One of the biggest obstacles to "going green" is the perception that eco-living is expensive. The following choices not only don't break the bank, but actually help consumers save money.
* Improve fuel economy - Gasoline is at an all-time high of $3.50 a gallon. Improved fuel efficiency means you travel farther on every gallon of gasoline. The cost savings? Consider this: Say you drive 15,000 miles per year. If your car gets an average of 20 miles per gallon, over the course of the year, at an 
average fuel price of $3.50/gallon, you will spend $2625 on gasoline. However, if your vehicle achieves 35 mpg, driving the same 15,000 miles will only cost you $1701 - a savings of $924. Say you drive that car for ten years. In all likelihood, gasoline will only get more expensive. In ten years, you could save more than $10,000. And if you invested that money over time, your savings increase considerably more.
Lunch_box * Bring your lunch to work - Lunchtime food packaging wastes enormous energy and other natural resources - think of all the plastic and paper you throw away after you're finished with a take-out salad, sandwich or burger. David Bach, author of Go Green, Live Rich, calculates that, if you spend $9 a day on lunch from the local Subway or sandwich shop, you're spending $45 a week, or $2, 250 a year to eat out. Much of what you're paying for -- the wrapping -- you throw away. The greener, money-saving option: take food from home in reusable containers, including a durable lunch bag. If you save and invest the $2,250 every year, says Back, in 20 years it will amount to $111,000. (Need a lunchbox? Check out these.)
* Sell your stuff - Someone is willing to pay for what you might be throwing away. By some calculations, 75-90% of what people trash would willingly be used by someone else. Before you toss, try to sell. It's easy to get started on Craig's List or EBay, though holding a yard sale also works to generate income while unloading your "riches" on those who want them.
* Pay bills online - You'll save money, time, paper and late fees -- as much as $400 a year or more -- by automating your accounts and paying with a click of your mouse rather than having to write a check, seal an envelope, and lick a stamp.
* Buy less - Ah, abstinence! Like some of the other behaviors this action is associated with, keeping your money in your purse or pocketbook is among the most sure-fire ways to hold onto it - while not contributing to the excessive consumer demand that fuels climate change and pollution. Just do it.
Want more ideas? Check out the Top Ten Ways to Afford Going Green.
For more information, get your own copy of Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World. Sign up for our free newsletter tips at www.biggreenpurse.com.
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