Soon after I decided that I wanted to live a greener healthier lifestyle, I discovered that green changes and choices come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Some green changes are really challenging and may require perseverance despite repeated failures, like trying to find a natural deodorant that works. Or a natural cleaner that conquers mold. On the other hand, some green changes are downright easy. For example, opening your windows to improve indoor air quality or turning your thermostat up one or two degrees in the summer.
Certain green choices are expensive, like buying an all-natural bed free of flame retardant chemicals. Organic and natural food products also tend to cost more than their conventional counterparts. But many green choices are inexpensive.
Inexpensive Green Changes
Learning to be self-sufficient, whether making your own food, household cleaners, or even personal products will save you money while keeping toxic or unknown ingredients out of your family’s bodies. Shifting from disposables to reusables such as rechargeable batteries or cloth diapers might require an initial small investment, but over the long term, it will pay you back many times over. Choosing to purchase quality durable goods and repairing what you already own instead of buying the cheapest and newest version available generates less waste while costing you less in the long run. Using less, buying less, borrowing or buying second-hand are hallmarks of the green lifestyle and help preserve the finite resources of both the planet and your bank account.
Making Compromises to be Greener
I have often found it necessary and helpful to pair expensive changes with money-saving ones. For example, instead of spending thousands of dollars on disposable diapers for your baby, use cloth diapers and spend that money on buying a non-toxic bed for baby instead. In my own household, by making most meals as well as bread and snacks from scratch while purchasing fewer packaged and convenience foods, we have been able to afford to purchase mostly organic products.
Whether you are saving up for that green dream item or just plain trying to save, here are some green money-saving ideas from the members of the Green Sisterhood.
Money Saving Green Changes
- Anna of Green Talk offers 15 Tips to Be Green in Your Neighborhood. With these no-cost and money-saving ideas you can reduce your consumption and divert countless items from the landfill.
- In her article 5 Ways to Go Natural on a Budget, Alicia of The Safe Landing describes how a squeeze on her household budget actually became an opportunity to expose her family to fewer toxic chemicals.
- Diane of Big Green Purse shares her Top Ten Ways to Save Energy and Money at Home. And in this article Diane explains the concept of Green ROI (return-on-investment) and shares specific green technologies (such as a programmable thermostat) that more than pay for themselves within one year.
- Karen of ecokaren describes 11 Things You Should Never Buy (such as laundry detergent) either because they are so cheap and easy to make yourself or because there are healthier alternatives. Karen also wants you to know why LED bulbs are cheaper and better. She expects her bulbs to outlive her so she’s leaving them in her will for her kids.
- Jenny the Crunchy Wife has lots of ideas for small and easily achievable green goals, many of which will save you money too.
- Gretchen, the Healthful Mama, knows that non-toxic sunscreen can be pricey, so she’s making her own instead. Check out her simple, four-ingredient sunscreen recipe that she dispenses with a pump.
- Lisa of Condo Blues slashed her annual energy bill by over 30% with some simple changes. She also shares what 12 things she doesn’t buy and how she saved money by repurposing and reusing.
- Brenna from Almost All the Truth has 10 Easy and Free Ways to Save Energy. One idea I could surely use is to clean and check the refrigerator for energy efficiency. She’ll also show you how to save money and avoid toxins in the laundry room.
On my blog Eco-novice, I share my own 10 Ways to Save Money on Food While Going Green. And then there is my all-time favorite: Lazy and Cheap ways to be green.
Now it’s your turn. What green changes have you made to save money?