Saving Money: Part 1

When thinking about making the switch to a healthier lifestyle, and a lifestyle with less impact on our planet, many balk at time commitment or expense. And who could blame them? If you go to the grocery store and look at a jar of organic peanut butter vs a jar of conventional peanut butter, you might see as much as an increase of $2.00 - or more - on the price.

But, there are a lot of creative ways to get healthier and more sustainable, without putting yourself in the hole. Over the next few weeks, I will post some of the ways you can save money on healthy food and household items, while still remaining sustainable and eco conscious.

One of the most helpful switches I've made is with my cleaning supplies. Vinegar is one of the best cleaners out there, and it's extremely cheap. It's also non-toxic, so you don't have to worry about your kids or pets getting into it. It will kill most molds and bacterias, and you should definitely try washing your clothes with that instead of bleach (it can brighten your whites AND make your black clothes look blacker). I found this great site with tons of tips for cleaning with vinegar (laundry, household cleaning, garden uses, etc).

Another money drainer is laundry. We're all so hard wired to wash most of our clothes on hot or warm cycles, when in reality cold will do the job. I wash everything from bedding to jean in cold water, and I've done this for years. My stuff always comes clean, and I don't have to heat the water for it. Seriously, give it a try.

While we're on the subject of laundry, what about drying your clothes? Ideally, you can line dry for free. But, what if you live somewhere with poor weather? Or what if your home is in a subdivision that doesn't allow this (can you tell I've got a chip on my shoulder about that...)? There's always the option of a dryer. But, if you must use a dryer, stay away from the fabric softener sheets. They're full of chemical nastiness, and you really don't want that on your clothes. A really cheap and easy way to get similar benefits to those icky sheets is by using wool dryer balls. They are more eco friendly than their PVC cousins, and they cost less as well. If you'd like to try your hand at crafting some, check out these instructions. You can also find these ready made on sites such as etsy, just google wool or felted dryer balls.