I announced last week that for the foreseeable future, Tuesday's will be "10 Easy Ways to be More Sustainable..." days. This week, I tackle banking. - Get paperless statements e-mailed to you. Then learn how to actually use Excel or Quicken to keep track of your finances (I'm actually talking to myself here!)
- Sign up for direct deposit if your employer offers it. No paper checks. No trips to the bank to make deposits.
- Request no receipt when you use an ATM machine.
- Tell the cashier you don't need a little envelope when you make a withdrawal.
- Bank online instead of driving to the bank itself.
- If you do need to go to the bank, combine the trip with other errands so you use your car more efficiently OR walk or bike to the bank.
- Don't overdraw your account so your bank doesn't have to mail you a notice (and so you don't have to pay all those fees).
- If you use the drive-thru lane, don't let your car idle while you are waiting to get to the window.
- Don't take a pen every time you are there just because they are free.
- Turn your coins in to the bank every so often. I was reading the other day that the government needs to make millions of pennies each year because there are so many out of circulation sitting in bottles on top of dressers and in piggy banks (I'm not 100% sure this is true, but it sounds reasonable). So, if everyone turned their coins into the bank to either deposit them or turn them into paper money, a lot of resources that are used to make these extra pennies could be saved.
See - easy. Tell me if you have any additional ideas about how to make your banking greener or more sustainable.
Related Links
If You're Going to Use the Drive-thru, Turn off the Engine!
10 Easy Ways to be More Sustainable in Your Kitchen
3 comments:
11. Wonder at the marvel that is the drive-thru lane at a bank, and then wonder how the rest of the world manages to get by without them.
I'm still dumbfounded by this!!
Good Morning, Robin. Great tips! #10 makes sense. I save that change for a "rainy day" or for spending money while on vacation. Maybe I should go turn it in. But it is hard to part with it.
And don't overdraw for the environment, I never thought about that. I just get angry when they charge me a bizzilion dollars for overdrawing.
Despairing - I knew you'd have something to say about this!
Allison - I have to admit - it took me a while to come up with ten for the banking, and not overdrawing was my last idea. I'd really be impressed if someone else came up with more ideas.
Post a Comment