I ran across an interesting quote today. Before I go on, I’ll share it with you.

"Our waste problem is not the fault only of producers. It is the fault of an economy that is wasteful from top to bottom – a symbiosis of an unlimited greed at the top and a lazy, passive, and self-indulgent consumptiveness at the bottom – and all of us are involved in it,” Wendell Berry.

The brunt of Berry’s argument comes when he says our waste is connected to the economy — to how we use and use and use without thought to conservation, moderation, or luxury. I think we can stretch the logic of his statement to say that our waste directly relates to our spending habits. For instance, a person who uses the green linen grocery bags instead of opting for the plastic sacks at checkout would be more money conscious. If consumption leads to waste and the majority of waste comes as a result of convenience, laziness, and general apathy then we might need to reconsider our perception on use.

The natives of this country did hunt for their food, not travel to grocery stores to buy plastic covered meat with food coloring to accentuate it’s freshness. The act of slaughtering an animal meant preserving a family through use of that animal’s resources. Today we often times forget the process behind the foods and supplies we consume. We see only price labels, packaging, and product. The resources we use come down to buying bits and making them fit holes, not finding the whole and making it fit the individual needs.

American society does waste more per capita than any country in the world. Coincidentally we’re also a country of consumers rather than savers. Our economy thrives on this spending, but we also lose site of usefulness and needs when we simply buy and buy and buy. As individuals we can attempt to stymie excess spending by reining in the unnecessary purchases and making smarter shopping decisions on the whole.

The best place to start for smart shopping would be where we meet our life needs: food, shelter, and clothing. We need these essentials, so how do we go about getting them without creating too much waste in the process, both for our wallets and the world around us. In the next few posts, we’re going to take a look at how we can transform our approach to spending on necessities and forfeit waste in the process.

My wife and I asked this question about ten months ago — back when the news of growing baby was just too awesome and overwhelming. We have since given birth to a healthy baby girl. Now we start the journey of parenthood, but along the way we learned a few things in terms of saving money on pregnancy.

How much does pregnancy cost? It depends…is that a good answer? It is if you consider having insurance against not having it. Big difference, like thousands of dollar difference. Then there’s the question of natural birth or Cesarean section. Another big difference. So let’s take a look at what’s in your control and, well, out of your hands.

Pregnancy means several things to an expecting mother, apart from the feelings involved. It means eating healthy, cutting out bad habits like drinking and smoking, and taking prenatal vitamins on a daily basis. It also means having to take trips to an OB around once a month until closer to the due date, at which point it will be every two or one week. The cost associated with these changes amounts to between $250 and $500 for a typical pregnancy (with insurance). There were a few hitches. We had two sonograms, which the insurance company didn’t completely cover. That was around $145. Our copay for the OB visits was $10, and we went 11 times. That’s another $110. So that was $255 of the total pre-pregnancy costs.

Of course, we had to get a room ready too. A baby girl should come home to a pink bedroom. It’s written somewhere, I believe. The cost of the room remodel was $85 for paint, chair rail, and painting supplies. But the intangibles don’t end there. We also had to furnish the room, since this was our first baby. We looked around the major stores, like Walmart, Kmart, and Target, but didn’t really like what we saw. A few of the cribs looked ok, but we also needed a bassinet. We ended up searching Craigslist.org and my wife found a terrific deal on a complete baby room set, including a crib, changing table, glider, and matching footstool. We talked them down to $200 for the set that new cost them over $1200. It’s quality wood and in really good shape. But that’s another $200 to our baby bottomline.

At this point we’ve bought the healthy things for the mother, paid for the doctor visits, and furnished the baby’s room for right under $500. Now comes the hospital stay.

In our case, the Cesarean section came after hours of pushing. It was a relief, but definitely added cost to the visit, but that was definitely not our concern at that point. I’m just thankful for annual deductions on health insurance. Once we reached the $1,500 threshold, the insurance paid the whole of the hospital tab. And it was expense. Without insurance, the whole experience would have cost well over $13,000. With insurance, we will pay less than $1,000 for the delivery.

So all in all pregnancy will cost us close to $1,500. Did I mention baby showers? It’s a great way for friends to help out with the costly goods like diapers, clothes, blankets, and other necessities for new parents. If you want to save money, I suggest you ask about any midwives through the hospital. They can do the delivery and are usually very compassionate and caring in the process. Good luck to you and yours. Once it’s all done and you see the glowing face of your child it all becomes worthwhile.

The online world has blossomed into an end-all-be all for entertainment, social activities, and various types of information research. Many turn to online courses to fulfill their education goals. More and more universities have taken their courses online. The tools and technology available to teachers and students alike, make online courses a viable alternative to traditional universities. But can the differences save you money, and still provide a quality education, i.e. a degree that could net a decent paying job? Let’s take a look at the differences, so you can make the decision.

The standard state run university is going to cost a student approximately $10,000 a year in tuition and books. By the end of the end of four years that would be $40,000 towards a bachelor’s degree that will act as a stepping stone to more education or to a decent paying job. A decent and reputable online university will not save a whole lot more than that in tuition fees. However, they DO save you money.

Typically a year of full time studies online would see a reduction from a State run university, but anywhere from 20% to 50%, depending on courses and each individual college.

Still others may be only furthering their education or taking primer courses for a traditional program in their community. Online courses offer savings of time too, since the home work can be done at any time, and it’s likely any quizzes or tests only have to be finished on a certain date, not at a specific time.

Online courses are not for everyone. They can save on tuition and time, but they also require greater initiative. Not that we can’t skip classes, but online requires us to be motivated without “going through the motions”. The cost of an online education would be reduced by the intangibles, like lack of housing and lack of travel costs.

Over time, more and more companies will recognize degrees from accredited universities as valuable as a more traditional education. The savings founds from both the intangibles and the reduction in tuition fees can definitely help cut the costs of gaining an education. However, one pitfall remains — the lack of government support by way of grants and student loans. Until that gap is met with reasonable options for prospective students, many will continue to use online courses as a way to further an education or catch up on coursework, not to pursue a full degree. With technological advancements, online courses should continue to grow and gain respect. One would imagine the government will eventually open the door to loans for online coursework. It’s only a matter of time.