Saving Money Through a More Sustainable Lifestyle
When you think about sustainable living, the first thing
that may come to mind is spending more money. From specially marketed
eco-friendly products to organic produce, trying to live sustainably might result
in an unsustainable budget. However, there are a few ways you can actually save
money by making better lifestyle choices.
Create a Budget You Can Stick To
You have probably heard you need a budget if you want to
save money but creating one and sticking to it can be easier said than done.
That’s why you’ll want to make one with realistic expectations in mind. For
example, if you spend $600 a month on food for your family, it’s not realistic
to expect to cut that down to $200, especially if it’s the first try.
Gather receipts and look at how much you’re already spending
in each category. Then, gradually reduce how much you spend on each one and see
how low you can realistically expect to go. If you want to quickly save money
off your monthly expenses, look into things like refinancing debt. You can
refinance your existing student loans into new ones with the help of private
lenders. You can use a student loan refinance calculator to understand what
you’ll pay each month.
Spend More Time Doing Food Prep
You might think that living sustainably is more expensive
because of the cost of purchasing better food. However, there are other ways to
save while still making sustainable choices. Instead of serving quick meals you
can grab from the freezer, consider doing a bit of meal prep each day with
fresh ingredients. When you put more time into the process, you’ll be able to
save more time. Consider setting aside a few hours each week to do meal
planning and preparation and freeze any leftovers for future dinners. Part of
this time should also include tracking leftovers in the fridge not to go to
waste.
When you make the shopping list, try to make it reasonably
specific. After creating the meal plan for that week, look through the fridge
and pantry to see what you already have on hand and then put the things you’ll
need on the grocery list. You could create a master list of recipes and dishes
you enjoy and then pick a few of those to serve each week. If your local
grocery store offers sale ads, you could do your meal planning based on what’s
on sale that week.
Use Only One Type of Cleaner
