7 ways to save your family some green

(WXYZ) - Your fridge, water heater and light bulbs maybe hold the secret to saving your household some green. Check out our 7 easy money savings tips to kick off your 2012.

EAT LEFTOVERS:

It may not be the first place you check for loose change but your fridge is a great place to start when trying to save money.  According to author Jonathon Bloom, Americans waste 40% of the food we produce for consumption . That means we’re throwing more than $100 billion down the disposal each year. So, instead of losing Friday’s fish or Monday’s meatloaf, think about recreating them. Rodale.com offers up healthy suggestions like turning your spud and veggie side dishes into a potato pancake entree or combining cooked veggies and pasta with egg whites for a frittata. The site also offers up a number of handy storage and reheating how-tos.

BUY CLOTH:

If you’re a mom to little ones, consider disposable diapers. Parents.com says two dozen cloth diapers with covers cost about $100 and in the long run, will allow you to save 50% more than disposable diapers. Besides being thrifty, putting cloth on your kid’s caboose lessens your global footprint. Plus, if you have more kids in the future, you can use them again!

LIVE GREEN:

-Save some green by living green. The simple act of turning down the temperature on your water heater (from 140 °F to 120 °F) can cut costs up to 20% says environmental expert and journalist Simran Sethi . Best of all, you won’t even notice the difference!
-Swap your incandescent bulbs for fluorescent ones. Fluorescent bulbs use 80% less energy and last at least six times longer.
-All natural, non-toxic cleaning products offer a healthier and environmentally responsible alternative to harsh chemicals but they do so at a greater price. Instead of coughing up the extra cash, consider making your own. EarthEasy.com offers easy recipes for inexpensive natural cleaners like baking soda (cleans, deodorizes, scours) and lemon (effective against bacteria)!

UNPLUG:

Unplugging appliances and turning off lights daily lowers energy costs but what if you went off-the-grid once a month? Encourage your family to spend one 24 hr period, a month without electricity. Use flashlights and candles at night, trade in video games for board games and cook on an open fire. Make it an adventure for your kids by allowing them to build a fort in the living room and snuggle into sleeping bags or pitch a tent in the backyard if it’s summer.

CLIP IT:

Who has time to clip coupons? You do! Couponsmom.com with Stephanie Nelson makes couponing a breeze by sorting deals into categories like "Drugstore Deals, Restaurant Coupons and Free Samples." There is even a how-to section for the coupon-challenged and a area that allows you to search by state for your favorite grocery and drug stores. So why pay full price when a few clicks could "Cut your grocery bill in half."

BORROW & BUY USED:

Kids are constantly changing. They outgrow clothes, toys and even their beds. Break the habit of running to the store when the shininess of his new toy fades or her had-to-have trendy jeans are suddenly floods. Instead, check out Craigslist and eBay for new and used kids clothing, toys and furniture at greatly reduced costs. Check your local paper for garage sale and classified listings and look into toy sharing companies like Toygaroo - an eco-friendly and wallet-savvy trend catching on with parents.

FIX IT:

Vacationing with the fam? If you pack nothing else, be sure to remember these three cost friendly tools; Ziploc bags, duct tape and a Swiss Army knife. Duct tape can secure a busted suitcase, patch a pair of torn jeans and seal gift boxes to send home. Ziploc bags allow you to store collectibles like shells, keep wet bathing suits away from your dry, clean clothes and will act as a barf bag when motion sickness strikes. The Swiss Army knife can be used during meal time, to open pesky packaging or tighten screws on malfunctioning toys.