30 MoneySaving household hacks to avoid waste

Owain_Moneysaver

RicardaRacoon wrote: »

I have this discussion with my Dad on a regular base. His kettle has a minimum-indicator which I think is about a pint. So too much for a cuppa...

If you buy him a 1 pt tea mug not only will he not waste water and electricity, but he'll get more use out of each tea-bag.

skintmumof3

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Breville-HotCup-Water-Dispenser-Litre/dp/B001L5SSGQ/ref=sr_1_5?adgrpid=54701613993&gclid=Cj0KCQiA5dPuBRCrARIsAJL7oejdau51AnfUOSqAwhsl8gjPZqMmuw5NQjSN_sJ3iIO1gxToffC4CioaAkPFEALw_wcB&hvadid=259053986129&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=1006457&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=6695428896803806495&hvtargid=kwd-364758706517&hydadcr=172_1864192&keywords=hot+cup&qid=1574268945&sr=8-5

This is brilliant..only heats what you need in a fraction of the time..very easy to use..my elderly mum has one and loves it
hth
skint
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Mistral001

srn wrote: »

I hate the word "hack" used in this context, why can't we call it a "tip"?

Another word is "wrinkle". A bit old-fashioned, but still better than "hack"

popoma

When you have to boil food for several minutes, just bring the water to a boil and then switch off. Put a lid on the pot and let the residual heat do some cooking. If you are using an electric hob, the surface will also retain some heat, so that will help keep cooking for longer. Bring it to a boil again once it's no longer bubbling if the first stint isn't sufficient. It'll take around 20 minutes to do 10 minutes of cooking, but you'll only be heating for 3 minutes, and you can go off and do something else for the rest of that time.

Mistral001

Before throwing a piece of clothing out, I take off all the buttons and cut it up for rags to use for house cleaning and car maintenance etc. Then I keep a couple of buttons so that I can build up a selection of spares for replacing lost buttons.

BTW when my clothes are ready to be thrown out, they usually are very worn with lots of repairs so I cannot send them to charity shops. Many have actually come from charity shops.

Mistral001

I reuse vacuum cleaner dust bags. I now have a Henry vacuum cleaner which has dust bags that are not easily reused. But I have a plastic clip from an old Hoover which was designed for reusing the dust bags and I can use that to seal the end of the henry bags after making a hole in the bottom of the bag with scissors. I can reuse the bags about three or four time before I dump them.

BTW my Henry vacuum cleaner is quite old and about half the price of one of those fancy bag-less jobs and I get the Henry original bags through eBay for a fraction of the shop-bought bags. So over the course of the life of the vacuum cleaner I can save quite a bit.

Katiehound

Mistral001 wrote: »

Before throwing a piece of clothing out, I take off all the buttons and cut it up for rags to use for house cleaning and car maintenance etc. Then I keep a couple of buttons so that I can build up a selection of spares for replacing lost buttons.

BTW when my clothes are ready to be thrown out, they usually are very worn with lots of repairs so I cannot send them to charity shops. Many have actually come from charity shops.

Whatever stuff I have like that goes in the rag bag for a local charity shop as they get paid rag weight! Even some rubbish is valuable

Keep all buttons- if not for you, again they might be useful for crafts .(I put some in my Link-to-Hope christmas boxes in sewing kits)

Broken zips can make 'flowers'- look online for images

Katiehound

I'm not sure this exactly a household tip- sporty yes.

When 'fogless'swimming goggles eventually are so cloudy you can not see your way- gently coat the inside of the lenses with tear free formula baby shampoo. Leave .
Swish gently through water before use.
Clear lenses and no stinging. (Cheapest Aldi baby shampoo works well.)

balabooberlies

My aunty used to wash her fresh herbs, let them dry and then stored them in a jam jar, then popped in the fridge. Used to stay fresh for ages.

Loved that woman.

debbiedodge1737

tighteningthebelt wrote: »

My personal top tips -
-Take time to plan. I try to do a week-month-year scan every weekend, and a life scan on new years eve. Then you can identify and seize opportunities. It's not really a hack but it saves me more than any other single activity so I wanted to add it.
.

Love your tips Tightening the belt, but this one has intrigued and inspired me. What kind of planning and scanning ? Deals? Plans ? goals? What things do you track and plan once a week and on newyear. I know I need this but not quite got my finger on it.

My little tips ....

I just got a electric and gas smart meter put in last week and noticed that although we are not on economy 7 (if that is still out there) we do get charged less between 12.30am and 7.30 am which i never made use of before. But the past week I have started loading the washing and dishwasher the night before ready to turn on at 5.30am when I normally wake up, they are both then finished before 7.30am making use of the cheap rate and the the washing is hung out on airers or outside to be taken in in evening before bed. its a nice little routine I've got going and the place also feel clean and on top of. I also boil a full kettle at 5.30am for our coffees and fill the big thermos with the remained which stays hot for coffees or teas all morning, so no more boiling kettles on repeat. Save fuss too , this habit will stay. I boiled eggs the other day at 5.30 too enough for my breakfast and egg mayo lunches for the boys too. so again saving money on doubling up and on electric as in cheap hours.

I also save money by stretching meals (one for now one for freezer) by adding lentils or extra veg...... Im new at this but learning.

The shower is far cheaper than a bathtub full so (with all boys here other myself now) everyone showers and a bath is a luxury treat enjoyed with bubbles and candles lol.

I sweep downstairs on the wood floors and normally hoover twice a week upstairs and stairs but actually dug out the floor sweeper last week ... love that thing and its free to use , floors are black carpet so show up everything .. but there spotless as if I see something I just whip it over.

I shampoo and conditioner .. head and shoulders , the boys all like it, but I bought the large £5 one it has a pump on it at the top so its measured amounts ... even the youngest uses it and I have to say it lasts a lifetime .... I can't even remember when I got it.

Buy second hand and make from scratch

These are a few that are working right now for me :-)

Debs
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