Uses for Prescription Bottles

Uses for prescription bottles?

My friend Mary was collecting empty prescription containers. She said she received money for them. Before I could find out how -- she died. Does anyone have a use for the containers or know of someone who needs them?

Juanita from Homewood, IL

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RE: Brainstorm: Uses for prescription bottles?

I think they are great for keeping fishing hooks & other things in tackle box in. Good for small nuts, bolts & screws. (01/31/2001)

By gold89wing

RE: Brainstorm: Uses for prescription bottles?

I have found these bottles terrific for storing small beads, sparkle dust, carrying aspirin or headache medication in your purse, holding straight pins when you don't want the whole box, mixed paint for ceramics or painting if you have a small amount left over, small buttons for baby outfits, earring backers. Just to suggest a few (01/31/2001)

By Diane

RE: Brainstorm: Uses for prescription bottles?

There are many different uses for old prescription bottles:after emptying out any old/expired left over medications down your toliet, wash out the bottles, removing the labels and place in your recycle bin. Or they can be used for loose coins, storing nails, skrews, thumb-tacks, pushpins, etc. I hope these suggestions help out. (01/31/2001)

By Kitty Wuerl

RE: Brainstorm: Uses for prescription bottles?

Use one to hold a needle or two, some white and black thread wound around a bit of cardboard, and a couple of buttons, and keep in your purse for a travel/emergency sewing kit. (01/31/2001)

By one_ramp

RE: Brainstorm: Uses for prescription bottles?

Our local humane society (St.Louis) has asked for empty prescription bottles to use when they adopt out puppies or kittens for a day or two of medicine.You might check with your local humane society. (02/01/2001)

By Lynn

RE: Brainstorm: Uses for prescription bottles?

My daughter used to play soccer in college and they travelled quite a bit. We used the prescription bottles for all of her personal needs stuff (ie. shampoo, conditioner, make-up remover, lotion). Also they are great for carrying small items such as jewelry, safety pins and you can even put sewing items in for a travel sewing kit. The lids are usually child-proof so they are virtually spill proof. (02/01/2001)

By D

RE: Brainstorm: Uses for prescription bottles?

They are great for storing small screws, nails, hardware. Also, wash them out and store small kitchen supplies you don't use much of, such as decorations for baking. Always remove the label so it won't look as if medicine is stored all around the place. (02/01/2001)

By Patti

RE: Brainstorm: Uses for prescription bottles?

1. I use them to put shampoo and rinse etc. in to take to the hospital when I know I am staying for a couple days or so.
2. They are nice for putting salad dressing in to pack in lunch boxes.
3. They are nice for putting raisins, etc. in to pack in lunch boxes.
4. They are handy to put lil' things in that are used for crafts, such as: hooks & eyes, snaps, novelty buttons, needles of various sizes, (to separate them)
5. For Safety pins etc. to put in suitcases when traveling , (other ideas are: bobby pins, M & M's for kids on the plane, car, or bus.
6. I use them for different little nails, picture hangers etc. (they seem to come in non-re-usable packages).
7. Glue several together side by side and put spools of thread in, cut a hole in the lid and replace lid to make it easy to pull out just the right length of thread without dropping the spool, or having it tangle, or come unwound. (sorted by colors)
8. The right size will hold a hard boiled egg for a lunch. (02/01/2001)

By Ester

RE: Brainstorm: Uses for prescription bottles?

DH saves quarters, and he stores them in prescription bottles. They fit nicely. I use one to store toothpicks in and keep it handy in the car. Some people keep buttons in them in their sewing room. Young mothers use them to store a few Band-Aids in their purse or car. They would be handy to keep change in in the car. Campers use them to store a few matches for emergencies,etc. (02/01/2001)

By Eastwood

RE: Brainstorm: Uses for prescription bottles?

They are great to put in a packed lunch to use as a container for salad dressings. (02/01/2001)

By J

RE: Brainstorm: Uses for prescription bottles?

They are great if you make your own spice and/or herb mixes. (02/01/2001)

By James

RE: Brainstorm: Uses for prescription bottles?

Old prescription bottles are great for sorting and storing seed beads. You can sort by color or style, place a label on the outside, and they store nicely on a shelf or in a shoe box or plastic storage container. We use the plastic cake frosting containers for pony beads. Works great, and the lid is excellent for holding beads while you work!Doris in Va. (02/01/2001)

By admin2

RE: Brainstorm: Uses for prescription bottles?

Between myself and my husband we have about 50-70 bottles a month of old prescription bottles. I use a small utility knife to scrap off any info on the bottle and I give them to my veterinarian for him to be able to dispense medicine for animals. My vet says I save him a lot of $ by doing this. So, think of local vets. (11/08/2001)

By fayth81

RE: Uses for prescription bottles?

I use the small bottles (cleaned and information removed, of course) for my purse or for traveling. I can store small amounts of vitamins, cold capsules, whatever. Make sure to label each one! (02/10/2005)

By Anjeena

RE: Uses for prescription bottles?

I glue several sizes and heights together and put them in old shoe boxes for under the sink storage of cotton swabs, cotton balls, iodine, etc. Another set glued together in a plastic CD sorter I found at the thrift store for 25 cents is now my make brush and make-up sorter. It has a hinged snap down lid and can easily come with me on vacation. I use them all over the house - shorter ones in old chocolate boxes in the "junk" drawer which is now no longer junky and you can easily find anything. We have them for fishing, sewing, crafts just about anything you can imagine. All you need is old prescription bottles, a glue gun, an old box and some ingenuity. Good luck. (02/22/2005)

By Suzanne S.

RE: Uses for prescription bottles?

Please! Please! Do not empty your old medicines into the toilet. The drugs can re-enter our water supply and create health problems. Our waste treatment plants do not catch everything. Do keep the ideas flowing, they are great! (06/06/2005)

By Dorothy

RE: Uses for prescription bottles?

My husband makes wine and so uses the empty prescription bottles to empty plastic the bags of things like pectin enzyme, yeast sutrient, etc. as the bags invariably spill one they are opened. (10/10/2005)

By Linda

RE: Uses for prescription bottles?

Some things I use them for:

• Holding condiments for lunches at work.
• Holding bb's/pellets for my air-gun.
• Donating to the local Humane Society.
• Holding pins and needles.
• Making unique ice cubes/popsicles.

(10/10/2005)

By kidseatfree

RE: Uses for prescription bottles?

You can use the medicine bottles or film containers to put medical information in such as name, address, phone, type of blood, doctor, hospital, meds, personal medical history such as heart, etc. and your contact person, etc. You proceed the same as the instructions pertaining to antiseptic, etc. but put a red cross on the front of the bottle (canister) and then hang one on your steering wheel in the car and put a note on your refrigerator door stating "VIAL OF LIFE" and state where it is. In case of an emergency, if the fire department is called, they will always check your refrigerator door to see if you have a Vial of Life with all the necessary medical information. (10/11/2005)

By LORI

RE: Uses for prescription bottles?

I remember when I was little my mom and I melting them in the oven to make jewelry. I don't remember what temperature or for how long. But if you melted the bottles with some colored plastic beads they made really unique necklaces. (10/11/2005)

By MissyD

RE: Uses for prescription bottles?

I have a bunch of pretty blue prescription bottles. I took off the label and used my drill and drilled small holes in the top. I now have pretty salt and pepper shakers for the table. (10/11/2005)

By Steamer

RE: Uses for prescription bottles?

I love to paint with acrylics! Mix your paint in medicine bottles! Mixing my own colors:

1. saves me a lot of money
2. lets me mix unique colors
3. Mixed paint stores very well in these bottles
4. You can brush a bit of the mixed colors on the cap to find what you want in a snap!

(01/04/2006)

By krafter

RE: Uses for prescription bottles?

I buy my tylenol in a big bottle from Sam's Club, so I like to fill up a couple empty prescription bottles of tylenol to keep in a couple locations. I also keep one in my toiletry bag I take on vacations. (02/09/2006)

By Debbie52

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Uses for Prescription Bottles

Does anyone have tips or craft ideas for using empty prescription bottles? I have many, and I hate to throw them away if they can be used or made into something. Thanks! Cathy from Bristol, TN

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RE: Uses for Prescription Bottles

You can put together a mini first aid kit with first aid tape wrapped around a wooden match, a couple of needles, thread, bandaids, samples of antibiotic, alcohol prep wipes, & whatever else you can fit depending on the size of bottle. On the lid place a piece of sandpaper to light the wooden match in an emergency or to sterilize a needle. Empty Film Canisters also work well for this. (11/21/2006)

By Sherri from Utah

RE: Uses for Prescription Bottles

CRAFT: We used to melt them and make pins out of them or necklace. You can press small beads into them when still hot or put beads inside and let the bottle melt around the beads. (11/21/2006)

By cindy

RE: Uses for Prescription Bottles

You can re-purpose pill bottles by adding a few stones or marbles, putting the cap back on and using them as a pedestal holder for those tiny bathroom cups. (11/21/2006)

By hsorbits

RE: Uses for Prescription Bottles

I label 7 bottles with the days of the week, and put them in a small dish. I put the medications and vitamins for each day in the proper bottle. Since we take some pills in the morning and some in the evening, I have one dish for A.M. and one for P.M. If we go out of town for a few days, I just put the bottles for the days we are going to be gone in a ziplock bag and pack them with our luggage. Harlean from Arkansas (11/21/2006)

By Harlean from Arkansas

RE: Uses for Prescription Bottles

They can be sent to places like Haiti where they don't have them. A church should be able to help. Otherwise, another use is for forming flower petals for a panty hose flower. (11/21/2006)

By Sharon

RE: Uses for Prescription Bottles

Why don't you decorate them (using scrapbooking papers) as containers for toothpics, sewing kit or waterproof matches. There are loads of ideas on scrapping sites.

Have fun (11/22/2006)

By Diana

RE: Uses for Prescription Bottles

They are great for dressing to take to pour on the salad rigth before eating. That way you do not have soggy salad for lunch. (11/22/2006)

By patg

RE: Uses for Prescription Bottles

In addition to all the great ideas others have contributed, here's my small idea.

As kids, we used to remove/soak off the labels, add beads or sparkle or crayon or anything interesting (including small flowers) and place the bottles on a cookie sheet. Mom would bake them for us (low heat for 10 minutes, I think). While still hot, we'd use a knitting needle to make a hole near the top and when cooled these made the greatest jewellery and window/wall hangings. If you're looking for a great way to entertain kids (and get them away from the TV), they might have fun with this.

Cheers (11/22/2006)

By Rose Anne

RE: Uses for Prescription Bottles

Take unused prescriptions back to your pharmacy for them to dispose of. DO NOT throw into the toilet or garbage. This is true for non-prescription medication as well. Check your medications for expiration dates every few months. I'd love to find out what temperature to melt the bottles at. I think I'm going to try the suggestions about melting them with a few beads inside as a craft project. (11/23/2006)

By Connie from Canada

RE: Uses for Prescription Bottles

They are great for saving seeds that you picked and dried for next year. Just label a wall-ah. Ready for you in the spring. (11/25/2006)

By kduchn

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Uses for Prescription Bottles

Does anyone have any ideas for reusing prescription medicine bottles? I hate to throw them away, I figure someone has a use for them.

Grandma B from Coshocton, OH

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RE: Uses for Prescription Bottles

I make my own earrings. I have so many, that storage can be a problem. I paint the tops of the prescription bottle with the color of the earring. The bottles will hold several earrings. Finding the right color at a moment's notice, with the tops painted in various colors (03/17/2007)

By margeth

RE: Uses for Prescription Bottles

I can't think of anything that isn't tacky to make out of the empty bottles, but I always remove the labels before I dispose of them, because I don't want my personal information on them and also to guard against identity theft. Also, if you bring your empty bottles to the drug store, your pharmacist might reuse them to refill your prescriptions. (03/18/2007)

By sylviecyn

RE: Uses for Prescription Bottles

I keep one on hand for when I need a eye wash. If you ever get something in your eye, put warm water in it lean your head to it and tilt back. When you feel the water in the eye. blink and it looses the eyelash or whatever gets caught in the eye. Of coarse see a Dr if you need to. (03/18/2007)

By Ariela

I like the ideas!

I keep my tacks in them, so they don't get stepped on or etc. I have also used them to organize my crafts. I put my favorite beads in them (garnet and more), so I can find them among the bulk beads. I keep a spare and fill it with broken or dull needles before I throw them in the garbage (so no one is hurt). Keep up the awesome ideas everyone! (03/18/2007)

By Starchild in VT

RE: Uses for Prescription Bottles

My grandmother uses them as stoppers on her knitting needles. She somehow drills a hole in one of them shoves them over the point of the needle, with the bottle opening to the yarn. She use to do it with film bottles, she finally went digital. (03/20/2007)

By gannedwards

RE: Uses for Prescription Bottles

I love the one about salt and pepper shakers. I paint them and put tiny trinkets in them that I get from Hobby Lobby or somewhere; I give them away for Anger Shakes to mentally ill people. They can get all mad and shake their bottles instead of other people. They also love the trinkets inside. (04/02/2007)

By Georgia

RE: Uses for Prescription Bottles

I haven't finished with my idea yet! I'm working on a way to use them in making a hummingbird feeder. Using fishing line to hang them up with. My problem I'm working on tho, is a way to color the amber color scrip bottle so its a red color. Maybe a red net wrapped around the bottle or red foam paper? (05/17/2007)

By miniduck

RE: Uses for Prescription Bottles

I know prescription bottles are good for lots of things like for tackle boxes, sewing, storing coins and jewelry etc! But with proper sanitizing and label removing there has to be some company that buys them back for redistribution. This would be a good little business for some side money. (06/02/2007)

By Tony

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Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

Does anyone have ideas for using medicine bottles? I have a bucket full of clean, empty plastic pill bottles. Hate to just toss them. Any good ideas out there?

Rainbowgirl from Bogalusa, LA

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Use for Small Items

Remove the labels. I give mine to our Vet, he uses to put pet medications in. Or use to put loose buttons, needles, or any other small item you don't ant loose in a drawer, etc.

By Tejas

First Aid Kit

You can make a mini first aid kit including bandaids, needle and thread, sandpaper (cut out a circle and place on lid), stick match, safety pin, etc.

By Footsilly

Make a Wind Chime

Drill a hole in bottom and run fishing line up the center with bottom side up. Use about 6 to 8 in different lengths of string and make really cute wind chime. You could even paint a picture on each like a daisy or lady bug. Use a lid from a jar for your top hanger for it.

By Theseamstress

Spare Change

Some pill bottles are exactly the right size to carry quarters (US) for use in vending machines and coin laundries. You can also put a small amount of your favorite hand lotion to keep at work. Small craft items such as beads and sequins, mix white glue and water for small amounts of Mod Podge. My mantra is if it will fit in there it can be stored in there. I have tins, pill bottles, baskets, all sorts of things pressed into service to store my junk.

By MartyD

Bathroom, Garden and Workshop Uses

Store hair pins or bobby pins in them. If you collect seeds from your garden, or know anyone that does, they are great for that, too. My Grandpa used them to store small nails and screws in them in his workshop, too.

By Angeleyes78

Organize Board Game Pieces

They are great for putting small board game pieces in. Like battleship pieces, for example.

By farmgirl

Protect Fishing Lures

I snap them over the lures on my fishing rods. This way I don't need to remove a lure every time I put the rod away. It keeps hooks from grabbing everything in sight.

By Bobdog

Mini Sewing Kit

You can also do a mini sewing kit. Put a couple of pre-threaded needles with black and white thread in a piece of paper or cardboard and wrap the thread around to keep neat. Put some buttons, safety pins and whatever else you might think would be handy.

By Toolgirl

Travel Kit

When traveling I use them to put shampoo, hand cream, conditioner, and other such items in. This works out well seeing that I don't have to carry the full size bottles with me. I also use them to carry jewelry that I may wear when I get to my destination. They are great useful items.

By Louise

Keeping Camping Items Dry

If there are any campers out there you can use them to store things to keep them dry or when you only need a smaller portion of something. If anyone is near Towanda, PA and would like some pill bottles I have a plastic grocery bag full to give away.

By Craftjunkie

Donate to Animal Shelters

As one reader suggested, check with your vet or other vets. A lot of them will take empty prescription bottles. Saves them money from having to buy them. Also, I donate a lot of mine to the local animal shelter.

By Lovethosehounds

Get Organized

Keep craft and scrap embellishments in them: paper clips, brads, office needs, safety pins, needles, and tacks. Those things in your "needed sometime drawer" can be seen, but not loose rolling around. Also use to carry small items in your purse or beach bag, from change to extra medications.

By JC

Toothpicks

Use one to keep toothpicks in for the car.

By Beverly

Use For Medication

I use them to store our daily medications in. Just label them with the days of the week. I have a set for AM and a set for PM, and I fill the each day's bottle for the entire week. Keep each set in a round container such as a Cool Whip container. Saves the time it takes to open each prescription bottle each day. I take 8 pills in the morning and 10 in the evening, so I save lots of time this way. I also have all the medications on an index card, one list for AM and one for PM, so I don't forget anything when I do the dailies.

By Harlean from AK

RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

We saved the empties and filled them with shampoo and lotion. Put them in the gift bags for the homeless at Christmas Time. Write on the bottle with permanent marker. They loved it. (06/12/2008)

By Jan

Donate to a School

If you can't find a use for yourself, you could always donate them to your local school. My daughter's pre-school teacher had lots of uses for these little bottles. (06/12/2008)

By taka

RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

Put Advil/Tylenol in it and carry it in your purse. It takes up a lot less room than a medicine bottle that they come in. Editor's Note: Make sure all labels are removed before doing this and be sure to mark it with a label what is in the bottle. (06/13/2008)

By Crystal

RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

You might create little pill bottle people, with a little paint an a lot of imagination. How about adult building blocks for coordination purpose? Perhaps a water container for one flower you might leave at the cemetery?

The med caps can be made into sliding pool balls. Number them with a marker and have yourself a game on a kitchen table, use a pencil for a cue. Last, considering the possible accidents that can happen when children get control of full pill bottles, you might want to instill in them with maybe a Mr, Yuck sticker, as well as tell them, never to eat or drink anything even from those empty bottles crafts you are creating.

I wish you happy crafting. Mr. Thrifty (07/16/2008)

By Mr. Thrifty

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Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

My husband and I have a lot of medicine bottles that I throw away. I hate throwing them away if they can be used for something else. Could someone give me some ideas on how to recycle them?

By Teresa Kay from Durham, NC

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RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

Some diabetic patients use them to store their used needles and Lancets, until they can be taken for proper disposal. (05/25/2009)

By fatboyslimsmom

RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

Craft items, like beads, or take pills that are in boxes and pop them out and put in pill bottles. Takes up less space. (05/25/2009)

By meliaalli

RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

Label and store seeds from current garden fruits and vegetable for next year. (05/25/2009)

By bevstoy

RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

Check with your local boy scout/girl scout office. We used these for first aid kits. Check with your local elementary school, they may have a use for them. (05/25/2009)

By CRMom

RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

In our area, a local vet uses them (tear your name off the label first) for animal prescriptions. He passes the savings on to his clients. (05/25/2009)

By Pugi

RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

Tiny sewing kit for your car or purse when traveling. (05/25/2009)

By theseamstress

RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

When we travel I put our daily vitamins in a bottle - one bottle for each day. The old label is removed of course. Also when traveling I want to take some body lotion but my home bottle is large. A pill bottle holds the right amount for a weekend. When we camp I put toothpicks in one. I keep one in the car with quarters in it for parking, etc. (05/25/2009)

By Glenn'sMom

RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

You might want to type or write out your medical information, enclose it in a clean pill bottle, put on the lid, make a new label "Medical Information" and place the bottle into your refrigerator freezer in an accessible area. Then, place a sign on your refrigerator that states "Emergency Medical Information in Freezer" or something to that effect. That way, if you cannot speak or remember, the info is there for paramedics. Also, my husband saved clean pill bottles and film canisters to store baby teeth that the "tooth fairy" gathered from our children. Other uses: Store glitter for crafts, decorate for a bud vase, carry quarters for laundromat, paper clips storage, thumb tacks storage, etc. (05/26/2009)

By Dibbs

RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

Thanks for all the good ideas. Dibbs thanks for the one about medical information I never thought about that one!! (05/26/2009)

By Teresa Kay

RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

They are nice to store push pins. Small children cannot open the bottles to get the pins. (05/26/2009)

By Bittyfrog

RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

• http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf15715913.tip.html

I submitted this some time ago. If it works for spice bottles, why not pill bottles, too! (05/27/2009)

By Poor But Proud

RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

I put quarters and dimes in them & occasionally fold up a dollar bill or 2 to put in. These bottles go in the glove compartment of my car. Also in the cars of other members of my family. You'd be surprised how handy it is to have some extra money in the car.

Also, I use some for sewing storage-bobbins, needles etc. The largest size will hold many different bigger sewing notions. (05/27/2009)

By Jeane in Texas

RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

I use empty bottles for storing ibuprofen, sinus pills, allergy pills and throw the mixture (make sure you remember what each pill is!) into a pocket in my purse. It works great, especially at those unsuspecting times you need some ibuprofen! (05/28/2009)

By Jpdoughgrl

RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

We have a person at church who sends the empty ones to an organization who uses them as medicine bottles in third-world countries. (05/28/2009)

By cfoxes33

RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

I have been using the pill bottles to put seed for my garden in. They work great. (05/28/2009)

By msmurf_50

RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

My husband drills several tiny holes in the bottles, adds 2 moth balls in each bottle, replaces the cap and puts them out around our flowers and a tomato plant to keep deer and rabbits from ruining them. They hate the smell and will them alone. Being encased in the bottle keeps them from dissolving so quickly like they do if you just scatter the moth balls around on the ground. The moth balls are also used to keep snakes away. (05/28/2009)

By indianlady

RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

There is a very pretty and apparently easy-to-make wreath made from pill bottles that you can see by clicking on the link below

• http://www.precarioustomato.com/?p=130

It won a contest in ReadyMade Magazine for best creative re-use of pill bottles. good luck (05/28/2009)

By tahlula

RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

I drill a hole in the top, and screw them to the bottom of a shelf in my workroom. I keep screws, pins, nails, beads,etc. in them. they are at eye level, and easy to see. just unscrew the bottle, the top stays intact, and you won't have to look for it later. craftynanny from Cooperstown, NY (05/28/2009)

By craftynanny

RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

If you're like me, even after finding uses, you still have alot of ongoing bottles. I fill up a bag, and then either offer them on freecycle for whoever might be able to use them. I have given them to the SPCA several times....they need them all the time. I too, have given them to the girl scouts. (05/29/2009)

By dellajo

RE: Uses for Empty Pill Bottles

Prescription Bottles? Always great to use as any small item container. You might try decorating them so you recognized what you put in them. Maybe child's sticker, or you can paint them but not perfectly, perhaps some colored tape around them.

Other Reuses? You could attempt to make holiday decorations out of them. A firecracker for the 4th of July, attach them on some self created Halloween costume. Sure you could put one or two on your Christmas Tree after you decorate them for the season. .

Toys? I would never let the young children get the idea that they are toys. But adults could make checker or chess pieces out of them.

My wife is saving them for some woman that needs Chemo. She has been told that so many thousand plastic caps of off anything entitles that woman to a free Chemo treatment.Our whole church is saving those caps so I guess this story is true. Craft On, Mr. Thrifty (06/12/2009)

By Mr. Thrifty

Editor's Note: Unfortunately, Snopes says that there is no free chemotherapy for exchanging caps. Here is their entry:

• http://www.snopes.com/business/redeem/bottlecap.asp

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Uses for Prescription Bottles

Anyone have any ideas of what to do with old prescription bottles? I have been saving them for a long time. I want to use them for something useful or crafty, but haven't thought of anything yet.