by Gabriela Yorgova
How could we survive the cost of living crisis if we didn’t use hacks?
According to the Office for National Statistics, 93% of adults in the UK have reported an increase in their cost of living, compared to just a year ago.
But there are some clever tricks, and some downright quirky ones, to help you save money and cut down on your weekly budget. What’s not to like?
To our surprise, many people we spoke to gave us bathroom or toilet-related tricks. Does that have to do something with the pandemic craze, when supplies of loo rolls were constantly in short supply? Who knows – but as everyone has at least one toilet somewhere, these tricks could work.
Whether you want to save money in the loo or cut down on your electricity bill, here are some hacks you’re sure to love – and some you’re sure to hate…
5 tips that will save you 2p – and waste 15 minutes
- It’s toilet time, so go for the layers: Separate the layers of your toilet paper, to make that roll of Andrex Comfort or Aldi’s Best last two or three times longer. Does that sound convincing? Technically, you would probably end up using the same amount of toilet paper. But hey, at least you tried!
2. Recycle your toilet water: University student Reece Tailor, 23, suggests that you use water from your toilet to drink – but make sure you use a filter (doh!). “That’s a good one, innit!,” he said. His plan for a better future consists of complicated conglomeration of pipes, and of course, toilet water. “So they [people] use their toilet water to water all their plants, and also filter it too, like, to wash their hands and stuff.” He adds that all you need are pipes going in and out of your toilet cistern. “One pipe goes to the garden and waters the plants, and you have another pipe that goes back to the sink to wash their [people’s] hands and stuff. I’m being deathly serious!”
3. Save on electricity by only using candles: Another life hack is to place candles all over your house, and never, ever switch the lights on. It sounds a bit realistic, but is it? Reece’s advice is to “live in pure darkness”. You could always read your phone, but we advise only reading novels during daylight hours.
4. Don’t have a social life: “Become a little hermit and never leave the house,” says another uni student, Caitlin Rattray, 20. She pinpointed that having a social life will make you spend more money. Let’s think about all the drinks that you bought that night at the club. It makes sense to minimise the number of times you would go out. Your bed and TV are your two new best friends!
5. (Almost) never flush the toilet: We’re going back to the toilet again! Remember the old saying: “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down.” Well, we’re not sure how much that could save you, but for hygiene reasons, it’s not recommended. Another student, 20-year-old Yarushcaa, said that someone she knows does that. “What he does is he doesn’t flush the toilet. So the next person that comes, that person flushes it. You save from flushing.” Yarishcaa probably knows the idea sucks, which is why she didn’t want to give her surname.
6 tips that are worth trying (really)
- Use cashback apps: Such apps might encourage you to spend so that you get cashback. But if you make only necessary purchases, you might want to get some money back as well.
2. Only batch cook: Cooking many meals at once can reduce your waste and also cost you less per meal. Also, you can save a bit of energy because you won’t need to wash plenty of dishes at once. In addition, you’ll save time, especially if you’re busy working and running errands.
3. Use coupons/club cards: We all have that one shop that we buy our groceries from. A points card or a club card can help save up to a pound from every purchase and reward your loyalty. Coupons can save you money as well, but they can also make you choose products that you don’t prefer, so think twice before using one. Creative, Digital and Professional Writing student Meg shared her best place for discounts. “UNiDays, that’s what I use. It’s an app that has all sorts of discounts and shows you where you can save on certain things. My laptop broke at the beginning of the year so I used UNiDays to get a discount.” She added: “There’s something called the Student Art Pass. It’s for events, exhibitions, museums. You can get a really big discount or go to places for free.”
4. Avoid pre-packed fruit and veg: Fruit and vegetables are sometimes sold in a pack, often pre-prepared. It’s cheaper to buy it loose because of the excess packaging (so you’re also helping save the planet). It’s a win-win: better for the environment as well as your budget.
5. Use apps like Olio and TooGoodToGo: It’s miraculous; they’ll save you money and also reduce waste. Olio is a food-sharing app where people give their neighbours free food they don’t want, whether it’s an extra serving of cake or meat that needs to be cooked. TooGoodToGo provides food from well-known places that is unsold but still good at greatly discounted prices. The apps are free to use and user-friendly.
6. Budgeting: It is useful to plan any long-term and short-term expenses. Student Meg suggests budgeting from the beginning of the month so that you’re not overwhelmed at the end of it. Also, it will give you better control over your money and make you feel like you’re more in control.
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