Green On A Budget

So far, being Green is expensive.

For me. There are probably other people who have been able to make it cheaper right off the bat. After all, being green is about using less of things, saving energy. In the long run, it should cost less. But this hasn't been the case for me, yet.

Sure, in the summer I don't use the dryer if it's not raining. And I've made a huge effort to keep the heat low. But none of the things I'm not using makes a huge dent in our electric bill. To be honest, I'm not sure how they calculate that bill. Like the phone bill, it seems to consist entirely of random numbers, and I'm not sure how "delivery fees" and "service fees" and "usage fees" are different.

We've given up a lot of beef, but organic vegetables and eggs and dairy are expensive. The cleaning products are more expensive than the toxic poison ones I used to use, and the soaps and shampoos and toothpastes cost more as well. When I get my grocery bill, it all adds up.

It isn't fair, really. I'm after something simple. I want milk with no antibiotics, but that will cost a dollar more. I want eggs laid by chickens allowed to keep their beaks, and those cost more. Tomatoes cost more with no pesticides and soaps with no formaldehyde also cost more.

I still feel good about what I'm doing. At the end of the trip, when I'm putting away my groceries, I'm not fretting about the bill as much as I am confident that I am buying the right things. But there must be a way to stay on a budget without starving my family.

My grocery store offers a few generic organic products, so I figured I would start there. Also, some websites offer coupons. If anyone else has any ideas, please let me know. I'm willing to listen.