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15 great kitchen hacks to extend the life of food and save on waste

If you’re sick of throwing food in the bin (and wasting money), try these simple tips to reduce your wastage in the kitchen. 1. Use food scraps to grow vegetables Save the odds and ends from veggies such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, leeks, spring onions, celery, bok choy, garlic and even onions. These can all be replanted in some soil and will grow back. Just don’t forget to water them. 2. Reheat leftover slices of pizza in a frying pan If you aren’t a fan of floppy microwaved pizza, just pop your pizza into a hot fry pan instead. Your crusts will stay crispy and it will heat through much faster than it would in the oven. 3. Bring stale potato chips back to life in the microwave If you left the bag open overnight, fear not. Pop your stale chips in the microwave on high for 10 seconds or until crisp. 4. Use leftover herbs to make herb butter If your herbs are on the turn, just chop them up and mix with some melted butter. Pop it into some ice cube trays and freeze. Then you can enjoy the perfect portion of herb butter to use on your steak or to make homemade garlic bread. 5. Keep bananas fresher by wrapping the tips If you want your bananas to last longer in the fruit bowl, just wrap their tips with some cling film. They should keep for around three to five days longer. 6. Keep greens fresher in foil Celery, broccoli, and lettuce all last much longer in the fridge if you wrap them in foil first. 7. Keep pineapples sweet by storing upside down The sugars in this fruit can all end up on the bottom after the time spent in transit. So keep your pineapple upside down when you get home and the sweetness will be redistributed evenly. 8. Use a glass to peel a mango You can use a glass to slide the skin off your mango. This will avoid wasting any fruit that you’d normally toss after peeling with a knife. 9. Make a two-ingredient Nutella milkshake When you need a sweet treat but you’re nearly out of Nutella, just add warm milk to the jar and shake well. 10. Avoid sprouting potatoes by storing them with apples The ethylene gas in the apples helps to stop your potatoes from sprouting. 11. Keep leftover avocado fresh by storing it with a sliced onion There is sulfur in the onion and this keeps the avocado from going brown. 12. Keep cake fresh by covering with sliced bread Cover the exposed cake with some bread held in place with toothpicks and it will stay soft. 13. Extend the life of your eggs with vegetable oil By rubbing the eggshells with vegetable oil it will keep them fresher in the fridge for three to four weeks. 14. Keep lettuce fresh by storing in a brown paper bag No more sad and limp leaves! Keep your lettuce wrapped in a brown paper bag in the fridge. Plus, keeping the outer layers in place even if they have gone brown will keep the inside fresher for longer. 15. Reuse coffee grounds in the garden Plants such as roses, hydrangeas, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and tomatoes will all appreciate a liberal sprinkling of your used coffee grounds. Image credit: Shutterstock

Home Hints & Tips

How ‘ugly’ fruit and vegetables could tackle food waste and solve supermarket supply shortages

The world is facing a significant food waste problem, with <a href="https://www.fao.org/3/i4068e/i4068e.pdf">up to half of all fruit and vegetables</a> lost somewhere along the agricultural food chain. Globally, around <a href="https://www.fao.org/3/ca6030en/ca6030en.pdf">14% of food produced</a> is lost after harvesting but before it reaches shops and supermarkets. Alongside food prices (66%), food waste is a concern for 60% of people that participated in a <a href="https://www.food.gov.uk/research/food-and-you-2/food-and-you-2-wave-5">recent survey</a> published by the UK Food Standards Agency. <a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmenvfru/429/429.pdf">Other research</a> suggests that as much as 25% of apples, 20% of onions and 13% of potatoes grown in the UK are destroyed because they don’t look right. This means that producers’ efforts to meet stringent specifications from buyers can lead to <a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmenvfru/429/429.pdf">perfectly edible produce being discarded</a> before it even leaves the farm – simply because of how it looks. Aside from the ongoing environmental implications of this food waste, UK shoppers currently face <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/04/food-tsar-blames-shortages-on-uks-weird-supermarket-culture">produce rationing in some supermarkets</a> due to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/28/british-supermarkets-are-rationing-fruit-and-vegetables-amid-shortages.html">shortages of items like tomatoes, cucumbers and raspberries</a>. Any solutions that increase locally grown produce on shop shelves could improve the availability of fresh food, particularly in urban areas. When imperfect fruit and vegetables don’t make it to supermarket shelves, it can be due to <a href="https://cases.open.ubc.ca/insistence-on-cosmetically-perfect-fruits-vegetables/">cosmetic standards</a>. Supermarkets and consumers often prefer produce of a fairly standard size that’s free of blemishes, scars and other imperfections. This means fruit and vegetables that are misshapen, discoloured, or even too small or too large, are rejected before they make it to supermarket shelves. In recent years there has been a growing trend of selling such “ugly” fruit and vegetables, both by <a href="https://my.morrisons.com/wonky-fruit-veg/">major</a> <a href="https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/content/sustainability/food-waste">supermarket</a> <a href="https://www.tescoplc.com/news/2021/wonky-veg-5th-anniversary/">chains</a>, as well as <a href="https://wonkyvegboxes.co.uk/">speciality</a> <a href="https://www.misfitsmarket.com/?exp=plans_rollback">retailers</a> that sell <a href="https://www.oddbox.co.uk/">boxes</a> of <a href="https://etepetete-bio.de/">wonky produce</a>. And research has shown that 87% of people say they would <a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/fruit-and-veg/nearly-90-of-consumers-would-eat-wonky-fruit-and-veg-according-to-new-survey/670155.article">eat wonky fruit and vegetables if they were available</a>. But other research indicates consumers can still be picky and difficult to predict. One study <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950329316302002?via%3Dihub">showed</a> consumers are likely to throw away an apple with a spot, but would eat a bent cucumber. <h2>Getting ugly produce into baskets</h2> So how can producers and retailers boost the amount of non-standard fruit and veg that not only reaches our shelves, but also our plates? <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377221723000668">Our recent research</a> suggests a separate channel for selling ugly produce would increase profits for growers, lower prices for consumers and boost overall demand for produce. For growers, a dedicated channel – either independent or set up by a supermarket – to supply wonky fruit and veg creates a new line of business. For retailers, this provides an opportunity for further revenue over and above current sales of standard produce to shops. When selling both types of product to a single retailer, the ugly items might be undervalued compared with the standard-looking products. Our research also shows that selling the ugly produce through a dedicated channel is likely to increase total demand for fruit and vegetables, while also decreasing on-farm loss. Having two parallel channels for selling produce (the main one and the dedicated “ugly” channel) would increase competition. This benefits shoppers by lowering prices for regular and ugly produce, versus selling both types of products alongside each other in one shop. On the other hand, the growing market for ugly fruit and vegetables could be an economic threat to traditional retailers. It encourages new entrants into the market and could also limit the availability of “regular” produce because growers could become less stringent about ensuring produce meets traditional cosmetic standards. But there is a way for traditional retailers to add ugly produce into their product offerings alongside other produce without affecting their profits. By building on existing consumer awareness of the environmental benefits of ugly food, they could also compete in this growing segment. This would benefit their bottom lines and help consumer acceptance of misshapen fruit and vegetables, possibly leading to less food waste and shortages like those UK shoppers are experiencing right now. Boosting demand for imperfect fruit and vegetables across the supply chain will require all participants to get involved – from grower to seller. Here are some steps the various parties could take: <h2>1. Educating consumers</h2> Education about the environmental and economic impact of food waste could happen through marketing campaigns, in-store displays and even social media. <h2>2. Reducing cosmetic standards</h2> Supermarkets and other major food retailers could revise their cosmetic standards to accept a wider range of produce, including imperfect fruit and vegetables. This would help reduce food waste by making sure more produce is able to be sold. <h2>3. Direct sales</h2> Farmers and growers could sell non-standard produce directly to consumers through farmers’ markets or subscription services. This allows consumers to purchase fresh, locally grown produce that might not meet cosmetic standards for supermarkets but that is just as nutritionally beneficial. <h2>4. Food donations</h2> Supermarkets and growers could donate produce rejected for how it looks to food banks, shelters and other organisations that serve those in need. This would help reduce food waste while also providing healthy food to those who might not otherwise have access to it. <h2>5. Value-added products</h2> Produce that doesn’t meet cosmetic standards could also be used to create other products such as soups, sauces and juices. In addition to reducing food waste, this would create new revenue streams for growers and retailers. <h2>6. Food composting</h2> Anything that cannot be sold or otherwise used should be composted. This would help reduce food waste while also creating nutrient-rich soil for future crops. By implementing these solutions, the supply chain can reduce the amount of ugly or imperfect fruit and vegetables that are wasted, while also providing consumers with healthy, affordable produce, even in times of supply chain shortages. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-ugly-fruit-and-vegetables-could-tackle-food-waste-and-solve-supermarket-supply-shortages-201216" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Images: Getty

Food & Wine

10 things that are always a waste to pack

All travellers know the hardships of packing the necessities for the trip ahead. And everyone knows how many things you haven’t actually used by the time you get home again – what a waste of precious space in your luggage. Here is a list of 10 things to not bother packing in your suitcase. 1. Shampoo and conditioner You can purchase these items at the places you travel. If the locals have easy access to hair products then so will you. Hotels should provide little travel-sized minis which will last a few days. Travelling with liquids can also lead to delays at security check points. 2. Shoes Don’t pack more than two pairs of shoes – they take up unnecessary weight and space. Ensure you have a comfortable pair of walking shoes and some shoes that are nice enough to go out in at restaurants and other events. 3. Jewellery Don’t bring your favourite expensive jewellery, you are only human and can accidentally leave items behind in hotels or apartments. You could also increase your risk of becoming a target for pickpockets. Try swapping out your diamond earrings for some cheaper substitute studs while you’re away. 4. Laptop Don’t bring your laptop. Unless you’re travelling for work, you probably don’t need to bring a computer on your holiday. You could also become a target for thieves while travelling if they notice you have an expensive technological device with you. 5. Swimming costume Don’t bring more than two swimming costumes. They are easy to wash and having two on hand always ensures you have a dry one to wear for the next day. Just put the swimmers in the sink filled with cool water and add some mild detergent before rinsing and wringing out to dry. 6. Hair dryer Hair dryers are heavy and bulky, so they aren’t the easiest thing to try and squeeze into your suitcase. Hairdryers are usually provided by hotels and although yours may be nicer, they both do the same job in the end. 7. Out of season clothing Avoid packing out of season clothing – if you’re going on a summer holiday in Europe, you probably don’t need that heavy winter coat. The excuse for packing these unnecessary items is always “just in case,” but if the situation does arise where there is an uncharacteristic change in weather, you can always buy what you need to face the day. 8. Books Turn to paperback books or electronic tablets instead of hardcover novels. The electronic tablets are most helpful as they can contain a whole library of book options without adding the weight of a library in your suitcase. Paperback books are good when you don’t have an electronic tablet, but maybe avoid packing seven books! 9. Traveller’s checks Traveller’s checks aren’t used anymore. Although they were once the safeguard of money while on holidays, the traveller’s checks have gone out of style. It’s unlikely you will come across a place that will accept the checks, as these have been replaced by the use of ATMs for cash and the ability to use your debit and credit cards that don’t charge an international transaction fee. 10. Double-ups Finally, don’t bring anything your travel partner is also packing. For instance, don’t pack more than one thing that can be shared. You don’t need two tubes of toothpaste, for instance! Images: Getty

Travel Tips

Ways you’re wasting money without knowing it

Airline fees You’re paying extra for almost everything when you fly these days, from your bags to your seat. So be sure to compare not only the prices of flights but what they’re charging in extra fees. You may also want to weigh your bag before you go to avoid any additional charges. Bank fees Not keeping enough money in your bank account could cost you some serious cash. How much? ATM and other maintenance fees can also add up to $1,000 over ten years. To avoid them, look for banks with free ATMs that don’t charge monthly maintenance fees. Buying things new Sure, a shiny new car is tempting. But as soon as you drive it off the lot, the car loses 11 percent of its value. A better option? Opt for a reliable used car and a short-term loan you can pay off quickly. The same goes for electronics and other items. Convenience foods Pre-cut fruit and vegetables can save time, but they can also dent your wallet. Instead, buy food as close to its natural form as possible, and divide it up into portion sizes yourself. The same concept applies for all those fancy lattes. Even if you buy just three $5 drinks each week, that’s $780 per year. Over a decade, it’s $7,800. Credit card interest It’s not uncommon to be charged 20 percent annually, although some people face even steeper rates. If you carry $25,000 in debt, paying 20 percent on it will cost you a whopping $5,000 annually – just in interest. To avoid paying extra money for old debts, try the snowball method. Pay off the card with the lowest balance first, then move on to the next one. Dry cleaning A typical trip to the cleaners for your pants and shirts can cost you more than $10. With a weekly visit, that could add up to more than $500 per year. To save that money, clean your shirts in the delicate cycle in your washer or hand wash them. Eating out Going out to dinner with the family can be a nice treat, but doing it regularly really adds up. Instead of buying your lunch every day, save money by packing it. And before you go out, look for specials like coupons or happy hours or get entrees instead of full meals. Extended warranties Getting an extended warranty on that refrigerator or car you bought sounds like a good idea. But most extended warranties aren’t worth the money. Why? The fine print may not include likely problems, or you may be buying duplicate coverage. A better plan? Open a savings account and sock away money for any repairs that might come up. Impulse buys Spur-of-the-moment buys can cost you more in the long term, because you may not really need them, or you haven’t shopped around for better deals. Really want something? Take a 24-hour breather and see if you still do. Name brands Brand names can be tempting when it comes to consumer products like cereals and soaps. But the generic versions work just as well. And when it comes to medications, generic versions can cost between 30 and 80 percent less than brand-name drugs. Ask your doctor to specify on the prescription that generic medications should be substituted for name brands. Phantom electricity Everyone wants to make sure their electronic devices are charged. But keeping your laptop and phone plugged in once they’re at full power is costing you – especially with high energy prices. To save money, make sure to power down your devices when you’re not using them and use a power strip to easily turn off several electronics at once. Procrastinating You might think it’s a good idea to wait for last-minute deals, but procrastinating can cost you in the long run. Plane tickets and hotel rooms can get more expensive the closer to the date. And procrastinating on saving money will mean less down the road. Speeding Rushing to get somewhere may be tempting, but it can also add up. On the highway, speeding can decrease your fuel mileage by up to 30 percent. That’s not counting what it will cost you if you get stopped for your leadfoot or hit another vehicle. So slow down and save. Subscription boxes The average subscription box costs between $10 and $40 per month, which means you could be spending well over $100 a year – on just one service. Think about whether you’re really using (and enjoying) the majority of the items in the box on a regular basis. If not, it might be time to cancel your subscription. Unused memberships You signed up for that gym membership with the best of intentions, but if you’re part of the 67 percent of people with a membership who never set foot in the gym, you could be wasting more than $700 a year. And if you’re a member of one of the fancier gyms, you’re wasting even more. Tax deductions you're missing Earned income tax credits were designed to help keep money in people’s pockets. But 20 percent of people who qualify for the deductions don’t take advantage of them. To make sure you get the deductions you’re entitled to, use an online tax program or hire a professional. Wasted food A trip to the grocery store may cost you money in more ways than one. Because of lack of planning, impulse buying, and cooking too much food, an average of one in five bags of groceries goes to waste. To save, make a plan before you go shopping, don’t go to the store hungry, and eat/freeze your leftovers. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/money/ways-youre-wasting-money-without-knowing-it?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Money & Banking

Readers Respond: What do you think is a complete waste of money?

With the cost of living on the rise, it is no wonder that people are looking for more ways to save. From bottled water to huge wedding celebrations, the Over60 readers were quite passionate on things they wouldn't spend their money on. Here are some of your thoughts on what you consider a complete waste of money. Linda Riddell - A big wedding celebration at a wedding venue with a professional photographer... Lynnette Ziya- Packaging around product that is not recycling. Marima Macaraeg - Saving all your money in the bank, praying it will earn lots of interests to make you richer. The truth is, your money will never make you rich if you hoard it all in the bank. If you take it out, buy resources or food and give it to the poor to feed the hungry, that will only be the time that your money will multiply and earn a priceless value called relevance. Laurie Thomas- Halloween.absolute commercial rubbish and waste of millions of dollars. Catherine Misios- Bottled water Ruth Donnelly - Buying bottled water and things you'll never use or eat just because they're on sale. Narelle Noppers - Black Friday sales. It's just making people spend more than they should. Christine Noble-Watson - Ready peeled and sliced fruit and vegetables Raymond Wagner- Extended warranty Lyn Mcgowran- Cream and potions to get rid of wrinkles. Suzanne Jones- Designer handbags Perhaps some of these will come in handy for you in the future. If you have any other things you consider a complete waste of money, share it <a href="https://www.facebook.com/oversixtys/posts/pfbid0yvwkHgbxFPZFD34xJxD3z511fSPRfpjv2uBvnK7Fz8gZZm9TBZuG8mhBKukuPYsNl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Image: Getty

Money & Banking

You’re wasting your money if you’re buying these 13 things in brand-new condition

Exercise equipment There’s a good chance exercise equipment like treadmills, ellipticals, and dumbbells, are still in good condition. “Many people buy these items with the intentions of starting a regimen but fall off quickly and then try to unload these bulky goods that take up too much room,” says consumer and money-saving expert Andrea Woroch. Just make sure to research the brand and test the equipment before you buy, she says. In addition to the usual spots like garage sales, a local gym that’s getting renovated might be selling old equipment at killer prices, says Woroch. Hand tools There are so many used hand tools like hammers and wrenches on the market that there’s no reason to buy new, says Shelton. If you’re on the market, he recommends checking out a surprising spot. “Pawnshops are a great place for used tools,” says Shelton. “A lot of times they’re coming from trade because people change jobs.” Gift cards “Buying gift cards used may seem like an unusual idea, but it’s actually becoming more mainstream as a unique way to save money,” says Woroch. You can save 10 to 30 percent on store credit at your go-to shops, or gift cards to give as presents, she says. Tech gadgets At the rate new technology comes out, a used phone or laptop from five years ago probably isn’t worth the buy. But last year’s model could be a great value without making you feel like a dinosaur. For instance, Apple sells certified refurbished laptops and computers with limited warranties. Head to a big-box store or phone carrier for a refurbished smartphone, which are usually good quality, says Shelton. Beware of buying used tech from companies you don’t know though. “It’s already an off-brand, cheaply made product,” he says. “If it’s been refurbished, it’s already had an issue, so there’s a pretty good chance it won’t last very long.” Sports gear Equipment for specific sports, like skis or golf clubs, are also a good idea to pick up used, says Shelton. Beginners often buy the items but don’t stick with the sport, meaning the gear is still in great condition. And if you don’t want to be that person shelling out hundreds on a sport you or your kid doesn’t love, you won’t lose much on a used version. “If you find out you don’t like it, you could sell it to someone else and save money in the process,” says Shelton. Vehicles “New cars lose considerable value as soon as they leave the dealership’s lot, so it’s always best to buy used,” says Woroch. Find a model that’s a year old and doesn’t have many miles for a like-new ride that costs way less. You can even find cars on sites like Gumtree or eBay, but don’t take the price at face value. Always negotiate with the seller. Furniture You can save tons of cash on furniture by buying preowned instead of new, especially if you shop at the right time. Tax season, spring-cleaning time, and the holidays usually have the best prices and most options because people are often trying to downsize or sell those big-ticket items, says Shelton. Clothing Thrifting your clothes can save you up to 90 percent on everything from jeans to tuxedos, says Woroch. Baby clothes are especially good to buy used. “They’re going to outgrow it so fast,” says Shelton. There’s a good chance the original buyers over-bought or received the outfits as gifts, so items are often like-new or even unworn. Low price tags make consignment shops a good way to test-run trends that you’re not sure you’ll stick with, says Shelton. Even if you get sick of that pair of jeans by next year, you won’t waste much money. Footwear is the one exception. Shoes tend to wear around a person’s specific foot shape, so a used pair probably won’t be too comfy, says Shelton. Cleaning antique clothing is an exercise in avoiding modern conveniences, which are generally too harsh for fragile fabrics. Musical instruments Older models of musical instruments might actually be better quality than the ones you’ll find new on the shelf. “Corporations find ways to cut corners and use plastic vs. metal,” says Shelton. “Newer technology doesn’t have the same kind of tonal quality and build.” Do a bit of research before you buy, and test the instrument if you can. Large appliances Ask the sellers how long they’ve been using it, and test it to make sure it works before you put any money down. You could also head to an appliance repair shop to see if they’re selling refurbished items. “That’s a good buy if it’s a good price, because it’s been looked over by a technician who knows what they’re doing and can make sure it will work for you,” says Shelton. As a bonus, those shops will probably take your old one off your hands when they deliver the new-to-you one, so you don’t have a bulky appliance lying around. Textbooks “The unwritten rule is never buy textbooks new,” says Shelton. “Sometimes you find nice little gems in there, like people highlighted things on your test or let good notes.” Buying used textbooks used to be a wild race, but with eBooks surging, it’s easier to find what you want, he says. Bikes A new bicycle can cost hundreds of dollars, but a used one will cost a fraction of the price. You can even buy just the frame, and beef it up with more expensive parts from another seller, she says. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/money/youre-wasting-your-money-if-youre-buying-these-13-things-brand-new-condition?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home & Garden

You’re wasting your money if you’re buying these 13 things in brand-new condition

Used items can be the same great quality at a fraction of the price. Let someone else do all the hard work breaking these things in. Exercise equipment There’s a good chance exercise equipment like treadmills, ellipticals, and dumbbells, are still in good condition. “Many people buy these items with the intentions of starting a regimen but fall off quickly and then try to unload these bulky goods that take up too much room,” says consumer and money-saving expert Andrea Woroch. Just make sure to research the brand and test the equipment before you buy, she says. In addition to the usual spots like garage sales, a local gym that’s getting renovated might be selling old equipment at killer prices, says Woroch. Hand tools There are so many used hand tools like hammers and wrenches on the market that there’s no reason to buy new, says Shelton. If you’re on the market, he recommends checking out a surprising spot. “Pawnshops are a great place for used tools,” says Shelton. “A lot of times they’re coming from trade because people change jobs.” Gift cards “Buying gift cards used may seem like an unusual idea, but it’s actually becoming more mainstream as a unique way to save money,” says Woroch. You can save 10 to 30 percent on store credit at your go-to shops, or gift cards to give as presents, she says. Tech gadgets At the rate new technology comes out, a used phone or laptop from five years ago probably isn’t worth the buy. But last year’s model could be a great value without making you feel like a dinosaur. For instance, Apple sells certified refurbished laptops and computers with limited warranties. Head to a big-box store or phone carrier for a refurbished smartphone, which are usually good quality, says Shelton. Beware of buying used tech from companies you don’t know though. “It’s already an off-brand, cheaply made product,” he says. “If it’s been refurbished, it’s already had an issue, so there’s a pretty good chance it won’t last very long.” Sports gear Equipment for specific sports, like skis or golf clubs, are also a good idea to pick up used, says Shelton. Beginners often buy the items but don’t stick with the sport, meaning the gear is still in great condition. And if you don’t want to be that person shelling out hundreds on a sport you or your kid doesn’t love, you won’t lose much on a used version. “If you find out you don’t like it, you could sell it to someone else and save money in the process,” says Shelton. Vehicles “New cars lose considerable value as soon as they leave the dealership’s lot, so it’s always best to buy used,” says Woroch. Find a model that’s a year old and doesn’t have many miles for a like-new ride that costs way less. You can even find cars on sites like Gumtree or eBay, but don’t take the price at face value. Always negotiate with the seller. Furniture You can save tons of cash on furniture by buying preowned instead of new, especially if you shop at the right time. Tax season, spring-cleaning time, and the holidays usually have the best prices and most options because people are often trying to downsize or sell those big-ticket items, says Shelton. Even if your buy doesn’t look the right colour at first, you can easily treat and stain it. Clothing Thrifting your clothes can save you up to 90 percent on everything from jeans to tuxedos, says Woroch. Baby clothes are especially good to buy used. “They’re going to outgrow it so fast,” says Shelton. There’s a good chance the original buyers over-bought or received the outfits as gifts, so items are often like-new or even unworn. Low price tags make consignment shops a good way to test-run trends that you’re not sure you’ll stick with, says Shelton. Even if you get sick of that pair of jeans by next year, you won’t waste much money. Footwear is the one exception. Shoes tend to wear around a person’s specific foot shape, so a used pair probably won’t be too comfy, says Shelton. Cleaning antique clothing is an exercise in avoiding modern conveniences, which are generally too harsh for fragile fabrics. Musical instruments Older models of musical instruments might actually be better quality than the ones you’ll find new on the shelf. “Corporations find ways to cut corners and use plastic vs. metal,” says Shelton. “Newer technology doesn’t have the same kind of tonal quality and build.” Do a bit of research before you buy, and test the instrument if you can. Large appliances Ask the sellers how long they’ve been using it, and test it to make sure it works before you put any money down. You could also head to an appliance repair shop to see if they’re selling refurbished items. “That’s a good buy if it’s a good price, because it’s been looked over by a technician who knows what they’re doing and can make sure it will work for you,” says Shelton. As a bonus, those shops will probably take your old one off your hands when they deliver the new-to-you one, so you don’t have a bulky appliance lying around. Textbooks “The unwritten rule is never buy textbooks new,” says Shelton. “Sometimes you find nice little gems in there, like people highlighted things on your test or let good notes.” Buying used textbooks used to be a wild race, but with eBooks surging, it’s easier to find what you want, he says. Bikes A new bicycle can cost hundreds of dollars, but a used one will cost a fraction of the price. You can even buy just the frame, and beef it up with more expensive parts from another seller, she says. Written by Marissa Laliberte. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/money/youre-wasting-your-money-if-youre-buying-these-13-things-brand-new-condition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here’s our best subscription offer.</a> Image: Getty Images

Money & Banking

Cooking from meal boxes can cut household food waste

The amount of food wasted by households each year was estimated at <a href="https://www.unep.org/resources/report/unep-food-waste-index-report-2021">570 million tonnes</a> in 2019. This is food that has been produced, packaged and taken to shops and homes, only to end up in the bin. Not only is the food wasted, but the greenhouse gases emitted during the entire process – from raising livestock, making packaging, transporting fruit and vegetables in refrigerated vehicles – are a pointless ecological burden. Once in landfills, the food rots and releases gases that are highly toxic for the environment, such as methane. Studies have shown that food waste accounts for between <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/fight-climate-change-by-preventing-food-waste">6-8%</a> of all the greenhouse gas emissions fuelling climate change. Food waste not only squanders natural resources, money and effort, it degrades the environment. It’s also ethically wrong to waste so much food while so many people are hungry. The fact that households waste such vast quantities of food in the first place may come as a surprise. Most people tend to believe they waste very little and often <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590289X19300234">trivialise the consequences</a> of wasted food. But the amount of food being sent to landfill suggests we are not so good at predicting how much food we actually need when cooking. One way to limit the chance of cooking too much or buying too many ingredients may be to cook from subscription meal boxes. In <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652622035739?via%3Dihub">a recent study</a>, we looked at whether cooking from meal boxes helps reduce food waste. Are people better off outsourcing part of the cooking process with a subscription that sends pre-portioned ingredients in the exact quantities needed for each recipe? Our research suggests that the answer is yes. We found that households wasted on average 38% less food when they prepared dinner using a meal box compared to when they bought the ingredients from a shop. This was largely due to there being less food left in pots and pans after cooking with a meal box. <h2>Six countries, 914 kitchens, 8,747 meals</h2> We surveyed 914 households from six countries (the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands) that subscribed to a meal box scheme during November and December 2019. A subscription meal box provider helped by allowing us to run our survey on their customers. Households reported the amount of food waste from multiple dinners over the course of four weeks. Participants weighed the food they wasted while preparing their dinner and the uneaten leftovers in pots and pans and on plates after the meal. We measured food waste from 8,747 meals, of which around a third were cooked using meal boxes. We compared the food waste from these dinners to the food waste that accumulated when people cooked a meal from scratch with store-bought ingredients. Our results showed that most of the food waste from dinner is food left in pots and pans that isn’t served and eaten, and is instead thrown away. Meal box dinners reduced this type of waste by 34% compared with store-bought equivalents. Meal box dinners also cut food waste during preparation by 45%, but increased the amount of food wasted as leftovers on plates compared to meals made with store-bought ingredients by 15%. This may be because these recipes offer instructions for how to arrange the food on a plate which can induce people to dole out larger portions before serving. Combining these three different types of food waste, cooking from meal boxes reduced how much food was wasted at dinner by more than a third compared to traditional meals. By providing people with ingredients in amounts tailored to the number of people eating in a household, meal box providers can offer a convenient way to cut waste. Even without subscribing to a meal box provider, our results suggest that taking care to measure and weigh the exact amount of ingredients you need before cooking is a good way to lower the amount of food sent to landfill. This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/cooking-from-meal-boxes-can-cut-household-food-waste-by-38-new-research-192760">original article</a>. Image: Getty

Food & Wine

Mobile phone hoarding: e-waste not good news for the environment

What happened to your previous mobile phone after you upgraded or replaced it? Did it go in a drawer? A box in the garage, perhaps? Today marks International E Waste Day, with this year’s slogan, “Recycle it all, no matter how small!”, specifically targeting small devices with a high recycling value that are often hoarded for years before they become waste. It’s a timely reminder, as results from surveys conducted across Europe suggest that the roughly 5.3 billion mobiles and smartphones dropping out of use this year would reach a height of around 50,000 km if stacked flat and on top of each other. That’s well-and-truly over the average orbiting height of the International Space Station and about an eighth of the distance to the moon. “In 2022 alone, small EEE (Electrical and Electronic Equipment) items such as cell phones, electric toothbrushes, toasters and cameras produced worldwide will weigh an estimated total of 24.5 million tonnes – four times the weight of the Great Pyramid of Giza”, says Magdalena Charytanowicz of the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Forum, responsible for organising <a href="https://www.genevaenvironmentnetwork.org/events/international-e-waste-day-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International E Waste Day</a>. “And these small items make up a significant proportion of the 8% of all e-waste thrown into trash bins and eventually landfilled or incinerated.” With their valuable components of <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/critical-minerals-mining-australia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gold, copper, silver, palladium and other materials</a>, mobile phones ranked fourth amongst small Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) hoarded or unrecoverably discarded – that is put in draws, cupboards or garages – rather than repaired or recycled – or sent to landfill or for incineration. The surveys ran for four months from June 2022 and covered 8,775 households across Portugal, Netherlands, Italy, Romani, Slovenia and the UK and asked participants about common items such as phones, tablets, laptops, electric tools, hair dryers, toasters and other appliances. The top five hoarded small EEE products were (in order): small electronics and accessories (e.g., headphones, remotes), small equipment (e.g., clocks, irons), small IT equipment (e.g., hard drives, routers, keyboards, mice), mobile and smartphones, small food preparation appliances (e.g., toasters, grills). Italy hoarded the highest number of small EEE products, while Lebanon hoarded the least. You might recognise some of the reasons given, which included potential future use, plans to sell or give away, sentimental value, future value, use in a secondary residence or contains sensitive data. Others were also unsure how to dispose of the item or felt there was no incentive to recycle it, and some argued that they’d forgotten, didn’t have time or that the item didn’t take up very much space. This is a shame because such items, despite being small, pack a big punch in recyclability. <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p218602-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> <form class="wpcf7-form mailchimp-ext-0.5.62 spai-bg-prepared init" action="/earth/e-waste-mobile-phone-bad-news-environment/#wpcf7-f6-p218602-o1" method="post" novalidate="novalidate" data-status="init"> <input class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text referer-page" name="referer-page" type="hidden" value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/" data-value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/" aria-invalid="false" /> </form> </div> </div> “We focussed this year on small e-waste items because it is very easy for them to accumulate unused and unnoticed in households, or to be tossed into the ordinary garbage bin”, says Pascal Leroy, Director General of the WEEE Forum, who have organised International E Waste Day. “People tend not to realise that all these seemingly insignificant items have a lot of value, and together at a global level represent massive volumes.” “These devices offer many important resources that can be used in the production of new electronic devices or other equipment, such as wind turbines, electric car batteries or solar panels – all crucial for the green, digital transition to low-carbon societies,” says Charytanowicz. <h4>What can be done about e-waste?</h4> At the governmental level, there are a number of initiatives including legislation that are coming into effect or being tightened up in order to address this increasing problem. “The continuing growth in the production, consumption and disposal of electronic devices has huge environmental and climate impacts,” says Virginijus Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries. “The European Commission is addressing those with proposals and measures throughout the whole product life-cycle, starting from design until collection and proper treatment when electronics become waste.” “Moreover, preventing waste and recovering important raw materials from e-waste is crucial to avoid putting more strain on the world’s resources. Only by establishing a <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/can-a-circular-economy-eliminate-e-waste/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">circular economy</a> for electronics, the EU will continue to lead in the efforts to urgently address the fast-growing problem of e-waste.” There is also a role for more education and communication. Launched today by UNITAR, the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), is the first self-paced e-waste<a href="https://www.uncclearn.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> online training course</a> open to anyone. A UNITAR certificate is available upon graduation of the roughly 1.5-hour course which aims to use scientific findings in a practical way for international training and capacity building,” says Nikhil Seth, UNITAR’s Executive Director. Finally, The WEEE Forum has been actively involved in collecting, de-polluting, recycling or preparing for re-use more than 30 million tonnes of WEEE and has also run communication campaigns for almost twenty years. “Providing collection boxes in supermarkets, pick up of small broken appliances upon delivery of new ones and offering PO Boxes to return small e-waste are just some of the initiatives introduced to encourage the return of these items,” says WEEE’s Leroy. At the personal level, all you have to do is quite your hoarding habits and recycle, instead!  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=218602&title=Mobile+phone+hoarding%3A+e-waste+not+good+news+for+the+environment" width="1" height="1" />  <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/e-waste-mobile-phone-bad-news-environment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/clare-kenyon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Clare Kenyon</a>. Image: Getty Images </div>

Technology

6 ways to reduce food waste

Up to 30% of the food we buy is wasted, at an estimated national cost of over $5 billion a year. However, there are many ways you can reduce your food waste, and it starts just by being aware of your habits both in the kitchen and while shopping for food. Change can easily happen just by putting conscious effort into everyday actions to live a more sustainable life. 1. Use up leftovers Instead of throwing out half heads of broccoli or cauliflower, or binning half a capsicum, turn them into soups, sauté them for a side dish or chop or shred them into salads. Save any vegetable peelings and trimmings to make stock. Onion ends, carrot and potato peelings – anything goes when it comes to stock. Freeze it in usable portions for easy use in meals. Also think about repurposing leftovers i.e. plan for the leftover roast chicken to become tomorrow night’s casserole or stir-fry. 2. Be creative Got some sad, ugly looking apples? Make apple sauce. Squishy tomatoes? Tomato sauce. Just because some produce was forgotten in your fridge a few extra days doesn’t mean that it needs to be thrown away. Many fruits and vegetables that you mightn’t want to eat whole are still fine for juicing, smoothies or can be frozen for future use. 3. Store it properly Fresh herbs and delicate lettuces last longer if removed from the original packaging, washed, dried and stored in resealable plastic bags. Some fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, apples, oranges, potatoes, onions and garlic, are best stored at room temperature instead of in the refrigerator. Meat, fish and plenty of leftovers can also be frozen for later use. Use proper airtight containers for most things including grains and flours to help optimise shelf life. 4. Compost Whether you have a compost at home for your garden or a kitchen waste Insinkerator system, not throwing perished food into the garbage will keep it out of landfill and reduce the environmental consequences of food waste. Composting is also a natural way of returning nutrients to the soil if you have a garden at home. 5. Make lists and meal plans Don’t go overboard on the organisation here, but do think ahead before doing big grocery shops. Think of what you’ll make during the week so that you have the right ingredients in quantities that won’t go to waste. And when the ingredients in your home don’t make an obvious meal, revert back to number two, and try to be creative and flexible in what you eat. You can find a recipe online to use up just about anything. Sticking to your shopping list will also reduce impulse buys. 6. Keep an eye on your use by dates Cut down on waste by not letting food go out of date. Be conscious that “use-by” is a food safety guide and literally means don’t eat after the end of the “use-by date”, but “best before” is a quality guide and you may still use it after the “best before date” as long as the item isn’t not damaged, deteriorated or perished. Image: Getty

Food & Wine

Major change being trialled in Coles to reduce waste

Coles has announced that they will be removing plastic bags from their fruits and vegetables section in a bid to reduce the use of single plastic. The supermarket will trial the removal of plastic bags at their ACT stores from 31 August until 13 September. Customers will be required to bring their own bags from home or can otherwise purchase reusable mesh fresh produce bags. In a bid to help customers, shoppers who spend $5 in store on fruit and veggies will receive a free 3-pack of reusable mesh fresh produce bags that is made from 90 per cent recycled materials. Once the trial is over, all 12 Coles stores will have single use bags for fresh produce removed from September 14. Coles Chief Operations and Sustainability Officer Matt Swindells explained that the initiative is one of the many ways the supermarket is looking to reduce waste. “Under our Together to Zero waste ambition, we are always looking for ways to reduce reliance on unnecessary and problematic single-use plastics packaging and provide sustainable solutions to our customers,” he said. “This will be the first time a major Australian supermarket will trial a completely reusable method of helping customers purchase their fresh fruit and veggies. “We will be looking closely at how our ACT customers respond. These insights will inform our consideration for potentially rolling this out to our customers nationally.” It comes as Coles rolled out fresh produce bags nationally that are made from 50 per cent recycled plastic. The bags can be returned to REDcycle bins at Coles supermarkets to be recycled. Image: Supplied

Food & Wine

“Don’t waste my time”: Elle Ferguson and Joel Patfull face heat on The Block

Elle Ferguson and Joel Patfull have been the subject of savage comments during their incredibly short stint on the newest season of The Block, with <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/property/real-estate/scott-cam-speaks-from-the-heart-about-block-stars-abrupt-exit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">even Scott Cam making his feelings known</a> about the pair. The influencer and former AFL star left the show’s Gisbourne set after just two days amid reports they flew to Adelaide to care for Patfull’s mother after a fall. Though they appeared ready to take on the challenges ahead during the show’s first episode, one fellow contestant had plenty of criticism. Sarah-Jane, who is competing with her husband Tom, said she recognised Ferguson “straight away”. “She’s already famous, she’s got 600,000 followers on Instagram, she’s got s**tloads of money, why are they here?” she fumed to producers. In a pre-show interview, the mother-of-one had plenty to say about influencers such as Ferguson. “Social influencers … Some I respect obviously,” she began. “Some make a huge career out of it! Look at your Kim Kardashians and your Rozalia Russians and people like that … Bec Judd! Good on them. But people who just go on shows to (boost their) social media, I don’t have time for that s**t. Like, don’t waste my time.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgdGlB1op2b/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgdGlB1op2b/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Block (@theblock)</a> </div> </blockquote> Block host Scott Cam also shared his thoughts on the pair through veiled digs in voiceovers throughout episode one. In one, he described Ferguson as a “self-confessed global influencer and beauty entrepreneur”, referring to the couple as “Bondi babes” in another instance. Cam’s comments in the episode come after he suggested in several interviews that Ferguson and Patfull left the show within 48 hours of arriving because they weren’t up to the challenge, and not because of Patfull’s mother’s ill-health. The reality show host has sledged the pair for leaving so soon, calling it “p*ss poor” and “unAustralian” behaviour, telling <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/reality-tv/elle-ferguson-and-joel-patfull-savaged-by-block-contestant-sarah-jane-in-episode-one/news-story/cb130fbed0572e46a989774816309bed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a> in the lead-up to the premiere that they left in the middle of the night with “no explanation”. “They didn’t give us a reason why they were leaving. They never mentioned anything to us about visiting their sick mother,” Scott said. His shock at their exit has also featured in promos for episode two. The first episode also saw Ferguson appearing to find some aspects of the competition difficult, admitting that “it was a little intimidating” walking into the building site of House Three. “It was a demolition site, and when I say demolition site, you couldn’t see the ground,” she said. After the first night, she told producers: “I did think someone was going to come and maybe say here’s a heater … but no … it was fresh.” Image: Nine

Five ways to reduce waste (and save money) on your home renovation

On average, renovating a home generates <a href="https://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/%28ASCE%290733-9364%281996%29122%3A1%2855%29">far more waste</a> than building a new one from scratch. This waste goes straight to landfill, damaging the environment. It also hurts your budget: first you have to pay for demolition, then the new materials, and then disposal of leftover building products. By keeping waste in mind from the start and following some simple guidelines, you can reduce the waste created by your home renovation. <h2>1. It starts with the design</h2> Waste is often treated as inevitable, factored into a building budget with no serious attempt to reduce it. By raising the issue early with your architect, designer or builder, they can make decisions at the design stage that reduce waste later. Often the designers and architects don’t see their decisions contributing to waste – or rather, they don’t really think about it. During my research on reducing construction waste, I asked one architect what he thought happens to the waste generated. He laughed with a glint in his eyes and said, “I think it disappears into pixie dust!” One simple early decision that dramatically reduces waste is designing with material sizes in mind. If you have a ceiling height that does not match the plasterboard sheet, you end up with a tiny little strip that has to be cut out of a full sheet. In the case of bricks, not matching the ceiling height is even more wasteful. Obviously not all materials will work together at their standard sizes (and you need to fit your renovation to the existing house). But sensitive design can make intelligent trade-offs, reducing overall waste. When I asked architects why they don’t design zero-waste buildings more often, they said clients don’t ask for it. Make it part of your brief, and ask the architect how they can save money by using the materials efficiently. <h2>2. Get your builder involved early</h2> If you’re using an architect for your renovation, it’s common to have very little collaboration between them and the builder. Any errors or issues are usually spotted after construction has begun, requiring expensive and wasteful rework. Instead, ask your architect and builder to collaborate on a waste management plan. Such integrated approaches have worked well in <a href="https://www.pwc.com.au/legal/assets/collaborative-contracting-mar18.pdf">Australia and the United States</a>. This means clients, engineers and builders are collaborating, rather than taking adversarial roles. For such contracts to work, it’s important to involve all parties early in the project, and to encourage cooperation. The briefing stage is an opportunity for architects, quantity surveyors and builders to work together to identify a waste minimisation target. <h2>3. Whatever you do, don’t change your mind</h2> One the biggest contributions to waste on sites is late design changes. Client-led design changes are identified in all literature as having far-reaching implications on waste. These are mostly due to owners changing their mind once something is built. Reworking any part of a building due to design changes can account for as much as <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283714629_Impacts_Of_Design_Changes_on_Construction_Project_Performance_Insights_From_A_Literature_Review">50% of the cost overrun</a>, as well as causing delays and generating waste. The early work with your design and construction team outlined in the first steps gives you the chance to make sure you’re committed to your original design. Skimping in the planning stage can end up costing you far more in the long run. <h2>4. Deconstruction, not demolition</h2> Ask your builder not to demolish the building, but to deconstruct it. Deconstruction means taking a building apart and recovering materials for recycling and reuse. This provides opportunities for sorting materials on site. Salvaged materials can be resold to the community or reused in the renovations. It greatly reduces the tip fees which are usually higher for mixed waste (typical from demolition process) and lower for sorted waste. Of course this takes more time and has an additional cost. Therefore you do have to balance the cost of deconstruction against the savings. Denmark, which recycles <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/studies/deliverables/CDW_Denmark_Factsheet_Final.pdf">86% of its construction waste</a>, has made it mandatory for all government buildings to undergo selective demolition and sorting of construction waste. A good place to start in Australia is your state environment department, which may have <a href="https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/-/media/epa/corporate-site/resources/managewaste/100080-house-deconstruction.pdf?la=en&hash=CD70BEEF7EC72CEBC3641F46F1DBE19862DAED1D">guidelines</a> on what is involved. <h2>5. Choose materials carefully</h2> Good-quality materials last longer, reducing maintenance later. Choosing manufacturers that use minimal packaging also reduces waste (be careful here to check the difference between “minimal” and “inadequate” packaging, as the latter can mean your <a href="http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/30123/7/Saheed%20Thesis_Final%20Copy.pdf">material breaks</a>). Reusing materials from your renovation may also be an option (you will need to discuss this with architect and builder at the beginning of the project). Finally, using materials with recycled content is a great option, and boosts our recycling industry. In March 2017 the <a href="https://hia.com.au/-/media/HIA-Website/Files/Media-Centre/Media-Releases/2017/national/Home-Renovations-Australias-Next-Building-Boom.ashx">Housing Industry Association</a> released data suggesting the Australian residential building industry will increasingly become more dependent on renovation work rather than new construction, If you’re renovating your home, making efficiency and low waste a priority helps cut costs and reduce landfill. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/five-ways-to-reduce-waste-and-save-money-on-your-home-renovation-103942" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Home & Garden

A new approach finds materials that can turn waste heat into electricity

The need to transition to clean energy is apparent, urgent and inescapable. We must limit Earth’s rising temperature to within 1.5 C to avoid the worst effects of climate change — an especially daunting challenge in the face of the steadily increasing global demand for energy. Part of the answer is using energy more efficiently. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2015.12.192">More than 72 per cent of all energy produced worldwide is lost in the form of heat</a>. For example, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-011-1580-6">the engine in a car uses only about 30 per cent of the gasoline it burns to move the car</a>. The remainder is dissipated as heat. Recovering even a tiny fraction of that lost energy would have a tremendous impact on climate change. Thermoelectric materials, which convert wasted heat into useful electricity, can help. Until recently, the identification of these materials had been slow. My colleagues and I have used quantum computations — a computer-based modelling approach to predict materials’ properties — to speed up that process and identify more than 500 thermoelectric materials that could convert excess heat to electricity, and help improve energy efficiency. <h2>Making great strides towards broad applications</h2> The transformation of heat into electrical energy by thermoelectric materials is based on the “Seebeck effect.” In 1826, German physicist <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/andp.18260820302">Thomas Johann Seebeck observed that exposing the ends of joined pieces of dissimilar metals to different temperatures generated a magnetic field</a>, which was later recognized to be caused by an electric current. Shortly after his discovery, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1049/jste-1.1875.0018">metallic thermoelectric generators were fabricated to convert heat from gas burners into an electric current</a>. But, as it turned out, <a href="https://www.electronics-cooling.com/2006/11/the-seebeck-coefficient/">metals exhibit only a low Seebeck effect</a> — they are not very efficient at converting heat into electricity. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437873/original/file-20211215-19-1nq0m8v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437873/original/file-20211215-19-1nq0m8v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" alt="A black and white photo of a woman turning a dial on a large table top radio, with a lantern hanging above it." /></a> The kerosene radio was designed for rural areas, and was powered by the kerosene lamp hanging above it. The flame created a temperature difference across metals to generate the electrical current. ('Popular Science', Issue 6, 1956) In 1929, the Russian scientist <a href="https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/ioffe-abram-fedorovich">Abraham Ioffe</a> revolutionized the field of thermoelectricity. He observed that semiconductors — materials whose ability to conduct electricity falls between that of metals (like copper) and insulators (like glass) — exhibit a significantly higher Seebeck effect than metals, boosting thermoelectric efficiency 40-fold, <a href="https://www.kelk.co.jp/english/useful/netsuden3.html">from 0.1 per cent to four per cent</a>. This discovery led to the development of the first widely used thermoelectric generator, <a href="https://swling.com/blog/2020/05/soviet-era-kerosene-lamp-generator-gives-new-meaning-to-lets-fire-up-the-radio/">the Russian lamp</a> — a kerosene lamp that heated a thermoelectric material to power a radio. <h2>Are we there yet?</h2> Today, thermoelectric applications range from energy generation in <a href="https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/what-radioisotope-power-system">space probes</a> to <a href="https://www.newair.com/blogs/learn/what-is-thermoelectric-cooling-and-is-it-right-for-you">cooling devices in portable refrigerators</a>. For example, space explorations are powered by radioisotope thermoelectric generators, <a href="https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/cassini/radioisotope-thermoelectric-generator/">converting the heat from naturally decaying plutonium into electricity</a>. In the movie The Martian, for example, a box of plutonium saved the life of the character played by Matt Damon, by keeping him warm on Mars. <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0CvzBu5sTps?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> In the 2015 film, The Martian, astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) digs up a buried thermoelectric generator to use the power source as a heater. Despite this vast diversity of applications, wide-scale commercialization of thermoelectric materials is still limited by their low efficiency. What’s holding them back? Two key factors must be considered: the conductive properties of the materials, and their ability to maintain a temperature difference, which makes it possible to generate electricity. The best thermoelectric material would have the electronic properties of semiconductors and the poor heat conduction of glass. But this unique combination of properties is not found in naturally occurring materials. We have to engineer them. <h2>Searching for a needle in a haystack</h2> In the past decade, new strategies to engineer thermoelectric materials have emerged due to an enhanced understanding of their underlying physics. In a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-021-01064-6">recent study in Nature Materials</a>, researchers from Seoul National University, Aachen University and Northwestern University reported they had engineered a material called tin selenide with the highest thermoelectric performance to date, nearly twice that of 20 years ago. But it took them nearly a decade to optimize it. To speed up the discovery process, my colleagues and I have used quantum calculations to search for new thermoelectric candidates with high efficiencies. We searched a database containing thousands of materials to look for those that would have high electronic qualities and low levels of heat conduction, based on their chemical and physical properties. These insights helped us find the best materials to synthesize and test, and calculate their thermoelectric efficiency. We are almost at the point where thermoelectric materials can be widely applied, but first we need to develop much more efficient materials. With so many possibilities and variables, finding the way forward is like searching for a tiny needle in an enormous haystack. Just as a metal detector can zero in on a needle in a haystack, quantum computations can accelerate the discovery of efficient thermoelectric materials. Such calculations can accurately predict electron and heat conduction (including the Seebeck effect) for thousands of materials and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1039/D0MH01112F">unveil the previously hidden and highly complex interactions between those properties</a>, which can influence a material’s efficiency. Large-scale applications will require themoelectric materials that are inexpensive, non-toxic and abundant. Lead and tellurium are found in today’s thermoelectric materials, but their cost and negative environmental impact make them good targets for replacement. Quantum calculations can be applied in a way to search for specific sets of materials using parameters such as scarcity, cost and efficiency. Although those calculations can reveal optimum thermoelectric materials, synthesizing the materials with the desired properties remains a challenge. A multi-institutional effort involving government-run laboratories and universities in the United States, Canada and Europe has revealed more than <a href="https://doi.org/10.1039/C5TC01440A">500 previously unexplored materials</a> with high predicted thermoelectric efficiency. My colleagues and I are currently investigating the thermoelectric performance of those materials in experiments, and have already discovered new sources of high thermoelectric efficiency. Those initial results strongly suggest that further quantum computations can pinpoint the most efficient combinations of materials to make clean energy from wasted heat and the avert the catastrophe that looms over our planet.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/173472/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jan-hendrik-pohls-1289084">Jan-Hendrik Pöhls</a>, McCall MacBain Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/mcmaster-university-930">McMaster University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-new-approach-finds-materials-that-can-turn-waste-heat-into-electricity-173472">original article</a>. Image: (NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS), CC BY-NC

Home Hints & Tips

How to make roads with recycled waste, and pave the way to a circular economy

It cost <a href="https://www.buildingfortomorrow.wa.gov.au/projects/russell-road-to-roe-highway/">A$49 million</a> to add 12.5 kilometres of extra lanes to Western Australia’s Kwinana Highway, south of Perth’s CBD. That’s not unusual. On average, building a single lane of road costs about about <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/sites/default/files/rr148.pdf">A$5 million per kilometre</a>. What is unusual about this stretch of extra freeway is not the money but the materials beneath the bitumen: two stabilising layers comprised of <a href="https://www.wasteauthority.wa.gov.au/images/resources/files/2021/06/RtR_Pilot_Report.pdf.pdf">25,000 tonnes of crushed recycled concrete</a>, about 90% of which came from the demolition of Subiaco Oval (once Perth’s premier football ground). <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jiFwKw3NTkk?wmode=transparent&start=75" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Recycling building and construction materials remains the exception to the rule in Australia. The<a href="https://www.awe.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/national-waste-policy-action-plan-2019.pdf"> National Waste Policy</a> agreed to by federal, state and territory governments has a target of 80% resource recovery by 2030. It’s currently <a href="https://www.awe.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/sustainable-procurement-guide.pdf">about 40%</a>. Of the 74 million tonnes of waste <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/5a160ae2-d3a9-480e-9344-4eac42ef9001/files/national-waste-report-2020.pdf">generated in Australia in 2020</a>, masonry materials comprised about 22.9 million tonnes. Plastics, by comparison, comprised about 2.5 million tonnes. Of the 61.5 million tonnes of “core waste” managed by the waste and resource recovery sector, 44% (27 million tonnes) came from the construction and demolition sector, compared with 20% (12.6 million tonnes) from households and local government activities. Most of this waste – concrete, brick, steel, timber, asphalt and plasterboard or cement sheeting – could be reused or recycled. It ends up in landfill due to simple economics. It’s cheaper to buy new materials and throw them away rather than reuse and recycle. Changing this equation and moving to a circular economy, in which materials are reused and recycled rather than discarded in landfill, is a key goal to reduce the impact of building and construction on the environment, including its contribution to climate change. <h2>The economics of ‘externalities’</h2> The fact it is more “economic” to throw materials away than reuse them is what economists call a market failure, driven by the problem of “externalities”. That is, the social and environmental costs of producing, consuming and throwing away materials is not reflected in the prices charged. Those costs are instead externalised – borne by others. In such cases there is a legitimate – and necessary – role for governments to intervene and correct the market failure. For an externality such as carbon emissions (imposing costs on future generations) the market-based solution favoured by most economists is a carbon price. For construction material waste, governments have a few more policy levers to help create a viable market for more recycling. <h2>Using procurement policies</h2> One way to make recycling more attractive to businesses would be to increase the cost of sending waste materials to landfill. But this would likely have unintended consequences, such as illegal dumping. The more obvious and effective approach is to help create more demand for recycled materials through government procurement, adopting policies that require suppliers to, for example, use a minimum amount of recycled materials. With enough demand, recyclers will invest in further waste recovery, reducing the costs. Lower costs in turn create the possibility of greater demand, creating a virtuous circle that leads to a circular economy. <hr /> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/432794/original/file-20211119-17-19fvngo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/432794/original/file-20211119-17-19fvngo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Diagram of the circular economy" /></a> <a href="https://www.awe.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/sustainable-procurement-guide.pdf" class="source">Australian Government, Sustainable Procurement Guide: A practical guide for Commonwealth entities, 2021</a> Australia’s federal, state and territory governments all have sustainable procurement policies. The federal <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/856a1de0-4856-4408-a863-6ad5f6942887/files/sustainable-procurement-guide.pdf">Sustainable Procurement Guide</a> states the Australian government “is committed to transforming Australia’s waste into a resource, where most goods and services can be continually used, reused, recycled and reprocessed as part of a circular economy”. But these policies lack some basic elements. <h2>Three key market-making reforms</h2> Our research suggests three important reforms could make a big difference to waste market operations. This is based on interviewing 27 stakeholders from the private sector and government about how to improve sustainable procurement. First, government waste policies that set aspirational goals are not supported by procurement policies setting mandatory minimum recycled content targets. All contractors on government-funded construction projects should be required to use a percentage of recycled waste materials. Second, the nature of salvaging construction materials means quality can vary significantly. Cement recycled from a demolition site, for example, could contain contaminants that reduce its durability. Governments can help the market through regularly auditing the quality of recycler’s processes, to increase buyer confidence and motivate suppliers to invest in production technologies. Third, in some states (such as Western Australia) the testing regimes for recycled construction products are more complex than that what applies to raw materials. More reasonable specifications would reduce compliance costs and thereby the cost of using recycled materials.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/164997/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/salman-shooshtarian-693412">Salman Shooshtarian</a>, Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/savindi-caldera-1187623">Savindi Caldera</a>, Research Fellow and Project Development Manager, Cities Research Institute, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tayyab-maqsood-711277">Tayyab Maqsood</a>, Associate Dean and Head of of Project Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tim-ryley-1253269">Tim Ryley</a>, Professor and Head of Griffith Aviation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-make-roads-with-recycled-waste-and-pave-the-way-to-a-circular-economy-164997">original article</a>. Image: Main Roads Western Australia

Home Hints & Tips

“17 days of hell”: Missing man charged for wasting police time

A New Zealand man who went missing with his three children has been charged with wasting police resources following a 17-day search for them. Thomas Phillips, 34, is due to appear in the Te Kuiti District Court in November in relation to the search and rescue operation called Operation Marokopa. “The man will be appearing on the 5th of November on a charge of causing wasteful deployment of police personnel and resources,” <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/marokopa-mystery-father-three-kids-spent-17-days-in-bush-man-charged-with-wasting-police-time/5ZYETBLUYJRDDQIDWLVKIY3PJY/" target="_blank">police said</a>. Operation Marokopa was related to the search for Mr Philips and his three young children: Jayda Jin, 8; Maverick Callum-Phillips, 6; and Ember Phillips, 5. The family went missing on September 11 in a remote area of Marokopa, on New Zealand’s North Island. The search began on September 12, when Mr Philips’ car was discovered below the tideline at nearby Kiritehere Beach. On September 28, Mr Phillips and his children <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/new-zealand-family-returns-home-safe-after-12-days-missing" target="_blank">appeared at his parents’ family home</a> in Marokopa. Though he is yet to speak publicly about the disappearance, his family say he had taken the children camping in dense bush. He apologised to his sister for putting the family through the lengthy ordeal. Inspector Will Loughrin, Waikato West Area Commander, said the disappearance of Mr Phillips and his children put the rest of their family through “17 days of hell”. Police said it was unclear how the group survived for so long in the rough conditions of the bush. “They were using a tent. They were in dense bush area.” Inspector Loughrin said the group had set up a tent in an area about 15km away from where Mr Phillips’ ute was found. When he announced their return, Inspector Loughrin also said it was unknown how they got around the remote, forested areas, or whether they had any help. The search effort saw police deploy a fixed-wing plane and drones to search the area, with the assistance of the Coastguard and Raglan and Taranaki surf lifesaving teams. Mayor John Robertson said the family’s sudden reappearance was “unreal” when interviewed at the time. “After three weeks, all the sorts of emotions you go through of all those initial days of hope. We knew he was a good bushman … most thought he’d gone to the bush,” Mr Robertson said. “And then, you know, the search changed over the days. And now - wow. Most of us thought we would never see (this).” Mr Robertson said it would be difficult to find someone in the area where Mr Phillips’ car was discovered. “You really have to know it, but I guess he’s a bushman and he would know the area well,” Mr Robertson said. “I guess he could live in a tent, though I don’t know the details of how long he was in the bush or where he was. “That’s another mystery to this. Three weeks is a lot of time for kids to be with him and survive all that.” Police said they would provide no further comments as the matter was before the courts. Images: Waikato Police / Facebook

Legal

13 silly wastes of money you don’t even think about

Bring your lunch to work. Skip the daily latte. You know how to cut costs on a daily basis, or during particularly money-crunched times. But there are so many other, sneakier ways that expenses can creep on you. Before you do anything, though, it’s time for an attitude adjustment around spending, says financial wellness advocate Amanda Clayman. “We tend to mistakenly think of money in terms of racing toward some future paradise, where all the sacrifice we’ve made will turn into this abundance that we’ll enjoy forever,” she says. “You want to have balance when it comes to saving, where you’re enjoying what feels good to you today but also being mindful of what’s meaningful to you in the future. That way, you’ll feel empowered and not in competition with your future self.” We asked financial pros for silly, mindless ways we rack up money without realising it – and simple fixes that will make your wallet grow. Not playing the interest rate game If you haven’t shopped for a lower interest rate on your loan in the past 12 months, now’s the time, says Michael Foguth, founder of Foguth Financial Group. “Interest rates are at all-time lows, and odds are, you can get a lower, fixed-interest rate right now on your mortgage. I had clients, for example, who purchased a home last year and have already re-financed. They’re saving $100 a month now for the next 30 years. That’s $30,000 saved just with one phone call!” This goes for any loan you may have – car, mortgage, or even credit cards. Have debt? Now’s the time to consolidate it, suggests Foguth. Forking over bank fees Do you really need overdraft protection? Is your bank charging a monthly maintenance fee? “Remember: Your money should be working for you,” says debt-relief attorney Leslie Tayne, author of Life & Debt. “I’m amazed that people pay fees for bank accounts. Shop around and let them compete for your business, see if you can get a free checking account, for example. There are a ton of banks out there, don’t think you’re locked into one just because you’ve been a customer for a while, or, if you have been a customer for a while, ask for deals.” Not being a "list" person Ever been to the mall for “just a couple of things”? (Yeah, us neither.) A workaround for this common phenomenon, suggests Foguth, is to utilise an online shopping service. “If you have someone shopping for you, you’re not going to have those impulse buys because they’re just sticking to your list. Another option is to use a store’s order pickup service, where they’ll prepare your order and bring it out to your car when you get there so you don’t have to go in. Spacing out on subscriptions In the era of autopay, it’s easy to forget about those extra charges that can easily add up. “Automated charges can work against you if you’re not paying attention to them,” says Foguth. “That’s why I advise people to audit their subscriptions on a quarterly basis. Just by going through your credit card statement, you might catch something you wouldn’t normally.” This goes for seasonal charges, too, he says. “I cancel my Peloton subscription in the summertime because I’d rather bike outside, and that saves me $40 a month on something I’m not using,” he says. Being enticed by zero-interest credit cards “Zero-interest credit cards are a great way to waste money because you end up paying more in the end as a general rule,” says Foguth. “You may think ‘oh, what a great deal’ but when you don’t pay it off, the interest accumulates. That’s why I suggest that you redline in the calendar somewhere when that introductory rate expires, so you don’t start getting charged without realising it.” Aim to pay it off in monthly increments before that date. Not asking for discounts “I ask for discounts all the time,” laughs Tayne. “Clothing stores. Wine stores. Using Groupon. Finding Facebook groups for deals. More often than not, when I ask if there are any deals or coupons, the salesperson says, ‘oh yeah, I have one.’ So why not ask?” Not checking your phone bill “You should regularly audit your phone bill,” says Foguth. “Things like paying for extra storage that you may not even realise you signed up for, or apps you forgot you ordered in the first place, can all add up.” Being over-insured “You should review your insurance plans every few years,” says Tayne. “Shop around to see if you can get your rates reduced. As you age, as circumstances and rates change, you may find that you can get better rates. Life insurance, for example, is a biggie. I see clients with huge life insurance policies when they’re considerably older, and they’re having trouble paying for their plan. Don’t feel that you’re locked into a particular rate; it’s always a good idea to periodically review your policies.” Overpriced food and drink According to a survey by finance-website The Ascent, three of the top ten money-wasters are food-and-drink related. Between the “grab and go” convenience factor of fast-food, paying for overpriced drinks on a summer night, or dining out more often during warmer months when you don’t feel like cooking, for example. Prudential’s financial wellness advocate Tiffany Aliche, aka The Budgetnista, recommends once-weekly no-money days, which will help you pinpoint daily consumption and see where you can cut back. Having a store credit card It happens to the best of us: You go clothes shopping and you leave the store with one extra credit card in your wallet thanks to the allure of 15 per cent off the day’s purchases. And so begins the slippery slope of regular, enticing email deals. “There’s no reason to have a card with a store that sends you ‘come shop, come shop’ messages because it encourages impulse buys,” says Tayne. “Some of my clients are reluctant to give up their credit cards because they get really good deals, but the thing is, you’re enticed to go into that store and make that purchase that you normally wouldn’t.” Cutting out categories When you’re trying to save money, it’s common to say “I can’t do brunch this month,” or “no lattes this week.” Clayman suggests to instead focus on a monetary amount rather than cut out a specific category. “This is where I see budgeting fail a lot, because people end up cutting out things that give them pleasure. Instead, if you’re trying to find $100 to put toward savings, and you know you spend $200 a month on meals with friends, just say that you’re going to bring down your food costs by $100 instead. Reduce the habit, don’t eliminate it, and you’ll be more likely to stick with it.” Not getting to the root of your spending The more you’re aware of how you use money for emotional reasons, the more you’ll be able to save, says Clayman. “If, for example, you had a rough day at work and are craving companionship to feel replenished, it’s easy to ask a friend for dinner,” she says. “Recognise instead that you have a social need, and look for something once in a while that doesn’t cost money but still fulfils your need for companionship, like taking a walk with your friend. Determining the underlying need is the first step toward making a more sustainable plan to satisfy that need.” Forgetting to return items Most of us have it: A pile of “looked good at the time” items that you “keep meaning” to return. It’s common: According to the survey by The Ascent, one of the top ten over-spending habits is forgetting to return items. Set aside a day to return those ill-fitting clothes, unwanted electronics, and other impulse buys you now don’t want or use. Written by Megan McMorris. This article first appeared in <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/money/13-silly-wastes-of-money-you-dont-even-think-about" target="_blank">Reader’s Digest</a>. Find more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a rel="noopener" href="https://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA93V" target="_blank">here’s our best subscription offer</a>.

Retirement Income

13 things rich people never waste their money on

Impulse buys Sure, it might be enticing to snag the cashmere sweater in the store window or the newest car on the lot. But making a purchase on a whim is something you will never see a wealthy person do. “If you buy things you do not need,” billionaire investor Warren Buffet told Forbes, “soon you will have to sell things you need.” It doesn’t mean millionaires don’t buy lavish items, they just put thought into them and their bottom line before swiping their credit card. Here are 13 nearly effortless ways to be more thrifty. Extreme inheritances It’s fantasy to think we can all leave a mountain of money to our children and grandchildren, so they don’t have to budget as we did. But large inheritances are something rich people don’t use their money for. Why? Well, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg both said they want their children to find their way rather than relying on a handout, according to CNBC. Instead, both billionaires are giving significant portions of their fortunes to charity to help those who need it most. TV channels and video games Rich people didn’t amass their fortune sitting around staring at a screen all day. That’s why they don’t waste money on jumbo TV packages or the latest video games. According to 2015 data from Nielsen, adults in households with annual incomes below $25,000 spent considerably more time consuming media (through TV, video games, or radio), compared to adults in households with annual incomes over $75,000. “We expected high-income households to own more devices, but we did not anticipate that low-income consumers of all devices had greater usage,” says Glenn Enoch, Nielson’s SVP of Audience Insights. Thomas Corley, the author of Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits Of Wealthy Individuals found that 67 per cent of “rich” people say that they don’t watch TV. Luxury brands Millionaires can afford the latest fashions from the top designers, but that doesn’t mean they’re spending their hard-earned money on high-end apparel. In fact, the founder of IKEA, Ingvar Kamprad, told Newsweek that he doesn’t wear anything that is not from a flea market to “set a good example,” and Bill Gates told Time that he still wears a $10 watch despite being able to afford a closet full of Rolexes. An over-priced home Although their home-buying budget is considerably higher, rich people still look for deals. They want to feel like they’re getting the most value for their dollar and not like they’re getting ripped off. Yes, they might be spending millions, but they’re going to try to bargain with the list price like anyone else. Some wealthy individuals even go so far as not to purchase an extravagant home at all. According to U.S. News and World Report, Warren Buffett may be the third-richest man in the world, but he still lives in the home he bought in 1958 for $31,500. Buying instead of renting Some rich folks are going so far as to not even deal with the hassle of buying a home. Many are opting to rent, according to Extra’s Mansions and Millionaires host Michael Corbett. “Renting is more popular than ever, even among the wealthy,” he told huffingtonpost.com. “While it once made sense for people who could afford it to buy a home and flip it after two years, and the market has improved moderately this year, we’re hardly in a boom.” Pricey grooming Everyone needs a trim once in a while, but some famous rich people don’t think it warrants whipping out the wallet. John Caudwell, businessman and billionaire cuts his own hair, according to TIME, and IKEA founder, Ingvar Kamprad told Newsweek that he’s had his hair cut when he is in developing countries as a way of giving back. Multiple credit cards It’s understandable that a wealthy person might not want to walk around with a ton of cash in their wallet. But don’t think for a second that their wallet is filled with a credit card from every bank. Tom Corley, author of the best-selling book Rich Habits: The Daily Habits of Successful People, told U.S. News and World Report: Only 8 per cent of rich people use more than one card. Meanwhile, 77 per cent of poor people have multiple credit cards. With more cards, there are more fees to keep track of, more finance charges to accrue, and generally more opportunity to buy things you don’t need. Late fees No one likes to pay pesky late fees when they miss a bill or payment, especially rich people. That’s why they’re diligent about setting up auto-pay on all their accounts, from mortgages and car payments to credit cards and insurance, according to David Bach, author of Smart Women Finish Rich. As he told Learnvest, “late fees can add up to a fortune.” Things that don't last Even if rich people have the money to replace an item that wears out or breaks, they still don’t want to waste their money that way. “Wealthy people understand that the cheapest route isn’t always the most valuable,” Peter Bush, a wealth management expert, told Learnvest. “They can take the long view and consider how what they pay today compares with the worth over time.” Stuff over experiences Research has shown that money and material things can generate only so much happiness. Instead, it’s meaningful experiences that lead to a truly fulfilling life. According to Jaime Tardy, author of The Eventual Millionaire, the wealthy choose once-in-a-lifetime experiences over new gadgets. As Tardy told The Week, she knows several millionaires that have old iPhones rather than the newest model. Retirement Now, look: No one is going to advise you against investing money in your superannuation savings. But for rich people, retirement isn’t a focus mostly because self-made billionaires don’t plan to retire, according to CNBC. A 2010 study from Barclay’s Wealth, published on CNBC, revealed that 54 per cent of millionaires want to work right through their retirement years, and 60 per cent of people with a net worth of $15 million plan to work “no matter what their age.” Gambling Of course, rich people don’t need to play the lottery since they’ve already struck it rich. But they are still against wasting their money on gambling. Warren Buffet has bashed the whole idea, saying it’s the government preying on its citizens. “A government shouldn’t make it easy for people to take their social security cheques and [waste them pulling] a handle,” he has said. He also put a slot machine in his home to show his children that when he gave them their allowance, they would fall into temptation and end up spending it all in one day. Written by Jordi Lippe-McGraw. This article first appeared in <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/money/13-things-rich-people-never-waste-their-money-on" target="_blank">Reader’s Digest</a>. Find more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="https://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA93V">here’s our best subscription offer</a>.

Retirement Income

"You're wasting our time": David Koch names and shames best and worst celebrities

Sunrise star David ‘Kochie’ Koch delivered some brutally honest opinions about his experiences with celebrities he has interviewed. While appearing on KIIS FM’s Kyle and Jackie O show on Wednesday morning, Kochie was read a list of famous names he’s met during his 18 years as a presenter, and was asked to give them a rating out of 10. Kochie labelled Harrison Ford a 2/10, stating the Star Wars actor “is one of those grumpy blokes.” In fact, the breakfast morning show host said the Sunrise interview went so badly with Ford that he put an end to it. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838489/sunrise-david-koch-4.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e4f6242354f2483fac665d8e0c83700b" /> “I said, ‘Obviously you don’t want to be here, you’re wasting our time and the viewers’ time,’ and we finished the interview,” Kochie said. Asked how the actor responded, the Channel 7 star said: “You couldn’t tell because he had a grumpy face the whole interview.” Jackie O also admitted she was no fan of Ford either, revealing that when she interviewed him in a hotel room, he “was sitting in a very inappropriate way … major manspreading in my direction”. Kochie went on to rate A-list singer, Justin Bieber a 3/10, labelling him plainly as “a brat.” <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838491/sunrise-david-koch-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/91dc8cf4f08c496081ac9eb6e5fcce46" /> “One of our floor managers was positioning him for a song and just very gently said, ‘This is where you stand,’ and he said, ‘Don’t you dare touch me!’” Kochie added that the incident took place years ago when Bieber was a teenager, and added that “by the look of it he’s matured and grown up and he’s quite a good bloke now”. The Sunrise co-host labelled David Duchovny a 4/10. He’s just a bit boring; he’s a bit too serious,” Kochie said about The X-Files actor. “When people start talking about their craft and their journey and film noir, I’m lost with all that stuff.” <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838493/sunrise-david-koch.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/801f0dee695a4564b387fe9dc0c474ab" /> For Michael Richards, Kochie gave him a 3/10. He said the actor who played Kramer on the hit TV show Seinfeld was “annoying”. “I’m a huge Seinfeld fan and really looked forward to interviewing him,” Koch explained. “Everyone wants him to be funny, so I fed him a line to be funny and he was deadly serious. I went, ‘Oh, so he’s being Michael Richards.’ So I fed a serious line to him and he was funny. “And I went, ‘Who am I interviewing here? Michael Richards or Kramer? I was confused.’” When asked about Katy Perry, Kochie said the singer was a 9/10. He said: “Fun! She’s bright, she’s effervescent and she did the weather like no other person.” He added: “Talented, smart, quick-witted.” Kochie had nothing but a glowing review for Matt Damon who he said was just “absolutely charming” after rating him a perfect 10/10. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838492/sunrise-david-koch-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/eb0221598a7747a3bca5d4a0b27d6682" /> “Fantastic bloke. “I walked into Matt Damon’s interview, sat down, and he goes, ‘Gee, I love your boots.’ He was just absolutely charming.” Hugh Jackman also received a perfect score. “He’s fantastic,” Kochie said about the Aussie A-lister. “He’s a natural. I reckon he could do (host) Sunrise … but it wouldn’t pay as much (as his films do).” Kochie saved his favourite experience for last, saying he “fell in love” with Dame Julie Andrews. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838490/sunrise-david-koch-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c5592f3bbeb54bc0be78f91f13c9fbe5" /> “I’m a massive Sound Of Music fan,” he admitted. “I had high expectations, met her and fell in love.”

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Unforgettable waste-reducing cooking tips

Reduce, reuse, recycle: these expert tips will help you find new ways to cut waste in the kitchen. Regrow veggies Strange but true: spring onions will regrow from their white ends. Just put them in a glass of water and let them get some sunlight. You can snip the green ends every few days for practically endless seasoning. Say "cheese" to milk If it’s can be hard to finish your milk before it expires, but don’t wait for it to curdle. Instead, set some aside and make cottage cheese. Reuse your daily grind Used coffee grounds can keep ants away. Plus, they can get rid of odours, stimulate your potted plants, and more, which makes them worth holding onto. Put peels out for pests Orange peels can actually be put to good use, especially if it’s summer. Insects such as mosquitoes and ants will stay away if you grind the up, and they can get rid of musty smells. Bake bruised fruit Overripe, very dark bananas make for flavourful banana bread. Instead of throwing them out, bake them into a great dessert. Reducing and recycling your food can even save you money. Give stale snacks some bite There’s no need to toss old chips. Stale snacks can be crisped up in the microwave – just put them on a microwave-safe plate and nuke on full power for 10 seconds. Crisp up your crusts You can make leftover pizza crust crispy again, but don’t use the microwave. Instead, put your slices on a skillet for 4-5 minutes on medium heat – make a rounded lid out of aluminium foil to make sure the toppings get toasty, too. Cool down with an ice ‘pop’ Flat soft-drinks aren’t so great to drink, but they can make for a tasty treat with a little patience. Pour some in an ice cube tray, stick toothpicks in each space, and enjoy your treats after they freeze. Rethink yesterday's loaf Don’t waste old, dry bread. As long as it won’t chip a tooth, you can chop it up, sauté it with spices, and make croutons for salads or soup. Liquor? Now, thicker You can kick up the quality of vodka with a simple water filter. It won’t completely transform what you have in the cabinet, but filtering can make less expensive brands taste better. Look twice at rice Think before pitching rice if it’s been sitting in your cupboard for a few months. It can be used to dry electronics if you get them wet – just put the device in a bowl of the dry grains for 24 hours. Banish sponge bacteria Your old sponge might look like it belongs in the bin, but two minutes in the microwave will kill as much as 99.9 per cent of the bacteria on it, making it good as new. Be sure to get it wet first. Celery care 101 Celery is all about crispness, so when it starts to go soft, you may as well throw it out. Right? Not necessarily. Try this first: put limp stalks in a bowl of cold water with a few slices of raw potato. After an hour or so in this starchy bath, the stalks may deliver the crunch you expect. And while even crisp celery may turn brown, you can stop browning before it starts. Before storing the stalks in the fridge, soak them for 30 minutes in 1 litre cold water mixed with 1 teaspoon lemon juice – a trick that will also crisp celery just before it’s served. Get the most out of a lemon When a recipe calls for a few drops of lemon, don’t slice the lemon and squeeze. Simply puncture the rind with a toothpick and gently squeeze out the small amount of juice you need. Then cover the hole with a piece of tape and store the lemon in the fridge for later use. Waste not, want not! Oiled eggs Prolong the life of fresh eggs by dipping a paper towel into vegetable oil and rubbing the shells before storing the eggs in the fridge. The oil will keep the eggs fresh for an additional three to four weeks. A surplus of spuds? If you find you’ve peeled too many potatoes for a potato salad or casserole, don’t toss the uncooked extras. Put them in a bowl, cover with cold water, and add a few drops of vinegar. Now they will keep in the fridge for three to four days. Brown-bag your lettuce Lettuce will keep longer if you transfer it from a plastic bag to a roomier paper bag before storing it in the refrigerator. Lettuce likes a little air, but don’t think that calls for removing the limp and discoloured outermost leaves; they may not be pretty, but these leaves help keep the inner leaves crisper. Last stop? Compost When all else fails, composting your old fruits and veggies can help optimise the fertilizer you use for your garden. If you’re going to toss them anyway, put them to good use. Written by Damon Beres. This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/unforgettable-waste-reducing-cooking-tips?pages=1">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.com.au/subscribe">here’s our best subscription offer</a>.

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15 great kitchen hacks to extend the life of food and save on waste

How ‘ugly’ fruit and vegetables could tackle food waste and solve supermarket supply shortages

10 things that are always a waste to pack

Ways you’re wasting money without knowing it

Readers Respond: What do you think is a complete waste of money?

You’re wasting your money if you’re buying these 13 things in brand-new condition

You’re wasting your money if you’re buying these 13 things in brand-new condition

Cooking from meal boxes can cut household food waste

Mobile phone hoarding: e-waste not good news for the environment

6 ways to reduce food waste

Major change being trialled in Coles to reduce waste

“Don’t waste my time”: Elle Ferguson and Joel Patfull face heat on The Block

Five ways to reduce waste (and save money) on your home renovation

A new approach finds materials that can turn waste heat into electricity

How to make roads with recycled waste, and pave the way to a circular economy

“17 days of hell”: Missing man charged for wasting police time

13 silly wastes of money you don’t even think about

13 things rich people never waste their money on

"You're wasting our time": David Koch names and shames best and worst celebrities

Unforgettable waste-reducing cooking tips

Our Partners

News

Shop

Catalogues

Newspaper

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Compare

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

15 great kitchen hacks to extend the life of food and save on waste

How ‘ugly’ fruit and vegetables could tackle food waste and solve supermarket supply shortages

10 things that are always a waste to pack

Ways you’re wasting money without knowing it

Readers Respond: What do you think is a complete waste of money?

You’re wasting your money if you’re buying these 13 things in brand-new condition

You’re wasting your money if you’re buying these 13 things in brand-new condition

Cooking from meal boxes can cut household food waste

Mobile phone hoarding: e-waste not good news for the environment

6 ways to reduce food waste

Major change being trialled in Coles to reduce waste

“Don’t waste my time”: Elle Ferguson and Joel Patfull face heat on The Block

Five ways to reduce waste (and save money) on your home renovation

A new approach finds materials that can turn waste heat into electricity

How to make roads with recycled waste, and pave the way to a circular economy

“17 days of hell”: Missing man charged for wasting police time

13 silly wastes of money you don’t even think about

13 things rich people never waste their money on

"You're wasting our time": David Koch names and shames best and worst celebrities

Unforgettable waste-reducing cooking tips

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