Don’t Rebuy, Just Reuse: How to Implement This Money-Saving Mantra Into Your Everyday Life.

Ever heard your nan talk about the good ol’ days of thrift? The times when you made good with what you had, rather than waiting in anticipation for the latest new thing? 

Well, those days are coming back. Or maybe they never left. Either way: don’t rebuy, just reuse. This simple, (semi) catchy slogan, if implemented into your everyday life, can introduce you to a whole new world of creativity and fun - whilst helping you keep your finger firmly pressed on the button of thrift and frugality. 

Here are three buzzwords to bear in mind when attempting to combat your high-spending habits: Repair, Reuse and Recycle. 


Repair

Repairing is an excellent strategy for saving those pennies because it applies to pretty much anything. Clothes, toys, electronics, kitchen appliances, food… well maybe not food. But you get the picture. 

broken vase repaired in kintsugi style using sugru


Kintsugi

We like to say that a fixed thing is a beautiful thing. The ancient Japanese art of Kintsugi, or as we like to called it Kintsugru, is a beautiful example of this in action. As a philosophy, Kintsugi treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise. Kintsugi was historically done using lacquer, but Sugru Mouldable Glue is a great substitute.  Kintsugru is a fantastic celebration of creativity and a lesson in loving the stuff we own. Plus it saves pennies, which is always good.


broken headphones repaired with sugru


Sugru Headphones

That horrible day has to occur at some point - the day  your headphones finally start calling it quits. This can occur in a variety of annoying ways, but the two most common headphone catastrophes are surprisingly easy to fix.

One of the most common Sugru fixes involves gluing the long plastic headphone arch back together after a snappage. Simply blob a small bit in the centre and press, and then add some extra around the side for extra security. Then wait 12-24 hours and your fixed headphones will be ready to go!


Reuse

Reusing is infinitely better than disposing, because disposing creates waste and reusing doesn’t. That’s for both the landfill and your pockets by the way! 

reusable coffee cups


Reusable Coffee Cups.

Many high street coffee stores are on a mission to gain some sustainability credentials, by knocking off some of the price of coffee for customers who use reusable mugs. The Starbucks discount is 25p for example. So although buying a travel mug incurs a small upfront cost, the caffeine addicts amongst us are bound to make this up, and then some!  


Reusable Lunch Bags

We’ve all heard it time and time again: taking a packed lunch to the office is one of the easiest ways to save money. Most reusable lunch bags are cheap, leak-proof and hand washable and will save you a ton on fancy sandwiches in the long run. 


Recycle

Not everything can be reused time and time again as it is, but recycling (and particularly upcycling) is probably the most creative (and fun) way to get the stuff you want without buying it!


jars stuck to underside of shelf with sugru


Glass Jars

Glass jars are a staple in the home-recycling and home-upcycling economy. They can be washed and then used as: stationary holders, herb pots, bakery equipment, plant pot and our favourite… Jar picture frames!


hooks made of twigs and sugru


Sugru Hooks

Pots, pans, mugs… the kitchen is a busy place, and kitchen appliances and accessories often don’t come cheap. For a rustic upcycling hack, try gathering up some sturdy sticks from the garden and Sugru-ing them to the wall. It’s a great way to use up garden waste. Check out the guide: Make hooks from twigs and Sugru. Alternatively, if you’ve got kids in the house, make hooks out of their old toys using Sugru.


hooks on wardrobe made of toys and sugru

Here at Sugru we’re firm believers that taking care of things, and making them last, is best for both wallet and planet. That’s why we’re on a mission to get people fixing, mending, crafting, moulding and creating. So if this sounds like something you can get on board with, you might want to head to our #mysugrufix page for ideas and inspiration from our community!