10 Household hacks to help you save money

You might be thinking about how to reduce your outgoings this winter as the cost of living crisis continues to rise. Whilst many money-saving ideas require you to go out and purchase expensive products that claim to be wallet-friendly over time, there are plenty of entirely free tricks. 

Some of the best money-saving hacks require no money and can reduce your outgoings immediately. Many of these household hacks are also environmentally friendly, so whilst cutting costs, you're also reducing your carbon footprint—a win-win. 

These ten changes may seem small, but their impact on helping you save money over time, should not be underestimated.

Dishwasher tablets are not cheap, so make them last longer by chopping them in half. Make sure everything is rinsed well before adding it to the dishwasher, and you'll find that your dishes will be just as squeaky clean with half a tablet. Try the own brand alternatives as these often save a lot on the initial cost. Ensure value for money as some products look cheaper but may contain less tablets.

It can be easy to bundle up wrapping paper and bin it, but you can reuse it if you carefully unwrap a gift and fold the paper neatly afterwards. You can also use old wallpaper strips or samples as wrapping paper instead of binning them. Save ribbon and ties from blankets and pyjamas to take your gift wrapping to the next level. 

Save water from a bath to use for watering plants. Fill a bucket with the leftover water and use it in the garden to water plants or the grass. You can also save water from hot water bottles and give it to house plants once the water is cold. 

If you find yourself with a stale loaf of bread, turn it into breadcrumbs instead of throwing it out. Add the breadcrumbs to a food processor and blitz until it turns into breadcrumbs. If you do not have a food processor, chop up the bread and crunch it in a sandwich bag with a rolling pin. The breadcrumbs will stay fresh in an airtight container for a month. 

Before throwing out tubes like toothpaste and tomato puree, attach a clothes peg to the bottom and drag it upwards to get every last bit out. Alternatively, cut the tube in half and scrape out the remainder. You’ll be surprised how much extra you can get out!

Never buy a new pack of sandwich bags again—instead of using them once, you can reuse them over and over. Turn the bag inside out and wash it with lukewarm soapy water. Once dry, use it to store everything from sandwiches to open packets of rice and lentils. 

Plenty of old products in the house that you usually throw away can be surprisingly useful. Instead of ditching an old toothbrush, save it for cleaning in between tiles and cracks in the bathroom. Similarly, keep old socks with holes as they are great for dusting down surfaces. 

Fresh herbs can add a lot of flavour to a dish but are an expensive buy. Purchase a herb plant from the supermarket that usually costs a couple of pounds and plant it at home. Take the plant out of its shop container, place it in a larger pot with some more soil, pop it on the windowsill in the sun and water it as often as it needs. You'll be amazed at how many fresh leaves it produces. 

Next time you have an empty spray bottle, wash it out and keep it for homemade cleaning products. To create an all-purpose cleaner for wiping surfaces, mix equal parts white vinegar and water. You can add some drops of essential oils or soak lemon rind in the concoction to remove the vinegar smell. Not only is this a great cheap alternative to expensive cleaning products, but it's entirely natural and free of chemicals. 

If you're ditching the old trainers with holes in them, save the laces as they are handy for unclogging drains. Before calling out a plumber, thread a shoelace down a sinkhole and watch it gather all sorts of gunk that was probably the culprit for the blockage. You can also create a mixture of warm water, baking soda and white vinegar that helps keep drains clear. 

Read more: 7 Money saving tips to beat the cost-of-living crisis

Read more: 4 Smart household products to save you money

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