[i.e. the years I lived as a dumpster diver in NYC]
Jane spotted this under some garbage bags after we went to the Mexican supermarket for some supplies. Naturally, we wheeled it home atop my bicycle.
Then while dinner cooked itself in the crock pot, I fished out what was left of the paint I had used for my walls, and did a quick (shoddy, but improved nonetheless) revamp of this grand trunk. As ever, it was a pleasure making strokes with the thick milkshakey scent-free zero-VOC paint. Our new trunk now houses winter boots and other unsightlies.
After fancying one for some time, I recently found myself the grateful recipient of a Crock Pot in the wake of a friend's move out. Now I invite buddies to join, we make tasty dishes, sit down to a romantic dinner, and salute of our fortune of friendship.
Oh look! I spy freegan items: folding wooden table, place mats, bowls, glasses, wooden chair, piano bench, futon couch, television, DVD player, speakers, fan, chess board, potted plant, pillows, vase, Hot Tamales, assorted books, candles, candle holders. The film theory books are just about the only items I purchased, and even most of those were used. Every item has a previous owner who no longer had use for it, but for the moment, I do, and when I don't, I'll take it upon myself to find someone that does.
My apologies for the absence in service, dear readers. I've been caught up for the last month doing the still photography for the film East Fifth Bliss. But getting back to matters at hand: some time in recent history I was having a barbecue, so I set out for some supplies. I unearthed lots of hamburger buns and kaiser rolls, mushrooms, scallions, an onion, cilantro, parsley, green beans, arugula, and dill that I used to make my mom's famous marinated broccoli. I also found a candle, raisin bread, english muffins, and lots of little grow pots of grass for cats that I transferred into my window box. Now my 6th floor window opens up to a lawn, as it should.
My garden at the moment consists of a clump of chives at the edge of an otherwise vacant window box. But that's no reason not to collect my food scraps! As I cook throughout the week, I toss my rinds, peels, egg shells, coffee grinds, and so on into a little trash can. When it's about full, I hop on my bike and drop off the organic matter at the Union Square Greenmarket. The Lower East Side Ecology Center has a compost stand at the market that accepts everyone's organic waste and turns it into nutrient-rich dirt that they use for their own garden, and also bag and sell at the farmer's market as a way to support the center. I imagine many farmer's markets around the country have similar programs, or if not, I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to find a farmer, gardener, or swine who would happily make use of your food scraps.
I love my baby Weber. It was thrown out with the bathwater and I saved it. Happy baby, happy belly. And sunshine and rooftops.
The other night while mucking about in a garbage bag, I unearthed some tasty elements from the all-important Fruits and Vegetables sector of the food pyramid: grapefruit, fennel, brussel sprouts, cucumbers, alfalfa sprouts, yellow potatoes, new potatoes, baking potatoes, tomatoes, limes, a banana, and a lemon.
The Thai triangle cushions upon which these fruits and veggies are arranged were also found curbside (some time back). It was a moderate struggle lugging such dense pillows down from the upper west side on the subway with my camera gear in tow, but the comfort they have brought my fanny (both in the living room and as my go-to rooftop furniture) has proven well worth the effort.
With that, today's take-away is future benefit--a minute squishing my gut, a lifetime padding my butt.
...I will do it as my Dad has always done it. It's the oldest trick in the water-saving book, but it's tried and true and easy peasy. Just take a brick or some heavy object that won't rust, or take a milk jug or similar container and fill it with water so it doesn't float. Then place it in the tank. Whatever you put in (up until the water line) is how much water you'll displace, and therefore how much water you'll save every time you flush! Pictured here is about a quarter gallon, so if the average person flushes the toilet about 2,500 times a year, and my two roommates and I are home maybe about half the time, this teeny tiny little action (that until yesterday I had forgotten that I even did) saves about a thousand gallons of water a year.
One store, one night.
A sea of non-perishables--from clam knives to cranberry to corn picks to candles to cous cous...and even grapefruit spoons! Click 'read more' for itemized list and prices.
The market staff was nothing less than friendly. I made it a point to assure them I would tie everything back as I found it, and while placing new bags carefully separate from those I had already rummaged through, they joked with me about how many jars of mustard one person could consume. Nothing was defective, some of the food was expired (but of course in sealed, clean, pristine packaging). All of the utensils, gadgets, cleaning cloths, candles, and so on were of course without an expiration date and fully functional, all be their packaging slightly dated (cheesy graphics, glue around plastic packaging had become brittle). I understand that food goods have expiration dates, beyond which, in our litigious society, liability becomes an issue. But I find it so difficult to stomach the mass disposal of brand new unopened can openers, strainers, thermometers, pencils, knife sharpeners, rubber gloves, and honey stirrers being thrown. I find myself desiring ever more the implementation of infrastructure to absorb this excess. It could be as simple as an individual (yes, there happens to be a mirror just across from my desk) willing to transport these goods from the market to the pantry, the shelter, the Salvo, what have you. The inventory is as follows:
| Item | Units | Price | Total | ||||
| Power Bars | 36 | $2.49 | $89.64 | ||||
| Kind Bars | 1 | $2.49 | $2.49 | ||||
| Cliff Bars | 1 | $2.49 | $2.49 | ||||
| Good Earth Tea | 5 | $1.50 | $7.50 | ||||
| Granola | 6 | $3.99 | $23.94 | ||||
| Pomegrante | 1 | $5.99 | $5.99 | ||||
| McCann's Irish Oatmeal | 1 | $4.99 | $4.99 | ||||
| Raisins (assorted flavor) | 10 | $1.50 | $15.00 | ||||
| Boulder Canyon Chips | 1 | $3.99 | $3.99 | ||||
| Rice Select Organic Rice | 8 | $3.49 | $27.92 | ||||
| Near East Long Grain Wild Rice | 4 | $3.49 | $13.96 | ||||
| Grey Poupon Squeeze Bottle | 3 | $4.19 | $12.57 | ||||
| Maille Dijon | 3 | $4.19 | $12.57 | ||||
| Dijon Country Jar | 1 | $5.99 | $5.99 | ||||
| Sweet Pea Can | 1 | $1.99 | $1.99 | ||||
| Cranberry Sauce | 1 | $2.49 | $2.49 | ||||
| Cambells's Chunky | 1 | $3.49 | $3.49 | ||||
| Progresso Tomato Puree | 1 | $1.50 | $1.50 | ||||
| Escarole in Broth | 2 | $1.50 | $3.00 | ||||
| Lucini Fig and Walnut Balsamic | 2 | $3.00 | $6.00 | ||||
| Numeral candle | 44 | $0.99 | $43.56 | ||||
| Soy milk | 17 | $1.50 | $25.50 | ||||
| Chanukah Candles | 6 | $2.00 | $12.00 | ||||
| Playtex Living Gloves | 3 | $2.99 | $8.97 | ||||
| Potato Leek, Mushroom soup | 3 | $1.50 | $4.50 | ||||
| Chicken Broth | 2 | $1.50 | $3.00 | ||||
| Tomato Couscous | 1 | $14.29 | $14.29 | ||||
| Shower curtain | 1 | $6.99 | $6.99 | ||||
| Mr Clean reusable wipes | 7 | $1.99 | $13.93 | ||||
| T-Stick | 4 | $2.99 | $11.96 | ||||
| Pencils | 1 | $1.69 | $1.69 | ||||
| Sharpie | 1 | $6.99 | $6.99 | ||||
| Poultry Lacers | 8 | $2.19 | $17.52 | ||||
| Disinfectant Wipes | 8 | $2.99 | $23.92 | ||||
| Salt and Pepper Mill | 1 | $12.99 | $12.99 | ||||
| Ice Cream Scoop | 1 | $2.99 | $2.99 | ||||
| Honey Server | 10 | $0.99 | $9.90 | ||||
| Spatulas | 3 | $3.99 | $11.97 | ||||
| Heat Resistant Spatula | 1 | $5.99 | $5.99 | ||||
| Spoonula | 1 | $4.99 | $4.99 | ||||
| Apple Corer | 1 | $3.99 | $3.99 | ||||
| Grapefruit Spoons | 1 | $3.99 | $3.99 | ||||
| Clam Knifes | 2 | $2.99 | $5.98 | ||||
| Casabella Water Stop Gloves | 3 | $3.99 | $11.97 | ||||
| Window Cleaning Cloths | 6 | $2.49 | $14.94 | ||||
| Turkey Timer | 4 | $0.69 | $2.76 | ||||
| Kitchen Thermometer | 1 | $9.99 | $9.99 | ||||
| Beef Raw Hide | 1 | $3.29 | $3.29 | ||||
| Assorted Cleaning | 5 | $1.99 | $9.95 | ||||
| Gulf Wax | 1 | $3.99 | $3.99 | ||||
| Knife Sharpeners | 2 | $2.49 | $4.98 | ||||
| Shrimp Deveiner | 1 | $3.99 | $3.99 | ||||
| Wrist Tape | 2 | $4.29 | $8.58 | ||||
| Corn Picks | 5 | $3.99 | $19.95 | ||||
| Mayo Knives | 7 | $1.99 | $13.93 | ||||
| Mildew Gone | 1 | $2.99 | $2.99 | ||||
| Toothbrush Covers | 3 | $1.29 | $3.87 | ||||
| Cheese Markers | 2 | $1.79 | $3.58 | ||||
| Butter Slicer | 1 | $4.99 | $4.99 | ||||
| Mini Strainer | 1 | $2.99 | $2.99 | ||||
| Meat Thermometer | 1 | $9.99 | $9.99 | ||||
| Kitchen Wine, Sherry, Vermouth | 5 | $3.89 | $19.45 | ||||
| TOTAL |
|
||||||
| GRAND | TOTAL | $661.30 |
Save yourself a couple of gallons of water and pee in the shower! But make sure you're shampooing or otherwise scrub-a-dubbing simultaneously, or that half-minute while you just pee will use up a as much water as a toilet flush (older showers use about 4 gallons/min, newer ones about 2.5)...plus shampoo adds a delightful flowery scent! Also, perhaps do it in the beginning of the shower to ensure it all makes its way down the drain by the time you towel off. And for those of you with roommates, remember pee is virtually sterile!
Freegan ferries powder the sidewalks of the city with magic on the last day of the month. Leases are up and people are eager to move on. Oh but bed bugs you say? Well, according to my probability tests, there is a lower likelihood for bed bugs on this day, as items aren't being tossed out in haste on the 7th or 23rd, but with timely intention right on the 31st. Another indicator for the presence of bed bugs is the type of objects piled within close enough proximity have have originated from the same apartment. If a person throws out linens and a mattress, but also spatulas and lamps and dishes, then I'm likely to deem it a simple case of moving house rather than extermination.
On this day, we gathered a bed frame with drawers in superb condition, a double memory foam mattress with cover and topper, countless sheets, duvets, comforters, dishes, cups, a rubbermaid under the bed drawer, and lots and lots of squares of mirror...perfect for arts and crafts time!
Gleaned from only a small portion of EC and River (and pictured is less than half of my bounty alone): fully functional printer/scanner, iron, fan, heater, flat screen television, bluetooth mouse, detergent, fabric softener, pots and pans, sealed cereal, pasta, sauces, popcorn, granola, oil, sugar, grains, tea, coffee, canned goods....canned goods! I'm amazed that despite years of indoctrination through canned food drives, students can still throw out canned goods. Furthermore, although book drive boxes were conveniently placed in the lobby of each building, hundreds of books remained trashed. If even these kids can't get it right even under these circumstances...eeesh. Nevertheless I'll begrudgingly reap the benefits!
[vimeo=http://vimeo.com/4107887] I'd like to introduce to you what was probably my best mid-study internet procrastination discovery of 2005. It is called Hospitality Club (there is also a similar organization called Couchsurfing). It's an online network for travelers who want free accomodation (and great experiences) while traveling, and when not abroad, want to offer free accomodation (and great experiences) to travelers. You just sign up for free and make a profile sprinkled with all of your most intriguing hobbies, languages proficiency, location, and whether or not you're willing or able to provide accommodation, meet up for coffee, answer questions, or show people around. Once you've been approved as a member, you can browse the other members from whichever country you plan to travel to. It's a really great way to save money, meet people, and engage in cultural exchange. Hosting is a great way to pay it forward for your future travels. It's mostly young backpackers on round-the-world tickets or finishing study abroad, but one time I had an entire family from Poland stay with me. They wanted their children to see the world, and that was the way they could afford to do it. One guy even traveled for an entire year straight, couchsurfing every night. Being a guest has the obvious financial incentive of not having to pay for a hotel (in addition to a bed you often also get internet, access to a kitchen, sometimes laundry, and so on), but it also offers a way to get to know expats who know the lay of the land or locals who wold otherwise be more difficult to meet if you're staying in a hotel. My most remarkable traveling moments have arisen from simple circumstances turned extradinary through human interaction in magical and mysterious new settings, not from touring musems or landmarks. Join!
I was in need of something to hold my magazines, so before heading to the store I poked around the house a bit looking for ideas. I found cereal boxes in the recycling bin and paired them with the leftover suede contact paper in the craft drawer. Got out the scissors, cut the boxes on an angle, used the refuse to make a band to go around the boxes, covered it all in contact paper. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Not the coolest thing I've ever made, but it has great function.
I got these wooden planks from the lumber yard (but preferably would have picked them up off the street or purchased them from a salvage yard), cheap L brackets from the corner hardware store, and plaster screws. Then I stained the wood with stain leftover from the previous tenants. I painted the shorter wood pieces with zero VOC paint leftover from painting our walls and put them up with the same screws and the smaller size of the same L brackets. I found the medicine cabinet mirror on the street. After a quick sponge bath it was ready to throw on the wall and has proven very useful. The project took me the better part of a day, but I learned a lot, it felt good, and cost about $15.
This is a good example of stockpiling refuse for future re-purposing. This yellow note came from a CocaCola tin that I acquired some 10 years ago. When at the last minute I was asked to put together a slideshow, I was trying to come up with a quick tactile way to present my contact info (phone number scribbled to acquiesce to mom's fears of identity theft). As ever, I went to my hold-for-later drawer (admittedly easier to have in Los Angeles abodes than in New York shoeboxes), and found these silly yellow paper slips. Pile that on a sheet of paper with my custom name stamp from 1991 and presto!
Look at how much fun a girl can have trying on frugan clothing. These items are from Grandma Eileen's closet.
This beauty is on loan from the Takal Gallery. When you live frugan, your friends become aware of it over time. They use you as their trash receptacle. And you happily oblige.
