I’m constantly amazed at the things I see people wasting money on, particularly when there are such easy alternatives that can save a lot of money.
I’ve mentioned before my amazement at what people are willing to spend on coffee every day, especially when they have the option to drink it from home or the office, but today I’m going to focus on some reusable items and other small purchases you can make to save money at home.
Reusable water bottles
Remember the days before bottled water? Remember thinking the idea would never take off?
I certainly do. If you have fallen for the trap of bottled water, now is the time to fall out of it. Not only will you save about $6 a bottle, by purchasing a reusable bottle, but you will also be doing your bit to protect the environment.
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And if you think the water is better, you couldn’t be more wrong. There are studies that show some bottled water wouldn’t pass the stringent tap water tests that we have in place in Australia.
Thermos
Yes, I’m going back to my pet hate in takeaway coffee. Remember the days when everyone had a thermos? I bet you wouldn’t even have to buy one, you have probably got one stashed away somewhere.
The fact is, if you are trying to be environmentally responsible you probably have already purchased a keep cup for your takeaway coffees. So why not go one step further and make all your coffee at home and put it in a thermos for the day, especially if you spend a lot of time out and about, and use that as your excuse for buying coffee.
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Cloth serviettes
You might have some of these that you use for Christmas and other special occasions, but why not use them regularly at the dinner table, instead of forking out money for paper serviettes that only add to landfill at the end of the day.
Draft stopper
One thing I have noticed during the pandemic is how much money we were spending on heating and cooling costs. You can go to your local hardware store, or Bunnings if that is more your style, and purchase a cheap adhesive draft stopper to attach to your doors and you will be surprised at the difference that it makes to your bills.
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Bag sealers
If youare the type of person who can open a bag of chips or some other snack food and not eat the whole lot in one sitting, well done.I, myself, have yet to master that skill. But I have heard there are people who have to throw this food away because they are unable to retain that freshness.
For those people, you can invest in a bag sealer for a handful of dollars and create an airtight seal on all your open bags, extending the life of these products and reducing your waste. I, however, am yet to be convinced that these people actually exist.
Cable protectors
I recently had to replace a bunch of charging cables in my house because they had become frayed and damaged. While I was buying the new cables, I discovered that it is possible to buy protectors to stop this from happening in future.
These silicone protectors slip over most wires and cables and came in a pack of 24, which was more than enough for all the accessories in my house, and they were a lot cheaper than investing in new cables every time they start to fray.
What money-saving products do you swear by? Why not share your thoughts in the comments section below?
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