7 simple ways you can save money and help the planet

There are lots of simple ways you can do your bit and actually save money while you’re doing it. Below, we bring you some easy ideas that allow you to do your bit by saving the environment whilst putting more money in your pocket at the same time!

Switch off your unused appliances All the time your appliances - such as TVs, game consoles and laptops - are on standby, they are using electricity. Each TV or computer left on standby is estimated to cost you 2p an hour – that soon adds up over a year. Plug-in timers or smart plugs are a great idea to help you remember to switch off too.

Turn the heating down just 1 degree Winter will soon be upon us and we’ll start putting the heating on. Lowering your heating is a great way to help save energy and help the environment. Turning your thermostat down by just a degree is hardly noticeable (especially if you wear an extra layer!) and could save you nearly £100 a year on your bill.

Do you really need to drive? It’s so easy to jump in the car for that trip to the local shop or into town. But by planning ahead and allowing a little extra time to walk or use public transport, you’ll make a huge difference. Cars can be awful polluters and the environment will thank you. You’ll also save money on petrol and parking, which soon adds up. And that’s not all – you’ll get more exercise and improve your health too!

Turn off those lights It sounds obvious but it’s easy to leave the kitchen light on after making a cuppa. Get into the habit of always turning the lights off when leaving a room if you’re not coming back for a while. Lighting makes up an average of 10% of a household’s overall electricity bill, so you save money as well as the planet.

Take shorter showers By spending less time in the shower you’ll help to save one of the most important things of all – water. You’ll also save money on both your water and electricity bills. You could think about investing in a low-flow shower head to save even more.

Invest in a reusable water bottle Bottled water has a huge impact on the environment with the production and transport as well as the vast amounts of plastic that goes to landfill. You can help by using a reusable bottle and filling it from a tap, water filter jug or water fountain. Not only saving the environment from all that nasty plastic, but also saving money by not having to buy a bottle every time you need a drink.

Stop wasting food Food that ends up in landfill produces large amounts of methane - a greenhouse gas more harmful than carbon dioxide to the environment. Get into the habit of only buying food you need. Easier said than done? Try to plan your meals in advance and prepare a shopping list – it’ll help to stop any  impulse buying too. Get creative with leftovers and you could easily see big savings on your shopping bill.

As you can see, it doesn't take that much effort to make small changes that help towards saving the planet and protecting the future. What’s even better is you could actually save yourself quite a bit of cash by doing so.