Nobody likes to throw away money. But gardeners who don't compost are doing exactly that.

Composting is a great way to turn household waste into soil for your garden, but it's more than just dirt. You can compost more than you might think.

Eggshells, hair clippings, even coffee filters with grinds are all fair game. Starting a pile is free and can save hundreds of dollars a year in fertilizer, chemicals and water.

The only drawback is the smell. That's especially true if you have a small yard, but composting bins eliminate that and speed up the whole process.

It can take months for waste to break down in a pile.

Bins do the job in just four weeks. With so many benefits, it's worth considering before you buy that next bag of fertilizer.