Another minor victory
By Fleur
@Fleura (29129)
United Kingdom
January 26, 2022 1:12pm CST
Another minor victory in my fight against waste.
This folder was not so useful as the elastic straps that hold it closed had got old and saggy and continuously fell off. It would be so easy to toss it and buy another. And a new one only costs £2.99 so not that big a deal.
But my reluctance to throw away anything useful, and to contribute to plastic waste (not to mention reluctance to spend good money on a bit of folded plastic - or of course card) made me think again.
I rummaged in my sewing supplies and found a card of thin elastic. A few centimetres of that threaded through the holes and hey presto! Good as new again at a cost of a few pence, and no need to throw it away 
Do you bother to repair little things like this?
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2022.
Do you bother to repair little things like this?
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2022.10 people like this
9 responses
@DaddyEvil (137145)
• United States
26 Jan 22
Sometimes... if I know how to repair it without paying more for the "repair" than I would pay for a new item.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137145)
• United States
27 Jan 22
@Fleura For a while I was buying new printers instead of paying for new ink cartridges for the one(s) we already owned. A new printer cost $20 with ink cartridges 1/2 full of ink rather than pay $65 for new cartridges of ink for them. (I know this isn't, quite, what you were talking about, but it's still funny as all get out!
)
At Walmart, the associates joked that the cartridges were full of dragon's blood and that's why they were so expensive to replace. 
)
At Walmart, the associates joked that the cartridges were full of dragon's blood and that's why they were so expensive to replace. 2 people like this
@Fleura (29129)
• United Kingdom
27 Jan 22
@DaddyEvil We had the exact same problem. We used to have a printer, but since we hardly ever need to print anything we would use it a few times and then the ink dried up. It was cheaper just to buy a new printer, but of course pretty soon the same thing happened again.
After that we just gave up. Now if I need to print anything I just go to the library. I have to be a bit more organised as it's only open three half-days a week and it costs 25p per page, but it's way cheaper than buying new printers all the time and far less wasteful!
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (45487)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
26 Jan 22
Yes, I repair what I can, but sometimes continue to use it broken, as a favorite ladle whose handle won't stay on.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (45487)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
27 Jan 22
@Fleura The stem of the ladle is long enough that I can still use it, it's just the wooden bit on the end that came off. I've tried gluing it with a toothpick in the hole but that only lasted so long before it came off again.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29129)
• United Kingdom
27 Jan 22
@BarBaraPrz Show us a picture, you never know someone might have a suggestion!
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29129)
• United Kingdom
27 Jan 22
I do the same. The snag is that if I have something I no longer want, but I think that probably no-one else will want it either, I end up keeping it because I don't want to give it to a charity shop and then have them chuck it straight away!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Jan 22
@Fleura Oh, that is so ME! I have a nice sort of tote bag and was gifted to me but the tag on the zip has come off and the piece remaining is quite sharp. However, the zip still works and it's a cute bag with a cat on it. I worry that, if I donate it, they'll just throw it out, yet I can't bring myself to put it in the bin. I think I'll find something that I can store in it. I'm not smart enough to renew the zip.
1 person likes this
@mildredtabitha (16052)
• Nairobi, Kenya
27 Jan 22
I do repair things like clothes and things that are fixable. But some, I just let go
I'm happy you were able to repare your folder
1 person likes this
@mildredtabitha (16052)
• Nairobi, Kenya
27 Jan 22
@Fleura you are right. You have saved money by chosing to repair instead of replacing
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (57635)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
26 Jan 22
If I feel like I can and it's not going to cost me more then it would to replace it.
1 person likes this
@Scrapper88 (5957)
• United States
26 Jan 22
It is always good to save money whenever you can.
1 person likes this
