# Reusable Shopping Bags



## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

I've never used them.  But, I'd like to start.  

However, most that I've seen in shops are logoed or really girlie or downright ugly.    So, I need advice on where to buy what kind.  I looked on Amazon and there are SOOOOOO many choices that now I don't know which way is up.    I think I want cotton ones so I can throw them into the laundry.  I think I don't care if they're long or short handled but I don't know about that.  I think I want some fairly large ones so I can fit several things into one.  

Do I want just a handful of them - like 4 or something?  I don't think I want enough for a full grocery shopping but enough for more than a hand basket full of stuff ...  What should I know about them?  Do they get icky?  

Since I live in Dallas, it will be some time before we're required to use reusables, but I wanted to get infront of that curve - I just want to know what I should know before doing so.  Fill me with your boundless shopping wisdom.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Consider getting one insulated bag for throwing the frozen foods into.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Yay, good for you.  . I have always used them growing up in Germany. There you had to pay for a plastic bag and I don't recall anyone ever doing that. So I was already used to it, until I moved to the US. Every store I went to gave me stink eye for wanting to use them, many refused and I had to lug my stuff home in plastic bags after much grumbling. 

Now finally here in Texas HEB started having the store reusable so I have been using those for the Groceries. Like you I had issues finding nice decent bags for shopping. I bought a large cloth one at HEB that has a liner for cooler stuff and that one should last me a while. I wipe the inside with wipes. The others are just those cheap floppy things with the plastic bottom insert. Was all I could find at the time and I have been using the same ones for 2-3 years now. 

I would prefer to find some nice sturdy cloth bags. Still looking for those myself. They need to be bottom sturdy to make it easier on the baggers. In Germany we bagged out own stuff so I didn't have to worry about that. 

Each store carries some, but they all have the store brand on them and to be honest, I would feel weird carrying a HEB to whole foods for example. 

I also have a pouch in my car always, the pouch has 6 shopping bags in it, made out of that thin but durable material. Found those on HSN.com years ago of all places. So I always have bags on hand if I shop somewhere unexpected. 

Just remember to bring the bags when you go shopping. I hear often at the checkouts others saying, oops, forgot my bags at home. For me its just routine now. I have a total of 6 so that I can do my full grocery shopping with them. 

I'd be interested to hear what others use.


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

NogDog said:


> Consider getting one insulated bag for throwing the frozen foods into.


Didn't think about that ....


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

We have fabric ones that we've gotten at various stores.  I don't much care about the store logo--the first one we bought was from a Henry's in San Diego, which is no longer known as Henry's.  It's green with white writing, not particularly girly.

Trader Joe's has some nice bags, also not girly.

Some of the other ones we have that we use came from a wetlands architect company that a friend works at.  We use them for grocery shopping.

We also have an insulated bag for the cold stuff.

I like a flat bottom bag that will stand up by itself.  We just wipe them out.  We usually take three bags to the store; if we only take one, it's the insulated one.

Betsy


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Some of the stores here give you a discount for each of your own bags that you use (like 5 or 10 cents?). Also, I find you can fill each one with about as much as they typically put into at least 2 of those plastic bags. Unfortunately, I mostly have my groceries delivered now (since I don't drive), which means I get a dozen or so plastic bags every 10 days or so.


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## gdae23 (Apr 30, 2009)

I have a plain black cloth totebag that I got from eBags some years ago, and use that at the grocery. (Since I'm in NYC and walk for most errands, I don't buy that much at one time. But you could get multiple bags.) I like it because it zips across the top, and has an outside zipper pocket to hold money and other items, so I don't need to carry anything else. I don't think that particular bag is still available, but eBags has a huge selection, so there should be someting like that.

http://www.ebags.com/

I also always carry a few Baggu bags with me. They're reasonably priced, and come in several colors and sizes. They fold up into a pocket and are very light, but open up into full size totebags. They dry quickly when you wash them.

https://baggu.com/#shop/standardbaggu

(Click on the picture of a bag to get more details.)


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

gdae23 said:


> I also always carry a few Baggu bags with me. They're reasonably priced, and come in several colors and sizes. They fold up into a pocket and are very light, but open up into full size totebags. They dry quickly when you wash them.
> 
> https://baggu.com/#shop/standardbaggu
> 
> (Click on the picture of a bag to get more details.)


I also carry something like this^ in my purse for those times we stop at the store without advance planning...


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

I'm in Austin and the "bring your own bag" law kicked in last year.  We have a LOT of reuseable bags, picked up from a variety of locations.  My favorite ones aren't available any more.  Wal-Mart used to sell a simple one for $.25 and HEB had a similar bag for a while.  HEB's new red insulated bags are very nice.  They are much sturdier than the older blue ones (and they cost a little more as well).  If you are looking for cloth bags, Whole Foods had some really nice canvas ones and they have both the short handles and a long one so you can carry it over your shoulder.  You want to look out for the bags that HEB is selling now that have cutesy patterns on them - like Texas or San Antonio or Austin or Dallas or whatever.  The seams aren't sewn as well on those as the green bags.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Andra said:


> I'm in Austin and the "bring your own bag" law kicked in last year. We have a LOT of reuseable bags, picked up from a variety of locations. My favorite ones aren't available any more. Wal-Mart used to sell a simple one for $.25 and HEB had a similar bag for a while. HEB's new red insulated bags are very nice. They are much sturdier than the older blue ones (and they cost a little more as well). If you are looking for cloth bags, Whole Foods had some really nice canvas ones and they have both the short handles and a long one so you can carry it over your shoulder. You want to look out for the bags that HEB is selling now that have cutesy patterns on them - like Texas or San Antonio or Austin or Dallas or whatever. The seams aren't sewn as well on those as the green bags.


I was thinking of those pretty HEB bags so thanks for the warning. I have a bunch of the boring green colored ones but I also have one of the red insulated one. It really is nice. I had one of the blue ones before and the inside silver stuff fell apart and started flaking. Like those cheap car sun shades. This new one has a more fabric type on the inside. I think it was 4.99, or 3.99, can't recall now. Should last for some time. Its so hot here in San Antonio that I need at least one of those insulated ones to keep my frozies decent. And I live close to my HEB. I am going to get a 2nd one of the red ones since I am buying more and more fresh foods.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

In MD and DC you have to pay an extra nickel for every plastic bag you use -- even if, for example, you buy a sandwich at a Subway shop. Not yet a law in Virginia, but there are a lot of folks who use 'em nevertheless.

When the nearby Safeway did a grand reopening a couple of years ago, they gave out a bunch of free bags.  You can also buy 'em for a buck or so.  They have fruits on. . . .  as in, that's the design.  Some have wine bottles too.

Somewhere I got a Giant bag . . .. not sure where. (Well, Giant, obviously, except I don't shop there much so it might have come from somewhere else.)

At a baseball game last month the promotional item was a Nationals/MLB shopping bag.  So we each got one and, as we were leaving, we saw that a LOT of folks had left theirs behind.  We claimed them.   I also got a couple of the insulated ones at BJs (warehouse store akin to Costco) one time when they were cheap.  OH and at a craft fair once, the local hospital auxiliary was handing them out . . . . 

Bottom line . . . . I haven't bought but the insulated ones.

So I keep them all together by the front door.  And when I remember I take them to the car.  But whether they're right at the door or actually in the car, I only remember about half the time to actually carry them into the grocery store when I go.


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## Maxx (Feb 24, 2009)

The store I work at sells a couple of brands of bags, I like both of the companies. They both carry a few styles that aren't girlie. There is LOQI http://www.loqistore.com/collections/bag-collections

and Envirosax
http://envirosax.com

I think Envirosax has some cotton and hemp bags. Most of the other bags, are I think, nylon, which should be washable


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> So I keep them all together by the front door. And when I remember I take them to the car. But whether they're right at the door or actually in the car, I only remember about half the time to actually carry them into the grocery store when I go.


We do the same thing! Though I think our average is better than that! We have a Giant bag we found in a grocery cart at a Trader Joe's I think. It's a little smaller than the other ones we have.

Betsy


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I found the store bags with logos on Amazon without the logo. 10 pack for $16. Those are the ones I use in addition to a cooler bag. They look the same to me.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

My Publix grocery store sells a lot of different designs that don't have their name or logo on them. They're the flat-bottomed bags. Problem for me is they get too heavy for me to lift when they're filled.

I bought plain canvas tote bags in the craft section of WalMart. They hold less, they wash well, and they're very sturdy.

I keep the insulated bag in my car and it works very well. Wish I'd remember to carry the other bags more often.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

I live in Austin, also. Even before the plastic bag ban, I used re-usable bags. I have three woven polypropylene bags I bought for about $1 each 10 years ago at the grocery store I use. I put them through the washing machine every few months to keep them more or less clean. The are still in good shape. 

I didn't like the plastic bags, the handles were never strong enough, and it was a nuisance to collect them to put in the recycle bins.


Mike


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## spotsmom (Jan 20, 2011)

Insulated bags are critical for me, because it's usually at least a half hour before I get home.  Our Costco has a nice big one for less than 10 bucks. Saw it the other day (it's not the one they give out for getting AMEX, although that's a good one as well but it's HUGE.  I also have one made by Igloo (not hard sided).  And be sure to get bags with a flat bottom.  If not, I think they're kinda worthless.

Good for you!  I can't wait for our town to require reusable bags.  Some of the larger cities in Oregon have gone to it.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Trader Joe carries a large blue insulated bag that is my favorite insulated bag. It is large enough to hold a bag of ice. It has a flat bottom so that it doesn't fall over.


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

Atunah said:


> I found the store bags with logos on Amazon without the logo. 10 pack for $16. Those are the ones I use in addition to a cooler bag. They look the same to me.


I was looking at those .... 10 seemed like an awful lot but what do I know if they wear out ...


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

If you get the flat-bottom bags that have the plastic piece in them to keep the bottom flat, that piece will crack and break before the rest of the bag wears out.  At least, mine did...
I've also had a few that blew out seams, but you can just use a sewing machine and fix them back up.
The other thing to watch for is that some of the baggers think the most important thing is to fill each bag as full as possible.  Our bags are grouped in 15-20 bag chunks so I have plenty of bags.  There is no need to overload the blasted things.  I also have baggers who put my cold stuff in the regular bags and non-refrigerated stuff in the insulated bags.  I really shouldn't have to tell you to put cold stuff in the insulated bags, should I??
My mother-in-law is in Brownsville and they started the plastic bag ban in Texas.  She says that if you don't have a lot of stuff that it's easier just to put it all back in the cart and then after you've paid for it, move out of the way and bag it yourself.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

The baggers do tend to fill the bags up!  Those bags get heavy!

We put all the cold stuff first with the cold bag.  Usually works.

Geoffrey--maybe you could share the bags with a neighbor?

Betsy


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## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

Andra said:


> I also have baggers who put my cold stuff in the regular bags and non-refrigerated stuff in the insulated bags. I really shouldn't have to tell you to put cold stuff in the insulated bags, should I??


*NO.*


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I have had those plastic bottom pieces break once in a while. I made another out of cardboard for those cutting it in the same size.  . A couple of my seams opened and I just fixed them with a needle and thread. I don't have a machine. But the material on those isn't as durable as say cotton would be. What I would like is that type of bag but made out of better material like cotton and still having that flat bottom with insert. I can't find those. 

But overall they have held up pretty good. 

I wish they would let me bag my own stuff. That is what I had always done back in Germany anyway. Like you go to ALDI and they scan everything back into your cart and then you moved on to a long table where they had boxes in a bin and you bagged or boxed your own stuff. That is how we shopped. But here they wont let me. By the time I am done putting stuff on the belt, they have already started to bag and if I dare to get in their way I get stink eye.  . Some baggers are better than others. I am just always glad when I can get my salad home without too much crushing. 
I try to put all the cold stuff together on the belt, but by the time they scan it all through, its all piled up in a blog anyway and if you get a slower bagger, it won't matter anymore. I had one put bathroom cleaner into the insulated bag and the frozies in the regular bag.  .

And the plastic bags they have are so thin now anyway they are useless. When I send hubby to the store he refuses to take the reusables so he comes home and the bags have holes in them and the product is barely hanging on inside. 

Overall I am just glad they finally renovated my local HEB I go to most of the time as its not as tight at the registers anymore. That HEB was/is known as one of the worst in town. Its one of the older ones. They finally did some fixing up as they are putting a Walmart in right across from me. The only competition they had at one point was an Albertson across their store and they are long gone.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

You all work too hard!  If a shopping bag breaks, and is no longer usable, it's trash. I'm not going to bother trying to sew it up. 

I also don't have problems with the baggers at the stores I go to. . . . they're smart enough to use the insulated bag if it's there. And mostly don't overfill. Sometimes I wish they'd put MORE in a given bag! I _do_ always put all my refriger-ables first all together. Usually they ask if I need help to the car. At the military commissary, they don't ask, they just do -- it's part of the job. The bagger bags, loads the cart, takes the cart to the car, and unloads it there for you. They are un-paid so it's customary to tip them. Still totally worth it. 

Actually, when I go to the Commissary, I usually don't use my own bags. They're like the only place left in town that will use paper bags if you ask them to. So I always get them because they're useful around the house for any number of things!


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Yeah, we always used to ask for paper bags, too.  It got to be too big a pain at the Safeway.  They always acted like they were looking for the Holy Grail hidden somewhere in the store.  We get them at Trader Joe's, though.  Like those--they have handles!

Most baggers at our store will use the insulated bags.  We just try to put things in order to help.  Hubby knows which checkers are good at bagging and which aren't and will head for the checker he likes.  I always put the stuff that will crush on the belt last--I've always done that as I've had people put the box of raspberries on the bottom of the bag.

I did stitch up the insulated bag when the zipper tore--but haven't needed to stitch up any of the others.

Betsy


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> The baggers do tend to fill the bags up! Those bags get heavy!


That's why I get the canvas tote bags from WalMart. You don't need the flat piece in the bottom. They are narrow enough that everything stands up and, best of all, they can't overfill the bag.



> We put all the cold stuff first with the cold bag. Usually works.


I've always put all the dry goods together, the cold stuff together and the frozen stuff together on the counter. It makes it easier to put things away when I get home. (Childhood lesson from Mom)

My cold bag holds too much so I leave it in the car. I put my tote bags in the thermal bag, then I can easily lift them out to bring them in the house. I'm all about not lifting anything heavy.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

I have some like these that I bought from our youth group at church as part of a fund raiser.
Like them a lot.

Reusable Shopping Tote / Grocery Bag by ChicoBag -4 Pack


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

I knew you all'd be a wealth of information ....

I know I'll end up as part of the 'No to Sewing' crew.  I want to be conscious of the trash I generate but I'm not going to to crazy.  I looked at some reusable produce bags as well on Amazon but I think I'm not ready for advanced Green activities.  My first thought with them is 'what do I do with the produce when I get home (since I'm going to put them in the crisper without a bag).  I'd have to stop being a guy about cleaning my fridge regularly first.....

I looked at some $.99 ones at Target today when I was there and I just wasn't sold on branded ones.  I think anything with a logo is flat out of the question.  The size on the Target ones weren't bad, I think.  They looked big enough without turning into suitcase sized monsters.  I shoulda looked at their measurements.  I'm still thinking natural fibers instead of man-made though.  But, they're so much more expensive.

I"m sure I'll have to keep doing some shopping without the reusables as I use the plastics to put by recyclables in before taking them out the recycle bin in the garage .... but that's different thing ....


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## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

I have a bunch of Whole Foods, that I've had for many years and they've all stood the test of time.


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## Alan Petersen (May 20, 2011)

Atunah said:


> Yay, good for you. . I have always used them growing up in Germany. There you had to pay for a plastic bag and I don't recall anyone ever doing that. So I was already used to it, until I moved to the US. Every store I went to gave me stink eye for wanting to use them, many refused and I had to lug my stuff home in plastic bags after much grumbling.
> 
> Now finally here in Texas HEB started having the store reusable so I have been using those for the Groceries. Like you I had issues finding nice decent bags for shopping. I bought a large cloth one at HEB that has a liner for cooler stuff and that one should last me a while. I wipe the inside with wipes. The others are just those cheap floppy things with the plastic bottom insert. Was all I could find at the time and I have been using the same ones for 2-3 years now.
> 
> ...


In San Francisco they've outlawed plastic bags and you have to pay for paper bags in the grocery store, so you're forced into it or you pay for each brown paper bag.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Alan Petersen said:


> In San Francisco they've outlawed plastic bags and you have to pay for paper bags in the grocery store, so you're forced into it or you pay for each brown paper bag.


How much do you have to pay?


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## spotsmom (Jan 20, 2011)

I can't believe how many baggers here seem to have no clue what an insulated bag is for!  And then when I remind them and they fill it, they don't zip it.  Sigh.  

The grocery stores that have outlawed plastic bags here make an exception for the plastic produce bags.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

I've used Whole Foods cheapest shopping bags. $1.29 each (although I think they should be no more than 50 cents). They come out with new designs a few times a year -- pictures of fruit, vegetables and of course their name. I buy a new one when they get ugly and worn out. I keep a few in a good tote when I go to work. Never know when I'll want to pick up some groceries on the way home. Since they have shoulder straps, they are much easier for me to carry things in than the plastic or paper bags. Whole Foods only gives you paper bags (with handle, no shoulder strap) if you don't have your own bag(s). We don't have a law about it in NY yet.

Also have this one and it's lasted a few years and looks like new (nylon) for about $3 (smaller than the others but it holds a lot):


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

Full disclosure:  We just started sewing and my fixing one of the seams was just to see if I could do it 
I doubt it's going to be a regular occurence.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

Personally I prefer my cotton tote bags. Sturdy as all get out, washable. I just have a memory issue... about half of the time I forget to get them from the trunk before going into the store.. So if I KNOW I am going to the store, I move them to the front seat before I leave the house.


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

We have a crazy assortment of bags, picked up from lots of sources: grocery stores, museums, conference tote bags, and so on. Even some very ancient LL Bean totes are in the mix.

L


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## jkent (Oct 28, 2008)

I have a set of 5 from Baggu that come in a nice little pouch.  It fits in all my purses and is always with me.  I always used to leave them in the trunk.  No more.  They are washable and easy to fold back up.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

BTackitt said:


> Personally I prefer my cotton tote bags. Sturdy as all get out, washable. I just have a memory issue... about half of the time I forget to get them from the trunk before going into the store.. So if I KNOW I am going to the store, I move them to the front seat before I leave the house.


That's my problem - bags in the back of the car that I never remember to take in to the store. I have a bunch of bags - a couple from Publix that we mostly use to carry food when we travel. Some cutesy ones from the Disney Store. The sturdiest ones we have, though, are 4 canvas book bags we got as "thank yous" from libraries when we brought in our Kindles & iPads for demo programs. Books are heavy, therefore library bags are sturdy.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

No matter what kind you like, reusable bags is a good start to save the environment....


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

I jumped in with two feet. I wandered around Dallas today and pretty much all of the totes, etc. I found were either logoed or in some serious (agist, misogynist) sofa prints. So I purchased a single colored 10-pack from Amazon, an insulated pack of a different color and, while I was at it, an organizer for my hatchback to keep them and my jumper cables and other loose crap in ....


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## Tripp (May 28, 2009)

I really like that insulated bag.  I might get a couple.  Will come in handy for summertime.

I got some cool bags that I like when I was in Minneapolis.  There is a chain there called Byerlys/Lunds.  Love that store...anyway their bag is as big as a paper bag and the handles are reinforced with grommets.  What I really like is that it folds together and snaps to something a little over the size of a CD case.  It is so much neater...I really dislike the folded bag clutter of the other bags I have.  

I am going back the end of this month.  Think I will get about 3 or 4 more and retire some of the others that I have.


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## Alan Petersen (May 20, 2011)

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> How much do you have to pay?


 It's not that much, 10 cents per bag, but it adds up and the fee goes back to the merchant, at least if it were a charity or something. But the city has strict rules of what type of bags can be used, so merchants complained it would be too costly to pay for those compliant bags, thus the charge to the consumer. And it's just not the grocery store, any merchant that provides a bag has to charge, so if you go to a retail store like Macy's you're charged a bag fee.


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## 31842 (Jan 11, 2011)

You are going to LOVE that large organizer bag! I bought one from Costco and now need to go back and buy two. They are great for organizing the trunk of the car... and shoving all the reusable bags into so they don't breed like rabbits in the back of the car...  Just wanted to say that Trader Joes has some natural fiber bags which are very reasonably priced. Sounds like you're well stocked, but if you think of adding to your collection, I like a bag that has handles long enough to put over my shoulder (two trips is for wussies! Two bags on your shoulders! Two bags in your hand! DONE!). IKEA also has these massive $.59 blue bags that we use all the time for hauling everything (I used one to haul a PVC pipe puppet stage to and from shows. Never broke). I also LOVE this goofy little bag I got from Petco or Petsmart (up near the cash registers. I can't find it on their site but this is the same design, just a different picture). It comes with its own bag to cram it into, small enough to fit into a jacket pocket or laptop bag, and is made of parachute material so it is super light but super strong. I really like a bag I can just wad up. The reusable bags are so addicting. No breaking handles. No tearing. No figuring out what to do with stacks of plastic bags. You're gonna love it once it becomes habit!


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

***UPDATE***

So a few things I've learned in the 2 weeks that I've had these:

1) I am no good at guessing how many bags I'll need - I always bring too many into the store.
2) In Dallas and the burbs, most places give a $.05 discount per bag.
3) So far, every cashier has checked that I want the frozen stuff in the red refrigerated bag. I may need a second as they usually try to put all the frozen and all the perishables into the one bag so it's usually stuffed.
4) it's been very easy to train myself to put the bags in the spot where I put my work lunch bag so I've always remembered to take them back out to their organizer.
5) the only hassle has been where to put them while I'm shopping so they don't end up buried in a cart - or especially when I have just a basket.

I think I'm liking this.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

I don't think you can bring too many bags into a store.  Just keep the extra(s) inside one of the bags.  I walk from my apartment to the store, I so I stash a couple of bags into another one and put it on my shoulder.  They're practically weightless.


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