Here is possibly my favorite live green, save green things we do: buy used, sell used!
When we buy previously loved items - whether it's a car or a $1 toy at a garage sale - it makes it so that less is manufactured and less is going to the landfill. It also saves money, and more money can be saved if it can be resold when we are done with it!
Here is a partial list of items we have bought used:
6 of our 7 strollers
4 of our 6 baby wearing options
little tikes slide
3 of our 4 baby gates
lots of kids clothes, shoes, books and toys
winter coats, boots, snow pants
jumper
bouncy chair
bumbo seat
booster seat
a few cloth diapers
step 2 table and chairs
halloween costumes
little tikes cozy coupe car
snow blower
ladders
lawn mower
lamps and other small household items
Craigslist is our favorite avenue for buying/selling used, but we also have found deals on ebay, garage sales, and thrift stores.
I also must include in this post that my kids wear a lot of hand-me-downs, thanks to my sister-in-law and a friend of mine. Those are even better - free! We also have a lot of furniture that has been handed down or loaned to us. Of our three cribs (Brett's is now a toddler bed), two are borrowed and one was given to us, previously used. Our changing table is borrowed and the Amby bed was borrowed. And of 6 rockers/recliners, only one was bought new by us!
Even our cat was previously loved, although I'm not sure if that has anything to do with living green and she certainly hasn't saved us any money.
LOL about the cat!! :-)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE craigslist and Ebay, although we do need to get back into garage sales more. I can't wait to see what bargins lie at those in another few weeks! (Saturday's off in a few weeks, yay!!)
ReplyDeleteBy the way, what size is Lydia for summer clothes? I keep intended to call you, but usually think of it at 11pm or 6:30am =-)
ReplyDeleteI loved the part about the cat, too! We have 6 used but in good condition ones :) I buy everything used as well. Plus rely on hand me downs from a lot of friends, etc. I just can't see the point in buying new when there are so many great bargains out there!
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