Do you waste or conserve (anything, not just food)?
 

Are you one of those people who has to scrape the last out of the butter box, drain the milk or use the last burger in the freezer even though it's been there for over a month (but still in date)? Do you hate to throw out something that's not fully empty or used? Will you use up food in the freezer even if it's not really what you want today, just so it doesn't go to waste? And whatever about food, are you the type who wears clothes till they fall off you, or puts out dustbins half-full, throws on a half-load of washign or will you wait till you have enough for a full one? Do you believe in the value of things, or do you feel hell it's been there long enough and I'm tired of it now I'll throw it out? Do you buy clothes you never wear? DVDs you never watch? Games you never play or albums you never listen to?

Since my ma died and I basically had to run the house I've come to a greater appreciation of the value of money. Now I hate waste. If I'm going to buy something I usually consider will I use it? I'velooked at things I'd like to try for dinner but if they can't be frozen and I'm not sure I usually won't buy them. I scrape the last out of the butter even if there's another full one in the fridge, and use up the last of a carton of milk before opening another. I've been threatening to buy a console (PS3/XBox) for a few years but in my heart of hearts I know it would sit probably unopened in its box for god knows how long and I'd probably never use it, so I don't bother. In the same way I don't buy PC games, as I know they'd just be a waste of money, I'd never use them.

So what about you guys? How do you generally feel about waste?

I never waste anything unless I absolutely have to. I've used pens til they were dry, I only replace my cosmetics when they're gone or gross, and I usually wear my clothes until they're pretty much rags. Jew life.

I'm super frugal in most ways. I scrape/lick out tubs of foodstuff, wear my clothes 'til they're threadbare, wear my shoes 'til they're literally falling apart, will eat mouldy and out of date food rather than throw it away, don't put the heating on until I can see my breath. Thankfully nature blessed me with a fine constitution and so I can get away with eating mouldy food and living in the cold and still feel fine.

As for unwanted and little used purchases like CDs, games, books, etc., I sell it all on eBay.

What I do waste, unfortunately, is electricity, and lots of it. My hi-fi system in pretty high end and sounds best when warmed up for a while, so rather than turning it off when it's not in use, I leave it constantly powered on. Worse, it's hooked up to a mains conditioner that outputs 4,600 watts continuous power with 23,000 watts transient ability. Not very green at all, and a source of some guilt.

It seems as if the trend so far is frugal. I wouldn't really call it extreme or obsessive, just simple things. I don't know if I'd go and eat moldy food though lol

This may be semi-unrelated, but this came to mind immediately.



A weeks worth of food for only $65 is pretty good in my book.

I conserve as much as I can but quite often forget to use food which I have to chuck out as its gone off.

For the most part I conserve like with electricity but when it comes to like the value of things especially when it's related to my hobbies. I tend to splurge a bit. I buy video games that I play for a little bit but don't complete. They may end up sitting there and collecting dust but I can always go back and play them in the future. So, I don't really see that as being a waste if you don't play something immediately. You buy something so that you can have it for a lifetime. You can choose whenever you want to play/view said thing.

I do that with games too! I bought Age of Empires 3 (American Indians extension) and only started playing it last week excessively.

I waste a lot of everything. Money is a big one since I don't really have many issues with money, so I think "well, i'm good for the month, I can spend whatever". I was never disciplined with money in the first place so perhaps that's a bad thing.

lies.

I have taught you the jew way.

You two crack me up.