It’s Easy and Frugal to Be GREEN – 10 Simple Earth Friendly Ideas

Happy Earth Day!

Did you know that frugal living and green living often go hand in hand? Check out these 10 simple earth friendly ideas that will save you money and save Mother Earth!

1. The Return of the Clothesline – Start using a clothesline, and you'll save nearly 6% on your monthly electric bill according to the Department of Energy…plus your house will be quieter & cooler! If your city or homeowners association prohibits clotheslines, your best option is a clothes drying rack for around $30 from Amazon. I use my drying rack until the clothes are almost dry, and then I pop them in the dryer for about 10 minutes to fluff them up. So, let's do the math…if your monthly electric bill is $200, your friend the clothesline just saved you about $12 a month & $144 a year! Every little bit adds up!
2. Burn Calories, Not Gas – Walking or riding bikes is budget friendly, earth friendly and figure friendly…so, what do you have to lose? Maybe a few pounds???? Let's here it for pedal power!
3. Pay Bills Online – Save trees, save stamps, save money! Once you get in the habit, it's easy!
4. Find a Farmer's Market – Discover your local farmer's market – your budget will love the prices, and you'll love the fresh taste of just picked produce! To find a farmer's market near you, visit LocalHarvest.org and enter your zip code.
5. Stop Junk Mail – Save trees, save your sanity! It only takes a minute to visit DMAChoice.org to remove your name from mailing lists for catalogs, insurance offers and more! If you can't stand to give up your catalogs, try the free Google Catalog app and browse hundreds of catalogs online. The Google Catalog app even has a great feature that allows you to mark your favorites!
6. Reusable Lunch Containers – Instead of a brown bag, carry a lunch box. Instead of zip top bags, invest in reusable snack and sandwich bags. You'll spend a little money upfront, but you'll save money in the long run.
7. Stop Buying Bottled Water – Bottled water has become the American way, and up until three years ago…I was guilty of buying a 24-pack every single week! WOW…that's $4 a week, $16 a month and $208 a year for WATER! Stop buying bottled water and start buying refillable bottles for your family to take to work, school and sports. Try T.J. Maxx or Marshall's for inexpensive refillable bottles.
8. Unplug – Phantom Electricity is the electricity that is used when a device is plugged in but not in use. For example…you leave your cell phone charger plugged in all the time, but you only charge your phone every few days…did you know that your charger is still using electricity when it is plugged in but not charging? This is “Phantom Electricity”, and little bits are being used throughout your home everyday hence the name “phantom.” Wasted electricity is not earth friendly, and wasted electricity is wasting your money!
9. Recycle, Recycle, Recycle – If you're not recycling, this is a great week to start! The first step is to have a system and make sure everybody in your family understands it! Our family actually has far more recycling than trash, so my son suggested that we use the big trash can in the pantry for recycling, and the little trash can under the sink for trash. After a few weeks, recycling will become a habit, and your neighbors will be green with envy when you only have one small bag of trash each week!
10. Homemade Cleaning Products – Make the switch to homemade cleaning products that cost pennies to make and clean just as well without harsh chemicals. Try these recipes for homemade cleaning products.

In celebration of Earth Week, challenge your family to adopt just one of these earth friendly ideas!

SAVE MONEY, SAVE MOTHER EARTH!

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Photo courtesy of Free Web Photos

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In full disclosure, this post contains affiliate links to help support The Budget Diet girl! My advice will always be unbiased and free, but free won’t pay the bills! Thanks!