Where to start

I have started this blog in the hope that I can find out a way to help the planet whilst on a budget (hence the name of the blog).  

I see many posts on social media about climate change and what we can do about it, but sometimes I think its quite daunting, especially if you don't know where to start and do not have the finances to make the changes most are suggesting.

A recent email that I received made suggestions on how you could help the planet. 

• Alternative transport
• Single use Plastics
• Meat
• Energy Use
• Local Living
• Buy nothing new.

Transport - Well, my husband has to use his car for work, he is 9 miles away from his workplace, and has to use an A road which is really not a road you want to ride a bike on, and he works shifts.  The first bus leaves our town 30 minutes after he should have started work, the train 2 hours after.  

As a family, on the occasion when we go into the city, we used the bus instead of the car, even if it was just three of us, catching the bus  would cost us around £13 return.  If we were to drive in, the car part (assuming that you couldn't hunt around for a free space somewhere) would be around £3-£4, petrol usage we worked out to be also £3-£4.

So this would be a saving of at least a fiver. Its not a massive amount, but some families are trying to feed their family on a budget and are frequenting websites like the ones listed below to make cheap meals:

Skint Dad
Cooking on a Bootstrap
Thrifty Lesley
Feed yourself for a pound a day
The Diary of a Frugal Family


All these sites have amazing recipes which will not cost a fortune and also are healthy too.  So a fiver will go a long way to feeding your family.

So back to the buses, not only will it cost you more, but if you take your car , you  don't have to wait around in all weathers for the bus, be subjected to window rage (happens quite frequently) and are in the comfort of your own vehicle instead of having to share it with others (coughing sneezing smelling).

There is no incentive in my part of our County to use public transport, catching the train (not so regular) would be around the same price.

So why aren't big Companies like Stagecoach buses doing something about this. There are various tickets you can get for families, but they are still dearer than taking your own car.

What you can do:

Where it is possible don't use your car for short journeys which are easily walk able - that stands to reason.  
Be organised - if you have to go into the city or the nearest town, make sure you don't have to do it that often (unless its work or school obviously).
Care share if possible, not always easy though to find others who want to do this.


Single use plastics - I just found out what my plastic foot print on the Greenpeace website was.

I use 372 items of plastic a year.

Now I don't buy a takeaway coffee every week, but there was only one option to choose, so I probably buy one every two months, also plastic bottles of drink, not a monthly option so I just chose one a week, which I probably buy one a month.

I buy fruit in plastic packaging - this is something I can stop doing as its not that much different in price to pick from the loose fruit and veg, but in supermarkets they only have plastic bags to put your items in.  So you take your own, which I think does complicate things at the checkout when they weigh it.   Alternatively you just have lots of apples rolling around on the conveyor belt.

This brings me to shopping locally.  I personally don't  think its cheaper. So today, I will be going out to my local high street, with my youngest, and we are going to look at the prices of meat and fruit and veg, and also look at "dont buy anything new" and see if this is possible by looking in  our local charity and second hand shops.

Back to plastics.

I recently posted on a Frugal money saving Facebook group page about saving money, asking if anyone knew a way that we could help the planet and keep within our budget.  The answers I got were a bit disappointing as they all involved buying products that were quite expensive.  In fact, on a previous post asking a similar question, someone had posted a link to where you could buy eco friendly dog poo bags - 60 for £12!!!!


I found biodegradable bags for £8.25 (not including p&P) for 250 bags.

Ebay  eco friendly bags were £4  for 100, no delivery charge.

Then we have Tesco Value nappy bags, which I know a lot of people use, for cat litters too, then you are looking at 35p for 300.

My point is, that if you have to watch every single penny, trying to feed your family, struggling to make ends meet, have been made redundant, are a one parent family, OAP, whatever your situation is that makes making ends meet so difficult, you are going to opt for the value bags, that are not biodegradable and therefore not helping the planet.

We can only do what we can on the budget that we have.  Is there a cheaper alternative, I will be interested to find out.

Louise