Recycling at its best

As my husband always likes to remind me every new thing bought is a massive drain on resources and so not in tune with the eco-friendly and sustainable life I want to be living. Really it's his way of being frugal (the PC term for tight in this household).

In England we were active members of Free-cycle, a great e-mail based network which allows people to give things away and others to gain things they need for free. Friends couldn't believe all the things I had managed to get off Free-cycle and to be honest either could I sometimes. It is so true that one person's junk is another's treasure. The temptation to buy or collect more exciting 'recycled' things for the same price as new was often more than one woman could withstand. Although not all of them seemed so exciting or wonderful a week later.

When we decided to return to NZ we became a hoarder's dream, posting things left right and centre as we tried to pack as little as possible - once again being frugal with shipping costs. Now I have the pleasurable duty of accumulating a household again and while buying new is so, so tempting, a tight budget and the thought of picking up an awesome deal has got me searching Trade me and visiting Op shops constantly. Already we have got printers that himself bought(and still hasn't managed to get working with our computer), toys and the best buy yet is a 1960's fold out couch that I've been desperate for forever.

However I've found that the best and most rewarding buys are those that you aren't actively looking for but really do need. These are my favourite and today was my day for a bargain that even the tightest, sorry most frugal, would be proud of. Innocently searching for a dinner set to supplement the one my mum gave us (the one she collected and kept just in case), I stumbled upon the clothing section and low and behold calling out to me were a nearly new pair of Levi's. These little beauties were not only my size, they had also been shortened to the correct length for me!!! A perfect replacement for my newly ripped old recycled jeans and all for only $6. In buying these I've not only saved money, I've also done my bit to save the earth through using less resources - well that's my rationale anyway and I'm sticking to it.