Did you know that going green can actually help out your wallet? If the health of our planet isn't enough to convince you to make those much-needed changes to your lifestyle, the money-saving possibilities certainly could and thankfully, the two often go hand in hand. Whether you're looking for quick same day loans in an emergency or you're simply counting the pennies towards the end of the money, we're taking a look at a few things you can change in your life to help you reduce your outgoing spend, and do your bit for the environment at the same time.
Low-Flow Showerheads
Low-flow showerheads are a godsend when it comes to saving water. They're designed to reduce the amount of water you use throughout your time spent in the shower, without compromising on the pressure - in fact, you likely won't even notice the reduced water output. Most showers output around 3 gallons of water throughout a single minute of showering, meaning a ten-minute shower would use up around or above 30 gallons of water. With a low-flow showerhead, you can reduce this to just 15 gallons, as the water output is usually halved. What's more, you'll save money on your water bill too!
Line Dry Your Clothes
As much as we love the ability to pop our clothes in the dryer when we're in a rush, a bit of forward planning is all it takes to turn line-drying clothes into a standard part of the laundry routine. When the weather's bad, you can switch out the line for a clothes horse in your home for the same effect.
Insulate Your Water Heater And Pipes
During the colder months, it can be tempting to whack up the heating to fight off the winter chill. However, as we all know, this drives up our energy bills and can leave quite the extensive carbon footprint. By adding further insulation to your water heater and your pipes, you can get the same heat in your home using far less energy. The water heater will need to work less, and the heat will likely last for longer too.
Make Your Own Natural Cleaners
Store-bought cleaners can not only be expensive at times but can also be bad for the environment. The chemicals in these cleaners can pollute your home and get out into the surrounding environment and cause damage there too - while this isn't immediately noticeable, in the grand scheme of things, that's a lot of houses using cleaners and a lot of chemicals in the air. Instead, switch out these cleaners for a DIY alternative using baking soda, lemon, vinegar, and more. You can easily find a few recipes online for your specific purpose.
Use Rags Or Tea towels Rather Than Paper Towels
Using paper towels to clean up mess and grime will mean that in most cases, it can no longer be recycled. In these cases, it will go straight to landfill. Instead, consider switching out the paper towels for cloths, whether a rag or a teatowel, either of which can be popped into the washing machine with the next load. This saves you money spent on paper towels and helps out the environment.
Don't Charge Your Phone Overnight
One of the biggest culprits for wasted energy use is charging a mobile phone. Too many of us will plug in our phones when nighttime rolls around, and forget about it until the next morning. With smartphones often charging up to full capacity in just a few hours, an average sleep of 8 hours will see the phone continue taking up energy for a further five hours more than it needs. Stop wasting electricity by charging it up during the day, then unplug it the moment it hits 100%.
When it comes to saving money, going green can be a great way to save a few extra pennies while doing your bit for the environment. Whether you switch out chemical cleaners for natural alternatives, ditch the paper towels or change to a low-flow showerhead, even just one change can make a huge difference.
