Why would you buy a collection of 5 to 10, or maybe even 15, grocery bags from a retail store?

Yes, I have a small collection of canvas bags. They’re used to tote things around, like a handbag or back pack. These bags help put less wear and tear on my good handbags, so they aren’t replaced as frequently.

I haven’t really used canvas bags for grocery shopping – although at a store like Aldi, which charges for bags, you do want to bring your own stash.

Here’s my situation: I have a frugal re-use for plastic and paper shopping bags:

• The plastic ones are used to line the smaller trash cans around my house. This is an easy way to keep the cans stay clean, and I’ve never needed to buy bags for the small trash cans.
• The paper shopping bags, when I get them, are set aside for newspaper recycling days, so I don’t have to haul a huge bin in my car to the drop-off site).

The usage balances out the supply fairly well, and rarely do I end up with “too many” shopping bags.

But as part of an eco-friendly trend, I’ve noticed more and more shoppers are using store-brand canvas bags.

If a store wants to give their canvas bags away, I’d take at least one and keep it in my car for easy access. But I’m not buying a collection of store-branded logo bags at $3.99 each (yes, that’s the price I saw for such a bag).

There is another option: make your own.

Sarah at Home Life shared this link: TipNut presents 35 Reusable Grocery Bags You Can Make – Free Patterns.

The frugal crafter will notice directions that use old sheets or pillowcases, yarn (feel free to use scraps from your crochet or knit projects), sheer curtains (purchased second-hand) and fabric remnants.