Lots more Sneaky Ways to save the pennies

tescodisco

I've got long hair and it's always building up in my shower plug and gradually leading to slow draining water.

I went to the diy store to buy something to unblock it - but couldn't find anything that suited.

So I made my own version of a tool I'd seen on an american website.

I bought a pack of cheap cable ties which were very cheap.

When I got home I used kitchen scissors (because the ties are made of very tough plastic) to cut a series of 'teeth' along each side of the tie. It's hard to describe but basically you want a series of little hooks on the edges of the tie.

Like this -
\ /
\ /
\ /

Then use this to hook all the hair out of the plughole, because the cable tie is flexible it's easy to get it in and out, and because it's plastic it won't damage anything.

It works really well and turns an awful fiddly job I used to do with a coat hanger, always scared I was going to damage something, into a simple 10 minute job. The hardest part is putting the cuts in the cable tie.

I throw the tie away when I'm done - but you could easily wash and reuse.

Hope that helps someone.

tara747

unixgirluk wrote: »

when I ran out of foundation recently, I found a sample of one in a magazine but the shade was too dark for me. I mixed it with some face cream (until I got the correct shade) and put in a small pot and used this for the next week.

Oh wow, so simple yet so clever!!! I have some too-dark foundation samples from mags, was wondering what to do with them and now I know Thanks xx

tara747

tescodisco wrote: »

I've got long hair and it's always building up in my shower plug and gradually leading to slow draining water.

I went to the diy store to buy something to unblock it - but couldn't find anything that suited.

So I made my own version of a tool I'd seen on an american website.

I bought a pack of cheap cable ties which were very cheap.

When I got home I used kitchen scissors (because the ties are made of very tough plastic) to cut a series of 'teeth' along each side of the tie. It's hard to describe but basically you want a series of little hooks on the edges of the tie.

Like this -
\ /
\ /
\ /

Then use this to hook all the hair out of the plughole, because the cable tie is flexible it's easy to get it in and out, and because it's plastic it won't damage anything.

It works really well and turns an awful fiddly job I used to do with a coat hanger, always scared I was going to damage something, into a simple 10 minute job. The hardest part is putting the cuts in the cable tie.

I throw the tie away when I'm done - but you could easily wash and reuse.

Hope that helps someone.

What are cable ties? This would be useful for me as I have long hair too, and it is a devil for blocking the drain

Uniscots97

Tara, you can get them out of Poundland (long black or coloured strips of plastic with a 'buckle' at one end) used for tidying lots of cables. I have long hair too but use an old fine crochet hook to clear the plughole, but I guess any thin bit of wire would do and bend the end of it to grab the hair.

Uniscots97

when cooking pasta I tend to let it boil up, stir it, then turn the heat off and make sure its covered by a lid. The pasta will cook away without heat in the boiling water, yes it takes longer but uses less energy.

When drying my hair with a hairdryer, I sit in front of the clothes horse it means the clothes get a blast of warm air as well helping them dry.

I'm lucky enough to work somewhere where they have hairspray, hand lotion etc supplied in the Ladies, so instead of using mine I style my hair and then give it a spritz of hairspray when I get to work.

I use an old razor to de-fuzz woollen garments.

Becky_2

Here is my latest money saving tip which comes from MIL and FIL. Wrap your fresh cucumber tightly in aluminium foil, it will then stay firm for at least a week. I laughed when they told me to do this but it does actually work.

sparrer

unixgirl I do something similar,but in the mw. Put the pasta in a bowl with salt, pour a kettle of boiling water over, cover with clingfilm, bring back to the boil then turn off and let it cook in its own heat. It uses a little less electricity than the oven. When it's cooked strain in a colander, pour another kettle of boiling water over,return to the bowl and stir in a little oil, which prevents it sticking together and helps it freeze beautifully

Becky thanks for that, I often have to throw away a soggy part cucumber but this will hopefully prevent that. It also works on bananas apparently, must try both

Quasar

Not strictly penny saving as such, but I've found this page that tells of 10 uses for egg cartons. There are two or three that definitely interest me.

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2012/01/15/10-uses-for-egg-cartons/

Uniscots97

This one only happened to me today, I'd put some stuff in the machine and something leaked dye through my nice black and white stripey shirt.... panic.... had no colour run stuff so searched through the kitchen cupboard.


.............the answer?............soda crystals........dissolve a dessertspoonful in warm water and soak the item for ten minutes, rinse in clean warm water, soak again in more soda crystals and warm water and again change the water after ten minutes. I did this four times and then rinsed twice in cool water (it was an expensive blouse) and my blouse is back to normal. Yes its a bit more work than the colour catcher but defintely cheaper and its something I always have to hand.

tracey12_2

I buy Mr T value baby bath for 11p and use in a pump dispenser as handwash