Green can mean more than just a festive color this Christmas. It can define the eco-friendly efforts we make when celebrating and shopping for gifts. It can also symbolize the money we save when we're being environmentally responsible.
In honor of America Recycles Day (November 15), TopCashback's consumer expert Rebecca Gramuglia lays out three ways we can all help our planet—and our wallets!—during the most wonderful time of the year.
Green can mean more than just a festive color this Christmas.
1. Get crafty. Before throwing out those plastic/glass bottles or shipping boxes from your holiday shopping, see if you have another use for them. Repurpose these items as vases, pencil holders, storage bins or even a new playhouse for your kids. You can also organize a DIY Secret Santa with your friends where all items are repurposed with a small budget for craft supplies. Embrace your creativity and help the environment at the same time.
2. Get thrifty. Looking for an ugly Christmas sweater for your office party, or perhaps a pair of snow pants to go sledding with your family? Try shopping at your local thrift store. Make sure to check for any tears or stains on the items before you buy them. And always hold onto your “maybe” items since someone may pick it up while you’re shopping elsewhere in the store.
Don’t forget: thrift stores offer more than clothes. You can score holiday gifts that are “like new” for your family and friends, such as toys, movies, books, glassware sets and electronics.
Embrace your creativity and help the environment at the same time.
3. Get sparky. When decorating this holiday season, invest in LED string lights. LED bulbs offer the brightest light for the least amount of money. This will ensure that your energy bill doesn’t skyrocket. And if you’re traveling, unplug all your appliances before you go or opt to use a power strip. You can cut the electricity with the flip of a switch, and it's convenient to shut off for hard-to-reach places.
Plus, if you’re looking to upgrade your lights, you can shop through a cash back site like TopCashback.com to score a percentage of your money back on all qualifying purchases from Home Depot, Lowe’s and more great stores.
Let us know how you plan to "go green" for Christmas in the comments section below. We'd love to hear from you.
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by Diana Oliveira
Diana Oliveira is the senior copywriter at TopCashback.com. After beginning her copywriting career at a paper company, where she harnessed her creative chops writing about…paper, this self-described “bargain shopper” has felt at home talking about our many stores, deals and money-saving tips the last few years.
