These are easy and have an additive impact on your budget and the environment, a win-win.

1. Turn off lights when you leave a room more than 5min, even at work. If you are the last one out the door, you are responsible for the impact.

2. Carry your own water. Do not buy bottled water, fill a re-usable container with filtered water instead.

3. Waste less food. Be frugal, make use of leftovers.

4. Relax your driving. Accelerating is one of the most wastefull aspects of driving next to sitting still with the engine running. Give yourself 5 extra minutes and accelerate gently when you drive. You will save gas and probably discover that the extra 5 minutes is actually more than you need. However, the extra 5 minutes will help you relax and reduce your driving stress.

5. Stop the energy leaks. If you have a guest room, unplug everything in it when you do not have a guest. Look up "Energy Vampires" on your favorite search engine to find specifics about which devices are the biggest offenders. Many households can save $500 a year on energy.

6. Find ways to use what you already have. Reusing items instead of buying new is frugal and good for both your budget and the environment. Be creative.

7. Choose products with less packaging. Packaging adds to the cost of products and the environmental impact. By doing this, we make a statement or cast a vote with our wallet. Eventually the manufacturers catch on. This impact goes beyond the instant reward at the register.

8. Plan travel carefully. Make the best use of your time and transit. Planning a route ahead of time saves miles, time and money as well as reducing impact on the environment.

The bottom line - Good habits have an additive effect and go a long way toward helping your budget and the environment.