There’s a myth that being eco-friendly is expensive. You can’t adopt green practices unless you have a lot of money. While there are some steps toward a greener lifestyle that are a bit of an investment, most steps cost little to no money at all. Just about every step does more than just help to save the planet; it also ends up saving you money in the long run. Here’s how.

Insulate Your Home

Your HVAC uses more energy than any other appliance in your home. If your home is poorly insulated, it has to work even harder (and run even longer) to maintain a comfortable temperature. Not only does this mean expensive energy bills, but it can also wear your HVAC out faster. Replacing the unit can be quite expensive.

You can increase your home’s energy efficiency by making sure that it’s well-insulated. Have your insulation checked and upgraded if necessary. Other, smaller, steps you can take to insulate your home include sealing your windows and replacing old weather stripping. When your HVAC works less, your energy consumption (and bills) decrease significantly.

Upgrade Your Thermostat

It’s recommended to raise or lower your thermostat by at least a few degrees when no one is at home. Older thermostats need to be manually adjusted, which means you have to remember to adjust it every time you leave and come home. You can cut down on energy usage (and save wear and tear on your HVAC) by upgrading to a programmable thermostat. This type of thermostat enables you to set specific settings based on the time of day. You can set a schedule for the week and the thermostat takes care of the rest. You use less energy to keep your home comfortable and spend less money each month.

Go Solar

Solar energy offers a completely clean, 100% renewable alternative to traditional energy. Before you can go solar, you need to have panels installed on your roof. Purchasing panels can be expensive. Fortunately, there are other options. You can take out a solar loan, which allows you to pay off the panels over time. You can also get a solar ppa. This is an agreement in which panels are installed and solar power is sold to you at a lower cost than what you would pay for traditional energy. Solar energy is completely sustainable and doesn’t release any harmful chemicals into the atmosphere. At the same time, you save a substantial amount of money on your monthly energy bills.

Purchase Second Hand

How many times have you gone to the stores for clothing, furniture, or other items and thought to yourself “why is everything so expensive?” Not only are new items generally pricy, but they can also contribute to environmental harm. Instead of buying new, consider shopping second hand. Oftentimes, gently used clothing and other items are just as good as new items but they cost just a fraction of what new items do. You also help to reduce the impact on the environment by buying used.

Make Your Own Cleaning Products

Many cleaning products are made using harsh chemicals that can cause serious harm to the environment. Rather than purchasing these toxic products, why not make your own? You can easily find recipes online for creating your own cleaning products that use completely natural ingredients, many of which likely already have in your home. Again, you save money while also protecting your health and reducing your environmental impact.

Going green isn’t expensive. It can help to save you a substantial amount of money. While your main goal in becoming eco-friendly might be saving the planet, you also get the added benefit of saving your wallet at the same time.