare.

Keep in mind as well that most places are moving to ban or eliminate plastic bags. So pretty soon people will have to switch anyways.

[geojen]

I bought 5 cotton mesh bags online. I love those things. You can pack those babies full. I fit 100 dollars worth of groceries in these things regularly. They came with their own little stuff sack to keep them in. They are really strong and durable. Unfortunately, around here, nobody else uses them! I am constantly getting weird looks from people, and the bag boys are always "pushing" their plastic bags on me.

[noppenbd]

... the bag boys are always "pushing" their plastic bags on me.

Funny story: Recently on a trip to the grocery store, I went through the self-checkout. There was a bagger who was working the self-checkout, and I handed her my reusable bags, saying "Here, I have these." I went back to the self-checkout, finished, and paid. I turned around to pick up my bags and found... plastic bags! She obviously had no idea what to do with my bags, so she put them into a plastic grocery bag, along with all my groceries. No matter how much good you do in this world, there are always stupid people out there who can cancel you out! I would have given her the benefit of the doubt, but c'mon, she's a bagger!!!

[geojen]

Funny story: Recently on a trip to the grocery store, I went through the self-checkout. There was a bagger who was working the self-checkout, and I handed her my reusable bags, saying "Here, I have these." I went back to the self-checkout, finished, and paid. I turned around to pick up my bags and found... plastic bags! She obviously had no idea what to do with my bags, so she put them into a plastic grocery bag, along with all my groceries. No matter how much good you do in this world, there are always stupid people out there who can cancel you out! I would have given her the benefit of the doubt, but c'mon, she's a bagger!!!

I know. This has happened to me. Also, I love it when they do take the bags and put the same amount of groceries in it that a regular bag can hold! You gotta pack those puppies, otherwise they are useless.

[CouponAddict]

I have more plastic bags than I can use up and we use them to clean up after the dog. Also, every store that sells them discounts your groceries for 10 cents per bag. It doesn't take long to recoup the cost and save more in the future. As to taking food to work, that is why I have a backpack. Also environmentally, plastic bags are a nightmare.

Keep in mind as well that most places are moving to ban or eliminate plastic bags. So pretty soon people will have to switch anyways.

In order to get the discount, do you have to use that stores bags? If you want the 10 cent discount do you have to ask?

I have totes (from when I was pregnant-seems like every time I went to the OB or the Lamaze class the hospital was giving me one to take educational items home in), I just had no use for them before now and yes they have the hospital logo on them. I have yet to use a cloth bag but I do use the plastic grocery bags in my bathrooms or return them to the store so they can recycle them.

How do you get over the wierd feeling of bringing the bags into the store with you. What if you go in bringing in 7 bags with you and dont find what you want, do you stop at the enterance to show the greeter you have not stolen anything (small items in the bottom of the bag)?

[Caoineag]

In order to get the discount, do you have to use that stores bags? If you want the 10 cent discount do you have to ask?

I have totes (from when I was pregnant-seems like every time I went to the OB or the Lamaze class the hospital was giving me one to take educational items home in), I just had no use for them before now and yes they have the hospital logo on them. I have yet to use a cloth bag but I do use the plastic grocery bags in my bathrooms or return them to the store so they can recycle them.

How do you get over the wierd feeling of bringing the bags into the store with you. What if you go in bringing in 7 bags with you and dont find what you want, do you stop at the enterance to show the greeter you have not stolen anything (small items in the bottom of the bag)?

Oh heck no, you can use any bag. Sometimes you have to ask simply because new cashiers don't realize it but I found out Safeway was doing it when we were packing up my backpack and other bags and the cashier saw us and added the discount.

As to the weird sensation, the only way to get over it is to use the bags. As cashiers grow more comfortable with the idea and realize people use them, they start asking for your bags to pack them for you (this they are still learning to do). As other people see you use them, they stop feeling weird about it and use them as well. Pretty soon it just becomes the norm (currently my area is transitioning like this, its becoming more and more common so more and more people are doing it).

As to the greeters, I run around with a backpack all the time. So if anyone was going to provoke them into checking, it would be me. No one has ever asked to check my bag. I did have a cashier once ask me if I was buying my backpack but that was also at the store I had bought it. I showed her my backpack a little more closely and told her I had bought it a while back. No issues.

[noppenbd]

How do you get over the wierd feeling of bringing the bags into the store with you. What if you go in bringing in 7 bags with you and dont find what you want, do you stop at the enterance to show the greeter you have not stolen anything (small items in the bottom of the bag)?

This is why I like the bags that are really compressible. The ones I have stuff into themselves, so they are really small when not in use. Then there is less chance for mistakes. In reality, I rarely do this because I have never had a problem with a clerk stopping me.

[tabbycat31]

I have 6 from Wegman's. IN the fall, they were 99 cents then free with a Shopper Club card. However I traded one of my 6 for a Trader Joe's one with my mom.

I keep them in the back of the car.

[getforfree]

None of my grocery stores give discounts for bags. I shop a lot at Foodmax, foodsource, and winco. I asked if they give discount for bringing your own bags, they said no, so why do extra work for free which actually costing you extra $$.

[noppenbd]

For me, it is the principle of it. The sight of fluttering plastic bags stuck in a tree outside my house just bothers me a lot, maybe more than it should. But it strikes me as indicative of the attitude that has got us (humans) into the situation we are in. We are a throwaway, somebody-else's-problem, want-it-now society. I know that my choice not to use plastic bags in and of itself will probably have no effect on the world. However, since I am only one person, that is all I can hope to do.

A one-time $5 purchase of a few reusable bags is not going to make any difference in your wallet. Not every decision has to be made purely on the basis of cost. Sometimes you have to use your wallet to make statements based on principle.

[cptacek]

There are two large grocery stores just two and three blocks away from me. Almost every day I have to pick up those plastic grocery bags that have blown into my front yard. I'm waiting for everybody to decide to carry permanent bags.

Aren't you afraid that you'll have to pick up canvas bags from your yard?

[LuxLiving]

I just read something about Ireland taxing you 33cents for every plastic bag you use??

[jodi]

I have two bags from Wegmans ($.99 each) asnd I just picked up a new one from Target - the kind that folds into itself. I absolutely love them because you can fit so much more into one bag. Where I used to carry 5 or 6 plastic bags, my two Wegman's bags will do the trick. I was keeping them in my car, but sometimes I take DH's car shopping and would find myself without them. Now I keep them in the mudroom to grab on my way out, but I still forget them at times. I'm hoping that with the small foldable Target bag I won't forget as much. I might just keep that one in my car for unexpected stops.