Being Frugal and Green is Hard - Resisting Freebies

Hello, Readers! **crickets chirping...silence**

Ok then, with the optimistic thought that someone, someday, might read this and be amused, or even get something out of it, here is my second update:

Rule #1 of being frugal and green: This is hard! Finding free things = definitely a challenge, and staying green while doing it = almost impossible. Take yesterday for example. I got a windfall in the mail of four awesome freebies: Playtex ultra glide tampons -- and just in time (Katharine: This is still available here from Walmart and here straight from playtex - I got the links from this Freebies4Mom post), Ban deodorant -- nice scent (Katharine: this is still available here from Walmart, I got mine Wednesday too!), a sample of French Vanilla Splenda(Katharine: Available here - link from the "Cent"sible Sawyer), and two Charmin toilet paper dispensers - I don't know why I ordered these, but I should probably reference the comment in my first entry that I tend to go overboard when I go into "free-mode" -- it was free, therefore I want it(Katharine: these are still available here - link from the Bargainist). The latter two I have no idea where I got, but I'd guess from startsampling.com.

Now, while getting all of this free stuff was great (well, exciting at least), I'm now in super-guilt green mode. You should have seen all the extra packaging that there was on everything! There were cardboard boxes inside of cardboard boxes. Other things were wrapped in plastic bags and the result was that all of this created what looked like an open landfill around the chair I had been sitting in. I was really disgusted by this.

So what have I learned from this minor debacle? Well, lets just say I'm going to try and prevent myself from ordering everything I see that has the word "free" or "sample" under it. I think limiting myself to things that I will actually use, or know someone who will, may hopefully prevent green catastrophes like this in the future. I'd love to hear Katharine's opinion on this, because I know that she, like me, really enjoys ordering free samples...

Alison

P.S. Everyone run to Target's trial-size section w/ your coupons! Free Satincare shave gel w/ $1off coupon and free Tylenol w/ $1off coupon!! Check Smart Source circular from 6/6 for the first, and go to the Tylenol website (Katharine: here) to print the other one.