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

rowsew

Phew
Just read through the whole of this thread - you have entertained both me and the OH - he wanted to know why I was tittering in the corner - and I have realised just how OS I am! I have been known to do almost everything here at one time or another, although I'm holding back on pooping on the compost heap!

Thanks everyone for all the great ideas.

Nicoll

Georgina wrote: »

Sorry to bump this as it's a bit OT, but with the clock change at the weekend, we realised that we have some kind of radio transmitter thingy, which has told our meter, so our electricity times are the same! Phew! No getting up at the crack of dawn to get a shower before the meter flicks over!

Thanks for this, must check mine. Have just assumed it changed but hopefully not.

Thats_Me_3

This has been a brilliant thread, so many brilliant, if whacky, ideas. I was suprised at just how many of these I already do, some occaissionally, some all the time. and there is always room for a few more. Still not sure about the washable loo paper yet but never let it be said I am not up for a challenge!

Caterina

I am sure other people do this too but I challenge myself to finish every minutest bit of toothpaste! Tubes that my family would happily throw away are squeezed to death, even to the point that sometimes I have to hold the toothbrush under my arm to be able to squeeze the last microscopic blob on the brush with both hands (otherwise if I only use one hand it tends to slip back!). I have even cut the tube open and managed to get the very last scraping.

I always make sure there is enough to clean my teeth properly (e.g. pea-sized amount) on that last squeeze, otherwise I add from the new tube (which has probably been opened and used by the rest of my family for the last couple of weeks!).

seasalt_2

This winter I have been putting all the ash from the rayburn through the garden riddle and saving all the bits of burnable fuel. A week's ash yields a decent couple of bucketfuls. Worth having, I reckon, although I look a bit odd in my swimming goggles and dust mask while I'm doing it!

Sue14

Caterina wrote: »

I am sure other people do this too but I challenge myself to finish every minutest bit of toothpaste! Tubes that my family would happily throw away are squeezed to death, even to the point that sometimes I have to hold the toothbrush under my arm to be able to squeeze the last microscopic blob on the brush with both hands (otherwise if I only use one hand it tends to slip back!). I have even cut the tube open and managed to get the very last scraping.

I always make sure there is enough to clean my teeth properly (e.g. pea-sized amount) on that last squeeze, otherwise I add from the new tube (which has probably been opened and used by the rest of my family for the last couple of weeks!).

I'm glad it's not just me, lol! My OH always says the tube is empty when there's still at least an inch in the tube, because he can't be bothered to squeeze it properly! I've lost count of the amount of times I've rescued a tube he was going to throw out, and used it for at least 2-3 weeks afterwards, while he gets on with using a new tube.

Coincidentally he's just said we need to get some toothpaste, although there's probably enough for at least a few days if not a week!

LolaLemon

I have been reading this for hours and only just finished page 9!
I've loved loads of these posts
I also use olive oil as moisturiser (anything that you would eat can be used as a baeuty product in some way or another)
good 'cleanser/toner' for spotty skin is a sealable tub 3/4 fill with steralised water (i just used water straight from the tap) and 5 drops of tea tree essential oil
buy a good cheapish plain moisturiser and add essential oil (rose is good for mature skin, lavendar for sleep/relaxing, teatree to cleans, antibacterial)
Fake tan marks (i dont use fake tan, used to be a beauty therapist though) sugar in a little moisturiser and scrub with it, can add a little lemon juice too but stay within your lines.

I have curly/afro hair, i dont use hair products to 'tame' my hair, coconut conditioner from tesco (under £1) on clean damp hair helps my curls to stay nice, just dont massage into the scalp, or use too much, it looks like dandruff later in the day, its really good if u are in a high pollutant area, as it coats the hair and u can rinse all the badness off that night.

I bought soap nuts 3 years ago, paid under £5 and still have the trial pack! you take 5 pods, put in a cloth bag (supplied) and put in with the wash, take out hang up to dry and reuse for another 5/6 washes! only thing is, it doesnt do much for staines (like curry sauce etc) but i asume a little soda crystls would do the trick (only picked taht up tonight from this thread!)

I didnt use disposable sanitary towels/tampons. I my mooncup! (u can get femmecups now and other varietys) Its basically a little silicon egg cup with a stem, you inset and it collects the flow, u can wear upto and over 8 hours if u want! i empty it when im in a toilet that has handbasin in with you, disabled/toddler toilets mostly. i just pour it down the toilet and give it a wee rinse and then insert back in. This had been around for longer than the tampon, but has NO side effects like dry , itchy, irritating or TSS. and can last u upto 10 years with good care.
I am also looking into washable pads, as i got the coil in and ive bled everyday since, hate that im irritated now, and the waste being mummified in landfills! Im looking to make my own, but minky do great ones (u have to pay VAT on them!!!! we really should petition the government on items like that as its discrimination, men cant pay that vat as they dont have that function!)

If its yellow, let it mello, if its brown flush it down has been my moto since i moved out my parents over 5 years ago (live in scotland so pay one yearly rate for all water consuption)

I got a free tumble dryer with my washing machine after my son was born and i moved house. ITS A WASTE OF SPACE!!! i have used it 3 times, its a condenser and the water collects in a handy bottle that u used for my plants (which i can do as my washing powder is natural and has little/no chemicals!)
christmas cards get cut and saved for next years gift tags the scraps of card left get taken to the card banks in january.
Only thing that is always switched on is my fridge, everything gets turned off ASAp, really annoys me just now that my son has started staying at his dads n his gf's and now wants the light on, and cant be the wee moneysaving nightlight, no its got to be the big light!
Past year or 2 ive started making christmas presents... mainly hats n scarves... but ive gotten better and can now do arigarami toys and baby sets and blankets, so this year is going to be better!
I'm a good baker, and have the jumbo cupcake mould, been making them for girls birthday presents this year, costs between £20 and £40 up in glasgow, costs me around a fiver to make and decorate, only problem is, i cant find anywhere taht will sell me the cake boxes, so the ones ive done have been given on a sweety tin (roses)
I stay away from Nestl! as much as possible (nestle boycott) but i do sometimes buy sheddies or thier milkshake powder as it doesnt have milk powder like the shops own brands does
I have made my own shopping bags, both crochet and sewn. I try and not use plastic bags as much as possible, but i do use them for my bin and when i had cats for the litter tray.
when my son was in nappies (2 years and 1 month only) in the house it was real nappy (stuffed with microfibre) or nothing, out side was the natra care range, which is compostable, altho i always slushed the poo off first, im sure u could compost it all due to them only having a milk diet (breastmilk only for us)
Past couple of years i have tried growing my own peas, strawberries, and a few other stuff, im looking to invest in chickens next year.
I wrap shoe boxes in nice paper, and wrap the lid seperatly and use as a christmas/birthday gift box or for a hamper present, lets the person reuse the box to store stuff in, my family use it for thier paperwork like car details etc, and looks nice in the cupboard.

To deter moths get a small envelope (make ur own) and put a mixture of bicarb soda and lavendar essential oil in and keep in your drawers/wardrobes etc.

i use junk mail with my stamp cutters and store them in boxes/jars according to colour and lets me and my son use in crafts. Ive started taking all the buttons off old clothes as i want a button jar (have u seen the prices of buttons!!!) store ribbon from gifts balloons etc in glass jars, makes a nice disply if u have a few of them up.
I dont use deoderant/antiperperant, use a crystal stick instead, had the trial one from holland and barrett for 3 years now! and WORKS BETTER than branded sprays,sticks and rollons, and no possible lung damage exposure!
i make my own cleaners using bicard, borax, soda crystals, vinegar, and loads of essential oils
use essential oils in my washing machine instead of conditioner, cinnamon in the run up to christmas, lemon for whites, ylang ylang for darks and tea tree or lavendar for towels and bedding, this can and does change sometimes.... some eucalyptis in a bowl of water under radiator or on ledge above for keeping noses clear and rooms not to dry in winter.
if u use essential oils in a bath, please put a shot glass full of milk in too, as essential oils can be harsh on the skin, the milk soothes it out, or use oats wrapped in a peice of cloth, add essential oils to the oats and use as a spunge, is fantastic for those with dry, irritated, psorisis, excema type skin, and teh kids like it when getting washed and the water is creamy

hot chocolate - we have an allergy to cows products, so i make my own hot chocolate buy heating up milk in a pan, and adding some real chocolate (bounty, mars, galaxy, freddo bars, lindt, toblerone, roses etc) whisk while still on the heat, bring to the boil and serve. dont burn!
I dont buy buscuits, i make some shortbread type ones, 100g flour (any) 100g butter/marg and 50g of any sugar, mix with hand and roll into small balls, flatten a little and cook for roughly 12 mins at 180degrees. can add extras like vanilla essence, chopped chocolate smarties, sprinkles cinnamon powder when mixing and a little to decorate.... brill for when u have unexpected guests.

dont do crisps either, just slice root veg, sweet potato and parsnips my fav for this, slice to any thickness, i do £1 coin roughly, put in sandwich bag, add flavour, salt n peper, paprika, rosemary, chilli flakes, shake, add 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of oil and give a good shake, then cook for 10-15 mins at 180degrees.
i have done with carrots n parsnips and i chopped into rough wee cubes and had in a bowl when watching a film, mmm if it wasnt soo late id go maake some now.


looking forward to reading from page 10 tomorrow onwards

rigsby1967

Caterina wrote: »

I am sure other people do this too but I challenge myself to finish every minutest bit of toothpaste! Tubes that my family would happily throw away are squeezed to death, even to the point that sometimes I have to hold the toothbrush under my arm to be able to squeeze the last microscopic blob on the brush with both hands (otherwise if I only use one hand it tends to slip back!). I have even cut the tube open and managed to get the very last scraping.

I always make sure there is enough to clean my teeth properly (e.g. pea-sized amount) on that last squeeze, otherwise I add from the new tube (which has probably been opened and used by the rest of my family for the last couple of weeks!).

No need to sqeeze it to death:p, just cut open the end of the tube and you can get the very last scrappings out that way :T.

rigs

NualaBuala

Fab post LolaLemon! :T

Primrose

Lola Lemon - You should be teaching Home Economics in a school. The kids would learn so much from you!