Most of our grandparents grew up during the depression and/or WWII. Because of that, they have a different ethic about how long things should last and how often things need to be replaced. My mother-in-law, for example, still has a dial phone in her kitchen – she sees no need to get a new phone because her old one works just fine. My husband feels that way about his clothes – which is why I have to shop for him and sneak things into the Goodwill bag when he’s not looking.

These days, making your major purchases last is becoming more important. From an environmental standpoint, the more we make things last, the less we’ll have to put into the landfill. From a monetary standpoint, it just makes sense to make your expensive items last as long as you can. Here’s a list of some of those items and steps you can take to help make them last.

Clothes Washers – I know it’s tempting, but stuffing them to the brink isn’t really good for them. Even in a front loader, leave a little room at the top that is empty. Your washer will last longer and your clothes will get cleaner.

Kitchen Knives – Store them in a knife block to keep their edges from scraping against each other and ALWAYS hand-wash them.

Down Comforters – Keep them in duvet covers to protect their fabric and DON’T put them in the washer. If they need airing, hang them over a clothes line or put them in the dryer on air fluff.

Vacuum Cleaners – Resist the temptation to suck up those coins and legos. They’re really bad for the machine. Also, be careful about vacuuming up string or the ends of unraveled rugs because they can get tangled around the barrel and break the brush.

Jeans – Yes, denim jeans! With 7 Jeans costing upwards of $170, you might want to consider turning them inside out before you wash them to extend the life of their color. If you are really into your jeans, you can even send them to the dry cleaners like my friend Mireille does.

We hope you like these money saving tips and that you set them into practice. And thanks to Consumer Reports ShopSmart magazine for the Eco-thrifty tips.

Darcy Ratner and Julie Arnheim
Founders, Rubbingnickels.com

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