Save The Planet And Cut Your Costs

Going green can mean saving yourself cash! Here are some easy ways to bin wasteful habits, feel good and have more to spend

Save Water

Do your bit to save one of the world's most vital natural resources - and save money if your home has a water meter - by re-using shower water. Place a large jug or basin in the shower so that water can spray into it and use this to water houseplants, flush the loo, wash the car or scrub paving stones, patios or decking.

Recycle Beauty Products

No-longer-loved lipsticks, broken eyeshadow palettes, dried-out mascaras and empty foundation bottles can be tricky to recycle - but not anymore. The Recycle at Boots scheme rewards customers who spend £10 in-store with 600 Boots Advantage Card points (worth £6) instead of 500 when they recycle five beauty and wellness products from any brand. The in-store drop-off points also accept empty wellness products such as toothpaste tubes, mini travel bottles, lotion pumps and wet-wipe packets.

Shine On

"Traditional light bulbs can contain toxic chemicals which are harmful for the environment," says Katy Phillips of price comparison site idealo.co.uk, who recommends swapping to LED lighting. "LEDs last 25 times longer, emit almost no energy as heat and are 100% recyclable."

Select The Eco-Setting

Research has found that eco-settings on washing machines and dishwashers not only clean clothes and dishes effectively, they also use far less water. And, as heating water takes up 90% of a washing machine's energy consumption, this can lead to considerable savings. "Washing your clothes on the eco setting can reduce water usage by between 20 and 40%," explains Ava Pope, energy-saving expert at energyhelpline.com. "This could result in savings of anything from £19 to £38 a year." 

Scraps Not Seeds