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16 Summer saving SpecialIn the gardenMake your own compost from grass cuttings, kitchenscraps and cardboard. Start a heap in a sunny part ofyour garden and add the food waste with an equal mixof garden waste. Mix the ingredients and occasionallyturn the heap with a garden fork. It will take about sixmonths to mature.Before you head off to the garden centre, have a chat withyour neighbours and see if you can swap plants or cuttings,or borrow any gardening tools you may require.Use egg cartons for seedling pots. When it’s timeto plant them, just separate the sections and plantthem directly into the soil (the carton bits will justrot in the earth).Weed busting wondersGot some pesky weeds? Try these tips fromAlys Fowler of BBC Gardener’s World:“Mix four cups of vinegar to half a cup ofsalt and a few teaspoons of washing upliquid. When the salt is fully dissolved, justspray or wipe it on to broad-leaved weedssuch as docks and ground elder. Also,Coca-Cola is surprisingly good for killing offweeds in pavement cracks. It’s a bit sticky,but very effective if used on a sunny day.”Make your own minigreenhouses – cut thebottoms off old plasticdrinks bottles and usethem as individualplant protectors to getseedlings off to a goodstart outside.Ice lolly sticksPerfect for labelling plants!Break up polystyrene packaging and put it into thebottom of garden tubs – this way you don't use asmuch compost and also the tubs are lighter andeasier to move around the garden.Old pairs of tights, cut into strips, are perfect for tying uptomatoes, beans and sweet peas onto poles.Use an old woolly jumper as lining foryour hanging baskets. Just cut it to fit thecontainer and it should hold the soil welland mould to the sides.For plants that don’t have much sunlight, put analuminum foil-covered board angled towards the sun nextto them, so the light reflects onto them.To keep the slugs off, scatter crushed up egg shellsor coffee granules around plants, or try rubbingVaseline around the top of pots.In the carAccelerate gradually:The harder you press on the pedal,the more the fuel will flow. So try notto over-rev.Drive in the correct gear:Always try to drive in the highest gearpossible without labouring the engine.Slow naturally:Make the most of your money with an ISA...You can save up to £11,520 a yeartax free if you put it into an ISA. Thefull amount can be invested in aStocks and Shares ISA or up to half(£5,760) can be put into a Cash ISA,which you can often have directRather than braking frequently, try to let your car slow naturally anduse its stored momentum. If it is clear that you’ll have to stop, slowdown gently and allow your car to coast if possible.Take your roof rack off:Keep your tyres inflated:Lower tyre pressure increases thedrag on a car, resulting inyou needing more fuelDe-clutter your car:The lighter it is, the less effort itneeds to accelerate. So get rid ofany junk from the boot, and ditchany unnecessary weight.This adds great wind resistance, increasing drag and makingthe engine work harder. So remove it to make the car asstreamlined as possible.Turn off air conditioning at lower speeds:Use it as sparingly as possible – at low speeds, drivewith the windows down; at higher speeds keepwindows up (to avoid drag) and use the air vents.Don't fill it up:By filling up your car entirely you are adding extraweight – the less fuel your car holds, the moreefficiently it drives. So only fill the tank up to abouthalf or three quarters.access to. Try to use as much of yourISA allowance as you can afford toeach year, as the returns are tax free.Visit www.forestersfriendlysociety.co.uk/saving or call 08000 214 523 tofind out more about the Foresters ISA.TIPKeep an eye outfor offers from thesupermarkets,which regularlyrun promotionswhere you cansave 5p per litre offuel if you spendover a certainamount in store.OTHER TOP TIPS:If you don’t drive much,and not very far when youdo, consider joining a carclub. These could be morecost-effective for you, as theyremove insurance, breakdownand maintenance costs.When buying a car, thinkabout your lifestyle and howmuch you will be using it,the size and age of the carand its fuel consumption– this can make a bigdifference to your costs.