Who doesnn’t want to save a little bit of money?  How about saving some money and being environmentally friendly?  Guess what—they can go together pretty easily.

Going green can save you a lot of money in time.  The thing that scares people away from starting to go green are start-up costs.

You don’t have to worry too much about this factor.  The best way to tackle this fear is to sit back and think about what is realistic for you.  What are you able to change and put into your lifestyle on a day-to-day basis? Can you sustain these changes for the long run?

There are a few steps you can take to help preserve our environment and save a little money, too:

1. Change out standard light bulbs for compact fluorescent bulbs.  CF bulbs will cost more than regular light bulbs, but have a greater lifespan.  They last for around four years and in time end up paying for themselves instead of you paying for more regular light bulbs.

2. Use a clothes line instead of a dryer.  Give it a shot.  If it’s a nice day outside, hang up your clothes on a line.  It may give your clothes a refreshing air smell, too.

3. Wash your clothes in cold water.  Hot water needs electricity to warm up.  Save some electricity and use colder washes.

4. Always wash a full load of laundry.  Using water for a few pieces of clothing wastes not only water, but electricity. Check out this article for how to do your laundry while conserving energy.

5. Clean a full dishwasher.  It’s alright to wait to wash your dishes until your dishwasher is full.  Also, try using an energy-saver mode instead of a standard mode.

6. Car pool or take public transportation. By driving with some friends or taking the bus, you could save on gas emissions.

7. Walk or ride a bicycle.  This will save some money on gas and will also keep up your health.

8. Add insulation to your home. By adding insulation in your attic, your home will be warmer in the winter and help reduce air leaks through the roof. By conserving energy you won’t need to use as much in the first place.

9. Get a programmable thermostat.  These thermostats automatically adjust to your home set time temperatures. For example, you can program the thermostat to turn off when you go to work, but you can also program it to turn on before you get home so the house is comfortable when you walk through the door.  Pretty amazing, no?

Simple changes can be made in daily lifestyles that will help you save money and save the environment. They may seem insignificant, but over time, the changes are incredibly significant.

 

Green Living