Families everywhere are feeling this economy crisis. From smaller household budgets to less money for the little extras that kids enjoy, many are feeling the financial pinch of it all. While the world is experiencing this economy crisis, we are also an even bigger issue... a big need for greater environmental awareness and action. For families that want to make a difference for our world and still would like to save a few dollars to help their overall family budgets, we would like to present some basics for making that happen for you and your kids.
Teaching your children to help the planet by following a few basic steps could give your family just the financial push that it needs to get through this economy crisis. Some of these are really simple to do and others may take a little coordinating, but the final results of your labor, including saving, cost-cutting, and plumping up that family bank account will all seem worth it in the end. Here are a few do's and don'ts to help your family get started:
Do have the kids use rechargeable batteries or solar powered chargers for handheld games and small electronics. Your family could see an instant saving. Costs for replacing batteries can be astronomical when you sum up all of the batteries that you need to supply energy to the gobs of gadgets that your kids probably have. If there is not a USB charger available, which allows you to charge stuff directly from the computer, then find and use alternative energy sources such as rechargeable batteries and solar powered chargers. Regular batteries wreak havoc on the environment. So, using an alternative energy source saves the world and it saves you lots of money from not having to continuously buy batteries.
Do teach the kids to conserve water, especially during this economy crisis. Your children could save your family a mint just by minimizing their water consumption. Set a time limit for showers and encourage children to turn the water off while they are brushing their teeth. These little changes could have a huge impact on your family's water bill and could also help with our environment.
Do teach children to be creative with their water usage. Tell them to place 2 small cups or bowls in the shower when they are using it to catch the excess water. This water can then be used to water plants! They could also catch rainwater and use that for watering plants at a later time also. Either way, your family could experience a saving. Cost conscious people can really appreciate doing anything that could significantly reduce their water bills.
Do teach the kids to enjoy and take full advantage of sunlight. Tell them to turn off the lights when they are not using a room and to open the blinds or curtains to let the sunlight in. Sunlight is a free energy and light source. Learning to use and appreciate it now could make a difference as your child gets older in the way that they view energy. This economy crisis is making it important for all of us to take a different approach with certain things in our lives. The energy that your family saves by not running the electric lights all day could result in a much lower energy bill, which means more money left over in your family's household budget! Plus, less energy consumption is very important for our environment.
Do teach them to research and use frugal recipes that take advantage of locally grown produce and products that you can buy for cheap. Just about every area has a farmer's market. These markets are havens for saving money. From cheap produce to low price dairy, most families will see an amazing opportunity to save at this markets, over the regular retail prices. Plus, by making an effort to buy for cheap the local produce and products, you are helping to reduce emissions from planes and foods that have to travel to your area! A lot of that fresh produce is also organic which means that the farmers do not use harmful chemicals on the food.
Your children can learn to understand the importance of going green and will follow your lead on environmental issues. Teaching them to work to save our planet and to help your family by doing things to conserve to save money are life lessons that they will need in years to come. Teach them now and, once the world is through this economy crisis, they will know how to do their part to help to reduce environmental risks. With your guidance, they will know how to care for their family while maintaining a financially and "environmentally" sound budget!
Alexandra Vrugt, a recognized expert on saving money in daily life, has written many articles on how to manage on less. You can get free copy of her Ebook '15 Top Ways To Save Money' by visiting her website MakeEndsMeetOnlne.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alexandra_Vrugt
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment