How do you save money and the Earth at the same time? With reusable items and smart purchases. From power drills to compost bins, here are ten items to invest in to save more money for an eco-friendly future and reduce waste.
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1. Compost Bin
Composting cuts down on food waste as you cycle the scraps back into the environment, reducing methane emissions that harm the environment.
Without lugging food waste to landfills, you save money, time, and sweat and reintroduce decaying food remnants back to the Earth to continue the life cycle.
2. French Press
Every time I go to Starbucks or a local coffee shop, I spend around $7 on a coffee I could make at home for a fraction of the price.
Invest in a French press to make delectable coffee and tea without taking out a second mortgage to add oat milk.
3. Slow Cooker
A slow cooker user recommends the appliance for carnivores. According to them, the contraption provides cheaper, middle-grade meat with a total revamp, making a $10 steak taste like a $100 cut from a Michelin Star steakhouse. Plus, it saves energy.
4. Recycle Old Washcloths
Once your shower and bath towels and rags reach their limit for cleansing skin, switch them over to kitchen rags. Raggedy old towels wipe up grease, and you won’t worry about staining or ruining the pieces of fabric.
Use them to dust as well.
5. Mason Jars
Mason jars cost a whopping $1 per jar—or less— come in multiple sizes, and hold a multitude of items. Portion your weekly oatmeal intake in a mason jar, throw in your favorite spices, use them as measuring devices, and never buy another plastic bag again.
6. Enameled Cast Iron Pans
“I find them excellent at saving gas on the stovetop. They retain the heat for ages, so you can turn the gas off and just let things cook on their own. The heat is distributed evenly, and you can pop them straight in the oven (bonus if you’re making dishes that are started on the stove and then finished in the oven as there are no extra dishes to clean up). I absolutely love mine,” a chef states.
7. Drill Driver and Circular Saw
“A drill driver and a circular saw, preferably cordless, are all you need to start with home repairs. Almost all of the carpentry is cutting and fastening. If you can cut wood to shape and drive screws into it, you can fix things and build things. All those other power tools may make things easier or do one specific job very well. You’d be amazed at what you can do with just a drill and a saw,” a self-proclaimed handyman notes.
8. High Sierra Showerheads
The contributor who added this tidbit shares that the High Sierra showerheads greatly reduce water usage in the home and save on hot water, and the showerheads do not have typical holes or openings that need cleansing. Avoid scrubbing mildew off your showerhead with a High Sierra product.
9. Red Land Cotton Sheets
A Red Land Cotton sheet fan details their experience with the comfortable quilts. “Made in the US with a lifetime warranty on tears, piling, and holes. They are the best sheets ever and help you sleep so much better, and last basically decades,” a person who sleeps soundly at night says.
10. Coconut Bristle Brush
Like most frugal-friendly items, coconut bristle brushes have multiple uses and reduce environmental harm. The brushes can clean vegetables and fruits, offset grease, scrub dishes, sinks, bathtubs, showers, and floors, all for an affordable price.
35 Proven Ways to Save Money Every Month
Many people believe it’s impossible to save money. Or, they think saving $20 or $50 a month won’t amount to much. Both are incorrect. There are many simple money-saving tips that can add up to big savings. You just have to start one, then another, to increase your savings.
Ways to Save Money Every Month
How to Save Money on a Tight Budget
Saving money feels impossible when you’re struggling to make ends meet, but you can do it. Use these tips to save money each month, even on a tight budget.
How to Save Money on a Tight Budget
Get Cash Back on Your Gas Purchases
It’s painful to fill up at the pump. Thankfully, there’s an app for that! With Upside you can get rebates on your gas purchases that you can redeem for cash.
Upside App Review: Is the Gas App Worth it?
7 Steps to Break the Paycheck-to-Paycheck Cycle
Making ends meet is hard on a limited income. However, it is possible to break the cycle and find financial stability. You just need to know where to start.
How to Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck
Signs You’re Financially Stable
Financial stability is the foundation to achieving financial freedom. Learn how financially stable you are and where you can improve.
33 Signs You’re Financially Stable
This thread inspired this post.
I’m John Schmoll, a former stockbroker, MBA-grad, published finance writer, and founder of Frugal Rules.
As a veteran of the financial services industry, I’ve worked as a mutual fund administrator, banker, and stockbroker and was Series 7 and 63-licensed, but I left all that behind in 2012 to help people learn how to manage their money.
My goal is to help you gain the knowledge you need to become financially independent with personally-tested financial tools and money-saving solutions.
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