10 Ways Seniors Can Save Money by Green Living

Anyone could save money by adopting green living practices. Seniors have an even higher chance of leading a more economical and fulfilling life in their retirement. Leading an eco-friendly lifestyle can help seniors to save a significant amount of precious money. The lifestyle options suggested for a green living will not suffocate you. They will still allow you to lead your life usually. Your life will significantly improve. Here are 10 easy green living tips for seniors to save money, conserve natural resources and thus lead a more satisfying life:

1. Save Energy

Keep your crawl spaces and attics insulated so that you will use lesser energy to keep your house warm. Insulate your weather strip doors and windows and install natural blinds and or curtains over the cold side of your house.

Use a programmable thermostat so that your air conditioners do not have to keep running unnecessarily. When you are not home, the device will not keep expending energy.

2. Bicycles

Using a bicycle has more than just economic advantages. A bike is a great option for seniors, especially if they tend to lead a sedentary lifestyle. Health experts have lots of great comments about bicycles.

“Regular use of bicycle can also reduce your life insurance cost. Good health is an important part of life insurance and bicycle helps a lot to stay fit”, says, Linda Chavez, the Founder of Seniors Life Insurance Finder. So, you should not miss this opportunity as we all know how expensive senior life insurance is.

The advantages range from a personal health perspective to the overall health of the population. Economists also concur that a lot of savings would suffice if more people opted for the bicycle. Many errands can be run with a bicycle, with ease.

In short, a bike is great for both health and the economy. You have a chance to flex your muscles in exercise while still helping the environment to keep green.

Unlike motor vehicles, bicycles do not emit any fumes. In any case, for towns and cities with traffic snarl-ups, a bicycle will get you to your destination, way faster.

3. Pool Your Cars

Once people retire, they notice that their need for a car reduces significantly. It is economical to make use of a common means when headed in the same direction.

If you live in the same locality or estate, you could agree with your neighbors to make use of a common vehicle to visit some places. Still, if your family owns two cars or more, it would help to agree to make use of just one to run errands and for travel. Using one car will save you many dollars in fuel and repairs.

It would help if you also considered making use of public transport which is, by far cheaper than using personal means.

4. Mass Transit Options

If you live in towns such as Mammoth Lakes, there is a free town shuttle service. Other towns and cities provide this option too.

Even where the shuttle service is paid for, it costs much less. There is less carbon emitted to the environment, per individual, too.

5. Avoid Excessive Use of Bottled Water

Well it looks and feels right to use bottled water, right? It may be “cool”, yes, but that is just about it. Did you know that bottled water costs tens of thousands more than tap water over the long term?

If you keep using bottled water ever so regularly, you will soon not feel so “cool” after all. Your pockets will begin to feel the pinch.

So, save money by purchasing a water filter for once, and fill your reusable bottles with tap water and use them. It will feel just as cool, convenient, and well, you will keep feeling “cool” for longer.

6. Save on Food

According to the US Department of Agriculture Data, most consumers dispose of at least 30% of the food they purchase. They leave it to go stale or outlive its shelf life before it is used.

Our advice is for you to keep track of the food you have in your possession: in the fridge and store. You should also develop ways of reusing food that you could have left during your previous meal, by preserving it for use next time hunger bites.

It would help if you also were frugal and shrewd when buying food. Do not buy more than you need.

Avoid visiting food stores when you are hungry. Some research has suggested that buying food when you are hungry predisposes you to buy more. Another way to make sure that you do not buy more is to budget precisely.

7. Living in a Small Home

If you have been living in a huge home, you could consider downsizing. Living in a smaller residence means that you will use less energy on heating, cooling and other services.

In retirement, you want to save more than you spend because often time, your income reduces. Smaller residences also come with significantly smaller carbon prints. You save the environment and your pocket by opting for a smaller home. A smaller home will require less paint, cleaning reagents, less water for lawns, among other things.

8. Eco-Camping

Camping in the wild is always adventurous and good for health. There are many National Park Service programs in the US, which allow seniors a free travel to the parks. Many of them only require you to take up some volunteer work with the park in exchange for a free camping pass.

Some parks provide you with a pass that allows you access to museums and other historic sites. If you can dedicate only 250 hours a year, you get a free pass for adventure.

9. Visiting Libraries

Libraries are great places to enhance your digital literacy. There, you can read a book and leave it for the next person. You do not have to buy the book you so want to read. You can do the same for music and movies.

If you like reading newspapers, you will save money by visiting the library and reading the same for free. The environment will also be saved of the litter. The amount of paper that needs printing will also reduce if more people used libraries for these services.

10. Retirement Communities

Some communities have developed resources that retirees can share and save money and conserve energy. You can use shared bicycles, cars, and vanpools to travel and for errands in these communities.

Conclusion

Since saving is a personal initiative, all or some of the above options can work for you. The bottom line, though, is that the need to save the planet from further destruction while maintaining our lifestyle without disruption is ever growing stronger and urgent.

The tips provided have proven to work to that end. Old people will appreciate living comfortably, healthy, and saving money by using them.

Salman Zafar

Salman Zafar is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of EcoMENA. He is a consultant, ecopreneur and journalist with expertise across in waste management, renewable energy, environment protection and sustainable development. Salman has successfully accomplished a wide range of projects in the areas of biomass energy, biogas, waste-to-energy, recycling and waste management. He has participated in numerous conferences and workshops as chairman, session chair, keynote speaker and panelist. He is proactively engaged in creating mass awareness on renewable energy, waste management and environmental sustainability across the globe Salman Zafar can be reached at salman@ecomena.org

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