Relearning the 3 R's mantra

REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE all wonderful ways of saving money and we need to save the pennies right now! In October of this year we can make another 10% payment off the mortgage! So we have to find nearly £7000 added to the costs of a family wedding, which although it will be a joyous time, will undoubtedly cost a goodly amount.

We have some savings in ISA’s but don’t want to empty the pot completely, leaving the cupboard bare. We must find other ways. I haven’t returned to work, having found the stress making my symptoms worse each time I try. I don’t claim benefits of any kind, the stress of going through that experience would definitely have a negative effect on my health! Mr C earns a reasonable wage at the moment, we can pay our bills and save, we have no other debt than our mortgage but we must pay this down, we do not want to be saddled with this when Mr C retires. I must try to “earn” the extra needed by saving in other ways. If we spend less we gain more!

REDUCE – means we simply buy less! Foodwise I have always kept a good store cupboard and buy in bulk sometimes as I like to cook in bulk, freezing the extra meals down to cover those bad days when I have no energy to cook. Could I cut down here? I think wiser meal planning would help, smaller meal portions would help our figures (financial and otherwise)  Growing more of our food would cut costs, this year I hope to harvest runner beans, French beans, courgettes, lettuce, tomatoes, radish, potatoes, fruit, spinach, garlic, and later on, cabbage and Brussels.

Clothingwise, we are both hoping to lose some weight before the wedding. Our wardrobes are full – most of my clothes come from charity shops and I have shopped that way for many a year now! So nothing new until nearer the wedding and then I shall be looking at discounts, sales etc.

Holiday- we have had a week away in Wales, self catering and very cheap but fun and have booked to go away with friends (our best man and his wife) to stay in his brothers apartment in sunny Spain, so also very cheap. Our friends also need to cut back on spending so we will take it in turns to cook and treat ourselves to a meal out at the end of the week. Mr C deserves a holiday away as he works so hard during the year.

Garden – I have spent far too much in that area already (trying to get it looking nice before we have visitors) so will just look after it with time and effort now. I have lots of reusable pots and will swap cuttings etc with friends when gaps need filling.

REUSE – Instead of buying new I must ask myself if there is something at home that could be used instead. Aprils Use it up challenge taught me that a lot of so called “rubbish” can indeed be re-used and made into very useful items.

Years ago when I was young and keen to learn to sew, my Mum who couldn’t afford to buy me the material (which would possibly be wasted) asked around the family for old clothes that could be re-purposed. My Aunt Mary had some lovely old skirts from the 50’s very full so lots of material. Mum showed me how to take them apart, wash and press them and lay the pattern pieces (traced out from her copies of Burda magazine) and cut and sew some “new” dresses and all for the price of some cotton thread! I am going to do some more of this.

I may never throw an old pillow out again now I know how useful they are! Spare dogs beds, garden cushions, indoor cushions, stuffing for craft projects, kneelers for gardening etc.,

RECYCLE – Our local council have a very good collection service going so I do recycle a fair bit more than I did. All glass, tins, foil, plastic bottles, cardboard, paper get put out on collection day. Sometimes I can find a use at home for these items, glass jars for preserves, bottles for home made lemonade, plastic bottles for home made ginger beer (glass would be too dangerous – I well remember my Mums gingerbeer exploding in the larder).

Lots to think about and no matter how much we think we do now, there is always room for improvement and hopefully always more savings to be made.