Help The Planet

How to Save Money AND help the planet
By Andrea J. Lee

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.)