Lots more Sneaky Ways to save the pennies

FunBrum

I do this Lisa110rry. In fact I turn off and unplug everything that isn't in use, and it does work because my electric bill has never been so low, and its wintertime!

VfM4meplse

Does anyone use a device plus smartphone to turn their gadgets on and off remotely? I glanced at a product recently (discounted, of course ) but couldn't get my head round the technology. Is it a faff to set up? Is it reliable? What is your phone is out of action? And are the savings worthwhile?

Uniscots97

I brush up my floors and carpets (for carpets I use a rubber bristled brush and it pulls up fluff and long hair and pet hair) before vacuuming and then I don't need to have my vacuum on as long.

Primrose

VfM4meplse wrote: »

Does anyone use a device plus smartphone to turn their gadgets on and off remotely? I glanced at a product recently (discounted, of course ) but couldn't get my head round the technology. Is it a faff to set up? Is it reliable? What is your phone is out of action? And are the savings worthwhile?

Can't comment on smartphone but we use Hive on an iPad to control or change the settings on our central heating and hot water when we're away from the house. It,s a very useful facility. If the temperature changes rapidly, we can turn the heating up, down or off. It will probably need a new thermostat to be installed though. We can still control our central heating boiler through this if the iPad wasn't available. It does take a little time to get your head round the technology.

These gadgets seem to be becoming more popular so may be worth waiting a while to see if their prices drop.

AnnieO1234

melanzana wrote: »

Does anyone think there can be "too much too often" washing going on these days?

I mean compared to when I were a nipper anyway.

Changing bedding every week, washing clothes after one wear and so on?

Now that I've retired I realise that I did wash far too much and far too often.

I'm a bit more relaxed about it now, but am still very clean IYSWIM, and saving a fortune too.

I have a tankful of hot water all year round, so I often handwash stuff and just put them in the W/M to rinse and spin - takes about ten, fifteen minutes or so. Why waste the hot water? I have the time, I grant you, and I do NOT handwash towels or bedding, life is too short for that!. But you know, the tops, trousers, (special handwash for special undies) and small things like that. It's amazing how quickly you can wash them as they are generally only worn once.

This is me! I'm a total laundry nightmare really. Everything is washed with unstoppables, possibly with laundry cleanser, plus conditioner (and if it's going away for a while or is bedding, then it gets comfort intense as well as the unstoppables). I use a lot of starch when ironing too, and every last thing is ironed. I even buy a professional conditioner by Lenor that is GOOD for towels.

Towels don't get hung up, they get put in the wash after one use. Bedding is done once a week but I'd do it every day if I could. Jeans might get 2 wears before they're washed. I'm just a total nightmare, I can't conceive of how people used to live with such minimal clothes washing. I mean, I know they had to, and I know I wash too much but I'm not sure what the happy medium really would be! xxx

Skint_yet_Again

AnnieO1234 wrote: »

...... I'm not sure what the happy medium really would be! xxx

I guess we all just go with what we are comfortable with. I feel that I shower before bed so the sheets don't need washing every day and the towels get used after you have just washed yourself so they cant be dirty enough to need washing after a single use ... but that's me and what I'm comfortable with.


My tip for washing is to make sure you have enough to fill the machine rather than washing just one or two items at a time.



I'm a northern lass so the washing gets hung out to dry as often as possible - unless its pouring with rain of course - and finished on the airers if needed. My neighbour only seems to hang 2 items at a time on her washing line but mine is always full ! I will go and find things to wash to make up a load rather than just wash a few things at a time

Datchet

Some of theses might be oldies but goodies
1. Use refillable liquid hand soap dispensers filled with Value Bubble- Bath ( pennies for a litre as oppose
D to £1+ for 100ml)
2. A mantra taught to the kids growing up to minimise toilet paper sheets; "When you Poo - Three - Two - Two"!
3. Save all toilet roll middles plus veg packaging for plant pots / seed trays
4. Value razors - massive savings. If you get a bad batch... Take em back! No quibble exchange.
5. "Submarine Shower" Royal Navy & USN showers run for two periods of One Minute. First to wash & rinse hair plus wet yourself. 30 second intermission to lather up. Second one minute period to rinse body. ( value shampoo & shower gel, Obvs)
6. Hotbin Composter - all veg peelings and cardboard = never have to buy compost (takes quite a bit of effort)
7. Grow your own - nuff said

166million

givememoney wrote: »

Hubby discovered this one.

Getting marmite out the bottom of the jar with a knife is practically impossible.

Solution.....use teaspoon and you find that jar you were about to throw away will give up a couple more teaspoons of marmite

I fill the jar with hot water and use it as stock

givememoney

Skint_yet_Again wrote: »

I guess we all just go with what we are comfortable with. I feel that I shower before bed so the sheets don't need washing every day and the towels get used after you have just washed yourself so they cant be dirty enough to need washing after a single use ... but that's me and what I'm comfortable with.

What! I didn't know anyone washed sheets every day or towels come to that. Our sheets get changed once a fortnight and towels about once a week.

Slinky

AnnieO1234 wrote: »

This is me! I'm a total laundry nightmare really. Everything is washed with unstoppables, possibly with laundry cleanser, plus conditioner (and if it's going away for a while or is bedding, then it gets comfort intense as well as the unstoppables). I use a lot of starch when ironing too, and every last thing is ironed. I even buy a professional conditioner by Lenor that is GOOD for towels.

Towels don't get hung up, they get put in the wash after one use. Bedding is done once a week but I'd do it every day if I could. Jeans might get 2 wears before they're washed. I'm just a total nightmare, I can't conceive of how people used to live with such minimal clothes washing. I mean, I know they had to, and I know I wash too much but I'm not sure what the happy medium really would be! xxx

Do you have no care for the environment at all? We don't own the planet, we rent it from those yet to come.