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

ALIBOBSY

Loving this thread, but haven't got through all of it yet lol. Have done most of the stuff on here, but let things slide a bit in the last few months.
Even though OH is now back in permanent work I want to still keep the money tight so we can build up the savings we ran down when out of work last year and move towards our "dream smallholding" aim.

We have chickens and each year grow more and more of our own produce, but haven't the land to get bigger livestock or be completely self sufficient (neighbours joke about the "good life") . OH and I have always wanted to have a smalholding and aim to be much more self sufficient and live a greener lifestyle.

The plan is starting to solidify now as OH has a good job in an office that is a call centre out in the sticks-in a tiny village close to a small town in the north west.
Looking at house prices they are even cheaper than around here-about 40 mins away and still in lancashire. How about an 8 acre smallholding for £250k. Ok the house is a bit run down but structually sound. Or a better house closer to his works and 6 acres for £330k.

So the aim now is to save like crazy for the next 2 years-don't want to move sons school whilst he does his GCSE's and the bank will look better at our application if Oh has done 2 yrs for the company-plus the last of the old defaults drop off so we will have a clean sheet by then.
In the meanwhile the more I can practice ecking out those pennies the better.

Something I have noticed is that many oldstylers I know (both here and in person) seem to cut their own hair. I thought we were one of a small number lol.
Have trimmed the kids and OH's for years using one of those shaver things and My OH has discovered quite a flair for cutting longer hair so trims mine and eldest DD who has only been to a hairdressers once in her life.

I used to get a shorter cut at a hairdressers and get Oh to trim it in between to make the cut last longer, but now its just long and straight it simply needs a straight trim to keep the ends neat every so often so I begrudge paying £20 for that. Plus I NEVER enjoyed the whole hairdressing experience, akin to dentists or doctors for me-something to get through that you have to do lol.

Funnily I have seen a new side to my OH by going more old style-his wonderfully artistic christmas wreaths (made entirely from foraged stuff-and pound shop ribbon), his wood work skills-see gates and chicken fencing and his gardening. Oddly his work is the exact opposite in that he works in IT with the latest technology.

ali x

mavisangelica

Does this count?
Not only do I take the bag out of a wine box and squeeze it, I now cut the corner of the bag to get the last drops out.

GreyQueen

mavisangelica wrote: »

Does this count?
Not only do I take the bag out of a wine box and squeeze it, I now cut the corner of the bag to get the last drops out.

Ohmigosh, you wasteful hussy, you!:D

According to an American called Jeff Yeager aka the Ultimate Cheapskate (see elsewhere on t'internet) you can use those wine box bladders as camping pillows...........:rotfl:

I'm reading the thread from back to front, will be enjoying you in reverse order.:o

PS, somebody who shall remain nameless to spare his blushes tells me that you often find money inc bank notes, at night outside those payment hatches in 24 hour petrol stations. Sadly, the only one of these relatively near me is in the red light district, so I haven't tried that out for myself...........cash-finding I mean, whatever were you thinking in the back?!

GreyQueen

Eenymeeny wrote: »

Has anyone any uses for left over pickled onion vinegar? Apart from putting it on your chips I mean? It just seems a shame to pour it down the drain... Dad used to put it on the grass verge outside his house to stop dogs using it as a toilet! Seems that they moved on pretty sharpish once they smelt it!

:)What I do with my ex-pickling onion vinegar is to keep it in a pickle jar on the counter and use half-a-mugful in a basin of water as a final rinse when I wash my hair. It seems to remove any trace of shampoo residue and leaves my (very long and very thick) hair soft and lovely without a touch of conditioner. And you don't smell vinegar-y in case you're worried. Give it a go, it's fab.:)

oldtractor

I dry washing on drying racks. I cut my husbands and sons hair, I have long hair but cut the fringe when needed and chop a bit off the bottom when it gets too long. I wash out and re-use plastic food bags and plastic tubs. I make laundry gloop. I make soup from bones and carcasses. I heat water on the wood burner. I make my own bread and cakes. I make jam and chutneys and pickles.I bottle fruit.I grow fruit and veg.its all a bit 19th Centuary really.
ETA GQ thanks for the vinegar tip.

Big_Alf

Growing up in the 80's I'll always remember my mum adding some sarsons to an almost finished bottle of tomato sauce to make sure all the stuff that stuck to the sides was used. I presumed this was common but raising this with some people the other night they thought I was barmy.

Sound familiar to anyone?

shandyclover

compforus wrote: »

... we are allergic to deodorant but found the rock salt didn't irritate. We prefer the spray rock type but they are pricey. I noticed you can now buy a spray bottle with bits of rock in the bottom and it says you can top up with water to reuse...:idea:.

... I put the rock in a jar of water and put it in a spray bottle. It lasts forever as the solution comes out very strong so it can be watered down further. It takes a while to disolve but you can start using it quite soon and the rock just slowly disolves over the weeks till you have the concentrated one.

This is what we would do while living in India too. Though the crystal rock was Alum. You could buy it loose from hardware stores. Some people would use it as is dipped in a bit of water, some would smash it up a bit in a tea towel with a rolling pin and put it in a spray bottle with water and I would always add an essential oil as well. Even got to the point I would save my roll on bottles and prize out the ball or the lid and refill. All because all deodorants were imported back in the 80's-90's and very expensive, whereas a piece of alum cost about 2p! A friend of mine always buys cheap crystal rock deo's when she goes to visit family in Germany, they seem quite reasonable there. Our local independent health food store sells the rocks loose, and I have also seen them in an organic street market.

HelenYorkshire

karren wrote: »

hi can i ask advice about the rock deodrant? my son is asthmatic and im so not keen on him using deodrant but he is sports mad so needs something, is the rock salt ok for excess perspiration too?

I found I had to be a bit more "aware" of things - it worked fine in terms of not smelling, but wasn't quite as dry. More pronounced if wearing artificial fbres, not bad with e.g. a normal cotton t shirt. Actually, after my skin adjusted to it, there was less odour after a hard day's work than there was/is with a normal deo as it begins to wear off.
Strong foods like curries "come out" through the pores, and weren't masked by a fake perfume, if that bothers you/him.

I'd give it a go, but give it a couple of weeks for the skin to adjust.

clairesolo

I love this thread deeply ! There's loads I'm now going to do! My little thing is whilst I'm straightening my frizzy haystack hair lol! I bought my Ghd straighteners back in 2003 and theyre still going strong! I've only ever had to replace the flex with one that cost me less than a fiver on ebay. What i do is section off my hair with clips, then when its heated up to temp i switch it of and do about 3 to 4 one inch sections before repeating. Saves on the leccy. Xx

oldtractor

Lyndy wrote: »

Heehee my mum used hers as a dog bowl. Dog had a terrible habit of putting her feet in her dish to keep it still and then getting food on her feet and then on the floor etc. No feet required to keep the washing machine door still:p

thats brilliant.:j