Ideas for what to do next...?

broodylass_2

Hi! I was looking for some inspiration and guidance...

I'm slowly on my way to old style and the latest things I've done are knitting a wool reusable nappy cover, homemade bread, homemade cakes and this week I tried homemade yogurt (which worked amazingly well!) :j

What should I try next...?

Thanks!!!

Gigervamp

Jam and chutney making? This is a good time of year to start.

There are a few threads here. Check out the preservers year thread to start with.

caitybabes

Meal planning could be the next step if it's not something you do already. I found this really helps me to only buy what I know I'm going to use and so less waste enjoy!

415SanFran

As you seem to like "making" have you thought of making your own reusable washable sanitary protection? There are really easy steps on utube to follow. Wish I had thought of this when I was in my 20's rather than at an age when I no longer need them,,,,,,,would have saved a fortune, even if only used on "light days"
On the same vain, buying a load of washclothes and using them instead of babywipes, again there is a utube video to show you how to fold them so that they still come out of the box easily, when struggling with a squirming infant.
Or making your own washing powder, buying a bottle of strong cleaner and decanting into a spray bottle of your own with water from the tap, rather than buying their overpriced watered down version. using a damp chamois cloth rather than spray window cleaner, on windows/mirrors/tiles.

HTH

broodylass_2

Thanks guys. I have actually started saving glass jars with the thought of chutneys and jams...may take a while to build up the courage to try (thanks for that link that'll come in handy!)
I already use reusable nappies and wipes on the kids (bought them about 4 years ago before I started going old style or I'd have made my own).
I've got washable ladies products - not that I've actually used them much what with pregnancy/breastfeeding over the past 5 years!!!
I've got an ecover cloth for wiping mirrors and windows. The main cleaning product I seem to use at the moment is cleaning wipes so just because they're 'easy'...didn't think to make my own (next project I think!)
I do a loose weekly meal plan (strict ones seemed to cause more waste and less healthy eating for some reason!?)
My budgeting could do with being more strict though...seem to find it too easy to go over the budget I set!

TitchTori

415SanFran wrote: »

, buying a bottle of strong cleaner and decanting into a spray bottle of your own with water from the tap, rather than buying their overpriced watered down version.

What 'strong cleaner' do you use? I'd love to find a cheap replacement to the kitchen sprays with bleach that i always buy

esio_trot

TitchTori wrote: »

What 'strong cleaner' do you use? I'd love to find a cheap replacement to the kitchen sprays with bleach that i always buy

I use stardrops with a splash of bleach, mixed into a spray bottle with water for my kitchen, I find it more effective than most anti bacs. Fir the bathroom, I use a combination of Vim and a trusty microfibre cloth

Butterfly_Brain

With a hard winter forecast I would be buying cheap fleeces to line curtains to cover all doors and windows, and building up a good stock cupboard/freezer so that if you can't get out or you have a particularly tight month you have enough to keep you going.

marmiterulesok

As others have suggested,what about batch-cooking and making jams and chutneys.

This is a great site:

www.allotment.org.uk/recipe

There are loads of ideas,even if you don't have an allotment.

HTH.

[Deleted User]

Soups are a great and easy way to make meals streeetch a bit and cost only pennies to make .I can make a vat of veggie soup from all the bits of past their best veg from the fridge bottom drawer and it tastes delicious.The stock I get from what's left over after I have cooked a chicken in my SC so that too coast nothing pasta sauce cost a fraction to make if you use a tin of tomatos a squirt of purree and some herbs, or even if you see a box of whoppsied toms that look a bit squashy then grab them take them home pour boiling water over to de-skin and reduce down in a saucepan with a dollop of lazy garlic and some herbs voila a batch of pasta sauce that tastes so much better and is half the price of a bottle of ready made pour-over H*mepride/R*gu stuff

laloopi

I second making your own cleaning products. I started by replacing all liquid cleaners with stardrops, but I've now replaced nearly everything with homemade, including dishwasher powder, washing up liquid, spray cleaner, washing powder! Though I do keep a bottle of stardrops to use diluted as a shower spray (haven't found a recipe) and for emergencies.