If you are thinking of going green in your home, but are concerned that it will be costly to change everything over. Don’t worry. First, you don’t have to do everything at once. But, most importantly, it doesn’t have to cost much at all.

Going green has never been more popular than it is today. More and more people are getting serious about taking care of their family’s health, as well as the environment for their children’s future. That is great news, because it certainly doesn’t harm anything to go green, including your pocketbook.

I am going to share some ideas that will help you go green, and save green at the same time. Cash, that is. Read on to learn more.

Homemade Cleaners

One of the easiest ways to go green is in your household cleaners. It’s also very inexpensive…sometimes pennies. There are ingredients that are most likely sitting in your pantry right now that can be used to clean your home.

Baking soda, lemon juice, and white vinegar are all used to clean. For example, I use a mix of white vinegar and water to sanitize and clean counter tops, cabinets, sinks, and more. You can save money by not having to buy store bought cleaners, but also help the environment by not disposing of plastic bottles. You can use the same bottle each time you make up a solution.

By making a paste of baking soda and water, you can remove molds and mildew in the bathroom, where moisture tends to accumulate. Simply apply, let dry and then brush off.

You can also save money and help the environment by using cloth rags, rather than paper towels for cleaning. Old t-shirts, or sheets make great ‘rags’, and can be used over and over, when washed regularly.

Speaking of washing, you can even go natural with laundry by using a ¼ cup white vinegar and ¼ cup salt in place of laundry detergent for colored clothing. The salt actually helps to restore the colors.

Using harsh chemicals is not necessary, nor is spending top dollar for cleaners. It also has the added benefit of not triggering dust mite, ragweed, or pollen allergies.

Saving on Energy

You can save energy, which in turn, saves you money by taking some easy steps. Turning things off when you are not using them is great, and most people already probably do this, for the most part. If your home is like mine, we try our best, but could do better.

However, unplugging cords will save on the constant drain of power. There are power strips available that will do this for you automatically, so you don’t have to worry about it.

Another way to save energy and money is to have a programmable thermostat. Now, this will only work if you are reasonable about it. Setting your air conditioner at 65 in the summer, or heat at 75 in the winter isn’t going to do much in saving anything. It is recommended that heat should be around 70 during the day, for both saving money, and helping with allergies and overall health. Even infant children should not be subjected to temps above 75 for long periods of time, according to the medical field. At night, turn the heat down lower…by about 3-5 degrees. Throw on an extra blanket and you will be fine.

There are water heater blankets available that will insulate your hot water heater, and will help to keep your water hot for longer periods of time. This will use less energy to heat it back up.

Most of your laundry can be washed in cold water, which allows for savings in energy, but also helps with longevity of your clothes. I don’t remember that last time I used warm water, let alone hot.

Recycling

Recycling is a way to reduce the buildup in landfills, and allowing paper, plastic, and cans to be recycled into further products. This won’t necessarily save you money, but it doesn’t cost anything to do it either. It’s way to help the environment, for future generations.

Another form of recycling is to buy second hand clothing and furniture. There are several second hand stores that have wonderful items that have been taken care of, cleaned thoroughly, and perfectly fine to use again.

On the flip side, you can also sell items you don’t any more in a garage sale. By doing this, you would be doing your part in recycling, and make a little money on the side as well.

Grow Your Own Herbs

If you like to cook, try growing your own herbs. I love fresh herbs, and it’s a great way to save money, as well as insure there are no unnecessary pesticides going into your family’s meals. Herbs that can be easily grown are:

• Basil
• Oregano
• Chives
• Parsley
• Dill

This can be easily done on your kitchen window sill. However, if you are feeling adventurous, go bigger. Try growing your own vegetables as well. While it’s not costly, it can be time consuming…but so worth it to have fresh veggies for meals.

Organic Bedding

The last thing I want to touch on is organic bedding. No, it’s not going to save you money, but it’s not expensive either. A lot of these items are hypo-allergenic, which will help relieve dust mite, or ragweed allergy symptoms, as well as most other allergies.

Sheets, comforters, and pillows all come in organic and hypo-allergenic forms, and easily found in most stores these days. And, when you spend a good 8 hours each day with your face right up on each of these, it makes sense to want them to be healthy.

In Closing

Going green and natural does not have to be difficult, or costly. In fact, it can save you money at times. I hope I was able to share a few ideas that will inspire you to give it a try.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jason Munroe is a freelance writer who loves to search on the Internet for ideas that will help his family, then share them with his readers. He is married and lives in Nevada with his wonderful wife.