How to Cut Your Household Budget by Going Green
>> Mar 23, 2020
Living green means
reducing consumption and waste. These two things are also essential to saving
money. When you adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle, you can begin to fortify your
finances.
The good news is
that you don’t have to make dramatic changes that completely alter the way your
family lives. Instead, you can start doing small things that cut utility
expenses and allow you to live comfortably within your budget. What steps can
you take to live greener and lower your household expenses?
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Plan Your Meals and
Grocery Shopping Trips
Instead of winging
it every week, plan daily meals. Figure out portion sizes and number of
servings needed. Use this information to buy quantities that you’ll use during
the week. This is especially important for perishable items like produce. When
you don’t overbuy, you’ll be less likely to throw food away.
Schedule grocery
shopping trips so you get everything all at once. Multiple trips can add to the temptation to
buy things you don’t need and will increase your fuel costs.
Upgrade to
Renewable Technology
If you are already
doing everything you can to lower your consumption and costs, then it may be
time to try renewable energy. A residential solar system can significantly
decrease your utility expenses. You may be able to use net metering to earn
credit by feeding energy back into the grid.
You could reduce or
even eliminate your monthly electricity bill, depending on how much you rely on
solar panels. If you have questions about living greener talk to your local
electrician.Only use reputable installers like Connect Electric who offer lifetime
guarantees on their work.Solar panels can save money while protecting the
environment.
Use Nature to Warm
or Cool Your Home
Let natural
sunlight in or keep it out to control the temperature inside your home. On cool
days, open blinds and curtains so that the sun can shine inside. This will heat
up the area even before your furnace kicks on. On hot days, keep the blinds or
curtains closed to shield your interior rooms from the heat of the sun.
Rent, Borrow or Buy
Used
Rent, borrow or buy
used items as much as possible. This is especially helpful for non-essential
things like entertainment. When you buy second hand, you prevent those items
from going to landfills. You’ll also pay a lot less than you would when buying
new.
Unplug Devices and
Appliances
Unplug as many
electronic devices and appliances as you can when not in use. This includes
things like televisions, computers, microwaves, and gaming systems.
These devices continue to consume electricity, even
when they are turned off or in standby mode. That’s energy that is completely
wasted. Even though it wasn’t used for anything productive, you’ll still have
to pay for it. Pulling the plug is good for your budget and the environment.
Wash Full Loads of
Dishes and Laundry
If you use a
dishwasher or washing machine, only run them when you have a full load. This reduces
the number of loads done each week which cuts down on water and electricity
consumption. You still get clean clothes and dishes but at a lower operational
cost.