Super Scrimpers

toasterman

It was better this week.
Surprised at how little the couple communicate about money.

I found it highly amusing that the father of the couple was wearing a badge labelled "!!!!!!" (Google it or ask your Internet-enabled 20-something friends) for most of the clips they were featured in. They seemed like a fun couple, anyway.

Some of the tips might actually be useful.
The packing out the freezer with newspaper is quite a good one. I've done it before with value loaves of bread, reduced, although most of the time I just fill it with food I want to eat.
I have no idea how these people end up with so many leftovers. One of the thrifters pulled what looked like a completely untouched Victoria sponge cake from the freezer. What was that leftover from?

Vinegar to clean a mirror is hardly revolutionary - it's the power-added-active ingredient in Windolene.
I wouldn't recommend using a brillo pad to clean non-stick pans, and I for stainless steel ones, I just use a normal cloth and some Fairy liquid.
Eggshells for slugs, I didn't know.
Lemons in the kettle isn't terrible, although my kettle (and most newish kettles, I find) have a flat element, which you can brush of limescale quite easily.

Collars wearing out on shirts - I've never experienced that problem. I've had shirts until they no longer fit me, and the collar has never worn out.

Using a banana to clean my silverware might be good, but I don't own any silver. I don't really do trinkets or bowls - not got the room or patience to keep cleaning them.

The other tips I learnt (again) tonight are that you can save money on electrical gadgets by living during the 1940s when there wasn't any.
It's worth mentioning, as Super Scrimpers feel the need to bang on about the 1940s at least three times in every episode.
On the same token, first-time buyers looking to get onto the housing ladder, should consider buying a house 30 years ago, when they were considerably cheaper.

yorkiepud_2

[QUOTE=toasterman;42828462
Collars wearing out on shirts - I've never experienced that problem. I've had shirts until they no longer fit me, and the collar has never worn out.

I've taken collars off shirts and sewn round the neck edges to make mandarin type collars, but only if I've been really fond of the shirt as usually by the time they're wearing thin around the neck they're starting to go elsewhere - besides if you look at some shirts the interfacing is not attached to the underside of the collar and they really wouldn't look nice upside down. As posters pointed out when when underwear dying was being discussed there comes a point when a trip to Primark or the CS is the right thing to do.

Sweet_Pea_2

It was better this week. When I clean mirrors and windows though I find that I only need a drop or two of vinegar to a small bucket of water - would not use the amount that Lady Lesley was using or use it neat either. I've tried the eggshells idea and it didnt work - slugs still come to our garden for an all night rave, eggshells or not.

I just want them to do a programme just focusing on the moneysaving people and cutting the rest of the programme. Half an hour is not long enough to cover all that content in enough detail. Everyone just gets annoyed at the money wasting people - it's obvious if you spend £300 per month on clothes you can't save it for a house deposit.

Rage_in_Eden

I thought it was better this week too - maybe they've been reading the thread LOL! Most of the stuff I knew/do but it was still interesting to see them again. I have tried eggshells in the past but might give it another go. I also was interested in the shirt collar bit as I'd been thinking about that with OH's shirts. Might give it a go and do the cuffs as well..worth a shot and would make me feel virtuous LOL! Something else for the mending pile LOL! But it really is a case IMO of they can't do both a family and give you general tips...maybe they need an hour - 30 mins on tips split 50/50 at the start and finish and 30 mins just on the family AND less recapping ....

anguk

Robson65 wrote: »

Hello all,

There is a programme on Channel 4 that started today that you might all be interested in.

Its called Make do and Mend

Here is the blurb for todays programme from the Radio Times

"New series. Weekday series in which Jo Behari, Simon Wright and Lucia Kempsey offer money-saving solutions and advice to members of the public. In the first episode, the team heads to Barry Island on the South Wales coast to assist a women's rugby team."

Its on at midday every day this week

Robson

Thanks for that but I couldn't find it on 4OD, when I checked it says it starts next Monday. It looks good though:
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/make-do-mend

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Although the guy & his OH did say on Twitter that not only did the crew ignore/make up lots, when telling her to get herself a little parttime job (and therefore pay someone else to look after the children), they ignored the fact that she already works.

I was shouting at the telly 'Don't sell the musical instruments, don't listen to the Philistine!'. Would never have made even a quarter of the value that was suggested. He didn't sell them in the end, either.


Didn't like it.

ceridwen

Watched last nights one as well. Dont think I'll bother again - they are just so formulaic and the looks of astonishment/shock on the peoples faces when it comes to the "lots of rubbish in the garden" scene are so obviously hamming-it-up for the camera..

You know you've had enough of watching this programme when you are sitting there thinking "Stop spending money on hairdye", "Stop spending money on eating more than you need to" (as evidenced by the figure).

Will hope the other tv programme mentioned becomes available online for a reprise - ie "Make do and mend".

I dont even think Superscrimpers has much to teach the majority of peeps - surely they already know if they are flashing the cash too much on clothes, expensive cars, etc.

Me - I'll just go back to my usual morning routine now - of drying dishes with a teatowel that was passed on to me (part of a batch I dyed to be more in line with my tastes), having porridge I made from watered-down milk, eating bread I made myself (by hand), having a shower (standard - not power shower), watering the food growing in the garden (using water from the waterbutt), hanging up washed out freezer bags/food bags I've washed out to dry so that I can use them again, making up my packed lunch for work, etc, etc.

I know I must be living pretty simply already - when I think I could probably manage to live on £110 per week (ie what benefit money for a childless person would be if it had been increased in line with inflation - rather than being the £65 approx that it ACTUALLY is...which I couldnt manage on).

flikkerty

I thought it was better this week too, the family were nice weren't they, sort of willed them on a bit.

I don't fancy sticking dirty newspaper in the freezer but i do like the idea of using reduced bread or filling plastic bags with water or something to fill the space. I like that tip.

As if Barbara (who has been on some other show i am sure) had that bread mountain going stale and not in the freezer for the pudding that took over an hour in the oven on its own using all that electricity! Missed a trick there!

lostinrates

SunshineBear wrote: »

One of the old ladies had a fridge as full as my mums, she could keep the whole town in food for a week. I don't really understand having THAT much food in the freezer. .

A freezer is cheaper to run when full...its a sensible plan so long as the food is in rotation (that's the bit where I fail sometimes.) But our freezer should keep us oing a good two months. Over winter I didn't go to the supermarket from before Christmas then for weeks and weeks. I'd like to get it so that my pre Christmas shop lasts me properly to spring next year, augmented only my veg.

Freezers are a remarkable, remarkable tool in a Old stylers armoury. Batch cooking, left overs. Meals for tired days/ill days/houseguest days. whoopsied food. More whoopsied food. I'm going away in a couple of weeks for a few days and my dad is housesitting for me. His meals are mainly done in there (he likes to cook a stew here himself).

I didn't even freeze that much of last years fruit...we've finished the blackberries and I'll soon be using up the apples, ready to get excited about filling it up again. In fact, I have litres of last years apple juice that we were going to wassail with and didn't get through much of, so time to think about that too, before refilling this year!

lostinrates

ceridwen wrote: »

I dont even think Superscrimpers has much to teach the majority of peeps - surely they already know if they are flashing the cash too much on clothes, expensive cars, etc..

You know, I really don't think people do realise, a lot of them. I don't think the majority of us take much time in daily life to be grateful for what we have and it seems people are increasingly lead by what adverts/media say they should have not what they can have or what really would please them....I don't think people really appreciate on a day to day basis how lucky we are that starvation is so shocking to us, and that healthcare, such as it is, is available, and that homelessness is something we consider tragedy not normal or inevitable.