Pallets - you can often get them free from stores that receive large shipments of stuff. Fasten them together with L brackets to form three-sided bins - :_:_:_: - and pile stuff in them.

Chicken wire, wire fencing or hardware cloth - get about 10', make it into a cylinder by wiring the ends together. Pile stuff in it.

Big garbage can - drill lots of 1/2" holes in top, bottom and sides for aeration and drainage. Pile stuff in it.

The cheapest way possible: pile stuff on the ground.

before I got my big compost bins, I used straw bales, stacked two high, open on the fourth side, and as the bales deteriorated, I turned them into compost too and replaced them as needed. They usually lasted a couple of years before they were deteriorated.

A pile on the ground is the way I always did it until I happened upon a plastic 55-gallon drum next to a dumpster. I've also added a kiddie pool that I found as a 2nd "bin" this year.

Vinyl coated 2x3" mesh 4 feet high has lasted well over a decade for me. You'll want two piles, one that is "finishing off" and one for new stuff.

{{gwi:52583}}

If not staked into rectangles like mine, use the circles of wire as mentioned above.

tj

I found some old pvc pipe, and got some cheap green netting from home depot and made a two section compost bin out of it. I think the total was 10 bucks.

In Montgomery County Maryland, there is an agency giving them away. I got 2 a couple of years ago which were basically a 'rubber like' mat that wrapped around and snapped together. I think we got it from the county recycling center. Maybe someone in your area gives them away too.

Mine is like tsugajunkie's, only hidden behind my shed. I work one half while the other finishes.

the city of phoenix sells the old recycle bins with holes drilled and the bottom cut off as compost bins for 5 bucks each. they arent the prettiest compost bins but they get the job done!

I like pallets, lined with chicken wire if you have it, with some steel fence posts (T-posts) at the corners if you have them. You can just wire the corners together with old coat hangers, steel wire or electric wire if you don't want to bother screwing or nailing them.

I had a triple pallet bin for a few years, always a batch ready to use, a batch half done cooking, and a bin to put the new stuff into. But I'm a compost wacko. :-p

just to ditto what others have said:

* pallets - you can find them free on CL if you're patient - i used t-posts at the ends/corners for stability
* chicken wire - a bit floppy, but stabilizes quickly when filled - easy to lift and move when full to start a new one
* trash bins with drilled holes - expensive if you don't find one free, but works well
* we used cinder blocks (free on CL) for our back wall and a foundation for the pallets on the side (to delay pallet decomp) - fourth wall is open
* the mentioned 2"x3" coated mesh is expensive - about $50/pkg - may as well buy a commercial compost bin at that price, imho - on the other hand, the pkg gives you enough to make more than one

if materials evade you, you can always just make a huge pile

~ freshair