Where do we go from basics?

dbt3mummy

This is a brilliant thread and has given me a few ideas!

I've had to quit my job due to the rise in fuel costs and childcare. It just wasn't paying -- especially as this year our Tax Credits were stopped. This has also meant that I am even more tight with money that what we have been. I was going to treat myself to a bar of chocolate the other day and before I never really took much notice of the price but this time I did........... 70p!!!! I couldn't believe it! So hopefully I'll start losing lbs as well as £'s!!

This year I am growing a lot more and staggering my crops to hopefully make them last much longer.
I was at a local farm shop recently and it inspired me to freeze both my veg and fruit!

I have a rapidly growing 2 year old and we've noticed since switching to everything being made from scratch and home grown that her energy levels have increased and she is eating so much better than before.

So even though we are really feeling the squeeze we are also seeing some benefits as well.

paidinchickens

Softstuff wrote: »

I was debating the same thing looking at clothes in the charity shops, where the prices had gone sky high, and wondering if people can't afford charity shop clothes, what next?

SO TRUE...the volunteers are complaining to the managers and big bosses (£80 000 salaries) and they just don't listen "we need more profit put the prices up"

we can no longer afford charity shops .....jumble or bust for us:(

charlies-aunt

Its so hard making things st-r-e-t-c-h and there are lots of brilliant ideas on the 'Its Tough' threads. But sometimes is about being passively frugal too though....stuff like...

- Getting an extra wearing or two from a garment before tossing it in the wash basket
- Not scraping//peeling potatoes - more fibre and vitamins etc if they are left in their skins
- Making things do double duty and get as much wear out of everything - the t-shirt that becomes an vest that becomes a duster that becomes a dish/floor cloth
- Using half the recommended amount of wash powder,fabric conditioner etc
- Sainsburys basic discinfectant 30p/1l ,all purpose liquid cleanser 27p/750mls, cream cleanser 32p/500mls are all excellent value and work as well as the big brands and even cheaper than £1 shop products - the difference between Basics thin bleach 29p/2l and Domestos thick bleach £2.66/2l is a thickening agent....and £2.37 (and lots of advertising!)
-For pet food - try Webbox Chubb approx 50p per 'sausage' and is easily the equivilent to 2 tins of standard dog food. Its not preshaped and disguised in dark coloured gravy but it is very nutrious & dogs love it -and Basics Dry Complete Dog Food £1.15/2.5kgs.

Most of all - try and keep positive & look at things as challenges rather than problems.
We only get one life and we owe it to ourselves to live as fully as we can - the things that really matter - family, friendship, love, health, sense of humour, decency, humanity and kindness are not measured in money.

lindseykim13

charlies-aunt wrote: »

- Making things do double duty and get as much wear out of everything - the t-shirt that becomes an vest that becomes a duster that becomes a dish/floor cloth

You have just saved me a few pennies on new dishclothes, i have been throwing out some old tshirts of dh's which are beyond selling lol but they'd make great dishcloths and i never even thought of it, desperatly need some too

rigsby1967

lindseykim13 wrote: »

You have just saved me a few pennies on new dishclothes, i have been throwing out some old tshirts of dh's which are beyond selling lol but they'd make great dishcloths and i never even thought of it, desperatly need some too

I'm glad this was brought up as i was going to post asking if anyone uses old t-shirts as dish clothes.;)
I had 2 old t-shirts and 2 cotton cot sheets that i have just cut up for dishclothes and rags:money: because i find after bleaching or boil washing the dishclothes a few times they become holey and un-usable.

rigs

mardatha

I can't imagine throwing out an old tshirt and then buying dishcloths - I'd cut up the tshirt and use that. But my daughter would never dream of it. I find the material better anyway. And yes a dishcloth first then a floor cloth.
Am fedup of this rotten weather, every day we have cold wind and rain. Max 9C yet again. Wondering when we're going to get this heatwave.
Can I still shove some tatties in ?

quintwins

mardatha wrote: »

Can I still shove some tatties in ?

i hope so mine are starting to sprout i really need to get them in the ground this weekend

redlady_1

My mum used to skip meals too when she was bringing me up so I didnt go without. There werent any tax credits, child care or help then but she managed to buy her own little place, put a roof over my head, food in my belly and I was always well clothed. What we are experiencing is nothing new.

modern_millie_2

Hi everyone, great thread.
My best tip is to base meals around pulses and root veg - so, veg chilli with red kidney beans, lentil and veg stew or soup, various rissoles/loaves fom green/red lentils, with whatever carb source is cheap at rhe time -pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, and any green veg yuo can buy cheaply or grow. With occasional bit of cheese and an odd egg this is nutticious (!) I mean nutricious and v. cheap.

rigsby1967

mardatha wrote: »

I can't imagine throwing out an old tshirt and then buying dishcloths - I'd cut up the tshirt and use that.

.

I was always throwing old t-shirts away then buying dishclothes :eek:.
I wonder what else i am doing, that if i done differently i could save some money.
I have a 1kg empty tub that i am deserately trying to find a good use for otherwise it will end up in the bin......any ideas? Sorry OP, slightly off topic but money saving in a sense .

Thanks
rigs