We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
Recycle Week: Re-use, Recycle and Save Money
Comments
-
"When I heard this week (22-28 June) was Recycle Week, I jumped at the chance to highlight our readers’ top tips, plus more...."Read MSE Andrea's full blog: How to save money by reusing and recycling
Click reply below to discuss. If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply. If you aren’t sure how it all works, read our New to Forum? Intro Guide.0 -
Given Andrea's upturned shampoo bottle, it is perhaps in order to express a pet hate of mine; namely the inability of some people to correctly stack the dishwasher.
We all regularly use the same crockery and glasses and it doesn't take long to learn how they can fit in the racks in most efficient manner; and thus maximise the load.
In my house, my wife and adult daughter(both with Masters degrees - so not thick!)) seem unable to grasp the concept. A plate can be inserted at an angle covering three spaces and everything else placed without any consideration of stacking efficiently.
At the risk of appearing sexist! can I(tongue in cheek) ask if this is something along the lines of a lack of spatial awareness often attributed to the fair sex.
I have asked several of my male friends who to a greater or lesser degree share my concerns.0 -
Given Andrea's upturned shampoo bottle, it is perhaps in order to express a pet hate of mine; namely the inability of some people to correctly stack the dishwasher.
We all regularly use the same crockery and glasses and it doesn't take long to learn how they can fit in the racks in most efficient manner; and thus maximise the load.
In my house, my wife and adult daughter(both with Masters degrees - so not thick!)) seem unable to grasp the concept. A plate can be inserted at an angle covering three spaces and everything else placed without any consideration of stacking efficiently.
At the risk of appearing sexist! can I(tongue in cheek) ask if this is something along the lines of a lack of spatial awareness often attributed to the fair sex.
I have asked several of my male friends who to a greater or lesser degree share my concerns.
As a female who stacks the dishwasher in the most efficient manner possible, I am certain this behaviour is simply pure laziness.Minimalist
Extra income since 01/11/12 £36,546.450 -
As a female who stacks the dishwasher in the most efficient manner possible, I am certain this behaviour is simply pure laziness.
Hahaha, I'm not commenting!Could you do with a Money Makeover?
Follow MSE on other Social Media:
MSE Facebook, MSE Twitter, MSE Deals Twitter, Instagram
Join the MSE Forum
Get the Free MoneySavingExpert Money Tips E-mail
Report inappropriate posts: click the report button
Point out a rate/product change
Flag a news story: news@moneysavingexpert.com0 -
I love recycling and am so happy that my local council has changed their recycling regime as 2/3rd of my waste by both weight and volume now go into that.
However my biggest recycling effort was back in 1984, I did a set dressing that needed about 50 metres of white fabric. It was in good order, so I didn't want to chuck it out. In 1986 I used it to make lovely billowy curtains for my new house. The curtains were still quite long when I took them down, so they got made into shorter curtains for my new house. They have also been made into Halloween costumes, togas and numerous other dress up items. Best of all, I still have about 20 metres to use and as it is in good order will last as long as me.
So, in short, big bits of fabric - don't chuck them out, turn them into useable smaller bits of fabric.
The other bee I have in my bonnet is about shower curtains (read about shower caps above and the penny dropped). If you buy the cheap ones (about £2 each from Asda or Tesco), you use them as a liner to your more expensive shower curtain. Not only do they keep your normal shower curtain looking good for longer, but when cheapy gets a little yellow, fold it up and keep it in the car as an emergency ground sheet. I took mine to Hyde Park this year, had a picnic on it, then it was small enough to fold up into my bag and come home. If I don't go to another festival, then it can be used as a groundsheet for gardening - chuck all of my weeds on it and decant into the bin in one go.Please stay safe in the sun and learn the A-E of melanoma: A = asymmetry, B = irregular borders, C= different colours, D= diameter, larger than 6mm, E = evolving, is your mole changing? Most moles are not cancerous, any doubts, please check next time you visit your GP.
0 -
I saved £ today by picking sweet pea's from our garden. Colourful home grown flowers grown from seed , in a little pink vase on our table.
The scent is quite strong. No scented candles needed in summer.
Reuse - my grandbabies, that are just learning to sit up are often put in my laundry basket with a few toys at the feet end.
One of their faverote make do toys is a large plastic kitchen spoon. Easy and light to hold. Lots of banging.
Mend - today, I threaded some thin wire from an ex calander top, to the cage of a fan. The fan cage was missing a clip.The secret to success is making very small, yet constant changes.:)0 -
What a fantastic thread. I look forward to learning a lot from it.
I have an old margarine tub which I washed out and store my clothes pegs in it.
I have a bucket which catches the cold water while the shower warms up, then use that water for the loo.
Old ice cream tubs are used for keeping extra meal portions when batch cooking, which then go in the freezer (we don't waste food).
I also put plates on top of bowls which are going in the fridge. Why waste cling film?
A great toy for small children is old sweet wrappers (think R0ses, Qual1ty Str33t, etc). They can crinkle them, and hold them up to their eyes. They live it. The wrappers are kept in an old ice cream tub.
We re-use tin foil for things going in the oven, or for sandwiches, so long as they are not too dirty or ripped to shreds.
Once we are finished with letters or junk mail we receive through the post from companies, etc, we use the blank side of the paper for writing notes, lists, and for the kids to use for drawing and colouring.
Freezer bags, so long as they are not ripped or have holes, are washed and re-use.
I cut individual letters and pictures from magazines to write messages and make pictures in card making.
Old newspaper is used for kitchen peelings and then put in the food waste bin.
That's all I can think of for now. I know there is a lot more I can do, though.2016 MFW no. 47 £0/£3,000
MFiT T4 no 26 Start bal £149,294, Current bal £149,294, Target bal £134,294
Make £2,016 in 2016 £1180.550 -
I reuse food bags and tin foil too! Shoe boxes are great for storing bits and bobs as well, I've been doing that since I was little!0
-
I recycle absolutely everything I can.
My husband shorts got a rip in them so today I sewed a pretty floral patch on them from an old top I had. He had oil in 2 places on these short that just would not wash out whatever we tried. So to cover the oil marks up I sewed floral patches over them. His shorts look really quirky now. Because I liked the floral material so much I made 2 pockets out of it and sewed them on to an extremely plain smock top that I often wear. That has really made a difference to this old smock top and my intention is to wear this smock top when my husband wears his shorts. Talk about Harold and Hilda. Can't wait!!
Also mended a pair of my husband socks today. One hole in one and two holes in the other. I slipped them over a rolling pin to get a solid surface to expose the hole and they are now both patched up neatly and ready to wear.
Today I boiled up our potato peelings for our hens because they love them and also crushed up some egg shells to mix with their feed for extra Calcium.
Nothing goes to waste in our house, ever. Yay for recycling, I love it.**3.36 kWp solar panel system, 10 x Ultima & 4 x Panasonic solar panels, Solaredge Inverter **Biomass boiler stove for cooking, hot water & heating **2000ltr Rainwater harvesting system for loo flushing - **Hybrid Toyota Auris car **1 ex-battery hen - RIP Pingu, Hoppy & Ginger ****Hens & Ducks**** chat thread. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=52822090 -
In addition to participating in the usual recycling schemes run by my local council my other recycling efforts include:
I use hessian type shopping bags instead of plastic ones;
Repair holes and tears in clothing;
Re-use shoe boxes to pack away items such as socks, toiletries, etc.;
Use cardboard boxes as insulation under the bath, carpets, rugs and under the dog bed;
Compost garden clippings, grass as well as potato and other veg peelings, hair brushing my hair, biodegradable packaging from parcels etc.;
Offer items on Freecycle and donate unclaimed items to charity shops;
Sell outgrown clothing to my local cash for clothes place;
Feed any scraps to the family dog instead of putting them in the bin;
Filter used cooking oil and put it in a spare container to be reused;
Re-cycle mushroom punnets to store small knick knacks and other small kitchen items;
Re-use tin foil when it has not torn or gotten sticky from previous dish;
Make chicken soup from the chicken carcass and veg peelings;
Use the free carrier bags from the supermarkets as bin liners;
I use vinegar as fabric softener and as a rinse aid in the dish washer;
I have a battery bin that I bought from Lakeland for testing whether batteries still have any life in them, and those that do not are put into the supermarket battery recycling bin;
I use the small Pringles tins as money boxes;
I also clean out margarine tubs and use them for storing screws, nails etc.;
I use the water from the dehumidifier to water the plants;
I use the unprinted side of paper as a notepad;
I use the same sandwich bag until it becomes tatty for taking a portion of cereal to work each day for my breakfast;
I use clothing that is not in a good enough state to sell to the cash for clothes place as dust clothes;
I use old towels as dust sheets and to dry off the dog after a walk in the rain;
I crush and sprinkle egg shells on my plants to keep the slugs and snails at bay;
Use face wipes to remove my make-up and then wipe down either the toilet or the basin with it before it gets binned;
And finally - save and reuse any gift bags that I may receiveSmiles are as perfect a gift as hugs...
..one size fits all... and nobody minds if you give it back.☆.。.:*・° Housework is so much easier without the clutter ☆.。.:*・°SPC No. 5180
Categories
- All Categories
- 346.5K Banking & Borrowing
- 251.3K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 451.3K Spending & Discounts
- 238.7K Work, Benefits & Business
- 614.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 174.7K Life & Family
- 251.9K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16K Discuss & Feedback
- 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards