Budget & Advice: Save big on paint and topsoil

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It’s no secret that a new coat of paint is one of the best ways to freshen up a dull, seen-better-days space. But at prices averaging $20 a gallon, the perfect color doesn’t always come cheap. For a hefty discount, turn to an unsung local resource: Charleston County’s Bees Ferry Household Hazardous Materials Site. When residents drop latex paint at the center for safe disposal, it’s remixed into about 10 different colors, which are sold for $4 per five-gallon bucket. That’s about 94 percent less than the same amount of the cheapest paint at a local home improvement store.

Another little-known bargain? The site sells composted yard waste for $10 per ton (bring a pickup truck). That amount of topsoil, which is similar to the city’s compost, but not as rich, purchased at a garden center by the 40-pound bag would cost around $130.

To purchase paint and compost, visit the Household Hazardous Materials Site at 1344 Bees Ferry Road in West Ashley. For more information, call (843) 763-8364, or go to www.charlestoncity.info.