Bargain Hunter: Shopping sustainably can often mean saving your wallet along with the planet

Refurbished devices, second-hand luxury items and the humble menstrual cup can all offer savings 

For this week's Bargain Hunter, Nicole Glennon looks at ways to save your money while making more eco-friendly choices

Shop second-hand and get luxury items at a fraction of the price 

Shopping in charity shops is cool again, if you didn’t get the memo. And with Thriftify, the online charity shop, getting serious bang for your buck has never been easier. The site has recently launched a new initiative which will see it do a designer drop every Thursday at 6pm for the foreseeable future, with items from brands like Chanel, Balenciaga, Gucci and Prada all up for grabs. 

Jimmy Choo pink goat-suede crystal-embellished 100mm pumps €170

In the latest drop, we spotted a pair of pink goat-suede crystal-embellished 100mm pumps from Jimmy Choo going for €170 - their RRP is €895. Proceeds from sales go to Irish sight-loss charity NCBI. See thriftify.ie.

A refurbished electronic device will save you money and the planet

CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB

An unlocked and refurbished 64GB iPhone 11, €373.50, refurbed.ie 

If you’re looking to save on a new phone or laptop, refurbed is a site to have on your radar. Founded in Vienna in 2017 and launched in Ireland in March 2021, the company offer completely refurbished electronic devices up to 40% cheaper than a new device. Each device undergoes a rigorous 40-step refurbishment process before getting a second lease of life, and all devices come with a 30 day trial period and a 12 month warranty as minimum. Brands stocked include Apple, Microsoft, Sony, and Samsung. Check out refurbed.ie

Shampoo bars are great – but you don’t have to ditch your favourite product

If you want to be as sustainable as possible, your best option for washing your hair is probably a solid shampoo bar or conditioner - or the No ‘Poo method, but we’d like to leave that back in 2017 thank you very much. But if you’ve already found a shampoo and conditioner that works for you, you might be able to purchase it in refillable pouches that will go some way in reducing your plastic pollution. 

L'Oreal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Restoring Shampoo pouch

Many big brands like Head & Shoulders, Herbal Essences Aussie, L’Oreal, Kérastase, OUAI and Wella now offer some of their products in refillable pouches that are more cost-effective and eco-friendly than their predecessors. Check out your local supermarket or pharmacy to see what’s on offer – we recently got a 500ml pouch of one of our favourite shampoos, L'Oreal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Restoring Shampoo for just €5 in Tesco.

A sustainable period can be more cost-effective and comfortable 

Boots Menstrual Cup Pre Birth is currently priced at €9.99, RRP €19.99

One of the best eco-friendly purchases I ever made was buying a menstrual cup for €9.99 in Boots. Not only has it saved me money (I can’t remember the last time I bought a box of tampons), but it’s also made my experience of menstruating all the more comfortable – sometimes, I forget I even have it in. And, as the cups can be left in for more than 12 hours it's safe to wear overnight and, depending on your flow, you might get away with a whole workday without having to worry about what’s going on down below.

Don’t buy toys new – kids won’t know the difference, but your wallet will 

A sample of the goodies in a monthly box from Clever Tots Toy Club

Kids get bored easily. So that’s why we love toy rental schemes like Dlulukaloo Wooden Toy Rental and Clever Tots Toy Club which allow children to enjoy a ‘new’ toy for a few weeks for a monthly fee with the aim of helping parents save money, avoid toy clutter and be kinder to the world their children will inherit. If you’d like to keep your toys, why not check out Facebook groups like Pre-Loved Plastic Toys Ireland and Pre-Loved Wooden, Vintage and Educational Toys Ireland where you can buy, sell or swap quality toys with other parents.