What things do you use but never buy?
By Fleur
@Fleura (36159)
United Kingdom
October 7, 2026 4:14am CST
Duncan Bannatyne, entrepreneur and one of the ‘Dragons’ on the business reality TV show ‘Dragon’s Den’ (also known as ‘Shark Tank’ in the US I believe?) allegedly forbade the purchase of paperclips in his businesses. People laughed and sniped at his tight-fisted behaviour, but I’m totally with him on that one.
I did once buy some paperclips (pretty striped coloured ones!) about 30 years ago but I certainly haven’t needed to buy any since then, they continually accumulate. After clearing up schedules from a conference I worked at last week, I put all the paperclips in my pocket instead of in the bin and came home with an extra 100 or so. Why would you throw them away? It’s not as if they are worn out after one use!
Elastic bands are another item that seem to reproduce. They come around bundles of mail, bunches of spring onions, the copies of the village magazine that I distribute, around bundles of name tags at work, around bunches of flowers… again they all go into a jar and I’m never short of any!
That made me wonder what other useful things people collect and never need to buy. What do you use that just turns up?
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2026.
11 people like this
11 responses
@AmbiePam (129908)
• United States
12h
I am never out of grocery bags. They still use plastic bags here as they are easier to hold when you are carrying groceries, and I continually have them as I get my groceries delivered. The store lets you bring them back to recycle, and I have, but I also use them as trash bags in my bathroom trash can, to cushion items I’m mailing, to bring things to people like the free dog treats I share with others, or when I visit other stores. I’m just never without them. But you are so right about rubber bands. I’ve never bought one in my life, yet I’m never without one in my home.
3 people like this
@Fleura (36159)
• United Kingdom
11h
Same here. They are not free any more, larger stores are not allowed to give them away so they have to charge 40p each, yet the number of people who will buy six or more of the bags to carry their shopping practically takes my breath away. And then they don't re-use the bags but throw them into the recycling collection. If they do that every week it must add over £100 to their grocery bill for the year.
2 people like this
@changjiangzhibin89 (17312)
• China
7h
You are a thrifty person. What looks trivial might come in handy someday.
@Traceyjayne (14405)
• United Kingdom
8h
I use a lot of paper clips as I use them for my receipt apps. Paper clips keep them organised into mine and The Misters account piles and for various apps on various days.
As for rubber bands, I do use them sometimes …I save any from the mail or bunches of spring onions ….
So much as I love Dishy Duncan , I disagree with his stationery ideas ….
