Since I moved out of my parents house, I had adopted a few ways to live a greener (and more importantly cheaper!) lifestyle. Below are 10 ways I live a green life.
1) Use reusable bags for grocery shopping – I have reusable bags from Kroger and Target. I even got one from my trip to Florida and one from a conference. 4 big reusable bags can hold as much stuff as 10 smaller plastic bags. You save on time, energy (from walking back and forth between your trunk and your house/apartment), and space (seriously, how many plastic bags are currently crammed in a random cabinet or drawer!) In some cases (like at Kroger) you can get a credit on your grocery bill - roughly $0.15 off per bag you bring to the register!
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2) Reuse glass jars – I reuse them to store sauces for my packed lunch. I use them to hold trinkets like bobby pins and hair clips. I even use them to store berries to keep them fresh for tiny bit longer (something that I accidently discovered recently). Plus, glass jars can be cleaned in the dishwasher, so you do not have to worry about leeching plastics.
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3) Pack a lunch – This is something that I try to do, and sometimes succeed at. Packing a lunch creates less trash (from carry out containers) and saves you $$$ (roughly $10.00 a day). Somtimes, if I'm carrying a lot of items to make my lunch, I use one of my reusable bags as my lunch bag.
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4) Bring a portable coffee mug or water bottle to work – Once again, creates less trash and saves $$$ (average bottle of water $3.00, for coffee roughly $4.00). Some places like Starbucks and Espresso Royale give discount for people who bring travel mugs.
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5) RECYCLCE RECYCLE RECYCLE – Need I say more!
6) Recycle junk mail – I’m sure that we all get lots of junk mail - those big huge paper ads for local restaurants and stores, glossy pages for Gardner White’s sales (which they ALWAYS have), and weekly sales ad for Meijer, Kroger, Trader Joes, etc. How much of it do you actually use? Do you just throw them away? DON’T! Designate a space near your recycling center for paper and find one of these babies:
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The junk mail will be recycled into other paper goods!
7) Bank online – I know, I know, with a lot of savvy hackers out there, this one may be a little uneasy for some people. Believe me, as someone who a victim of identity theft (in a small way), I completely understand. However, by banking online, you cut down on paper (that you will have to shred eventually) and it saves on gas due to fewer trips to the bank.
8) Clean with vinegar and baking soda – You have a cleaner for counters (roughly $4.00-$6.00), you have a cleaner for mirrors ($3.00-$8.00), and you have a cleaner for the floors ($4.00-$8.00). Why not save all that $$$$$$ and buy a big thing of vinegar to clean all three. 1 gallon (128 oz) of vinegar = $6.00 = $0.5 per ounce! Compare to one 32 oz of Lysol Mildew Remover with Bleach Disinfectant spray at $4.99 = $0.15 per ounce)! Check out 1001 Uses for White Distilled Vinegar for more ways you can use vinegar to clean AND save $$$. I recently discovered that you can use vinegar instead of softener in your wash to further break up the detergent and leave your clothes smelling fresh, surprisingly soft and keeping money in your wallet! No more downy ($) for me. Baking soda is for the harder to clean stains, or when you want a little grit in your cleaning!
9) “Febreeze” your clothes with Vodka – VODKA! WHAT!? Yes, vodka. Simply spritz your duds with the stuff, then hang to dry in a well-ventilated area. (Do a spot-test first to be safe.) Vodka kills odor-causing bacteria, but doesn't leave a scent when dry. I typically buy the cheapest vodka that I can get and the biggest bottle ($11.99). Yes, I get weird looks from the cashier ("Why on earth would she drink THAT bottom shelf liquor!"), but the smell of Febreeze ($4.99 for 18.5 oz) aggravates my migraines. Not only do I save $$$, but it’s better for my health. Vodka can do more than freshen up clothes. Read more at the Daily Green.
10) Rinse hair with Apple Cider Vinegar – This one is really for the ladies out there. Many beauty experts tell us that we should use a clarifying shampoo once a week or once every other week to rinse out hair product residue in our hair from hairspray, hair gel, our regular shampoo and conditioner. 1 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar does the exact same thing! If you buy this in bulk, it will cost less in the long run. Bonus: it also leaves your hair smelling like fresh apples. Just watch your eyes when you are pouring the vinegar onto your hair. . .it stings . . or so I heard!
So there are 10 ways that I live Green and save money at the same time.
