Green Living Saves Green! Part 1

One of the greatest rewards of green living is the money it saves. The following are some simple ways I’ve saved a small fortune by going green:

1- Cloth Napkins

As I’m watching my daughter destroy about 2 dozen paper napkins while consuming a rib dinner, I’m thinking to myself “There must be a better way”, and there is:Cloth Napkins. Cloth Napkins are stronger and reusable. Rarely will anyone need more that one cloth napkin for any messy meal. There are a lot of pretty cloth napkins out there, but the best are made of natural fibers like Cotton or Linen. They absorb grease and mess the best. Avoid synthetic napkins; they just don’t work as well. I have not paid for paper napkins in years, and my wallet and the trees are thanking me.

2- White Vinegar is a Stellar All-Purpose Cleaner

I ditched the chemicals years ago. White vinegar in a spray bottle works wonders! White vinegar is a natural disinfectant and provides a streak free clean on any glass surface. Use white vinegar to spray down your kitchen counters, wash your windows, and even clean the bathroom. It can be applied to just about any surface safely. I’ve even cleaned finished wood by watering the vinegar down a bit.

Now, you may be thinking “Oh! My Home Will Smell Like Mayonnaise!” Not true. The smell dissipates once it is dry. So, you can pay for chemical cleaners, or you can buy a gallon of white vinegar for sometimes as little as .99.

3- Make Your Own Laundry Detergent

This is one of the biggest money saving tips in my arsenal of green living; this tip saves money in more ways than one! One day I decided I didn’t want to pay $150.00 a year for laundry detergent that not only didn’t perform that well, but wore my clothes out before their time! Now if you have a family of more than 2, you’re paying a lot more than $150.00 a year for detergent, this tip can save you big bucks.

My simple, highly effective, very powerful yet extremely gentle, natural formula is this:

2 cups of Borax

2 Cups of Washing Powder/Soda

1 finely grated bar of soap

Mix them together really well (I’ve even made it in a food processor with the grater attachment for the soap), and you’ve got the most powerful and gentle fragrance-free chemical free laundry detergent I’ve ever used. Store it in a plastic container and use only 1 TABLESPOON PER LARGE LOAD. Yes, you read that right. 1 tablespoon of this formula will wash one large load of laundry.

BONUS: It won’t wear out your clothes like commercial detergents!

It is low suds; there are no dyes or added ingredients. It’s perfect for those with sensitive skin. I have used this formula for years. You can buy the ingredients in the laundry detergent section of any major supermarket. I have a family of 2 and need to buy the ingredients annually.

So, let’s do the math (Prices rounded up based on a Connecticut Stop & Shop):

1 box of Borax: 4.00

1 Box of Arm & Hammer Washing Powder: 4.00

6 pack bar of any soap (I use Jergens. It’s simple & inexpensive): 1.99

Total: $9.99/Year.

Yes, $9.99 a year for the most effective, gentle, dye-free, fragrance free laundry detergent I’ve ever used!

That’s a whopping savings of $140.00 a year! Dinner’s on me tonight!