There are many ways to save money – and help the environment, all it takes is a little forethought and a dash of good old-fashioned frugality!

• Go through your fridge at the end of the week and make the most of leftover vegetables by making soups and casseroles – if you make them in bulk, you can freeze them for lunches and save money and time later on.
  
  
• When shopping choose refill or bulk purchasing options which are usually quite a bit cheaper and have less packaging.
  
  
• Invest in microfiber cleaning cloths for windows, mirrors and general household dirt. They can be thrown in with the rest of your washing and bring glass up without the need for expensive and potentially hazardous chemicals. You'll save money on paper towels and cleaning products in the long term.
  
  
• Invest in a bread-maker and purchase the ingredients to make your own bread. There’s nothing like fresh, home-made bread and no wasted plastic bags.
  
  
• Save on petrol by planning your journey carefully so as to achieve as much as possible in one outing. Consider public transport, walking, cycling or even a scooter as an alternative means of transport.
  
  
• Stop buying bottled water and instead purchase an aluminum bottle that can be reused and filter your water if you feel the need.
  
  
• Recycle your clothing – donate it to local kindergarten for dress up box, cut off the buttons and use it for rags, take clothing to the Salvation Army and while you are at it – consider buying second hand gear yourself.
  
  
• Make your own environmentally friendly cleaning products.
  
  
• Support your local farmer’s market for fresh, local produce, with less packaging (waste) and less pesticides.
  
  
• Paper accounts for 35 percent of landfill waste. Join your local library for a continual supply of new books and magazines.
  
  
• But a smart strip power strip which senses when your peripheral power is not in use and switches it off saving you money.
  
  
• Make your own coffee so as to save money and reduce the number of paper cups thrown on landfills every year. If you must have designer coffee, make it fair trade (Wild Bean are using fair trade beans now) and take in your own coffee cup to reduce waste. You can buy a 'Keep Cup' and re-use it to stop millions of paper cups being thrown on the landfill every year.
   
• Batteries are expensive and they don’t last long. Once they get thrown out not only do they create waste but they contain toxic chemicals which aren't good in a landfill. Invest in a recharger and rechargeable batteries and never gawp at the cost of batteries again.

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