We all do it. We waste things that we shouldn’t. Sometimes it’s out of convenience, sometimes it’s laziness and sometimes there is no other option unfortunately. I do try my best to be conscious about my consumption a wastage on a daily basis but I’m not perfect. I think we can all make a more concerted effort to waste less.

Recycle

The city I live in is very pro-recycling. We separate everything, from organics to paper and corrugated cardboard to regular waste to plastics. This can be time consuming but with a little organization it doesn’t have to take that much more effort. Though I have a small bin for my organics (food scraps etc.) it was well hidden under my cupboard and I wasn’t using it as much. I recently switched to a small countertop one which forces me to use it and empty at least once daily.

Be Energy Efficient

We can all do a little better at wasting energy by purchasing energy efficient appliances when available. Not only will this cut down on energy waste, it will save you money, win-win. Don’t waste energy in general. Turn off lights, unplug stuff that doesn’t need to draw energy all the time, limit shower time. In general, be conscious about stuff like water consumption and power. Better for the environment and your wallet.

Use Less

There was a point in my life where I used paper towel for everything. I’d clean with it, wipe up messes and use it as napkins come mealtime. I was going through more paper towel in the run of a week than I’d care to admit. I don’t know exactly what it was that made me change but I almost never use it anymore.

I clean with rags that can be washed and re-used (or thrown away if needed) which makes the biggest difference in our consumption. Only buy what you need whether it’s food or paper towel try to only use what you need, limiting waste.

Organize Yourself

If you’re constantly running around life like a chicken with its heat cut off, spend time to slow down, regroup and get organized. If you don’t give yourself some time to get organized chances are you’ll end up wasting stuff out of convenience (throwing plastic in the garbage as an example, because you don’t have recycling bags or time to separate). Meal planning also goes a long way in limiting food waste, where a huge portion of household wastage comes from. Only buying exactly what you need to cook with eliminates food rotting in your fridge.

Being wasteful hurts both the environment and your wallet, it pays to recognize areas that can improve in your home and life in general. The less you use, the more there will be to go around, for longer. Only use what you need!

How do you limit waste?

“Well, that was a total waste of money!”

Have you ever said that to yourself after making a purchase? Wishing you hadn’t made a purchase is something that bothers a person in lots of ways. They worked hard for that money, and now it’s gone. They feel guilty that they didn’t put more thought into the purchase. Or they are mad at themselves for not showing more restraint in the store. We’ve all wasted money on things that we shouldn’t have. But how can we keep ourselves from making the mistake again? There are three things that you can do to be more frugal with your money.

Determine what really matters 

Before your next trips into a store, spend some time thinking about the sorts of purchases that you are more happy with after making the purchase.

Are you happy buying experiences such as concerts, movie outings, or meals at fun restaurants? Are you happier buying stuff that you can have over a long period of time, such as furniture?

Whatever you like, be honest with yourself and call a spade a spade. Now that you know what you enjoy purchasing the most, consider cutting out spending extra amounts of your income on things that you don’t enjoy as much. That way, you align your wish list with your receipts.

Don’t buy stupid stuff you don’t need

It’s such a simple statement, but it says a lot. Don’t. Buy. Stupid. Stuff. Do you need a fun new mug with your favorite character on it? Do you need to buy brand new clothes? Do you need to go out to dinner if your friends are, but you aren’t really hungry? No.

Now, you may decide to do these things, just for the fun of it, and that’s okay. But, consider what you are doing as you do it. Will that impulse purchase really make you happy? Or are you just feeding what could be considered a childish need to have a shiny new thing right away?

Delay making purchases

Whenever you want something, it can be difficult to tell if your desire for it is an impulse, or if you want the thing because you will really want it and use it. A good way to tell if your desire has the ability to withstand the test of time or if it will dissipate, is to wait. The next time something catches your eye, put it on a list, then wait. Clean your home, organize your finances, and pass the time.

If you can say, around a month later, that you still want to make the purchase, then chances are much better that you’ll be happy with yourself after making the purchase. If you aren’t really interested in it anymore, or if you’ve added other things to the list that you would rather have, then you might want to consider cutting it from your list altogether.

If you haven’t been very careful with your money in the past, don’t beat yourself up too much. It can be difficult to be frugal. But if you consider the types of purchases you are thrilled with afterward, keep yourself from making silly purchases, and delay making purchases, chances are high that you will be much happier with the purchases that you make.