Simply "Cycle" Saturday!

I was given a suggestion by one of my readers to add content to my blog that was not only store deals but other ways in which to save money around the house. One of the easiest ways of doing this is to recycle and reuse. Every Saturday, I will blog about another great way to reuse items in your home, to save you money, and to help the environment!

This week, I will be featuring outdated phone books. A few times a year, we all receive a new phone book or two at our front door. Phone books are very large and use a lot of paper which is a big waste when they are outdated, if they are ever used at all. There are a few things that you can use them for rather than just throwing them away.

1. Use the pages of the phone book to clean your windows, picture glass, mirrors, etc. Spray your window cleaner onto the glass and use the phone book pages as paper towels. This is great because it will not leave lint on the glass like your paper towels or clothes will. Framing stores use this method. It is the most inexpensive way for them to clean their glass the very best. If the pros do it, why can't we!
2. Use the pages as packing material for shipping things like Christmas gifts to friends and family! Why go out an buy packing peanuts or pay for a shipping company to pack your items. Do it yourself by crumpling the pages and stuffing them all around the item to protect it.
3. If you have children, give it to them for coloring paper. This may keep them occupied for a while. Keep an old phone book & some colored pencils in the car (crayons could melt). If your child gets bored in transit, pull out the phone book & pencils and let them have at it.
4. Another option to reusing the phone books is to not receive them at all. Eco Chick lists a few resources in her blog on how to stop receiving these unneeded phone books.

If you have found other great uses for your old phone books, please share it here. Each one of you that participates and leaves comments, will make this blog so much better! Thanks and don't forget to check back next Saturday for another great tip!