10 Ways To Save Money By Going Green

Going green does more than help the environment; it can save you money. If you’re looking to keep your wallet full and keep the environment smiling, try out these 10 ways to save money by going green!

1. Leave your car at home:

   If you live within walking distance to your office, try walking to and from work everyday. You’ll save money on gas and maybe even lose a few inches off your waist. Public transit is another option and for the price of a bus pass, you’ll help the Earth.

   For those who have long commutes to work, you can also try carpooling. Even one less car on the road can help reduce air pollution, and you’ll be splitting the gas with your fellow passengers.

2. Grow your own veggies:

   Even those who live in high-rises can make their own little garden. All you need is a balcony or an operable window that gets a lot sun. By growing your own tomatoes, carrots and greens, you’ll spend less on groceries and always have fresh vegetables at your disposal.

3. Make your own cleaning products:

   Making green, non-toxic cleaning solutions is cheap and simple. With baking soda, vinegar, lemon and biodegradable hand-soap, you can make an all-purpose cleaner that’s great for any surface.

4. Switch your lights:

   Change your indoor lighting to LED bulbs. They require less wattage than traditional bulbs and last longer. You’ll see your electricity bill go down and your illumination go up.

5. Get rid of the paper:

   We get a lot of bills in the mail and if you don’t read the fine print, you probably won’t notice that you’re being charged a very tiny fee to get those bills printed and sent to you every month. Switch to paperless billing to save a tree and stop paying printing charges.

6. Fix leaking faucets:

   The moment you hear a drip, fix the faucet. Leaks are huge money suckers and water wasters. Additionally, make sure you’re calling an eco-friendly plumber to do the job to ensure the solution being found is a green one!

7. Get a reusable water bottle:

   For about $15 you can get a reusable water bottle that is easy to clean, free of nasty chemicals and can last you about 10 years. This will save you the $1 charge every time you buy a new plastic water bottle.

8. Lower the heat:

   Instead of turning your house into a sauna during the winter months, lower your thermostat one or two degrees. For every one degree you lower the temperature, that’s a savings of 2% on your heating bill.

9. Keep it cool but not cold:

   Unless it’s sweltering outside, keep your air conditioner relatively low to save the environment and some money.

10. Don’t standby:

    When your appliances aren’t on but still plugged in, they’re on standby, basically waiting to be used. Unplug everything when you’re not using it to save energy and a couple of dollars on your electric bill.