Be Green And Save Money

Sometimes it seems that the entire world is facing bankruptcy. Every day, the news regarding the economy seems worse than ever, and it appears that few people are unaffected by financial issues, or free of the fear that they will lose their savings, job or house. As bills continue to rise, and you need a mortgage to fill your car up with petrol, we all need to find ways of reducing our expenses.

One of the best ways of doing this is by using ‘green’ methods, which will not only save you money, but help the environment as well.

Here are my top ten tips:

1: Transport - One of the best and greenest ways of travelling about a city is by bike. In Barcelona, where I live, the council’s bike rental scheme is hugely popular, and allows you to pick up a bike in one location, and leave it at another. All for the bargain price of €24 per year, with no worries about theft, and without the expense of running a car or parking.

2: Health - Walking is another excellent way of travelling around a city, allowing you to see more of your surroundings. The only energy it uses is your own, with the added bonus of benefiting your health.

3: Food - For those with a garden, growing your own vegetables is great exercise and you can enjoy pesticide-free food. Even in a city, with only a balcony, you can use containers to provide yourself with some tasty fresh food.

4: Energy Saving - Turn off lights when you´re not in a room, with bills so exorbitant why pay more than you have to?

5: Move to a warm country - No need for heating In Spain!

6: Buy second-hand clothes - eBay shopping allows you to change your wardrobe frequently and cheaply. No need to get bored. A good rummage in charity shops can turn up some great bargains, and helps charities at the same time.

7: Re-use everything you can - We are so accustomed to throwing unwanted items away, and yet many things can serve a different purpose. Use plastic food containers for storage, old clothes for cleaning cloths.

8: Make your own cleaning products - There is no need for the vast array of products that fill our cupboards. Simple ingredients such as bicarbonate of soda, white vinegar and lemon juice cover most cleaning needs, eliminating the need for toxic chemicals in the home, which damage the environment. You can even buy chemical-free ´washing balls´ for laundry, saving on detergent.

9: Look after your possessions - Keep your shoes in good condition, repair clothes, and you won´t need to buy new ones.

10: Join Freecycle - Donors and recipients can feel a glow of self-congratulation at keeping items out of landfill, and all kinds of goods can be acquired with only transport costs to pick them up.

Insulating Your Home

A properly insulated home will save you money on heating bills in the long run. It makes sense to ensure your home is protected from the elements otherwise you’re simply throwing your money away. By insulating your home effectively not only are you saving money, but you can also reduce your carbon emissions. The following article will outline some very useful tips on home insulation.

Insulation Factors

Firstly you should think about the climate you live in, the design and age of your home and what your budget is when choosing insulation R-Values for your home. For example you should use high density insulation such as foam boards in exterior walls and cathedral ceilings.

Ventilation

Ventilation plays a large role in providing moisture control and reducing summer cooling bills. Attic vents can be installed along the entire ceiling cavity to help ensure proper airflow from the soffit to the attic to make a home more comfortable and energy efficient.

Areas of Heat Loss

Recessed light fixtures can be a major source of heat loss, but you need to be careful how close you place insulation next to a fixture unless it is marked IC—designed for direct insulation contact. Check your local building codes for recommendations.

Should you insulate your home?

The answer is yes if you own an old home (pre 1980), you find your house is uncomfortably cold in the winter or you pay high energy bills. If you’d like to find out more about saving money through insulating your home have a look at our ebook we have for sale.

Save Your Money. Go Green.

Global warming is occuring whether we like it or not. It’s a fact we all have to face, and a problem we have to combat the world over. It’s commonly believed that in order to reduce our carbon footprint we’ll have to give things up, or make drastic changes to our lifestyle. Some big changes do need to occur, but there are many minor changes we can make. On their own they might not save the planet, but done as part of scheme of changes we can reduce our emissions and in the process save some money.

Step 1 - Get some exercise

For many people their car is an absolute necessity. The truth for a lot of us is that we could do without it. Think to yourself, is work within biking or walking distance? If it is then absolutely do it. You’ll save money on petrol and parking, and have the added bonus of improving your health. Don’t forget about public transport as well. Buses and trains are great ways to cut the cost of commuting.

Step 2 - No more bottled water

Bottled water is currently more than expensive than fuel. Why waste your money on the bottled stuff when it’s virtually free from a tap? Not only are you saving yourself money, but if we all get involved we can lower the number of plastic bottles currently being dumped in land fills across the world. If your tap water isn’t that great, get yourself a filter.

Step 3 - Saving money around the house

Here’s a good habbit to get in to. Always switch your electrical equipment off at the plug. The whole time products are on standby they’re actually using power and costing you money. Switch them off and you can cut your carbon footprint and your electric bill. Do other things such as wash your clothes at a lower temperature, and get yourself a drying rack too. Also look in to changing your current bulbs to energy saving bulbs. You’ll be surprised at how much money you save.

Step 4 - Recycle your phone

The best thing about recycling your old phones is the money incentive. I’m sure we’ve all got a couple of old cell phones around the house. Instead of throwing them away, make sure they’re recycled properly. Sell it to a friend, put it on ebay or check out http://www.mopay.co.uk/

There are tons of ways to save money by going green, and I’ve barely scratched the surface here. Don’t fear though, more articles are to follow so get signed up to our mailing list and be the first to find out! Just put your email in the form to the right, or sign up to our RSS feed.