How Living Green Can Help You Save Money

Have you been thinking about “going green” but are wary of the high costs associated with making environmentally-friendly changes? There is a common misconception that living green means spending more. In reality, when done with a little bit of planning, living green can help you save money. Here are our favorite ways to live green that can help you save money.

1. Buy Second-Hand wherever You can

Buying items second-hand has never been easier. There are countless places where you can find a gently used (or sometimes even brand-new) product sold at a discount. Some of the best places to shop for clothes second-hand are Poshmark, Tradesy and The RealReal for higher-end items.

If you are looking for household goods, toys, books or anything else under the sun, you cannot go wrong with eBay or Craigslist. Apps, such as LetGo, are great resources to find second-hand items from people right in your neighborhood. And do not forget your neighborhood flea market, goodwill or garage sale, where gems are lurking around every corner.

Buying gently used items is one of the best and easiest ways to reduce your environmental impact and save money at the same time.

2. Replace Your Appliances

Looking to up your savings significantly by making big changes? If you are willing to invest some more money upfront, replacing your appliances with brand-new ones is one of the best ways to live green and have a positive impact on your wallet for years to come.

There is no doubt about it, large appliances such as washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, and refrigerators cost a lot of money. So it is natural to think that when you own one, you should do everything you can to fix it or keep on using it for as long as you can. However, older appliances, use up a lot of electricity, resulting in high utility bills, which add up month after month.

Consider replacing these old appliances with newer, energy-efficient ones, which are much better for the environment and lower your electricity bills. If you are interested in making this change, look for an appliance with the Energy Star label – this means that it was independently approved by the government to be an energy-efficient appliance. You can also check out the Energy Star website to calculate how much energy you could save when you replace an old appliance with a new, Energy Star-approved one.

3. Cut Commuting Costs

Your daily commute likely eats into your wallet and harms the environment. Luckily, there is a way for everything to cut commuting costs and live greener, no matter what your situation. Consider these options:

• Swap your car for your bike – It is becoming more common to see commuters biking to work. Not only will this cut your costs and eliminate pollution, but you will also likely see health benefits from a daily bike commute.
  
• Car-pool – Join forces with other environmentally-conscious co-workers and share your commute. Even if it is just one or two days a week, cutting back on the number of cars on the road will cut back on pollution, and save you in gas and toll money, too.
  
• Take public transportation – Do not rule out the bus, subway or train, even if it might take a little longer than commuting by car. Taking public transportation can free up your time during your commute to read or get some work done, all while saving money and lowering your environmental impact.

4. Grocery Shop Purposefully

Your grocery bill is one of the best places to go green and save money. Simple changes can make a huge difference when it comes to your food choices. These are just some of the many ways you can grocery shop a little more purposefully that will save you money and cut back on your environmental impact:

• Choose a local farmer’s market instead of the grocery store
  
  • Choosing a local farmer’s market will support your community, reduce environmental impact (since the food is not be shipped), help you live greener, and save you money by buying directly from the source.
    
  • Bonus tip: go to the market at the end of the day, right before it closes. You will be surprised to see just how much free or extremely-reduced price produce farmers are willing to give away before they pack up for the day.

• Shop organic fruits and vegetables in season:
  
  • Educate yourself on what produce is in the season when, and buy those organic products. In season products are less expensive than those that have been shipped from around the world, which saves you money and reduces the impact that shipping has on the environment.

• Vow to eat what you buy:
  
  • Challenge yourself to eat everything that you buy and do not let good food go to waste. Doing so adds to our landfills and hurts your wallet. 

5. Eliminate Single-Use Products

It is time to eliminate single-use products from our lives. Using a plastic bag, fork or anything else just one time and tossing it into the garbage costs us money and costs our environment greatly. Make these simple replacements to live green and help you save:

• Bottled Water:
  • Take a BPA-free or stainless steel water bottle wherever you go.

• Plastic Bags:
  • Leave a few reusable bags in your car or purse so you always have one handy for a grocery or other shopping trip.

• Plastic Utensils:
  • Only take what you need and, if you can, carry a reusable set of utensils in your purse so you can eat your take-out with those instead.

These changes might sound small, but every little bit truly does help when it comes to preserving the environment, living green and saving money.

Can I Live Green even If I am in Debt?

You can live a greener life even if you are in debt. As these examples show, living green can help you save as you work toward paying down your debt. If you are struggling to pay down your debt, these changes might not be enough, but a debt relief company can help. There are so many options out there for those looking for debt relief, whether it is debt settlement or debt consolidation. Do not hesitate to begin your journey of living green, saving money and seeking debt relief all at the same time, as it can be done!