make do and mend for tougher times

becca-2012

My flannelette sheets have arrived a day early. Very pleased with them, now I need to wash them all :-(.

Dippy eggs for tea. I had forgotten how much I like them. Was naughty earlier though and bought some diet coke that was on offer in the local shop.

Are there regular supplies of wool in your charity shops? Have never seen any in ours, maybe I am looking in the wrong places?

Popperwell

I did ask about jerky Kittie so keep me posted I susppose it will work for most meats...and thanks but I did ask a oot of questions in this post which would be helpful...

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=54532037&postcount=1025

Popperwell

Nice to see good news in the Pooky household...

fuddle

lol Mrs C it's already holey. I'll prepare myself for a bit of disappointment in the morning. It can't be any worse than this morning's brick sat there.

Speaking of which, I don't know how but the failure has turned out a decent banana loaf. the kids said it was a scrummy supper. So all was not lost.

Next time I knock a batch up i'll use the bread flour mixed with plain flour. Does that sound like a plan? Worth a try.

The spring cabbage seeds arrived today so I'll try sow them tomorrow.

DH said if there's spare money in the bank to not feel guilty about buying yarn, but not go daft. Basically as I dont drink or smoke, don't socialise of an evening and gave up my car to help with our finances why shouldn't I treat myself I note we're talking yarn here and not handbags or shoes He gets browny points while safe in the knowledge I can't go mad.... relatively safe

becca that's what we're having on weds when DH is away with work.

Mrs_Chip

Lets just wait and see - it might be the most magnificent loaf ever, and that will be me told :rotfl:. Piccies might be in order though...

Popperwell

I'll regret saying this but I cannot remember when we had the last gas or electric cut...Here am I buying camping stoves and wind up radio's, torches and lanterns...who'd have thought.

Our powercuts are usually due to someone cutting a cable whilst building something like a shop...

Now who has thought of, ever invested in a generator?

Winchelsea

Mrs Chip - the 5 minutes a day recipe is pretty much how I make my bread, whether it's with yeast or sourdough. I vary things according to how I feel really, but the principle is always the same. And I always have lovely home made bread with a crunchy crust and delicious flavour. It's a great method.

It's so long now since I kneaded dough. For the past 2 years I haven't bought more than one or two loaves a year - the rest is all home made in this EASY way - no kneading!

fuddle

Mrs C you're on Pic's tomorrow whether it's a success or fail.

Popperwell wrote: »

I'll regret saying this but I cannot remember when we had the last gas or electric cut...Here am I buying camping stoves and wind up radio's, torches and lanterns...who'd have thought.

Our powercuts are usually due to someone cutting a cable whilst building something like a shop...

Now who has thought of, ever invested in a generator?

pops when I lived in Cr**k about 4-5 years ago we lost our gas for 7 days. Many parts were effected because of a workman digging through a pipe. (if my memory serves me right) We even ended up needing back up electricity generators on the estate as the strain on the electrics was too much. As the house was heated and hot water and hob was through gas we were very cold but managed to eat off the camping stove and heat our water via the kettle. I didn't have any preps at all back then but we were alright. Instinct kicks in. We got compensation but it was never advertised that we could and was a right struggle to get. I bet many households never tried or even knew they could try.

GreyQueen

Evie74 wrote: »

Fuddle - 100% wholemeal bread is usually a lot more dense than white bread; if I'm making wholemeal I usually make it 60/40 with white bread flour (or near as may be) otherwise it comes out like a rock!

The recipe book that came with my breadmaker recommends adding a crushed vit C tablet (presumably not an orange flavour one!) to 100% wholemeal loaves as it helps it rise. I've never tried it so I don't know if it works though - sorry!

HTH anyway

Evie xx

The best bread I ever had, bar none, was made with wholemeal flour with a teaspoon of powdered Vit C from the chemist. Better than cake...........

Popperwell wrote: »

A store cupboard, yes your worries about a freezer/fridge failing and food being lost is a worry.

I'm not sure I can afford or want to pay for contents insurance when it comes around again in December. I don't have anything of great value.In the end take care of you...

Evening, Pops. Re contents insurance, some social landlords offer policies to their tenants, via rates negotiated by the LL. Have you checked to see if your association does this? Might be worh a quick email? I'd be reluctant to give up mine now, although I lived without it most of my life through necessity. Try pricing up your goods and chattels for total replacement and you might be surprised about how much value there is there.........

Popperwell wrote: »

Now who has thought of, ever invested in a generator?

Gennies are pricey, noisy and smelly and highly attractive to thieves. I wouldn't want to be responsible for one of them, but then again, my flat would offer no viable space to keep one in any case. I'm tempted by a wind-up lantern, tho.

:T Hello Stella, lovely to "meet" you and I hope you'll post lots. They're a fantastic bunch on here, so kind and supportive.

Whacked out from a hard few days a-murdering the gastropods (which always reminds me of gastropubs ) and the endless chilly rainy weather. It has rained ALL day and I have mislaid my brolly somewhere. Hope it's mislaid and not permanantly lost as I only have the one. (Cue husky voice) It's not just any umbrella, it's a Marks and Spencer umbrella. I can imitate that advert off to a tee.:rotfl:

Urgghhhh, need tea. Where's Nursie when I want her?

ETA, Brolly found. In the bottom of one of the many shopping bags on the living room floor. *blush*

Byatt

Pooky wrote: »

I've given in and brought a camping stove and kettle incase we need them in the winter, whilst we do have a gas BBQ we can use outside if required, that needs to be the last resort. I've also purchased a "pie iron" to use in the fire place. I've got lots of free wood all chopped and stacked in the garage so should we need to (power outages) we can heat water/cook something but the pie iron will be used for toasty suppers around the fire. DDs love it when they can sit and toast marshmallows and bread, snuggled up watching the fire....we like simple things here.

We've been really frugal with our electric consumption lately and our last quarters bill was £19 (we have solar panels so have been really good about using the washing machine etc on bright days). Our gas consumption was low last winter due to burning the free wood I'd collected so hopefully we will have some clear sunny winter days that still produce some power for us.

Had a large tax rebate cheque through today so treated ourselves to a new duvet, the old one was a cheapie and it's not quite square, trying to get a cover on it is nigh on impossible and you end up with lu,ps and bumps, it's also to big to go in the washing machine. I'm going to cut the old one up (I'll machine it in sections first) and make some lap quilts for the winter. Got plenty of fabric to make some pretty patchwork covers so a nice project to get going on.

The rest of the rebate will buy both DDs bus passes for September (one is now £520 for the year!!!!) and I can get all the passports renewed (they ran out last month but I simply didn't have the funds). we live a stones throw from France and can often pick up cheap day trips (£1 each some times) so its worth having the passports up to date to take advantage of a different day out.

I'll bung the rest into my ISA for now but have it sort or earmarked for having a wood burner installed, just need to do a bit more research on the possibility of having it done without ripping out my existing fireplace etc.

Well done on the rebate, it sounds like you have some great ideas for its use. I have a log burner and have not used it but plan to this winter. Amazing quarterly bill for the electric, mine is around £10 per week on prepayment and that's without heating and hardly using anything!

Popperwell, I know it's tempting to cancel the contents insurance, and I was thinking the same until a few weeks ago, until someone on here said about a burglary they had and needing to replace things like a laptop. I realised then it's not always the big things that happen (like flooding, fire) to your stuff, but how would you replace all these expensive items like the microwaver etc? Go to a comparsion web site and see what comes up. I pay about £5 per month. It could be a false economy to cancel.