How to live Sustainably and Save up More in the UK
admin London’s strong economy attracts immigrants from across the globe, who come here in the hope of better career prospects. Their ultimate goal is almost always geared towards providing better living standards to their loved ones, back at home.
However, their hopes are shattered when they figure out how expensive London is. After all, London is one of the most expensive cities in the world. So, if you are in a similar situation and are having a tough time saving up money, then we are here to help sort that out for you.
Below listed are some everyday activities that help save some extra money, and also give you the opportunity to contribute towards a better environment.
Save Energy, Save Money
Electricity costs are pretty high in London, and since it is a recurring expense, it’s crucial that you keep a tab on it. The costs vary depending on the location, size of the property and the number of people.
So, if you live in London with your family, then consider installing solar panels. To get this done at extremely low prices, try participating in the ‘Solar Together’ program, brought forth by the Mayor himself. If you live in a place where none of that seems possible, you can still reduce your energy costs by investing in energy efficient appliances.
Grow your own Produce
You don’t need a spacious backyard to grow some fresh tomatoes, lettuce, and cilantro. The balcony or the window sill of your kitchen is good enough. Now that you’ve figured out the right place, all you need is some old plastic bottles or cans. With that, you can start re-growing herbs and greens from kitchen waste.
Kitchen gardening can help you save up more money than you can imagine, minus the fear of pesticides and chemicals. After all, just one lettuce head costs about £0.80 and one kilogram of tomatoes cost around £2.40 in London. Convert that into your local currency and you’ll be proud of your decision to grow your own food.
Cook your own food Eating out on a regular basis can prove to be unhealthy and expensive, especially when you are away from home. In London, even the most reasonably priced restaurants charge at least £15 per person, for a one-time meal. So eating out for a week makes it £105 per person, while you can buy grocery for the entire week forless than £20.
So spend some time every morning, making your own sandwiches, wraps or salads — something that you can conveniently carry for lunch. You can also consider making your own pita bread, cheese, and granola bars once a week, to save up more.
Recycle your Waste The UK has been reportedly dumping its waste overseas, in countries like Malaysia and Turkey. So by recycling your old plastic bottles and other waste into something useful, you are making the world a better place for everyone.
Moreover, there are so many ways in which you can use old plastic bottles and containers. You can turn them into planters, pen holders or even bird feeders in no time. All these small savings, when piled up, converts into a decent amount.
Use Public Transport or Carpool
The Mayor is working hard to reduce London’s carbon emissions by 2050 and has introduced a series of measures and policies in that regard. Now, that’s the reason why London’s good old red buses were off the road for a while, but are back and much more energy efficient.
So, here’s how you can help London lower its carbon emissions and also save up some extra money. All you need to do is use London’s well-connected public transport, instead of paying for a car and fuel. If you already have a car, then you can consider carpooling to lower your expenses.
By doing so, you can save up a decent amount of money because neither car nor fuel is cheap in London. So sharing a ride definitely helps the environment and also ensures that you cut down on your recurring expense.
Swap things you don’t need for the ones you do
If you are done with your studies and have just landed in your dream job, then you probably don’t need your study table or small bed, anymore. In fact, you may be looking out for a nice couch. If so, instead of splurging on a new one, consider swapping the old stuff that you no longer need, for the ones that you do. There are several websites and applications like freecycle, and Bunz that you can use to trade your belongings.
Exchange Services
Furniture and electronics aren’t the only things that you can trade online. In fact, you can trade several small tasks like babysitting, dog keeping, gardening and more through certain websites. After all, hiring any of these services isn’t going to come cheap and it’s impossible to avoid hiring them, especially if your work involves frequent travel.
Try the Flea Markets
There’s nothing wrong with living frugally while you are away from home. So don’t think twice before you hit the nearest flea market and while you are at it, don’t forget to check out the Deptford Market and Old Spitalfields Market.
During your initial years in London, it may seem extremely difficult to save up, but doing that becomes easier with some solid pre-planning. So try following the above-mentioned methods and you should soon be able to cope up with this expensive city. At Small World, we admire and support those who work hard to uplift their loved ones. Hence, we do our bit for the society by offering low transaction fees and real-time exchange rates. This ensures that your dear ones get the most out of your savings.
