Save the planet. Pay the bills.

I used to tell people that I am 60% green and 40% cheap. Currently we are still adjusting to having one income provider (that would be my amazing, hard working husband) and with each passing week we tighten the belt on our budget.  Now I'm breaking even on the green to cheap ratio.

Here are a few of the little things we do to save the planet AND keep more money in the bank:

1. Cloth diapers
The environmental impact on diapers is severe.  Disposable diapers are responsible for 3.5 billion tons of waste each year.  They are also plenty expensive.  I went through an $11 pack of disposable diapers in 3 days while visiting my sister.  Now I just tote my cloth with me when we visit.  Our stash of cloth diapers and covers cost us about $200 - and that was nine months ago!  Thankfully we have an HE washer which reduces our carbon footprint and saves us money by using less water and electricity.  Win-win.

Laundering cloth diapers is so easy, a baby can do it!

2. Shop the bulk bins
I recently started shopping the bulk bins for staples like oatmeal, nuts, dried fruit, rice, and beans.  It's amazing how much you save!  And think of all of the materials that go into pre-packaged foods that just end up in the trash.  Even if you recycle the packaging it still took energy and resources to produce it, as will  recycling it.

3. Reuse containers
Ok, so my grandma used to save every container.  You would open the cabinet and be hit in the head with an empty cool whip tub.  I'm not recommending that at all.  But, jars make great containers for bulk bin items.  They also work perfectly for annoying bags that are hard to find in the pantry and end up spilling out half the time.  After you open a bag of raisins or almonds toss the rest in a repurposed jar!  And one last bonus, you can stick leftovers, like soup, in it and heat it up safely (I never microwave plastic, but that's a whole different topic).

I've found that the labels on Trader Joe's jars are very easy to remove after filling the jar with hot water.  There isn't a whole lot of sticky stuff left on the glass.

4. Buy secondhand
Especially with baby and kid stuff! The majority of Olive's room is furnished with secondhand items. Her nursery is so precious (I'll post photos soon). Don't think I don't drool over the beautiful interior photos on Apartment Therapy but we've got bills to pay!  Plus there is unmatched charm in these twice loved furnishings.

Everything here cost a total of $200 plus a couple bottles of spray paint!  Just the Dutailier glider set (right) retails for over $300 brand new.

 Some of  these tips may not work for you, but savvy shopping paired with reducing your carbon footprint feels pretty darn good!