How Sustainability Can Save You Money
Sustainability isn’t just about reducing environmental impact, it can also be a smarter financial decision! Whether it’s cutting everyday costs or investing in systems that pay off over time, eco-friendly choices can often save the planet and the money in your wallet.
At BARC, we believe sustainability works best when it fits into your real life. Read our eco-friendly money saving tips to see how being sustainable can help you save money or even make money!
Eco-Friendly Money Saving Tips
Unplug: An Easy Way To Reduce Your Energy Bill
One of the most immediate ways sustainability saves money is through lower energy consumption. Turning off lights when they aren’t needed, unplugging electronics that draw power in standby mode, and switching to energy-efficient lighting can reduce monthly utility bills with minimal effort. Over time, these small adjustments add up to noticeable savings while also reducing strain on energy systems.
If you live in Michigan, DTE has a great resource for a variety of different ways you can save on your energy bills. We highly recommend taking a look at their recommendations and making swaps where you can!
Using What You Already Have
Sustainable living starts with making the most of what you already own, and it can save you money in the process. Repairing, reusing, or repurposing items instead of replacing them can significantly reduce your household expenses. Simple choices, like taking clothes to a tailor for mending or having shoes resoled by a cobbler, are often far more affordable than buying new and extending the life of items you already love without sacrificing comfort or quality.
The same mindset applies to fixing appliances, reusing containers, and finding creative ways to extend the life of everyday essentials. By using what you already have, you keep more money in your pocket while reducing waste and keeping materials out of landfills. It’s a win for your budget and the planet!
Shopping Secondhand
Buying secondhand is one of the most affordable and sustainable choices available. At our Kaleva Resale Shop, we offer a wide variety of secondhand goods with tons of life left in them. From clothing and furniture to household goods, we have everything you need at a fraction of the cost of new items. We also do monthly sales and offer a 10% discount to anyone who recycles with us. By choosing secondhand, you get a great deal on items you’ll love while reducing demand for new manufacturing and keeping usable products in circulation.
Making and Growing Food At Home
Making food at home can be one of the most impactful ways to save money and live more sustainably. Simple practices like maintaining a small herb garden on a windowsill, growing tomatoes in a backyard in the summer, or planting greens in a raised bed can significantly reduce grocery costs while providing fresh, flavorful ingredients.
If you aren’t into growing, you can also have fun with things like baking your own sourdough bread or preparing meals in advance using affordable, whole ingredients that can stretch your budget even further. Meal prepping helps reduce food waste, and limits last minute takeout spending. Beyond the savings, growing and preparing your own food cuts down on packaging waste, transportation emissions, and food spoilage. It also reconnects us to natural systems, reminding us that sustainability is both practical and deeply rewarding!
Sustainable Investing with Impact
Caring about the environment and making money can go hand in hand, especially if you invest your money correctly. We recommend looking into sustainable investing, an investment strategy that considers financial returns while also taking environmental and social impact into account. You can do this by using ESG criteria to grade investments, which stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance. These three key factors make it easy to evaluate a company’s impact beyond financial performance. By choosing to invest in companies that align with your values, you can see real earnings from your choice to live a more sustainable lifestyle!
Sustainability doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. In many cases, it’s about doing less! Using less energy use, creating less waste, and making fewer unnecessary purchases. Those small, everyday choices add up to meaningful savings and a lighter environmental footprint. At BARC, we believe sustainability works best when it’s made simple. By making thoughtful decisions about how we use resources, we can save money, reduce waste, and build a more resilient community together.