You’re Not Throwing That Away, Are You?

When things get tough, as the saying goes, the tough get going.

Wages remain the same and prices go up. What we need here is a way of making what we have last longer. With that thought in mind, let’s think outside of the box, shift the paradigm, move our cheese and engage in a host of other skull-numbing clichés and see if we can't cut back on our waste.

This is just off the top of my head, of course, but:

• Washing clothes is over-rated and a silly use of water. Eat naked to avoid spilling, thus prolonging the socially acceptable length of time you can wear the same pair of pants. If you can keep yourself from staining your clothes but have problems with perspiration, rub yourself with those free perfume samples and see if anyone notices. Set a goal for yourself re: clothes washing and then see if you can beat that goal. Perhaps a friendly competition amongst your friends!

• Consider using the things you normally throw away.
- The water you use to boil potatoes, for instance, could be used to water your plants, wash your windows (although not well) or, for the truly eco-minded, bathe in. Add a squeeze of lemon for a fresh smell!
- Fliers, mailers, and the envelopes your bills came in can be used in a number of ways including wrapping paper, stationery, and as an extra layer of weather protection between your shirt and your jacket when you discover that you can’t afford a winter coat.
- Consider the cooking implications of used hot-dog water. Wienie Water Soup is economical and has been overlooked for too long! Frozen in cubes, it makes both an excellent soup stock and a conversation-starter when found in a gin-and-tonic..

• Turn the thermostat down in the winter and invest in cats. Free kittens are everywhere – and warm! A pile of cats on your bed is the antidote to a chilly room and far more money-saving than heating the whole house. Feed them Wienie Water Soup and whatever may have moved into the basement.

• Do you really need a phone? Do you really need cable television? Unfortunately, the answers to these questions are “yes”. There’s nothing to be done here.

• Mix your own prescription drugs. Holistic healers tell us that many remedies can be found in nature. Explore this possibility vigorously and be sure to invite me over for the testings. A little tree bark, a handful of dandelions, a pinch of the good mushrooms mixed with potato water and applied internally? You’ll be saying “what headache?” and "if you need me I'll be laying on the floor over here" in no time!

• The cost of gas just keeps going up. Four dollars a gallon by summer, they’re predicting! Ride shares, motorcycles, buses? Is this enough? Telecommuting has become more and more popular: Consider a home business, perhaps something involving the trading of leftover wienie water.

That’s all I have for now. But there must be more.

Opportunity for success is everywhere.