Year: 2017

10 Things You Can Do to Help the Planet

Happy Earth Day!

help the planet - reusable water bottles, bags, "paper" towels, compost bin

Here are 10 simple things you can do in your day to day life to help our beautiful earth.  Adopt as many or few as you can – every little bit helps!  If you’re trying to work yourself into a greener way of living, try picking one or two to start this week, and consider adding on more every month or two.

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10 Things You Can Do to Help the Planet
  1. Invest in a reusable water bottle – and use it!  I love glass and stainless steel bottles because they don’t absorb smells/flavors, and the material can be recycled essentially infinitely after you’re done using it.
  2. Buy or make reusable grocery bags and keep them somewhere you’ll remember to use them.  I keep some small bags in my purse and larger bags in my car.  Some people have found it works well to store the bags near the front door, or over the door knob.
  3. Buy used instead of new.  Manufacturing new products use a lot of resources including water and electricity, so when you are able to purchase an item used, you not only saved money but also helped save the planet!  Use your discretion – obviously there are some things that could pose a health risk or it’s just not right for you to purchase used.  Some examples of used items I have purchased include: clothing, wood furniture, mason jars, handmade blankets. 
  4. Repair instead of replace.  Learn simple sewing to mend a tear or sew a button back on a shirt.  Search youtube.com for videos to repair broken household items.  If you can’t do the repair yourself, consider bartering with a friend or hiring someone.  There are often inexpensive fixes that both save you money and keep your items out of the landfill.
  5. Conserve resources at home: turn off lights when you leave the room or don’t need them.  Turn off water when you’re brushing your teeth.  Take shorter showers and/or use a water flow restrictor to reduce water flow when lathering shampoo in your hair, soaping up, etc.   
  6. Avoid single use products. Water bottles.  Plastic utensils.  Paper plates.  Paper towels.  Commit a few more minutes (often as short as seconds) to your day cleaning, and use reusable products.
  7. Purchase quality products.  Consider value of a product, not just price.  Purchase items that will last.  You’ll help the planet by keeping products out of the landfill longer, and by reducing the need for more items to be manufactured.  Plus you’re saving yourself money in the long run.  
  8. Donate good condition items that you no longer want or need.  Keep these unwanted items out of landfills!  If you look around donation collection organizations in your area, you’ll likely find that items from wearable clothing and furniture to torn towels and excess holiday decor can be donated!  
  9. Recycle.  When can’t avoid buying products in packaging or the endless junk mail, be sure to recycle the recyclable items!  Check with your town or state to identify what can be recycled and how to recycle items.
  10. Compost.  Much of Americans’ household garbage that ends up in the landfill is food waste.  Check if your town has a compost program, or start your own compost pile for your fruit and veggie kitchen scraps.  Read here for more information about what can and cannot be composted in a backyard compost pile or bin. 

What other things do you do to help the planet?

10 Tips to Save Money Shopping

10 tips to save money shoppingI grew up frugal, and understanding the value of money.  I work hard for what I earn, and I don’t want to waste it.  Here are my top 10 tips for saving money shopping.  If you’re looking for apps and websites to help you have money, check out my post on that topic!

10 Tips to Save Money Shopping
  1. Don’t buy it if you don’t need it or really want it.  Easy. If you’re clothes shopping and find something that is just ok, don’t buy it.  It doesn’t matter how great the price is, if you buy it and never wear it, it was a waste of every penny you paid for it.  
  2. Buy store brand products.  You may end up spending a lot more money to always buy name brand products.  If you are willing to buy any brand, check out your local store brands.  I almost always get better prices on store brand items than name brand, even if there is a sale or coupon for the name brand item. 
  3. Coupon carefully.  Manufacturers provide coupons to entice buyers who otherwise may not buy their product.  If you don’t have a need or use for the product, you’re still spending money that you don’t need to be spending, even if you had a coupon!  I’ve also found that even with coupons on manufacturer products, generic/store brand are still often less expensive.
  4. Shop with a list.  Create a shopping list before you go into a store, and stick to your list.  This will help you avoid impulse purchases.  I find this particularly helpful when I go food shopping when hungry.  (Be aware that some exceptions are ok.  Today I was in the grocery store and saw the containers of organic baby spinach and mixed greens.  Upon seeing it I remembered I was out at home and had forgotten to put it on the list, so I bought it.)
  5. Learn what a “good price” is for items you commonly purchase.  I have a general idea what the prices are for things I regularly purchase, including produce, pasta, yogurt, and eggs.  I keep an eye on the grocery store circulars (you can get them electronically all in one place using the Flipp app) and try to purchase the items I need from the store with the best price that week.  There are also some items for which I will not pay more than a certain amount, so if I am out shopping and the item (like fresh blueberries) is above my threshold, I just wait a week and check again.  
  6. Shop sales. Check those circulars, especially for non-perishables and frozen items.  Stock up when you can get the best prices.  And plan your meals around produce and other items that are on sale that week!
  7. Buy in bulk when practical.  Many grocery stores have “stock up sales” where common non-perishable items are on sale.  This is a good time to evaluate what foods you and your family consistently eat, and how much space you have to store these items.  Before purchasing during these sales, be sure to confirm that you’re actually getting a good price!  The stores advertise these big sales, but not everything that is discounted may be the best price you’ll see that month.  If there is a good sale any time of year, it’s a good opportunity to stock up on things you’ll use!  
  8. Consider warehouse stores.  Depending on how much your family will actually shop at warehouse stores (like BJ’s Wholesale Club, Costco, Sam’s Club), it may be worth the annual membership cost to become a member and shop there.  Walk through the store to see what they sell before purchasing a membership.  I can save almost $10 on a year supply of allergy medication at BJ’s, compared to purchasing anywhere else.  This savings alone is 20% of the cost of an annual membership.  Combined with the other items I will purchase in a year, it may be advantageous for me to have a membership.
  9. Shop at discount stores.  Aldi has been spreading into New England in the past several years.  I was cautious at first but have had really good luck finding bargains on quality food.  Another great thing about Aldi- all of their store brand products are free from artificial colors and flavors and other chemical addatives.  
  10. Shop at salvage grocery stores.  These are more common in Europe than the US, but you can find some in the US.  In salvage stores you’ll often find products nearing or beyond expiration, damaged containers, etc.  The food is safe – these stores are still regulated by the government.  Definitely be picky when shopping here – I avoid foods with oil if it is beyond expiration since it can go rancid, but I have had good luck with things like pasta, canned goods, and items sealed in glass jars.  A couple years ago I found Luna bars for $0.10 each.  In regular stores they go on sale for $1.00 each.  This was quite a bargain!  I’ve also seen some fantastic prices on good quality pet food.  Salvage stores I know about in the Massachusetts and Rhode Island area are The Auction Store in Swansea, MA, and Frugal Frank’s in Fall River, MA. 

These are my top 10 ways to save money shopping.  To me they are simple tips to keep in mind to save a few cents or a few dollars here and there.  Be sure to check out my post about money saving and money making apps and websites!

Do you have any tips or tricks to save money shopping?