I save £200 a MONTH with my waste-free living – here’s my top tips to help you do it too
A MUM has claimed her “waste-free” lifestyle helps her save hundreds of pounds a month.
Stacey Victoria, 36, who shares her tips and tricks tips on Instagram under the handle home_with_stacey, reveals how she would spent £12 each week on items she didn’t need.
However, the mum-of-two has now revealed that she’s saving up to £200 a month with simple “waste-free” hacks, such as reusing old juice cartons for plant pots and leftover wax for 3D paintings.
Amid a crippling cost of living crisis, many across the UK are seeking out ways to utilise cupboard essentials to decrease their weekly expenditure.
“We have had to cut back hugely as a family to be able to still try and keep the life we have and enjoy it,” Stacey told NeedToKnow.Online.
“I think we need to do all we can to put things in place to try and ease the pressure off ourselves.
“I got the idea for ‘waste free’ hacks due to the cost of living constantly rising and having to make things go further, in a bid to make money last longer.
“I get such a good feeling from making use of discarded items again.”
Stacy's top tips
RECYCLE AND REGROW:
Consider ways to use items to their full potential.
Many items which many of us will throw away can be repurposed, which is both kinder to the planet and to our wallets.
Stacy said: “I do a lot of research and try to purchase items in the shop that I know I can use again.
“For example, I’ve made plant pots out of empty milk and juice cartons.
“I simply rinse out the carton, cut open a large hole on one side and then place in the soil, seeds and label so I know which is which.
GET CREATIVE:
Environmentally-friendly ways to maximise a product’s use can be a fun and stimulating activity for families and friends alike.
She continued: “All the boxes we use from deliveries are used by my youngest to make a playhouse, where she draws inside and out with second-hand markers from the charity shop.
“It’s fabulous, as not only is she occupied and getting creative, but this also creates a little sensory den for her to use.
“You can use leftover wax to create 3D paintings for the kids, where you place the wax on a piece of paper and paint over it – once cooled, peel it off.
“We’ve also made casts of our hands after melting the leftover wax and it’s great overall to generally entertain the kids.”
THROW AWAY TREASURES:
All items which are bought and used can be recycled and repurposed, including waste from items such as food.
She reveals: “I never throw away fluff from the dryer or dust from the hoover – instead, I repurpose into firelighters.
“In a bid to save on water, I use the leftovers from any hot water bottle to rehydrate our plants.
“For vegetable peelings, I either grill them for a snack, blend them into a soup or feed them to the birds as a treat.”