I've intended to begin featuring entries from the recent GRS video contest, but things keep getting in the way. Let's change that! Starting today, I'll use Saturdays to highlight some of my favorites, both winners and not-winners. To begin, here's a tip that didn't win a prize.
Austin from Foreigner's Finances is teaching English in Japan. He says that one of his favorite ways to save money is to always carry a water bottle with him.
Austin's tip seems simple on the surface, but so is a lot of smart spending. Here's a quote:
Every time I'm out shopping for groceries, out with friends for the weekend, or out for the day around town, I bring a water bottle with me. When I'm thirsty, I fill it up in a water fountain or, if I have to, a bathroom sink. [This allows me to avoid] those little two- to five-dollar purchases that really add up when you're thirsty and want a quick drink.
If you spent just five bucks a week on water and soda, you'd save $250 a year by using a water bottle instead.
This is actually something I started doing myself when we returned from Belize in early March. I decided I wanted to drink more water, so I paid $15 for a fancy one-liter SIGG bottle. (Yes, that's a lot of money. I have no defense other than it's a shiny blue, and I love it.) Since buying the bottle, I've put it to almost constant use. I no longer buy water or diet soda from the convenience store next to my office; I just fill up from the water fountain. Instead of using the plastic bottles at my gym, I take my own water. Simple, yes, but also cost-effective.
You don't have to spend $20 on a water bottle (unless you want to and can afford it). But think about carrying your water with you — it can save you money and improve your health.
Look for more video tips in the coming weeks!
Author: J.D. Roth
In 2006, J.D. founded Get Rich Slowly to document his quest to get out of debt. Over time, he learned how to save and how to invest. Today, he's managed to reach early retirement! He wants to help you master your money — and your life. No scams. No gimmicks. Just smart money advice to help you reach your goals.
That’s a great tip. It’s also an environmentally better choice than plastic water bottles so it’s a double win.
My favorite water bottle is the camelbak.
I’ve been carrying my own water bottle since I was a teenager in the mid 90’s! I don’t remember why I started, but I pretty much never leave my house without my water bottle.
I don’t think spending $15 on a water bottle is a lot. If you think how much it would cost to buy bottled water every day, that would add up quickly. Not only that, but cheap water bottles can leak and need to be replaced often, and many of the plastic ones leach chemicals into your water.
I have several water bottles, but I just spent the best $15 on a water bottle. It’s double-walled, so it doesn’t sweat, keeps the water cold– I live in the desert and often have ice still in the bottle when it’s 100 degrees out, and it fits in a cup holder. I love it because I save money when I’m out, sometimes a lot of money, I can have cold water wherever I go, and it’s also much healthier in many cases.
The company my friend works for used to let employees have all the free bottled water they wanted. A few years ago, they decided to buy everyone stainless steel water bottles instead. My friend and her coworkers love them, and there’s a lot less waste (both financially and in materials)
I bought a Kleen Kanteen a few years back, and my family and friends liked it so much that now it seems everyone has one 😉 I must say they make good gifts too!
I find this almost compulsive need to have something available to drink with you all day pretty funny.
My saving money tip: not drinking something a zillion times a day. I’ll just wait until I get home, or just use those public fountains/business water coolers.
The only time you’ll see me with a water bottle is when I’m hiking or biking.
I suspect it has something to do with people being more “health conscious” or in a drive to lose weight, at least when it comes to water.
There’s a prevalent myth out there that you need to keep drinking water throughout the day, as if it’s some magic elixir or something. Or that drinking 8 glasses throughout the day somehow makes you healthier. No, that isn’t true. Just drink when you’re thirsty and you’ll be fine.
I have a SIGG but haven’t used it in quite a while. This is a great reminder. Living in a dry climate, I drink so much water. It really is crazy to think I spend between $5 and $10 per week on bottled water by not being prepared when out and about.
Going to wash out the SIGG now!
I also have a shiny blue Sigg bottle and I love it too! Of course, mine looks like it has been through some sort of war. I work at a gym and I seem to drop it a lot. I figure the dents and scratches just give it personality and mean that no one is going to walk away with it. Still works just as well. On occasion I forget to bring it with me and it KILLS me to spend $1.50 on a bottled water (but I have to have water while I am teaching).
I have a Cambelbak BPA free bottle & it has a built-in straw. I use it constantly & take it every time I go out of the house. Love it.
And we use a stainless bottle to take milk w/us for our son when we’re out & about. I have a small cooler & I stick the bottle & a reusable ice pack & the metal keeps the milk nice & cold even on really hot days. Perfect!
I agree with Melissa A., cheap bottles often leak. $15. is a good investment if a bottle is well designed and lasts for years.
We are fortunate to have very good water at home (from a deep well) which I carry with me instead of buying expensive ‘flavored water’ beverages. Now that I’m used to not buying beverages, I don’t miss them. If I want something hot, I can microwave some water and make tea with a teabag brought from home.
I think it is actually better to buy a decent container for water that you can wash. After a while of refilling an old water bottle, it seems kind of nasty. Yeah, its only water in there but still.
On a sidenote, JD, that strange white box seems to have shown up again on this post. 🙁
I spent $20 on one of those fancy water bottles for my daughter who plays volleyball. It was an impulse purchase.
My daughter ended up back w/plastic water bottles because this one is too big and the ‘mouth’ is too small to fit ice cubes through. It is also awkward to drink from.
I am now looking for a suitable replacement. Lesson learned: research the product first!!
If you want to add a little flavour every once in a while, grab some of those Crystal Light powdery tubes. I think they are something like $2.99 for a box.
Although I like the idea, where on earth did we get the idea that we have be constantly drinking something? I totally agree with [email protected] We only need to drink when we are genuinely thirsty! And most of us, living in modern societies, are rarely ever very far away from sources of clean drinking water anyway. By the way Austin did you know that foreigners (especially N. Americans) and their gigantic water bottles are regarded as a kind of joke in Japan? Especially as so many of them have such unhealthy lifestyle habits in all other respects.
I started keeping a large metal water bottle in my office; I fill it twice a day and pour water into a glass I also keep in my office. Maybe it’s all in my head, but the water tastes better coming out of metal than plastic, and I don’t get so many headaches when I’m drinking enough water. Another added savings of the water bottle: less spent on Advil!
I also agree with Mark and Chipmunk. I don’t want to carry a bottle around with me constantly, so I won’t unless I’m hiking or biking. I can wait till I get home/to a restaurant/to work/to a park with a water fountain and get a drink there. If I’m going to give up the use of one hand I’d rather carry around a camera than a water bottle, and even that I normally don’t do.
@Mark: I do get thirsty throughout the day, which is why I always have a water bottle on me. In fact I probably drink more water when I’m out than when I am home because I get warm walking around and need the water to cool me down.
From my doctor: if you wait until you’re thirsty to drink, you are already dehydrated. True, you don’t need to guzzle eight glasses a day, but most people could benefit by drinking more water. Replacing coffee and soda with water would probably be more than enough but most people aren’t willing to do that.
I decided to stop spending money on water, and bought a water bottle for $15. Loved it. Then I lost it after one week. 🙁
I tend to keep a water bottle handy, not necessarily because I want to drink constantly, but for the following reasons:
1. Headaches are a major reason why I try to stay ‘hydrated’, particularly in the summer months. I noticed, for me, drinking water relieves most of my headaches.
2. I carry a water bottle around because I drink too much coffee which seems to cause a dry mouth.
3. It’s almost a habit for me to find myself thirsty just 10 minutes after I leave the house. Having a drink handy keeps me from frittering $ simply to quench my thirst.
4. I have 3 children who ALWAYS expect me to have some water handy in the car (probably to wash down the candy that they just ate!). I encourage them to bring their own water, though.
5. Also, drinking water helps w/halitosis! (there I said it!)
6. When I take the kids for water ice or an ice cream treat or fast food, knowing that I have the water keeps me from indulging in the treat.
7. My husband refuses to pull over for me to pay for a bottled drink at the convenience store; he is usually ‘on a mission’!
8. Has anyone else out there heard that there is evidence that most public water fountains are riddled w/bacteria? And I’m not the squeamish type, just curious.
I do a lot of public speaking (teaching, guided walks, experiential education etc) and a water bottle is invaluable there. I’ve got a couple different options. I have a camelback style backback system that works really well if I need two free hands (hiking or guided walks). I’ve also got a Nalgene bottle that I can throw around anywhere. At home or in the classroom, I just use a glass.
I love this tip, and I honestly don’t understand why people would rather buy bottled water than just get a reusable bottle.
I love this one. It also has such a huge environmental impact, in four ways. Less oil used to make plastic, less plastic into landfills, less overuse of aquifers, less oil used to transport water across the country (sometimes transcontinentally).
I talk on the phone all day, so yes, I do get thirsty and sometimes the cool water helps my throat. I bought a large hot pink plastic jug with a flip top lid for $1 at the dollar store. I wish it did keep the water cold, but I didn’t want something with a straw since the straw gets nasty and has to be replaced, even if you just use it for water.
I find it hilarious that people are here to tell us to drink less water. Who is it hurting? Drinking less coffee tends to improve stress level, saves money, for people who use cream/sugar it’s a calorie reduction. Drinking less soda has huge health benefits. But let’s focus on people and their silly ideas about water! :/
For myself, I run every morning. I used to not carry water with me, and I used to just drink a glass at home or the office. I found over the years that I have fewer headaches and fatigue as well as fewer muscle cramps if I drink more consistently, while I’m running and afterward. And since I don’t work in a traditional office where I can have a glass of water whenever I want, having a bottle in my bag that I can drink when I’m on the bus, waiting in line at public aid, leading a group in the park, etc, is wonderful.
Every body is different. There’s no point to going around telling people “I don’t need (to work out, to sleep 8 hours, to drink water, to watch what I eat) and I’m fine, so you should stop worrying about it too!” Just consider yourself lucky that you’re some sort of magic camel and get on with your life.
Who knew that drinking water would be so controversial?
Another use for a water bottle– we keep my son’s (stainless steel) next to his bed so that he can’t need a glass of water before going to sleep and doesn’t need us to get him water if he wakes up thirsty.
@Chipmunk
There’s a lot of things foreigners do that Japanese people don’t approve of so after a while you just stop trying to please every one.
There already distracted by my big nose, long legs, and weird eyes so they probably don’t even notice my water bottle 😉
“or just use those public fountains”
“Has anyone else out there heard that there is evidence that most public water fountains are riddled w/bacteria? And I’m not the squeamish type, just curious.”
I used to fill my water bottle daily at work from the wall mounted water fountain (in a public building) until I saw the cleaning staff, after mopping the bathrooms, dump the dirty bucket of water into the water fountain. Never again…
Now, I just bring a gallon from home every other day or so….
I’m a real estate agent in hot Arizona. I freeze half bottles of water and fill them to take with me on the road. When one runs out the next is ready and still cold. Saves me money and saves the environment.
well as fewer muscle cramps if I drink more consistently, while I’m running and afterward. And since I don’t work in a traditional office where I can have a glass of water whenever I want, having a bottle in my bag that I can drink when I’m on the bus, waiting in line
bacteria? And I’m not the squeamish type, just curious.”
I used to fill my water bottle daily at work from the wall mounted water fountain (in a public building) until I saw the
I bought my first SIGG over 5 years ago, a tall 1.5L; I still use it today when I am going to be away from the tap for long periods of time. Over the years it’s taken constant beatings, and it’s dented in several places, but it’s still holding up so well I wouldn’t be surprised if I have it in another 10 years. I also bought a .6L SIGG that fits snuggly in a pocket, which I use to just carry around.
SIGG sells tablets you can use to clean their bottles, which I highly recommend. Another way I’ve found to clean them is with boiling water or alcohol. As long as you clean them regularly, they’ll probably outlive you!
Carrying a water bottle is frugal, and in my case it’s also a protest. Bottled water is another front for the privatization of our natural resources. Multinational companies drain our aquifers and turn around and sell our water back to us. What was once believed to belong to everyone (and no one) is now controlled by a corporation. Bottled water is marketed as just another “lifestyle choice” but the implications are much more serious. The water these companies are selling to me is already mine, and I refuse to participate in the theft and commodification of our planet’s resources.
I also bring a water bottle wherever I go! Or if I know I’ll be going out to a restaurant, I bring a can of pop with me and drink it in the car on the way there. It solves my soda urge, and then I just drink water at the restaurant. 30 cents for a can vs $2 -3 with a meal!
It’s a great, simple tip. I tend to drink a lot, so I always have my bottle around. <most of the time I use it at home – actually, I don’t think I ever drink water from a glass anymore – but I also take it around in my bag wherever I go. Whenever there is a washroom or a water fountain, I refill it. In summer, I put it in the freezer overnight first (leaving some room and not closing it, so it doesn’t burst) and I have nice, cold water all day as it melts slowly.
I bought 3 27oz aluminum water bottles w/ removable neoprene sleeve at Costco for $15. I use them quite a bit on the tennis courts and just for drinking chilled water around the house. Much better than those plastic bottle. Once they started making water bottle using less plastic you can barely pick them up without them collapsing. These aluminum water bottles are much stronger.
I don’t usually carry a water bottle with me everywhere, but if I know I’m going to be in my car for an hour+ or out of the house for a couple of hours I’ll put one in the car. It’s refreshing, especially if you live in a hot climate. Many of the people who make fun of water bottle carriers apparently don’t live in a climate where the heat index can be 100+ for over a month straight.
I was just on vacation in Europe and I brought my trusty water bottle ($5.00 at TJ Maxx a few years ago). I brought it on the plane (it has to be empty to go through customs); I filled it up post-customs in the airport, and filled up with water from the bathroom sink in my hotel each day. I didn’t spend a single euro on water, I’m very proud to say. Plus it’s a good thing not to use all that plastic.
I think the most expensive part of any meal is the beverage, unless it’s some sort of fancy beer or wine I bet the establishment is making a lot of money off of it.
Drink 8 glasses a water a day. That’s one of the myths perpetuated.
Here’s a post I did on my blog about that: http://uncommonlybrilliant.blogspot.com/2010/02/recommended-water-intake-myth.html
BTW, not trying to drive traffic to my blog. Truth is, I don’t care.
At the gym I see guys carrying around 1 gallon water bottles with them, and I laugh. The gym has 3 water fountains, no farther than a 10 second walk, and of course a men’s and women’s bathroom.
No need to be apologetic about spending your money, JD – on a water bottle, its $15 for goodness sakes. I brought a plastic bottle from Jamba Juice – I love it, but somehow I’ve gravitated to plastic again. This is a great reminder to get back to the environmentally conscious and fiscally conservative choice.
I don’t understand this – why are people being so weird (defensive?) about water bottles? The people who drink a lot of water every day don’t do it because they’re trying to prove anything, or they think they have to do it to survive according to some myth… they’re just thirsty.
I’m with @Aerin . Yes, it is a good frugal choice but there is also another story surrounding water . The current issue of Yes! magazine covers water in depth. And, thank you Austin for reminding us that sometimes the little things do count.
hate to say it but SIGG brand bottles are lined with plastic which is produced using BPA. I know that their marketing claims that it cant leach out due to some magical process that only they know how to do, but this is the same tired line weve been hearing from all companies who use this chemical. the only chemically “safe” containers are glass and stainless steel.
I fill a travel cup with ice water and keep it in the car when I’m out doing errands …
At work, the company put in dispensers that run the water through a filter. Tastes OK to me, but a lot of people still complain that it tastes bad and buy bottled water instead.
Thanks for this absolutely wonderful tip. Having just recently purchased an expense tracker for my iTouch, I see how right you are. Case in point, last week I was on my way to the Water Works Cafe behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art. I got a throat tickle and needed to buy some spring water en route. I purchased a pint of water from a street vendor for $2. You heard it right two bucks. Had I carried a water bottle with me, I would have had the water I needed to keep me from coughing incessantly, as I would have filled it up before I left home. What a terrific idea. Thank you. Water bottle it is!
I have a small SIGG (6 oz or so) that fits in my small purse. I like having a bit of water with me in case I start coughing in the middle of a movie theater or I’m eating something on the go and need to wash down a troublesome piece of food.
PS: I read somewhere that a cheap way to clean reusable bottles is with denture-cleaning tablets.
I use this tactic DAILY. I bring a bottle of water to work every day and use it for breakfast and lunch, not to mention throughout the entire day.
I cannot remember the last time I had to buy a drink at lunch. Not only does it save me money, but it is healthier too!
I started doing this over a year ago and don’t know how I lived without. Having water with me at all times is so handy and means I drink a lot more water.
I got a small 16 oz bottle because it fits easily in my car cup holder or purse. I refill it often during the day and also gives me a reason to get up a lot at work, or else I’m sitting all day!
Amazing how people get sucked in to brand name marketing – SIGG. Really folks, go to Walmart, buy a $2 BPA free water bottle. I’ve carried one now for 3 years in my truck, on my motorcycle, hiking, works great. AND I can walk into any convenience store and put it under the ice dispenser to fill it with nice cold cubes and then add water from whatever soda/lemonade spigot has the water also! All for FREE! Sure it doesn’t look cool but its the little things like that save pennies that have allowed me to save real $$$$ so I have now retired in my 40’s.
@aaron (#41) I had the same Sigg bottle since 2001, it was going strong until that blow up about BPA in the lining. I’m not sure who to believe, as I am a lifelong cynic……………but, Sigg did do a voluntary recall, where you could send your old bottle and they replaced it. They maintained that their formula for the lining was always safe, but reformulated it anyway. The way to tell is the color of your lining. The old bottles are gold inside, almost like apple juice in color, while the new ones are colorless. So was there BPA in the lining of the older bottles? Not sure, but the new ones (since Aug ’08) do not have any. I love my Sigg, I just feel better about something I can rinse with boiling water and not worry about warping. Plastic smells funny to me.
Why do I drink water/carry a bottle, a lot of the reasons mentioned above, headaches, keeps me from being tempted to buy drinks while out, keeps my skin hydrated. I am often thirsty, even on days when I don’t give a lecture, but on days when I do, I definitely want it with me. I’m a frugal Scot, just this side of too tight, so I hate to spend money unless I have to and with bottled water I also see it as wasteful to use something once and then throw away/recycle.
I’m so not a tree hugger, but they do have a great article, about Sigg and the “did they have BPA” debate here: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/08/sigg-bottles-now-bpa-free.php
This is a great tip! I always keep bottled water at work and in the car, from cases that I buy at discount at Sam’s club. Each bottle costs only $0.15–spare change for me. And when we’re traveling, we save the bottles and refill them from faucets at the hotel.
I am not one of those poeople who constantly needs to be guzzling something (I just wait until I get home), but my kids are likely to suddenly demand something to drink when we are out running errands and now I can just say “there’s water in the car”. I also grab a bottle for my purse when we go to the movie theater–so we skip buying soft drinks there, too.
I like how bottled water is sterile and super convenient. It’s clean if unopened, even if it’s been sitting in car for days.
Unless you wash and dry it thoroughly every night, those “reuseable” bottles are typically full of mold and bacteria. Just like those public drinking fountains you are hyperventilating about! Water that isn’t sterile will always grow junk in it, given a day or so.
Also, I must note that plastic bottles are one of the easiest things to usefully and cost-effectively recycle from an industrial standpoint. My deck is in fact made from recycled plastic bottles (its made of trex boards).
The best thing my work site ever did was to offer “spring water” for free out of the large dispensers.
They gave us a water bottle at the beginning of the year as well.
I wish all work places would offer free “spring water.” True, tap water is free but it does have a taste to it is you are in a town.
For home use, we have one of those cooler systems and we refill our own at a local mountain stream.
Great blog-good thoughts!
I SO agree with Mark @#5. Nothing is sillier than seeing people in cities desperately carting a water bottle bottle around everywhere as if they were about to die of thirst. This is trendaholic silliness-water bottle as accessory-nobody needs to be continually drinking as if they were hooked up to an IV. Besides…the consequence is that then you need to go the loo every 20 minutes and it gets very inconvenient in public places. Im sorry, but this is simply idiotic: catch me wasting money like this. I drink plenty of water, when Im thirsty, out of the tap.
#49, @Karen:
“Water that isn’t sterile will always grow junk in it, given a day or so.”
How exactly are you defining “sterile”? I’ve left unboiled tap water out in glass jars, sometimes for over two weeks, and nothing has grown in it.
“those “reuseable” bottles are typically full of mold and bacteria.”
That’s not true – at least not if you restrict your bottle use to plain tap water. I have several plastic “Platypus” water bottles I use. Sometimes, I don’t wash and dry the empty ones – just put them away with the cap on and some residual water left inside. They’re perfectly fine the next time I bring them out (I do a quick rinse before refilling).
I suppose if you’re drinking questionable water bacteria can grow and mold can develop but for normal everyday tap water that should definitely not happen.
@ #5 Mark
That’s not a very accurate analysis. Thirst is a sign of dehydration, and you should actually aim to never be thirsty. Preemptive measures can ensure your health and safety. Dehydration is not something to fool around with, I know this from personal experience.
I hate to see people carrying plastic water bottles around. It’s bad for the environment and so expensive. I bought a Brita pitcher awhile ago and love it. I bought a plastic, reusable bottle and decorated the outside. I use it everyday!
After years of experimenting, DH settled on Kleen Kanteens. Good seal, nice wide mouth, no stupid pull-up squirt top to suck from like a baby, unbreakable, unsquishable, dishwasher-safe, and small enough circumference to fit easily in the car cup-holder, in a handbag, or in a backback bottle pocket.
Regrettably, we still buy plastic-bottled water occasionally when we’re out and about. When you live in a desert, you do what you gotta do.
I worked outside in Arizona one summer and would have DIED without my constant companion, a Polar bottle. That is a type of insulated water bottle that is used by a lot of bicyclists. I drank maybe 4 or 5 bottles everyday. If I had purchased bottled water at a $1/bottle that would have easily have been at least $5/day in water. Over 4 months I expect I saved over $300 by using the bottle.
Konnichi wa, Austin –
I just returned from a 4 years stint in Japan. One consideration for you – Japanese drinking water doesn’t contain the same levels of fluorine that US drinking water contains. That’s not to imply that the drinking water is unsafe – as the Japanese have very acceptable drinking water quality levels in urban areas – but the addition of fluorine in US water systems help keep our teeth clean and healthy and prevents cavities.
Be sure to visit a dentist regularly while you’re there. And enjoy your time! Living in Japan as a foreigner is a truly wonderful experience.
Ja mata!
I used to use Nalgene bottles back in my camping days, but I prefer to reuse ordinary water (or soda) bottles now. It draws less attention to me, the bottles are smaller and fit better in my backpack, and if I do lose one it’s no big deal. I usually use one for about a month and then recycle it. If you’re concerned about sterility (I’m not, especially since I put only water, no Crystal Light or anything in a water bottle), you can leave a bottle of water in the sun for a day and that kills any bacteria according to my Peace Corps volunteer friends. I’m not super concerned about leaching of plastics either, since I don’t get it hot or cold, but I know some people say that’s an issue.
And it’s free!
To Mark, Maharani and the others critiquing those of us who carry around water bottles … what a silly thing to criticize! I live in Texas. It is HOT here. If you don’t have a water bottle close at hand, you’re probably going to waste $$ stopping at Sonic, end of story.
Geez, so judgmental.
@57 Mike
Thanks for the heads up. I’m hopefully heading back to Chicago in August for a visit so I’ll probably try to fit in a dentist visit then.
I guess none of my students visit the dentist. My teacher asked a class and 3 out of 30 had been. They’re “scared”.
Crazy.
The best water bottle I’ve found comes from the Thermos line – insulated, stainless steel, BPA-free, keeps ice for 24 hours if you fill it to the top. That, a filtered water pitcher, Stash powder green tea + lo-cal sweetener has saved me tons of money, boosted anti-oxidants, and reduced landfill waste.
“simple on the surface” is an understatement! Great tip though; thanks for sharing!
I just don’t see the need to risk it, just go get a stainless-steel bottle for that price. No BPA, no aluminum leaching, etc. I’ve had mine forever, it will probably last my lifetime.