That was an actual question posted on Facebook by my dear friend Sarah - You just had a baby Sarah, why do you need an anvil? Didn't you get one at your baby shower?
It does bring up a great money saving idea - ASKING! It used to be that if you were in need of something, you put the word out, or walked over to you neighbors house, or called your Dad, or asked at work if anyone had an "anvil", you could borrow. Now a days we drive to "Anymart", overpay for it, use it once and put it in the closet.
Let's go back to the good old days. If you need something ask 1st, buy 2nd. My brother and I share a rototiller. My other brother and I swap back and forth a trailer, roof top carrier and chainsaw. A friends' neighborhood bought a snow blower together and take turns using it on those snowy mornings.
I wanted to try straightening my hair, so I asked at work. I ended up with 2 straighteners that people were happy to clean out of their closets. That inspired me to make a "Give and Take" board for the faculty room. On one side people listed things that they were looking to get rid of and the other side they put something they were looking for - ALL for FREE! I am the last person you would call "green" but this was pretty darn green!
When my boys went to Prom I asked around if anyone had a tux. I borrowed tuxes from 2 different friends - since 1 son is normal height and one is freakishly tall. All it cost me was the price of dry cleaning.
If you don't ask, you don't know!
Online they have a site called Freecycle where people list things they are giving away - all you have to do is pick up. And I heard about a college that has a room where students can drop off unwanted items and take whatever items they are interested in.
This idea forces us to interact with those around us, be willing to receive as well as give away, clean out our clutter and not pay to bring more clutter in and above all:
Reduce,
Reuse,
Recycle - that all makes cents!
I'm seriously starting to think that we share a brain or something. I started bringing stuff to my MOPS group a few years ago that I wanted to give away, and before I knew it, steering team loved it so much that they set up a permanent swap table. And we share a snowblower with our neighbors and a wood splitter with three other families. :)I'm on FreeCycle daily, and have lost track of all that I have given & gotten from it. It's amazing how much we have not had to buy because of it. :)
ReplyDeletehahaha who is the freakishly tall son??
ReplyDeletei love the straightner you got me from school! i was so sad when it died.
and jack johnson sings a song called reduce reuse recycle!