It's kind of funny, some of the assumptions on here. I just said I tossed the old tubes these days - I've probably applied hundreds of patches 40 years ago and most of them held up as I recall. I've had a handful of flats the last few years, mostly on the kids' or wife's bikes. When I don't feel like patching I use a new tube - a couple of bucks, what's the issue? The old one I might patch later, might cut up if I want a strip for some reason. I don't think I've actually thrown one in the garbage in two years. If anyone wants to keep patching the same tube more power to them. To me, that's throwing good time and money after bad but like I said it's still just a couple of bucks.