photo by andrea fregnani
Washed out food containers and trays can be used to plant seeds or store little things, etc. Tin cans can be made into storage pots. Gift wrap, cards, bright envelopes and interesting junk mail can be made into cards or even art. Boxes from things like frozen food and cereals can be used for crafts or decorated to use as packaging for happy mail. Vegetable peelings and used tea bags can be turned into compost . Try to find a use for everything before you chuck it out or take it to the recycling centre. A lick of paint or some nice paper can transform a lot of things!Benefits:
- Saving money / not having to buy certain things
- Less waste on your conscience!
- Feeling pleased with yourself for being so creative!
5) Make your own gifts and cards:
photo by Claudia Assad
Over the course of the year you might have to buy birthday presents for all your friends, your family, random weddings, christenings, and leaving gifts…then there’s Xmas which costs some people hundreds of pounds! That’s a big chunk of your salary that you could get back if you make presents instead of buying them. Read Birthday Preparedness for lots of ideas!Same with greetings cards. Keep all the your scrap paper and card for this. You could go all the way to the shop to pay a few quid for a printed piece of cardboard or you could make a cute one yourself, for free, in about 10 minutes!
Benefits:
- Saving loads of money - maybe hundreds!
- Always having a project on the go = less boredom.
- It’s fun to get creative!
- Your friends will love you for making so much effort and giving them one of a kind presents!
- No last minute rush to find a gift or a card when you’ve made something ahead of time.
- You won’t have to pay inflated holiday season prices for stuff.
- No Xmas shopping - fighting the crowds, paying inflated prices and screwing because you have no idea what to get Uncle Bob will be a thing of the past!
6) Cook + Bake:
photo by Simon Goldenberg
Cook things from scratch using store cupboard basics. Learn to cook your own burgers, fried chicken or Chinese dishes if you keep ordering in! Make your own pizza bases and pie crusts. Start baking cakes and cookies if you usually buy them pre-packed.The initial outlay for some ingredients might seem a lot but once you have them in your kitchen you’ll only have to buy a few ingredients if anything the next time you make it. Buy in bulk whenever possible when you know you’re getting a good deal and that the stuff will get used.
Benefits:
- Saving lots of money, no longer paying for packaging.
- Fun in the kitchen - cook with your friends, your kids, your lover or your mum! Or do it alone with a glass of wine and your favourite music playing.
- Less grocery shopping to do.
- Less weird additives in your body.
Part 3 tomorrow!