Posts Tagged ‘frugal living’

a less commercial christmas

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I’ve been a fan for a long time of Buy Nothing Christmas. Not because I’m lazy (ok, maybe it’s a little bit because I’m lazy), or because I don’t like to spend money on my relatives (ok, maybe it’s a little of that too), but mostly because I really do hate the commercialism of Christmas. All [...]

disposable vs. cloth: is hybrid the answer?

Jennifer Labit, the owner of Cotton Babies, the cloth diaper company that manufactures BumGenius diapers, had an interesting post last week about the future of the cloth diaper industry. She believes–and I agree wholeheartedly–that cloth diapers will become more mainstream over the next few years, with a wider variety of families choosing them. I think we’re [...]

ways to reduce your waste: throwaway products you can live without

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It’s funny. Before I was a parent, I thought of myself as an environmentalist. But even though I did some volunteer activist work and wrote a lot about the environment, I never managed to shift my lifestyle that much. I tried to bike and walk instead of driving. I used CFL lightbulbs. That was about [...]

most essential baby items

Now that I’m about halfway through pregnancy with my second child, I’ve been thinking a lot about what stuff I really need for a new baby. Google this sometime–you’ll be amazed by the lists. Even the minimalist lists often strike me as having a lot more on them than you really need. At least than [...]

true confessions tuesday: I want a new car

Now that I’m pregnant with my second child, I’ve started to hear the siren call of a bigger car. One with air conditioning. And enough pick-up to feel safe driving on the highway. I feel guilty about this on so many levels. First, there’s the money. We could probably figure out a way to pay [...]

how to cloth diaper cheap

Plenty of families choose cloth diapers for environmental or health reasons. But for many families, the high cost of disposable diapers is a big motivation to switch to cloth. The truth is, cloth diapers are cheap. Even if you buy new, name-brand, all-in-one diapers, they’re still cheaper than disposables. In fact, you can save $600 to [...]

intro to elimination communication

After the birth of your baby, one of your first environmental decisions is whether to use cloth or disposable diapers. Which kind of diaper is the most eco-friendly is a subject of ongoing debate, with studies that support both sides. But if you’re willing to learn new skills in your effort to raise a green [...]

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