Saving money is tough in a bad economy but it certainly isn’t impossible. This week I did my research and came up with a list of tips and tricks to save money on the little things and make the things you buy last longer. The end result? Less money spent on the frivolous = more to save in the long-run.

 

Gas

Statistics show that cars are more gas efficient when tanks are full – obviously this means to get better mileage out of your car, fill up and refuel when your car gets to about 3/4 of a tank.

Hand Soap

Purchase a foaming hand soap dispenser, and turn your regular hand soap into foaming hand soap. You’ll be amazed at how far you can stretch one bottle of soap.

Laundry Detergent

More detergent doesn’t mean cleaner clothes, it just means more soap residue on your favourite sweater. Try using half as much detergent as the manufacturer recommends – you probably won’t even notice the difference.

Clothing

A simple way to stretch the life of all your clothes? Skip the dryer and choose to line-dry your washing – getting back to basics means more money in your wallet.

Candles

Stick candles in the freezer for a couple of hours before you use them. This will cause the wax to burn slower and more evenly.

Markers

Revive dried out markers by storing them vertically (tip down) for a day or two. If that doesn’t work, try dipping the tips in rubbing alcohol for a few minutes.

Pressed Make-up

Drop your favorite shadow, bronzer or concealer on the floor and shatter it into a million little pieces? Fear not – simply add a few drops of rubbing alcohol and press the pieces back together. The powder will dry solid once again!

Eye-Pencils

In the warmer months, keep your eye-liners in the refrigerator. This will prevent them from softening so you won’t waste product through oversharpening.

Batteries

Just as with appliances, when you’re not using batteries, take them out of the electronics as there may be a drain on the batteries even when in the off position.

Fruit

When you get home from the supermarket with a bag full of fresh berries, prepare a mixture of one-part vinegar or apple cider with ten parts water. Put the berries into the mixture and swirl around. Drain and rinse and put them in the fridge. The vinegar kills any mold spores and other bacteria and berries will last twice as long in your fridge.

Mascara

Mascara typically dries out before you’re able to use all of it which is a pain, especially if you’re using more expensive brands, such as those which are hypoallergenic. To prevent mascara dry out, add 4-5 drops of saline solution to the bottle, stir and voila: fresh mascara! You can repeat this trick as often as you wish, until the mascara is gone.