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Archives for February 2005

Lots of Mushrooms. What to do with them?
The other half and I eat a LOT of mushrooms, and knowing that I'm trying to save some money he decided that buying a 2.7kg tub of mushrooms (going cheap) was a good idea!! Now I have this tub, and I'm stuck for ideas of what to do with them. Any ideas would be much appreciated! TIA
Home Made Bread Please Help!!!!!!
Hi All :o has anyone got any IDIOT PROOF recipies for bread. Bread is grey and tastes really yeasty, not nice at all. :confused:
drinks
ok, a multi-pronged attack here :D a) not being a tea/coffee drinker, i tend to stick to squash, water, flavoured water,milk,or hot chocolate on occasions. im not really big on pop, will only drink it if im realy in the mood. was just wondering if you had any ideas as to how i could make my fluid intake more exciting (im…
out of code?
I have 2 cartons of double cream in my fridge one says use by Feb 27th and the other by Feb 24th. I'm always doing this forgetting things in the fridge then chucking money in the bin. Can I use any of them I just tried the feb 27th one and the very top bit tasted a bit sour (from Lidls I remember thinking the last time I…
Cheap vinegar in London area?
I've heard that Indian shops etc sell cheap vinegar, but do any readers know of any such shops in the central/north London area? I'm currently buying my vinegar at 70p a half litre from Sainsbury's, which is hardly worth it! Thanks!
Quinoa
Today seems to be a good day for recipies so I hope someone can help. I've been advised to eat quinoa, a south american grain that is a rice, cous cous substitute. It has real potential but is pretty bland on its own. Does anyone have some good recipies for this?? Veggie if pos. Thanks :D
What exciting things can I do with couscous?
Has anyone got any good recipes for cous cous? I do like the flavoured ones you can get in packets, but I haven't had them for ages.. and it's probably quite a lot cheaper to make your own?
ASDA -fresh meat no longer as good
We had a new ASDA open in our town last November. I tried it and was converted from a Sainsburys regular; this was mainly due to the high quality of the fresh meat. I marvelled at tender roasts, chicken that tasted as good as the farm ones I had as a child - no mean feat considering how bland chicken is these days.- and…
Dry skin?
Apologies if this has been posted before, Has anyone got a remedy for dry skin, especially on hands? I resent paying nearly £4 for the only hand cream, a well known Norwegian formula, that will give me relief.
What can you freeze?
I just saw a comment about freezing milk. Now I thought that frozen milk separated when it was defrosted. Was I wrong? Regards X
Savoury nibbles!
A fave of mine! Grate approx 250g of parmesan, mix with 2 rosemary sticks(remove leaves and finely chop). Line baking sheet with paper and place teaspoons of mixture, allowing space for spreading, flatten a little with spoon. Bake for 8-10 mins at 180 til golden, allow to cool, then remove from baking paper. Always line…
Interesting site
Lots of home-made beauty tips here http://www.pioneerthinking.com/rbt17.html Looked good at first sight but very repetetive, don't waste your time.
What can be watered down?
I reckon a lot of stuff is more concentrated than it needs be, and that you can get away with watering it down. Stuff I've found to work is: Spray on starch. I've found mixing this half and half with water works just as well, unless you want really stiff clothes. Fruit juice. Adding about 25% water seems to work ok,…
Makin' Bacon
My first attempt at making my own bacon is now curing merrily away in the bottom of the pantry. I'm now looking forward to a Monday morning bacon butty :D
Can you freeze risotto?
Is it ok to freeze risotto? (I've put it in the freezer already so I hope you say yes!) How do you defrost and reheat it? Squidgy
tips for shampoo
I am having a nasty bout of greasy hair syndrome!!! Never suffered before and used to have such fly away hair I couldn't wash it more than twice a week. Now if I don't wash it daily my scalp is so itchy it drives me mad and by the end of the day my hair looks like it has been dipped in a chip pan. I don;t want to try a…
Vinegar for cleaning
I popped in here a couple of days ago and think I saw something about using vinegar for cleaning product replacement. Can someone run through what it comprises of (any other ingredients?) and what I can use to replace these things I regularly buy: all purpose cleaner jif toilet cleaner bleach washing up liquid cistern…
New moneysaving tip for cleaning laundry - urine!
Did anyone see Brainiacs the other day? They were demonstrating (yes really!) men urinating into the washing machine drawer, as urine contains ammonia and is alkaline so breaks down grease etc!
Make razor blades last longer
Advice requested from any boffins. I've been looking at this gadget which claims to extend the life of razor blades. http://pacificshaving.com/edgesaver.html Now as far as I can see, all this does is dry the blade and coat it with oil - which you could easily do yourself for next to nothing. If I dry my blade after use…
Softening hard sugar?
Sainsburys delivered my shopping as usual this morning but the bag of sugar I ordered is all hard down one side. I can tip some of it out but it must have got moist at some point because half the bag is rock hard! Is there anything I can do or must I hack at it with a knife!!!!

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Ofgem proposes new 'no standing charge' Price Cap – but Martin Lewis warns vulnerable customers need to be opted in or it won't work
Ofgem has today launched detailed proposals for a major shake up to its Energy Price Cap that dictates the price over 80% of homes in England, Scotland and Wales pay for their energy bills.
Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland to cut overdraft rates for millions but hike them for others – here's what's happening and full help
If you're a Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland current account holder, the interest rate you're charged for using your overdraft could change soon as part of a fees shake-up. The Lloyds Banking Group, which owns all three brands, says millions of its customers will pay less after the changes – but a "few" will pay more.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more low-income households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Martin Lewis: At last a chance to fix Council Tax flaws impacting millions – debt collection, difficulty challenging your band, discounts and more
Major flaws in the Council Tax system in England could finally be fixed in future, as the Government has launched a wide-ranging consultation to review hideous debt collection practices, the difficulty of challenging your band, the overly complex and horribly-named Severe Mental Impairment discount and more. MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis, who has long campaigned on these issues, shares his response and analysis.
Energy complaints to be dealt with more quickly and Energy Ombudsman to get new powers under Government plans
If you have a complaint about your energy firm, it may be resolved more quickly in future, as the Government has announced a raft of proposals to strengthen consumer protections in the energy market. The planned changes include giving the Energy Ombudsman new powers to force firms to comply with its decisions – but it's still very early days. Here's what we know so far.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Base rate held at 4.25% – here's what it means and when it might be cut next
The Bank of England has held the base rate at 4.25%. Below we explain why, when it might be cut, plus what it means for your mortgage and savings.
Applied for South West Trains 'boundary fares' compensation? Act now to claim it
If you applied for compensation from South West Trains before the deadline in January 2025, you now need to provide your bank details to the claim administrator so it can be paid to you. Here's what you need to know.
Winter Fuel Payments to be reinstated for millions – Martin Lewis explains how it'll work, what it means and if it's an improvement
All State Pensioners in England and Wales will receive a Winter Fuel Payment this winter, though those who earn over £35,000 will see it clawed back through the tax system. It means nine million pensioners will get the £200 or £300 top-up. Here MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis shares his instant response and analysis, and we include answers to your key questions.

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