If you are feeling the effect of the credit crunch, Imperial War Museum London has come up with ten tips based on Second World War initiatives which encouraged the public to wage their own war against waste and boost the war effort. Each of these tips is as relevant today as it was in the 1940s, and offer practical advice that can be used as an effective weapon to reduce household budgets and fend off the Credit Crunch enemy. From Make Do and Mend to Dig for Victory, here are some top tips for a range of ideas that can be used to make quick and easy lifestyle changes that benefit not only your wallet but also the environment.

1. Make do and Mend

Clothes rationing began on 1st June 1941 because there was a major shortage of cloth reaching Britain and much of that was needed for military uniforms, tents and parachutes. In 1943 the Ministry of Information issued an advice pamphlet called Make do and Mend that contained a wealth of tips on how to repair and update existing items in your wardrobe as well as taking care that they didn’t encounter the ‘moth menace’. Clothing and shoe exchanges organised by local schools or women’s organisations were also a popular method of updating your wardrobe without using your clothing ration.

   

Today, try making the most of your existing wardrobe by customising or adapting your clothes to fit current trends and repairing items that are in need of a new button or zip. If you are ready to clear space in your wardrobe why not organise a clothes swapping party with a group of friends or take items to your local charity shop.

The Ministry of War Transport and Ministry of Labour and National Service encouraged people to travel shorter distances by foot rather than using public transport. Not only did this create space for those travelling on longer journeys but also helped free up the already over stretched transport system for the essential war effort.



Try walking or cycling to work to save on season ticket and fuel costs.

In 1942 the Fuel Saving Scheme was launched and continued until the end of the war. Unlike food and clothing, fuel wasn’t rationed but the scheme encouraged families to reduce their fuel consumption and set themselves a ‘fuel target’ based on the size of their house. This target was the maximum amount of fuel that families were allowed to use and householders had to read their own gas and electricity meters, displaying the results, to ensure this wasn’t exceeded.



There are many ways we can now reduce our fuel bills. Small behavioural changes such as only boiling as much water as you need, turning your thermostat down by one degree or insuring your home is fully insulated can lead up to savings of around £340 per year.

In 1940 an anti-waste campaign was introduced that encouraged people not to throw away anything that could be consumed. Households were encouraged to save food scraps that could be fed to their own hens and chickens, contributed to their local pig club or taken to their council pig bin.



Keep a kitchen compost caddy: Over 30% of an average household bin can be composted at home, from vegetable peelings and teabags. Using a container or kitchen caddy to collect your compostable waste from the house will save you having to make a trip to the compost bin every day! Composting your kitchen food waste not only reduces the amount of waste sent to landfill but also provides a free nutrient rich soil that your plants and flowers will love.  (Source WRAP).

As part of the Fuel Saving Scheme households were encouraged to paint a line round their bath tub to ensure that they didn’t use more than five inches of water and helped to save fuel for the war effort.



Stop those drips: Mending your dripping tap washer could prevent the waste of up to 5,500 litres of water and, if you’re on a water meter, it could save you over £18 a year. (Source Waterwise)

In the 1940s the Ministry of Supply established a scheme that aimed to encourage people to put their waste paper, bones, string, rubber and cardboard to good use. People were encourage to sort and separate their waste paper, rags and glass and deposit it in their street’s salvage bins. Salvage monitors were also appointed to ensure that the street’s waste was ready for collection.



In 2007, some 8.6 million tonnes of paper were recovered in the UK - half of this was recycled by paper mills here and explains why our newspapers are printed on 100% recycled paper. Where possible always try and recycle your paper. (Source WRAP).

Dig for Victory was a campaign launched by the Ministry of Agriculture in 1940 to help combat food shortage in Britain by promoting the planting of allotments in gardens and on public land. Dig for Victory was very successful. From 815,000 allotments in 1939 the number rose to 1,400,000 by 1943. Vast areas of public land, including the Royal Park Kensington Gardens, were converted into allotments and nearly a million tonnes of vegetables were grown in the peak years of production.

Although vegetables and fruit were never rationed, food grown on allotments was an important supplement to items that were in high demand. 



Try and eat locally produced, seasonal fruit and vegetables or grow your own in a patch of garden or a window box.

The ‘Holidays at Home’ or ‘Stay at Home Holidays’ scheme encouraged civilians to spend their leisure and holiday time enjoying the delights of their local area, rather than travelling to other parts of the country. The aim was to encourage citizens to keep the already over-worked transport system free for essential war traffic. Concerts and floral displays formed a large part of the events put on and parks, especially Hyde Park in London, were extremely popular, providing a relaxing open-air environment as a welcome break to the hard work of the war effort.



During the holidays why not spend time visiting your local area and enjoying local parks and attractions. The Imperial War Museum has five branches with plenty of exciting and interesting activities taking place throughout the holidays. Click here to find out more and plan your next visit.

The Fuel Saving Scheme also encouraged people to switch off their lights when they weren’t in use to minimise their energy use. The scheme not only targeted households but also work environments where staff were encouraged not to be ‘fuelish’ in the battle for fuel.



Trade up your ordinary light bulbs for energy saving ones. Priced from just £2.00, energy efficient light bulbs last around 10 times longer and for each bulb you fit, you can save around £3 on your annual electricity bill. This saving could be up to £6 a year if you’re replacing a very bright bulb with an energy efficient one of the same brightness, or one used for more than a few hours a day. If every UK household installed just one energy efficient bulb we’d save over £75 million per year!

If all of this seems a bit overwhelming remember the most important wartime tip of all Keep Calm and Carry On!



If you need more information and would like to speak to a local advisor for free impartial advice call the Energy Saving Trust on 0800 512 012 or visit the website at www.energysavingtrust.org.uk