Life as a Dare

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7 Ways to Save Money by Going Green

21 Jan

Over the last few months I’ve been obsessively researching going green tips to help me create a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle. 

Since about June or so I’ve been slowly making changes to create a more waste-free life (I’m nowhere near there, but I aim to eventually), and with every change I’ve made I’ve noticed something: going green is actually really great on your wallet.

Once I started thinking about it, it made a lot of sense–when you’re living a green lifestyle, a few things are going to happen that help you get the most out of the products you use.

I have noticed a real change in spending habits whenever I am focusing on green living. So here are 10 going green life-truths that I’ve found really make a notable change in how fat my wallet is and I thought I’d share them with you now!

Going green doesn't need to be expensive--in fact, it can save you money! Here's how to live eco-friendly and save money!

1. Going green helps you buy fewer products 

If you’re focusing on reducing your environmental impact, you naturally buy fewer products. Buying fewer products = spending less money = more money in your bank account. It’s pretty simple, really.

2. You use more raw ingredients rather than pre-made items

For example, instead of buying a hot chocolate at Starbucks for around $4, I can make my own at home for around 15 cents using cocoa powder, sugar, and a bit of cinnamon or just buying hot chocolate powder in bulk. There’s no comparison.

3. You actually use the products you have  

If you’re focused on reducing waste, you are more likely to actually use the products you have. Instead of hoarding 27 different body butters, you actually use the ones you have instead of buying more.

4. You make your own food

I know, I know, I’ve starting to sound like a broken record, but making your own lunches can save you so much time and money! As well, you’re creating less packaging waste since you can use re-usable containers to bring it to school or work. Think about it: even if you just bought a 6-inch sub every weekday, that’s about $25 a week, whereas you can make yourself lunches out of leftovers for less than $7 a week (Monday-Friday) quite easily. That’s saving $18 a week. Over the next 5 years, packing a lunch has saved you a whopping $4,680. 

Going green can save you enough money to go to PARIS! Check it out:

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5. You invest in a few, reusable items

Although this can seem at first like you’re spending more money, look at it long term: instead of buying a bottled water on campus every day for $1, buying a $10 water bottle and then filling it up is saving you money in only two weeks. This is seen in so many things–cotton pads for taking off makeup, for instance, are about $2-4 a package which lasts me about 2 months on average. I sewed myself a bunch out of some old cotton flannel pyjamas for free and can re-use them until they fall apart in years. I know that’s not that much, but it’s a coffee every week!

6. You have lower electricity bill

By focusing on hand-washing dishes most of the time and turning off lights we cut our electricity bill by about $5-7 a month, which is about a 15% decrease for us (Who doesn’t want 15% off their electricity bill?!)

Going green isn’t just good for the environment–it’s also good for your wallet:

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7. You get creative

This may not seem like a money-saver, but as you’re trying to spruce up a room or make a new body butter you have to stretch yourself. What can you substitute in this recipe? How can you reorganize the decorations you already have all over the house to give this room new life? Are there any DIY projects you can create using rags or scrap fabric?

I’m working on a rag rug right now that is using up all my extra fabric from quilting and sewing projects over the years as well as clothing items that can no longer be worn. It’s saving us a ton of money since an area rug costs mucho dinero, it’s fun to make, and it uses up stuff that would have otherwise gone into a landfill!

What are some positive benefits of going green you have experienced? Share them in the comments below and we’ll chat! 

Going green doesn't need to be expensive--in fact, it can save you money! Here's how to live eco-friendly and save money!

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COMMENTS: Leave a Comment TOPICS: Lifestyle

One Simple Switch for an Eco-Friendly Morning Routine

4 Dec

This post is sponsored by Intelligent Blends, but all opinions are my own. (In fact, I love this company so much that I’m writing another blog post for them completely for free on my other site! They’re doing good stuff.) Some of the links here may be affiliate links, which help support this blog. Now onto the post.

The average person throws away 500 disposable coffee cups every year.

That’s right–every year. That’s a lot of cups.

I’ve noticed that the little things we do on a daily basis are often the ones that have the biggest impact.

Saying “I love you” instead of complaining to a family member. Taking 5 extra minutes in the morning to just stretch before you go off to work. Choosing to eat some carrot slices instead of grabbing a bag of chips.

Choosing to buy a coffee at the shop on your way to work instead of making it at home. 

But often we underestimate the little things and instead look to the extremes. We read about the Zero Waste lifestyle, or watch Minimalist videos on YouTube and just think, “I could never do that.” (Or at least, that’s what I do!)

The average person throws away 500 coffee cups a year. How can we minimize that?

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Living in an extreme culture makes it difficult to appreciate the impact of small habits. We don’t see people’s daily diet choices–we see the 200lb weight loss transformation video. We don’t see the small things people do anymore–we just see the final results.

Tired of creating waste every day? Check out this ONE eco-friendly coffee switch you can make to make your morning routine more environmentally-friendly!

But I want to challenge us to get back to focusing on the small things. 

You don’t need to uproot your entire life to make a difference, we just need to identify areas for easy improvement. It’s about choosing something other than that disposable coffee cup at the shop next to your office.

Here’s the thing–most eco-friendly coffee solutions are boring. There, I said it. Or else they take way too long. (No, I don’t want to grind my coffee to use in my french press and then froth my milk in a pot on the stove and use the flavor syrup that I made myself. That’s like a 20 minute task for a drink I’ll down in 30 seconds.)

As well, I don’t particularly enjoy just bland coffee–even with milk and sugar. Also, I always forget to bring a reusable mug to coffee shops.

Which is why Intelligent Blends coffee makes me so excited! Unlike most single-serve coffee pods, theirs are recyclable. Making your own coffee at home using recyclable pods is one of those small changes with a big impact–imagine being able to cut down your waste by 500 cups a year!

But what I love about Intelligent Blends coffee pods is that they aren’t boring! Seriously, you can get mocha cappuccinos, vanilla cappuccinos, and TONS of flavored coffee (personally, I love the Dreamy Creamy Salted Caramel decaf one!). It takes about 30 seconds, gives me a drink that I actually enjoy, and is completely recyclable.

I also figured out that if I microwave some cashew milk while my coffee is brewing, I can make myself a frothy latte in less than 2 minutes in the morning, completely vegan and completely eco-friendly. It takes less time than waiting in a drive through and saves money.

If you’re looking to become more eco-friendly, I seriously suggest starting to use Intelligent Blends pods. 

They were lovely enough to send me their coffee maker, too, but the great thing is that these cups work in Keurig machines, too, so if you already have one, you can switch out your typical K-cups for Intelligent Blends’ more sustainable options!

If we truly want to change the world, we need to start by looking at the small things we do every day.

If we truly want to change the world, we need to start by looking at the small things we do every day.

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For me, it comes down to walking 10 minutes to the store instead of driving, choosing to bring my own shopping bags instead of accepting plastic ones, and finding a more sustainable option for my morning coffee. I truly believe in what Intelligent Blends is doing, so if you want to check them out, please do. It supports small business, it supports your local blogger (that’s me!), and it supports a more eco-friendly morning routine.

 Starting your day right makes all the difference.

So while you’re at it, here are a few more simple habits to start practicing to brighten your morning:

  1. Wake up 5 minutes early to stretch or cuddle a pet before you get out of bed
  2. Practice writing down 3 things you’re looking forward to every day–even if it’s something simple (like your cup of Intelligent Blends coffee!)
  3. Change your background on your phone to something inspirational or beautiful–or a reminder to put down your phone!
  4. Take 10 minutes on your commute to work (or on your lunch break if you drive to work) to unfollow people on social media who make you feel anxious or like you don’t have enough.
  5. Make your bed. It takes 20 seconds and turns your room from a crash zone to a luxurious oasis!

Tired of creating waste every day? Check out this ONE eco-friendly coffee switch you can make to make your morning routine more environmentally-friendly!

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COMMENTS: 1 Comment TOPICS: Lifestyle

Gratitude Challenge | I was grateful every hour for a day, and this is what happened

2 Aug

Are you a grateful person? 

I mean, if you were to think of how you feel on a daily basis, would “grateful” be one of the words that came to mind?

I’m a grumbler. I can notice something bad in almost anything, and I’m the kind of person who will mull over everything that could have been better, or how it went wrong, or what those people should have done instead.

Yup. Not all that grateful.

So I thought this was the perfect video which which to introduce you all to a new chapter of my life. 

I’ve been having a hard time figuring out what to write about since I’m not in university anymore. I know a lot of people keep being college bloggers when they’re out of college, but I want my blog to be personal–it was fun when I was going through it, too, but I don’t want to feel distant from you guys. I want you to feel involved in my life, and for us to be able to have shared experiences. I’ll still be posting some college stuff in the next few months since I know so many of you are in school, but a lot will be guest posts or else posts that are just stuffed to the brim with stuff I wish I had known.

Since finding things to write about without any real “mission statement” for my blog has been so difficult, it’s slipped through the cracks with everything else I’m doing. Mainly, I’m preparing for my book launch (which is starting in just a few weeks!) and creating an e-course with my sister, which is going to be awesome. (We’re making a course for moms and their preteen/teen daughters to work through to give the sex talk in an empowering, non-scary way while still sticking by Christian principles and not shying away from the tough topics.)

But over the summer, I’ve been missing this. 

I’ve been missing working for myself. I’ve been missing working on a project that brings me life and joy because it’s truly what I want to do. Don’t get me wrong, I’m loving both of the jobs I’m doing right now–but they definitely feel like work right now! Making a course and launching a book are hard, people, and doing them at the same time doesn’t make them any easier!

So I’ve decided to jump into it again, and here’s how it’s going to work.

Every week, I’m issuing a challenge to myself. And I’m making YouTube videos about it, posting what I’ve learned and tips about that particular thing here on the blog, and giving behind-the-scenes footage to newsletter subscribers.

You have no idea how excited for this I am. I’ve been looking forward to being able to do this since May, and my first video came out today!

Let me know any other challenges you want to see me do. This coming week I’m eating vegan food ONLY for a 5-day stint, and I’m already realizing how hard that is going to be (I’m on day 2).

I’m looking forward to actually getting to show you my life. I’ve been feeling very disconnected from you all recently, and I think this is a positive step! Plus, I’m just seriously enjoying myself. :)

Let me know what you think!

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COMMENTS: 1 Comment TOPICS: Lifestyle, Mental Health

5 Graduation Gift Ideas Guaranteed to Make Her Smile!

3 Apr

Looking for graduation gift ideas?

Graduation season is upon us! And both my husband and I are graduating this year!

(OK, so technically I graudated in October last year, but my convocation is in June, and Connor won’t be done for a few months because he has 3 more courses to take, but we will both be finished our school this year. Phew. That was long-winded.)

It’s dawning on me what a huge deal graduation is. Whether you’re graduating from your undergrad, your college program, or a master’s, this is a huge feat!

You went into school unqualified for the majority of the jobs on the market. You went into school a child–you graduate an adult.  [Read more…]

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COMMENTS: 4 Comments TOPICS: College, Lifestyle

5 Simplification Tricks to Stay Sane during a Busy Summer

15 Jun
This conversation was sponsored by jimmyCASE, but all opinions are 100% my own! Enjoy!

Let’s be real, summer for us college women is not always the most relaxing. And it can be hard to handle a busy summer.

We’ve got jobs, volunteering positions, and often a course or two, all while trying to figure out where we’re living next year, what courses to sign up for in the fall, and how on earth we’re going to manage to actually have some fun vacations with our friends and family.

All of it can make a girl go a little crazy. Before you know it, a month has flown by and you’re that much closer to being back in school. We’ve all been there. This summer is especially insane for me–I’m writing a whole book this summer and I’m kind of freaked out about that. Loving every moment of that, but it’s still scary! Check out this post to learn more about that!

So this summer my goal is to learn how to not go crazy when I’m this busy. I know, that’s a pretty lofty goal. But through simplifying some key aspects of my life, I think it’s definitely doable.  [Read more…]

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COMMENTS: 12 Comments TOPICS: Lifestyle

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About Rebecca



Rebecca Danielle Lindenbach is a 21-year-old psych student living in Ottawa, Canada. Knitter, wife, guitar player, classic rock enthusiast.

This blog is to document the journey of a chronic worrier trying to living a life of simplicity, keeping her focus on what really matters. Read on for a satirical take on life from one millennial to another. Read more

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