Great 'Things to do before the Summer's over' Hunt

Former_MSE_Penelope

Great 'Things to do before the summer ends' Hunt

What should people be doing to help save money before summer ends? Organising childcare, sorting paperwork or planting the right stuff, we'd love your tips please.


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catnatlady

It's still not too late to plant certain veggies- carrots, onions, late potatoes - and they taste so much better than shop bought stuff. Any surplus can be frozen, preserved or distributed to friends.

trulymiserable

catnatlady wrote: »

It's still not too late to plant certain veggies- carrots, onions, late potatoes - and they taste so much better than shop bought stuff. Any surplus can be frozen, preserved or distributed to friends.

Can these all be planted into pots and do you mean from the packets of seeds , sorry never planted anything before just thought it would be a fun thing for the kids to get involved in and save money too !

sparkiedoll

Go and pick blackberries, apples, damsons, sloes, wimberries (fondly remembered childhood on Dartmoor) are all there for the picking... I have already had loads of blackberries and they are particularly good this year. Eat now or make jam, sloe gin, freeze, wine...make up for gifts....jars of blackberry and apple and a jar of 'crumble mix' with festive fabric lid covers....a great idea for gifts for neighbours, older 'got all they need' friends and family....could keep going but think I will go pick more blackberries with the kids right now!

smiths84

Get your sewing machine serviced. I had a local chap come round and do mine for £35. It now runs like a dream (I hadn't realised the tension was totally screwed) and I have already knocked up some waterproof cushion covers and tablecloth for the patio set and the prototype of a bag which I hope to get into production for Xmas pressies etc over the dark evenings ahead.

fluffytrollop

beetroot, broccoli (for next spring) spuds (for as early as xmas) can all go in pots, of whatever origin you like.anything will do as long as it holds the soil in and lets water drain out. I have mine in plastic tubs, buckets, trays from supermarket fruits, and a couple of bags. Carrots - sow them in smaller plant pots, have some of them on your windowsill. For a bit of extra moneysaving - cut the top 1cm off, replace that in the soil and you'll get another, smaller taproot to eat from that (kids think its interesting but it may be a bit of the miserly side eh) turnip can be planted now. Walllflowers, foxgloves, poppies and a heap of other flowers for your visiting bees.

spinach, lettuce and rocket can also be sown now for a late crop, onions garlic etc, many will get on with it whatever time you plant or sow. Its worth heading off for a couple of bags of cow poo from your nearby farm - and forking that in to the top soil. There are loads of things you can plant or sow now. There are loads of good gardening websites - bbc does a pretty easy to understand one.
Good luck! would be nice to ohear how you get on.

Compost bins are invaluable - dont forget one of these - freecycle/freegle often have them.

Snazbaz

Making sure your loft has enough insulation, fitting draught excluders round doors, letterboxes etc, maintaining the outside of your house (eg painting to protect it from the elements - you should book decorators in early Spring really, as all the best ones get booked up early for the summer), getting your boiler serviced, getting your car serviced, topping up your heating oil tank, comparing your electricity/gas suppliers and switching to a cheaper one before the big bills start rolling in, making your own Xmas cards and gifts, hitting the summer sales for Xmas presents ...

r2d2

We're doing this one, you get the added bonus of clearing the junk out of the attic & potentially making some income from Ebay, and/or clothing some third world residents.

Only cost £150 with Eon (knocked £50 off the door to door salesman price of £200 that was offered with a 'supposed' 80% government grant)

Snazbaz

That's a good one - forgot about the eBay thing!

elfen

One for those with kids - take advantage if the weather is nice and go for walks - possibly make them nature walks by finding leaves, looking at animals and insects. Also, wet days you could get magazines and get them to cut pictures out or draw a simple person figure on paper and make clothes for them out of paper. Keeps them busy and means less money needs to be spent

Syman

Go to a west end show!!

there are still some free child places available for west end shows. Have to buy a full price adult ticket though.

http://www.kidsweek.co.uk/