Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2017

Our new dishwasher arrived after we sadly accepted that our old one could not be mended. We got John Lewis to take away the old one but had to pay £9 for it. I think the legislation simply says that they have to facilitate disposal. Some retailers pay for recycling facilities which people can use, others will provide a disposal service, but it doesn't have to be free - and if it is the costs are still passed on one way or another

Hi, would it be ok to join in please ?? I'm an avid reader of this thread and thought it was about time I contributed a bit !!


Thanks to RainbowHippie for the grated cheese in freezer tub tip...I often waste that so i'll be trying that for sure!
this weekend I've made do with sprouting spuds by making dauphinoise potatoes and boulangere potatoes for tea and the freezer, also used up carrots for soup and ys toastie pockets for lunch..


no mending but I minimized a stack of bills/bank statements/receipts etc by filing them where they should be... and feel much better for it tbh!!
I'm trying to keep the supermarket spends down as I have no coupons at the moment, and the house is still bulging with stuff from Christmas,so hopefully just need a bit of fruit and veg...unless the YS's and poundstretcher bargains are too good to resist!!

thriftwizard – Your “new to you” chopping board sounds great. What a bargain for just a few minutes of your time. :cool:

Some retailers pay for recycling facilities which people can use, others will provide a disposal service, but it doesn't have to be free - and if it is the costs are still passed on one way or another. Originally posted by maryb

Yes, any costs incurred are never “free”; it’s always the end-customer who pays eventually.

weekend was not very successful in MMM'ing Originally posted by Hughesfamily

Don’t feel too guilty about the spends, we all need a treat now and again. Unfortunately (for you) you were the one doing the treating but you know what they say: what goes around comes around, so hopefully next time you’ll be on the receiving end!

Sunday dinner was roast lamb (from the freezer, a YS purchase before Xmas), cold slices with chips and salad tonight, and there’ll still be enough for another meal from it; either a casserole or a curry – depends what we fancy.

culpepper – I could do with borrowing your hubs for jobs involving wood; it’s not that mine won’t do it, he just not very good at it. To be fair though, I rarely have to engage a plumber for leaks or to fix the central heating.

Evening all

Well am now on page 9 - yes i do know the time but it is at last quiet in my house as DS1 +GF + DG gone to bed! Am half listening to some catch up recorded West Wing while reading on here during the adverts. Am so glad I treated myself to Sky in my semi retirement - I can still get to watch and enjoy the heavier things which I enjoy - such as murder mysteries and political intrigue. Not Gfs kinda thing and she starts to chat just at a vital plot bit so I watch once they have gone to bed.

Make do: Still on our meal plan - so eating from stores except for buying milk yesterday - my darned silly fridge (left behind by previous owners) doesnt take a 4 pint carton of milk! Have a fridge jug and must remember to buy the 4 pints and use that!!:o

Mend: My son put the 'eyes' on the back of two frames I had painted before I broke my wrist and now 2 of my certificates can go up - once, that is, I can find the picture wire I know I put somewhere sensible ........... :rotfl:

Minimise: woke up at 5 am last night with the 'red sock in a white load' mind set - thoughts and chores all whirling round in my head! So did something useful - since I couldnt sleep - found out how the 'note' function worked on my phone and made a list of chores + shopping and then went back to sleep!!! Have minimised this list effectively - including phoning banks; putting shell points on my card (where I had forgotten to take the card to the garage!) writing a letter to a friend - whos birthday I had missed! So pleased with that. also minimised 2 (now read) books to a CS.

Vodkawhich - I have not long read your news - nothing I can say will be sufficient but I feel very upset for you - I hope you find some comfort in your friends on here.

Very happy to see lurkers come out of the shadows. Brilliant!! I lurked for a long time before becoming a regular poster and the inspirational people on here (silversava; GQ; Princesszellin; Jackie O; Misstra to name a few!) kept me on track and there was always an answer on here for me!! No matter what daft question I had - so speak up folks!
Nite all

Making do by using up the last of the leek and potato soup for lunch today,tonight's meal comes via the pub quiz ,probably bangers and chips and is included in the £2.00 quiz price so excellent value, so no cooking for me tonight
No mending to do but I do have a band to knit around part of my charity blanket so I may do that this morning.
I will probably minimise the small amount of ironing that is sitting on top of the stool in the kitchen so its out of the way.

Weather isn't too bad and the sun is up and shining although not brilliantly warm its at least not frosty today.
I am off to my U3A coffee morning this morning as I get two free coffees or tea per month with my Dobbies card,so a cuppa and a natter with friends is just the ticket for a tuesday morning.

Have a good day chums what ever you are doing

Cheers JackieO xx