Examples of how going green saves you money… and makes you wealthy

Examples of how going green saves you money

A lot of people say that going green is difficult and expensive. 

You go to the supermarket and find that there are no green household products you can buy.

You want to eat healthy but cheap, fresh, farm produce are only available at the farmer’s market that’s too far from where you live.

You go to a beauty store to buy green products and find that they are more expensive than your usual brand.

Going green does involve changing our mindsets and our lifestyles and, as in any type of change, it can be painful and difficult, at first. Some even say that going green is only for the rich because of the price you need to pay in exchange for a green product or the shift to the green lifestyle.

But what if going green can actually make you rich?  How can a green lifestyle help you save money that you can invest for some returns?

Consider this:  If you invest $10 a day and earn 10% annual return, in 30 years you would have $678,146.  You may say, that’s too small (really now?), but what if you can save more and find investments that can earn you more?

In this article, we will see how going green can also be easy and rewarding by simply trying these very simple examples of how going green saves you money. We will explore more ways of affordable green living in this blog but right now, let us look at these 3 simple ways:

• Unplug
• Brown-bag
• Outdoors

Unplug! 

Do you know that even when your appliances are turned off, they continue to suck energy out of the wall and, yes, money out of your pocket? The “phantom load” or “standby power” or “idle current” totals 5-15% of your monthly electricity bill and accounts for about $4 billion a year on electricity that Americans are not using! 

How much money do you spend on electricity per year? Take 10% off that and see how much money you save.  If you want to save that amount, then try unplugging your appliance before you leave home (Easy enough?)

Brown-bag!

Do you go out with colleagues for lunch everyday? For example, if you spend $9 a day for lunch, that’s $45 a week and $2,250 a year! 

Brown-bagging your lunch is not only cheaper, it can also be healthier to you and friendlier to Mother Earth. Take-out food packaging, for example, creates 1.8 million tons of trash in the US per year and I’m guessing, you normally take fast food for lunch, which is not healthy at all! (Convinced?)

Outdoors!

Going green and saving mother earth is also about having more fun!

Brisk walking, running, hiking, biking are just some examples of activities that require minimal investment in gear, keep you fit, and gets you outside to appreciate nature.  

Let’s say you spend $50 a month for gym membership.  Why not try moving your workout outdoors and save $600 a year?  

At the office, we hold sports competitions every year and some of the best and most memorable events are the ones we do outdoors such as ultimate Frisbee and football. Through these activities, people are able to de-stress and gain more friends in the process!

I also remember when we were kids, Papa would usually take us out to the basketball court in the morning to bike, play basketball, or just bask under the sun while having fun.  Those times were not just fun and memorable, they also helped strengthen our relationship with our father.  

(Do I see you nodding now?)

Learn more examples of how going green saves you money from the author of consecutive bestsellers and financial expert David Bach.  He says and I quote, “It is not what you earn that makes you rich or poor, it is what you spend.” If you too want to know how to make a difference through little, simple things and get rich trying, check out his book “Go Green, Live Rich: 50 Simple Ways to Save the Earth and Get Rich Trying” and start going green and living rich.  

If, like me, you want to be wealthy, start with these really simple examples of how going green saves you money!




Photo thanks to http://www. flickr.com/ photos/rmgimages/