Going green is beneficial for the environment but for you too, as they help to save money. Some everyday green habits will peel you away from the culture of wastefulness. Our ancestors got it right when they formulated the saying ‘waste not want not’, as we have come full circle to realize the truth of that adage. Going green is not only about cutting down waste, however, it means thinking about the environment for every single decision you make, from buying food, using energy efficient lights etc, and you will discover that green habits are actually stretching your money. Here are a few green habits which will help to save money:
Work from home
Ask your employer for permission to work from home at least once a week, to begin with, it will save you the cost of fuel. You could carpool with your colleagues, walk down (if your office is close by) cycle, or use public transport to conserve fuel and money!
Steel or glass lunchboxes
Start using unbreakable glass or steel lunchboxes for your kids as well as for yourself and your spouse. These will not leach any harmful chemicals into the food, will last for years and save you money as you don’t have to keep buying new lunchboxes.
Reduce meat consumption
Assign one day of the week as a meat free day, which is better for your health and the environment. Vegetables cost less than meat, so you’d be saving on your food bill too.
Never buy individual serves
Though it is very convenient to buy pre-packaged foods, it is definitely not value for money – bigger packs are cheaper and environmentally beneficial also.
No more food waste
Throwing away less food is the best solution to spending less on food. Take care not to overbuy and preserve the excess food so that food is not wasted. A little careful meal planning will let you know exactly how much you need for the week, and buy accordingly.
Use clothes line instead of dryer
Unlike a dryer, a clothes line needs no electricity. However, whenever you need to use the dryer, run the machine on an extra spin cycle to remove as much water as possible. This will reduce the run time of the dryer, and thus save electricity.
Pay your bills online
There are three benefits to paying your bills online – you help to save paper, fuel and thus save money. If you set an alert for the date when bills are due, you would save even more money by not having to pay late fee charges.
Start rain water harvesting
Why not make use of rain water to water your plants? Collect rain water in a barrel to water your garden which will save you from using your pump and your water and electricity bill will be reduced.
Resist junk food
It’s hard, but cutting down on the very attractively packaged junk food with disposable cups, boxes, plastic straws and wrappers is good for the environment, your health and your wallet.
Drive a car which uses less fuel
Drive the best fuel efficient car you can afford. Go for a smaller vehicle which will use less fuel, cause less pollution and help you in saving money. Hire a bigger car whenever you want, or borrow one, it will still be cheaper for you.
Carry your homemade coffee
Get a nice travel cup and fill it with the coffee you made at home, rather than buying it from a fancy coffee cafe. You’d be surprised how much money is saved by doing this! Also, you will help the environment by not using disposable paper cups.
Make use of natural light
Keep the curtains/blinds open to let sunlight inside your home. Using natural light as much as possible will cut down your electricity bill.
Buy energy star rated appliances
When you replace old appliances or buy new ones, invest in those appliances which have the Energy Star certification. These will save you a lot of money in the long run.
All these green habits are great for the environment and the savings from each green practice can add up to big bucks. Going green is therefore good for the environment as well as your pocket.
