Saving Green Recap

dollar-signAfter checking out some of my stats, it seems that one on my oldest post is still one of my most popular posts, so I thought I’d do a recap.

Saving green is not only good for the environment but it’s also good for your wallet.  I realize that the wallet is probably why people are looking at this post right now. That’s okay and maybe these simple ideas will carry over when the economy does get better.

But for now by changing a few habits and doing a few simple things you really can make a difference to the environment and your wallet.

I’ll do a quick recap of a few ideas and you can read many of my other posts for other ideas.

Get an energy audit for find out how to do your own.

Buy used, everything from books to clothes to furniture to jewelry.

Take your lunch to work in a reusable sack.  Don’t forget to take silverware and use reusable containers.

Shop for the best deals on the web before you leave the house.  Try to plan your errands so you cut down on driving.

Use regular dishes instead of paper at home.

This list is just the tip of the iceberg.  There are hundreds of things you can do that will save you money and help the environment.

Hate to shop

shopping_bags1Today is black Friday and I have to work.  It’s just as well, I hate to shop.  You could not pay me enough to get anywhere near any type of store today.  As a matter of fact I will only buy groceries between now and the first of the year and I will only do that because milk won’t keep for 2 months.

I have never really liked to shop but at this time of year my aversion to it just gets worse.  For one thing I hate crowds of any kind so a packed store is not my cup of tea.  I also have no need for the typical Christmas present.  You know, the bath set, the scarf set, the after shave set, the list goes on and on.  I discovered a long time ago that if you shop through out the year, you can get just as good deals and presents that mean something to the person that receives them.

But the main reason I don’t like shopping is rude people and during this time of holiday cheer everyone gets a little ruder as they search for the perfect gift that the store doesn’t have anyway.

So to keep my own sanity today and for the rest of the year I will stay far away from any store or shopping center other than the grocery store.

Change of attitude

canvas-bags-in-bulkFinally attitude’s about reusable shopping bags is starting to change.  I was at Walmart this weekend picking up a few things.  I always put my bags, which I have from every store in our area, in front of my purchases so the clerk sees them right away.  And I almost get attitude about it, but not this time.  She actually seemed happy to bag my purchases in my bags.  I guess she either figured out that people like me with their bags aren’t going to give up and stop bringing their bags with them, or she’s one of us, a green nerd.