It’s already March!
I spent February working like mad to sell off/give away/get rid of without trashing a lot of my belongings that no longer serve a purpose for me. I sold furniture that has been sitting around, clothing I never wear and won’t realistically ever wear or want to wear, and some other random stuff that I thought other people might value. I gave away opened items or low-value items I didn’t think were worth my time trying to sell. I still have a small pile of things I am giving away or selling. I have also up-cycled some of the plastic packaging and containers we’ve taken into the house – like the plastic container that we got our Costco cherry tomatoes in I use to hold my cotton up-cycled shirt hankies. The #10 can from one of my prepper foods that we used up is now the receptacle for the used hankies in the bathroom. Our ‘trashcan’ in the bathroom is only used for compostables.
On a related note… We lost power for 3 nights and 2 days this month and had to work with our old-fashioned yet reliable fireplace for heat. Thank goodness our stove top is gas powered! I was able to burn a lot of the paper that’s been sitting around the house from junk mail and records that needed shredding. Huzzah! I was also able to cook/pack in coolers and ice/take to a hotel and put in their fridge to conserve all the food from the fridge/freezer that was mine. Thankfully, I don’t stockpile frozen food.
I also tried out the Imperfect Produce with mixed results at first. I did a cost analysis of all the produce I chose in the first box and looked at pricing from our local Safeway store here in WA state and found that the prices were usually 30% less with Imperfect Produce! A win for my budget. I also was able to use a discount code for my first box! I really like how naked the produce from Imperfect is and how customizable each box is. I can buy organic or regular produce at a discount. I also scheduled weekly boxes so I can reduce my trips to the grocery store, thereby reducing impulse buys. I highly recommend you try out Imperfect Produce too! You can use this link to get $10 off your first box!
I have been saving up Amazon gift cards until I had enough to purchase some silk floss, Ethique shampoo bar sampler, reusable pads and loofah sponges. I have mixed feelings about the floss – but I think over time I can get used to it. It came in the cutest cardboard packaging and I re-used their cardboard mailer. I haven’t tried the Ethique shampoo bars or reusable pads yet. The loofah sponges were smaller than I realized but I put one in the shower to use on my face/body and will use another in the kitchen when my old sponge is used up. Those did come in plastic packaging.
I still am looking to source a Zero-Waste toothpaste and facial moisturizer alternative in the near future, but still have at least 30% of each bottle left that will last me a good few months.
Next month’s goals: to test out my zero waste shampoo/conditioner, cutting (and donating) 12″ or so of my hair, trying out my reusable pads, and learning to wash my up-cycled shirt tissues and pads.
My ongoing and future projects:
- Make my own laundry detergent or source a better alternative
- Line dry my clothes instead of using the dryer (when we have sun again)
- Stop my junk mail (or parts of it?)
- Get/Make/Source reusable cloth napkins and store in a usable location for both upstairs and downstairs
- Source facial lotion
- Source a toothpaste tablets/powder I like?
- Visit the zero-waste stores in my area
I’ve been reading Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying Your Life by Reducing Your Waste by Bea Johnson and think it’s a very useful guide!
Do you have any other ideas I should consider to reduce my waste?
As far as fitness goals go: I’m able to find my balance point in crow and can hold it for several seconds without teeter tottering out of it immediately! I continue to work on strengthening my wrists, lifting weights, and walking every day. Eventually, I may find it valuable to work one-on-one with a knowledgeable hand stand instructor.
My main goal for the year was to save as much money as possible! I’m doing this by earning more money, spending less money, and investing the money that I do have. Here is my monthly budget spreadsheet and a brief breakdown for how February went.
Even with my unexpected car expenses, I was still able to spend under 50% of my earnings! Woot woot!
What are your goals and how are you meeting them this month?
Rachel Author Barnard 