If you’ve never thought about it, it’s time that you did. Making the decision to live green in an effort to save the environment is great! Because at the end of the day, we all benefit. But have you ever thought about how going green can save you save money? In a previous post, I listed a few things you could do to trim your electricity bill. But what else can you do to help the environment and benefit at the same time?
I came up with these five ways to live green. Chances are, you’re going to read this post and go “Oh yea, I do that already.” But if these thoughts never crossed your mind, give them a try.
1. Pay your bills online – By not printing your bills (or having them printed and mailed to you), you can save paper and pay your bills online. Some of the commercial banks allow you to set up online payments, so that you can pay your bills on time. If you’re an extremely busy person, this can save you some time and headaches, especially if you forgot to pay a bill. The only issue would be whether your service provider offers such a service.
2. Donate clothes to the Salvation Army – My mum has been doing this for years. A couple times a year, I go through my closet and take out clothes that are a bit too snug. I only send the clothes that are still in good condition, so that they can be of some use to someone. Don’t send clothes that are worn and torn.
3. Use refillable containers – Another way to live green is use refillable containers. Many of us do this already in many ways. Taking to work lunch in a container as opposed to using foil, plastic bags and plastic wrap, this can save you in the long run. You can also put leftovers in containers and store them in the refrigerator.
4. Re-use jars – There are so many things that you can do with glass jars. My mum makes seasoning and crushed hot peppers and she puts it into jars to give away. We’ve accumulated jars from mayonnaise, alfredo sauce and peanut butter. I use glass jars to hatch seedlings and a homemade piggy bank to save coins.
5. Hold garage sales instead of dumping – One man’s junk is another man’s treasure. I’ve never been to a garage sale, but I’ve heard of some cases where people found lovely items, fixed them up a bit and made them brand new. You can get rid of stuff that you’ve had for a while and no longer have a use for.