Stop Buying Bottled Water

TheRoadDog
TheRoadDog Posts: 11,788 Member
Is there a bigger waste of money than paying for bottled water? We spend about 800 times more for bottled water than plain old tap water. And if you don't like the taste of tap water, buy a filter -- it's still cheaper than the bottled variety.
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Replies

  • spade117
    spade117 Posts: 2,466 Member
    I buy it for when we are camping.

    At home, work, etc., I drink from the tap.
  • k8blujay2
    k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
    While I would typically agree with you... No... there are just some places that don't have as good of water as my city does.... You know, like Toledo... I wouldn't recommend the tap water there at the moment...
  • jackpotclown
    jackpotclown Posts: 3,275 Member
    just break.......oh.....nevermind \m/
  • ThisCanadian
    ThisCanadian Posts: 1,086 Member
    I drink tap or filtered water, but I it's recommend that you have 2-3 days supply of bottled water in your house for emergencies.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    In Asia we have "tanks" at home where you store water since the government releases water periodically. A friend of mine found out his tank had a dead cat in it and had been there for about a week at least.

    No thanks. I even cook my food with bottled water. And I am being 100% serious.
  • DenDweller
    DenDweller Posts: 1,438 Member
    Yep. No bottled water. Screw convenience.

    In fact, we should all go back to subsistence farming too. Same reasons. Things were much better for the human race then!
  • Kate7294
    Kate7294 Posts: 783 Member
    I brought a "Pure" system. I keep in my fridge and still re-fill with tap water about twice a day. Filters the tap water; tastes so much better. I brought a big one for around $27.00 with one filter. Filter's are supposed to last 3 months. Previously was buying too much water. Spending $7-10 per/wk on bottled water. <<< That was before I started drinking water. I usually drink around 96oz a day now.
    My son even said one day the spaghetti I made probably would taste better if cooked in the pure water. LOL
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  • Walter__
    Walter__ Posts: 518 Member
    I know what you mean and it's also a pain to lug around in the grocery bag. But I've found filtered tap water just doesn't taste as good as bottled water. Nothing compares, unfortunately, so I spend the money on it :(

    You need a reverse osmosis filter. It tastes the same, if not better, than bottled water.
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  • DBoone85
    DBoone85 Posts: 916 Member
    Since most bottled water is tap water, it's pretty crazy that this even has to be said. But..well...people.

    Most bottled water is "filtered" tap water. It is not run straight from the garden hose into the bottles. They filter it first. Somoe bottled "Spring Water" is not actually filtered though....it is bottled just as it comes out of the earth.
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  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Since most bottled water is tap water, it's pretty crazy that this even has to be said. But..well...people.

    QFT

    Bottled water is a convenience for traveling, if water is shut off (especially handy to keep on hand if you are in a hurricane or earthquake prone area), and several other situations, but buying the little bottles for your everyday drinking just seems like such an inconvenience and an incredible waste of both money and resources. If you have reason to be wary of your tap water, buy refillable gallons or those big 5 gallon bottles that you can exchange. You don't need a fancy dispenser, just get a hand pump that costs about $15.

    My tap water tastes terrible so I use a Pur pitcher and it works great. I also use a Sodastream for my fizzy water and occasional soda. I hate having to haul bottles and cans up two flights of stairs and the empties down 2 flights to the recycling dumpster.

    ps: I know what it is like to not trust the tap water. I lived in Milwaukee during the cryptosporidium outbreak. Now, the whole metro area has some of the safest water in the country.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    easily transported......for work =)

    So is a Camelbak or Nalgene bottle filled with your own tap or filtered tap water.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    I know what you mean and it's also a pain to lug around in the grocery bag. But I've found filtered tap water just doesn't taste as good as bottled water. Nothing compares, unfortunately, so I spend the money on it :(

    You need a reverse osmosis filter. It tastes the same, if not better, than bottled water.

    Do you know where I could buy one?

    Check your big box home improvement stores. If you can't find one there, look into some of the Aquarium supply places like Drs. Foster and Smith or local ones if you have them.
  • AsaThorsWoman
    AsaThorsWoman Posts: 2,303 Member
    It's only $0.25/gallon in Norman, if you re-fill, so yes there is an expense, but I can assure you it's less than the cost of a nice imported beer monthly.

    :drinker:
  • k8blujay2
    k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
    I know what you mean and it's also a pain to lug around in the grocery bag. But I've found filtered tap water just doesn't taste as good as bottled water. Nothing compares, unfortunately, so I spend the money on it :(

    You need a reverse osmosis filter. It tastes the same, if not better, than bottled water.

    Yup... My parents had a reverse osmosis filter for their well water... it tasted pretty good.
  • live2dream
    live2dream Posts: 614 Member
    In Asia we have "tanks" at home where you store water since the government releases water periodically. A friend of mine found out his tank had a dead cat in it and had been there for about a week at least.

    No thanks. I even cook my food with bottled water. And I am being 100% serious.

    It's definitely a different story in Asia! When I'm traveling to those countries, I drink bottled water. At home in the U.S., i refuse to buy bottled water unless it's an emergency. I fill mason jars with filtered water when I'm camping or on a road trip or even just visiting people. They think I'm drinking moonshine. :wink:

    Everyone should watch the documentary 'Tapped'. on Netflix. It talks about how Nestle steals the water from communities and pollutes their clean air and water to the point where they have tumors. All for profit. 'Merica.
  • HerbertNenenger
    HerbertNenenger Posts: 453 Member
    You're not the boss of me !!! :grumble: :
  • k8blujay2
    k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
    Since most bottled water is tap water, it's pretty crazy that this even has to be said. But..well...people.

    Most bottled water is "filtered" tap water. It is not run straight from the garden hose into the bottles. They filter it first. Somoe bottled "Spring Water" is not actually filtered though....it is bottled just as it comes out of the earth.

    Tap water is already filtered.

    Yup... Our water treatment plant runs the water through an O3 filter. It is constantly ranked the best tasting tap water in the state... A lot of time what people are tasting is what comes from their pipes.
  • arawks
    arawks Posts: 1 Member
    Anyone interested in this topic should watch Penn & Teller's Bullsh!t show about bottled water (some of it is on YouTube). On a related note, I avoid bottled water like the plague, mostly because of the cost, but also because it isn't held to the high standards most tap water is. Also, all those bottles are a huge waste. I just keep a jug of unfiltered tap water in my fridge, it tastes great.
  • summertime_girl
    summertime_girl Posts: 3,945 Member
    Well, I prefer it to my well water, which leeches cyanide from the granite surrounding it....
  • Debbjones
    Debbjones Posts: 278 Member
    You're not the boss of me !!! :grumble: :

    ^^ This... LOL!

    Sorry, I buy it and refill the bottles with filtered water. Nothing like the convenience of grabbing a bottle of cold filtered tap water, from the fridge. Not to mention, when you want to add a flavor packet, so much easier and better to shake a bottle than try to stir the mix in a cup... After many uses only then do I recycle the bottle. Yes, I recycle! So much better than using paper or plastic cups!

    Bottled water may not work for you... but it is a must have for emergencies (like fire season in Southern California) and nothing better for my lifestyle!
  • W31RD0
    W31RD0 Posts: 173 Member
    Is there a bigger waste of money than paying for bottled water? We spend about 800 times more for bottled water than plain old tap water. And if you don't like the taste of tap water, buy a filter -- it's still cheaper than the bottled variety.

    But, but , but, wasting money on bottled water makes me feel better about how much I shell out for gas.
  • JG762
    JG762 Posts: 571 Member
    I buy it and will continue to do so if for no other reason than the convenience.
    I go through about 1 case a week, sometimes a bit more and at $4.00 a case it really isn't a big deal.

    if you're worried about wasting money how about those stogies that you're smoking, talk about burning through $$$! :bigsmile:
  • Walter__
    Walter__ Posts: 518 Member
    I know what you mean and it's also a pain to lug around in the grocery bag. But I've found filtered tap water just doesn't taste as good as bottled water. Nothing compares, unfortunately, so I spend the money on it :(

    You need a reverse osmosis filter. It tastes the same, if not better, than bottled water.

    Do you know where I could buy one?

    You can get it online. They're somewhat expensive though.

    If you want to go with something more known, this is the best selling RO filter on Amazon and it's a 5-stage filter: http://www.amazon.com/iSpring-5-Stage-Reverse-Osmosis-Filter/dp/B003XELTTG/ref=zg_bs_13397611_2

    Personally I am going to be buying this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-STAGE-REVERSE-OSMOSIS-WATER-FILTER-SYSTEM-REMINERALIZATION-PH-MINERAL-FILTER-/200810327243?pt=Small_Kitchen_Appliances_US&hash=item2ec13a6ccb

    It's a 6-stage filter and the company seems to have pretty good reviews from what I can see on ebay and a google search.. so I'm going to give it a shot.
  • LoneWolf_70
    LoneWolf_70 Posts: 1,151 Member
    i follow the dog plan and just get on my hands and knees and lick the toilet bowl.
  • Jimmy_Rhythm
    Jimmy_Rhythm Posts: 26 Member
    I drink bottled water just because people tell me not to. I'm a rebel that way.
  • smokinkudzu
    smokinkudzu Posts: 20 Member
    i personally don't buy bottled water except from sporting event concessionaires. when i was deployed in the Army, bottled water is everywhere, but not directly paid for by me to use
  • jnord8729
    jnord8729 Posts: 234 Member
    Is there a bigger waste of money than paying for bottled water? We spend about 800 times more for bottled water than plain old tap water. And if you don't like the taste of tap water, buy a filter -- it's still cheaper than the bottled variety.

    I live in a city who has very nasty tasting hard water. Seriously, once a season I have to take pool acid to my sinks to get the calcium deposits off it. You pour the water over ice, you can see calcium start to settle in the bottom of your glass. I also live an apartment where I can't install a fancy filter. Brita doesn't even come close to getting the calcium out. So I buy bottled water and it absolutely is not a wate of money in my situation.

    Now I do go to Wal-Mart and buy gallon jugs of water for 88 cents a piece, so I don't get fancy stuff. But yes it's an 88 cents that's VERY well spent