We plant gardens, make our own clothes, eschew mass market products, and prefer a crappy meal we made ourselves to fine dining. Why?

All those may not apply to you, they definitely don't all apply to me, but they are all aspects of the same culture. So, why do we do it?

There are arguments to be made that it isn't less expensive. It may or may not be better for the environment, depending on how you do whatever project we're discussing. And it's hard to say if it is healthier.

I've had a lot of introspection on this lately. For me, it is a mix of a certain type of curiosity mixed with creativity, and a healthy does of cheapskate. I don't just want to know how things work, I need to know. And once I do, I have to tinker and try to improve things.

I can buy bread at the store (I do when I run out of time) and pay a price I'm willing to pay for it. I won't be thrilled with that bread, but it will do. I could buy bread I'm thrilled with at the farmers market from an artisan baker at > $8 a loaf, but I can't bring myself to pay that price. Especially when, I enjoy spending the time tinkering with my sourdough culture and kitchenaid, making loaves to give away until I get my perfect bread that I can make every week as long as I get my a$$ in gear for < $1 a loaf.

It is the same with cleaners. I could buy kid and pet friendly, organic, not-going-to-screw-up-the-planet super cleanser for an exorbitant price. Or I could spend hours deconstructing detergents and soaps online, debunking a dozen recipes that don't even make sense, and landing on homemade dishwasher cubes that work pretty well at a few cents a piece.

But I'm curious what other people's reasoning is? Why do you do what you do?

edit: typos