If you look at going green from a tax standpoint you can actually save thousands of dollars simply by greening your life. Good news since everyone seems to think green is so darn expensive. Here’s the scoop…

Purchasing ENERGY STAR approved home products can save you double fold – first of all the average family spends over $2,000 on home energy costs each year. Energy saving appliances can save you up to 30% in costs AND you may qualify for tax credits and some major rebates as well, saving you even more. Lastly you should check with the IRS because many …read more

There are many benefits to eating foods while they are in season. Shopping local fruit and vegetable stands, Farmer’s Markets, or even buying produce that is in season at your local market saves you money. Fruits and vegetables have the best flavor when you eat them at their peak.
The Sustainable Table website offers up information on what foods are in season in your area, where Farmer’s Markets are located, Food Co-ops, shopping guides, and a rBGH-free Dairy map. In addition to saving money, enjoying healthier and better tasting food, eating food that is in season and local helps the environment.

By purchasing …read more

Cash for Clunkers was a huge big deal this last year. So much in fact that the government has decided that appliances shouldn’t get the short end of the stick – hence, Cash for Appliances.

The basics:
The federal government has set aside $300 million for the cash for appliance program as part of the economic stimulus plan. BUT each state is setting up their own little versions of the program, so you’ll want to keep up with local news to learn more. The program is going to allow consumers to upgrade old, less energy efficient appliances to new much more energy …read more

Thinking ahead to the holiday season and the amount of money it takes to get through even the simplest of celebrations can be intimidating. I’ve been brainstorming ways to make it through the holidays and still stay within my budget. I’ve come up with a few ideas that I’m hoping will be helpful to you, as well.
*Clean out your freezer. If you are like me, your freezer is full of useless items like bags of icy bread slices, unfinished bags of chicken nuggets, raviolis, etc. Take a look at the items and if you can use them, do so, but if …read more

Gardening is often promoted as an inexpensive activity, but in truth it’s not always easy to garden on the cheap. That said there are some areas where you can cut gardening costs big time.

Save your old seeds (check to see if they still work).
Compost for homemade soil – even if your yard is small you can compost. In fact, you can compost indoors if you want.
Don’t buy new – garden tools, gardening books, pots, and so on. Most gardening supplies can be easily found at thrift stores. You can also borrow from or share garden tools with friends. It’s also …read more

We’ve looked at green driving tips before here at Blisstree Green but while I consider myself pretty eco-savvy, I’m not the most car-savvy person on the block. I can put gas in, tell you the basics for green driving, and let you in on the best way to wash your car without water, but I’d usually rather deal in eco-friendly lip gloss or sustainable houses. Green cars are more mysterious to me. Luckily they’re not so mysterious to everyone, least of all Ford, who recently introduced the eco-friendly 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid – an extra fuel efficient mid sized sedan …read more

There are tons of ways to go green or to stay greener, but here are some good areas to focus on.

Energy: Look into renewable energy. Lower your thermostat, see if you can sign up for green power through your local energy providers, and turn out the lights.
Waste: Buy recycled goods, reuse the goods you own, compost buy items that come in recyclable packaging, buy used goods, and implement a home recycling routine.
Water: Take shorter showers, build a rain barrel, use low-flow shower heads, and test your toilet for leaks.
Community: Organize community clean up efforts, petition to plant more trees, tear …read more

Tomorrow is the first day of August. It’s the perfect time to take advantage of late Summer sales, especially on Summer-themed items and with a good two months of warm temperatures ahead of us, there’s still plenty of time to enjoy these great buys.
I live in an apartment, but I have a patio area and when I’m entertaining, we always end up out front. I have set it up to be as garden-y as possible with lots of plants and two small seating areas. When the weather allows, I pull out a portable fire pit and we sit around the …read more

All the little things do add up. A dollar here, a dollar there. Over time there are some small green changes you can make that will help save more money in the long run. Each step alone may be just a small savings but when added together it becomes far more beneficial for your wallet and the earth.

Brew coffee at home or at the office: Instead of frequenting costly coffee shops make your own and save some cash. Making your own coffee also means you’ll be using a reusable mug and can choose sustainable coffee. Coffee makers aren’t rated or …read more

Just in time for your next backyard barbecue party, Williams-Sonoma is offering sale prices on 3 different cocktail mixes. Each of these sale items is more than 50% off the suggested retail price, so stocking up is a good idea. These items are all exclusive to Williams-Sonoma.

Gramercy Tavern Cocktail Mixes
Suggested retail $15.95, on sale for $5.99
The Cranberry Daiquiri mix and the Gramercy Parksider mix are both included in this sale. The Cranberry mix is a combination of cranberry and orange juice that match well with dark rum. The Parksider is meant to mix with either vodka or gin. It contains …read more