In hard times, we all have to cut our budgets, but being thrifty doesn’t have to mean lowering your standard of living – just changing your priorities and working smarter with what you have. Many alternatives to typical bought items are not only less expensive, but higher quality and better for the environment than their mainstream counterparts. So why don’t more people choose these alternatives? Often, it’s a lack of information and the assumption that it’s always easier or better to buy a pre-made item than to create it at home.

This site will guide you through the process of evaluating your lifestyle and financial priorities and making informed choices about what items you can replace with lower cost alternatives. You’ll find dozens of low- and no-cost alternatives to common items – each presented in terms of its cost – both monetary cost and its cost in time – and its environmental impact. (You don’t have to be rich to save the planet!)
You’ll find detailed instructions for many projects, with illustrations and photographs of the end result. We’ll also explore “going off the grid” - interviews with people who have taken self-sufficiency and frugality to the next level and information on how to do the same.
It’s an ambitious project, and we’d love to have your help to make it happen! Take a look at the sidebar for all the ways you can get involved.

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