We used to get 95% of our groceries delivered, so I never even thought about the reusable bags. But lately I've been doing all the grocery shopping and started using them. It makes me want to cry when I forget to bring them!
We have a Petco Foundation bag that John got at work, 2 University of Illinois bags that the ILs sent, and a Henry's Market bag that I got at Henry's one day when I realized I forgot my other bags.
My purchases almost always fit in those 4 bags. I try to make a point to bring them with me everywhere I go shopping, because I hate dealing with plastic bags.
They started charging 5 cents a bag here for the plastic ones. Almost everyone used canvas bags. All the grocery stores sell them for ~$1.
The grocery store walking distance from here does not even carry plastic bags any more. You have to bring your own or buy their $1 bags.
I use the ones from various grocery stores. I also have a roll up one that i have in my purse in case I totally forget or just run in on the way somewhere else.
I have to say, I do miss have plastic grocery bags around. I don't need them every time but I do pay for them occasionally just to have them.
They started charging 5 cents a bag here for the plastic ones. Almost everyone used canvas bags. All the grocery stores sell them for ~$1.
The grocery store walking distance from here does not even carry plastic bags any more. You have to bring your own or buy their $1 bags.
I use the ones from various grocery stores. I also have a roll up one that i have in my purse in case I totally forget or just run in on the way somewhere else.
I have to say, I do miss have plastic grocery bags around. I don't need them every time but I do pay for them occasionally just to have them.
That's great!
I do think that the plastic bags are useful for a lot of things too.
i have one canvas bag that i carry with me everywhere, and then i re-use plastic bags. you have to pay for the bags here, and many grocery stores hide them behind the counter, so you actually have to ask for one but you can tell they don't really want to give you one.
you also have to bag your own groceries here, which i hate, but that is a totally different topic
I do keep canvas bags in Damon's car in case we've switched (we often do) and I need to run to the store.
I also have super huge Costco plastic-y (oilcloth?) bags that I use when I go there.
ETA: I'm sure this will shock the hell out of you, but I have the brown & pink. LOL!
-- Edited by mctex on Saturday 3rd of October 2009 05:02:30 PM
those are awesome. i love them. i have four that i got for $1 at the supermarket - then i have a random shoprite one that someone left here once, and i have 3 trader joe's, and 2 from a clothing shop in brooklyn (they sent them with an order). i hate when i forget them. i use them for EVERYTHING.
I have some (Wal-Mart and a TJ Maxx) that I use until I'm short on plastic bags or if I forget. They are much easier to carry than the plastic ones, but I like having the plastic ones around too.
No, I don't. All the stores here sell them but it is an oddity to see anyone actually using them.
My mom bought some and used them a few times but ALWAYS forgot to carry them into the store.
Well, I do have ONE canvas grocery bag because Glen "won" it last weekend in a golf tournament. I used it as a totebag on Wednesday evening to carry a bunch of stuff I needed for the 6th grade Bible study that I co-lead. It's a Kroger one, I think.
I saw in the Schnuck's ad that they had pink ones on sale this week for $1 each due to breast cancer awareness week but when I saw one of them, it was so flimsy and cheaply-made, it wasn't worth $1.
we use those plasticy ones that tex was talking about. i think they are more stable than the canvas type ones.
we must have more than a dozen because i always have around 4 in each of our 2 cars (bert grocery ships more often than i do!) plus a handful in our front hall cupboard.
so handy for toting anything, we use them all the time for kids stuff - school books/supplies the first day of school or any projects they do, food/snacks for the kids school/sports events and such, clothes to be taken to the dry cleaning, etc.
we have been using them exclusively for a few years now - at least 2 maybe more - a few years ago the country passed a tax so that one of those flimsy plastic bags costs $usd 15 cents. and paper bags dont exist here.
I have a freaking ton of the cheapies from the various stores around here (Kroger, IGA, Walmart)... I think I used them twice.
I forget them every.freaking.time.
In my defense, I totally reuse the plastic bags to line my bathroom trashcans. Keep it ghetto in rural Ohio! Woot.
ME TOO! lol
while reading this thread i told don how some of y'all et charged for the plastic ones. I like the reusable bags...mine are from WM, i also have a huge canvas one from JCPenney...HOWEVER, they are so damn convenient for keeping my crochet projects in...each project (with yarn and instructions) gets it's own bag.
I'm acquired a good amount of plastic bags for use as trash bags so I need to stop getting them.
I also have a Target folded one that I keep in my handbag...I just forget to get it out...DOH!!!
i love the idea to throw an extra canvas one in my purse. i'm totally doing that today.
i have about 7 or 8 i think. 3 cheapies and 4 that are really nice that i got from bj's - they fold up and snap closed into a square. i use them regularly on the boat to take food down there and then as our dirty laundry bag for the way home. love them. i actually want to get another set of them - they are HUGE (so much bigger than the $1 cheapies) and i love that they snap closed. they're only $5 for 3 of them at bj's.
as far as remembering to bring them? not so much. i HATE that i always forget them! argh! our grocery store does 5c off per reusable bag.
I have a TON of reusable bags. The grocery store ones, so not canvas, kwim? They are $1 to buy them, and most stores here give 5 or 10 cents back for every bag you use. I HATE when I forget to take them or something. And we use them for everything!
When I got them, I was one of very few people in my area who was using them, but I am seeing more and more people get them. And the clerks at the stores usually prefer loading into those bags, I have found.
