Our How to Guide for saving money and the planet!
Cost of living is increasing, and the planet is dying.
Two statements that feel huge and overwhelming. We know. We feel the same.
We all know that we could probably be doing more to reduce our waste and help the environment. The same way we all know there’s sacrifices we could be making to save more money.
But there’s a reason we often don’t.
Our lives are super busy, faced paced and making switches that save the environment can be time consuming, stressful, and difficult to implement. When it comes to saving money, it can be difficult to even know where to start. You have to consider cutting out fun extras, reducing the food bill or contemplate spending hours trolling for better utility bill deals.
We want to help our planet and save you money without adding any extra stress to your day! This is why we have complied ten simple tips which save you money, protect the planet and require no effort or big lifestyle changes.
Our ten top tips for saving the planet and money at the same time:
1. Turn off lights wherever and whenever possible
2. Only run the washing machine for a full load
3. Switch the TV off at the plug when out- Standby costs the average person £15 a year!
4. Use reusable cups when out and about- Shops often offer ‘own cup discounts’
5. Ensure you pre-make your work lunch- don’t buy a meal deal and generate extra cost and packaging!
6. Go paperless for bills, statements, and paperwork where you can.
7. Learn to repair items rather than replace! Goods can often be upcycled to improve their life span.
8. Use a reusable carrier bag rather than buying a plastic bag each shopping trip
9. Use chargeable batteries
10. DIY beauty treatments, use up items you have in the home already!
We really believe these small tips are great, but we know to really save big money, there is lifestyle choices you need to consider too. Two areas we spend a lot on in the UK is food and clothing. These areas also have great environmental impact generating high amounts of unnecessary waste
We’ve broken down the steps you can take to reduce food and clothing waste whilst saving money!
Two areas we spend a lot on in the UK is food and clothing. These areas also have great environmental impact and generating high amounts of unnecessary waste.
We’ve complied steps you can take to make your food and clothing consumption more sustainable, without having to sacrifice your current way of life!
Your Food Waste
One of the biggest costs for a household is the food bill! With it being estimated the average family of four already spend around £250 pounds a month on food (not including meals out). With food costs rising, cutting down this bill and shopping more sustainably can have a great impact.
1. Stop impulse purchases by writing an optimised list
Writing a list beforehand can help you stop buying un-necessary food or making impulse purchases in the supermarket.
Whilst writing your list ensure you can make several meals out each of the ingredients. This means you aren’t left with random half bits of veg or unused items by the end of the week.
You could also meal plan prior to creating the list, then pull out ingredients which feature in multiple dishes to bulk buy which often works out cheaper.
2. Use every part of ingredients to reduce food waste
Often, we waste lots of the ingredients which can be eaten or throw food away without thinking of alternative uses for it. Just because food is a little past it’s best, doesn’t mean you can’t still use it!
Examples of Alternative uses for past-it’s-best food:
• Stale bread can be turned into breadcrumbs.
• Squishy berries or wilted spinach into smoothies.
• Ripe banana into banana bread.
• Add parmesan rind to soup for flavour. Just remove before serving!
• Left over cheese of any kind can be added to a simple white sauce and used for a variety of dishes
3. Grow your own vegetables!
If you don’t have green fingers, don’t panic, some vegetables are very simple to grow! Things like radishes, tomatoes and carrots all grow well within the UK, and are simple to look after.
Growing any family vegetables will save you money in the future, it will help reduce your family’s environmental impact too.
Not got the time or space to grow your own?
Why not get involved with a community garden instead? The Community Garden Project- Food is Free in Carnoustie is a great local option. This project aims to bring together people together and then offer up the food produced free of charge to local people!
Second hand objects
If you want to reduce your environmental impact and reduce costs on material goods, then second-hand items are your new best friend.
Second hand goods are great for more than just low costs. If an item has lasted to the second-hand stage of its life, it’s often a high-quality product. Shopping this way also allows you to shop outside traditional ‘trends’ and find one-off treasures. It lets you get creative and enjoy the thrill that comes with bargain hunting!
How to successfully buy second hand in Angus
There are a variety of ways you can shop second hand today:
The most traditional is in a charity shop. Montrose benefits from lots of these stores on the high street. It’s a great way to save money, help a charity and reduce your environmental impact.
There are also independent second-hands shops. These are a great way to find high quality items at a reduced cost. For example, both Encore dress shop in Fettercairn and New 2 U Furniture in Montrose offer second hand items which have been recycled.
You can use online platforms such as Vinted, Depop and eBay. These platforms are great as they allow you to access a huge global network of people, meaning you are certain to find something you love. However, due to its global nature you may find yourself paying additional costs in shipping.
A great local online platform is local Facebay groups. It allows local people to sell any kind of items second-hand.
The local area also hosts car boot sales which you can attend. This method allows you to truly enjoy bargain hunting, through making connections and conversations with others from our local area.
Overall, it’s important to remember not to get overwhelmed. You can’t change your lifestyle or shopping habits overnight! Implementing small habits over time will help you grow your savings and reduce your environmental impact without too much extra stress or effort.