Save Money, Save Time and Save the Environment

Saving money is something everyone appreciates no matter what your financial situation may be. Living a more money-conscious and environmentally-friendly lifestyle benefits not just yourself but it also teaches our children responsibility and reduces our carbon footprint.

Save on trash bags. One of our grocery stores uses blue plastic bags that we put our recycling in instead of buying blue trash bags for recycling pickup. If we don't have any on hand we just use white ones and tie something blue to them. The recycling crew picks them up without a problem. The white bags from other stores are also used to line our bathroom trashcans. Paper bags can be composted.

Build a compost if you have a garden. The EPA estimates that at least 26 percent of household waste is compostable. This means you can save 26 percent of your annual use of trash bags every year. Furthermore, you will save money on buying soil and fertilizer when you produce your own rich compost to use in the garden. The environment will thank you because less trash trucks will have to haul away garbage into our landfills and you can eliminate the use of chemical fertilizers.

Freeze. Buy frozen vegetables if you are cooking them anyways. Frozen veggies are cheaper than fresh ones and can be bought in bulk when they are on sale. Chop onions and herbs and freeze them in freezer bags. Cook in larger quantities and freeze any left-over meals for future use. This saves time and money since you don't have to cook and wash up pots and pans another day. A full freezer is more energy efficient than an empty one so you save money this way also.

Water. If you cook your veggies or eggs without salt save the water, let it cool off and use it in your garden or pour it into your compost. I also add it to my dog's dry food sometimes. Also capture the cold water that comes out of your shower or faucet while you are waiting for warm water and use it for your plants, clean your sink or brush your teeth.

Save energy by not using the oven in summer. Your oven uses a significant amount of electricity and it also warms up your house fighting your AC. Use a crockpot, the outside grill or eat cold and fresh foods.

Turn down the thermostat on your hot water heater by a few degrees and turn it off altogether when you go on vacation.

Set your thermostat two degrees warmer in the summer and two degrees colder in the winter than you usually would.

Heating Blankets. To combat the feeling of getting into an ice-cold bed in the winter lay a fleece blanket over your fitted sheet. You will not have to climb onto a cold mattress that sucks the heat right out of you and it will keep you extra warm all night long saving you on electricity when compared to a heated blanket. If you still want to use one, be sure to turn it on 30 minutes before you go to bed just long enough to get warm and turn it off right as you get in.

Pack a lunch. You can save time by packing left-overs and when you consider that the average American spends 5 to 8 Dollars to eat out for lunch that makes at least 25 Dollars a week or more than 100 Dollars a month. You will save on the cost of food and save time by not having to wait for your order. Most likely you will also save on calories!

Run all errands at one time. If you have to go to the bank or the post office anyways make sure to go grocery shopping since you are already out. This not only saves money on gas but it also saves time because you don't need to go out twice.

Use cash. It sounds simple but it is easier to spend money when you swipe a card and harder to keep track of how much you spent.

Moving truck. If you are moving yourself and you have a towing hitch on your vehicle consider renting a trailer instead of a big truck. Not only is it cheaper to rent a trailer with the same amount of interior capacity as a truck but there is no mileage charge and it will save you on gas and tolls.

Share with your neighbors. One of our best friends lives a few doors down and whenever we consider buying a major tool, we first ask if they have it. We can borrow theirs and they borrow from us what they don't have. My other neighbor is growing veggies and will likely harvest more than she can eat. She suggested I give her some of our fruit when it ripens and she will give us some of her vegetables.

Plant a tree to save on energy bills. A tall tree in the right location will shade your home in the summer when it is full of leaves and it helps break the chilling winds in winter.

Clean with vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda whenever possible. Not only is this more environmentally friendly but it is also incredibly cheap.

Use less product. Most products tell us how many uses are in a container but often these can be stretched to save money. Use only half or three quarters the amount of dishwashing or laundry detergent and cut dryer sheets in half for the same result. A hairdresser once told me that the salon diluted all of its shampoo to save money.

Eat less meat. Meat is expensive and people who cut down on their meat consumption save on their grocery bill.

Applying all of these tips for saving money to your daily routine will bring in significant cash savings and help the environment. How much money can you save?