Saving money won't cost you the earth

Besides stashing away regular money into a high interest savings account or cutting up your credit cards there are clever ways to save money that will have a positive impact on your bank account, as well as our environment.

With Earth Hour casting darkness over the world this weekend – in the name of environmental conservation – we thought it would be fitting to share with you some of our RateCity user’s savings tips – a lot of which are quirky but clever.

Save on electricity

“This drives my wife crazy but I unplug everything in our house – except when we use it. Phantom energy use really adds up!” Bryn Probett said.

“Run appliances such as clothes dryers and dishwashers at night to avoid peak energy rates and the humid heat they generate,” Rob Haydon recommended.

“Reduce your power bill by training your dog to lie across the bottom of the door. This will reduce drafts in winter and stop cool air escaping in summer,” Owen humourlessly suggested.

Avoid food waste

“Do your grocery shopping online to avoid buying things you don’t need and to work out the best price per unit,” Alison Loxton suggested.

“Do a regular $30 food-challenge: Plan your meals from whatever is left in your pantry/fridge and spend no more than $30 that week,” Irene Pelow recommended. 

“Get together with a few families and buy in bulk at your local wholesaler or farmers markets. This way you get fresh produce, save money on packaging and it’s great for environment,” Claire Thrower.

And finally, Jeff Shillitto’s suggestion to “pour any leftover milk from your breakfast cereal back in to the bottle” may be a little extreme but you get his idea – waste not want not.

Water savings tips

“Install artificial grass, best thing to do in Perth, as it saves on your water and power bill as there’s no need for water irrigation system!” Phillipa Giltay shared.

“Save money on your water bill, like my parents did, by putting pebbles in the toilet water tank. Displace a litre or two of water and save!” Gianna (Gigi) Huesch recommended.

“Reduce your water bill by mulching your garden with free garden mulch. Tree loppers will gladly give away mulch to avoid paying tip fees,” Sue Wood reveals.

Go green

“Reuse and re-purpose food containers (sour cream, etc.) instead of buying new containers,” Jody Buhagiar suggested.

“Research homemade cleaning products. You’ll be amazed what you can do with white vinegar, lemons and baking soda. Cheap and environmentally friendly,” Nicole Morris recommended.

“Grow a vegetable garden. It’s chemical-free, convenient, allows for family involvement and harvests fresh, fabulous produce that is readily available and almost free,” Joanne Sellers said.

And for one final money, environment – and life – tip, take heed of our savvy RateCity user’s advice and always shop with your husband.

“I save money by shopping with my husband. All browsing is accompanied with ‘What do you need that for?’” Annette Nardini joked.

Earth Hour is a worldwide event aimed at conserving our environment by switching off all lights for one hour. On March 29 at 8:30pm Australia will be switching off their lights – this year to mark the threat of climate change on Australia’s iconic Great Barrier Reef. 

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