The Cost of Things

I've been rethinking how I look at cost lately.

I had an interesting conversation with a friend about the true cost of things recently. We were talking about how to be socially and environmentally responsible with our purchases, and how unfortunately, that can often ending being a terribly expensive choice. I tend to be pretty frugal most of the time (which is just a pretty term for "cheap"...), and I often get caught in an inner conflict when I see that the jeans made responsibly in Canada cost 8 times as much as the ones I could purchase at Old Navy. My friend agreed, and then commented on how funny it is that as Christians, frugality is something that is praised and encouraged. Which is really quite backwards.

Is it really better to get a great pair of capris for $10 at WalMart than to spend $60 on something equivalent at MEC, where all their clothing is sourced and produced in a socially responsible manner? Am I really being a "better steward" of my money when I spend $6 on a HUGE can of coffee at Superstore (which is contributing to one of the biggest markets in the human slave trade), instead of spending $14 on a small bag of fair trade coffee from the little coffee shop on Main Street?

Just because something is costing ME less, certainly doesn't mean it isn't costing someone something. According to the world's standards, I am very rich North American. Is it not FAR better for ME to absorb the extra financial cost of buying fair trade, than it is to buy cheaply and have that cost fall on the shoulders of someone who's basic human rights are being violated in order for me to consume that product cheaply? I often have to remind myself that it is SO worth the extra money to know that my products are being made by people who are treated with dignity and respect.

And another funny thing happens when I spend more, but spend it responsibly. I waste less. I want less. Instead of making a huge pot of coffee and throwing a lot of it out, I make what's needed and drink it in moderation. If I were to be responsible with every clothing choice I make (still working on that one!), I'd probably be more satisfied with a more limited wardrobe. Is 10 pairs of jeans really necessary anyways?

So, I'm going to replace the word "frugal" in my vocabulary, with the words "responsible" and "informed". Because I really believe that those are the ways I can truly be a good steward of what God has given me.

I don't say any of these things because I'm trying to make you feel guilty, or that I'm trying to convict you in any way. These are just the ways that I've been convicted of, and these are the areas that I'm trying to make changes in!