44 Ways to Save Money by Going Green

Save the earth while savin’ that CHEDDAR.

There’s no need to do these all at once and make yourself overwhelmed, just choose two or three of the items below to add to your routine this week. Work your way up to more the next week, and even more the following week. You do you. Don’t forget to share these tips with your friends and family so they can also start saving money and, ya know, the planet.

1. Keep your vehicle’s tires inflated to the recommended PSI to save on fuel.

2. Use cloth napkins and washable rags instead of paper towels.

3. Host a yard sale.

4. Borrow (don’t buy) items like ladders and tools if you don’t expect to use them often.

5. Put a brick (sealed in a ziplock bag) inside your toilet tank to reduce the amount of water wasted in every flush. When it’s time to buy a replacement, opt for a high-efficiency toilet.

6. Buy a bidet to cut down significantly on your toilet paper use. A bidet uses 1/8th gallon of water, while a single roll of toilet paper requires 37 gallons to be made. Bidet users reportedly consume 64% less rolls of toilet paper than non-users, saving the average American family around $200 a year. Most of the world uses bidets; it’s time for North Americans to get over their aversion.

7. Turn your hot water heater’s standard setting of 140 degrees down to 120 degrees.

8. Reduce your book-print by buying used books or by giving business to your local library. If these options aren’t convenient enough or possible for you, purchase an e-reader (bonus points if it’s used!).

9. Save and reuse all gift bags and tissue paper. Also save and reuse any store shopping bags.

10. Install a water filter in your home and stop buying single-use plastic water bottles. (Most are no better than tap water anyway, and contain harmful chemical linings.)

11. Buy your clothes at consignment stores or on consignment apps. You can even purchase in-perfect-condition luxury brand items at half-price or less this way.

12. Get foods like nuts, olives, bacon bits, sun-dried tomatoes, and even some vegetables fresh at your supermarket’s salad bar instead of paying for expensive jars that sit in the back of your fridge all year.

13. Create a clothing swap group.

14. Watch a YouTube how-to video and fix a broken item yourself rather than replacing it.

15. Use cold water whenever possible. Set your washing machine to use only cold water.

16. Only buy gift wrapping paper that doesn’t have glitter, isn’t metallic, and doesn’t have texture. Being a basic bitch with your gift wrapping is better than being wasteful.

17. Pack your own lunches.

18. Use rechargeable batteries for everything you can, including remotes, toys, and smoke detectors.

19. Line dry your clothing.

20. Always opt for reusable and versatile items. Stop using disposable bowls, plates and cutlery.

21. Instead of spending money on expensive, toxic cleaning products, do some light research on which eco-friendly ingredients (that you might even already own!) are recommended for your specific cleaning purpose. Vinegar, baking soda, and tea tree oil can go a long way.

22. Cut the amount of laundry detergent you use per load in half. Always use the smallest amount possible.

23. Stop using dryer sheets altogether, or opt for a reusable replacement (like a wool dryer ball).

24. Eat less meat. Notice how we said “less” and we’re not screaming at you and blaming every CO2 particle ever emitted into the atmosphere on you if you don’t become a vegan this very instant? Yeah, because that doesn’t work. If you’re a big time carnivore that eats meat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, start cutting the meat out of one or two of those meals as a start. After a few weeks, you’ll hardly even notice that you’ve cut your meat consumption down by 66%. The next step is to start eating more meat substitutes to replace the meals you would normally eat with meat. Before you know it, meat will go from being your main food source to an afterthought. Trust us, we were in the same boat. We haven’t cut out meat completely, but we’ve drastically reduced how much we eat and truly have barely noticed the change. It really is one of the best ways to reduce your personal carbon footprint.

25. Always wait until you have a full load of dishes or clothes to start the washing machine.

26. Create a habit of turning the lights off when you exit a room.

27. Turn down the heat and grab your favorite hoodie and some warm socks instead.

28. Use a microwave instead of the oven any time you can.

29. Invest in a pressure cooker and reap the energy savings.

30. Keep in mind that a toaster oven uses less than half the amount of energy as a full-sized oven.

31. Make a habit of conserving water. Use a lower flow, turn off the tap when not in direct use, shorten your showers, repair any leaky faucets, and cover your pool to prevent evaporation.

32. Check to be sure every window is properly sealed.

33. Be sure your home is properly insulated. If it isn’t, you can insulate your walls with recycled blue jeans.

34. Bring your own reusable coffee mug to your favorite coffee shop. This will cut down on disposable cups, lids, straws, and cup sleeves, and many businesses (including Starbucks) will give you a discount for doing so.

35. Unplug everything when not in use. Vampire power (when appliances leech energy even when turned off) reportedly accounts for as much as 20% of your monthly electric bill. To make this easier on you, invest in a few power strips. This way, instead of plugging and unplugging cords all day, a few switches will do the trick.

36. Skip buying those $6 cards to go with gifts. Make your own from supplies you already have laying around.

37. Always opt to go paperless. This is not only better for the environment, but many billers will offer you a discount for saving them mailing costs.

38. Change your lightbulbs. Energy.gov states that, compared to traditional incandescents, energy-efficient lightbulbs such as halogen, CFLs, and LEDs use between 25%-80% less energy and last up to 25 times longer. LEDs are best by far.

39. Take a good, hard look at your grocery habits. Pay attention to what excess food you end up throwing out every week, and reevaluate your future purchases to eliminate food waste. Food waste is a massive methane producer and methane is anywhere from 34 to 86 times as potent as CO2. Starting a compost pile or utilizing one local to you is one of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint, immediately.

40. Cut down on vehicle use whenever possible. Carpool, bike, walk, and/or use public transportation.

41. Anytime you’re due to replace an appliance or vehicle, opt for the most eco-friendly version you can afford. Things like high-efficiency washing machines, air conditioners, dishwashers, toilets, and hybrid or electric vehicles will save you thousands of dollars in the long run.

42. Grow your own food and spices. Check out Google Images or Pinterest for inspiration on micro gardens and start utilizing your small yard spaces, balconies, walls, window sills, and rooftops. 

43. Go solar. Solar panels have become much more affordable, and many communities have organizations to help you cover the costs. Your payments for panels will replace your electric bill, often at a much smaller monthly amount, and depending on where you live, you could also enjoy some hefty tax rebates.

44. Stop buying mason jars. Instead, reuse your glass pickle jars or other grocery items.

There you have it - 44 EASY ways to save money while going green. Take screenshots of this list and start crossing the items off as you go along. Let us know how your green journey goes!