Going Green and Saving Money!

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There are so many ways to save money and sometimes I can get overwhelmed by it all. Well, here are some super easy ways to go green and save money. Nothing wrong with getting a little crunchy and green, is there?


1. Turn the water down or OFF!
When you brush your teeth or wash your hands do you really need the water blasting from the faucet? Do you even have to have it running the whole time? Get your hands/toothbrush wet and turn off the water. Carry on as usual with the scrubbing and than turn the water back on to rinse. Might not seem like much, but in the long run this helps save. Now this whole water conservation ideal doesn't apply to those moments when a good old fashioned kitchen shower is a must. Bwahahaha! 

2. Paper, please! 
Okay… so not so much saving here as much as there is green living. Lovely, paper sacks are a kids (or pets) best friend! Kids can make little costumes, use them for art projects, etc and pets can, well, destroy them. It’s always the box that is the best toy right? Well, same goes for paper sacks. Plus the bonus is that paper is more biodegradable than plastic. Win-Win in my book!

3. Use washcloths, not paper towels.
Yes, you have to wash washcloths but it really won’t add up to as much washed as the what you pay for paper towels. And even if you get the cheapest paper towels don’t you run into the issue that you have to use a zillion of them to get the job done? Yah… washcloths are awesome! Plus the extra bonus is that this gives a new purpose to some of those beat up washcloths that were wedding gifts 15+ years ago. You don’t have any of those? Hmm… well neither do I. Now.

4. Cloth napkins make a table beautiful and green!
My kids are messy at some meals so when I expect them to be a bit messier than most, I pass out the cloth napkins. This also helps dress up the table a bit more too. The more the napkins are patterned the less stains show up. You can make these yourself from leftover fabrics too! OR the KIDS can learn to make these… (wink wink)

5. Homemade Household Cleaners 
Vinegar is your new best friend! Some people complain about the smell when using vinegar for a cleaning product. I think it smells fresh! Ammonia is my complaint! For vinegar, add some lemon to it if you’d like. Just be careful what you add and than clean, some additives will cause issues with the item you are cleaning. Baking soda added to vinegar makes a lovely volcano, so I would not recommend that. BUT using baking soda with water to scrub a challenging area and then spritzing a bit of vinegar on it adds a bit more umph to your elbow power.

6. Homemade Dishwasher Soap
I love this stuff! Easy to make, cheaper than in the store and not as many additives as well. Some people even make their own laundry soap. I have not braved that road yet.

7. Turn down the thermostat a few degrees
You can save anywhere from 1% to 3% with each degree you adjust your thermostat down. The key is to not change it every day but instead use your thermostats program feature and have it run everything every day. I program mine to drop low at night and come back on during the day. When we are all gone for a day/week I have it drop again too.

While you are at it, replace your furnace filter! It helps things run more efficiently and filters more dust out of your house. Less dust means less dusting… right? Let me have my dreams! Plus changing out your furnace filter will get you in your furnace and you can learn to watch for things… like if a drain is off and leaking on the igniter switch. (grrrr)

What other GREEN and money saving methods
have you learned about or started doing?
I would love more ideas!

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