Photo: Anna Pusack

With all the goals, obligations and tasks we have to complete in our daily lives, keeping true to sustainable lifestyles can be hard. Whether you’ve been committed to living more sustainably for years, or you’re relatively new to the idea, there are always plenty of new tips and tricks to learn that can help make your goals much easier to attain.

Living a sustainable lifestyle doesn’t have to be hard! Sure, sometimes it requires doing more work, but in the end, the investment of time and money is well worth the outcome. Check out these tips for how to stretch your time and money without compromising your lifestyle!

1)      Shop Local, Shop Seasonal: Buying from a local farmers market is a great summer activity. Waking up early, going to the market, catching up with vendors and buying fresh produce is the perfect way to start a day — but can’t happen year-round unless you’ve won the geographical lottery. However, most cities still offer farmer’s markets all year long that offer your state’s signature seasonal items. Buying seasonal items is typically cheaper as well, since they’re more abundant. Find your city’s year-round farmer’s markets, and make the trip, even if you can only do it once a month. Anything you can do to help support your local farmers and vendors throughout the year will make a difference and every effort counts, no matter how small.

2)      Produce Delivery: If your city does not have a year-round seasonal farmer’s market, you might consider grocery delivery. More and more people are realizing the need for fresh produce, and delivery services are popping up that offer fresh produce delivery right to your door. These delivery systems are not always from local and organic farms, so do some research before you buy. Find local produce delivery in your area and support their worthwhile cause! You’ll also save the time and gas you’d spend driving to the market every week.

3)      Grow Your Own Food and Herbs: If you don’t already grow your own food, starting an indoor vegetable or herb garden will give you access to your own fresh produce all year long. If you have an outdoor garden, you can transplant your veggies indoors to keep them alive, unless again, you’ve won the geographical lottery. Even if you can’t do a full veggie garden, fresh herbs are relatively easy to maintain and can add a delicious twist to your daily meals.  

4)      Plan Meals and Snacks: Though it’s a lot of work, planning meals and even snacks in advance can save you a lot of time and money in the long run. You can choose how far in advance you’d like to plan your meals, based on your distance from markets or stores, budget, meal preferences and number of people to feed. Planning in advance and making a list will keep you from spending too much at the store or going in without a clear goal. You can also buy non-perishable items in bulk, which usually results in a cheaper price!

Living sustainably doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming! You can live the life you want from anywhere with the right amount of knowledge and planning! Spread the word and help conserve our planet.