5 Ways Having Indoor Plants Can Save Money

From Everything Finance

5 Ways Having Indoor Plants Can Save Money is a post originally published on: Everything Finance – Everything Finance – Its all about Money!

When it comes to saving money on things for our home, there is one area that a lot of us overlook. And this is having indoor plants. Gardening isn’t only for the outdoors. In fact, having indoor plants can ultimately save you more money than you may think. Plus, there are a lot of extra added health benefits to having them also.

1. Increases Air Quality

It is fairly common knowledge that plants help increase our air quality. A big part of this is simply that they breathe out what we breathe in, and vice versa. Meaning that we breathe out carbon dioxide and they take in carbon dioxide. Plants then turn that carbon dioxide into oxygen, which we breathe in. It’s a wonderful symbiotic relationship.

However, that is not the only way that indoor plants can increase the air quality of our homes. In a NASA study about interior plants for indoor air pollution abatement, they discuss other ways these plants can increase our air quality. The study uses indoor plants and their roots, leaves, soil and associated microorganisms to help reduce other indoor pollutants. Some of the pollutants studied are:

• Cigarette smoke
• Organic solvents
• Radon

The general gist of the study is that indoor plants take on these pollutants and then destroy the harmful materials. These harmful pollutants then get converted into new plant tissue instead of being recycled through our indoor environment. Which is really awesome!

And by increasing the air quality in our indoor environment, we reduce the potential for allergies and respiratory issues. Which means that we spend less on drugs and doctor’s visits. Both of which can get really expensive!

2. Medicinal Purposes

On top of increasing air quality, there are also some great indoor plants that can be used for medicinal purposes.

Aloe is one of my favorites because it is really easy to grow and maintain. It’s a fantastic wound and skin healer and is beautiful to boot. Aloe works really well for cracked or dry skin, minor wounds, or sunburns. As an added bonus, Aloe is also great for reducing plaque, helping with canker sores and indigestion.

Ginger is another great medicinal indoor plant to keep on hand. The plant itself smells wonderful and it’s also pretty darn easy to grow and maintain. Plus, when it gets large enough you can harvest the ginger root to bake or cook with or use in a tea.

English Marigold is a really bright and beautiful indoor plant to keep. On top of its brighter coloring, it can also be used to help reduce pain and swelling from insect bites. Which makes it a great multipurpose plant to have.

I love using plants like these for medicinal purposes because it saves me money by not having to purchase products at the drug store. And sometimes it even prevents doctor’s visits, which can get really pricey.

3. Indoor Plants as Sleep Aids

If all of the aforementioned reasons aren’t enough to get you thinking more about indoor plants, then there is another great reason to incorporate them. Certain plants can be a wonderful sleep aid, if you happen to be one of the millions of people who struggle with good, quality sleep. And by getting more, and better quality sleep, you can increase your productiveness and decrease how much money you need to spend on sleep aids. Money saved!

A great one to consider is the Kava Kava plant. This plant has been traditionally used to help increase sleep quality and reduce stress and anxiety. It’s best if you use the roots to make a tea about an hour or so prior to bed.

Another great plant to keep for its sleep-inducing capabilities is Chamomile. The Chamomile plant can be grown indoors or outdoors. And the best way to use it for sleep is to brew a tea out of the flowers. But, if you really want to get the most use out of your Chamomile plant, it would be best to start it indoors, utilize what you want for a season or so, and then transplant it to your outdoor garden.

4. Reduce Your Electric Bill

As previously mentioned, plants release oxygen. But, they also release water vapor. And by doing so, they create a more humid environment inside your house. This means that you either won’t need to use a humidifier or you can reduce how often you need to use a humidifier. And since humidifiers require electricity, you can directly affect your electric bill in a positive way.

But, the second way you can reduce your electric bill is due to the same reason. The more plants you have during the hotter seasons, the cooler your house can be. Since the extra humidity in the air creates a cooler environment. Therefore, you won’t need to use as much electricity to cool your house. And in some cases, this could really help you save some money, depending upon where you live and how many indoor plants you have.

5. Indoor Plants as Mood Boosters

There are quite a few indoor plants that double as sleep aids and mood boosters. But, there are a few that are my favorite options more specifically for mood boosters. And when you incorporate more mood boosters into your world, there is the potential for less time spent with your therapist. Or, on mood stabilizing drugs. Either way, these plants can really help save you some money in this area of your life.

Lavender is a really good one to start with. Not only are there quite a few different varieties of the Lavender plant, but the coloring can vary also. This way you can make sure you get the scent and color that resonates the most with you. And they are exceptionally easy to grow also, so they won’t add to your stress level!

Gerbera Daisies are one of my all-time favorite indoor and outdoor plants. Outdoors they are considered annuals. Although, I have had the same Gerbera Daisy plants outside come back for almost 10 years now. So, if the environment is right, they can actually become perennials. Plus, they come in a plethora of different bright color options, so you can find the best colors to fit your house. Indoors, they are best potted and put in a place that gets great morning light but has afternoon shade. And since they have qualities to naturally reduce your stress and anxiety levels, they would be best utilized in the areas of your home you are in the most.

These are some fantastic ways indoor plants can save a bundle of money!
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Overall, you really can’t go wrong by adding a variety of indoor plants to your environment. Not only do indoor plants not cost a fortune to procure, but they a ton of added cost-saving benefits. These include:

1. Increasing the air quality
2. Have many medicinal benefits
3. Can be great sleep aids
4. Potential to reduce your electric bill
5. Wonderful mood boosters

Not every indoor plant is going to be right for each person. But, with so many awesome options, the biggest issue is where to start. The best place to begin is to figure out how indoor plants would the most beneficial for you and your environment. And then, go wild!

How have you found that having indoor plants can save you money? 

5 Ways Having Indoor Plants Can Save Money is a post originally published on: Everything Finance – Everything Finance – Its all about Money!

This post was published on Everything Finance