Comments on: No Longer Just About The Money

By: Dogs or Dollars

Dogs or Dollars — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:19:39 +0000

You are speaking my language! For me it’s all about voting with your dollars and your feet. If we are ‘just consumers’ then we need to utilize that power as our voice. If you don’t like factory farming? Don’t buy those products. Not a fan of deplorable labor conditions? Don’t shop at Wal Mart. Think about what you bring into your home. You will spend more money on the items you do get, yes. But it will also minimize your choices.

By: Rosa

Rosa — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 22:16:30 +0000

For me, all those years of scrimping and saving – eating out of dumpsters, only buying used clothes, learning to cook well on the cheap – have really paid off, both in setting sustainable habits and in now having the money that we buy organic/sustainable food & clothing when we do buy new things.

Since I habitually *don’t* buy things, I can really focus on spending the money we have where our values are.

By: Alisa

Alisa — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 07:12:02 +0000

For my family, buying organic food fits into this category.

By: Ashley

Ashley — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:40:41 +0000

I am a newly wed/ nursing student and can’t always afford to make the most sustainable choice. We don’t eat much meat which is a more sustainable choice as well as economic and I do buy organic produce when possible. We have a small garden so I am currently not having to buy lettuce, carrots, or peas! For clothing Goodwill is my home away from home! My husband rent or borrows his video games instead of buying so that saves on the plastic packaging.

By: Sierra Black

Sierra Black — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:22:21 +0000

I’ve always been willing to spend a little extra on sustainable choices, especially when it comes to healthy food. My challenge these days to spend a little less on those choices, without compromising my values. Often that means simply doing without. Your motto has been a big inspiration to me in knowing what I simply can live without.

By: Marie-Josée

Marie-Josée — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:31:47 +0000

Both my husband and I are deeply committed to a sustainable lifestyle. I began eating organic foods when I left home at 18. My husband and I where members of a CSA in 1990! It turns out the farmers were involved in a sect and several of them were murdered in a group suicide, but that’s another story. We have always used organic/natural/biodegradable personal hygiene and cleaning products. We even washed our babies’ diapers out of environmental conviction. All of this commitment has a big price tag. I live in Quebec, Canada and the growing season is short. Greens and fruit (organic or otherwise) are imported and pricey. We spend way more on food, shampoo/soap, cleaning products, and supplements (vitamins, minerals and nutraceuticals) than anyone we know. Before buying most items, I research and we almost always decide to purchase the sustainable, greener and almost always pricier product (beeswax candles instead of regular, for example).

I am dying to travel to Europe, but we haven’t managed to save the money to go, and I can’t bring myself to buy non-organic, non-green cheaper products out of health and environmental convictions. This is a real conundrum for me. Most of our friends are traveling extensively, and I am so envious….

By: magdalena

magdalena — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:51:48 +0000

I hate shopping at Walmart or any big box store. But since I almsot never shop except for food, I’ve been able to avoid it lately. Still, in some places it is the only retailer where you might be able to find pciture hangers, or white socks, or cheap toilet paper. For those who have farmer’s markets and downtown shops, patronize them or you will lose them! Although, I will add, those downtown shops better have good merchandise at a reasonable price…I’ve been in small shops in nice shopping districts where the merchandise was dusty, out of date, even expired (tea products, spices) and it was still at full price. So small retailers have an obligation too.

By: wendy

wendy — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:19:10 +0000

I appreciate Queen Lucia’s mention of organic shampoos and soaps. Since I made the switch two years ago, gone are the chronic bouts of dermatitis and yeast infections. I have saved a small fortune on RX treatments by buying soaps made from ingredients I can pronounce rather than ones that are better suited for waxing my car.

By: wendy

wendy — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:11:49 +0000

WilliamB, you’re practically a Wal-Mart virgin. I have only been there once myself a number of years ago. Honestly, I don’t think they sell anything that I can’t live without but maybe I am wrong. Many people I know are dedicated Wal-Marters and imply that they could not afford to make ends meet without it.

By: wendy

wendy — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:06:42 +0000

Like some of the others, we feel buying locally is important. We buy all of our beef and pork from a local farm. It’s nice to pick up our order and see that the cows have plenty of room and are grass fed. Our poultry and eggs are even more local, since we raise our chickens. We don’t avoid grocery-store meat to save money; rather we like to see first-hand that animals are being treated humanly and feed a healthy diet. We offset the higher expense of organics by avoiding most big-box stores and making homemade cleaners. There really isn’t anything that household items like vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda salt, and olive oil can’t clean and/or sanitize.