Last Updated on September 2, 2024
When thinking of environmental-friendly measures to implement around their houses, people don’t exactly think of those as being frugal or economical. Also, for many, such measures seem to require plenty of time and resources, and few are willing to implement those, mainly because of this reason.
But the multitude of tips and lifehacks available on the Internet may help you decrease the costs and turn your property into a truly frugal one. yes, going green and saving money at the same time is possible, and it does require time, but not as much as many may think. Below is our 6-point list that will help you in the process.
#1. Drive Less
Going green and frugal can be accomplished in an initial phase by simply ditching your personal car and taking the bus or other public transportation means. If your family is already having two vehicles, sell one if this is a realistic prospect.
Not only you will save money, but you will also make some extra money. You will generate less greenhouse gasses, you will save money on car insurance and gas. Compared to bus and train ticket prices, selling one of your vehicles and relying on public transportation seems to work amazingly for decreasing your expenses and living a greener lifestyle.
You should also consider ridesharing services, at least with your co-workers and help them also save some money and going green.
#2. Switch Off, unplug
In your childhood, you most likely experienced some yelling and threats when forgetting to turn off the lights. Well, surprise, your parents were right. You have to always remember switch off the lights and unplug electrical devices when not using those, if you want to save some money and avoid energy waste.
According to the European Union heating systems are the main energy consumers in a household, at a 64.7 % rate of final energy consumption in the residential sector. Wasting energy around your house is a certain way to make your electricity bills go up through the roof.
Make a conscious effort when it comes to energy use and always remember to switch off the lights when you’re not actively needing those, but also to unplug any electrical device which isn’t actively used. Surprisingly enough, electrical appliances and devices will use energy in idle mode as well. Replace all your light bulbs with LED lights. They have a longer lifespan and use a smart technology that decrease overall energy consumption in a household.
Alternatively, you could have an energy audit performed on your property. The company will most likely make some recommendations, depending on the score that you get.
#3. Save water and save money at the same time
Water waste is one of the biggest concerns environmental agencies warn about. You can help reduce water waste by implementing a simple strategy that, surprisingly, will also help you save some pounds on water bills. Start by conserving water around your house. When you let the shower water run to heat up, place a bucket underneath.
Collect all the water that otherwise would be wasted and use it to water your plants or garden. Replace the existing sanitary elements and fixtures in your home with more efficient ones. Smart faucets and showerheads are a great place to start. You will eliminate waste in the long run, and this will shortly become noticeable in your bills.
Natural landscaping will help you decrease the loads of water used for watering your lawn, so it’s worth considering such an option.
#4. Implement green practices in your laundry room
Washing and drying your clothing is more damaging for the environment than you may think. Not to mention that too much laundry room activity will make your monthly expenses skyrocket. Washers use enormous amounts of water in their cycles, but also can increase energy consumption if improperly used.
Too frequent washes and too heavy loads will increase your expenses but also your environmental print, which can be simply avoided by assigning certain days of the week for washer use. If you have a balcony, terrace or yard, ditch your dryer and simply have your loads air-dry.
This is a far more effective method, widely used around Europe. Decrease the temperature at which you wash your clothing. It will last longer, in the long run, but your electricity bill will also decrease.
#5. Reduce the trash your household produces
If you want to turn your household into an eco-friendly one, and manage to save some money while doing so, try to reduce the volume of trash and waste generated by your household as much as possible. Some people aim to implement a zero-waste strategy, which seems to work surprisingly well.
Reduce, recycle, reuse is a good principle on which to guide your future decisions. And you will manage to save some cash on garbage bags and removal services. Try to replace plastic bags with reusable containers.
Consider doing your weekly shopping at small, local shops that allow to bring your own containers and refill those. Turn organic waste into compost and use it in your yard or garden. If you don’t have a yard or a garden, search for local farm or families you can donate your compost.
#6. Stop eating out
This is obvious when trying to save money, but if you really think about it, it can also be a friendlier alternative for the environment. Food waste is a big concern in today’s society, and besides supermarkets, restaurants generate just as much food waste.
If you don’t want to contribute to this trend, stop eating our and you’ll also save some money. Instead, try to cook at home and you’ll also be more attentive of your ingredients and how nutritious they are.
These small tips and lifehacks will help you save generous amounts of money on a monthly basis, but also allow you to become a mindful household, a household that doesn’t contribute to perpetuating a toxic trend of waste and pollution.
