Frugal Ways to Go Green | Family Economics

By Christina

Making environmentally friendly choices cannot only help protect our planet; they can protect your wallet, too.

There are many simple things you can do around your home that will save you money and help save our valuable resources. And the good news is that most of these ideas won’t cost you a cent!

Recycle. I’m not just talking about sorting out your paper and plastic. I’m talking about getting creative! Old magazines can become scissors practice for your preschooler. Small plastic odds and ends can be turned into dollhouse furniture. Old cookie sheets can become magnetic memo boards. Finding new and useful ways to repurpose worn out things makes your money go further.

Walk or bike. Using your body to get where you need to go can go a long way towards good health. And when you walk or bike to work or as you do your errands, you don’t have to worry about the price of gas. If it’s not possible for you to walk or bike in your neighborhood, consider mass transit or carpooling with friends or neighbors.

Line dry your clothes. Hanging your clothes to dry can help you save money on your energy bill, as well as extend the life of your clothing.

Switch to paperless statements and online billing. By doing most of your business electronically, you’ll reduce the amount of paper needed to produce all that mail. In addition, you’ll save money on postage.

Change your thermostat. Lower your thermostat in the cold winter months and raise it in the hot summer months. You’ll see a difference in your utility bills and you’ll be helping the environment, too.

Bulk cooking. Cooking several meals at a time and then freezing saves energy. You’ll be able to save on oven use and you’ll have fewer pans to wash. Bulk cooking can also prevent you from running out to your local fast food restaurant and buying food with a lot of excess packaging. It’s much cheaper to eat from the freezer than the drive-thru.

Use reusable totes when you shop or don’t use any bags at all. Bring your own reusable shopping bags from home when you shop and you’ll keep all those plastic bags from ending up in the landfills. Better yet: if you’re only picking up a few items, skip the bag entirely.

Buy local foods or grow your own. The less distance your food has to travel from where it’s grown to your dinner plate, the healthier it is for both you and the environment. Buying locally helps support people in your community and eating fresher foods will bring you greater enjoyment than food trucked to you from around the world.

These are just a few of the ways going green can mean more green for your wallet. What are some ways you save money and the environment at the same time?