Sustainable lifestyle choices can be spendy … in the beginning. Once the routine kicks in, you’ll save a coin – trust me! Let me walk you through my routine and see for yourself:
- Groceries & Essentials 200 pounds/month
Three things:
- I’m a foodie.
- I prefer to buy organic.
- I looove trying out new food trends (I know, urghhh).
If I break it down, however, I get to around 50 pounds/week for fresh, seasonal and organic food that feeds my soul and ego.
To ensure that my lazy ass gets organised with feeding myself on a regular and sustainable basis (I am the queen of skipping a meal from stress and it must change!), I order a weekly local fruit and veg box for 60 pounds/month (15 pounds/week).
The rest is bulk from a (fairly) local shop called Re:Store in Hackney Wick (I bike there and stock up on all other essentials)- ca. 35 pounds/week. This budget now also includes beauty products and cleaning essentials – You be the judge, but I’d say that’s pretty good.
2. Cleaning. This is included in the above budget but I think it is important to show how little I spend on this! I make my own laundry detergent, mainly because it’s better than anything I could find in-store. I clean everything with scented vinegar, bleach and dish soap that I get in bulk. All of this costs me less than 10 pounds a month and I’m a neat freak so you can trust me on this one.
3. Clothes (never the full price). When it comes to clothes, I live with a capsule wardrobe and buy few and quality second-hand pieces. Exclusively. Cheaper by definition. Dat’s it.
4. Eat at Home. OMG, this is probably my biggest money saver. I eat at home as much as I can and prepare takeaway lunches to store in the fridge for emergencies. I try and keep restaurant visits to the special 1-2 monthly occasion ….and fail miserably most months (because fries are life).
5. I Bike. With a passion. Especially in East London, nothing is better than the flexibility of biking around … exercise, fresh(ish) air and saving a coin? Sign. Me. Up!
