Cheap Alternative To Packing Peanuts

[toysaver]

These were 88 cents a package at Walmart.  I use the plates too sometimes.  

[oldwestgold]

Interesting way to save. Thanks for your suggestion.

[lja440]

LOL you found my hack !!!

 I often sell to replacements.com  I buy a variety of different sized Styrofoam plates and use them (usally 2) between each plate, bowl or saucer then band them together with a couple more top and bottom with blue painters tape before wrapping the whole stack in bubblewrap.

I'm now thinking cut bottoms of cups may work for padding cups and mugs.

[southern*sweet*tea]

That is one packing peanut alternative I wouldn't mind receiving in a package, as long as they are intact. That is what I use to start seeds in the greenhouse. 🙂

[toysaver]

Sorry, they would arrive smooshed, chopped, cut in half and totally useless except for a shipping cushion.  Lots of stuff is 88 cents at Walmart, anything you'd usually buy at the dollar store.  I used to have a great furniture store for recycling shipping materials but now it's a gas station.  My car now stops for TV boxes in the trash as they have nice clean foam inside.  I have to make due.  

[little*blackdog]

I make do with clean, empty, dry, plastic water bottles with the tops cut off, which are plentiful from family and friends and FREE.

They are perfect for lining a bigger box and centering your (boxed or bubble-wrapped) item for shipping.  You can pad all around the item with the bottles that can be bent and folded to fit however you need them to fit.

Your cups are a great idea too.  Bless Walmart for low prices!

[disneyshopper]

I often use empty egg cartons made of styrofoam to fill in the empty space along the sides of the box.  I have another selling account and use the cardboard egg cartons that hold 20 eggs.  I ship those items in a regional rate A box, so the weight of the cardboard egg carton doesn't matter.  The long slender items fit between the sections.