Six Small Ways to Live Green and Frugal

Save Money While You Save the Environment

As the movement towards "greener," more environmentally friendly ways of living gains momentum, more people are changing their day-to-day habits to lessen their impact on the world around them. Many steps towards this goal are well-publicized: reducing energy usage in the house by turning off lights, switching to more fuel efficient cars, shopping with reusable bags, and carpooling are all excellent ways to be greener.

There are many small changes, though, that get overlooked. These changes can often not only help you in your quest towards a greener lifestyle, but can also save you money. Contrary to the popular notion that "green" costs more, often living a reduced impact lifestyle can be cheaper than the less-green alternative. In a few simple, small steps you can make a significant change in your carbon footprint and your monthly budget.

Use handmade shampoo bars and soaps. Handmade personal products are often completely free of harsh chemicals that can have negative impact on both humans and the environment. It's very common for them to be minimally packaged, or in reusable packaging, and so a superior environmental choice when compared to conventional products. Since shampoo bars and handmade soaps also last longer than equivalently priced items and work as well or better, they save money without sacrificing quality, making them a very frugal alternative.

Make your own household cleaners. Baking soda, vinegar, peroxide, borax, and even bleach are far better for the world around you than commercial cleaners, and they are just as effective. These ingredients are simple to use, and require little or no special mixing. Vinegar, for example, can be used alone or mixed with water to deodorize, remove soap and hard water buildup, deter ants, and countless other things. Baking soda removes stain, effectively cleans pots and pans, and deodorizes. As you run out of your commercial cleaners, simply replace them with these cheaper, more health and environment conscious substitutes.