Wanting to live greener and save money? Do both at the same time with these tips.
People often think being eco-friendly costs more money but really it can be extremely frugal. Using less should be the biggest goal of green living and using less saves a lot of money.
When people ask me about making an effort to live greener I always stress not to do it all at once. With this list, take a few things at a time and slowly add in more.
Some of these things will save you just a small amount of money but it will add up. It’s often easier to save money by making small changes because it makes less of a change to your current lifestyle.
Frugal Green Living Tips
- Use a clothesline.
- Ditch single-use plastic and paper products.
- Start a garden.
- Make your own laundry soap.
- Run your washer and dishwasher only when full.
- Meal plan.
- Buy things used.
- Make your own cleaners.
- Choose low energy appliances.
- Have a date night at home.
- Eat less meat.
- Downsize your home.
- Make your own chicken broth.
- Replace burned out light bulbs with energy-efficient LED light bulbs.
- Use filtered water instead of bottled water.
- Turn down the heat and bundle up instead.
- Make your own coffee at home.
- Cut up old t-shirts for cleaning rags.
- Use white vinegar and/or dryer balls in place of fabric softener.
- Make your own baking mixes.
- Learn vintage skills like sewing.
- Buy fruits and vegetables that are in season.
- Install low flow toilets and showerheads.
- Cook more at home.
- Use your library more.
- Add weather stripping to windows and doors.
- Stop vampire energy by unplugging things when not in use or using smart power strips.
- Walk, ride your bike, or use public transportation more.
- Take care and maintain what you own.
- Buy commonly used items in bulk.
When I stick to the things on this list our bills for the month always go down. We’d rather use our money for fun experiences than on bills and things we don’t need. It’s a big added bonus to know I’m helping the environment.
Want more frugal living tips? Check out Vintage Homemaking Skills, Depression Era Tips, and Lessons from the Amish. And follow me on Pinterest for even more frugal living and green living tips.
Leslie
These are great and I really want to start a few of these things soon. I actually want to start a garden because I have wanted to for years. I do unplug my gadget cords when I am not using them. I love being cold because being hot makes me angry, hah. So I love to bundle up in a sweatshirt and sweatpants with cabin socks. These are great ideas!
Lisa Sharp
Glad you liked them! My husband is the same about being hot. 🙂 I love wrapping up in blankets so I don’t mind.
David Jones
These tips are very useful for an individual. By following these tips one can save a large amount of money, but if we think about it on environmental basis, we will get to know that apart from saving money we can save a lot of energy for the future and can create a better and greener place for us to live.