Fight Financial Hardship with Sustainable Living

Many families are feeling a financial pinch these days. In fact, most families are feeling it in one form or another. The good thing about financial hardship is that it usually causes us to be thrifty with our green and that brings us closer to being green. By doing some very basic gardening, recycling/re-purposing and using what nature provides free of charge, you and your family can save a great deal of money as well as live a little greener. Consider these win-win possibilities for your home and family.

Victory Gardens

Victory gardens were small family gardens grown during the World Wars to reduce the pressure on the public food supply brought on by the war effort. These gardens allowed their growers to feel empowered and eat well. During times of financial hardship, families will often forgo fresh produce and buy starchy staples that are less expensive and more filling. This leads to deteriorating health and malnutrition. Now may just be the time for you to have your own victory garden.

Did you know that you could grow fresh herbs in coffee cans on a windowsill for a fraction of the cost of buying herbs in a grocery store? Seeds cost less than a dollar per package and one package will provide you with fresh herbs for years.

Did you know that for the cost of the store-bought vegetables for a salad for four you could grow enough vegetables in your backyard to keep your family in salad all spring and summer? Cucumbers, lettuce and tomatoes require practically no maintenance at all. Just plant the seeds, water them and start picking your salad fresh every day.

You don't need to have a great backyard to grow your own produce. Did you know that there are varieties of fruit like strawberries and tomatoes that you can grow indoors, year round? For the cost of one pint of strawberries, you can buy an everbearing strawberry plant that will produce strawberries indoors for as long as you water the plant. For the cost of one pound of tomatoes, you can purchase an everbearing tomato plant that will provide fresh tomatoes for your family all year long.

Recycling (or Re-purposing)

We all know recycling is good for the environment but have you considered repurposing? Consider the bottled water you buy at work. Imagine the money you could save by buying a water filter and refilling your water bottles at home.

Most people recycle their Sunday paper but have you considered keeping the Sunday Comics from your newspaper to use for gift wrap? Why pay six dollars for gift wrap on Johnny's birthday when you could just as easily use the funny pages for free?

How many containers do you throw away every week? From the plastic containers for sour cream to the big buckets you get pretzels in at the big box store. These containers can be washed and repurposed. Use large containers for keeping flour, sugar or cereals. Use the small containers instead of buying those expensive plastic containers you use to pack your lunch or leftovers in.

Using Nature

Many of us have become so accustomed to the modern conveniences we pay for that we've completely forgotten about what nature provides us absolutely free.

Do you use an electric clothes dryer in the summer months? Consider using a clothesline. Your clothes will smell fresh without the fabric softener and, if you have children, you could save anywhere from twenty to one-hundred dollars a month in electricity costs.

Do you turn up the thermostat before you open the curtains in the morning? Consider the money you can save by making use of the passive solar heat available from windows. Just open your curtains and save some money.

Do you let your air conditioner run at night? Often the temperature dips low enough at night that simply opening a few windows can cool your house without the cost of running an air conditioner.

Growing produce in gardens or window boxes, repurposing household items and using what nature provides absolutely free can not only give you extra cash in your pocket at the end of the month but they are all ways to incorporate green living in your day-to-day life.

Good for your wallet and the planet - how can you lose?