5 Ways To Live A Greener Life And Save Money While You’re At It

By Emma Edwards
23rd Sep 2020

Welcome to the Financial Wellbeing Bootcamp brought to you by ANZ. To sign up and be in the running to win $1,000 towards your savings, click here.

2020 has proven just how quickly everything can change. We never know what’s around the corner, so it pays to get on top of your money while you can. We are delivering a four-week series of finance tips and tricks that could have even the biggest spenders thinking about their money differently. Our Financial Wellbeing Bootcamp brought to you by ANZ, is inspired by their four-step financial wellbeing check-in, and loaded with helpful hints and techniques which could have you managing money like a pro.


If you’ve just joined us, be sure to check out all of our previous curriculum here to help you on the road to financial wellbeing. This week we’re delving into how living a greener life can benefit the planet and your wallet.

Repair, Don’t Replace

Yep, get Grandma on FaceTime because you’re gonna need to borrow her sewing kit. Repairing clothes hasn’t been particularly encouraged since the rise of fast fashion, and it’s having a nasty effect on the environment and our bank balances. Next time you spot a hole, take to YouTube and see if you can find an easy DIY fix. If not, consider contacting an alterations specialist for your repairs. You can give your favourite pieces a new life while reducing your environmental footprint and saving a few bucks.

Hit The Oppies

Fast fashion is out and thrifting is in, so hit those op shops and dig out some vintage gems. Whether it’s op shops, clothes swaps, Facebook Marketplace, or even Depop and eBay, shopping second hand promotes a circular economy, keeping clothes out of landfill and dollars firmly in your bank account.

Listen To Your Parents

Would you get lectured by your parents as a kid about turning lights off when you leave a room and not leaving the TV on standby? We hate to say it, but they’re right. Not only are you cutting down on your energy consumption, but you’re slashing your bill, too. This is extra important if you’re staring down the barrel of a few more months working from home. Your energy bills will rise if you’re home all day, so cutting back in any small way can make all the difference.

Go Meat-Free

Cutting back on your meat consumption can deliver tasty dishes and tasty savings to boot. Replacing some dishes on your meaty menu with plant-based proteins like lentils, chickpeas, beans, or tofu could help you save big money on your grocery bills, reduce cooking times, improve your health and help the environment at the same time.

Start with an initiative like meat-free Monday and work your way up to more vego meals each week. With organic lentils ringing in at $0.31 per 100g and organic beef mince at $2.20 per 100g, it’s easy to see how those savings could add up.

Take Your Reusable Cup

Ditch those nasty paper coffee cups and get into the habit of taking your reusable caffeine vessel everywhere you go—your local will often slash a little off the price of your almond flatty for doing so. We know, we know, it’s only fifty cents, but anything to reduce your morning coffee cost is a win for us, and the planet.

Protecting the planet and living a greener life is on everyone’s mind right now, and if you can save money at the same time, it’s a double-dip win for you and the planet. Stay tuned for next week’s Financial Wellbeing Bootcamp, brought to you by ANZ, where we’ll be sharing top tips on cutting your grocery spend without giving up your Masterchef-worthy meals.

Inspired to slash even more off your bills? Head here to discover even more ways you could save big on bills and free up cash for more fun stuff.

Image credit: Brandon Erlinger Ford

Editor’s note: This article has been written and published by Urban List, and is sponsored by ANZ. Unless otherwise stated, all views and opinions belong to Urban List. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who make Urban List possible. Click here for more information on our editorial policy.

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