Whether you have a garden, backyard or even a small balcony, it’s still possible to create a nature inspired habitat that can be appreciated and enjoyed by ourselves, whilst providing a haven for wildlife. At the same time, it may be possible to incorporate features that save energy, money and even improve our health!
Our first steps are to record what we already have and then work out what features are achievable given the size of our potential wildlife paradise! If you have the time, sketching out a plan of your garden may be useful.
Note: Although backyards and balconies may not provide for all of our wildlife, they can be seen as stepping stones to a more suitable habitat elsewhere.
Okay let’s begin:
Part 1 A Garden of Possibilities!
♦ The Lawn
A lawn has the potential to play an important part of your wildlife garden. Although close cropped lawns provide little in the way of insects for birds and other small creatures, some birds may find it easier to pick out worms.
If the grass is given the chance to grow a little, the insect life is much greater and will provide better and more food for wildlife. Perhaps leave one area uncut for a month or two. You may be surprised at the colour that evolves. Birds, bees, and other insects will love it, as will many small creatures.
If not too wet and clumped up, lawn clippings are good for the lawn. Worms, fungi and bacteria effectively compost the clippings naturally back into the soil. Excess and wet clippings can be added to a compost bin or heap.
Depending on the size of your lawn, it’s worth considering giving up a little part of it for some the features mentioned elsewhere in this section. You may be able to attract a wider variety of wildlife, while cutting down on lawn related maintenance jobs such as mowing the grass.
♦ Trees and Hedges
A garden with a tree will attract a much richer variety of species compared to one relying purely on plants and flowers. The whole of the tree including the roots, trunk, branches and leaves can provide food, shelter, shade and a living area.
Many trees are suitable for hedging, and although requiring more regular pruning and looking after, hedges provide similar benefits to taller trees but with more nesting opportunities for smaller birds. They also afford cover for hedgehogs in many areas.
Trees and hedges also help protect against floods. They provide insulation against noise and act as a barrier against the weather elements that can cause damage to our homes. They also provide a cooling effect in the warmer months.
Many of us already know that trees absorb carbon dioxide and provide us with oxygen, but are we aware that they also absorb air pollutants and join up with fungi and bacteria to clean soil contaminates? Last but not least, they help to purify our water supplies.
All of these benefits come at low cost and can be there for a lifetime.
Note: If making a plan of your garden for wildlife needs, you can record trees that stand not only within your garden but also those that overhang from outside (public area or neighbours garden).
♦ Plants
Plants can be considered the main larder for all wildlife, including us humans. They also provide shade, nesting opportunities and other benefits.
With a view to making your garden more wildlife friendly, it may be sensible to jot a few notes on the plants that thrive and those that don’t do so well. Is it because there is too little or too much shade? Perhaps the ground is too dry for some plants or boggy for others. Maybe they need space and don’t like being crowded out.
Are birds, bees, butterflies and other wildlife regular visitors to your garden or is there not much on offer? Perhaps they only visit in summer. What ideas have we got to improve the habitat?
There’s a lot to think about, but a little time and effort on your part will bring about benefits for many years to come.
♦ Animals, birds, Insects and invertebrates
They’re part of and are perhaps the main natural contributors to a healthy balanced ecosystem. They do, however, need the right habitat in which to do their work. This is where we can help by providing the right features and environment in our garden.
In no particular order, benefits will include pollination, seed dispersal for growth in new areas, improved soil structure, plant fertilization, providers of food, waste disposal and species regulation.
The budding ecologists amongst you can study all of this right on your doorstep, whilst the ever changing wildlife can be appreciated by everyone throughout the seasons.
As our wildlife spends much of its time on the move, identification can be difficult, especially if we’ve not involved ourselves in nature’s world. So record what you can, it gives you something to work on as you gradually carry out your nature friendly improvements.
♦ Soil Identification
Identifying the soil type in your garden will be helpful in deciding on plants for the border, wild flowers for a mini meadow, pond and bog garden location and what to leave as lawn. Those listed below are the one’s usually mentioned in gardening articles:
Clay soils are sticky when wet and take time to drain. After prolonged heat it becomes hard and is identified by sight of cracks. It is high in nutrients, but if the soil has too much clay, then many plants struggle to grow.
Sandy soils drain well and feel gritty. Although easy to work with, they dry out quickly and lose their structure. They tend not to contain as many nutrients compared to clay. Plants that need little water are best suited for sandy soils.
Silty soils have a good balance of water retention, hold nutrients well and are easy to work with. Broad arrays of plants are suitable for this soil type.
Chalky soils are found in some areas. Although fertile, they don’t hold on to water or nutrients well. Because they are alkaline, you are restricted in what plants to grow.
Peat soils are rarely found in gardens. The soils are formed of partially decayed organic matter and can be found in either lowland or upland areas known as peatlands or peat bogs. These areas store huge amounts of carbon and are home to rare flora and other wildlife. Unfortunately, its popularity as a garden compost has resulted in the loss of large areas of environmentally important peat bogs. As such, if you need to buy compost, look for bags that are labelled peat free.
Loam soils are a mix of clay, sand and silt soils and are considered to be the best all round soil type for most gardens.
Note: Most soils will also include organic matter, fungi, and bacteria; and a few stones as well!
Non-vegetated areas include patios and other paved areas, walls, fences and in fact anywhere that has the potential to support nature. Record each area and at the same time think about the possibilities. Is there room for containers full of herbs? What about a window box with bee friendly flowers? Can nest or bat boxes be attached to the house? What about a hole in the fence as a hedgehog corridor? The possibilities are many; be creative and let your imagination run wild!
Part 2 It’s Time for Action
We now have a baseline from which to work. Decisions need to be made on whether adding features to our ‘garden’ will bring extra benefits to wildlife and nature. Sometimes it’s best to leave things as they are.
Time and budget will come into play, but assuming you plan to go ahead, consider implementing the following features:
♦ Pond
In many areas, particularly suburban, the nearest natural water supply may be many miles away. Streams, natural ponds, wetlands and other water sources may have been filled in when building our homes.
Creating a pond is a great way to attract water loving wildlife such as damselflies, water beetles and frogs. For birds it provides another source of food, a good supply of drinking water and bathing opportunities.
Ponds can be as big or small as you like. You can make your own, use a planter, trough, container, or even purchase a pre-formed pond. What they all should have in common is at least one gently sloping side to allow smaller animals to step in and safely drink or bathe. Preferably use rainwater to fill your pond; it’s more suitable for the insect and animal life you hope to attract.
Given time, local plants will naturally colonise your pond, but to give it a helping hand look to introduce oxygenating plants (or an oxygenating solar fountain), floating plants and also plants to provide shade.
For suggestions on pond plants to attract wildlife and other pond related advice, the Royal Horticultural Society is a good source of information.
♦ Waterbutt
You may have plants to water, but are you thinking of using tap water from your home? The supply to your home uses lots of energy to produce and can be expensive to use if you are on a water meter. It’s far better to use rainwater, and a Waterbutt connected to your drainpipe is ideal for this purpose.
Waterbutts come in all shapes and sizes. Some are basic, whilst others look like big urns. Additional opportunities for nature are also possible as a number of Waterbutts include integral planters.
Try your water supplier for discounted water butts. Alternatively just input your postcode details into the SaveWaterSaveMoney website. The website holds details on Waterbutts and other water saving devices available for a discount from all participating water supply companies.
♦ Trees and Hedges
As we mentioned earlier, a tree supports lots of wildlife and can provide a lifetime of benefits. If you intend to plant any trees in your garden, then think about their position and also the potential size when mature. You don’t want to incur the wrath of your neighbours, and trees grown too close to your home, may prove to be problematic to your drains or house foundations.
Also, look for native trees that are likely to be more suited to the local wildlife. The Woodland Trust suggests over a dozen trees that may be suitable for planting in your garden. If any of the trees are unavailable through your local nursery, the Woodland Trust’s online shop stocks a wide range that can be planted all year round.
♦ Flowers, Climbers, Shrubs, Herbs and more
Our aim here is to provide a rich habitat that will provide food and shelter for wildlife throughout the seasons. You will be restricted by the size of your garden, but look for flowers and shrubs that can provide a variety of seeds and berries at different height levels to help ensure a more diverse wildlife in your garden.
Birds, bees, caterpillars and other insects are attracted to different coloured flowers and types of foliage, so learning about their preferences will be helpful.
As you may be aware, bees and other insects like the sweet nectar from flowers, whilst the pollen is collected by bees and used for its own purposes. Pollen’s fundamental purpose is to fertilise other plants; it can be transferred by insects such as bees, the wind, and even by animals brushing by.
Although our gardens can support a wide variety of native plants, it doesn’t mean that we should ignore plants from further afield. They may provide as good if not better, year round food and shelter for our wildlife. Take care though, to avoid invasive plants, as these will cause no end of problems further down the line.
Where there are no hedges, we can look for opportunities to grow climbers, perhaps interspersed with border plants of different colours and sizes.
If you need inspiration there are many resources, and links to two useful websites are given below:
1. Gardening for wildlife – RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds)
2. Plants for a wildlife garden – RHS (Royal Horticultural Society)
♦ Composts, composting and composters
Virtually everyone has some kitchen waste, and probably grass cuttings, leaf fall and twigs if you have a garden. This waste can be turned into compost and used to provide nutrients for our plants and trees plus fruit and vegetables if we grow them.
There are various types of composters and composting systems, with some accepting all waste including fish, meat and bones, whilst others are best suited to compost vegetable matter.
Compost heap:
If you don’t wish to buy or make your own composter, then consider a compost heap in a corner of the garden. It will attract all kinds of wildlife and in time will probably provide the best type of compost. Turning it over from time to time will speed up the process.
However, depending upon where you live, it may be advisable to not add kitchen waste to your compost heap as it can attract rodents.
Note: Some Greenhouse Gases are released under this method of composting.
Standard Compost Bin:
A standard recycled plastic compost bin will accept most vegetable waste but not fish, animal and dairy waste. Often called cold composting, the process begins with microbes, whilst the larger species such as earthworms, slugs, snails, beetles and the like continue the good work.
Composting without your intervention can take quite a long time (from 3 months to maybe 2 years) and will depend on location, temperatures and the waste mix. Aerating regularly will speed up the process.
A mesh base or similar is recommended if rodents are likely to be a problem.
For want of a basic compost bin, the ‘Blackwall’ composter is made from recycled plastic, gets good reviews and can be bought from the ‘even greener’ store.
Note 1: Most weeds and pathogens will not be killed off and will remain in the finished compost, whilst on the plus side, disease suppressing microbes also survive.
Note 2: Some Greenhouse Gases are released under this method of composting.
If you want to learn more about this type of composting, our recommended publication is ‘The Rodale Book of Composting’ published by the Rodale Press.
Hotbin Composter:
Hot Bin Composting can process all kitchen waste, including fish, meat and dairy. Green waste such as grass cuttings and twigs will aid the composting. As in standard type composting, microbes will get to work on processing your waste. The difference here is that the hotter temperatures allow a higher number and different species of microbes to operate and speed up the composting.
Good quality compost should be available in 3 to 6 months depending on location, temperatures and the waste mix. Aerating regularly will speed up the process.
Hot Composting bins are designed to allow air circulation but keep out rodents. Some bins also allow worms to enter and although they won’t survive hot temperatures, they will be useful if the temperatures drop.
Two hot bin composters with good reviews are available from HOTBIN composting and Great Green Systems.
Note 1: Most weeds and pathogens will be killed off if the composting temperatures are high enough, however this means that disease suppressing microbes are likely to be also killed off.
Note 2: Some Greenhouse Gases are released under this method of composting.
Note 3: Maintaining a hot temperature can be difficult if there is not a regular supply of the right combination of waste or if the outside temperature is too low (such as winter or other cool days or months).
Wormery:
A Wormery is in effect a farm and you’re the farmer! You’ll have microbes and specific types of worms to compost the material. Most types of matter can be introduced into your wormery, but fish and meat should be omitted to avoid unwanted creatures.
Once you’ve established a healthy wormery, you can expect a supply of compost in about a month or two.
Note 1: Most weeds will not be killed off and will remain in the finished compost.
Note 2: Some Greenhouse Gases are released under this method of composting.
Bokashi:
Bokashi isn’t actually composting in the strictest sense. It’s a method to quickly improve your soil fertility by adding fermented food. The actual method of fermentation takes place under an anaerobic process reliant on the introduction of what are called ‘effective microbes’.
The only requirements are a couple of medium sized Bokashi buckets and a tub of bran that has already been inoculated with the right microbe types.
The usual method to start off the fermentation process is just to sprinkle the base of the buckets with some of your bran, add your waste food (you can include fish, meat and small bones), squash it all down a bit and then close the lid.
You continue this process until the bin is full. The fermentation process will take just two or three weeks before it is ready to be mixed in with your soil. Over time, as it decomposes, rich nutrients will be added to your soil and this in turn will help your plants to grow. Start using your second bucket as soon as the first one is full.
Note 1: Suitable for any amount of waste, the Bokashi method can safely be used indoors or outdoors. As the fermenting material is fully enclosed there are unlikely to be problems with rodents. Virtually no greenhouse gases are released under this method of composting.
Note 2: If want to read about the Bokashi method of composting, a recommended book is Bokashi Composting, Scraps to Soil in Weeks by Adam Footer, published by New Society Publishers.
Note 3: For an alternative and perhaps scathing view on Bokashi ‘Composting’, check out the Garden Myths website.
Local Authority Green Waste Collection Services:
If you don’t make your own compost, it is likely that your Local Authority will collect your kitchen waste for free. Green waste such as grass and hedge cuttings can also be collected for free, although we understand that some Local Authorities make a charge.
After collection, your green waste will be taken to a large scale composting facility. The waste is then added into compost heaps which are similar to the ones you might see in a large garden or your local allotment – but on a massive scale.
By using hot composting techniques, and carefully blending with green materials from other sources, the finished compost will be weed free and certified before being sold on for commercial use.
Note: Some Greenhouse Gases are released under this method of composting.
Anaerobic digesters:
Anaerobic Digesters rely on microbes that thrive in warm temperatures and the absence of air to break down the green waste. Methane and Carbon Dioxide are the main greenhouse gases that are released, and this is captured to produce Biogas that can be used as a fuel source.
At the end of the anaerobic digester process there will be some liquid and also some solid remains. This is called digestate, and can be used directly as a soil improver or processed to produce compost and other valuable products.
Anaerobic digesters tend to be only viable on a large scale, but are worth considering if you can involve the local community.
Note: To maintain the anaerobic process, the temperature should be kept within a certain range. The process also requires that the right mix of waste food, grass cuttings, leaves and twigs etc. is readily available.
♦ Wildlife Homes
To entice the wildlife that you wish to see or hear in your garden, building or buying a Wildlife home can seem like a great idea.
It usually is, but before spending time and money on for example, providing a dream home for a hedgehog, do some research to make sure that the hedgehog you want to attract, actually frequents your area and can access your garden.
The location is also key. For example, a nesting box placed in open view near a bird feeder could encourage natural predators to lie in wait.
Potential homes for you to consider include twig and log piles in shady spots for fungi, insects and other small creatures, bug and bee hotels, bat boxes plus nest boxes for swifts, swallows and house martins.
If after carrying out your research, you have decided to build a ‘Wildlife Home’, you may be able to find the resources locally and for free, but for ease, buying may be your preferred option.
However before you make the purchase, try to find out how it has been constructed. Many are badly made with splinters, treated with chemicals, have the wrong size of opening, and often, no thought has been given to the health and safety of the particular creature you are hoping to attract.
A good example of how easy it is to buy the wrong type of wildlife home is given in Marc Carlton’s excellent ‘foxleas’ wildlife website. In it he gives instructions on how to make and manage a ‘Bee Hotel’ that actually works, and why you may be wasting your money if you have bought a commercially made ‘Bee Hotel’. Lots of worthwhile information is also given in other sections of his website.
Moving on, don’t forget that many creatures are nomadic and don’t have nests or homes as such. For example, in between searching for food or finding somewhere to lay eggs, butterflies will look for a safe place to rest, such as between rock crevices and long blades of grass or underneath leaves and tree branches.
So if you want to increase your chances of attracting particular types of wildlife, look to provide the appropriate habitat.
♦ Vertical Gardens
Vertical Gardens are a great way to extend your garden and may be suitable for anyone with a balcony, small garden or some kind of walled type area.
Climbers such as clematis, honeysuckle and roses can be planted directly into soil or troughs and planters. Structures such as a trellis can be attached to your wall or fence and it is worth considering a freestanding structure that can hold an ever changing variety of potted plants.
♦ Green Roofs
Green Roofs are another way to extend your garden and attract more wildlife. However, before you go ahead with any scheme, you will need to check out whether your roof can support the weight. A structural engineer’s report may be advisable, but cost wise it may be difficult to justify if it is just your shed you wish to cover.
Some green roofs also include solar panels and it has been reported that they show increased efficiency if raised a certain level above the green roof.
A few useful links to websites with information on green roofs:
1. Lots of links relating to green roofs – Brighton & Hove Building Green
2. Award winning green roofs – Organic Roofs
3. Make a green roof on a shed – Countryfile Magazine
♦ Mini Meadows
Mini Meadows can be a fantastic way to attract pollinating insects, but if you want the meadow to produce the same flowers year after year, a certain amount of maintenance is required. What often happens is that the first year of flowering produces all the flowers you intended. In the following years and dependent on the soil conditions and the weather, certain flowers can dominate with a reduced variety on show at any one time.
However your mini meadow will still be full of colour and interest, and perhaps more importantly, will continue to attract the pollinators and other wildlife.
If you are interested in your own mini meadow, it will be worth your time reading the meadow maintenance guide produced by Harrowden Turf. You will also be able to buy pre sown wildflower and various types of sedum mats.
♦ Bird feeders and tables
Bird feeders and tables are a good way of attracting not only the birds you see every day but also one’s that you never knew existed within your neighbourhood. If you’re lucky you may also have brief visits from birds stopping off for a snack or two in between migration.
What you attract will depend on the bird feed that you offer. Remember that once you decide to feed birds regularly, they will come to expect food every day. Look to buy bird seed and other food that is as locally sourced as possible; remember those food miles! You may find that providing food for birds can be expensive but rewarding.
But as pointed out in an article by the BBC, bird feeders should be cleaned on a regular basis to avoid potential diseases being passed on.
♦ Fruit and Vegetable Patch
If you make your own compost then it makes sense to use some of it to grow your own fruit and vegetables. A great deal can be grown in containers against a wall or fence. Dwarf trees are excellent for anyone with little space. The guardian article on “how to grow fruit in a small space” provides lots of good advice.
Some of you may have heard of ‘Square Metre Gardening’. Suitable for small gardens, a variety of vegetables and herbs can be grown within a raised bed of one metre square. A recommended book titled ‘Square Metre Gardening’ by Mel Bartholomew and published by Frances Lincoln Ltd, gives step by step instructions.
♦ Buying Compost
How to make your own compost has been mentioned earlier, but as this may not be suitable for what you are trying to grow or not yet available to use, then you will probably end up buying some from your local garden centre.
The problem is that a lot of commercial composts include some peat, which should be avoided if we are to be environmentally friendly. The article by the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) explains why.
Admittedly, peat free compost and well-rotted farmyard manure is becoming more freely available to purchase in garden centres and DIY stores. Used separately or mixed together, there should be little or no problems in growing most fruit and vegetables to your satisfaction; and manure in particular will help improve your soil in general.
However, as you may have noticed in the RHS article, there seems to be a recommendation to follow up your purchase with additional specific types of fertilizers. I guess that’s the price you may have to pay for peat free compost.
At this point, we should perhaps talk a little about the use of fertilisers and also pesticides.
Note: The sale of peat compost is to be banned from 2024
♦ Fertilisers and Pesticides
Fertilisers:
Fertilisers can often be seen as a quick nutrient fix; especially if it is felt that your plants need better and bigger growth or look a bit jaded. This will be particularly true when looking at your vegetable patch or container plants.
Over use of fertilisers though, can not only damage your plants (it’s always tempting to add more than the recommended amount) but also the environment. Water runoff into streams and rivers can be a problem in some areas, notably when added to agricultural run-off.
We should also be aware of the environmental damage and carbon footprint linked to the manufacture of the fertiliser. The RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) article makes clear the damage caused by the overuse of fertilisers.
If you fancy having a go at making your own fertiliser, the ‘GrowVeg’ article on “How to Make and Use Home-grown Fertiliser” is our recommended read.
Pesticides:
A Pesticide is the general use term given to insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides, and antimicrobials. They can be synthetic or organic and be in liquid, powder, gaseous or spray form. The idea is that whatever the pest, there will be a pesticide to cure the problem.
Examples of pest problems include not only the usual aphid infestations and rodents but also the spread of algae in a pond or a proliferation of unwanted weeds.
There can be risks involved and these may be to yourself, the pest you aim to get rid of, other wildlife and also the environment in general. It will be cheaper and more beneficial if you can get rid of your pest problem without resorting to pesticides. Regularly digging out any visible weeds is one example and the Royal Horticultural Society website has advice on other ways to avoid pesticides.
Anything Else
There’s so much to cover, and the brief information provided above, can be used as the basis for further research. You’ll no doubt have lots of questions, and probably the best way we can help is to provide you with links to a couple of recommended websites. You will find lots of detailed information about the flora and fauna that you may come across in or around your garden. So here goes:
1. Gardening for wildlife – RSPB
You may also want to read a book about how to introduce wildlife into your garden. One of the best all-rounders includes advice for both small and large gardens plus balcony and patio gardens. The book is titled: RSPB’s Gardening for Wildlife by Adrian Thomas published in 2017 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. There are lots of good pictures, guides and further recommended reading.
SECTION 14 You’ve Read The Guide – What Now?
Okay, you’ve read the guide or at least the sections of most interest to you and wonder where to start. Everyone one has different ways of working, and making changes to your home, garden or lifestyle is no different.
If you’re stuck, then our suggestion is to look for quick and easy wins where you can save money, increase your comfort levels and improve your wellbeing. Quick and easy wins will encourage you to look at more costly and involved measures.
To help you begin we’ve selected a number of measures that we feel will produce the maximum benefits for relatively little cost or even for free.
1. Check whether savings can be made by changing your energy supplier* or moving on to a different tariff with your existing supplier. £30+ savings are easily possible, especially if you’ve never changed tariffs before.
*Note 22/03/22: With the new energy price cap rise to take place on the 1st April and the lack of any decent fixed rate deals, the only offer of a reasonable deal may come from your existing supplier. And that may be something as simple as saving money by paying by direct debit.
Additionally grants and other help may be able to householders struggling to pay their bills. The money saving expert website created by Martin Lewis has a very useful article on what help is available.
2. If you don’t have a water meter, contact your water utilities company to find out whether having one installed will save you some money.
Even in circumstances where it is currently impossible to have a water meter, your water company can calculate a bill based on the average water usage of the number of people in your household.
Small households with average water usage needs should be able to save money.
3. Make sure that you have a full set of heating controls, you know how to use them and that each room is heated adequately and not on for no good reason.
For those of you with gas central heating, the controls should include a programmer/timer, a room thermostat and radiators with thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs).
Research conducted by The University of Salford shows that homes without temperature controls can pay an extra 40% in gas heating bills.
4. There are still a substantial number of households on Economy 7 tariffs or similar.
The best advice is to ensure that as many energy using tasks are carried out during the cheaper period (usually during the night, but check with your network operator or energy supplier). These include immersion heaters, washing machines and dishwashers.
The day time standard tariff rate is much more expensive than the cheaper rate.
Seal any draughts such as around windows, doors, upstairs lights and plumbing exit areas. Also check outside for gaps in bricks and mortar, TV/Satellite cable entry points and around pipes.
Water ingress can cause or contribute to damp problems.
The combination of draughts and heat loss through gaps has been estimated to be as much as 25%.
6. Check that you have energy efficient lighting (LED’s preferably, but fluorescent is fine) in rooms where lights are switched on the most. Note that up until LED light bulbs became available, most householders spent between 15 and 20% of their total energy costs on lighting.
And don’t forget to turn off your lights as you leave a room.
7. Do you have adequate loft insulation, and don’t forget the hatch? – remember a grant for insulation work and other small energy efficiency measures may be available. About 25% of heat is lost through a loft with little or no insulation.
8. If accessible, insulate the pipes to your bath, shower and hot water taps. You won’t have to wait so long for warm water, and you will save energy and water.
9. Try to reduce your shower times – big savings are possible, especially for those of you with a water meter. As an example, at 18p per kilowatt, a 4 minute shower with a 10.5kw rating will cost £45.43 per year. A 15 minute shower will cost £170.35 per year.
Bath users should consider a shower attachment or reducing the amount of water used.
10. Don’t forget that little savings add up and can be a good contribution towards your household budget or even a big treat. Keep your windows closed whilst the heating is on, put lids on pans when cooking, switch off appliances, computers and gadgets when not in use, don’t over fill your kettle, keep your doors shut and last but not least close curtains at night.
£50 plus savings should be possible.
11. Repairability, reliability and energy efficiency should be part of your thought process when looking to buy. Online reviews can provide a wealth of information and it is advisable to take particular note of bad ratings and be on the lookout for the many false reviews. Also remember that sites such as ‘freegle’ may have what you want for free.
12. When buying food, try to buy it locally and free of packaging. It is often cheaper and it saves on having to get rid of the packaging.
13. Composting is a great way of using food stalks, skins, leaves and other bits that can’t or haven’t been eaten or cooked. The finished compost can be used in your garden or given away to a neighbour.
14. Try to change your travel habits. Can journeys be reduced? Consider walking, cycling or using public transport in preference to driving by car. Great savings and better health could be the outcome.
15. Try and make as much of the area outside of your home suitable for wildlife. Remember that vertical gardens are an option for anyone with little space. Seeds and pots or planters can usually be purchased without spending very much or even anything at all.
By just completing a few tasks, such as those mentioned above, you will save money and this can be used to fund further more expensive measures. You will also be making an important contribution to improving the environment.
Enjoy and good luck with your endeavours
