1. Laundry: This is a 2-part tip, so you are already getting more for your money ;) a) Use less detergent. The label says use a full cup; but I use only half a cup and my clothes come out clean. b) Wash All Your Clothes in Cold Water! Did you also know that over 90% of energy used in doing laundry comes from heating the water? That’s crazy!! Just wash all your clothes on “cold” and save on your electricity bill. Cold water gets the smell out just as well as hot water.
2. Let it mellow: Flush the toilet only after you use it 2-3 times. Have you heard the saying “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down”? Well, now you know and aren’t you so happy I shared it? I bet you’re going to be reciting this little ditty all day now. You can thank me later ;) Oh, and I didn’t think you needed a visual on this one. You’re welcome.
3. Battery Life: Use rechargeable batteries for electronics and toys. Store batteries in the refrigerator. They last longer. Yes, it means a bit of an investment initially, but it pays for itself and FAST! Oh, one more tidbit…if your battery life is getting low – try transferring it over to a low-power appliance (eg. alarm clock, remote control etc.) to stretch out the life even more! Just don’t mix old and new batteries, okay?
4. FREEZE! Fill empty soda 2-liter bottles 3/4 full of water and stick in your freezer, one to a shelf. If the electricity should go off; it helps save all your food. When the family goes on a trip or picnic, we place them into the cooler. No buying ice and everything stays cold.
5. Accept hand-me-downs. You can donate them if you can’t use them. Besides, you will look so much cooler when your kids aren’t dressed in the cookie-cutter clothes all of their friends are in :) Kids grow so fast, there is nothing wrong with doing the second-hand thing. Thrift stores are also great to check out – talk about eclectic! LOVE!
6. Use WHAT on my WHERE? Instead of facial tissues, use toilet paper, which costs less. Remove the cardboard core from a roll and throw away. Then place the roll inside an empty square tissue box and pull from the center of the roll through the opening. Reuse the same box over and over! Nice.
7. Reuse things. An example: Plastic grocery bags can be reused as lunch bags, shoe bags, liners for a small trash can or wastebasket or laundry bags on vacation. And just because I LOVE you, I’m going to share one of my favorite tricks for plastic bags. Watch and learn my young padawan.
8. Return it: If you’ve bought stuff that you haven’t used, see if you can return it. Get honest with yourself. Haven’t used something in 6 months? You won’t miss it. Not only can you get some bucks back, but your house will feel so much lighter and open with all of the useless clutter gone. Right? Right.
9. Wash and re-use Ziplock bags. Too much? I think not! We are saving pennies, people!
10. Use water from boiling eggs or pasta to water your plants. Make sure it’s cooled off first.
This list was found on Pinterest and the site is http://www.howdoesshe.com/10-tips-to-save-this-summer/
