Three saving tips

AndyCF

I was wondering if anyone would be willing to share some of their saving/efficiency tips. I'd say just three of them unless you wanted to share more.

Can be absolutely anything from re-purposing items for another use to sensible use of an item, be it food or otherwise. Even something like a "war time saving tip" would be fine. Always nice to learn and share!

I suppose I better start then

1. Don't waste a £1 or more on a regular normal aerosol air freshener! Obtain one of the 'automatic air-fresh' refill aerosols and use that. It appears (if you get a genuine one and you can for £1 with a bit of hunting) stronger scent wise and will last you ages as each 'press' only dispenses a small amount into the air however given tis a bit more concentrated it does work quite well.

2. This is a tad annoying to see, to be fair I've only seen one person do it directly though but I have heard of others doing it. I'm not quite sure it qualifies as a money saver but I suppose in a way it is efficient. Those crumbly square stock cubes - I have witnessed some who only want half or less of a cube bin the other half! Obtain a small piece of cling film and wrap it well and remember to use it first next time. I've never had a problem doing this. I suppose you could wrap it in foil as that's what they are in by default.

3. The instant noodle plastic pots when cleaned out after use and a few holes made in them make excellent small plant pots for growing cuttings or seedlings. The added bonus with this is when you're finished with the 'acting plant pot' it can go into the recycling anyway, so its had two uses with you before it goes elsewhere.

buildersdaughter

Andy, we all do different things depending on our own situations.I love sharing tips and have learned a lot from this board, so thanks for starting! I do the first 2 very differently because of what I have available:
I grow lavender, so at this time of year, the bowls and vases throughout the house have last year's replaced, and I don't use air fresheners!
I also make my own stock (mentioned on here a few times!): one freezer drawer takes onion peelings, soft carrots, tough outer stalks of celery etc.and chicken carcasses, giblets or bones. Every so often, it gets made into stock that I reduce until concentrated,and freeze.
I use rags, not expensive cloths for cleaning - I tend to wear clothes out so they are only fit for the rag-bag (and I take all the buttons off them first!)
Gifts get wrapped in either brown paper or white tissue paper and prettied up with ribbons - charity shop / scrapstore finds usually, but a haberdasher's lucky dip bundle has lasted me 7 years!

AndyCF

Thank you for the ideas.

Yes realise everyone has different thoughts and things, my 'initial thought' on the topic was perhaps to read about something that others did and think "that's a really good idea I could do that or similar too"

The rags one is a good one , I do this too. Old ripped t-shirts and the like are never wasted, a pair of scissors and a couple of minutes and you have a nice selection of various rags.