Did you know you can Go Green And Save Money? Most of us wouldn’t say no to a bit of extra cash! You may be saving for something special, or, would merely want to stretch the pennies a little further. The majority of household expenses are necessities. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t still areas you can make savings. When it comes to our daily lives, it’s vital to balance necessity with environmental responsibility. The good news is that there are many ways in which a greener lifestyle can save you some money.
Choose a green energy provider
Green energy refers to energy from renewable resources. Compared with non-renewable sources (like coal or oil) green energy results in a far smaller carbon footprint. One renewable source, for example, is solar power. These have grown in popularity and after you’ve paid the initial cost you are good to go. Sunlight doesn’t cost anything, and solar panels can still function when the weather is cloudy!
Other renewable energy sources include wind power, which is generated using wind turbines, or biofuels which use plant-based matter as a source of fuel. According to The Switch, you could stand to save as much as £300 per year on your energy bills if you choose a green energy supplier. There are plenty of green energy suppliers to choose from; some popular options include Octopus Energy or Pure Planet.
Consider your motoring costs
Running a car can be costly and also pollutes the environment. It’s worth considering if you could go about your daily life either walking or cycling, a viable option for some living in cities. We’ve started walking to and from school when it isn’t raining it saves me money on petrol and helps keep us active. If you can’t bear to part with your car then consider a hybrid like the super popular Toyota Prius. These produce fewer emissions than a traditional car because they run using an electric motor and an engine.
Consume less meat
According to Peta, the industry of animal agriculture is accountable for a larger amount of greenhouse gases than the entire world’s transportation systems combined. A huge amount of water is required to grow the crops that animals consume in the farming industry. For example, to produce one pound of beef, it takes a massive 2,400 gallons of water. Meat is more expensive to buy than vegetables, fruits, grains and carbohydrates. Choosing to eat less meat or opt for a vegetarian/vegan lifestyle will save you money and help the planet too.
Buy second-hand
Buying second-hand items helps both the environment and your pocket. Whether its clothes, furniture or houseware you can find some lovely items for less than half the price of new. I’ve bought plenty of good quality (often unused or barely used) second-hand items for myself and the children over the years.
Switch to energy-saving light bulbs
Energy-saving light bulbs are proven to last 12 times longer than traditional bulbs. LED bulbs, for example, work by using less electricity to produce the same light as their conventional counterparts. Once you replace the bulbs in your house with LED, you’ll notice that you’ll pay less and have lights that are far more durable.
DIY Cleaning products
Cleaning products can be expensive but fear not, you can easily make your own natural DIY cleaning products from things that you’ll already have around the house. This way you can avoid the many harmful chemicals that would otherwise pollute the environment.
Try a low-flow shower head
Many homes are opting for low-flow showerheads to save money and decrease the amount of water that they use. There are generally two types of low-flow showerheads. One is an aerating shower head which combines the water stream with air. You can also find laminar-flow showerheads that work by producing water in several individual streams. With a low-flow showerhead, you’ll cut down on your monthly bill as well as reduce the amount of water that you consume by up to 40%. Taking shorter showers can also help you to decrease your water consumption. We all need to use water around our homes, but it is important to avoid leaving the taps on whilst brushing our teeth or taking super long showers.
Wash your clothes at 30 degrees
When you wash your clothes on a warm wash, the water needs to be heated first and this, of course, requires energy. If you use a 30 degree wash consistently, you’ll be saving money on your utilities each month. Cold washing can also help save your clothes from shrinkage and colour fading. You could save yourself money by ditching the tumble dryer completely. Clothes dryers are just as easy to use but don’t rack up your energy bill.
Reduce your heating and cooling
If you have air-con, it’s tempting to over-use it on hot days. Using your air-conditioning too much will only push up your bills and waste electricity. It’s best to use it just for exceptionally hot days only. The same applies to using heating. This is not to say that you should freeze in the winter. You may find my post about Lowering Heating Costs useful.
Turn it off
We all know that you should turn off your lights and devices when not in use, shame it’s just me that actually does this in our household. I’m working on getting the husband and kids on board to help me switch off lights and appliances when not in use.
A little extra help
Sometimes, no matter how much money you save, it’s still hard to stretch your monthly budget. Start by writing down all of your expenses. Once you know your outgoings, you’ll be able to make a budget and see where you could cut costs. Sometimes we need a little extra help. A loan can be a helpful back-up option. If you’re looking for a quick Loan, companies like Fast Loan UK can be an excellent go-to. Once you’re back on your feet try using a budgeting app to stay that way. Budgeting apps can help you to monitor your outgoings on your different accounts plus see where you can stand to make savings.
What tips would you suggest for going green and saving money?
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What a great and informative post, I’m definitely gonna try to follow some of these tips
Glad you found it useful Mei. Thanks for visiting.
Those are so many great ideas and it does not take much. I was so glued to your salad that it made me hungry. Thanks for inspiring us and helping us.
I think we can all make minute contributions for a greener world. Eventually, the small efforts we make will amount to something sigificant. Personally, I don’t use the AC much at home. When I can manage with a fan, I don’t need it.
And I always carryaround with me my insulated water tumbler, metal straw and spoon and fork, so I don’t use the plastic ones in restaurants and fastfoods.
We do some of these already, but it was great looking through this to see if there are other ways we can go green.
Glad to hear that Samantha. Hope you found some useful tips to help you further.
I LOVE this!! Going green is a good thing…eating less meat is a fab way to do so…I am a veggie, so I am deffo doing my bit xx
thanks for all the tips, I have been an advocate for a greener community and greener world, and as a budgetarian mom, greener community really helps with our budget.
It can help if you are on a budget. It’s great more people are going green.
These are some cool ideas to go green. I liked the idea of buying things second hand. Thus post is really very helpful.
Some excellent suggestions. I use baking soda as my go to cleaning product and its so effective without the harmful chemicals. Its so important to care for our environment ❤
I agree. Baking soda is great for a range of things too which is helpful.
Great tips. I’ve personally been trying to go green by buying a lot more second hand, especially larger items like furniture or appliances. So many people are trying to get rid of this as soon as they buy a new piece. The old items are still built to last though. Better for someone to use them than to sit in a garbage dump forever.
I agree some older items were built to last. I’ve noticed some outlast newer items that are available which is shocking really.
Great post. I often buy second hand and am trying to use more natural cleaning products.
Great tips. I have been buying second hand and have been trying to use more natural cleaning products.
We have switched energy saving light bulb and we also recently invested in new windows to keep the house warmer and save energy (as well as money) I love the idea of DIY cleaning products too
We just got energy saving light bulbs and then also timers to make sure things get switched off. I think going green can really help save money and make a big difference