How much money could living green save you?

Solar power

Drawing power from the sun is no longer the sole domain of hippies and mystics – it’s a legitimate method of generating electricity that could save you thousands. SolarChoice estimates that a 4-kilowatt solar generation system will pay back it’s value in energy savings surprisingly quickly:

• Sydney: Conservative estimates put payback time at 6.9 years.
• Brisbane: 4.8 years.
• Melbourne: 8.5 years.
• Perth 4.9 years.

After your system’s paid back its initial purchase cost, your energy savings every year could be between between $710 and $1,420 depending on which city you live in.

Hybrid cars

Everyone’s caught an Uber at some point in their lives and jumped into a hybrid car – specifically a white Toyota Prius. There’s a good reason every taxi and Uber in sight is a hybrid. They’re near unbeatable when it comes to efficiency, and buying one of these using a Border Bank Green Loan could massively reduce your petrol bill.

It’s tough to put an exact number on your savings as everyone drives differently, however Practical Motoring estimates that it would be around $586 a year. That’s money you can put towards treating yourself, or perhaps increasing your energy savings even further by investing in more green initiatives …

Double glazing for your windows

Your home’s insulation is only as good as its windows. In fact YourHome data shows that as much as 40% of your home’s heat could be lost from windows, and up to 87% gained. How can you make sure that your windows are letting in heat in the winter and keeping it out in the summer?

Double glazing could cut down on those amounts considerably. While it’s impossible to know how much double glazing could save you – it’s clear that over time it could be quite a hefty amount!

Rainwater tanks

It’s easy to forget that water isn’t free or limitless, and take luxurious 20-minute long showers or leave the sprinklers on in the garden. However, Team Poly Water Solutions’ most recent data shows that Australians are paying through the nose for their H2O.

Every Australian state’s average household water spending per annum is above $540, with NT and ACT over $600 and SA at almost $800. Installing a rainwater tank could cost you as little as $800, and it could mean no more water bills.

Green finance with Border Bank

When it comes to going green, you often have to spend a little money to save even more. We believe in making that first step as easy as possible so our Green Loans start at 6.49% fixed per annum.

These loans have no ongoing accountant keeping fees, and reduced general fees to make sure that you’re rewarded for doing your bit.