Do you drink bottled water? If so, you're not alone. According to an article
in Fast Company magazine, the average American has gone from drinking less than two gallons of bottled water per year in 1976 to over 28 gallons last year. But the article said bottled water is an unnecessary expense and bad for the environment. It stated that bottled water isn't healthier or safer than tap water, and even though the bottles are recyclable, an estimated 38 billion water bottles end up in landfills each year.
Matt's View
What's a money-minded, eco-conscious person to do? First, consider plain old tap water. According to the Fast Company article, for most people in the U.S., tap water is completely safe. There are guidelines for checking out the quality of your community's tap water and more here
.
If you have concerns about the safety or taste of tap water, opt for a water filter
. Using filters is a less costly and less environmentally harmful alternative to bottled water.
Environmentalism is in. But as with most things fashionable, it can cost a lot to go green. For example, one of the hottest eco trends is to bring your own shopping bags to the grocery store. This has given rise to the shopping bag as fashion accessory. As reported on CBSNews.com, the limited supply of one particular reusable fabric bag selling for $10-$15 has caused shopper riots in Asia and a buying frenzy on eBay. The bag is printed with the words, "I'm not a plastic bag" and was created by a trendy handbag designer.
Matt's View
It used to be that opting for paper bags was the right thing to do. But environmentalists point out that it takes a lot of trees to make all those paper bags, many of which never get recycled. Hence, the move toward reusable shopping bags. That means either reusing bags you already have or buying canvas bags. While some trendy shopping bags can cost a lot, here's a simple, relatively inexpensive reusable bag
.
The next question is what to do with one's household garbage, since many people use the plastic bags they get at the grocery store for their trash. Here again, going green will cost a bit more. One company that offers biodegradable garbage and food storage bags is BioGroupUSA
. You can find their products in some stores or online here
. Click on the “size name” drop down menu and you’ll see that you can buy them in 3-gallon or 13-gallon sizes.
This issue--the added expense of going green--is an example of why I prefer to describe wise money management in terms of "effectiveness," not "efficiency." Efficiency is about spending as little as possible no matter what. Effectiveness is about the big picture--saving in several areas so we can afford to spend more in another if that's what it takes to do the right thing.
Are you still using travel sites like Expedia
, Travelocity
or Orbitz
to look for travel deals? According to an article in Money magazine, it's time you stepped up to Kayak
, Mobissimo
, or SideStep
. These sites search a wider array of travel sites, giving you access to more deals with fewer clicks. You won't be able to purchase your tickets from these sites, but they'll link you to the right place after you find the best deal.
Matt's View
I ran several tests looking for the best round-trip non-stop airfare between Chicago and two U.S. destinations and one overseas destination. I found the best deals on Kayak and Mobissimo, although the savings were minimal--from $4 to $10 less than the best deals found on Expedia, Travelocity, or Orbitz. But with so many variables involved in travel, Kayak, Mobissimo, and SideStep can be helpful tools to have in our travel toolkit. Just know that scoring the best deal is still likely to require a little mousing around.
Credit cards used to be for big-ticket items. Today they can be used at some parking meters, on buses, and at more and more fast food restaurants. While purchasing a burger and fries with a credit card may make the fast food experience even faster, an article on Bankrate.com said it could also make us fatter. A Visa study found that restaurant customers who pay with plastic typically spend 30 percent more than those who pay with cash. And that's the calorie boosting difference between a regular-sized meal and a super-sized meal.
Matt's View
As cash continues to go out of fashion, it's becoming ever more important to know the rules of the plastic road. And rule one is recognizing our tendency to spend more when charging. One simple yet effective step to curb the urge to overspend is to make spending decisions before we get to the point of purchase. That means deciding in advance that when asked if we'd like to super-size to the three-day supply of French fries we'll just say no.
