Wherever you turn people are talking about the credit crunch.  Most of us are feeling the pinch in one way or another, and so we’re coming up with clever ways to save money.  Most of these ideas have been around for ages, but because of a consumer economy that brings us goods at prices that don’t reflect the real costs of manufacture, and because of cheap oil, many of us have not had to scrimp and save like our parents or grandparents may have had to.

1. Buy in bulk

Here’s an idea that’s been around for a while.  Buy in bulk.  Get together with friends and do it, or if you have the space, just do it yourself.  And if you think that those organic or eco-friendly products are too expensive to afford these days, buy them in bulk to save.

2. Turn your thermostat down

Okay, it’s not time to switch the heating on yet, but you can turn down the heat of your water in the meantime.  And when it’s time for the heating to go on, turn that thermostat down a couple of degrees.  Put on a fleece or a jumper and be toasty warm.

3. Shower, and keep it short

Showering saves lots of water (and also energy used to heat the water), but only if you keep it short.  Keep showers under 5 minutes, and take a navy shower.

4. Make do and mend

Before you buy something new because the old one is outdated, think about it.  What values are you supporting by buying into mindless consumerism based not on what you need but what you desire?  If something breaks, see if you can fix it, rather than buy a new one.  And if something is no longer suitable for one job, perhaps it can be repurposed to save you money somewhere else.

5.  Stay organic by growing your own

It’s not the best time of the year to start doing this, but there is still time to plant winter and spring crops like cabbages, broad beans, garlic, lettuce, rocket, spinach and potatoes.  When you grow your own, you can afford to stay organic.  For the price of some compost and a few seeds, you can have fresh, local, season produce all year round.  And you don’t even have to pay for the compost if you make your own.

Photo credit: René Ehrhardt