Batteries are expensive! ...but not anymore.

Batteries power are daily lives. Their in our cell phones, iPods, remote controls, wireless keyboards, digital cameras, laptops, you name it. If it doesn't stay at home chances are it will use a battery. The good news is most electronics like MP3 players and cell phones already have rechargeable batteries in them. What about all those other things that don't have a rechargeable battery? The things you're always buying batteries for like remote controls, wireless keyboards, and other accessories. There is a nice trick to save a ton of money and really help the environment.

Go rechargeable.

Batteries keep getting more and more expensive; a trend that will probably continue. You buy a pack, use it, and often people do not dispose of them like they should be. Batteries are to be recycled but they mostly end up in land fields. To reduce your impact and save potentially a wad of cash just use rechargeable batteries.

Seen here:


These kits from Energizer can set you back around $20-$30.
That is, the kit with a few batteries included to start you off. If you need more batteries you will need to purchase them separately. Energizers newest addition, can charge batteries in just 15 minutes. You only have to use rechargeable batteries a few times to get your money back. That and you're no longer using a fresh pack of batteries and tossing them. You can find these at Target, your local pharmacy, or most anywhere that will have electronics.

Want to recycle the batteries you already have?
Here are a few services if you want to recycle your regular batteries:

• Mail-order service, Battery Solutions


• National chain, Batteries Plus


• Comprehensive national database at the Earth911.org

Did you know?
According to About.com:

“Today’s common household batteries—those ubiquitous AAs, AAAs, Cs, Ds and 9-volts from Duracell, Energizer and others—are not thought to pose as great a threat to properly equipped modern landfills as they used to because they contain much less mercury than their predecessors. As a result, most municipalities now recommend simply throwing such batteries away with your trash.

Nevertheless, environmentally concerned consumers might feel better recycling such batteries anyway, as they still do contain trace amounts of mercury and other potentially toxic stuff. Some municipalities will accept these batteries (as well as older, more toxic ones) at household hazardous waste facilities, from which they will most likely be sent elsewhere to be processed and recycled as components in new batteries.”

Win the Coffee War

Coffee, the world can't get enough of it. Coffee is the world's second-most-valuable commodity exported by developing countries, after oil. The global coffee industry earns an estimated $60 billion annually. More than 500 billion cups of coffee are served worldwide each year with half of all Americans over the age of 18 or 107 million people, drink coffee every day. On average, U.S. coffee drinkers consume three and a half cups a day apiece. ^{Read more}

If you're reading this than there is a 50% chance you drink coffee. If so you might be spending a nice chunk of change on it every week. Especially if you drink three or more cups a day and from a coffee place.

How can you reduce your impact and save money?

For one you could make your coffee from home and use a reusable mug or thermal. Doing so does two things to reduce your impact. You use less gas by driving to that coffee place, especially if you sit idling in a drive-thru for 10 minutes. Second, you stop using a paper cup once and throwing it away. Maybe your work has free coffee?

If you don't like the coffee at work you could just buy your own coffee and creamer and keep it at work. A mug or cup can run you anywhere from $1 (a cup from your local store or pharmacy) to $20+ (a mug that plugs into car lighter and stays warm here).


If heading to StarBucks (or your local coffee stop) in the morning is just something you're not willing to give up. Then consider buying a mug or cup anyways, you save $.10 a cup every time you fill up at StarBucks. ^{Read more} That can add up to $2.50+ a month, or $30.00+ a year. Just by taking in your own cup or mug. You also stop using and tossing a cup every single time you have coffee. You don't have to give up coffee all together to save money and reduce your impact.


Did you know?
If you are trying to cut down on your caffeine consumption, you can avoid some of the symptoms by doing it slowly. Cutting back by a half cup per day is a recommended pace. If you find yourself needing a cup of something try decaf or experiment with herbal teas.

Water isn't free but it can be REAL cheap(er)

Here is one of the most overlooked and easiest—cheapest ways to minimize your impact on the environment and save a ton of money. Stop buying bottle water!

According to the New York Times, “it takes 1.5 million barrels of oil to make the water bottles Americans use each year and only about 23 percent of those bottles are recycled. If you choose to get your recommended eight glasses a day from bottled water, you could spend up to $1,400 annually. The same amount of tap water would cost about 49 cents.” _Article

Instead, here is a very cheap alternative. A reusable water bottle or “canteen”.

Instead of using a bottle and tossing it, you can reuse your personal water bottle and just use the water that comes out of your tap.

Here are a few reusable bottles made by a company called Sigg:


You could opt for an even cheaper option. Your local grocery store or pharmacy like Walgreen's or CVS all carry plastic reusable bottles which can range from $2-$10+.


Most people drink bottle water because they don't like the taste of tap water or think it's not as clean. Tap water is actually very clean and is federally regulated to insure public safety. If you want to know more about the safety of your local water supply check out the Environmental Protection Agencies site on local drinking water.

There are a number of options for filtering your water out there. Everything from filters built into your refrigerator to filtered pitchers that sit in your frig. Just look around and find the cheapest and easiest option that will be easy to follow for yourself or your family. If you do use a water bottle, make sure to recycle it!


Did you know?
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) conducted a four year study on bottled water. The results of this study show that one-third of the bottled water tested contained levels of contamination which exceeds allowable limits under either state or bottled water industry standards or guidelines.

Scooter Nation?

We're sure we are not the only ones seeing more scooters riding around town. Truth be told, due to high gas prices, there has been a rise in scooter purchases. According to the Chicago Tribune, sales of motorscooters have jumped 24 percent in the first quarter of 2008. Scooter sales have doubled since 2004 to 131,000 last year. Why?

Well Scooters can get up to 95 MPG! Not to mention they're pretty cheap. A new one could be had for only $2,000 -$3,000. Even the insurance can be way low. Lets be realistic, it would be cheap and fun to have a scooter, while only paying a few bucks a week in gas, but most likely you're going to need your car still. A scooter isn't going to cut it when you have to take the kids somewhere, go get groceries, or if it's pouring outside.

If you're thinking about getting one, or if you want one now. There are a number of things to look at. Depending on how much you drive, what kind of gas millage your current car gets, and how much you would be willing to ride a scooter. It could take a while to get your money back or to even start saving.

This article on MSN Money has a calculator that shows you how long it would take to make your money back and then start saving.

Will the United States eventually become a scooter nation and have millions of scooters on the road in the next 5 - 10 years? We're not sure about that but if gas continues to rise, the dollar keeps dropping, then something will have to give. A scooter is a cheap environmental friendly way to cut back on emissions and of course save you money. Just make sure to wear a helmet!

First Post!

Welcome to Going Green on the Cheap!! This is our very first post and there is much more on the way. A little info about this site. Our goal is to help people save money and help green the environment, with as little money as humanly possible. Hope to see you see you soon.

Going Green Team