If you are a couponer, you have stacks of newspapers that go to waste each week. This may be old news-ha! but why not use them to make your dollar stretch even further?
Here’s ten Mavis approved uses for old newspaper:
- Ditch the paper-towels, newspapers work great for cleaning windows
- DIY Kid’s Party – Make a Pinata out of newspaper. The kids will love making it with you, and probably talk about it way longer than the expensive store-bought version.
- Use newspaper to dry out winter/wet shoes. Stick crumpled newspaper in the shoes overnight and let it draw out the moisture. {Perfect for this time of year!}
- Create newspaper seed starter pots. The best part is that you can plant these right into the ground and and they will biodegrade. Thrifty and eco-friendly.
- Start a new garden bed in the fall by layering newspapers, leaves, bark and mulch over a freshly mowed bit of grass. Water it in. In the spring, the newspaper will have smothered the grass, creating a fertile and effortless garden space.
- Use it as gift-wrap. My grandma always gave me presents wrapped in the “funnies”. I still smile when I see a box wrapped in the comics and tied with a piece of twine. Reminds me that being frugal is nothing new.
- Pack away all those delicate Christmas ornaments. Forget about the expensive bubble wrap and packing peanuts, use what you already have.
- Ripen tomatoes. Wrap tomatoes loosely in newspaper and leave them on the counter for 24 hours.
- Use it instead of paper towel when making fried foods. I love using newspaper when making homemade fries, because the starchy fries won’t stick to the newspaper the way they do to paper towels and my thighs!
- If you are planning on getting chicks this year, save it! It makes a great liner in your brooder.
How about YOU? What is your favorite way to use old newspapers?
~Mavis
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Mari says
We have just brought a shredder so I can shred all non shiny newspaper and shopping brochures and put the resulting paper in the compost bin or use it to mulch plants. Am also putting it as layers in my raised gardens.
Susan Reid says
We shred papper too, but use it to line the chicken nesting boxes.
Mari says
Now why didn’t I think of that. My girls are costing me a fortune in straw as the won’t roost on the perch but sleep in the nestboxes. They are not toilet trained lol
LuAnn Braley says
*LOL* You must be related to my mother and my maternal grandmother. Because I swear they did all of those except for the pinata and the seed starter pots. Of course, they were two ladies in the middle of Europe during WWII, so they were used to being very frugal.
Jennifer says
We shred ours and use it in the Guinea pig cage…..it saves us a ton of money. Then we don’t have to buy the bedding stuff which we would need 2 bags at 20.00 each every 2 weeks….now we just use the newspaper.
jolanta says
we use them in our worm bin!
Tali says
If you do not need the newspaper yourself call your local animal shelter. They use it in their kennels for the puppies and kittens.
Judy says
We shred ours and use it for packing parcels that we post in boxes and satchels
Susan Reid says
Wow, i just found this cool use for newspaper. Cut into strips and use as seed tape! http://www.giverslog.com/?p=2484
Ivy Lane says
great tips Mavis! I used to use the comics to wrap Christmas gifts for my nieces and nephews… Love the seed starter tip…. all are good!
PS…how are your lavender seeds coming along???
Heather S. says
I saw something on that show Doomsday Preppers where they shredded them, mixed them with some old leaves, put them in maybe a water solution, and pressed them to make fire starter logs. It looked like a great way to use old newspapers…
Mike E. says
These are all great tips! We use newspapers and those annoying coupon ads that come in the mail as a bottom liner in my garbage can. First we put in a plastic bag, then a couple layers of the newspaper. It soaks up any stray liquid and keeps it from forming something nasty on the bottom of your garbage can or worse yet, a nasty wet spot on your carpet.
auntie says
With all this talk about the “Big One” hitting the Pacific Northwest recently, I’ve decided to add a healthy stack of newspapers to keep with the emergency supplies. Who knows, it could come in handy making a fire or keeping us warm crumpled inside our clothes if the weather gets cold enough.