We live in such a throw away society. We purchase things we think we can't live without only to find out a short time later we really didn't need it, then out it goes. Or we put it in a closet and wait for the annual clean up days in the community. We drag the items out to the curb for the garbage truck and workers to haul off to the landfill. Lots of times, during clean up days, people will come by and pilfer through the heap, finding things they can't live without, but I figure it's a matter of time before those treasures end up in the trash too. They just took the scenic route to the landfill.
With each passing year I try to be more frugal. I try to incorporate small changes that I hope might make for less wastefulness on a larger scale. For instance, I try to cram as much stuff as possible into one trash bag. I tear up all cardboard boxes into little pieces so they will make more room in the bag and squeeze the air out of plastic containers, like milk jugs, to make them more compact. This makes for an interesting trip to the alley where the new trash bin sits. If I can get the bag out the door and down the steps without ripping a hole in it, I'm half way there. The new trash bins are tall and I am not. The top of the bin strikes me about chest level. Getting the bag inside the bin the first time was a challenge. I thought about laying the bin on its side and simply smushing the trash bag into it, then setting the bin upright again. This seemed like a good idea until I figured out that the bin got heavier with each added bag and if I couldn't get the bin upright, the garbage man wasn't going to be very happy. I finally discovered that if I swung the bag back and forth to build up momentum, I could alley-oop it into the bin on about the fourth swing. This method has been quite successful and also allows me to do upper strength training a couple of times a week.
I quit buying plastic ware, the nice matching kind. I never could understand how one could lose the lid to a bright orange plastic food container and what good is it without the lid. Since I'm big on using leftovers, I have converted over to the use of cottage cheese containers, their lids never disappear and are interchangeable. Mother would be proud. This has not only saved money but makes my life more adventurous. There is no greater mystery to solve when all the food containers in the refrigerator look alike. Right now there are seven cottage cheese containers in my frig, only one contains cottage cheese. On many occasions I have opened the same cottage cheese container three times before I find the one I'm looking for. I figure this is a good memory game and will keep my brain sharp.
I try to cut back on the utility bill. I turn the lights off each time I leave a room. By doing this I have completely worn out the light switch in my office. I've purchased fluorescent bulbs but I do not like them so I bit the bullet and bought a couple of the new LED bulbs. Let me tell you, they are wonderful! Their light out performs that of the fluorescent bulb and the box said they would last 22 years. Unless my refrigerator brain game keeps my mind sharp, I figured I will be too old to remember when I installed them so I wrote the date of installation on the bulb. I hope I'm still around when they need replaced and still able to climb to the top step of the ladder....maybe I should start drop-kicking the trash bag to build up lower body strength.
I do laundry once a week and use cold water. I usually only have four loads and I enjoy sharing my frugal laundryness with my daughters, their children are young and therefore they have an endless supply of dirty laundry. I'm able to keep the amount of dirty laundry down by wearing my blue jeans more than one day at a time. Blue jeans are like old friends, the longer I wear them, the better they are. Not only do they get more comfy, by the third day I'm thoroughly convinced I have lost five pounds and this is good for my physique.
Being more frugal takes only a few small changes and determination. If we all tried it, maybe our natural and man made resources will last for generations to come. Not only that, it seems to be good for our health.
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