How do I save the most money with the least effect on my lifestyle?

Question

Isn't that the real question that everyone would like to know concerning green living?

Answer 1

Turn the problem around.

It's cheaper to recycle metal than to mine it.
"Green" appliances cost less to operate.

In other words - going green should cost less. (If it doesn't someone is probably scamming you. )

Become an engineer and make money off green. If a green solution cost more, it's hard to convince people to buy it. But in theory, reusing & recycling, should create more efficient systems, a.k.a. cheaper. Make a green system cheaper than a dirty one, and people will buy it out of pure self interest.

Answer 2

First off - every time you get a raise at work, transfer it into your savings account immediately. One of the best ways of doing that is to have the funds transferred electronically - that's the "green way". No paper, no driving to the bank, etc.

Second - the best way to save money with the least effect on your lifestyle - concerning Green Living - is to get a Geothermal System to heat/cool your home.

The initial cost is high, but after that you'll save money on each electric bill you have. Sometimes quite a lot depending on the area of the country in which you live.

And it will better your lifestyle. No worrying about electric bills. No worrying about keeping the heat low during the winter. A Geothermal Heat Pump takes heat from the ground - where the temperature is constant. You'll be warm and cozy no matter what the outside temperature is - 10 below or 30 degrees.

We have one here and it's great. The air coming out of the vents feels warm! Not like a regular heat pump where the air temperture is only a degree or two about room temperature. Here it's about 5 - 7 degrees warmer - and you can tell - it feels great.

So with a Geothermal Heat Pump - you'll save money each month.

Answer 3

You mean How do I keep on living as I am where the way I and everyone else lives is getting ground to dust by inflation and just wont let up long enough for me to realize that I cant even afford to live this way anymore? I haven't been able to change the money and cost thing but have been able to change my lifestyle and now I live happily ever after so green, and so far away from my old lifestyle I don't think even the most frugal Emerson and his Pond come close. So, if you are human and unable to change the one thing that wont change, money well try the other... a lifestyle change... sorry.

Answer 4

I will try to answer your question, and hope that you will forgive that I am not a green professional with alot of fancy words. I can only tell you from experiance...

When you look at the enviormental problem on a whole, it is easy to be put off by the cost of green living and become fustrated if the issue demands too much of a change for you.

If one is serious about green living, then one has to ask themselves more than just the question above....

Where are you willing to start? Is it in your driving habits? Your eating habits? Your purchase habits?

Are you making changes for you or is there a family involved? Are they on board as well?

Which area of concern are you wanting to deal with first?

Which area of your life are do you think would be the easiest to green? Which would be the hardest?

What are you willing to change and what do you absoultely refuse to do?

Are you looking for feel good, quick fix or are you looking for long term dedication?

How much are you willing to spend? How much is too much for your tastes?

These questions are not in anyway to upset or annoy the seeker. It is to get one to think deeper, beyond the surface. Sometimes a person has to think outside the box, and not be afraid to get a little creative.

When I started out looking to try the green living way, I had money/lifestyle concerns. I wanted the best of both worlds -you know, to be able to feel good that I was enviormentally concerned, yet did not want to spend the money or change my life. That is when someone pointed out these questions to me. I then had to do some serious thinking.

I started out with baby steps - things I felt were do-able in my life, for where I was at in my life. As I grew more comfortable, I was able to take another step, then another, until positive green habits started to form.

I have yet to reach my goal of becoming totally green - but I have come a long way. Money I initially spent, has paid off in the long run. And my lifestyle did change -for the better. But it was a gradual, unatrusive change. Most importantly, the changes that did happen in my life were welcomed, because I knew they were bettering the enviorment.

The small steps I started out with was :
opening a window instead of running the a/c,
dressing in layers,
washing clothes less, hanging them to dry (you can do that in the city too),
walking/biking more - driving less, combining errands, switching to dish/laundry/shampoo that is less polluting (if you look, you can find some that does not cost an arm or a leg),
eating less - which is buying less - and with buying less, I could afford to eat healthier, farmer market produce,
purchasing things at Salvation army and other thrift stores, used CDs/DVD stores.

Once these were established in my life, I was able to add more. I guess the key is, if everyone in the world was willing to try one thing and stick with it, things would be much better.

I hope the examples I gave here will give you food for thought for your own green journey. Good Luck!

Sage
(the spell checker did not work - sorry)

Answer 5

The easiest thing to do is change your lightbulbs. Get rid of any old-fashioned incandescent bulbs and install all compact florescents. When you do this, keep in mind that to get the same amount of light, the CFL bulb should be rated for about 1/3 - 1/4 the amount of watts as the incandescent your are replacing. Thus, to replace a 100 watt incandescent, you will need a 25 watt CFL. Look around to get bulbs that will fit your fixtures--they're out there. You can even find dimmable and 3-way, and decorative CFLs. If local stores don't have them, try the Internet. Do this, and you will cut your electricity usage significantly, decrease your carbon footprint, and you and your family and friends won't even notice the difference in light quality. It's a great place to start.

Answer 6

If you don't want to change your lifestyle, the best thing you can do is use more efficient devices to live your life.
Got an old fridge or A/C unit? Look for a new one with higher energy efficiency.
Do you drive a guzzler? Trade it for a hybrid, or at least a more efficient vehicle.
Swap out the old incandescent light bulbs for LED bulbs or compact fluorescents.
If recycling is available, make use of it.

Answer 7

Yes, it is.

First, define 'quality of life' or 'lifestyle'.

For example: If it is your lifestyle to heat up your room with the windows open because you have a constitutional right to fresh air, then I see some possibility for change.

Filament bulbs or energy saving ones is not a lifestyle choice. Your lifestyle doesn't change, only your energy usage does.

Seperating waste (if your town supports it) doesn't change your lifestyle.

Buying a sunscreen to ease the load of your airco does not change your lifestyle; your room is as cool as it was before, only at a lower cost.
Same goes for other types of insulation. If anything, insulation increases comfort.

Make the distinction between changing things, behaviour and lifestyle.

A lot of things can be changed without affecting your lifestyle at all.

Answer 8

To keep your money in your pocket,watch your utility bills.Save where possible.Get a shower head that conserves water.Fluorescent bulbs thru out house.Turn every thing off when not in use.Unplug appliances when not using.Have fans around the house to cool better.Keep house dark in Summer,it will cool faster.When at a restaurant and you don't eat all the food,take it home.They just throw it out anyway.Cut down on paper products and only run dishwasher when completely full.Wash full loads of clothes,in cold water.Hope this helps,it is your money,you keep it...

Answer 9

Stop being a shopping addict, we buy so many unnecessary items, have a buying moratorium