Lots more Sneaky Ways to save the pennies

sparrer

A teaspoon of the oil from a can of fish, poured over the cats/dogs dinner, makes it that little more tasty and is good for their joints. My dog and mogs are proof it works, they love it and I don't have to spend silly money on proprietary brands for them. I also use the olive oil I've cooked in, rather than waste it by throwing it down the sink.

chachiluz

Quasar wrote: »

For those who don't like/want the skins of potatoes (I myself love them), there is no need to peel them before boiling. Peeling raw potatoes takes away some of the potato itself so you waste a bit. Instead, scrub them well, boil them in their skins and then the skins come off easily and neatly, but none of the flesh at all. There, nice smooth potatoes with no waste.

I add 2 or 3 eggs. Let them cool down, slice add sliced tomatoes peppers, olives and tuna. Dress with olive oil and vinegar and you have a wonderful summe salad.

Kiwisaver_2

Becky_2 wrote: »

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.

This works for celery too, a head of celery can last a good couple of weeks without going limp and bendy if you wrap it in foil and keep it in the fridge.

Uniscots97

I use Stardrops for everything. I also keep cut up squares of old t-shirts dipped in a warm water with a drop of stardrops and wrung out and put in a poly bag in the car if I know we're going for a picnic. Perfect for wiping hands etc.

If I forget to put potatoes on for mash, I'll grate the potato into the boiling water. Always grate them on the largest guage. They'll be ready to mash in only a few minutes.

chachiluz

I hate paying for expensive pasta sauce. For 5 people I blend 2 cans (plum tomatoes are cheaper) with my hand blender (if you haven't got one chop them and use a potato masher to make the sauce the thinner it is the more it gets in the pasta) add garlic oil and salt and that's it. A very creamy sauce. You can add a can of tuna, or slice frankfurters for a more smocky flavour. I tend to slice the frankfurters and slightly fry them and add all to sauce. Mixed with pasta. Really filling meal for a couple of quid.

chachiluz

If you get sunburn my family has always used this method.

Get a bowl put cold water and ice cubes and vinegar . Use flannel soaked in the solution and cover the area. It will cool the skin.... You smell a little like salad but it works very well. My kids do it automatically now if they had been out and forgot the sun cream.

givememoney

I don't like putting my wine glasses in the dishwasher so wash them by hand.

If all I have to wash is them, rather than fill the bowl with hot water and washing up liquid, I get a tiny squirt of the liquid in my rubber gloves, rub my hands together then clean them with my soapy gloved hands. I then rinse them off and use the water collected to wipe the tops down.

If you don't use gloves do the same thing but with a little hand wash detergent, it cleans them just the same.

Uniscots97

Anyone else put out disposible napkins or a piece of kitchen roll with dinner (especially if its something like chicken)? I used to but now use cloth napkins. I use coloured ones and put them in the wash (they take up very little room in the washing machine) and the reason for coloured ones? Then it means I don't need to stress about getting them completely white after say having curry. I found we were using lots of paper napkins and since switching to cloth it makes things easier.

Poundland keep packs of cloth napkins (4 napkins), and they are decent quality.

notatvstar

givememoney wrote: »

I don't like putting my wine glasses in the dishwasher so wash them by hand.

If all I have to wash is them, rather than fill the bowl with hot water and washing up liquid, I get a tiny squirt of the liquid in my rubber gloves, rub my hands together then clean them with my soapy gloved hands. I then rinse them off and use the water collected to wipe the tops down.

If you don't use gloves do the same thing but with a little hand wash detergent, it cleans them just the same.

On a related note...

As I have a septic tank I always have to use Eco-friendly stuff. I have found that the eco-friendly hand-wash is a far better de-greaser than the 'proper' stuff (scary:eek:), and so I use that to wash greasy pans, the surfaces and the top of the cooker. I also use it for very dirty glasses following the method described above.

... incidentally... I also use diluted Eco-friendly toilet bowl cleaner to wash the bathroom floor (it doesn't contain bleach or any nasties... Lactic acid I think!) .

T'works!

PS - Please whatever you do, don't let my boyf find any of this out...

iris

unixgirluk wrote: »

Anyone else put out disposible napkins or a piece of kitchen roll with dinner (especially if its something like chicken)? I used to but now use cloth napkins. I use coloured ones and put them in the wash (they take up very little room in the washing machine) and the reason for coloured ones? Then it means I don't need to stress about getting them completely white after say having curry. I found we were using lots of paper napkins and since switching to cloth it makes things easier.

Poundland keep packs of cloth napkins (4 napkins), and they are decent quality.

We have done this for years. I don't like using paper table napkins. We also use a different napkin ring for each person, i.e. mine is a pear and my husband's is an apple. This ensures that we use our own napkin for each meal. They are then washed every couple of days, or more often if dirty;)