Waste and the Economy

I don't know how each of your families has been affected by this downwards-spiraling economy, but, I have run across a LOT of people in this state who are suffering from job loss, lack of business, etc. I heard someone say, "It's gotten really bad. We haven't seen any work for weeks, now, and I've just had to start cutting back. Like, we don't buy paper towels anymore, and I just wash out my ziplock bags and reuse them." In response to that, I sorta chuckled, embarrassedly, because I already *DO* wash out my ziplock bags and reuse them....and I hardly ever BUY paper towels!

That conversation began to ruminate within me, and out came a series of Thoughts. Here they are for your inspection:

We spend money on TRASH. It occurred to me a few weeks ago that the "Household" portion of my budget is mainly taken up with things that I eventually will throw out. That's approxomately $75 of our income every month that ends up lining our trash cans. Wow. Here's the list of things I began tracking, and saw my own hands toss away every month:

• plastic wrap
• trash bags
• razors
• Q-tips
• Cotton balls
• diapers
• printer paper (most of it)
• Soaps & Detergents

My goal is to eventually eliminate that list, thereby saving my family money, and causing less landfill-fodder for the future generations. So far I have replaced the following:

• Trash bags---> Instead of paying for a $box$ filled with $plastic$ that will do nothing more than embrace my garbage on its way to the Dump, I now line a small trash can with plastic bags from the grocery store. Yes, I have to empty it every day, but it fits under my sink, and it keeps the stinky stuff from molding after 3 days of room temperature bacterial growth!
• Plastic Wrap---> As often as possible, I store stuff in Tupperware, which I try to keep in good enough shape to last me for years. Or, I use a Mason Jar. Or, I use a ziplock bag. I've started buying the heavy freezer bags so that they last longer, through more washes. Hanging these on the fridge with a magnet after washing enables them to dry overnight. Simply put 'em right back into your drawer when they're dry. Good as New.
• Razors---> My favorite. I bought my husband a nifty old-fashioned safety razor for Christmas, complete with soap, dish, & badger hair brush. WOW, does that thing give a great shave!!! He cut himself a couple times while figuring out how to use it, but it's the smoothest I've ever felt! And, yep, you guessed it. I now use it on my legs! It took a while to get used to; it's very heavy, and VERY sharp. I'm a pro, now, though, and LOVE not having to buy shaving cream (since it works best with a shallow, slippery surface rather than a thick foamy one.) It takes nearly a week before I need to shave again, it's such a close shave. The replacement blades are about $2 for a pack of 5, and they're tiny--so less waste to send to the Dump. So we save on shaving cream, razors, and cartridges with less waste all around!
• Diapers---> This one is a no-brainer. USE CLOTH! I have made up my mind to start with the next child on something like what Denise uses. Oh, it also works to potty train them. Which we have successfully done. :)

I'm still working on the rest of the list. Q-tips (or, Q-cumbers, as Violet calls them) are a real tricky one. Also tampons.....not to get too personal.......but I do feel bad spending $$ on a huge box (Costco) of them knowing that every last bit of them (including the box they're sold in) is going to end up just Costly Trash at some point. I know this may seem a bit extreme to some of you, but I believe that a more frugal lifestyle is going to become necessary (and helpful) to all of us in the future. Cutting back is good for the Budget and the Environment.