go green and live rich

If you have not read any of David Bach’s work, you should. No matter your age or income. I found “The Automatic Millionaire” eye opening. It changed my perspective on how to save … and fit right in with what my Dad had counseled for years (Strange how it makes more sense in writing from someone outside your family … but I digress). “Smart Women Finish Rich” is also a helpful read. Altogether he has five books and a couple of workbooks that are very useful.

New to his series is one that I ordered from my library (which has free delivery of books … and is my favorite website now that most every dollar I have goes to support a mortgage, lol) is “Go Green, Live Rich.”

He challenges the notion that green decisions cost us more. He points out that in the long run we can save gobs of money by choosing sustainability over the same-old decisions.

I’ll give a few examples but encourage you to pick it up at the library if you have a chance.

He recommends canceling catalog subscriptions by going to www.abacus-us.com and choosing “customer opt-out.” Apparently they serve as the database for most catalog companies. You can always delve into your favorites online. Other options: www.catalogchoice.com, 1-800-5OPTOUT and www.optoutprescreen.com (for those credit card solicitations). He recommends online bill paying, which I adore. My guess if you are frequenting blogs you probably already do this.

If you’re not in debt, consider a “green” credit card that offers carbon offsets. Check out www.myearthrewards.com, www.brighterplanet.com, or an affinity card that supports a charity about which you care. As a fundraiser (though I’m not involved in raising money in this field), I was tickled to see a chapter on “green giving.” If you didn’t see it already, I have a post about the Arbor Day Foundation which shows how a small gift of $10 to their nonprofit charity brings you 10 trees, which gives them operating dollars and offsets carbon footprints by planting each tree (plant deep roots for the future « dream home, beach moments, sundry thoughts).

He also notes that you can recycle stuff your local municipality won’t take by finding a recycling center. Eat less cow. Use only the water you need. Turn off your computer and phantom (or was that vampire) appliances. See if your boss will let you work from home a day or so a week. Choose not to have your linens turned every day when you travel. Select green investment vehicles. Vote for candidates who support green.

Bach suggests that you buy in bulk, that is the largest size of whatever product you’re planning to buy any way because it has the least packaging. So that wouldn’t mean a zillion bottles of something packed together but the most product in the least packaging.

Speaking of which, I bought some gum that was much cheaper (60 pieces vs. 10 or 12) but the packaging was ridiculous. It’s probably still less than 5 or 6 packages individually but still … it had an outerwrap of cardboard, an inner shrinkwrap, a plastic container and then a safety seal beneath the cap. Prescriptions are not that well wrapped.

Bach discusses green mortgages (EEMs or energy efficient mortgages) for which the feds offer incentives.

Also, if you are past 30 or 40 and your retirement plan is the state lottery, you might consider reading “Start Late, Finish Rich.” My whole plan was slightly unhinged by buying the lake house without selling the other house. So I may be dipping into that book too!