There are some marvelous bloggers out there that are really doing their bit - 2 of my favourites are the lovely Jen and her family over at My make do and mend year who is not buying anything new for a year (apart from food, some toiletries and underwear for her family) and The Pughs over on A year without supermarkets who are doing exactly that. Both of these familes are a true inspiration and are well worth a read.
I guess the big question is "Can you shop Ethically on a tight budget?" There are lots of websites telling you how you can slash your bills,live frugally and have cheap food etc, but how ethical are they?
I was watching Superscrimpers on TV during the week and they tested 3 shampoos to try and work out which was the best value for money, buget (supermarkets own brand), mid range (Herbal Essences) and a designer brand. They worked out the best value for money was the Herbal Essences, but I was sitting there thinking I wont buy that because of their animal testing record coupled with the fact that I try and avoid products with certain ingredients. So, shopping can be a bit of a minefield and I thought Id share some of the dilemas I face on an almost daily basis while trying to juggle Ethics vs Economics. As a one wage family who currently have very little to spend on food each week (as prices increases in Gas, Electricity and Petrol are really biting) , we need to get the most out of every penny.
Toiletries and Cleaning Products.
There are any number of chemicals and nasties in these that I try to avoid, SLS, parabens, irritants, surfectants and these can be harmful not only to us, but also to the marine enviornment, as they all wash down the sink and into waterways, rivers and the ocean (even if the water is treated).
I have given up nail polish all together because of the formaldehyde in it ( and I refuse to pay stupid prices for the stuff that is formaldehyde free). I do spend a bit more on shampoo which is SLS and paraben free, but use coconut oil as a moisturiser on my face, hands and body, use a crystalised antipersirant (aluminium free) and make some of my own beauty preparations.
I also tend to use home made cleaning products and avoid harsh chemical products. Sure, you have to use a bit more elbow grease, but it seems a small price to pay.
Food
Firstly, I really hate the term ' Organic' , I prefer to use 'free from' meaning free from pesticides, herbicides etc. Now in an ideal world I would shop at a Farmers Market, and support Local Farmers, buy Fairtrade products etc. In reality tho, Sheffield's Farmers Market is only once a fortnight in the city centre on a Thursday (not realistic when you dont work in the city centre and only get 30 mins for lunch). I love the idea of a veg box from local farmers, but as the cheapest one they do is about 3/4 of our weekly shopping buget, that aint gonna happen. Local butchers are also more expensive (tho the meat is much, much tastier).
The latest bee in my bonnet is with the price of milk. As a Farmers daughter, I know how hard it is to for them to make a living and I dont like the idea supermarkets selling milk for £1 for 4pints. I can see how a family on a budget who go through a lot of milk can find this a great saving, however, I really dont mind paying £1.29 for our milk.
So, with food, we are shopping and eating with the seasons (dont even get me started in the use of the Greenhouse Gas methane to ripen tomatoes in greenhouses!). Im also growing some of my own veg but havent got enough of a veg plot to be able to keep us in veg year round (and then theres the whole 'peat free' thing if I have to buy any compost for containers as we dont make enough of our own).
I dont tend to stick to one place for my food shopping. We are luck to have lots of shops near us, so we can chase the bargins round to some extent. Our local Tesco (sorry Team Pugh!) have the scanners you take round with you now and this is great for seeing exactly how much youve spent, but then the Lidl at the end of the road is great for fresh veg as well, so in that respect we are very lucky.
Clothing, shoes and gifts
Im not a fashionista, I really dont like shopping for clothes. Im an akward shape and I know what I like (which never seems to be in fashion). Sizewise, I dont seem to find stuff to fit (that I like) in Charity shops and I do worry that stuff from cheap shops and websites (Primark, Everything £5 etc) might not be produced in a way that pays the workers a fair wage, so I dont buy many clothes. I tend to shop on eBay (but that can be a bit hit and miss with sizes), so I kinda wear things to death. The OH tends to get t-shirts, undies and sox for pressies, so we can pretty much keep him kitted out from out local Asda (sorry again Team Pugh).
Gift wise, I tend to make lots for the ladies in our family myself. I love the idea of supporting charities like Oxfam, etc and buying gifts made from recycled stuff, but these are a bit thin on the ground in Sheffield and If I buy these online (from the UK or abroad) there is the added cost of P&P and the effect the goods are having by being shipped around the globe. Does buying an item produced in a Third World country to help support a community (for example) have a better or worse effect when you take into account the 'carbon footprint' the shipping of the item produces?
So, as you can see, I do have concerns about how I spend and what I spend on. I will admit that when economic times are tough, there are some principals which go out the window and I do worry about these.
Im trying to do my bit, recycling, reducing and reusing etc, but I get a bit disheartened as I think we all should be doing more to look after ourselves, our loved ones and ultimately, our planet.
Id love to hear of any ways you have found to live ethically on a buget, and of any tips and hints you can share as to how I can improve the way we live.
Thanks for reading.
Jojo
