Going Green on a Budget

Going green... everyone is talking about, it's on every other Web page and all over the news and commercials, but does anyone really know what it means? It might surprise you to learn that going green doesn't necessarily mean buying all those expensive products and things you're seeing advertised on television. In fact, going green the right way can actually save your money!

Let's look at some 'going green' tips that can save you money and help you plan your budget.

Going Green Means Saving Money Tip #1 - Hand Wash and Air Dry Dishes

Instead of using the heated dryers on your dishwasher and wasting the extra water and electricity, welcome back the good old days of filling up your sink with water, using biodegradable dishwashing detergent, and hand wash those dishes. They'll probably get cleaner if you do them by hand anyway and you'll save money on your water bill, electric bill, and dishwashing detergent expenses.

Going Green Means Saving Money Tip #2 - Turn off Computer Monitor

If you have a desktop computer, instead of letting the screen go to screen saver when you walk away, simply push the button on the screen to turn it off. If you're going to be away from the computer for more than a few hours, you may as well power down the entire computer and save a few dollars on the electric bill while helping the environment too.

Going Green Means Saving Money Tip #3 - Turn Thermostats Down

Whether it's your air conditioner or water heater or the temperature on your dishwasher--wherever you have a thermostat or the ability to set a temperature, simply turn it down five to ten degrees. You likely won't notice a major difference overall, but the effects on your bills and the environment could be tremendous.

Going Green Means Saving Money Tip #4 - Use Reusable Grocery Bags/Sacks

I was shocked when I went into a grocery store the other day and found they were now charging for grocery bags! There was a surcharge on the receipt for grocery bags made of plastic and a more expensive one for bags made of paper. They did, however, offer boxes they were recycling/reusing for free, and you were welcome to purchase a reusable sack or bag or use one of your own.

Going Green Means Saving Money Tip #5 - Reuse Household Items

Coffee Grounds are wonderful for using on rose bushes and will safe you fertilizer money and are much better for the environment than chemicals. Milk gallon jugs can be reused to hold bottled water or to make tea or sun tea outside. Baby food jars can be used to organize small items. Instead of throwing something away, ask yourself if there is some use that item can be reused for.

Going Green Means Saving Money Tip #6 - Misc. Electric Items

You can buy eco-friendly lightbulbs and save money on your electric bill while protecting the environment. You can buy power strips and plug your appliances into them and flip them off for the night, saving electric 'leaks' on your bill (one power company said this could save as much as $20 per month!). Buy weather sealing and seal around your doors and windows, saving on your heating and cooling bills. Don't forget to have your air conditioner and heater inspected annually for peak performance.

Going Green Means Saving Money Tip #7 - Misc. Water Items

Turn off water faucets when brushing teeth or when washing hair in the sink and only turn the water back on when you need to use it again. Purchase low flow or restricted flow faucets and showerheads when you need to replace them. Fill up a milk gallon with water and sink it in your toilet to reduce the amount of water used on each flush, and only flush your toilet when you use it for bathroom purposes. A waste basket can be used for refuse that is not biological in nature (if you get my drift), and save water from flushing unnecessarily. Water the yard early in the morning before the sun gets too high so the yard is damp during the heat of the day. Do not water during peak sunlight hours.

Going Green Means Saving Money Tip #8 - Replace Appliances

If you can afford to replace appliances with eco-friendly energy-efficient machines, do so. If not, wait until an appliance is in need of repair or replacement, and replace it with an environmentally safer model.

Going Green Means Saving Money Tip #9 - Change Your Bills to Online Access

Getting your bills via email or by checking your online account access can save money and resources to send your bill to you, thus helping reduce waste and natural resources. Change all your bills to online access or to be sent via email.

Going Green Means Saving Money Tip #10 - Support Eco-Friendly Businesses

When you give your business to companies that are eco-friendly, you support their desire to go green with your own. Give companies that strive to be friendly to the environment your business, and the more people who do this, the lower the prices on these items will be! Let the corporations know you care about going green by speaking their language - buy from them!