I started container gardening a couple of summers ago, I am not a pro-not every plant comes out great but I love seeing that something is growing.
Last summer I was able to make salsa a number of times. I have found that my favorite things to grow are peppers and herbs. Last summer I used a Topsy Turvy Upside-Down Planter
for my peppers-it was really neat. For my herbs I just used the containers. I also had a peanut plant (I think I purchased it too late in the summer to see any good results. My tomatoes never grew last year-again I think I started them too late). 
Well my point to this is that I am having to get soil for my containers! It can get expensive and honestly I do not buy expensive dirt-I also don't buy anything really fertilized or organic. I have thought of a compost bin but I know that I am not going to want to "turn" the dirt and I also did not want to invest in a turnable compost bin in case I choose to not stick with composting (which I am determined to do!).
Okay so all I did was take a Rubbermaid container that I already had (the contents was sorted and some is going to a rummage sale a friend and myself will be having this summer), took some newspaper and shredded it by hand, threw some fruit and veggie scraps in, emptied the dirt from one of my pots from last year and then went to buy my red wriggler worms! You can order the worms online for $25! Yeah-I was not paying that-I started calling bait shops-I purchased mine from Joe's Bait Shop on 6th and Lincoln. I received 30ish worms for under $4.00. I am planning on going to purchase another container of worms this weekend (I should have bought 2 when I went the first time.)
So the worms will not live forever-I was reading that I will need to replace them every 6 months or so. I think this has become a fun project, I know I will not have my dirt for the summer but I am getting it started for next year! My uncle is a big gardener (I bought him the seed of the month club for his birthday) he said that I can continue my bin through the winter if I keep it close to the house door or stick it in the basement. If I get dirt in the winter all I will need to do is dump it in a designated area outside and when the thaw comes I can fill my pots!
I occasionally need to throw on some gloves and move the dirt around or turn the container over.
Completing my container compost bin cost me under $20 (bin would have been about $5 but I used one I already had, food scrapes $0, free newspaper worms a little under $8 once I go back this weekend).
Experience=Priceless :)
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