Lots more Sneaky Ways to save the pennies

kbl

not sure if this has been posted but just in case it hasn't, I've started setting the table for dinner with smaller juice glasses, and have noticed the kids and OH still only refill twice (they always refill twice), so less juice used, may only be dilute from Aldi, but every little helps!!

Fruball

Watercress!

Watercress is staggeringly easy to grow - just take a few pieces of any shop bought fresh watercress, snip off the ends, pop in a cup/vase of water and wait for roots then put into wet compost and keep wet.

Or, just put the stems straight into wet compost and keep wet.

Hey presto, watercress all summer for the price of one bunch

Bartelmy

In 2010, I gave up shampoo and conditioner in exchange for baking soda and apple cider vinegar. Much cheaper, and after an initial breaking-in period, my hair was in much better condition.:D I used two empty water bottles with nipple tops, and filled one with one tablespoon baking soda then filled to the top with water, and the other with about 4 tablespoons of ACV and water. Squirt onto your hair, massage in till it feels soapy (kind of slippery, not lathery), rinse. Repeat with ACV, only this time you're going for a soft feeling, not a slippery one.

Last December, I shaved my head for charity. Since then, I've only used water on it. Every few days I run a fine-toothed comb through it in the shower, and it stays perfectly clean.:) Saves me a ton, and no one knows if I don't tell them.

marmiterulesok

Fruball wrote: »

Watercress!

Watercress is staggeringly easy to grow - just take a few pieces of any shop bought fresh watercress, snip off the ends, pop in a cup/vase of water and wait for roots then put into wet compost and keep wet.

Or, just put the stems straight into wet compost and keep wet.

Hey presto, watercress all summer for the price of one bunch

What a great idea and so simple.I'll be trying this,thanks.

Uniscots97

consultant31 wrote: »

I save the plastic lids from packs of Pringles and use them under sauce bottles, oil bottles, salt pots etc.....they save a lot of mess in the cupboards. They're also handy to cover the top of pet food cans once opened.

They are also good if you have a plastic compact of pressed powder or bronzerand break the lid (which I find happens often if you put it into your bag) as they fit perfectly

ribrab30

first post so be kind!

I have read this thread and really enjoyed it so thought I should add to it. It has already been mentioned but T value baby lotion is great even for the dryest of skin like mine. It is 20p for a 500ml bottle and I use it for my face, body and hands and it has improved my very dry skin massively and at 20p you can use as much as you want. It is also great as aftersun although the bottle is quite heavy for a case and it cant go in hand luggage

kboss2010

For Xmas one year I bought my bf a custom-commissioned painting of a snow leopard - it's beautiful but it cost me £200!!!

For Valentine's day this year, because I'm back at uni with no student loans (for a postgrad course) I found a huge painting of our old university for £5 in a charity shop. The frame was ruined and full of chips so I bought a small tube of filler and a can of black gloss spray paint and filled the holes in the wood, sanded them down and sprayed it black - voila! An original watercolour (90cmx60cm) with a good as new frame for around £10. He loved it!

My best CS bargain has to be an old bedside table with a cupboard, a drawer and a cubby hole in it. It cost me £5 and I've bought a small tin of turquoise gloss paint and a metal fossil-shaped handle I got for £3 (was £12!) and it looks fantastic.

Tryingagainandagain

Fruball wrote: »

Watercress!

Watercress is staggeringly easy to grow - just take a few pieces of any shop bought fresh watercress, snip off the ends, pop in a cup/vase of water and wait for roots then put into wet compost and keep wet.

Or, just put the stems straight into wet compost and keep wet.

Hey presto, watercress all summer for the price of one bunch

This is brilliant :T:T:T - I tried it with a packaged organic bunch in the supermarket and it works:T really quickly too.

I just put the whole bunch in a jug of water and now have a lot of watercress plants!!

Thank you

auntymabel

joedenise wrote: »

Not sure if this has been posted previously but as I was doing hard boiled eggs yesterday I thought I ought to add this to the thread.

It's a tip I got from one of the old Shirley Goode frugal kitchen books:

To do soft boiled eggs: place eggs in cold water, bring up to boil and turn off the gas/electricity. Leave covered for 5 minutes then serve.

For hard boiled eggs: place eggs in cold water, bring to the boil, boil for 2 minutes. Leave covered for 20 minutes, drain, crack shells gently and place in cold water. Leave 10 minutes before shelling. This method stops the blue ring forming around the yolk, which is a bonus.

Don't waste the egg boiling water - allow to cool and use to water plants as it is full of minerals.

Hope these tips are of some help to others.

Denise

Fuel-saving pasta - also from Shirley Goode

Put pasta in boiling water and add 1 tsp oil. Sti,r then reduce heat and simmer for 2 mins. Remove from heat and cover with a towel and lid. Leave to stand for 10 mins.

spanishlivinginUK

Like many others have said before I make my cleaning sprays myself.
I use spray bottles from Wilko at 70p each.

Kitchen cleaner
washing up liquid (100ml)
Soda cristals (100ml)
Bleach (50ml)
Top up to the 1L mark with warm water and mix well

For the bathroom
Replace bleach with zoflora (25ml)

To clean glass
100ml white vinegar
900ml water

If I have any I use stardrops instead of washing up liquid, but the only place I can find it where I am is Wilko and I always forget!