Some types of tea take very well to being steeped multiple times, which can dramatically reduce the cost of the tea you drink. Even after the leaves are spent, you can use tea leaves or tea bags as compost, a skin treatment or as a natural odor absorber.
Tea Type Matters - Some teas take to resteeping better than others. Black teas often give up a lot of their flavor during their first infusion, but many green teas can hold their flavor for a resteeping. Oolong tea, which is less oxidized than black tea but more so than green tea, usually improves in flavor after the first steep. Avoid resteeping most flavored teas as the flavoring essences typically disappear after the first infusion.