This Earth Day, Save the Planet - and Save $4,000/yr, Too

  Living a greener life is one of the fastest, easiest ways to save money. In fact, you can save almost $4,000 every year by taking easy steps to use less energy, reduce waste, and simplify your lifestyle. In honor of Earth Day, I've compiled this list of cost-cutting strategies that benefit your pocketbook as well as the planet.

Here's how:

Go Green                                                             Save Money

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb ………………            $5 - $10/yr per bulb

Reusable Water Bottle ……………………………           $ 500/yr on bottled water

Take Lunch to Work …………………………………      $1560/yr on throwaway lunch stuff

Programmable Thermostat ………………………           $150/yr on home heating/cooling

Low Flow Shower Heads, H2O Saving Toilets …           $72/yr on water heating, wasting

Smart Power Strip ……………………………………..     $94/yr on energy for electronics

Window and Door Weather Stripping …………            $129/yr on home heating/cooling

Improve Car Fuel Economy –
        upgrade from 20 mph to 35 mph …………..            $884/yr on gasoline
        drive “smart” ……………………………….               $600/yr

Skip One Driving Trip Each Week …………                   $225/yr on gasoline

Energy Star Washing Machine ………………                $50/yr on water heating
      (plus 7,000 gallons H2O)

Make-at-Home Cleansers …………………                    $300/yr on cleansers

Total ……………………………           $3,690/yr

PLUS: Swap, Trade Using Freecycle.org, EBay, Craig’s List - more $$$$$

For years, naysayers have claimed that "being eco is too expensive." Not any more.

Want more ideas on how to shift spending to live greener and save money? Check out the One in a Million budget sheet.

Comments

[adamsmom06]

I just came across your site and I like it very much. Most people think that it costs a ton of money to be eco-friendly, when in reality it can save you money. I never realized how much money could be saved by just skipping one trip in the car. Amazing. I found an article your readers might enjoy that gives several good tips to save money while being environmentally friendly at http://www.destroydebt.com/articles/76-ways-to-save-money-while-saving-the-environment.html. Thanks for the great info!

[Green Fundraising]

Great post, again. Going to tweet this post URL...good source of motivation for the husband, father in many households. I've found going green is directly tied to their pocketbooks in many cases!

www.ecolabelfundraising.com

[Justin Keller]

thanks for the great tips. you are right people always complain about going green is expensive, but here you have actually showed ways to save.

[carrie]

the planet isn't the only thing that needs saving. the rainforest does too.

[carrie]

be sure to visit http://bit.ly/3IAahQ to help save the rainforest!

[Kyle]

it's good to be a bit wary of sustainable claims - there’s a lot of doubt surrounding which methods/products are truly sustainable and which are just green washing. Check out our myth-busting video “What’s Your Big Green Lie?!” which gives a taste of the widespread ignorance of green issues including cloth VS disposable diapers at http://www.biggreenlies.com.

[Sameer Ranade]

Hi Diane!

I thought your tips were excellent! I'm currently working as an intern on the Driver Smarter Challenge with the Alliance to Save Energy. If I may, I'd like to elaborate a little on your tips regarding 'driving smart'. That entail:

-Making sure your tires are properly inflated. This can boost your fuel economy by around 3 % and save you upwards of $25 a year

-Drive no more than 60 mph on the freeway. This is huge, as each 5mph driven above 60mph is like paying an extra quarter per gallon of gas!

-Avoid idling, as this uses more gas than it takes to turn off and restart your engine. If you're parked for more than 30 seconds (not at a stop light, of course) like at a train track or bridge opening, it's best to shut your engine off.

Please click on the following link to take the Drive Smarter Challenge and get more valuable tips: www.http://drivesmarterchallenge.org/

This will also lead to $20 worth of coupons for your next motor oil purchase. Thank you so much for doing all you can to go green as well as save green!