Household Tips for a Greener Life
Looking around the average home, there are numerous ways to save money and reduce your own carbon emissions at the same time.
As with many household money saving green tips, the great majority are plain old common sense and there's every chance you are already doing at least some of them. Some, on the other hand, require a little lateral thinking, so take a look at our ideas and see what difference you can make to your household costs for just a little effort and change.
We've grouped our articles to help you find your way through them. So scroll down this page to find ideas on Shopping and Groceries, Home and Garden, Laundry, Water Conservation and Clothing.
You can also take a look at some general tips for saving money and energy in the kitchen or the lounge.
Lifestyle
Five Surefire Ways to Save Money This Christmas
The Christmas holiday is a time for resting and spending time with family and friends. Unfortunately the modern Christmas can easily become a time for spending lots of money, something few can afford to do. It needn't be a stressful time of year though. With a bit of help and advice you can ensure your holidays are great fun and affordable at the same time. Use these simple tips to help get your spending under control without compromising on your enjoyment.... read moreFrugal Living: What Would You Do to Tighten Your Belt and Save Money?
Everyone will go through a difficult financial patch at some time in their life. Whether it's right now or in the future, you, like millions of others, will have to find a way to cope. Saving money and finding new, more frugal ways of living will help society get through, but everyone has their part to play.... more.Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: How You Can Play Your Part in the Green Revolution
You'd need to be from another planet to not have noticed the worldwide drive to persuade people to live a greener life and do more to protect the environment for the future. Many people are still at a loss though, as to what they can do to help. The often heard mantra of 'reduce, reuse, recycle' sums up the action everyone and anyone can take to make their life a little greener and a bit more environmentally friendly...more.20 Tips to Save Money and Waste Less Energy Right Now
With energy costs rising steadily and showing no signs of receding, it's more important than ever that households get to grips with the everyday factors that affect the amount of money they spend and the energy they use. Even the smallest of changes can add up to significant savings over the course of a month or year. Here you'll find twenty great practical tips that you can apply right now to lower your energy usage, lower your bills and generally look after your household finances while controlling your impact on the environment...more.Five Money Saving Tips to Control Household Costs Without Compromising on Lifestyle
It's all too easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily living, leaving little or no time for management of homes and finances. There's no doubt that a busy lifestyle drives people towards convenience foods and services, driving up the cost of living. In hard economic times, household finances have to be managed and controlled while still working hard to keep your head above water. Here are some basic tips to help you cut costs at home without sacrificing the things you like and the things that make your life easier...more.Shopping and Groceries
Start refilling, not replacing
A continuing subject of debate between the environmental lobby and the commercial world is the use and proliferation of packaging. Not only is a lot of packaging unnecessary, but it makes the goods more expensive to buy and is difficult to dispose of. Despite recent developments in recycling technology and the realisation by many civic authorities that recycling of materials is vital, packaging remains a problem...more.Reuseable Bags - Great if You Actually Remember to Take Them!
Polythene bags given out by the million by supermarkets and shops represent a massive environmental challenge. They don't easily biodegrade and landfill sites right across the world are stuffed with them. Society has to use less polythene bags and retailers are being encouraged to do their bit to cut usage. One of the ways they are approaching this problem is by encouraging people to re-use either their polythene carrier bags or to keep a set of reuseable bags for groceries and general shopping. The traditional poplythene carrier bag is now becoming an item that shops are charging for, making shopping more expensive, even if it's only pennies...more.Home and Garden
Harvest Your Rainwater - Your Garden Will Thank You
Whether you're in a dry sunny paradise or a rain soaked northern town, it's possible to get the benefit of using a water butt (or barrel) in your garden to harvest rainwater. The obvious advantage of harvesting rainwater and using water butts is water conservation. In areas where rainfall is not abundant, it makes a great deal of sense to capture and hold as much rainwater as you can for use on your property. When water is scarce, it's everyone's responsibility to ensure that not a drop is wasted, but did you realise that harvesting rainwater can have advantages for those who live in more temperate, wetter climates as well? ...more.Grow Your Own Fruit and Vegetables for Tastier and Cheaper Food
Growing your own fruit and vegetables is a great way to ensure you know exactly where your food has come from. There's something about home-grown fruit and vegetables that makes them taste better.Whether it's real or not, the sense of satisfaction is tremendous. If you have children, it's also a great way to get them interested in where ther food comes from and how it's grown that will stay with them for life. Kids will eat home-grown vegetables much more easily than shop bought ones if they get to sow them, feed them and pick them for themselves ...more.
Get Rid of Cold Draughts Around Windows and Doors
The cost of heating a home, especially in winter, is one of the largest outgoings most households will have. Whether your home is heated using gas, oil or electricity, the costs in recent years have risen markedly, making heating bills an area of concern for most home owners.There are some little things you can do to help cut your heating costs and your demand for energy and fuel as result ...more.
Live Green and Save Money - How a Few Household Changes Can Save You a Lot of Money
By Mandy LoveAre you having a hard time keeping up with you budget? You're not alone. The best way in coping with the difficult times is by living green. With a few simple changes in your lifestyle, you'll be surprised on how much you can save...more.
Laundry and Water Saving
How to Make Your Laundry Days Greener and Cheaper
Washing clothes is one of the household chores that few people enjoy and it's a temptation to put little planning into it and to use whatever method you can to get it done in double quick time so you can get back to doing what you want to do. In many cases though, this approach leads to an overuse of energy or a lack of consideration of the effect we have on the environment.The most basic thing you can do is to plan ahead... more.
Do You Know How to Save Water and Money Using Only a House Brick?
In case you don't know already, this is actually one of the oldest and most reliable green and frugal steps you can take. It's also one of the simplest.You might already be asking yourself how you can possibly save money and water using a brick. The answer is simple, and it all boils down to simple geometry...more.