Matt About Money » Environment

Money Roundup: Whether to Insure Fido, Netflix Alternatives, and More

Matt Bell — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:47:04 +0000

How to Use the New Apply With LinkedIn Button (via USNews.com). A new tool for job hunters.

No Joke: Walmart Coffee Tastes As Good As Starbucks (via TIME Moneyland). Hard to believe, but true: you’ll enjoy your scone every bit as much with Wal-Mart coffee as with Starbucks coffee.

Overdraft Fees Remain Steep at Largest Banks (via MainStreet.com). Have you gotten caught in the overdraft fee trap? Read this MainStreet article and then read my advice.

The New Freshman 15: Financial Tips for College Students (via Dailyfinance.com). Are you headed back to campus this fall, or do you know someone who is? Read this advice first.

Pet Insurance: Rarely Worth the Price, In Our Analysis (via ConsumerReports.org). Why you should pass on the insurance, but build an emergency “kitty.”

And from the blogosphere…

25 Gifts You Can Make Today (via Wisebread.com). How to save money and give more personal gifts at the same time.

Spotify: The Future of Music is Here – And You’ll Pay Less For It (via GetRichSlowly.org). A good review of this new online music service.

5 Frugal Green Cleaning Products That Work (via OneMoneyDesign.com). How to clean while minimizing cost and environmental impact.

Extreme Couponing 101: How to Extreme Coupon and Save 84%+ on Groceries (via MoneyCrashers.com). Learn how a couponing superhero cleans up at the grocery store.

Netflix Prices Have Gone Up: 5 Netflix Alternatives For You To Try (via BibleMoneyMatters.com). Netflix’s new pricing plan got you down? You have options.

Know someone else who would benefit from this article? Please forward a link to my site. And if you haven’t done so already, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking here. Two or three times a week, you’ll receive ideas and encouragement for using money well.

Green Round Up

Matt Bell — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:25:53 +0000

In honor of Earth Day, here are a few articles I found useful. This one includes links to sites that will help you turn your old unused electronics into cash. This one has some good ideas for cutting back on electricity use. And for some less predictable ideas, here’s how to have an eco-friendly wedding and here are several lesser-known and counter-intuitive ways to help the environment. For even more eco tips, check out the recommended links on my web site.

Should You Pay Kids to Go Green?

Matt Bell — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 01:37:44 +0000

A new web site, Green Allowance, encourages parents to use allowances to motivate their kids to develop environmentally friendly habits. The site fosters a deal between parents and their kids: the kids take on various energy saving projects, the parents split some of the estimated savings with their kids. Green Allowance sends report cards, showing how much energy and money were saved by the kids’ activities.

My take? I’m all in favor of teaching kids how to save energy, but I’m not crazy about the idea of paying them to do so. We try to turn daily activities into learning activities, reminding our kids that we have to pay for things like water. They’re learning that if they remember to turn the water all the way off after washing their hands, we’ll have more money for a vacation and other things.

A good web site that will help your kids learn how to save energy is Energy Star Kids. What do you do to help your kids learn about conserving energy?

It’s Not Easy Being Green

Matt Bell — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:43:11 +0000

Paper or plastic? At first, it was polite of grocery store cashiers to ask which sort of bag we’d prefer. But today, the question often sounds like, “Environmentalist or Polluter?” Everyone knows that paper is the best choice for protecting the planet. Or is it? A recent Wall Street Journal article noted, “There is growing evidence that the production, use and disposal of plastic bags put less burden on natural resources than paper bags.” So, reusable bags must be the answer, right? Not so fast. A recent study found reusable bags to be breeding grounds for bacteria.

Short of shunning the grocery store altogether in favor of growing all of our own food, it seems that the best option for carrying our groceries home is a reusable bag. Just make sure to wash it every now and then (This Newsday.com article explains the non-intuitive nuances of how to do so properly).

Another Solution for Old Electronics

Matt Bell — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:21:18 +0000

I’ve written in the past about how to dispose of old cell phones, TVs, and other electronics. A recent post on ChristianPF.com highlighted a program I hadn’t heard of before called Flipswap, which enables you to exchange an old cell phone or iPod for an Amazon.com gift card. Devices received by the company are either repaired and resold or recycled.

Thousands of cell phones end up in landfills every day. Far better to recycle them. Even better, since many discarded devices are still in working order, simply hang on to your electronic gear longer. It’ll be better for the planet and your pocketbook.

Where Old TVs Go To Die

Matt Bell — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:14:06 +0000

It’s spring-cleaning time, and with television stations switching to digital signals many people are getting rid of old analog TV sets. However, a Chicago Tribune article noted that it’s not so easy. Many thrift stores are no longer accepting analog sets or other older electronics, so there’s concern that a lot of electronic gear will end up in landfills, creating “electronics graveyards.” With earth day coming up, a better alternative is to look for a nearby recycling event that’ll take your old electronics. You may be able to find an event at Earth911.com, the Earth Day Network (click on “EDN Programs & Events”), or check the web site of your town or county.

The Environmental Protection Agency also has a comprehensive list of web sites with information about recycling electronics. If your TV set is still in working order, you might also consider keeping it and getting a digital signal. Or give it to someone else via Freecycle or Craigslist.

Money Down the Tube

Matt Bell — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:41:23 +0000

The average U.S. household now has three televisions, according to the Consumer Electronics Association. That’s one reason why electronic devices today consume 15 percent of the average home’s electricity–up from 5 percent in 1980. A Chicago Tribune article highlighted several ways to tame those energy monsters, starting with your choice of TV. The larger the screen, of course, the more energy consumed (a 52-inch high-def TV can use as much as a new refrigerator), and plasma TVs use more power than LCD sets. The article also suggested turning down the brightness of your TV, which can cut energy use by as much as 25 percent. Most TVs are pre-set at an overly bright level designed to work best in retail stores. Go to the onscreen setup menu and choose the “standard” or “home” mode.

If you have a television, DVD player, stereo, and other such devices plugged directly into wall sockets, plug them into a power strip instead. When they’re not in use, turn off the power strip. The only exception is a set-top box such as a digital video recorder or a cable or satellite box. Many of these units need to stay powered up in order to work properly (check your manual). But at least ask your provider about getting an ENERGY STAR-qualified unit.

What’s In Your Light Socket?

Matt Bell — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:01:15 +0000

Okay, so you’ve joined the green movement by switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs. But did you know that all CFLs are not created equal? While they all last longer than traditional light bulbs and use less energy, it turns out that there’s quite a range in how long they last and in how much mercury they contain. The Environmental Working Group, a non-profit dedicated to protecting public health and the environment, singled out seven CFLs for their long life and low mercury count.

The above link has other helpful information such as where to use or not use CFLs, energy-efficient alternatives, how to clean up a broken CFL, and how to properly dispose of a burned out bulb.

Recycling is the Rage

Matt Bell — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 13:11:59 +0000

Recycling must be getting trendy because the number of places that accept various items for recycling seems to be growing. As reported on the blog Blueprint for Financial Prosperity, the office supply store Staples will accept old computers and TVs for $10 each. To properly dispose of used batteries or ink/toner cartridges, Staples and Best Buy will take them for free. And for old cell phones, the blog recommends donating usable phones to Cell Phones for Soldiers. For really old or broken cell phones, drop them in the recycling kiosk just inside the front door of any Best Buy store.

In a related story, TheStreet.com reported on RecycleBank, an innovative program that rewards recyclers with points they can redeem for merchandise at various retailers. The program operates in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Vermont.

The article also mentioned two other sources of information on where to find electronics recyclers (the Electronics Industries Alliance and the Consumer Electronics Association), two other cell phone recyclers that’ll pay you for your old phone (GreenPhone and MyBoneYard), and a company that will take your old music CDs in exchange for points that can be redeemed for various electronics items.

Upcycling – the Next Generation of Recycling

Matt Bell — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 02:09:30 +0000

Today, there’s a lot of stuff that can be recycled–newspapers, magazines, bottles, cans, plastics. But there’s a lot of other stuff, especially newfangled containers such as juice pouches, the cellophane-type material that encases packages of cookies, and energy bar wrappers, that can’t be recycled. Until now. As reported in the Wall Street Journal, a company called TerraCycle is taking such materials and turning them into umbrellas, shower curtains, backpacks, binders, computer bags, and more. It’s called “upcycling” – taking something disposable and turning it into something more useful and valuable. You can find upcycled products at Target, OfficeMax, and Walgreens.

TerraCycle pays schools, churches, and other non-profits to collect the packaging materials from specific branded products. Check its web site for more information.

In a related story, Home Depot recently announced that its stores now accept compact fluorescent light bulbs for recycling.