5 top tips for going green on any budget

There seems to be a common misconception that sustainable living costs more, making it a lifestyle that’s out of reach for many. But we believe an eco friendly lifestyle is possible for everyone! We’ve teamed up with Alicia from @thatbudgetstuff to share the most practical tips to make green living affordable because we believe living sustainably is accessible for everyone!

Adopting an eco friendly lifestyle and living on a budget go hand in hand! In fact, there are so many synergies between these two aspects, we couldn’t help but share our best tips!

Here are our top 5 tips for going green on any budget!

1.    Use what you have

There are so many beautiful reusable products available on the market, it’s tempting to think that we need to purchase the best stuff in order to adopt a greener lifestyle.  But the truth is, you don’t need to purchase anything at all! Using what you have is better for the environment AND your hip pocket! We love this quote:

“The most eco friendly product is the one you already own!”

When you think about the basic suite of reusable products – shopping bag, reusable coffee cup, water bottle, lunchbox and cutlery – you’re likely to have all of these items in your home already. See our IG post here for some creative ideas!

Or you could take it one step further and upcycle some of your used household items to give them a new lease of life. For example, here are some great ideas of what you can do with your old sheets and towels.

Reducing food waste is easier on the hip pocket - and the planet.

Photo by Matilda bellman on Unsplash

2.    Reduce food waste

We’re sure that by now you’ve heard about the huge detrimental impacts of food wastage - it’s one of the biggest environmental problems we are currently facing! (To read more, click here for a pretty picture summary, or read the detailed version here.)

The best thing you can do to reduce food waste is to:

Buy only what you need, and use what you buy!

Bring your lunch to work.

You can save so much money by bringing your lunch to work! Let’s do the maths: Buying your lunch can very easily cost $15 per day. Over the course of the year (approx. 240 work days), you could be looking at $3,600! By cooking a bit more at home and taking your leftovers for lunch instead, you could save at least $10/day (or more). This could be an extra $2,400 in the bank over the year!

Plan ahead.

Meal plans can save you money, time and food waste!

Use a weekly meal planner and shopping list (like these) to help you stay on track with purchasing only what you need. It can be fun to plan a week (or month!) of meals ahead. As an added bonus, it takes the stress out of figuring out what to cook on the day. We love this list of frugal meal ideas for some inspiration!

Shop your kitchen.

What do we mean by “shopping your kitchen”? Simply head to your pantry or kitchen shelves, select a few items that are nearing their use-by or best-before dates, and a few veggies that are looking a bit soft, and then find a recipe to use your ingredients! Another great way to reduce both your spending and environmental impact.

Allow one dinner a week in your meal plan to use up items in your kitchen, or even upcycling your leftovers. Creatively assembling meals with these items will save you money and reduce food wastage in one go! (If unsure on what to cook, ask Google!)

You never know what you might find when you shop secondhand!

Photo by Adrienne Leonard on Unsplash

3.   Shop second-hand

If you’re anything like us, op shopping in your teenage years was life! While our tastes have certainly changed since then, you can still find some amazing items if you take the time to look.

Shopping second-hand is a great way to reduce your impact on the planet. Extending the average life of clothing, by just 9 months per item, would lead to a 20-30% reduction in carbon, water, and waste footprints.

There are now so many simple ways to purchase second-hand, it’s really worth considering! Here are some options:

Look online.

With the rise in second-hand sites like Facebook Marketplace popping up, items are available for purchase at the click of a button! You can also try sites such as eBay, Carousell, Gumtree – see what’s best in your area.

Go Op shopping.

Head to your local Op Shop and support your local charity in the process! Recently Alicia wanted to give her outdoor area a new lease of life. She opted for second-hand items to be budget-conscious, and of course this lowered her environmental impact too! Watch this time lapse video of her redecorating with her new goodies!

Declutter.

Think about some of the unwanted items sitting your cupboard, attic or shed. Some of them are likely in near-new condition! If you decide to sell, you can recover some of what you paid for them. The guide for resale is between 30-50% of the purchase price, depending on the age, condition and quality of the item. 

So, by choosing to purchase second-hand (rather than going for new by default), you can save between 50-70% on full price. And often for goods that are like new! Now you know the numbers, you may never need to buy brand new and pay full price again!

Invest in reusables

Photo by Martin Sanchez on Unsplash

4.    Invest in reusables

When you stop and think about it, the cost of any disposable item can really add up! Perhaps surprisingly, investing in reusable items can work out cheaper than disposables, as they can often pay for themselves in a short space of time!

Consider:

• Reusable makeup wipes – After just 2 months, our reusable bamboo wipes paid for themselves! Or for a free option, upcycle an old sheet or towel!

• Plastic wrap – Reusable beeswax wraps keep food just as fresh as cling wrap, and come in gorgeous designs to liven up your fridge! After a few months, they will pay for themselves. Cheaper again, why not try the old “plate on the top of your bowl” trick!

• Nappies – Opting for cloth nappies rather than disposable, and you will be saving money in just over 2 months!

• Baby wipes – Try reusable baby wipes (like these from Cheeky Wipes Australia). They’re a great way to reassess your environmental impact. Soak before a wash and they are good to go!

• Zero-waste periods – Investing in a few pairs of period undies might seem like a bit of an investment at first, but even the most expensive option will pay for themselves in less than 6 months! Check out these options from THINX, and Bonds. Cheaper again – a menstrual cup!

• Table napkins – Paper napkins might appear to be cheaper, but investing in a couple of sets of good quality cotton napkins will work out cost neutral in just a couple of months! Not to mention, they are so much nicer to use! Cheaper again – find them second-hand!

• Tissues – for an idea with a vintage feel, bring back the hanky! Our grandparents always had one at the ready. Let’s bring it back (post COVID, perhaps)! Much cheaper than tissues, and easier on the environment too.

Reusables are great way to save money and look after the planet. Try a couple of the above ideas and see how they go! Also - look out for our next post on cost comparisons of disposables vs. reusables!

5.    Reduce and save!

Last, but by no means least, consciously reducing the amount of resources we use is a great way to live greener - and of course saves you money too!

Try our simple tips to Reduce Energy usage and Reduce Water usage!

Thanks for reading!

Which tips are you going to try first? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

This post is the second of a series of collaborative posts between That Budget Stuff and Bright Green. Seeing a strong synergy between living an eco friendly lifestyle and living on a budget, we decided to team up to share a message that’s important to both of us.

What are your top tips for living greener on a budget? We’d love to hear them! Share your best tip in the comments below!