In the long run, economic and environmental excesses go hand in hand.
To check the veracity of the above statement, all you need to do is look at your own carbon footprint — which is the ecological cost that goes into anything you do, from getting that new book shipped across cities to taking a cab instead of a train — and draw parallels with your monthly budget. A number of eco-entrepreneurs and regular citizens sat down together at Backyard. Adyar, recently to do just that. The meetup and workshop — co-organised by Innergoddess.in and Everwards — threw up a number of solutions to be green while saving money by making some basic changes..
For instance, did you know that there are neighbourhood Facebook groups that sell everything from pre-owned fabric to “pre-loved” ( aka used lovingly once before) baby clothes? Bookworms, if you must buy tomes, go for used ones — both lending libraries and second-hand bookstores have found their way online, just find a Facebook or Instagram page operating near your neighbourhood. Or choose second-hand options on Amazon.in. The ideal thing, though, would be to opt out of online shopping entirely, and reduce even regular shopping to a minimum: alter you clothes and max out their usage before you buy new ones.
That’s not all: you can switch to fountain pens instead of disposable plastic ones, coconut oil as an alternative for expensive, chemical-laden makeup removers and menstrual cups in place of sanitary napkins. (Every napkin you discard uses up the equivalent of four plastic bags, while a single silicone menstrual cup can last you a decade.)
Easier said than done, yes, so the green spenders came up with a system for it, using the popular 50: 30: 20 method of economic planning. Exactly 50% of your income goes to essentials, like rent, electricity and commute. Then, 30% goes to your ‘wants’: clothes, dining out or saving for that big trip. The remaining 20% goes into your savings and investments. The trick, then, is to figure out how to reduce the first two categories (reducing your pollution levels while at it) and build the third one. We speak to two residents who have managed to do so.
Press Delete
Ordering food online is a major convenience, but also a drain on both money and resources. “We don’t want to step out ourselves because of all the hassle, but are perfectly fine with someone else burning fuel to both ride to the restaurant and then to our house, for a meal that often costs lesser,” says Urusha Maher, founder, Paper Dolphin.
For Urusha, it began with a simple “No-Cook November” promotion on a food delivery app, complete with deals and discounts. Before long, a rival app came up with something similar, and Urusha became one among hosts of working professionals who were suddenly spoilt for choice of cheap dinner options, without the effort of having to cook. “It almost comes up to the same amount as groceries and gas, but you save a lot of energy,” she says.
But the habit soon outgrew the need, and festered into a major cash-guzzler. And Urusha didn’t even realise it till she saw someone post about it on Instagram. “He noted how half of his savings were going into food apps,” she said. The solution, she realised, was “so simple, but no one was actually doing it”. So she went ahead and did it herself: simply deleted all her food apps.
“It was challenging at first. I missed out on a meal, and sometimes reached office late because I was cooking in the mornings. But cooking eventually became a nice family activity, and I ended up saving about ₹700 each week, which is a boost in my monthly savings,” she smiles.
Cooking sessions can also count as happy time if you’re living alone. Just put on some music, try Urusha’s recommended shortcuts of a quick salad with garlic-yoghurt dip, and think of that extra ₹3,000 you’ll save each month.
Build your own ceiling
Not a glass one, but one for your fuel consumption. Swati Singh, chief marketing officer of Innergoddess.in, did so as an exercise in self-discipline. “I have been driving for the past four years: from Kilpauk to Saidapet everyday, and from Chetpet to Porur back when I was in college. I spent about ₹6,000 on fuel everyday,” she recalls.
She realised that it wasn’t just a strain on her expenses, but was also bad for the environment. “I’ve been meaning to take public transport, but I was just more accustomed to being comfortable in my own car.” So two months ago, she changed her budget.
“I set a budget of ₹3,000 for my fuel, and promised myself that I wouldn’t exceed it. As soon as that money runs out, I make myself take the Metro,” she says. So in the last 10 days of each month, she walks from home to the Metro station, and then from the end station to her friends’ house or office. “I’ve managed to do this for 10 months. It’s great, because I get time away from driving.” Not only has this helped lower stress and given her savings a boost, it has also made her more active. “I count my steps on Google, and the graph just shoots up at the end of the month,” laughs Swati.
So how difficult was it to get used to the new time management? “What time management?” she asks, “I would spend so much time just stuck in traffic. Now it’s just short walks and quick train rides.” The only thing it cost her was effort.
