I signed up for classes for the fall.  Blah.  I’m taking Business Ethics and Math Analysis (some business math class).  Sounds thrilling doesn’t it?  Tuition was $525 (in-state at the local community college).  It’s more than last year.  Last year was $440 for two classes.  So it’s gone up 20%.   That’s quite a bit.  And of of the classes is only offered as a four day a week class, they don’t have it on Tuesday/Thursday, or Monday/Wednesday schedule like every other class I’ve ever taken.  Which means I have go to school every day.  Not looking forward to that!

But the good news is that my school has an on campus preschool.  The kids can go when they are 3.  My daughter went there when she was 3 and loved it.  So I’ve been waiting to be able to send my son.  It’s great because it means I can take classes during the day now.  Which leaves more family time at night, and I think my son will really get a lot out of being around other kids.  We really don’t have a sitter, so he’s pretty much never been away from my husband and I.  I think a little separation will be good for him.

The preschool costs $2.50 an hour and he will be there 10 hours a week.  $100 a month for part time preschool is ridiculously cheap.  I’m thrilled with it.  Any place else would cost at least twice that.  But even this has gone up a lot.  4 years ago it was $1.60 an hour.  But I’m not complaining.  Having him right on campus for half price of a regular preschool is worth every penny.

So total costs for this semester will be:

Tuition: $525
Books: $150 (estimated $75 per class)
Gas: $190 (estimated $2 per gallon)
Preschool: $400
Total: $1,265

pic by: striatic

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I heard this on the radio the other day and I can’t believe I forgot about it til just now.  Companies are popping up where you can lease solar panels.  That is so awesome!  I am very very interested in putting solar panels on our roof but according to the research I’ve done, it’s just not cost effective.

According to Find Solar it will us cost about $27,000 to buy solar panels that would provide 25% of our current electricity.  Which if I finance that over 15 years at 5% the payment is over $200.  Hardly worth it if you consider that I would only be saving about $50 a month in electric costs.   Granted, there are tax intensives and programs to help cover the costs, but still.   I don’t see it being worth it anytime soon.   I mean, $200 a month is more than whole our electric bill.

But now there is an option to lease.  This is exciting.  In the news they mentioned a company called SolarLease.  (I wonder how they came up with that name?)  They have a calculator that helps you estimate the cost of the lease and how much it will save you in electric bills.  I plugged my numbers in and they estimate that our lease would be $38 a month and it would save us $28 a month in electric bills.  So over all it would cost $10.  But that is quite an improvement over buying them.  Plus, since the solar panels would be providing us electricity during the day, we could switch to the time of use plan and probably lower our electric bill more than $10 a month.   It’s definitely something to keep in mind.  We just got a notice the other day that the electric company is raising their rates.  So we’ll see.  This might actually become a reality for us.

Pic by: Chris Kantos

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It’s Tuesday again, which means we are going green. Just a reminder that this series has been inspired by David Bach’s latest book, Go Green, Live Rich. And you can enter to win this book by leaving a comment on Green Living days.

This is the last installment of Green Living. I will be announcing the winner of the book next Monday. So make sure you get all your comments in before then.

In 1862, Secretary of Treasury Salmon P. Chase decided to make our money green. While he probably wasn’t trying to give us stock tips, it might not be a bad idea it take it as a sign. Socially responsible investing (or SRI for short) is growing ever more popular these days. According to David Bach, there is currently $2.3 trillion invested in SRI stocks.

If you are interested in greening up your portfolio there are several ways to go about it. Calvert Funds offers both index based and actively managed SRI funds. David Bach specifically mentions Calvert Large Cap Growth Fund (CLAGX) which he states has beat the S&P 500 over the past 5 years. He also suggests Winslow Green Growth (WGG) stating that it is the best performing green mutual fund over five years.

The KLD Select Social Index contains stocks that are socially and environmentally conscious while providing a risk and return similar to the S&P 500. It’s important to note that some green funds take an index or similar fund and “screen out” companies such as tobacco companies, this “greens up” a fund by taking away the stocks that negatively affect society. Other funds “screen in” green companies and only allow companies that make a positive impact to the environment or society.

David Bach mentions many mutual funds and I want to mention them here in case you are looking to green up your portfolio. There is the Winslow Green Growth (WGGFX) and states it is the best performing green fund for the past 5 years. It is a small growth fund that invests in domestic companies. There is also the Green Century Equity Fund (GCEQX) and the Green Century Balanced Fund (GCLBX). The first tries to mimic the Domini 400 Social Index and the second invests in green companies of various sizes.

If you are interested specifically in renewable or cleaner energy David Bach lists plenty of options, such as The New Alternatives Fund (NALFX) it invests in alternative energy and companies that are involved in clean air and water. There is also PowerShares WilderHill Clean Energy (PBW) which is the largest renewable energy fund. WilderHill Progressive Energy Portfolio (PUW) invests in companies that are involved in improving our current use of fossil fuels.

So how do you feel about green stocks? Are you currently invested in a green fund? Do you think green investing is for crazy people? Leave a comment for a chance to win the book! ***Contest has ended***

Other posts in this series:

Bottled Water

Drive Smart

Solar Power

Energy Smart

Shop Smart

Green Baby

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It’s Friday again, and that means we are going green. Just a reminder that this series has been inspired by David Bach’s latest book, Go Green, Live Rich. And you can enter to win this book by leaving a comment on Green Fridays.

Ahh, babies. They are the whole reason anyone really cares about living green and there are several things we can do to have greener babies.

Buy used clothes: One thing about babies is that they grow fast. So fast in fact that they can’t possibly wear out their clothes. And it is very often that little babies don’t even get a chance to wear all their clothes before they are outgrown. The point is that baby clothes are the perfect thing to buy used. You can save a bundle for your wallet and the environment.

Buy used equipment: Babies need stuff. Tons and tons of stuff. More stuff than you ever thought an 8 pound person could possibly require. And just like clothes, they often outgrow their stuff while it still looks brand new. You can save a ton of money poking around a used baby store. When your finished with your gently used baby gear sell it online, give it to a friend, or consign it at a baby store. I sold my barely used baby swing on ebay and actually got $20 more than I paid.

Breast Feed: In theory breast feeding should be cheaper. I’m sure for some people it is, but for me it wasn’t. After I paid for a pump rental, supplies, creams, pads, special bras, storage bags, and what not I figured it cost me the same as formula feeding. While it may or may not save you a buck, it is better for the environment. When it comes to breast milk there is no manufacturing, packaging, or shipping involved. Getting it straight from the tap saves a ton of energy.

Make your own baby food: I know a few people who did this. It’s better for the environment for the same reasons breast feeding is, no manufacturing, packaging, or shipping. And it’s cheaper than buying 100 little glass jars. Plus you know exactly what is in it and can customize it to be exactly the way your baby likes it. Here is a website that tells you exactly how to do it.

What about cloth diapers?: Turns out after you’ve finished washing the cloth diapers they aren’t better for the environment than disposables. That means I’ve spent 6 years of my life feeling guilty for nothing.

So tell me, do you buy used baby gear? Do you breastfeed and make your baby food? Do you think having babies is for crazy people? (I do!) Leave a comment and let me know. You will get an entry to win with this book with each comment you leave! ***Contest has ended***

Other posts in this series:

Bottled Water

Green Credit Cards

Drive Smart

Solar Power

Energy Smart

Shop Smart

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It’s Tuesday again, and that means we are going green. Just a reminder that this series has been inspired by David Bach’s latest book, Go Green, Live Rich. And you can enter to win this book by leaving a comment on Green Living days.

Reusable Shopping Bags: The first time I ever heard about reusable shopping bags I was not impressed. I thought “There’s no way I’m paying for shopping bags, first off. Secondly, it seems like such a hassle to have to bring bags with me when I go shopping.” But I have to admit, the kinda is starting to grow on me.

Environmentally, bringing your own shopping bags is huge. 30 billion plastic shopping bags make their way to the trash every year. And we’ve all heard that they aren’t biodegradable, which means they just keep piling up and up and up. But even worse is that they do photodegrade, which means they break down into tiny pieces and get eaten by animals looking for food. And believe it or not, paper bags aren’t any better. Paper bags take more energy and create more waste than plastic bags.

My husband bought an insulated shopping bag to put the cold foods in at the store and I’ve been using it. It does work to keep the ice cream from getting soft on the way home. And honestly, it’s not that much of a hassle. I just throw it in the cart when we get to the store, and give it to the cashier when we check out. It really isn’t a big deal. And I get to feel good about keeping one or two plastic bags out of the landfill every week.

Paper Products: Another change I’ve been thinking about making is switching to cloth napkins, rather than paper towels. I’ve been trying to use a dish towel when I wipe the kitchen down after dinner, rather than 4 or 5 paper towels. It’s actually easier because I don’t have to stop, throw away the dirty towel, and grab a new one. A dish towel just keeps on cleaning. But even so, I will still use paper towels. So a change we can all make is to buy recycled paper products. Seventh Generation says that if everyone in America replaced one 4 pack of toilet paper with 100% recycled toilet paper we would save 1,450,000 trees and 5,500 garbage trucks full of trash. Wow. Plus, recycled toilet paper is cheaper. So why wouldn’t you want to make the change?

Cleaning Supplies: I’ve always been intrigued by people who make their own cleaning supplies and I would like to give it a shot. David Bach states that the average household spends $600 a year on cleaning supplies and that for $20 you can make your own. Cheaper and better for the environment, how can you turn that down? Here are some recipes for making your own cleaning supplies.

So, do you have reusable shopping bags? Do you use cloth napkins? Do you make your own cleaning supplies? Do you think that stuff is just for crazy people? Leave a comment and get an entry to win David Bach’s latest book! ***Contest has ended***

Other posts in this series:

Bottled Water

Green Credit Cards

Drive Smart

Solar Power

Energy Smart

Babies

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It’s Tuesday again, and that means we are going green. Just a reminder that this series has been inspired by David Bach’s latest book, Go Green, Live Rich. And you can enter to win this book by leaving a comment on Green Living days.

While we are waiting for Solar Power to become the norm, we have to be cautious of how much electricity we consume. Using less will help with not only your bill, but the environment too.

There are several things you can do to reduce the amount of electricity you use.

1. An Energy Audit: Call your electric company and see if they offer a free energy audit. Someone will come to your house and identify places in your home that are not as efficient as they could be. If your power company doesn’t perform this service there are several websites that can help you either find a professional to do it or give you tips on how to do it yourself. The U.S. Department of Energy has one you can check out. Making the changes suggested on your audit can save you between 5% and 30% on your energy bill.

2. Turn the heat down (or the air up): If your heating your home, make it a little bit cooler in there. If your using the air conditioner, make it a little bit hotter. Just one degree cooler in the winter will save you $40 a year.

3. Stop the phantom load: Stuff that’s plugged uses electricity even when it’s off. When I first heard about this I laughed. Yeah right! But apparently it’s true, and I suppose it makes sense. 5% to 15% of your electric bill goes to stuff that’s turned off. You can combat this by plugging into power strips so you can shut it off for real. Why pay for stuff your not even using?

4. Compact Fluorescent lights: I switched almost all the bulbs in my house to these. If you are concerned about the look of the light they give off, don’t be. I noticed a difference at first, but now I don’t think a thing about it.

5. Trees: This one is obvious to those of us who live in the desert, but trees give shade, and shade helps keep your house cool in the summer. A cooler house means less electricity for the air conditioner. But even besides that, trees help process the CO2 in the air, which helps with global warming. Plus, they look nice.

What have you done to reduce your energy consumption? Have a great tip? Do you think energy conservation is for crazy people? Leave a comment and get an entry to win David Bach’s latest book. ***Contest has ended***

Other posts in this series:

Bottled Water

Green Credit Cards

Solar Power

Shop Smart

Babies

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It’s Tuesday again, and that means we are going green. Just a reminder that this series has been inspired by David Bach’s latest book, Go Green, Live Rich. And you can enter to win this book by leaving a comment on Green Living days.

Solar Power

Phoenix has 320 days of sunshine a year. Why everything isn’t solar powered here, I don’t know? When we got our hot tub I looked very briefly into having it solar powered but really, I didn’t know where to begin. There isn’t a ton of info about how to go about getting solar power for your home. What I found seemed awkward and expensive. So it’s hooked up to electricity. But David Bach listed this website, www.findsolar.com, in the book and it’s so helpful. If I had known about this site a year ago I would probably have a solar powered hot tub right now.

The site asks for your state, county, and electric company. Then you choose what you want to power with solar. If I choose the Spa/ Pool heating option it calculates that it will cost me $1,066, after tax rebates. Yeah, it calculates state and federal tax rebates too! Which when you consider I paid over $800 to have it hooked up to electricity that seems like a really good deal.

But the website doesn’t end it’s helpfulness there. You can also find companies that install solar power systems, complete with customer reviews.

Before I left, I also played around with what it would cost to have my whole house solar powered. Wouldn’t that be amazing! No electric bills! Unfortunately, it’s not such a great deal as powering the hot tub. To produce 100% of the power for my home it would cost just over $87,000. Which at 6.5% for 30 years is a payment of $550. I currently pay $168 a month for electricity. So as cool as it would be, I won’t be switching my home to solar any time soon.

But I get the distinct feeling that we are on the cusp of big breakthroughs in this industry. Almost $120 billion are invested right now in renewable energy projects. The instant solar (or wind) power becomes more cost effective it’s really going to take off. I think it will go the way of the computer, the technology will become cheaper and more powerful year after year. So it might not be long before seeing solar panels on the roof is a common occurrence.

So what do you think? At what point would you be willing to get solar? Do you think I’m wrong in assuming solar power will ever take off? How much would it cost you to install enough solar power to power your whole house? Leave a comment and enter to win David Bach’s book! ***Contest has ended***

Other posts in the series:

Bottled Water

Green Credit Cards

Drive Smarter

Energy Smart

Shop Smart

Babies

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It’s Tuesday again, and that means we are going green. Just a reminder that this series has been inspired by David Bach’s latest book, Go Green, Live Rich. And you can enter to win this book by leaving a comment on Green Living days.

Drive Smarter.

I think it’s pretty common knowledge nowadays that our cars are terrible for the environment and our wallets. Increasing your fuel economy is an easy way to help both the planet and your checkbook. I know this is on everyone’s mind these days. If you drive 15,000 miles a year improving your gas mileage from 20 mpgs to 30 mpgs will save you 250 gallons of gas per year. Which at $4.09 a gallon would save you $1,022. That’s $85 a month people! David Bach expands on this idea and suggests investing that savings. Which if you invested $1,000 a year at a modest 6% for 25 years, you would have over $50,000. And 30 miles per gallon isn’t that hard to do. Lots and lots of cars offer that kind of mileage. You don’t have to squeeze your family into an Escort to do it. If you really want to go green you can get a hybrid which get upwards of 40 miles per gallon. Which would save you another 125 gallons, or $511 per year. Extrapolated out using the same investment scenario as above, in 25 years you would have an additional $26,500.

The book states there are 241 million cars on the road in the US at an average of 20 mpg. Assuming we each drive 15,000 miles per year and we all improved our gas mileage by 10 miles per gallon we would save the world from 60,250,000,000 gallons of gas a year. Gulp! That’s insane.

While you probably can’t run out and replace your car today, you can start to drive less. Combining trips, carpooling, and using alternative modes of transportation will save money and our planet. The average commute to work is 30 miles round trip. Cutting out one commute a week by carpooling or telecommuting will save you 1,500 miles per year. At the current average of 20 miles a gallon that saves 75 gallons a year and $307 dollars. If you think you could do your job from home there is a website that gives tips for convincing your boss to let you try it.

Taking the bus is also a great way to save gas. The bus is going anyways, it uses nothing extra to go along for the ride.

Not into taking the bus? Me neither. But here is your challenge: Find the website that has the info for your city’s bus schedule and plot your route to a place you frequent. That’s it. You don’t actually have to ride the bus. Just get the info. I took myself up on my challenge and I learned that there is a bus stop .4 miles from my house, and I can ride it to the library at 10:10 in the morning and home at 12:10. It will cost me $3.70 round trip for myself and both kids.

Do you carpool? Do you ride the bus? Have another great idea to save gas? Do you think saving gas is for crazy people? Leave a comment and get an entry to win this book.  ***Contest has ended***

Other posts in this series:

Bottled Water

Green Credit Cards

Solar Power

Energy Smart

Shop Smart

Babies

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Today I have a guest post over at Master Your Card. It’s part of my Green Living Series. Did you know there are credit cards that can help you go green? Go check out my post and learn all about it!. Don’t forget to leave a comment so you can enter to win David Bach’s book.

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One thing I love about Costco is their book table. Usually I make a list of books I want to read and then put them on hold at the library. But last week I saw Go Green, Live Rich by David Bach lying there and I had to pick it up. It says it has 50 simple ways to save the Earth (and get rich trying). How can you say no to that?

What’s kinda sad is that my first thought was “Wow, I could get a ton of posts out of this book.” So that’s my plan. I have a series of posts (8 to be exact) that were inspired by this neat little book. I’m also going to be giving the book away at the end of the series. You can enter to win by leaving a comment on Green Living days. Each comment will get you another entry. You will have lots of chances to win.

So starting today, and continuing every Tuesday until I have nothing else to say on the matter, come back and let me know your thoughts on going green.

Ok, so let’s get started.

Bottled Water.

The very first thing David Bach suggests in the quest for green riches is to stop drinking bottled water. This topic is pretty close to my heart. Before I moved to Phoenix I never drank a bottle of water, but around here it is necessary for life. When it’s 115 degrees in the shade (and there is very little shade) you need water. And lots of it. It’s not safe to go outside without some water with you. So around here it’s an unavoidable fact. David Bach states that the energy it takes to produce the bottles could power 100,000 cars for a year. Not to mention the impact of transporting 1 billion water bottles per week. While the thought of all that is enough to make me cringe the fact remains that if they took away bottled water people would die. Around here anyways. But that doesn’t mean we can’t reduce what we use.

Mr. Bach gives costs that are staggering enough to almost make me switch to tap. He says that if you drink 8 cups a day of bottled water (which is 4 bottles a day) then you are spending $2,500 a year on bottled water. The same amount of tap water would cost $1. While those are impressive numbers I think they are a tad exaggerated. Even I don’t drink 4 bottles a day, and I certainly don’t spend $1.70 per bottle.

As a family we go through about 24 bottles a week and pay about $4.00 for those 24 bottles. We also use about 2 gallons of water a week, at about 60 cents each. So that is $270 dollars a year for bottled water. Still significantly more than tap but not quite as impressive. So why don’t we switch to tap? Because our tap water is nasty, that’s why. It takes like your sucking on a dirty penny.

So why not use a filter and skip the bottled water altogether? Good question. I only recently gave any thought at all to filtering our own water. When we got our new fridge one of the things I liked about it is that the filter is cheap and easy to change. We have been drinking water right out of the fridge door for the past few weeks and it has greatly reduced the amount of bottled water we use. (My estimates above for our water usage were without the new fridge. I don’t really know yet what we drink now, if I had to guess I would say we use about half as much) Let’s say that you don’t have a fridge that puts filtered water in the door. I found this nifty website that reviews home filters. For what we drink it would cost us about $70 a year to filter the tap water. Not bad at all. Something I would probably look into if I needed it. Even if the cost for the filtered water was the same as bottled, you are still doing the environment a favor by not creating and transporting all those bottles around.

So tell me, do you drink bottled water? Do you hate bottled water? Do think bottled water is for crazy people? I want to know. Leave a comment so you can enter to win the book!  *** Contest has ended***

Other posts in this series:

Drive Smarter

Green Credit Cards (at MasterYourCard.com)

Solar Power

Energy Smart

Shop Smart

Babies

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