Saving Money and the Environment

In times of austerity, perhaps being green isn’t at the forefront of your mind, yet saving money and environmental awareness need not be mutually exclusive. In fact, by being environmentally conscious in your own home you can decrease your spending and minimise long-term waste. Discover how easy it can be to save money whilst lowering your household’s impact on the environment.

Deal with Debt

Some people ignore their debts only to find themselves spiralling further into financial hardship because of their failure to face it. By accessing one of the many free online debt management sites you will have a clearer understanding of your personal budget and assistance with any outstanding debts. Debt charities such as National Debtline can help in several different ways, from helping with budgeting plans, to contacting your creditors on your behalf and organizing repayments for you. Another option, especially if you have a business, is to discuss your situation with a professional firm such as the London insolvency practitioners Hudson Weir Ltd. Not only will tackling debt ease your stress, but it will also reduce paper wastage caused by demand letters.

Cut down on unnecessary spending

This may sound simple, but without knowing your exact budget, you may well stumble at the first hurdle. Take time to go through your household income and expenditure and eliminate any unnecessary costs. Luxuries such as magazine and newspaper subscriptions can be dealt with quite easily and by cancelling these you are saving money and, in the smallest of ways, limiting production and wastage of paper. Once you know your in-goings and out-goings, you can set a daily budget. Many people find it helpful to place money for each day in envelopes allowing themselves to only spend that amount. By giving money a physicality, rather than paying by card, you are more likely to realise just how much you spend each day.

One stop shopping

Certainly, for some household items, it can be cheaper to shop around, but when it comes to buying furniture you should combine your love of bargains with the wish to be greener by purchasing from the same outlet. A prime example of this is Bedstar’s bed sale which is offering both beds and mattresses at low prices, allowing you to minimise both personal expenditure and your carbon footprint by having them delivered together. Extending this idea of minimising fuel consumption through the reduction of travel, online shopping for furniture is certainly a sensible solution. Everything from bed sales, furniture discounts and cut-price delivery can be discovered quite quickly from the comfort of your own home.

Quality not quantity

Supermarkets may offer great deals on bulk buys but what use is this if surplus fruit and veg are left to rot and have to be discarded? Food waste has become a prominent problem highlighted by the media over the past few years, but there are steps you can take to prevent such waste at home. If you have a market within walking distance why not buy fresh produce daily or a few times a week, as and when required? There are great deals to be found on local markets and if you are confident to indulge in a little haggling you can save pounds rather than pence on better tasting fruit and veg. Supermarkets are more likely to use plastic packaging for their produce, whereas markets usually pack goods in paper bags. This simple change in buying habits can reduce plastic waste significantly over a year. And don’t forget, by buying locally you are helping your immediate community and can minimise your carbon footprint by not travelling so far.

Spend a little to Save a Lot

Most people would agree that furniture should be stylish, comfortable, and perhaps most importantly, affordable. However, many mistakenly believe affordable to mean costing as little as possible, when in fact you should be thinking of furniture as a long term investment. Britain’s tips are overflowing with unwanted sofas and chairs, discarded by people who fail to realise the benefits of purchasing sturdier, more reliable furniture and who will further waste money by having to buy replacement furniture. This cycle is bad for the pocket and even worse for the environment. If you can afford it, pay a little extra for quality furniture, or if you can wait, keep an eye on January and summer sales to bag yourself a bargain.