Do You Save Condiment Packets?
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Frugalites get hassled a lot. Those of us who want to be good stewards of our resources might be mocked for some of our frugal ways. Ah, such is life, when you go against the stream.
That’s not to say that some people go to pretty far extremes when it comes to saving a dime. And there are some frugal practices that might be considered dangerous to one’s health or even illegal. Each of us needs to find our comfort and health level when it comes to frugality and be wise.
One benign and often mocked frugal practice is to save condiment packages.
I’m not talking about “going shopping” at McDonalds when you run out of ketchup. That is unethical at best, illegal at worst.
But, do you save the condiments that you receive at a restaurant or do you toss the unused packets?
We have a small box in our pantry that holds the extras that we receive from takeout restaurants. Those in the know can tell that our eating out is almost exclusively from Costco’s food court, Panda Express and DelTaco.
To me, it seems wasteful to throw away perfectly good condiments just because I’m “above” saving them. When I know that we have a supply at home, I decline more when we’re at the restaurant. And we use them up. Occasionally, I bag up what we have and donate them.
Miserliness or good stewardship?
This isn’t necessarily a way that I “save money,” but rather a way I save resources and avoid waste. Somewhere along the line, that saves somebody money, even if it’s not me. And I think that’s a good thing.
What do YOU do to save money?
Share your favorite money-saving ideas today. Leave a link to a post that shares some frugal wisdom. (Please no giveaways or deals posts. Teach us how to fish!)
Yes we save them and use them. My boys love to use them on their lunches. They pretend we are out eating!
If I eat inside the fast-food restaurant I usually leave the leftover packets there. But if I get too many in my take-out bags, I usually save those. What we don’t use at home, I take to the fire station where my husband and I volunteer at. The paid-staff at the station have a “condiment packet drawer” and I just leave it there. Eventually, some hungry fireman will use it!
i totally save them in the pantry in a similar plastic container! then i use them in lunches or whatnot.
Ha!!! I’m at work and was reading this while at my desk for lunch and guess what, had to use a packet of ketchup from the fridge as my bottle was empty. So yes, we do keep them, both at home and at the office (but heaven forbid, do NOT shop the condiments!!)
Love Arby’s sauce on homemade roast beef sandwiches occasionally, and the last time we had carryout from Bob Evans we had a ton of honey and jelly packages that my boys are only too happy to eat on bread at home. Those little packages can come in handy sometimes.
Someone has kindly left a basket of packets by the microwave at work and magically it’s always full. I love being able to grab a little bit of parmesan cheese for my leftover spaghetti.
Like others, I save them to take with lunches.
You have to go out to eat to get those, and we don’t, so we don’t have any to save! I fed 10 people yesterday for $2.50. Going out to eat is only going to COST me money!
We do not order take out very often due to our budget, but if we ever do, it would be Chinese food, and yes, I would save the sauces! Again, we hardly ever eat out at fast food places, but I would save what I don’t use, but I think it is very wrong to take more than we need just to get something “free” although I am not saying anyone commenting is doing that! Anything that comes with the meal that I have paid for is to take home if I want, and I would not throw it away!!
When we knew my Husband was going into the hospital for a prolonged stay we saved up just about every sauce, spice and sweetener packet we could get our hands on. That way, when his taste buds changed due to the treatment he could still add a little something to make his meals more palatable. Even a packet of lemon juice in his drinking water made a difference.
Thos little packets have saved me during those times when there is more month than paycheck. But I do have a limit: anything I have to pick up twice is out of here!