Old style things that 'only you' do...

EagerLearner

What is the Tightwad Gazette - is there a website?

Rabbit

EagerLearner wrote:

What is the Tightwad Gazette - is there a website?

It's a huge book by Amy Dacyczyn, I got it from doing a reservation at my local library. Amazon have it too.

It's very American but full of really useful hints and tips.

HTH

Lexis200

This has had me giggling like a loon for ages now, and I have a load of work I need to be doing instead so I'm acutally losing money by reading the damn thread:rotfl:

My OH goes on and on about getting the expensive 'soft' butter in tubs, which I think are a complete waste of money as they never are usable from the fridge and they go stupidly soft when left out. Last November I bought one of the big tubs, and ever since then I've been rinsing it out and replacing it with normal blocks. He only noticed last month when I forgot to reshape it after I'd put it in the tub:D

I also fill up the kids branded cereal boxes with own brand products...I'm a bad bad mummy!

Oh, and I haven't bought new clothes for the kids for about a year now...I buy everything from ebay and they are the best dressed boys I know! They only wear Monsoon, Gap, Next etc and it costs next to nothing! Plus I only use the money I've made from selling stuff on ebay so it's perfect recycling!:T

Lizzieanne

There are some great ideas on this thread!

I brush my cat each day and put the fur from the brush into a little bag and save it until the spring when the birds are nesting. They go absolutely mad when it's pushed into an old bird feeder - we've just cleared out the bird house ready for next season, and it's completely lined with black fur!

I don't think that's really 'money saving', but it is recycling!

stilernin

Lizzieanne wrote:

There are some great ideas on this thread!

I brush my cat each day and put the fur from the brush into a little bag and save it until the spring when the birds are nesting. They go absolutely mad when it's pushed into an old bird feeder - we've just cleared out the bird house ready for next season, and it's completely lined with black fur!

I don't think that's really 'money saving', but it is recycling!

Surely it's very cheap for the birdies.....? (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Great ideas everybody.

OneSpike

Lexis200 wrote:

I also fill up the kids branded cereal boxes with own brand products...I'm a bad bad mummy!
/QUOTE]

I put all our cereal in those big plastic boxes to keep it fresh, so the children have no idea what comes from where. I'm pleased to say though that they aren't too fussed about brands - possibly because we don't get TV reception most of the year so they aren't bombarded with adverts. Suits me just fine

OneSpike

I have recently started driving at 'a steady 55 mph' which is rather horrifying, but it does (in theory) eke out the fuel that bit longer. As we've had to wait so long for salary to arrive in the new account both cars have been well into the red. Following the sound advice on this thread I both waggled the nozzle (ooer etc) when the pump had finished (double ooer) and made a note of how much my pump was. Then handed over my Morrisons Miles card and got a voucher, so most satisfactory

newlywed

I turn off the radio, back windscreen heater etc if I'm low on petrol, accelerate slowly from traffic lights and break more slowly too. Maybe I should try it all the time and see if it really makes a difference

apple_mint

OneSpike wrote:

I have recently started driving at 'a steady 55 mph' which is rather horrifying, but it does (in theory) eke out the fuel that bit longer. As we've had to wait so long for salary to arrive in the new account both cars have been well into the red. Following the sound advice on this thread I both waggled the nozzle (ooer etc) when the pump had finished (double ooer) and made a note of how much my pump was. Then handed over my Morrisons Miles card and got a voucher, so most satisfactory

Our (diesel) car has one of those computer readouts which tells us how many miles per gallon you are using and how many miles until the next refill of the tank. We started driving at a steady 55-58 mph and now we are refilling once a fortnight rather than once per week. We are getting urban figures of 53-55 mpg and steady motorway figures in excess of 60 mph. I wish we'd started doing this a couple of years ago

devoncat

My partner is the best at saving...

He dilutes dish soap in a spray bottle and just sprays the dishes when he washes up. We have only used 1/2 a bottle of washing up liquid in 5 months.

When the wicks of candles get too short to burn, he breaks up the wax and drops it in new candles--he even scraps the edges of tealight tins to get the last bit of wax.