Cold hard cash

Let's talk about money today. On one hand, it plays a big part in why we do what we do (we've saved a ton over the years using cloth diapers. We buy maybe a pack a month a child of disposables, since we use them when we're out of the house and during the day or two when our stash is being washed/dried. Of course we could avoid this by adding to our stash but that would cost more money). On the other, it really has nothing to do with it all (we have a whole whopping three onion plants...that's hardly enough to save us the expense of ever having to buy onions again). On the other hand, well, there's always a middle-ground, isn't there?

I guess composting is that middle ground (no, don't worry, this won't be yet another composting post). It helps us make the most out of our money. When we buy a food that only gets partially used, say a banana where we're left with the peel, we can make that peel work for us. We cane save the money we spent on the whole fruit by making the leftovers into fertilizer that will help nourish our other plants. Yes there was the initial cost of the compost tumbler, and of the first couple of batches of the worms, but those have long since paid themselves off and were one-time fees. the compost pile in the back yard is, was, and always will be free.

Water and energy conservation are other important factors. Living in Israel means we're very aware of the importance of water conservation and that has always been a factor in the methods we use to wash dishes, take showers, and clean the floors. We rarely use our dryer in the summer, not when there is a free clothing dryer right outside in the sky (sun bleaching is also our secret as to why, after two+ years of heavy use, not a single one of our diapers is stained in the least).

Recycling, well, of course we recycle but there's no added savings there. In fact recycling costs a lot, though it doesn't come out of our own pocket exactly. More important is our attempts to not waste those resources in the first place. We don't subscribe to a daily paper so there's no once-read newspaper to be recycled. I carry a glass bottle in my purse from some iced tea I bought once and refill that with water instead of buying bottles of water when I'm out. Of course, I DO spend more shopping since I never remember to pack a bag ahead of time and end up buying shopping backs at the supermarket since I refuse to waste that many disposable plastic bags.

Note to self: something to rant against in a future post: those little flimsy backs in the produce section of supermarkets. You rip open the bag to put away the groceries as soon as you get home anyways, so WHY take it in the first place?!