Sustainability Goals vs. Financial Realities: 4 Ways to Find Balance

One thing pretty much everyone can agree on? 2023 was a challenging year financially. "I feel like that was a huge disappointment for everyone because we felt like we were just coming out of the pandemic—and those have been some really rough years," said Laura Wittig, founder of Brightly, in an episode of

Good Together. "But unfortunately, economic circumstances are putting a lot of pressure on every single person and business. For the most part, it doesn't matter who you talk to—everybody is noticing it and everybody is feeling really squeezed."

It's not just the rising cost of living, either. Wittig says there's also all the student loan debt, auto loans, high housing costs and interest rates... essentially this never-ending added pressure being put on everyone from a financial perspective.

The good news is sustainability can help make that load a little lighter. "When we think about sustainability, and we think about being conscious consumers, we often talk about buying less—or, you know, figuring out how to be creative with what you have," says Wittig. "And inherently, this type of behavior is not only good for the world, but also really good for your wallet."

As we enter 2024, our mission is to equip you with all the tools you'll need to balance your sustainability goals with financial realities—from cost-cutting grocery shopping tips to ways to utilize your community before buying new. Here's how to get started.

It's no secret that grocery prices are soaring right now. "A bag of groceries that you're very used to buying that maybe used to cost you $50 is now probably closer to $100," says Wittig.

To cut that cost, she recommends focusing on ingredients that are a little less expensive. For instance, limiting the amount of meat and dairy in your cart—and any other items that are known to skyrocket your bill. "If you can think about reducing in those departments, not only is it going to be cheaper, but it's certainly going to be better for the environment," says Wittig.

Every time you toss unused or uneaten food in the trash, you're wasting money. Whenever you have food scraps or leftovers, think of new ways to use those ingredients. For instance, Wittig bought a turkey on sale from the grocery store and saved money by using every part.

"We took the turkey and cooked it holiday-style for Christmas. Then we used the bones and made a stock out of it. So that saves us money and is super healthy compared to store-bought stock," she says. "Then we took the rest of the meat that we didn't eat, shredded it up, and we're now going to use that in place of shredded chicken in recipes."

Have a hole or tear in a shirt? Sew it up

using a tutorial online. Have some electronics that seemed to have stopped working? Take them to a repair shop to see if they can be fixed. Taking the time to repair what you already have instead of instantly opting for something new saves you money and keeps waste out of landfills.

Before heading to the store, check with your local

Buy Nothing group, thrift store, or even friends and family to see if they have what you're looking for. Chances are, you'll be able to find it secondhand.

"We still, especially in the United States, prioritize getting new stuff. We always have. It's been a core part of our being," says Wittig. "But as more and more people start to do this type of behavior, we're going to end up having a positive impact because we're like resetting that narrative. We're reclaiming and saying our narrative is no longer overconsumption over everything."