http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05aug08d.cfm

Many many times I wish i didn't pay $77 every 3 months for garbage pickup. I haven't figured out a good alternative tough. Burning garbage always smells bad, and we could take a trailer load to the dump once or twice a year, but where o I keep the garbage in the meantime without smell and rodents?

Any ideas?

Does only one company service your area? Do you pay so much b/c you are rural? Sorry for all the questions! I was just shocked at the +$25 per month cost. We pay $16 a month for weekly pick up in town. If we want 2x per week, it jumps to $22 per month but we don't produce enough garbage for that frequency. We do our own recycling and take a truck load up the street to the grocery store where there is a recycling center once a month. That has helped on cutting back on garbage.

My parents hauled their own garbage for many years. But they did it weekly. I know you may have a drive so that may not be feasible.

Can you share with a neighbor?

Sorry I'm not more help!

We pay about the same thing too and it kills me every time I write out that check. LOL. I've thought about trying to find ways to eliminate it but without much room, there isn't much choice. If we had more room (mostly a garage of some sort) then I would get very active about recycling (that would cover a LOT of your "garbage"), burn the paper stuff and then compost the kitchen scraps. Then, you wouldn't be left with much at all. But I can't do that really since I have NO room. Not to mention that we do disposable diapers (don't want to get off on a tangent about cloth diapers: really wanted to do them but can't with the baby sitter and only part time just isn't worth the money). LOL.

What we tried in the past.... we tried doubling up with a neighbor.... we shared a garbage service. This would work out great for neighbors who are responsible with paying their half (our neighbor wasn't so we always ended up paying; I didn't mind at first... as a way to help them out but then it became apparent that they were just taking advantage) and you have to share with a nieghbor that don't accumulate too much trash. Our service used to let us have a big bin (they provide), along with 1-2 other trashcans. This definitely allowed room to share. But then they cut that out and we only have the bin. Anyways, if you have a neighbor you can double up with, that may be your best bet.

Have a blessed day,

Julie

 wow, problems i never thought of!  here in taxachusetts, paying property tax gets your trash picked up weekly.  also recycled paper, plastics, metal.  some towns try to cut trash collection costs by doing "pay as you throw"- you have to buy a sticker for each bag you toss!  we generate so little actual trash that i can put the can out once every 2 weeks.  lots of composting, though.

Are you more rural that you can dump the wet garbage for the animals?  Or do you compost? 

During the summer I sort the garbage.  The dry garbage is bagged and then burned.  The vege/etc. kind of garbage is composted.  The meat/etc. kind of garbage is thrown out in the "back 40" for the animals.  During the winter we heat with wood so all the garbage is burned in the boiler. 

And I should add that I recycle the plastic/tins/glass. 

Cinnamonhuskies:

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05aug08d.cfm

Many many times I wish i didn't pay $77 every 3 months for garbage pickup. I haven't figured out a good alternative tough. Burning garbage always smells bad, and we could take a trailer load to the dump once or twice a year, but where o I keep the garbage in the meantime without smell and rodents?

Any ideas?

 A covered bin?