3336: 6 Reusable Products That Save Me Money by Kumiko of The Budget Mom on Frugal Living and Sustainability

Summary

Podcast Summary: Optimal Finance Daily – Episode 3336

Title: 6 Reusable Products That Save Me Money by Kumiko of The Budget Mom on Frugal Living and Sustainability
Host: Diania Merriam
Air Date: October 31, 2025

---

Main Theme

This episode, featuring Kumiko of The Budget Mom, centers on practical frugal living strategies—specifically, six reusable household products that promote both sustainability and significant long-term savings. Diania Merriam narrates and contextualizes the post, adding her own reflections on resourcefulness, mindful spending, and the creative joy of optimizing personal finances.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction: The Shift to Reusables (01:36)

• Kumiko begins with her own story of consciously trading in disposable products for reusable options, motivated both by a desire to shrink her carbon footprint and to stretch her grocery budget.
  • “I did some research and found six things I could swap out for reusable products. These six changes helped me be kinder to the earth and save more money at the same time.” (D, 02:25)

2. Six Reusable Products That Save Money

A. Brita Pitcher for Drinking Water (02:47)

• Cost & Reasoning: Switched from bottled water to a Brita pitcher (less than $28), with a premium filter that lasts six months.
• Savings: Avoids ~$4 per grocery trip on bottled water.
• Environmental Impact: Reduces plastic bottle waste.
• Quote: “I no longer buy plastic water bottles. Instead, I went online and bought a Brita pitcher… The Brita pitcher I selected saves me a ton of money.” (D, 03:09)

B. Wool Dryer Balls (03:35)

• Cost & Lifespan: $16.95 for a set that lasts up to two years.
• Savings: Stops purchasing dryer sheets ($3.97 for pack of 100) and reduces drying time by 25–50%, lowering utility bills.
• Quote: “The bigger savings… came in an unexpected way. I use around 6 of the wool dryer balls per large load... and they cut my drying time by 25 to 50%.” (D, 04:18)

C. Unpaper Towels (04:56)

• Switch: Moves from disposable paper towels (12-pack at $5+) to organic reusable “unpaper” towels (10-pack under $20).
• Convenience: Washed with regular laundry, multi-purpose for cleaning kitchen and surfaces.
• Quote: “When I’m ready to clean them, I pop the unpaper towels into my washer and dryer right along with my other laundry.” (D, 05:33)

D. Reusable Coffee Filter (05:59)

• Background: Shift from K-cups/coffee pods to a drip coffee maker.
• Costs Saved: Used to spend $9.99 for 100 disposable filters; switched to a reusable model for $6.75.
• Benefits: No more running out of filters or need to purchase replacements.
• Quote: “Now that I’ve made the purchase, I don’t have to worry about spending money on coffee filters again.” (D, 06:37)

E. Reusable Shopping Bags (07:01)

• Practice: Uses multiple foldable bags (~$12.99 for several).
• Savings: Avoids store bag charges and sometimes earns store credits.
• Regulatory Compliance: Necessary in states that ban single-use bags.
• Quote: “Some stores will charge you for grocery bags, so bringing your own could help you avoid this cost.” (D, 07:25)

F. Reusable Storage Bags (07:39)

• Use Case: For packing her son’s lunches (ten bags for $13.99).
• Versatility: Leak-proof, thick, freezer-safe; larger ones for sandwiches and veggies, smaller for snacks.
• Care: Hand wash suggested.
• Quote: “We can easily go through five to six boxes of sandwich bags every school year… The bags are leak proof, thick and freezer safe.” (D, 07:43)

---

Host’s Reflection & Additional Tips

Resourcefulness and Frugality in Action (09:45)

• Diania’s Perspective: Frugality doesn’t have to feel like deprivation; it’s a “grand experiment” in creativity and resourcefulness.
• Personal Anecdote: Made her own laundry detergent during debt-payoff—frugal but switched back when quality (smell) mattered.
• "Big Three" Focus: Housing, transportation, and food are most impactful; she now focuses on everyday mindful spending.
• Checklist Before Purchases:
  • Is it a need or a want?
  • Is there a frugal alternative?
  • Can something existing be repurposed?
  • Can it be borrowed or bought used?

Memorable Quote:
“It felt like a grand experiment to me, and I’ve always taken the approach that if it starts to feel like deprivation, I’ve simply gone too far.” (D, 10:00)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Environmental and Financial Motivation:
  “I didn’t like using a product one time and throwing it out to sit in a landfill.” (D, 01:59)
• On Changing Habits:
  “Cutting out this one-time use product got me thinking about all the other products that I use once and then throw away.” (D, 02:17)
• On Mindful Spending:
  “This mental process stops me from falling into the trap of mindless spending and opens up some creativity in the process.” (D, 10:49)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:36 – Start of Kumiko’s post: introducing the six reusable products.
• 02:47 – Brita pitcher for water as first product.
• 03:35 – Wool dryer balls for laundry.
• 04:56 – Unpaper towels replacing standard paper towels.
• 05:59 – Reusable coffee filter as a replacement for disposables.
• 07:01 – Reusable shopping bags and their impact.
• 07:39 – Reusable storage bags for lunches/snacks.
• 09:45 – Diania’s personal reflection on resourcefulness and spending.
• 10:00 – “Grand experiment” anecdote and practical buying checklist.

---

Summary Flow & Usefulness

This episode is accessible, informative, and engaging for listeners interested in practical sustainability, frugal living, or simply spending less on household basics. By highlighting six easy, actionable swaps, Kumiko (as narrated by Diania) demystifies the process of incorporating thriftiness and eco-consciousness into everyday routines. Diania’s commentary grounds the episode with tested, real-life approaches and her philosophy: frugality should feel creative and smart—not like sacrifice.

---

For listeners:
If you’re looking for simple yet effective ways to trim your budget and minimize waste, this episode offers clear, actionable ideas along with the motivation to view mindful spending as an empowering, enjoyable process.

Transcript

[A]

Introducing your new Dell PC. Powered by the Intel Core Ultra processor, it helps you handle a lot even when your holiday to do list gets to be a lot because it's built with all day battery plus powerful AI features that help you do it all with ease. From editing images to drafting emails to summarizing large documents to multitasking. So you can organize your holiday shopping and make custom holiday decor and search for great holiday deals and respond to holiday requests and customer questions and customers requesting custom things. And plan the perfect holiday dinner for vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians and Uncle Mike's carnivore diet. Luckily you can get a PC that helps you do it all faster so you can get it all done. That's the power of a Dell PC with Intel inside backed by Dell's price match guarantee. Get yours [e-mail] holiday terms and conditions apply. See dell.com for details.

[B]

Oh, the car from Carvana's here. Well will you look at that. It's exactly what I ordered. Like precisely. It would be crazy if there were any catches. But there aren't, right?

[C]

Right, because that's how car buying should be. With Carvana. You get the car you want, choose delivery or pickup and a week to love it or return it.

[B]

Buy your car today with Carvana.

[C]

Deliver your pickup fees may apply. Limitations and exclusions may apply. See our 7 day return [e-mail] this.

[D]

Is Optimal Finance Daily 6 reusable products that Save Me Money By Kimiko of the budget mom.com like millions of other people, I love to start my day with coffee. I can't live without it. If I had to choose between breakfast and coffee, I'd choose coffee every time. There's nothing like the taste of a fresh cup of my favorite morning beverage or a jolt of caffeine to make me feel ready to conquer my goals. A while ago I switched from using a Keurig and K cups to a drip coffee maker. I made the change for two reasons. First, I wanted to help the environment and reduce my carbon footprint. I didn't like using a product one time and throwing it out to sit in a landfill. Of course, I also wanted to find a way to cut expenses and stretch my grocery budget further. But cutting out this one time use product got me thinking about all the other products that I use once and then throw away. I did some research and found six things I could swap out for reusable products. These six changes helped me be kinder to the earth and save more money at the same time. One Brita pitcher. I can't lie. I love bottled water and I hate tap water. I think these feelings date back to growing up on a farm and our well water was honestly just icky. But I didn't love the idea of throwing away plastic bottles and hurting the environment either. And of course, I also hate to waste money. I'm proud to say that I made a big switch. I no longer buy plastic water bottles. Instead, I went online and bought a Brita pitcher for less than $28. Best of all, because I purchased the premium blue filter, I don't have to switch it out for six whole months. The Brita pitcher I selected saves me a ton of money. Bottled water wasn't a huge expense, but it did cost me around $4 every time I went to the grocery store. Also, I opted for the premium filter up front. Now I don't have to replace the filters in my Brita as often and worry about that cost. 2. Wool dryer balls we all have those household chores we hate. For me, it's laundry. I hate doing laundry so much, but it has to be done anyway. Thankfully, I found a way to save some money on one of my least favorite chores. I purchased a set of wool dryer balls online for $16.95. They save me money in a couple of different ways. First, I no longer buy dryer sheets. My reusable dryer balls can last up to two years. In the past, I would purchase bounce dryer sheets for around $3.97 for a pack of 100, so cutting this expense is a small savings. The bigger savings with my dryer balls, however, came in an unexpected way. I use around 6 of the wool dryer balls per large load of laundry and they cut my drying time by 25 to 50%. Less drying time equals more money saved on my utility bill. As a follower of the budget mom, you already know I'm all about finding ways to reduce the cost of my utility bills. 3. Unpaper towels my entire life, I used paper towels. I used to buy them in bulk at Costco, but I recently made the switch to reusable unpaper towels, and I'm happy I did. I keep an unpaper towel by my sink in the kitchen. It's one I use to wipe down my counters, my coffee pot, or the stovetop, especially when I'm cooking messy spaghetti sauce. When I'm ready to clean them, I pop the unpaper towels into my washer and dryer right along with my other laundry. The switch has saved me money. I was buying a 12 pack of paper towels at Walmart. The cost for the 12 pack was a little over $5. By comparison, you can get a 10 pack of these organic reusable paper towels on Amazon for under $20. Four coffee filter as I mentioned, I used to own a Keurig. Honestly, it was fantastic because it was so convenient. I used it for hot water, for tea, and of course for my favorite morning routine coffee. But I found that I was spending a ton of money each month on K cups and when I was done with my one cup of coffee, I had to throw the K cup out. I didn't like that, so I moved to a drip coffee maker. At first I used disposable number four coffee filters. I bought them online and paid around $9.99 for a 100 pack. Since I drink coffee every day, I was using 100 disposable filters in 100 days or less. Eventually I decided to switch to a reusable four coffee filter to save money. The reusable filter cost me just $6.75 on Amazon. Now that I've made the purchase, I don't have to worry about spending money on coffee filters again. There's one more thing I like about my reusable coffee filter. I don't have to run to the store or remember to order replacement filters when I run out five Shopping bags. Another product I purchased to be both kind to the environment and to save money was my reusable shopping bag. Or rather, I bought several foldable reusable grocery bags on Amazon for around $12.99. In some states, single use plastic grocery bags are prohibited, so reusable grocery bags are a must. Some stores will charge you for grocery bags, so bringing your own could help you avoid this cost. Finally, some stores offer you a small store credit as an incentive to bring your own shopping bag with you and number six Storage bags. My son is in elementary school. We can easily go through five to six boxes of sandwich bags every school year. To replace the disposable plastic sandwich bags we used, I purchased a 10 pack of reusable storage bags on Amazon. The bags are leak proof, thick and freezer safe. The entire tent pack cost me around $13.99. Now I don't recommend putting the bags in the dishwasher, however, they're easy to wash and rinse out by hand in the sink. I use the larger baggies for his sandwiches and veggies like carrots or celery sticks. In the smaller baggies, I pack his fishy snacks, chips or similar items you just listened to the post titled 6 reusable products that save me money by Kimiko of TheBudgetMom.com Imagine you're a business.

[A]

Owner who has to rely on a dozen different software programs to run your company. Each one is expensive, overly complicated, and worst of all, none of them are connected.

[D]

Now imagine a platform that could tackle.

[A]

All of your business management needs in one place. That platform you're imagining, it's Odoo. Odoo has all the programs you'll ever need and they're all connected on a single, simple, easy to use software, giving you peace of mind that your business is always being taken care of from every angle. Odoo assists in accounting, marketing, inventory, hr, CRM, manufacturing, and everything in between through its user friendly interface and open source applications. Basically, if your business needs it, Odoo's got it. Odoo sounds pretty amazing, right? So stop wasting your time and money on those expensive disconnected platforms and let Odoo harmonize your business with simple, efficient software that can handle everything for a fraction of the price. It doesn't get much better than that. So what are you waiting for? Discover how Odoo can take your business to the next level by visiting odoo.com that's o d o o.com odoo modern management made simple.

[E]

This episode is brought to you by Amazon Business. We could all use More Time Amazon Business offers smart business buying solutions so you can spend more time growing your business and less time doing the admin. I can see why they call it smart. Learn [e-mail].

[D]

This post resonated with me because it demonstrates how resourcefulness and thoughtfulness can lead to saving money. When I was getting out of debt and trying to lower my expenses, I learned to tap into a level of creativity and resourcefulness that I didn't even know I had. It felt like a grand experiment to me, and I've always taken the approach that if it starts to feel like deprivation, I've simply gone too far. So, for example, there was a period of time that I was making my own laundry detergent. It was super cheap with only three ingredients and I would make a five gallon container that would last me close to a year. However, I got to a point where I noticed that my homemade detergent just didn't smell as nice as what I used to buy, so I switched back. When it comes to frugality, I find it useful to focus on the big three housing, transportation and food. Now that I've optimized in these areas I don't think about them much anymore, but I still make efforts to be mindful about other spending. Before I buy something, I typically go through a checklist in my mind that goes something like this. First, I ask myself, is this really a need or more of a want? And if it is a need, is there a more frugal way to go about it? Do I own something already that could be repurposed to fit this need? Could I borrow what I need from a friend? If I absolutely need to buy something, can I get it used? This mental process stops me from falling into the trap of mindless spending and opens up some creativity in the process. And that will do it for today. Have a great day and start to your weekend. Thank you for listening and I'll be back here tomorrow where your optimal life awaits.