I buy decaf teabags from Lidl. £1.50 for 80. And I use them twice. Best way of doing this is to use a pot and a tea cosy. Also saves on power as you’re boiling the kettle once for two drinks.
Cloth nappies. This has been rather a battle this winter. A family of six with two in nappies means the washer is on daily and drying space is at a premium. But I’ve only had the tumbler on twice this year, once for towels and once for bedding, and the first load to get dry outside went out this week. Cloth nappies during the day save 6 to 8p a change. I use disposable wipes and wash them in with the nappies, they last for ages. Not Huggies though, they fall apart. Most of my cloth stash was at least second-hand when it reached me, so definitely reducing environmental impact there and was very cheap or free.
Cloth shopping bags. I have a vast stash of these and try to have at least two with me at all times. Means I don’t have to pay for carrier bags.
What are your favourite easy money saving gadgets or tips?
If you’ve got a gas hob, boil the water for your teapot on that rather than using a kettle. The cost is well under half for boiling water via gas due to commodity prices. Over the course of the year, it adds up.
I drink Red Bush tea and use the teabags 3 times! Only fill the kettle enough for one cup. Grow my own vegetables and make my own jam and chutney. T shirt use goes from best, to stable, to garden to painting! Use my own compost in flower tubs. Eat every bit of food I buy. Wish I could say the same for my cats who, currently won’t touch Whiskas !
I’d love to make my own jam must try that someday soon.
We boil a full kettle of water and add what we don’t use at the time to a flask for use later. Also we batch bake to fill the oven up when it’s in use and freeze half of what’s been made.
I do that with the kettle when I’m camping, really ought to get into the habit at home. Only have a little oven sadly so that tends to be full anyway by the time I’m cooking for six.
IKEA face clothes are really cheap – I think a quid for 4(?) and make great washable wipes (and if you cut them into 4 you get more wipes for your money)
I miss ikea for things like that.
You can get them off ebay too, although they’re a little bit more that way.