When trying to obtain good deals on videogames I used to use the time-consuming method of opening every shop I wanted to search in a different tab and manually searching. With the amount of shops being around ten, this was a soporific procedure, but was warranted because of the limitations that the mainstream price-comparison sites afforded.

I have been rather unmoved by Pricerunner, with its plain, yet untidy, layout, and limited range of shops that it searches. While there is nothing inherently wrong with the set-up, I often felt there were bargains out there that I’d missed, and the additional information about the products was perfunctory.

An uncelebrated gem amongst the crowd is the Swedish site, Prisjakt, that sets itself above its competitors by a plethora of information. The search criteria function is well-implemented (though unused for the most in my case), and there is a nicely thought out, unintrusive pop-up window for every game’s price-development over the last 60 days.

There are a few other helpful functions, and, while these may not seem to set it apart from Pricerunner and the like, it makes for a more complete approach, especially with a larger database of shops used when searching. I do not get the nagging feeling that somewhere, just somewhere there is a shop which could save me an additional amount of money on my desired purchase, even if there quite possibly is.

I have already saved myself a tidy sum on the 10 or so products I’ve bought through Prisjakt, and its presence in the market is welcome.

One of the luxuries (and sometimes misgivings) with living in a developed country is that of choice. The most power we, as individuals in a Capitalist society, have is, in my mind, where we choose to spend our money. Since all businesses live or die by their income, this is a very important factor to remember and live by, and should lend an air of optimism to one’s view of the current depressing state of affairs in the world.

Becoming vegan was the first step. We have decided to fund products of companies that minimize the suffering of animals. In some instances we have decided to eschew vegan products from companies that have otherwise had dubious/immoral stances on other issues (e.g. the vegan burger from McDonalds) that are close to our hearts.

Recycling has also become a big issue. We are very thorough when it comes to reusing the Earth’s resources, to the point where the paper wrapping on tins is conscientiously ripped off and sorted. Items that become broken (lamps, headphones, furniture, furbees) are taken for repair rather than thrown away, even if the cost of repair is greater than that of replacement. Nearly all the items we buy have an aesthetic value, and therefore worth the extra cost.

Much of the furniture and electrical goods we’ve bought are second-hand. The sofas, mats, lamps, computer, most of Freya’s clothes, dishwasher, washing-machine (these last two are NOT so environmentally friendly, I know, but their inclusion allows for more time with Freya, and they cost us nothing) have all come from previous owners, which balances the IKEA purchases that fill most of the rest of the flat.

Whilst these actions are noble necessary, there remains much to be done, and this is actually a very satisfying and relatively fun experience. The betterment of oneself (whether it be the psychological progression of the self or the effect one has on one’s surroundings) is one of the keys of having a fulfilling life.

I have, partially thanks to Jo, recommenced my desire to be a part of the solution, after a long period of standing still. Just recently, after Jo’s mentioning the subject, I’ve become routined in the turning off at source the ‘standby’ electrical items at night. The computer, TV, and telephone loader are now non-leechers during the time we are asleep. The next step is to increase the amount of time the computer is on idle mode, or simply turn it off when not needed.

A further development is to buy more Fair Trade goods, especially tea and coffee. Some of the larger well-known companies here in Sweden have started to sell Fair Trade coffee, and this is one of the occasions I shall willingly support them, as opposed a generally overpriced smaller company’s coffee one typically finds in health-food shops.

Next on the list are buying energy-saving light-bulbs, cutting down on methane producing rice and frozen potato products, in place of more fresh potatoes (much cheaper and more environmentally friendly, especially if locally grown), and trying a different manual razor. It appears that all the big-name razors are produced by companies involved in animal testing. The razor (or rather the company) I’m looking at abjures this practice, as well as having interchangeable heads (the razor, not the company), which will lessen the amount of plastic I use to shave.

All this is not meant to be some unctuous diatribe to masturbate my ego, but a simple message to Freya, who may well see the result of our current inability to reconcile the general attitude to the environment. We are constantly reevaluating our position, and try (not our best, because we actually quite like to enjoy ourselves) to lessen our impact, or “footprint” as it is currently called. Still, try and be proud that you’ve not got total planks for parents.