How to Save Money by Going Green A-Z (Part Two)

I recently entered the "Circle of Moms" Top 25 Money Saving Moms blog competition. (You can see my profile and vote for me at this link).
Although this blog is all about going green, I do believe that being eco-friendly goes hand-in-hand with frugal living
and saving the environment saves you cash.

In honor of the Top 25 List, I'm posting a blog-trilogy; a 3-part series on how to Save Money by Going Green A-Z.   You can read Part One here.

and now for Part Two...


J - squeeze your own Juice. Orange juice from freshly squeezed oranges is much healthier and cheaper than store-bought - sugar and preservative added - juices and requires no damaging plastic packaging!  You can also use your squeezed orange juice to make your own popsicles.

K - get your Kids involved.  Many of us spend money every month on afternoon, educational stimulating activities for our little ones. Gardening, upcycling and recycling with your kids, are all educational, fun and free activities.

L - shopping with a List can ensure you purchase only what you need and will use.  Personally, I love walking up and down all the aisles in the grocery store, musing over what would look nice in my kitchen cupboards.  Even when I do write a shopping list, I inevitably forget it at home.  I do, however, understand the importance of using a shopping list in order to avoid overbuying items that are going to go bad before you have a chance to use them.  I recently started using the Shopper app on my i-phone, which means I never forget my list at home anymore.  The items are automatically arranged according to the aisles and there are several customisable features even on the free "lite" version.

M - Make your own toys.  Collect a variety of items destined for the trash and use them to create something fun, like this play kitchen.

N - cloth Napkins are reusable, saving the money and carbon footprint attached to paper napkins.  An as an added bonus, they can be folded in many fancy ways adding elegance to your table-setting.  On the right is my Bishop's hat napkin.

I'm adding an additional N here, for Nappies (Diapers).  Cloth nappies are another great way to save money and be green.  I'll admit, that I haven't been brave enough to try them yet.  But I'll definitely let you know once I do.  Meanwhile, you can check out details at Applecheeks recommended by a Going Green reader.

O - sign up for Online bills and reduce paper wastage.  How can this save you money?  Some companies offer incentives to sign up to online bills.  Our mobile company offers free smses on signing up.

P - be conscious about your Packaging choices.  If you can, choose a product with recyclable packaging.  Clean out your used plastic jars, and buy the paper bag refill next time.

Q - Quit smoking.  Not an easy task for a heavy smoker, but one that offers many rewards.  Save your money, save your environment (from the packagin waste; the actual cigarette butts) and most importantly save your health (smoking increases your risk of suffering a heart attack, a stroke, several types of cancers, as well as increasing the risk of asthma and ear infections in your children).  If you want to quit but feel that you can't do it on your own, ask your family doctor for advice and/or pharmaceutical assistance.

Are you ready for Part Three ?