10 different ways to Recycle and Save Money!

I have never been rich, but I have been poor in my time. And because of this, I automatically use and re-use everything. I see people buying this and that, spending spending spending, and I sometimes wonder if they realise that they do not actually have to do this.

Walking behind somebody in the supermarket, I see the customers piling things in their trolleys, all sorts of every day items, that if you used just a bit of thought, you would realise that you don't really need it at all. Cleaning products for the kitchen, similar one's for the bathroom, smelly candles, even smellier sprays, that I am sure are not good for the respiratory system.

Has anybody actually read some of the ingredients on the packaging? Nearly all the cans that you use to spray around your home, carries the warning,EXTREMELY FLAMABLE, Or TOXIC, please keep away from children. Why only children? surely it can do as much damage to your own lungs and skin as it does for kids. I am asthmatic, and believe me when I say, if I breath in something that comes in a can, It can make me wheeze for hours. So here I have put a few ideas down that can not only stop you ruining your health, but also a few ideas that can save you money.

1. Apart from spraying anti viral sprays like Dettol, or any germ killer, which you probably need in this day and age, other things like smellies for your living room are not really necessary. Why not go out and buy some nice joss sticks? I know they produce smoke but if you use them in a ventilated room there is a minimal amount of smoke that you breath in. I use them all the time, and don't get affected. These come in all sorts of perfumes. Orange, Musk, patchouli, yum that one is good, and ylang ylang. these are my two favourites. You don't have to burn them all the way down. Just use half and then the other half later.

2. If you don't like the idea of smoking joss sticks, why not use aromatherapy oils? I have been known to dab a little bit on my radiator and then, when it gets hot, the smell drifts around the room. But if you think this will cause a mess, why not try putting a dab on a piece of material, and laying it on the top of the radiator. Or even lay a small round pot lid on the top of the radiator and place a drop of oil in it. The heat will do the rest.

3. This idea came to me when I was helping a friend move house, and we were giving it a good clean. I noticed the sink wasn't particularly clean and we had forgot to bring the cleaner. I thought I would try a few things to see which worked the best. Believe it or not, I found that if you wiped a bar of soap around it, quite heavily so as to leave a residue, then place a drop of water on a sponge, after a few moments you can give it a clean, and you will find that it comes up quite nicely. Obviously if there are ground in stains there, it will need a bit of help later, with something a bit stronger, but it works on everyday wear and tear. Also, washing powder makes a good scourer for the bath, and leaves a nice smell.

And while I think of it, if you run out of toilet cleaner, urghhh!, why not try cleaning it with a bit of washing powder on the brush? as I said before, good scourer and a good smell. Comes up lovely.

4. After realising how cold it was over the last few days, I found myself not being able to find a suitable pair of boots to go out in the snow. Mine kept slipping and sliding and I thought I would end up in casualty with something broken! not at least my temper. And if you are anything like me, you don't like wearing tights and trousers, I found the bottom of my legs were getting freezing even with two pairs of socks. So I thought, Ah, a pair of legwarmers will do it. I know they are not particularly in fashion, but what the heck, if it keeps you warm.

Anyway, after searching and moaning, I realised that I had lost them somewhere. So I looked for an old black jumper that I never wear any more, cut of the arms and sewed around the tops. you don't have to do this you can just turn it over at the top, but sewing it makes it neater. and Voila' there they were. A brilliant and warm set of leg warmers. Just think how many pairs you can make out of old jumpers and cardigans. If you don't want to wear them on the outside, then just put them under your trousers. Nobody will see.

5. Make-up. it can be a pain just when you are going out and you run out of your favourite blusher or lipstick. Why not keep all the old lipsticks so that when you run out, you can scoop out the old lipsticks into a pot and make a nice new colour? Also use blusher on your eyes, as long as it is not bright red!, or lipstick on your cheeks. Mixing a little colour with your foundation in a pot makes a good eyeshadow.

6.There are loads of facial scourers on the market, some to clean and tone, some to buff up your cheeks and and get rid of dead skin.There seems to be millions of appliances or face masks on the market that pertain to making you beautiful. And what about your legs? creams to make them soft, creams to remove hair. And little pads that rub your dead skin off and make your legs look smooth and silky. All these cost money, and more to the point adds another pot of singular cream to be used only for that one particular scrub.

So why not use salt on a slightly damp flannel to give your face and legs a good scrub? Ouch you might say, that will take the skin off alright!! But no, not if you do it gently. If you don't like the idea of just using salt and water, why not mix the salt with a drop of moisturiser. Works a treat. And not a pot in sight. Good for the circulation too.

7. Perfume these days, is so expensive, there are so many on the market that you never know which one to choose from. Celebrities are always endorsing their own, saying it is so much better than somebody Else's. And even more importantly, the second it has a celeb name on it, the price goes sky high. So why not use that aromatherapy oil I mentioned earlier. Obviously not the same one that you used in your living room! Not a good idea, but there are some lovely oils out there.

All you have to do is mix a few drops with a bit of moisturiser and dab on the wrist or neck. Don't use too much of it, or else, as the day wears on and you get hotter, the oil will begin to get very strong and pungent! So, if you are in a meeting at work, don't be surprised when everybody either passes out, or runs from the room!! Just a little bit, remember!! Or you can make your own. Go out and pick a few rose leaves. or any flowers that you like the smell of. Take them indoors and place them in a bowl of warm water, to pulp down a little, then strain them of and ad the pulp to a little oil. Any oil will do, but olive oil is good or a very refined cooking oil. Not the thick oil. Heat it over a stove and them bottle it. Leave it for a few days and then when you open it, it will give you a subtle smell of the flowers. Just dab on as usual. If you want it to be a bit stronger, don't use warm water, just add the oil and leave longer on the stove.

8.When washing your hair, why use loads of chemicals to make it shine? not only do they make the hair sticky, but it ruins the hair itself. After washing your hair, use conditioner, and rinse thoroughly, then turn the nozzle to cold water, hold your breath, and rinse for two or three minutes in freezing water. Your hair will be very shiny when it is dry. Takes a bit of getting used to, I can tell you, but it is great. This works better if your hair is not dyed, but it does work on dyed hair if it is good condition.

9. Back to the skin. Your face is the first thing people look at. Whether you have wrinkles or laugh lines, it shows people who you are, and what sort of personality that you have. It is no good slapping on heaps of makeup, if your skin is saggy. I have already told you about facial exercises in another hub, but what else can you do, if you cannot afford plastic surgery, or bot-ox? It's that cold water again! Every time you wash your face, remove the makeup first, then wash with a soft soap or remover, use loads of warm water, and as hot as possible if you are brave enough. Then afterwards absolutely soak it with cold water. As cold as possible. If you are brave enough, fill the bowl with the freezing water, and taking a deep breath, plunge your face in. Not only will this wake you up, this will tone and tighten your skin.

People spend loads of money on creams to tighten the skin, but all you really need to do is use this cold water. If you think about it, your skin is very flexible. If you put on loads of face creams, it will make it sag like a soggy sponge. You want to tighten it up, not make it saggy. The warm water will bring the blood to the surface, and make it look healthy, and the cold water will make it shrink. This will tighten it to your facial bones. Obviously you don't want to walk around all day with your skin feeling tight, because that will make it wrinkle. After drying your skin, then put on the moisturizer straight away. But only a thin one. I find the hand creams are the best for your face, they are slightly oily, and don't disappear the second they hit the skin. Let it sink in and then wipe of the residue. Your foundation will go on lovely. An artist wouldn't paint on a soggy canvas, now would he?

10. And last but not least, Exercise. Why go out and spend a fortune on exercise machines or weights when you can use your own home instead? Find a place that you can call a Barr, like a ballet dancer. The kitchen sink and worktop is the best. Holding onto the kitchen sink to keep your balance, do high kicks to start off. front back and side, then squats, After that, hold onto the worktop and face sideways. Then bend your outside arm over your head to try to touch the work top. this is great for the waist. You can also, if you are nimble enough, please don't do yourself an injury!, place your foot on the worktop, and stretch your thigh muscles.

Then when you have finished this, put your feet on the floor and stand on your tip toes, holding for ten seconds each time. The last exercise for the kitchen is press ups. Yep, that's what I said. Make sure your footing is safe on the floor, preferably with shoes on to hold you tight, and then step away from the counter and lean forward with the top half of your body, reaching out with your hands. and do press ups on the edge of the counter. It is easier than doing it on the floor. Then turn around and do it backwards. This builds up your upper arm and breasts. Then finish off in the living room, in your favourite chair. Get comfortable, slide down the chair until your bum is on the edge, and then lift your legs together off the floor. Build up the amount of times you do it, starting with five times. After doing this for a week it will be easy peasy!! Honestly. Your stomach muscles soon learn, and you will be surprised at how your body starts to take shape. A flat tummy!! weyhey!

And that's it for now. Good luck, and keep your eyes open for anything that you can use, and more importantly, re-use.