Most of the colored inks used in newspapers is a vegetable base and is fine for the compost.  I don't shred the 'shiny' inserts and flyers though. 

 Interesting thought, i completely agree with your perspective...

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Hi! I'm new here -- I've been reading for a while but this thread is the one that made me register so I can post!

 One of the "cheapest" things my family did was to go dumpster diving at a local university on the day the kids were moving out. The best find of the day was probably all half-full boxes and bottles of laundry detergent - we didn't have to buy it for a year and a half! Since then the university has made much bigger efforts toward going "green" so we haven't seen as good a haul since then. I think they're now donating to homeless shelters, etc. We also found some furniture, a brand new laptop carrier bag, pencils, notebooks, lots of carpet.

 Rather than buying a helmet liner for the rainy days (I bike to work), I just stuff a plastic grocery bag in my helmet. Grocery bags also work great as boot liners, if your boots aren't quite as waterproof as you'd like.

We are big re-users of such things as cool whip containers, jars, etc. We use them all over the house for storage, dog food containers, sending food home with guests, etc. The best are the large buckets that cat litter comes in with the handle. My husband cleans them out then we store dog food, painting supplies, and storing pool chemicals in them. Keeps the moisture and bugs/mice out of them in our storage shed. I also save the nicer containers that come from takeout or leftovers and use them for my husband's lunchbox in case they don't make it home, I have not lost a good container. We save old bread bags for freezing extra loaves or english muffins we buy on sale to avoid freezer burn.

I love the local thrift stores for nice stuffed animals to use for dog toys since they are over priced at the pet store. for 50 cents or a dollar I can get a new toy that I wash a couple times and then my dogs are happy to chew on. I also get my husband (a house painter) old clothes for work and sheets for drop clothes for a couple bucks. I like to keep an eye out for nicer picture frames (usually for $1), then I either use them as is or paint/decorate and put a nice picture in for gifting. Great way to save money on the frame and they are great for giving to grandparents with pics of the grandkids. You can also frame your child's art work or handprint in these $1 frames for a nice personal momento.

You can also re-use old folding Christmas cards you have received by cutting off the inside half that has been written on, then using the front half with the holiday design as a postcard. Saves on the amount of postage needed as well. This works as well for birthday cards, etc.

I put a plastic jug full of water in the back of the toilet so when we flush it, it won't use as much water....junk mail gets used as scratch paper (if backs are unprinted), any envelopes get used for paying bills, (somtimes I take them apart and turn inside out) the other paper goes in the compost....after frying burgers, I put a little water in the skillet and remove all the drippings to go into seasoning soup, or make gravy....after frying bacon the grease gets poured off and used to fry potatoes or eggs, and then I put a little water in the skillet to remove all the drippings to be used in beans for seasoning.....crumpled newspapers are good for window cleaning, so why stop there, I use them for cleaning other things and wiping up messes.....at garage sales many times there is tacky looking clothing in the free box, I get them wash them, cut them up and use for rags (our sons use some too) or cut them up in strips to make crochet rag rugs.....I've even got some wild print pillow cases out of the free box and made them into grocery tote bags, and each time I use them the store gives me 5 cents off.....

 This isn't my cheap thing, it's a friend. She's quite well off, and on many charity solicitation lists. She gets scores of requests each month, all containing stamped self-address envelopes. 

She gives them to me - if you mark over the addrress with a  marker, they are usuable. Some of them are 35c and 37, 9c, but others have 1 and 3 and 5c stamps on them, too. I cut out the stamps and paste them onto envelopes with a glue stick. So I never have to pay postage.

And my wealthy friend does the same. She figures the stamped envelopes would just be thrown out, a waste of postage money, and returning them to the senders would just cost her money. The ones I can't use (there are literally hundreds) I donate.

This is one of the the things that's so wasteful. I don't know how many stamped envelopes like this are tossed out, but I would guess quite a lot.

recently I was up in my attic I found two boxes of blue jeans up in the attic I tried them on the boys my DS 11 on great Nephews one 12 and 10 they got about 20 pairs of jeans now . Cost to me  nothing  I washed them hung them out to dry and they are wearing jeans all in excellent condition .. being rat works out some days .  I also found several winter coats .

seaturtle:

She gives them to me - if you mark over the addrress with a  marker, they are usuable. Some of them are 35c and 37, 9c, but others have 1 and 3 and 5c stamps on them, too. I cut out the stamps and paste them onto envelopes with a glue stick. So I never have to pay postage.

I used to do that, but the last time I tried it the post office returned the letter.  They wouldn't accept it with the marked-over address.  I'm not sure why.

You used to be able to return stamped envelopes to the post office for a partial refund, but now they won't take them anymore.

 haverwrench,

Funny, mine and my friend's always go through.

You probably would be better off cutting them off the envelope carefully and pasting them on a new one, as I mentioned above (glue stick works really well). Just make sure they're secure.

Also, you can cut a piece of white paper ({from an envelope or another paper) and tape it over the address. Then use that to put your addressee's address on. That way, the stamps are intact on the original envelop. Also, be sure to mark out any bars on the bottom of the envelope - anything that's printed on it.

I don't understand why your PO returned it. After all, it had legal stamps on it. What's the difference between using these envelopes and just making  mistake on your own and blacking it out?

I re-gift all the time. My husband hates it, but it saves us alot of money!