Bargain Babe: Does Living Green Save You Green?

Shoestring is all about trying to save money and save the planet at the same time, usually landing on one side or the other of that blissfully happy medium of environmentally and economically legit. So, is being green frugal? The short answer is: it depends.

A recent post from Julia Scott on BargainBabe.com pointed out that three green habits — eating organic food, using organic beauty products, and installing alternative energy sources — are really quite pricey, and in some cases, that's true. So, she started thinking about green habits that are frugal. Here are her ideas:

Shop for clothes at swaps, vintage shops, and thrift stores.
Here, you can expect prices to be about a third of discount chains and a fifth of main stream retail. By swapping and thrifting, you also have the chance to score unique pieces that are truly one of a kind and fashion-forward. Even designer and brand name labels! Check out this video from the July clothing swap I held with The Swapaholics:

Donate possessions to Goodwill, the Salvation Army, or other charities...then remember to record the tax deduction.

Dry clothes outside on a drying rack or clothes line.
In the summer heat, my clothes dry in just two hours. Thick towels take about 3 to 4 hours, but it's totally worth it to cut your energy bill — plus, some people really love the way line-dried clothes smell!

Grow vegetables and fruit at home or in a community garden. Plant smart, since it's easy to spend more on a garden than you would spend in the grocery store, once you're finished buying pots, potting soil, seeds or clippings. Gardening provide other beneifts, too, like peace of mind and exercise. Don't have a green thumb? Try joining a foraging community or food swap.

Carpool or ride your bike for in-town errands. Use your bike enough, and you can forget paying for a gym membership! For car sharing, try ZipCar or GoLoco.

Recycle your stuff for money. Of course, recycling cans, bottles, and newspapers is a no-brainer, but did you know you can make a lot of money from recycling electronics? Cell phones, iPods, cameras, computers, and just about every other electronic gadget in decent condition are worth good money when you hand them over to recyclers like Gazelle.

Eat vegetarian more often than you currently do. Protein from eggs and vegetables is much cheaper than meat, and it leaves a smaller carbon footprint.

Julia's readers chimed in to share ways in which two of the pricey green habits mentioned above are affordable.

Lisa says solar panels have saved her money on electricity bills: "Solar panels do not have to cost tens of thousands of dollars; many companies will do a lease for little or no money down. I just got solar for my whole house, and I will pay approximately $35 per month for electricity. Also, if anything breaks, the solar company will fix it. This is a fraction of my monthly energy bill, and I will still use CFL's and conserve energy, too!"

Denise from Arkansas knows cheap natural beauty secrets: "Organic skin care products do not have to cost more than the non-organic ones. At age 50, my oily skin is under control by using a couple of drops of grape seed oil with a drop of ylang-ylang essential oil mixed in my hand and smoothed on my face after cleansing and exfoliating. I also keep a bottle of grape seed oil in the shower and apply it the same way you'd apply baby oil. It soaks in quickly and leaves my skin soft with no white lines. Each morning, I pour a little of my freshly brewed green tea into a tiny spray bottle and use it as toner and moisture spritz throughout the day. None of these items are expensive at all!"