Home
>
Outdoors
>
How to Save Money AND help the planet

How to Save Money AND help the planet

Don't all of us love to have the money to do the fun things that bring us joy? Not that all fun things require money, mind you, on the contrary! But have you ever wanted to read that awesome-looking new book, eat at that new green restaurant in town or throw a party for friends and family...only to be short a little cash?

Here are few tips:

1. Give your hot water tank a blanket.

There's this neat thing called Reflectix, have you heard of it? Wow. It's basically insulation for your hot water tank...in the form of shiny aluminum foil, but slightly thicker. And just as easy to manipulate. Just roll out the amount needed, wrap your hot water tank, and secure it with a special shiny tape, almost like gift wrapping your tank.

Net result? You'll save a bunch off your heating bills! And by saving energy to heat your water, you help the planet enormously! (Reflectix can also be used to insulate heating ducts.) Buy it in rolls of all different sizes at your local hardware store and go nuts!! Very cool stuff.

2. Grow your hair long OR...shave it all off.

Okay, call me crazy, but what is it with the hair thing? Cutting it off, letting it grow, trying this style, that style...I don't know about you, but I'm a real no-nonsense kind of gal. And a while back, I decided to let my hair grow and go as long as I could without a cut. (About six months.) It was quite liberating! And by conservative estimates, I saved probably close to $100 dollars in those six months! ($30 dollar haircut every two months, plus tip.) Of course, I had a style that didn't grow out, so I looked fine (or at least no one TOLD me I didn't.)

How does this help the planet, you ask? Well, as with all the money saving tips in this issue, the more money you save, the less you have to work for it. The less you have to work for it, the less you have to commute, use your car/gasoline, eat out for lunch/dinner...etc. etc. Get what I mean?

Whether man or woman, let me ask you this. What if you were to decide to let your hair grow and forego haircuts for a period of time? Or, go the other route like my husband Mike and shave it all off, that way you can do it yourself, every time! I don't think Mike's spent a cent on cutting his hair for nearly five years, and of course, he looks fab as always...

Radical? Maybe. But it does save money AND helps the planet. Think about it and maybe it's for you...even if it's just for a few months.

3. Sit on your toilet paper roll.

Giggle. Yes, you can help the planet and save money...by squishing your toilet paper roll before you put it on its holder. How's that? Well, simple really. By flattening your roll, (sitting on it, stepping on it, whatever) you make it harder to take too much toilet paper at once. You know how sometimes you give it too much of a yank, and there you have it, toilet paper all over? No use trying to roll it back up, right? Well, that's wasted paper and money.

By flattening it first, the roll moves slower, and you can take just the right amount. A great money and planet saving tip for ANYONE to try, from die hard environmentalists to newbies, especially if you make a point of buying the toilet paper with recycled paper content in it!

Go on, this is one you can try right now! Go squish your toilet paper rolls, then come back and finish reading. Yay!

4.Speak up.

I'll finish off with a REALLY easy one okay? It promises to save you money AND help the planet...and it's fun too. A true-blue Joy to the Planet tip. And that is...speak up! Meaning...when in doubt, have a conversation. You really want to do something great for the planet? Well, you heard me right. Start talking. Pick any of the ten items on this list and talk about...how cool, how easy, how hard, how crazy...each is.

It's simple really. By having a conversation instead of going to the movies, to the mall, or out for food, you inevitably, inexorably, save money, and probably enjoy yourself more too! Who doesn't like a hearty chest-pounding yack-fest with a friend? At the same time, just talking about how to help the planet is a really low-tech, sure fire way to get people thinking more about these things, and that is a great thing.

Andrea J. Lee is an award-winning author, speaker, entrepreneur and coach.
She is a rabid advocate for the planet who coaches online business owners in
the environmental niche market to be financially successful. For more tips
on how you can help the planet and enjoy life at the same time, visit
www.joytotheplanet.com.

Wood Dale Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

Fueled by artificial intelligence, CyberDog the robotic dog is designed specifically locate fire ant nests, which are endangering ecosystems.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents

Internet browsers are useful, but they can be dangerous. Clicking on malicious links can direct you to dangerous websites that steal information or infect your device.

Apple's latest iOS update introduces advanced artificial intelligence capabilities, which may be capturing and analyzing sensitive information.

Breach site confirmed 56,904,909 Hot Topic users' data leaked online. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says the company's silence makes matters even worse.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how an innovative Easy-Way kit turns standard strollers electric, simplifying navigation for parents.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about T-Mobile being hacked in broad cyberattack on global phone and internet companies.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson shows you how to add, customize and manage widgets for quick access to apps and info from your iPhone home screen.

Wrong Google searches can not only compromise your device and personal data. They can also bring law enforcement to your doorstep. Hackers are targeting Google searches.

China's Shanghai Kepler Robotics has developed a new humanoid robot that can carry up to 35 pounds per hand for commercial applications across various industries

Checking your hearing has gotten easier with the new hearing test feature in AirPods Pro 2. You can take reliable hearing tests using your iPhone or iPad.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how a VPN — virtual private network — works and how running it can slow down the operation of your device.

The WalkON Suit F1, an exoskeleton developed to help people with disabilities, can actually walk over to a person in a wheelchair, solving a major problem.

ClickFix, a new scam targeting computer users, is on the rise in the U.S. The scam prompts its targets to click on a link to fix a problem.

Skydweller is the world's largest unmanned solar-powered aircraft that can stay airborne for weeks, and even months, without refueling.

The U.S. government said it is investigating after People's Republic of China hackers targeted commercial telecommunications service providers in the U.S.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Scammers are using increasingly sophisticated ways to lure unsuspecting victims, and some are impersonating an email help desk or support team.

You can unsend or edit your iMessages with the latest iOS updates. Kurt the CyberGuy explains how you can save yourself some potential embarrassment.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says there’s been a rise in cybercriminal services using hacked police and government emails to send subpoenas and data requests to U.S. companies.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how Axiom Space and luxury designer Prada are collaborating on NASA's Artemis III spacesuit design.

Voice assistants may cause confusion across devices. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers some solutions to fix it.

Shameless scammers trick veterans into giving personal info or cash. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explores five common scams.

How to Save Money AND help the planet

Outdoors