Living sustainably is a win-win — it's better for the environment and it can save you some serious money. This article walks through several green habits that will keep more green in your wallet, too. Another great way to help the environment and save money is by installing solar panels. To learn more, check out Panasonic's resource hub for homeowners interested in solar.
A green lifestyle can sometimes seem overwhelming or costly. However, you can reduce your environmental impact without breaking the bank if you adopt a few simple and frugal habits.
Keeping that in mind, here are 20 frugal sustainable living tips to help you save money and start a more sustainable lifestyle today.
What is one of the best ways to save money and reduce your environmental impact? Cut down on your energy usage around the house.
According to reports, the average U.S. family spends more than $2,200 on home utility bills every year. If you reduce your energy consumption, though, this amount can be lowered by as much as 25%.
Several simple steps can be taken to achieve this, including:
All those single purchases and the waste of single-use packaging add up to a higher long-term cost for single-use items. These items also contribute to a large amount of waste.
Fortunately, all of these items are available in reusable form. With innovative new materials and products, reducing “single-use” waste has never been simpler.
In your cabinet, you should always have the following four staples:
Climate change and other environmental problems are directly related to meat production. In fact, according to the UN Food and Agricultural Organization, meat and dairy production accounts for nearly 14.5% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. What’s more, plant-based diets are typically 10 to 50 times more climate-friendly than animal products, which can greatly reduce emissions.
In addition, meatless diets save people an average of $23 per week on food.
While you don’t have to become a vegetarian or vegan, you can minimize your environmental impact and save money by reducing your meat consumption. Also, consider choosing more sustainable choices, such as grass-fed beef and organic produce locally.
There is an enormous problem with food waste. The average household wastes about 43% of the food it produces. For an average family, this amounts to $1,500 thrown away every year!
As such, eating leftovers will help you avoid food waste and save you money. You can also freeze food if you are concerned that it will go bad before you can eat it.
It is estimated that Americans use 50 billion water bottles each month or 13 per person. It is also important to keep in mind that domestically bottled water averages between about $1 and $2 per 16-ounce bottle.
Plastics can also impart bisphenol A and phthalates into drinking water, which are known to disrupt the reproductive system.
Despite the convenience of a disposable bottle, it is detrimental to the environment, your health, and your finances. You could save money, protect the environment, and reduce health risks by switching to a durable, reusable bottle.
Among the benefits of shopping secondhand are:
Do not automatically discard broken items when they break. Instead, try repairing it. Using this method can save you money and reduce landfill waste.
Getting help from many repair shops is possible if you don’t know how to fix something yourself. There are also many DIY repair tutorials available online. Also, on YouTube, you will find plenty of videos about repair.
One easy frugal tip is to purchase food and toiletries in bulk. Why? Well, here are five good reasons:
A high-quality product that will last you for years is a better investment than purchasing a cheap version of the same product every year, even if you don’t consider it part of a list about saving money.
Even though high-quality items are usually more expensive, there are a few things you should keep in mind:
Whether you choose aluminum over plastic, cotton over blends of polyester, solid wood furniture over plywood, you save money if you invest in quality upfront. One drawback remains, however. The cost of buying high-quality items requires disposable income, so you shouldn’t worry if that’s not an option right now.
Keeping the three Rs in mind is one of the best ways to minimize your environmental impact. Don’t buy as much stuff as possible, reuse everything you can, and recycle everything you can.
The following are some specific tips for reducing, reusing, and recycling:
In comparison to store-bought chemicals, homemade cleaners offer the following advantages:
Food that you grow yourself reduces your environmental impact and saves you money on groceries. Gardens, balconies, and even windowsills are all great places to grow food.
It is possible to find many resources online and in libraries if you need help figuring out where to start. In addition, there are likely gardening classes and workshops available in your area.
Did you know that food scraps can be upcycled? In other words, they will be used to grow a new batch of produce. You can use the process on lettuce, celery, green onions, and other vegetables. Just a cup of water is usually enough to get started.
There is no doubt that driving contributes greatly to air pollution and climate change. Consider walking, biking, or taking public transportation whenever possible. You can reduce your carbon footprint and save money by doing this.
If you follow this simple tip, you’ll be able to prolong the life of your products and save money over time. In addition to saving you time, your new minimalist practice will prevent you from going on extra shopping trips.
Even though FOMO might make this challenging, you might not want to buy the latest phone for the following reasons:
With Buy Nothing, you can get rid of unwanted things around your house and get things you need for free. As their motto states “Buy Nothing. Share Everything,” a sustainable living app aimed at the community.
Additionally, you can find Facebook groups that sell nothing as well as this app.
By shopping locally, you reduce the impact of transportation on the environment and support your local economy.
For example, a local farmstand or farmers’ market. Aside from being fresher, the produce is more nutritious.
The food at your farmers market may be more expensive in some places, but it’s likely you’ll find plenty of inexpensive options as well. Consider buying seconds (imperfect produce), buying in bulk, or even bartering.
When your closet doesn’t inspire you, consider swapping clothes with friends, family, or neighbors instead of heading to the mall.
Alternatives to shopping like this keep clothing out of landfills, freshen your wardrobe, and don’t drain your wallet. You can also add new clothes to your closet for free and clean out your closet at the same time!
Making a difference to the environment is as easy as getting involved in your community. Consider getting involved with your local environmental organization, starting a community garden, or advocating for sustainable policies.
Meeting new people, learning new skills, and impacting the world around you are all benefits of becoming involved in your community. Plus, this is a free activity.
To live a frugal and eco-friendly lifestyle, you need to be conscious of how much you consume. In order to do this, you must pay attention to what you buy, why you buy it, and how much you use it.
If you’re thinking about purchasing something, ask yourself if you really need it and if there are better alternatives. Also, avoid impulse buys and make smarter purchases. Whenever you use resources, such as water and energy, conserve them whenever possible.
Living a frugal and eco-friendly lifestyle has many benefits, such as:
The following are some ways to save money on groceries without harming the environment:
Saving money on transportation without harming the environment can be achieved in a number of ways, including:
In order to minimize the environmental impact of home maintenance, there are many ways to save money:
This article was written by John Rampton from Due and was legally licensed through the DiveMarketplace by Industry Dive. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com.