May 2007
Monthly Archive
Monthly Archive
Posted by cami on 14 May 2007 | Tagged as: Frugal Food
I was in the grocery store this evening and decided to get some tortilla chips because I have some sour cream that I need to use up. Well there was a sign in front of the smaller bags that said 2 for $6.00 9-13.5 oz. A bit further down the isle, there was a sign that said 2 for $6.00 16-24 oz. in front of the larger bags. Huh? So I went back and check the smaller ones. Sure enough there were the exact same price and they were the exact same brand. If I hadn’t been paying attention I would have probably just bought the smaller ones since that is the size I usually get. But I got the bigger one since it was the same price, hence cheaper per oz., and well, I have a lot of sour cream to go through. This was one of those times where paying attention, really paid off.
Posted by cami on 13 May 2007 | Tagged as: Conservation
Here are three good reasons (in my opinion anyway) to power down your computer.
This of course assumes that you just use the computer at random times during the day and don’t need to keep it running. However, if you’re calculating digits of pi or computing a two-hour window for a space shuttle launch, then well, it might be best to leave it on. My MO is to put my laptop in stand-by mode when I’m not going to be using it for a while and then turn off the power strip (or unplug it) if I’m headed to bed or out the door. I know that some people say that you shouldn’t use the power-save mode, but I use it all the time and my computer has lasted over four years. And some of those same people tried to tell me that I needed a new hard drive when my touch pad stop working (thanks guys, great advice).
Posted by cami on 12 May 2007 | Tagged as: Miscellaneous
Do you ever feel as an environmentally conscious and/or frugal person that you break social norms? Do you ever not do something that you think is the best choice because it would seem too “outlandish” or perhaps even unprofessional?
One of the great things about being a grad student is that the social and financial expectations are fairly low: while you are expected to be clean and tidy, it pretty much ends there. No one has a problem with thrift store clothes, or with you not checking your email at night because you don’t have DSL at home. Cars are not required and if you bring a lunch of rice and beans, no one thinks it’s weird. Roommates, used furniture, and mason jars as drinking glasses are all perfectly acceptable. I love it.
I think being a grad student is great because I can focus on doing something that I love without having to worrying about appearances. If my work is outstanding that is what people know me for, not my trendy clothes or Crate and Barrel furnishings. However, I do wonder what is going to happen when I get out. Somethings I know will have to change: no more sweatshirts or fabric patches on my worn jeans. But what about the other stuff: can I still bring beans and rice to work for lunch? Am I expected to wear makeup and have my hair professional styled? Am I going to have to buy a kitchen table and real bath mats?
Even with the “real jobs” that I’ve had, people always considered me as starting out and made allowances for such things, will they continue to do so? How much should I care (i.e. how much will it affect my career)? Have you ever struggled with this? Has it made you pick one job/career over the other? Do I just need to get with it and buy some new pants?
Posted by cami on 11 May 2007 | Tagged as: Transportation
And by bikers, I’m referring to those riding the non-motorized variety. I write this post because I walking home yesterday afternoon after getting off the bus and someone did an “on your left”. It took me a while to figure out what was going on since I took a bit of a nap on the bus. Well, I let the person pass and was all happy about it for ten seconds or so, then I started to get annoyed as I realize we wouldn’t have even been in that situation if they weren’t riding their bike on the sidewalk on the wrong side of the road. Now to be fair, there is no biking allowed on the street on this particular, well street but still, not cool. So I’ve come up with a list of things that I found help foster happiness between bikers, pedestrians, and car people. This list comes from being a biking commuter and some of the issues and problems I’ve discovered and discussed with others over the years.
Note, this is just my opinion of things that are important (and often overlooked). There are other things that are important (helmet, duh) or even necessary (lights, etc). You can likely find some great web resources and there’s probably some good info at your public library as well about biking. But these are some things that I’ve found to be invaluable in my time as a bike commuter.
Posted by cami on 10 May 2007 | Tagged as: Conservation
People in the personal finance realm often talk about buy and hold as an investment strategy, often involving stocks, bonds, real estate, etc. Here I’m going to talk a bit about buying and holding as a strategy for a different type of investment: consumer purchases.
This spring I was desperately searching for new footwear, but didn’t have a lot of money after moving and paying for all of my school stuff (good times). I looked around at some different sneakers and finally landed on a rather plain pair of sneakers from a known brand that I could walk around in (and I got them for less than 40 bucks plus no shipping charges on purchase or return).
I was really proud of my purchase for a good three weeks or so, then the weather warmed up and I threw on my sandals. I began to feel pangs of guilt as I thought about how long I had had my sandals. Now, I don’t quite remember when I bought them, but I’m pretty sure that I’ve had them for at least three years. And they were, quite expensive as far as sandals go. I was feeling guilty because I realized that none of the sneakers I’ve purchased have ever lasted that long. In fact, if the ones I bought this spring last through the end of the year, then they will have done a good job as far as sneakers are concerned. At the time I bought my sneakers, I was strapped for cash and in severe discomfort at the end of the day (I calculated that I walking about 2-3 miles/day at that time). I was at the point where I needed to buy something and I didn’t have a lot of money to spend.
In the long run though, the sandals cost less, and produce less waste, while the initial cost was much more, I can feel much better about the purchase. A comparative pair of shoes by the same company would probably cost me around 100 bucks, a bit less if I can find them on sale. And while that’s more than twice the price of the sneakers I bought, they will (likely) last more than twice as long.
Looking back over the years I have found this to be the case with lots of items, not just shoes. Things like cheap book bags and office “furniture” you buy at those Big Box Stores. You can easily end up buying two cheap ones, in the time that it takes you to go through one good one. And even if the cost price wise is the same, the environmental costs lean in favor of buying one durable product. So I’ve decide to try and become a buy and hold investor of consumer items whenever possible. The hardest challenge I see is anticipating the big expense. Because I let my last sneakers wear down to nothing, I was in dire straights and unable to afford the longer lasting product; in order to be successful in this endeavor, I will need to honestly assess the items that need to be replaced in the next few months, so that when it comes time (or I see them on sale), I can purchase a high quality version that will last me a good, long while and create less waste and hassle (because I generally hate shopping for new stuff).
Posted by cami on 09 May 2007 | Tagged as: Reuse
Maybe you’re thinking about upgrading your bed or you have old sheets that are ripped, worn, stained, etc. If the sheets are nice you might consider freecycling them. But if not, don’t despair, they can still be salvaged. I’ve found a number of ways to give new life to old sheets.
I’ve made curtains from sheets and hope to make some potholders and tablecloths this summer. Here are some other ideas of what to do with an old sheet (if fact it’s worth checking out the whole page). Know of any others?