Online Finances

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One of my goals when starting this blog venture was to simplify our finances. I feel like I’ve come a long way in the past six months, and have certain reached some important goals. I certainly have more work ahead, but “inch by inch, life is a cinch.”


So this past weekend when I was going through yet another stack of paperwork that I piled up, I was thrilled to see the my favorite eco-bank now offers e-Statements in lieu of traditional paper copies . 


These are the reasons ShoreBank Pacific gives to sign up for e-Statements:

  • They’re convenient & secure
  • Saves paper & trees
  • Delivered directly to your inbox
  • Reduces paper clutter
  • They free & enrolling is easy

When we first merged our accounts there Hubby commented “aren’t they an eco-bank?!”  I already check our balance online about once a week, so who really needs a paper copy to recycle?


My employer finally got with the new green century and recently started offering online bill stubs, so now I’ll have a few less paper to stack up!


While we don’t pay for the postage directly, the savings does add up. I know that for the last paper bill I needed to mail I used a stamp leftover from my holiday cards, and it’s July.


Does your bank offer e-Statements?


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Sustainable Family Finances
The story of a family creating an abundant and sustainable life.

Local Food

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This past weekend I was excited to pick up a flat of blueberries from long-time family friends who started an organic blueberry venture in retirement, Mohawk River Blueberries. Our Big Guy was equally thrilled about helping pass out free samples while I shopped at Food Front Co-op.


I remember when co-ops where the only place you could find a limited selection of local organic produce. You know the world is changing when virtually every grocer is on the bandwagon, and some have even tried a faux farmer’s market.


Prices have gone down significantly, and cost is more linked to seasonal production. Eating in season is much cheaper, and nudges us toward food decisions with a lighter footprint.


Local Harvest will help you quickly find local farmer’s markets, co-ops, and restaurants that offer the most local food available in your region (in the U.S. that is.)


I recently heard about project that helps link wholesale food growers with regional food buyers. Food Hub connects restaurants with farmers and ranchers.



Do you pay attention to whether your food is local?
Is your local food affordable?


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Sustainable Family Finances
The story of a family creating an abundant and sustainable life.

Food Waste

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I’m guilty of throwing out more rotten veggies and uneaten leftovers than I care to admit. I’ve been thinking about food waste more lately since I read a really eye-opening article about how much  cheap food is thrown away . When I last cleaned out our fridge, I felt super guilty about the money and resources we had wasted. Just because scraps are going to our worm bin, doesn’t mean it’s sustainable. I can relate to the story of the non-consumer advocates struggle with food waste.

I love this age of empowered information, and I found several great sites to help us all reduce our food waste, saving money in the process. The Love Food Hate Waste is pretty, and you’ll want to browse your way to becoming an enlightened food storer. They have a quick recipe for leftover carbonara that I’m sure I could pull off after work. 

You’ll be an empowered join the food revolution and start reducing your food waste. And just because you’re not dumping food from your fridge when eating out, doesn’t mean there is no waste. The food service industry wastes tons of food, but we as consumer need to share the responsibility. Food waste certainly add to our personal and collective carbon footprint, but we all can do better.


My favorite magazine, Whole Living has 12 great tips for preventing food waste. 

What tricks do you have for avoiding food waste?

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Sustainable Family Finances
The story of a family creating an abundant and sustainable life.

Maybe Two

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Despite the challenges of parenting, every day I feel like we’ve hit the kid-jackpot. Our kiddos are goldmines of giggles and treasures of enthusiasm and delight. I couldn’t imagine a better way to invest my energy, and they take every bit. The dividends of smooches and stories are worth it all, and it’s hard to imagine life without a family.


Yet, lately the idea of staying a family of four has permeated my conscious. After having Girly we were both on the fence about whether to have a third child, and Hubby was even tilted toward three. Knowing how nice it has been to have a three year space between kids, I wasn’t ready to be swayed until there was the prospect having a break in washing cloth diapers!  It’s not my personal energy that limits me from wanting another child, it’s the energy required from the planet. 


I know it’s a personal decision, and I certainly don’t judge families with three or more. Many who opt to have a single child for environmental reasons. One of favorite activists Bill McKibben, wrote the case in Maybe One. Personally, I yearned for a second child, and it would have been too great a sacrifice. Yet, at this point I feel that having a third child would be a bit greedy. Two is my happy medium.


While finances don’t dictate our choice, there are financial considerations to your family size. Costs begin in utero, through birth, paternity leave, and won’t lighten up for about two decades. That’s before college. Grandparents out there will remind me that the expense never really goes away, it just changes. 


How do your family finances and sustainable values impact your family size?


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Sustainable Family Finances
The story of a family creating an abundant and sustainable life.