Eco-friendly on a budget

Along with the economy, green living is on everyone’s minds these days. The good news is that being eco conscious can also help us save money! Below are some of my tips on some ways to save money and keep your family green…

-Nina

Make your own household cleaning supplies:

After having my two sons, I cringed at the chemical scent after cleaning the house. I found some home-made alternatives that not only work, but are budget-friendly too!

Baking soda scrub – cleans grout, sinks, tubs
2 tablespoons baking soda + enough castile soap to create a foamy paste. Use a sponge to treat the affected areas. Leave on surface for up to fifteen minutes, then spray with vinegar and wash down with water.

Glass Cleaner
Mix equal parts white vinegar and water + a few drops of essential oil (a good soothing one to try is lavender)
Fill a spray bottle with the solution. Add as much essential oil as you require to cover the scent of vinegar. Spray and wipe down, leaving your bathroom mirrors  and shower doors sparkling.

All-Purpose Cleaner – use on most surfaces including counters and walls
Fill a 16 ounce spray bottle with 2 teaspoons borax, 1/4 teaspoon castile soap and hot water. Simply spray the solution on the surface, let sit for a few minutes, then wipe down with a sponge. For large surfaces such as floors, fill a bucket with a gallon of hot water, one teaspoon baking soda and two tablespoons of castile soap.

Laundry:

Use cold water to clean your clothes. Also, don’t overload the dryer. Clothing will take longer to dry and come out wrinkled. Consider hanging clothing on a drying rack or line-drying them outside on warm days. I line dry all of my clothes- they stay in better shape too.

Electronics:

Unplug televisions and other electronic devices such as DVD players, toaster ovens and mobile phone chargers when they’re not in use. Electronic devices draw energy even when they’re turned off or in standby mode. For convenience, plug electronics into a power strip. One switch cuts down on power and reduces your energy costs.

Thermostat:

During colder months, switch the thermostat to 68 degrees while sleeping or when away. Install a programmable thermostat to automatically raise and lower temperatures. Move the thermostat to an inside wall away from windows and doors, so the heating system is not responding to drafts and cycling unnecessarily (ours was next to our deck sliding glass doors and would kick on every time we opened the door to go out on our deck-so we had to move it).