Live Green Spend Less
Millions of families depend on cable TV for a daily fix of information, relaxation and entertainment. There are rebels among us however, who are “going green” by saving their money and getting outside to commune with the green things God made instead of sitting inside all summer with the TV on. I know a family who has cable service disconnected every April to spend the whole summer TV free. At any age, isn’t it better to play outside? Going green is a lot more than choosing organic produce at the grocery store. Here’s my list for greening up my purchasing habits and saving money at the same time.
1. Everything in Moderation. Bigger and More isn’t better. Buy what you need, leave what you don’t. From the size of your house, to the number of shirts in your closet buy what you need. Going green by exercizing moderation can save you big bucks and you will be setting a good example too.
2. Shop small. Think about the entire life cycle of the products you buy. Small business, handmade products and locally grown produce will consume less energy in production.
3. Read the fine print. The front label of a product is marketing, not educational material. Since usage of words like natural and organic are not regulated by the government you need to turn the bottle over and read the fine print. Ingredients will be listed in descending order. There should be more words that look like latin (plant names) than scientific words you can’t pronounce.
4. Buy quality not quantity. Do you have a closet full of cosmetics and toiletries you don’t use? Invest in products that are good for your skin and hair. Leave the rest at the store.
5. Stop recreational shopping. Spending your money on things you didn’t think you needed until you got to the store and saw it on sale is not a good use of your time or money. Exercise, read a book, go for a walk, do anything but go out and spend your money just for fun.
