how to [reduce] your waste and save money.

growing up our family didn’t have much money, but my parents were always financially savvy and lived within their means. my story started with me living in a rough part of sydney from a young age, it was the kind of neighbourhood that was full of immigrants and low income families. we weren’t poor, but definitely working class. this comparison of wealth started at a young age, i felt poor, because i didn’t have the ‘stuff’ needed to make me look rich.

my relationship in my early twenties involved me spending all my money to look ‘rich’ to mask the feelings of inadequacy i had developed being from a ‘poor girl’ in high school. since living a zero waste life, my relationship with money has totally transformed. money is a tool for happiness; however, it is not the key to happiness.

here is my 3 step philosophy on how to prevent money waste in all areas of your life:

1. give, 2. get, 3. grow.

set aside three bank accounts or three money jars and label them

1.    give - allocate a percentage of your budget to give to others. this is a great way to think about the issues in the world and those in need. brainstorm some charitable causes which you or your family can donate to.

2.    get - this is the money allocated to getting things we want or need currently. encourage yourself to spend it wisely, not just on more ‘stuff’, but experiences and outings. this is also a good way to be a conscious consumer in all aspects of your life. if they want to buy something, get them to ask themselves the following questions:

a.    do you really need it? are you buying it to make yourself happy? what are the reasons for wanting to buy this item in the first place?

                                               i.     this allows you to really think about the reasons behind the purchase. why do you really want to buy the item? it’s important to understand the root cause of your consumption.

b.    can you borrow the item or try it out before you buy it?

c.     can you buy it secondhand?

d.    can you buy it from an ethical brand that aligns with your values?

3.    grow - this is money set aside to save for a bigger purchase. watching this jar or bank account grow will inspire you to invest and do something meaningful you’re your long term savings. this could mean a big purchase such as a house deposit, or an activity that you have been wanting to do for a long time such as a holiday. this a good opportunity to consider investing in shares in sustainable industries. it’ll provide an opportunity for you to ask questions about where you’re currently investing your money.

we are inundated with thousands of advertisements on a daily basis. we have been programmed to buy, buy, buy from a young age. i am sure we’ve all had those moments growing up, where we were made fun of because we weren’t wearing the right shoes or didn’t have the latest fad toy. these memories are embedded into and us and we compensate as adults by mindlessly consuming to fill that void. we need to understand how to give, get and grow our money so that we can put our money towards our values. more than just the blind consumption of more ‘stuff’, we need to be more mindful of how we spend our money. this three step philosophy is a great place to start!

anita vandyke is a qualified rocket scientist and medical doctor (bachelor of engineering – aeronautical space and doctor of medicine) and, most importantly, mother to vivian. she was born in guangzhou, china, raised in australia, and currently splits her time between sydney and san francisco. her first book, a zero waste life: in thirty days, won gold at the nautilus book awards in 2019 and has been translated to seven languages. anita writes about motherhood, zero waste living and minimalism on instagram, at @rocket_science, or at anitavandyke.com.