Are you looking for ways that your home and family can be green this spring? Would you also like to save some money and do more for the environment?

With spring right around the corner, everyone has started cleaning and de-cluttering their homes. Getting rid of old clothes and dusting every nook and cranny.

But for my family, spring isn’t just about cleaning. It’s a time where we try to slowly eliminate unnecessary chemicals from our home. Which includes any unnatural cleaners, personal products, and anything my family uses that could be replaced with a more natural option.

And although it may be obvious, replacing these products with something that is more green is not only good for the environment but is also wonderful for health and your wallet.

And who doesn’t like to save money? I KNOW I DO!

That is why I have created an impressive list of easy changes that your family can make in your home to have a greener life without sacrificing your budget.

(THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS HOWEVER, I WILL NEVER RECOMMEND ANYTHING THAT I DO NOT BELIEVE IN OR USE MYSELF. YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT MY DISCLOSURE POLICY HERE)

1. Green Yet Frugal Eating

The first thing people think about when using the term “Going Green”, is switching to an all-organic diet. And most families are nervous about making the switch to organic eating because of the HUGE price tags that come with organic products.

I am with you there. And for the longest time, that was the reason that I was too scared to even try squeezing in healthy organic food for my family. It can be hard to figure out how to eat an all-organic diet while also on a tight budget. Especially when you have multiple children.

But it is NOT impossible!

In fact, a friend of mine, Victoria from A Modern Homestead, has figured out how to feed her family of three on a strict budget of only $188 per month!!!!

And the best part is that you can do it too. Victoria has written all of her secrets of eating an all ORGANIC, Grass-Fed diet for her family on a small budget in her exclusive Food Budget Masterclass which you can get today for only $47.

Yes, you read that right only $47 and you can discover all of her secrets on how to eat a healthy green diet without spending a fortune. And if you thought her worksheets couldn’t get any better, think again.

Not only can she teach you how to make a grocery budget of under $200 per month but she also tells you how to save your money.

2. No More Paper Towels or Napkins

Stop Buying Paper Towels and Napkins. They just end up in the garbage anyway.

If you could imagine that all of the paper towels and napkins that you throw away are dollar bills, you would be digging through the trash. Maybe not! But you get where I am going with this.

Don’t worry, I am not suggesting that you wipe your hands on your favorite jeans. There is a much better option available.

Cloth Towels and Napkins. We have made the switch and love them so much more than we ever loved the disposable ones.

In fact, they get the job done much better in my opinion. Instead of using a few sheets of paper towels to dry my hands or clean up a mess, I can just grab one of my cloth towels and clean up in one swoop.

And cloth napkins are so much softer and economical for mealtimes. Especially for large families!

Related: Why We Switched from Paper Towels to Cloth Towels!

3. Make Your Own Natural Cleaning Products

It happens to the best of us. The colorfully designed bottles of Clorox look very appealing and have a guarantee of killing over 99% of bacteria.

But have you ever looked at all of the chemicals that are used in these products? Can you even pronounce any of them? And the big question…Could these ingredients be harmful?

While there are several “natural” brands of cleaners in stores such as Green Works and Seventh Generation, they can be extremely pricey. Easy solution. Make your own natural and chemical-free cleaning products. It may sound complicated but honestly, it’s not.

I found a very simple recipe on Pinterest for DIY Reusable Cloth Disinfecting Wipes that consists of only 4 ingredients.

Anyone can pronounce these ingredients.

• 1/2 cup Distilled White Vinegar
• 3/4 cup Distilled Water
• 12 Drops of Defender Essential Oil
• 5 Drops of Lemon Essential Oil

That’s it. After mixing the ingredients in a container or jar you just add the cloth wipes of your choice and let them soak in. It’s that easy.

Make sure to check out more of Amanda’s easy cleaning tips!

4. Donate the Old & Buy Second Hand

While spring cleaning, you will likely find clothes and other items that you and/or your family doesn’t use or need anymore.

Don’t throw them away! Donate them instead.

Take them to your local Salvation Army or give them to a family in need. You never know, someone just might be looking for clothing or other things that you may not have a use for anymore.

And in the same aspect, you can benefit from what other people may have donated or given away.

For example, when my daughter was born, I was given so many hand-me-downs that lasted her for years. We had everything from size 12 months all the way up to 5T. And for over 4 years we only ever had to buy a few clothing items to fill in the blanks.

And even when we had to spend a little money on clothes, we always looked for hand-me-downs before buying them new.

Always buy second hand whenever you can. Especially when you are shopping for baby and kids’ clothes. The honest truth is that they grow so fast that they will likely hardly wear all the clothes you have for them anyways.

So do yourself a favor and save your money.

5. Invest in Reusable Water Bottles

When we began the adventure of becoming a green family, one of the biggest changes we had to make was our soda drinking habits. Of course, we knew we needed to drink more water, but I was (and still am) very picky about drinking from cups.

I am a water bottle kinda person and I absolutely do NOT like drinking from cups. Honestly, I am not sure why but I have always been like that. And because of this, I began to drink tons of water bottles, which was great for my water intake but not so good for my wallet.

So we found the perfect solution. Reusable water bottles. I found these water bottles and have fallen in love!

These water bottles are made of BPA-Free Glass & Come with a Non-slip Silicone Sleeve that protects it from shattering. It also is completely BPA-free with no Phthalates, PVC, of Polycarbonates.

Another awesome fact about this water bottle it that it’s dishwasher safe (which is a must-have for me).

6. Bring Your Own Bags

I don’t know about you but I do NOT like the thin plastic grocery bags that you get at stores. They rip so easily and are a pain to carry. Not to mention that they are not helpful for the environment.

Best solution. Bring your own bags. Yes! Bring your own reusable grocery bags to the grocery store, or anywhere really.

Not only will it save some plastic, but it will also be much easier to carry and will not rip.

I have one of the trunk organizers that are made for holding reusable bags in place so they won’t roll in the back of your car. It also has a cooler section that zips up and has saved me many times when I forgot to bring my bags. # Mommy Brain

7. Use Cloth Diapers & Wipes

If you have been reading my blog for a while now you can probably tell that I LOVE using cloth diapers.

Cloth diapering has literally saved my family’s budget several times over. Could you imagine all of the diapers one baby uses in the span of two or more years?

Not only is that waste building up in a landfill somewhere, but it’s also not good for a baby’s delicate skin and your wallet.

Disposable diapers contain so many dyes, perfumes, and other chemicals that we cannot read. Not to mention using disposable diapers can cost you up to $2,000 or more from birth to potty training. And that amount is on the lower side. It could be even more if your child takes a while to potty train.

On the other hand, cloth diapers and cloth wipes can cost you as little as $90 from birth until potty training. And by using cloth you are keeping those irritating chemicals away from your baby.

Related: How to Cloth Diaper Without Breaking the Bank

8. Try Wool Dryer Balls

This is a big one for all of the fabric softener dryer sheet lovers out there.

Of course, you want your clothes to smell good and be soft but you don’t have to waste your money on unnaturally scented dryer sheets that you end up throwing away after one use.

Instead, use Wool Dryer Balls. They have so many benefits that make them the perfect solution for green families.

Wool Dryer Balls:

• Soften Laundry Naturally without chemicals or synthetics which is great for sensitive skin
• Shorten Drying Time which also saves on energy
• They Last for over 1,000+ Loads
• Replace Dryer Sheets & Liquid Fabric Softeners
• A petroleum-free alternative to plastic dryer steamer balls that are sold in stores
• Saves a ton of money

Awesome right? But I am sure you are wondering how Wool Dryer Balls can help your laundry to smell good.

Here’s my secret tip: Add 2-3 Drops of Lavender Essential Oil on the dryer ball and throw it in your dryer. Dry as you normally would. The essential oil will last for at least a few loads.

9. Switch to Cloth Pads

Cloth pads are not as talked about as cloth diapers, however, they are making a huge comeback.

I didn’t start using cloth pads until I had been cloth diapering my daughter for almost one year. While talking to a friend about all of the benefits of cloth diapering such as the comfortable fabric and absence of chemicals, it dawned on me that I needed to do the same for myself.

I mean that time of the month is uncomfortable enough without having to wear a disposable pad that feels like a disposable diaper.

So I invested in a starter pack of cloth pads and have had them ever since. They are so comfortable that it doesn’t feel like I am wearing a pad.

And as a bonus, I am not exposing a very sensitive part of my body to unnatural chemicals, dyes, and perfumes.

10. Breastfeed & Make Your Own Baby Food

And finally, one of the last ways my family has managed to be green while also saving money is by making our own baby food.

Whether I was making our baby’s food through breast milk or pureeing bananas in the blender, we made most of the food ourselves.

Through breastfeeding, I was able to nutritionally support our son for over 16 months along with the appropriate solid foods. Most of the time, we would either puree or mash up any meal that we were already having to make it softer.

And by using the food we already were eating, we saved hundreds of dollars on jarred and prepackaged baby food.

Final Thoughts

Going green doesn’t always have to break your budget.

Trust me I know! I always assumed that I could not afford to have a green lifestyle. But by taking things into my own hands, I realized that I could have the natural life that I wanted for my family without the huge price tags.

Are you going Green this Spring? What are your Tips? Tell me in the comments.