Can you save money on your zero waste journey?
Can you save money on your Zero Waste Journey? The answer is yes, just remembering the fundamentals of Zero Waste. The first 3 Rs are Refuse, Reduce and Reuse.
When you start out on your Zero Waste / Sustainable journey it’s easier to get caught up in the hype and feel as though you have to throw out all your plastic and go and buy the latest eco friendly / plastic free products.
However, that is totally missing the point of trying to live a Zero Waste, more sustainable life. Zero Waste is all about reducing the amount of resources you consume and creating a circular economy.
Obviously, some things are more expensive, but it is all about be a conscious consumer and weighing up the options and making an informed decision on things that work for you.
Here are some of the ways you can save money on your Zero Waste Journey.
Refuse, Reduce, Reuse
One of the simplest ways to save money on your Zero Waste Journey is to stop using / buying things you do not need and use what you already have.
Rather than buying cling film and paper kitchen towel just stop using them and use something you already have. Swap paper kitchen towel for cotton rags or dishcloths and use old glass jars or storage tubs instead of cling film.
And, continuing the with the theme of “Reuse” another great way to reduce waste and save money is to buy pre-loved items.
Stop Single Use and Switch to Reusables
By eliminating single use items you will be able to reduce waste and save money. You may find that you have an initial upfront cost but over time you will be saving money.
There are so many reusable options available and they are a great way to reduce waste and save money. Some of my favourites are:
- Reusable water bottle – stop buying single use plastic bottles and refill your own.
- Reusable face wipes – no need to keep buy cotton make up pads or disposable face wipes.
- Wax wraps – ditch the cling film.
- Safety razor – no more disposable razors
DIY Natural Cleaning
Another great way to save money and reduce waste is to switch to making your own natural cleaning products.
With a small list of ingredients, you can replace all your plastic bottles of cleaning products. To get started you will need:
- Bicarbonate of Soda
- White Vinegar
- Castile Soap
- Citric Acid
- Rubbing Alcohol.
Check out my tips and recipes for DIY Natural Cleaning
Food
One of the trickiest areas I find to save money and reduce plastic waste is with food shopping as often unpackaged food can be more expensive.
However, there are ways to do it and these are some of them:
- Bulk buy – you may not have a local refill shop but look out for things that you can buy in bulk like rice and potatoes, this should save money and waste.
- Wonky veg boxes – more and more places are selling wonky veg boxes, another great way to save money.
- Olio – sign up to the Olio app.
- Bake your own – You do not have to be a master baker to make your own bread, cakes, and snacks as there are some simple recipes to get you started. I love this “no knead bread” recipe from Le Coin del.
- Leftovers – be creative with leftovers. If you have a roast chicken do not throw the carcass away before you’ve made your own chicken stock or use up veggies to make a vegetable stock, both make great soup bases.
it is possible to save money on your zero waste journey, you just need to be a more conscious consumer
Yes you can save money on your Zero Waste Journey. But, there will definitely be some items that you want to swap to that are more expensive. This is usually because the items tend to be made in smaller quantities with natural / organic ingredients rather than being mass produced.
However, I find that by doing some of the things in my lists above I am able to save money which allows me to spend more on handmade sustainable products like soap bars and organic cotton underwear.
Have you found any great ways to save money whilst trying to reduce waste?
