Four Easy Ways to Save Money by Living More Sustainably

Today we have a guest post from Lisa Gibson who blogs over at The Low Weekly Waste

The term sustainability can have many connotations attached to it, but often the connection between it and saving money isn’t as popularly seen. It has been said many times that it’s a privilege to live sustainably. With premium prices attached to the latest ‘waste saving’ contraption, and yes this may be the case in some ways. But, at its heart, there is a lot of money to be saved by living a more sustainable life. If you’re buying (or not buying) the right things that will truly stand the test of time.

Switch to Soap

One example of an easy household swap to make includes switching from shower gels to solid soap bars. For as little as £1, a bar of soap (depending on your showering habits) could last you well over 6 months. Compare this to a bottle of shower gel which usually lasts no more than a few weeks, a simple bar of soap will save you so much money (and majorly reduce your plastic consumption)

Air Drying Clothes

Did you know that by switching to air drying instead of tumble drying your clothes, you could save half a tonne of CO2 from being emitted into the air? (based on the dryer being used 200 a year) [source]. Not only this, but you could save hundreds of pounds a year on your energy bill too as tumble dryers can demand a lot of electricity to run.

Using your Local Library

For any book worm out there, using your local library opens up a world of genres, without the price tag. A library card is free to come by, by your local council and by borrowing books instead of buying them, not only are you helping the community and space in your home, you’re saving £5-£10 a book!

Recycling

There are a number of really great recycling initiatives on the high street nowadays. Gone are the days of having to traipse to your nearest dump. High street stores now recycle all kinds of things, with great rewards too! For example, recycling an old pair of shoes in Schuh will land you a £5 voucher off your next in-store purchase. There are plenty of recycling initiatives that can land you some money off future purchases (and also means you’re being conscious of your waste too!)

There are plenty of other ways that living sustainably can help both save money and make your everyday habits a little greener. These are just four. Without factoring in growing your own vegetables from plant storks and pips (if you’re lucky to have a garden of course!) as well as ditching kitchen items such as clingfilm; a plate on top of a bowl works just as well in the fridge! Being conscious not only saves the planet, it also saves you the pennies too.