I’ve got two words for you: Live. Green.

Living green is probably one of the fastest, easiest ways to save money.

√ You spend less because you end up buying less, which lets you save more.

√ The shifts you make to greener products and services improve your quality of life and are better for the planet – saving energy, saving water, reducing pollution, and creating a healthier environment.

Here are 13 of the easiest, quickest shifts you can make to start saving money right away, with thanks to the Trust Deed Scotland, our sponsors for this post.

 13 Ways to Save $5,000 a Year

• Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb ………………………………… $5 – $10/yr/per bulb
  (shift from incandescent bulbs to CFLs or LEDs for electricity savings)

• Reusable Water Bottle ………………………………..…….………………   $250 – $500/yr
  (shift from throwaway bottled water to a reusable bottle you refill at home or out)

• Take Lunch to Work ………….……………….……..…..………………               $1560/yr
  (shift from buying lunch in throwaway packaging to taking lunch in reusables)

• Programmable Thermostat ……………………………..………………                 $150/yr
  (automatically set your heating & cooling temps to save money summer & winter)

• Low Flow Shower Heads, H2O Saving Toilets ………..………………         $72/yr
  (reduce the amount of water you use by installing water saving faucets, toilets)

• Smart Power Strip ……………………………………..…………..………………   $94/yr
  (save electricity by turning off all electronics plugged into the same power strip)

• Window and Door Weather Stripping ……………………………………     $129/yr
  (reduce heat loss by sealing leaks around doors and windows)

• Improve Car Fuel Economy ……………………………..…………………… $1780/yr
  (get a tune up, replace air filters, keep tires pumped up & drive the speed limit)

• Skip One Driving Trip Each Week ………………….…………………           $225/yr
  (telecommute, car pool, use mass transit, walk or bicycle)

• ENERGY STAR Washing Machine …………$50/yr on energy, 7,000 gallons H2O
  (Use less energy, save water using an ENERGY STAR washing machine)

• Make-at-Home Non-toxic Cleansers ……………….…………                  $500/yr
  (make your own basic cleaners out of baking soda, H2O, & fragrance-free liquid soap)

• Total ……………………………………………………………..…………….       $5,070/yr

Source: Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World

Simple shifts make all the distance. A sponge instead of paper towels. Buying gently used rather than brand new. Sharing rather than buying new. The savings will mount the more you do!

What’s your favorite way to live green and save money? Please share!

NOTE: Trust Deed Scotland helps people who are struggling with their unsecured debts. It creates an opportunity for people in debt in Scotland to freeze interest on their debts, then make one affordable monthly payment to reduce debt over time. For more information, contact TrustDeedScotland. 

The post 13 Ways to Save $5,000 a Year Living Green appeared first on Big Green Purse.

The durable and easy-to-clean cup is made of food-grade stainless steel, making it perfect for the juice you serve at your kids’ party or the beer you serve at your own. It won’t break, so you don’t need to worry about throwing it into a backpack, cooler, or beach bag. And it’s dishwasher safe; whenever you’re finished with it, just pop it into the dishwasher and it will come out safe and sparkly.

KLEAN KANTEEN has been a pioneer in the world of reusable drink containers ever since it launched its reusable stainless steel water bottles more than ten years ago. KK recently became certified as a B Corp, meaning that the entire company operates to meet rigorous standards for social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.

 KLEAN KANTEEN is also a wonderful partner when it comes to promoting important causes. I recently  partnered with them to provide their cups to the attendees at the first ever US – China Greener Consumption Forum, which I organized at the World Bank in Washington, D.C.

Thanks, KLEAN KANTEEN, for doing so much to help the rest of us kick our throwaway habits!

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The post Hate Throwaway Plastic or Paper Cups? KLEAN KANTEEN’s Pint Cup Is the Perfect Reusable Alternative appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Choose quality over quantity. Simplify your needs overall. Then, buy clothes, jewelry, toys, tools, furniture and other commodities that are made to last. You may spend a few more dollars up front but save money in the long run when you don’t need to replace items that break or wear out quickly.

  Buy reusables. Compare a sponge to a roll of paper towels. One sponge may cost as little as $.99. A roll of paper towels runs around $1.99. But one sponge lasts as long as SEVENTEEN ROLLS of paper towels. You could save as much as $33 in paper towels before you have to throw the sponge away.  (Meanwhile, keep sponges fresh by washing in the dishwasher with the dishes; microwave on high heat for 30 seconds to kill germs.)

Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs. The CFLs may cost $2-4 more than the incandescent bulb you’re used to. But the CFL uses 66% less energy and lasts ten times as long. So over the course of the lifetime of the bulb, you can save as much as $30-$50 on electricity. Plus – think of all the time you’re saving changing light bulbs.

Forget bottled water. When you buy bottled water, you’re buying a plastic bottle, a label, the energy to transport the bottle to your store, a bottle cap, and the water inside the bottle — which, almost half the time, is actually tap water!  And even though water is very cheap when it flows out of your tap, it can cost as much as 10,000 times more when it’s served in a bottle. Buy a reusable water bottle and fill it up at your own tap. If you’re worried about water quality, use the money you save on bottled water to buy a filter for your faucet.

Save gas. This sounds like a “no brainer,” but you’d be surprised how many people waste gas – and money. Pump up your car tires to improve fuel efficiency by 3.3%. Use cruise control for as much as a 14% fuel efficiency gain. Go to Gas Buddy to find the cheapest gas in your driving range. Car pool to share driving costs with others.

Buy in bulk. You pay nearly twice the price for the same weight when you buy small, individually wrapped servings of a product rather than the bulk size. Laundry detergent, fabric softener, dishwasher detergent, shampoo, soap, conditioner, snacks, soft drinks and many other items offer a bulk or ‘economy’ size. Even buying a regular half-gallon container of juice is cheaper than buying individual juice boxes.

Plug into a power strip. 40 percent of the energy used to power consumer electronics is devoured when the devices are turned off. That’s nearly 5 percent of the total electricity American homes consume. A power strip lets you plug several appliances or lots of office equipment into one efficient outlet you can easily turn off, automatically cutting power to all devices that are plugged into it.

Take a tax credit. New fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles save gas and earn you tax credits, too. The amount, as determined by the IRS, ranges from $250 to $3150.

Use Craig’s List or Freecycle. Before you pay full price for furniture, appliances, sporting equipment or lawn and garden tools, go “shopping” online – at clearinghouses that help you acquire the goods you need at no or low cost.

Donate. Giving your used clothing and household goods to the Salvation Army, your local church, or a local charity for veterans lightens the load at the landfill and earns you a tax write-off for your charitable donations.

The post EARTH DAY COUNTDOWN: How You Can Afford to Go Green appeared first on Big Green Purse.