There are an inordinate number of people who argue that the primary barrier to getting natural, organic foods and home products into mass-production and consumption is cost. I think they’re full of baloney. Literally and figuratively. What do I mean? I mean that we need to apply the same basic strategy to living that we do to building – cost trade-off analysis. Basic concept – you can save money in one place (i.e. engineering your framing system to reduce lumber use) to spend money in another (i.e. buying a more efficient furnace), which results in a whole (in this case a house) that performs better for the same amount of money.
In our homes and lifestyle, we can do the same thing. We inevitably pay more for higher quality foods, but that increased cost can be saved in other areas of our lives. Ironically, there is no real down-side to any of this – because what it takes to reduce cost in other areas of our lives actually improves our quality of life in itself. Less prepared food, more time cooking with family, lower cost, higher quality food. Win, win, win. And the environment. Win. USDA Certified Organic products are significantly more expensive, because of the cost of certification and following mass-production protocols. But, not every product you buy needs to be certified, and that can radically reduce the cost of your grocery bill. Tips:
- Eat less meat. It’s expensive, and it consumes energy and pollutes to produce it. That said, I love some meat, so I’m responsible about how I buy and cook it.
- Buy local farm-raised meats from people you trust. I buy natural chickens – in bulk three or four times a year – from a farm about 20 miles from my home. I know the farmer. I’ve stood in their kitchen with three generations of their family while they dress the birds. I’ve seen where the birds are raised (pasture) and what their diet is supplemented with (grains grown on the farm with no persistent pesticides, and a little raw milk from their naturally raised dairy cows). On top of knowing all of this, I know the money goes to a good place, and my young son gets to visit a farm. Using the same strategy, buy natural beef, whole from a farm. Go in with friends or family to divvy up the bugger and freeze him in your deep freeze. Check out localharvest.org for farms and markets near you.
- Grow your own veggies in the summer and freeze or can them. If you can’t, join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture, or Cooperative Share Agreement) to get a box of fresh fruit and veg from local farms.
- Cook. You don’t have to know anything special about natural or organic cooking – just learn to cook the simple stuff with high quality ingredients. If you’re a total novice (or even a seasoned professional) the Joy of Cooking is a must-have reference book.
- Home cleaning products are expensive, and you don’t need to buy them. Vinegar, water, baking soda and essential oils can cut your cleaning product bill dramatically and get your house just as clean. Natural home care products usually contain similar ingredients. There are other more complicated recipes available on the internet, but I find the simple stuff to be the best.
- The less prepared food you buy, the lower your bills. Organic and natural prepared food is astronomically expensive. You’re better off learning to plan better and cook at home (see Getting Off the Processed Food Conveyor).
- There are some sacrifices you can make that you won’t really feel. You can use the money saved to offset the higher cost of some organic products. - It’s easy to be impulsive (or compulsive) at the grocery store. Stick to your list. Don’t buy the organic cotton socks, the natural hot appetizer platter, or the magazines at the check-out line (although, some of them are often quite tempting). - Seriously evaluate your personal care products. Shampoos and conditioners, make-up, and other personal care products can add up quickly at the register. There are a number of inexpensive, but lovely natural care products available now. For example, Whole Foods 365 brand has a simple, natural line that’s a third the cost of other brands. Dr. Bronner’s Soap is still an excellent natural product after more than 50 years.
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