I actually uttered this sentence to my husband yesterday before I knew what I was saying: “I need a good *F* word.” Ah, that wacky A to Z challenge. The *F* word for today is Frugality.
My days as a single mother, when my girls were very small, forced me, out of necessity, into a frugal lifestyle. Amy Dacyczyn was my hero. I learned to live on very little money. Now that Computer Geek is job-hunting, we’re back to not only pinching pennies, but licking the salt right off of ‘em.
Most environmentalists would be proud of me, but I promise you that my love of recycling garbage has more to do with selfish frugalista pleasure, than with reducing my carbon footprint. (I figure that as long as my carbon footprint is less than Al Gore’s, I’m safe.) My favorite things to recycle are containers of any type. I love them.
We save plastic juice bottles, refill them with water, and store them in case the city shuts off the water without notice. We refill plastic laundry jugs with water so that we have soapy water too. Unique jars are especially tantalizing and any cool box with a lid is safe from the trash can.
Look at this chocolate brown and pistachio green beauty that originally housed peanut brittle from my husband's former boss. It is now home for all the magnets I use in crafting.
Come on. You don't really throw away these, do you?
“Where is the lid that goes to that spice jar I just washed?”
“What lid?”
“It was small, brown, and metal and goes with this spice jar.”
“I don’t know.”
“ARGH!”
The other day, Computer Geek was in the process of throwing away a perfectly good empty sandwich baggie box when I had a vision. It was the perfect size for—you guessed it—holding smallish type lids! The kind that go with adorable little spice jars! I turned this…
…into this!
And while I was at it, I revamped that cute little gum container.
Frugality. My second favorite *F* word, next to FREE.
I think you *F* word should have been Favorite, then you could have written a whole blog about me. ;)
ReplyDeleteLevizmom: Oh, you are sooo right! I guess I should have called you when I was looking for a good *F* word.
ReplyDeleteOh, how I loved the Tightwad Gazette! I miss her.
ReplyDeleteGood F words, Randi. I'm soooo tired of the "other" one. I confess, I save boxes. Mailing boxes, pretty boxes .... I don't don't do clever things with them like you do, but I use them. Mr. Handyman has me save small bottles and plastic jugs for garage and gardening items. As hurricane season approaches, I start saving jugs for water.
ReplyDeleteJill: I miss her too! I was so sad when she retired from the tightwad movement--or at least writing about it I should say. Sad to say, I lent all my Tightwad books to someone and never got them back.
ReplyDeleteAuntie M: So that's where I get my tightwad gene! I am a sucker for boxes. The ones with lids are the best, but others I use for mailing packages.
Very smart way to recycle. I learn so much from you dear Randi.
ReplyDeleteseptembermom: As I do from you. Thanks for introducing me to the A-Z challenge. It's been fun.
ReplyDelete