Cheap Ways to Go Green

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

Can you keep the spirit of Earth Day alive without sacrificing your frugal lifestyle? Of course! There are plenty of ways to go green without investing in expensive organic or green products. You can make a difference to the environment and keep a fat wallet at the same time.

Here are some tips.

Electronics

Turn off that screen save and instead use the sleep mode or hibernation feature on your computer. You'll use a lot less energy. Or better yet, if you will be away from your computer for an extended period of time, simply shut it down. It won't ruin your computer (click here for more information about frequent shut downs).

Unplug or disconnect your electronics from their power source when they aren't in use. Anything that turns on with a remote or has a clock is still using electricity even when it is off. Some estimates put this number as high as 25 percent of your electricity bill. Check out the following article to learn more about this fact of vampire electronics.

Household

Do away with paper towels and choose washable cloths for cleaning. Natural products, such as vinegar are better for the environment and cheaper for you. Here are some articles to review on these subjects.

Frugal Spring Cleaning: Taking Advantage of Nature

Vinegar in The Garden

Frugal Spring Cleaning: Washing Windows

Use common sense to conserve what you already have, such as shutting off lights and lowering the thermostat in winter and raising it in the summer (or opening a window). The Frugal Living Blog has a ton of conservation articles. Check them out here.

Reuse what you already have. You can do this by fixing items that break instead of buying new, or reusing old items in new ways. Again, the Frugal Living Blog has many articles on the subject of reuse. Click here to browse through them all.

Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, online content manager, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania in the middle of the woods but close enough to Target and Home Depot.

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