Being Green on a Budget

I don’t know about you, but I find that trying to live more sustainably can be a bit of a minefield. Once you start thinking about it, there is so much you could do and ethical quandaries emerge in areas you’ve never even considered before; cleaning products, toys, food products (do you buy the organic, Fairtrade bananas in plastic packaging or the loose but not ethically sourced bananas??), sanitary items, electronic goods, even mobile phone networks… the list is endless! Some of the ethical issues behind our purchases and lifestyles seem so enormous it’s sometimes hard to see how our feeble efforts can be worthwhile at all.

By far the biggest barrier I have found to being green, however, is cost. Trying to be environmentally friendly on a budget is a challenge! In an ideal world we’d all love to buy organic clothing, earth-friendly beauty products and hand-made wooden toys, but there’s no getting away from the fact that, on the whole, green products are simply more expensive. I have come to accept that there are many things that will be too much of a stretch for the purse strings, but I have also found some effective ways to live a bit more sustainably. I can’t claim to have this all figured out, but I thought I’d try and give some suggestions from my own experience, so here are my top tips:

1. Find a good ethical retailer and bulk buy your household cleaning and hygiene products

I buy most of my household cleaning and hygiene products in bulk online; if you have storage space you can get many products in 5l containers which are more cost effective – I place an order once every six months or so and keep a stock of laundry detergent and washing up liquid in our shed. I appreciate that this can mean a large outlay at once, but it works out cheaper in the long run if you can manage it. If you can’t buy in bulk there are also an increasing number of refill stations springing up where you can take your own containers; I haven’t got much experience with these but our local one is fairly inexpensive (though sadly not currently running due to the pandemic).

Sustainable laundry

2. Swap to old-fashioned cleaning methods

It’s amazing what a bit of bicarbonate of soda and vinegar can do in bathrooms and kitchens. Did you know that the addition of soda crystals can reduce the amount of detergent needed in your laundry? And don’t assume you need that pricey bottle of chemical drain unblocker – try a plunger first, then give soda crystals a go.

There are plenty of websites out there with guides to using simple, natural products for most household cleaning jobs. Many mainstream and local retailers are now stocking products such as bicarb, soda crystals and citric acid for cleaning purposes, often in recyclable cardboard packaging, and they are generally far cheaper than specialist cleaning products.

Eco cleaning on a budget

3. Cut down on plastic bottles in your bathroom

Swap to traditional soap bars instead of liquid soaps and shower gel. I’m currently attempting to swap to shampoo bars, but these aren’t the cheapest of products and are definitely not quite the same as normal shampoo… I’m persevering! The one I’m currently trying is much better; I suspect the brand is beyond my usual budget but it was actually given to me as a birthday present – try putting ethical products on your Christmas list! It’s also worth reviewing whether you actually need all those bottled products – I’m not suggesting you forgo essentials, but I recently discovered I don’t actually need conditioner so that saves both plastic bottles and money.

Plastic free bathroom

4. Check the user guide for your washing machine

Using a lower temperature and spin speed on your washing machine is better for the environment and your wallet – you can probably adjust these manually depending on the wash programme. Your machine may well have eco programmes which conserve energy and have a lower water consumption. Trying to always wash a full load will also save on your water and electricity bills.

5. Use reusable food containers and bottles

There are some lovely products made from sustainable materials such as glass, stainless steel and bamboo out there, however these are usually more expensive than their plastic counterparts. If your budget doesn’t stretch to these it’s still better to use reusable plastic containers (which you probably already have in the cupboard) or recyclable foil than disposable cling film or plastic bags. It’s also worth holding on to plastic food pots such as takeaway trays or margarine tubs to freeze things in.

Green living in the kitchen

6. Buy second-hand

This is definitely the best alternative if you are unable to buy expensive, sustainably made clothing and toys (amongst other things). You can pick up good quality items for a fraction of the original price, saving them from landfill and saving money at the same time, often whilst also supporting a charity. I actually find it way easier to buy jeans in charity shops – you immediately know how they’re going to fit, rather than trying to work out if they’ll be more comfortable after you’ve worn them a bit! Charity shops are also great for toys – kids generally don’t care if something’s not brand new. Also keep an eye out for charities who hold second-hand clothing sales (especially children’s clothing) as fundraisers – I have barely had to buy my boys any new clothing.

I think I should stop there but I hope you find something helpful in this. I think I will just end by encouraging you to focus on the things you can do rather than what you can’t - even simple, inexpensive changes can make a difference. You don’t have to make lots of changes at once either; when I look back at the incremental steps we’ve taken I’m surprised by how much we are now doing to make the planet a slightly better place.