Rave ‘n Crave Wednesday: Baggu Bags

Baggu! These days, cities are enacting laws to prohibit plastic bags at retailers. It is about time! They are so wasteful and you can’t really recycle them. I’ve used reusable bags for years. I got so tired of accumulating plastic bags in a bin in my house and not having enough uses for them. It did, however, take a good long while before I got into the habit of returning my reusable bag to my trunk and even longer before I remembered to bring it into the store! Ugh.

I’ve heard so many people say, “[insert your favorite expletive here] I left my bags in the car!” Remembering to put your reusable bag in the car is such a huge accomplishment that forgetting it in the car is an even bigger disappointment. Enter Baggu bags . . .

My first Baggu bag arrived in a PopSugar “Must Have” Bag last year. Initially, I was underwhelmed and annoyed that I was given a large pink reusable bag. Since it folded flat and I didn’t want to waste it, I reluctantly placed it in my purse.

I often try to challenge myself when I get to Whole Paycheck (Foods). I bring one reusable bag and tell myself I am not allowed to buy more groceries than can fit in the bag. It never works. I always get overstimulated. Before I know it, I have at least two bags worth of groceries in the cart. I always refuse an extra paper bag. Hand-carrying out all of my extra groceries from the store has always been my punishment for my lack of self-control. Imagine my delight one day when I remembered I had a Baggu bag in my purse!

The bag holds about THREE plastic bags worth of groceries and it folds into a flat 5″ x 5″ square pouch that neatly fits into my purse. While there are other bags that come with their own pouches so you can stuff them back into themselves, Baggu folds flat! Any woman will tell you that space in a purse is precious. It doesn’t matter if you are organized or messy. Extra space in a purse is rare! I pulled my Baggu bag out of my purse in a department store one day and two sales women went CRAZY over it.

After a couple of uses, it was clear that my Baggu bag was officially my favorite reusable bag. I *surprise* went on Amazon.com to buy another one. I found out they were $9.99 each! Ugh. $10 for a reusable bag is pricey. $10 for a reusable bag that folds flat in my purse, holds three plastic bags worth of groceries or merchandise, and allows me the luxury of being able to fold and place it immediately back into my purse when I am done using it so I always have it with me is worth it. I’ve gotten more than my $10 worth out of my pink Baggu bag . . . which is why I also now own a purple one!