The phrase "rather than wasting" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to compare two ideas - one that is preferred to the other. For example: "Let's take advantage of this opportunity rather than wasting it."
Rather than wasting its crises, the EU could be laid to waste by them.
I get to spend more time with friends rather than wasting my time on the bus every day".
Rather than wasting people's time with these pathetic smears, the Tories should be getting their own house in order".
"Now she needs to pick her battles rather than wasting valuable energy in a fight over symbolism.
Rather than wasting their talents on visual valium, producers and writers ought to be queuing up to get them to do something that stretches them.
But they need to resolve their worries, by suggesting alternatives or compromises, rather than wasting time with election-year chest thumping over the evils of bailouts.
"Publishers should be looking at aggregation and collaboration with their users, rather than wasting money on legalistic solutions that don't work".
Users can look at an off-site quarantine to see if any "real" messages were mistakenly blocked rather than wasting hours tweaking their filters for spammers' new tricks.
Similarly, why don't I conform to type and exploit those fast-twitch muscle fibers (thanks, ACTN3 genes!) in squash or basketball, rather than wasting them on hiking?
Living in London offers plenty of opportunity for good work experience while you're at uni, rather than wasting time and money on it when you graduate.
This is hardly surprising: when alcohol was outlawed in America, illicit brewers tended to make hard liquor rather than wasting their time with beer.
