How much is a plastic bag worth?

Yesterday at Target, I used my own bag. I told the cashier so she wouldn’t start bagging my items. Then she cheerily told me that for bringing my own bag I get 5¢ off of my purchase. It’s not a lot but does help reduce waste and encourages people to bring their own bags. In one bag of my own that I comfortably carried, I packed enough items that would have been packed in at least three bags.

Target and some retailers have heavier plastic bags which are good for reusing and if you have to buy your own garbage bags or can liners they may cost more than 5¢ unless you buy them at the dollar store.

Five cents is a small bonus for me to remember to bring my own bags and to also reduce the clutter in my home. I have several plastic bags that I reuse and have not shown any wear or tear.

Is a nickel really worth it? Target tries to encourage shoppers to buy the bags they are selling and you would have to use the bag at least 20 times to recoup your purchase price. Personally, I don’t like using a bag that I bought at a particular store because it confuses the cashiers and they will try to charge you for the bag again.

Bringing my own bag also allows me to carry fewer bags from the store and forces me to empty the bag faster once I get home. Since I don’t have a dog, and recycle most of my garbage, having extra free plastic bags for garbage isn’t important to me and is worth the nickel.