Green & Frugal

Going green can also save you some green - as in money! While some green products may cost more, some green choices are definite money-saving ideas as well. One star of the frugal lifestyle, Amy Dacyczyn, author of the Tightwad Gazette says, "I realized that economy and ecology are like two circles that overlap about 90%. The remaining 10% is the area where doing the right thing for the environment costs more...but having successfully blended the areas of economy and ecology in the 90% area, we have found that we now have some surplus money, and this surplus gives us economic room to reexamine some of the areas within the 10%."

For some of Amy's great money saving ideas, check your local library for her book - Tightwad Gazette. Now when I do the following things I can just say I'm eco-friendly, which sounds better than cheap:

1. Reuse all paper that enters your house & then recycle it. I don't need to purchase any paper for notes, I reuse all the paper that comes in the house by cutting it in forths and using the backs for notes and grocery lists which I then recycle in our paper bin. We also use the backs of envelopes that bills and stuff come in.

2. Make items from scratch - the basics like flour, sugar, eggs, baking soda, etc. are cheaper to purchase and are healthy than most prepared foods.

3. Eat seasonally. When fruits & veggies are on sale it's because they are in season and aren't grown in far off tropical locations. You will save money and will reduce the carbon footprint of your diet.

4. Use your local library. Today's libraries are a great source for best sellers, movies, books on tape, afterschool programs, etc.

5. Make sun tea. Put 6 tea bags in a gallon jug of water and set it in the sun for several hours. You get great tasting tea using the energy from the sun.

6. Make your own cleaners from items in your pantry. You can make antibacterial cleaners, toilet cleaners, glass cleaner, and laundry detergent that is safer and cheaper than what you can buy in the store.

7. Eliminate all disposables. Purchasing paper towels, paper napkins, paper plates, plastic cutlery, plastic cups, and other one time use items can add a lot to your grocery bill and to our landfills.