OS MSE ideas haven’t paid off for you?

liz545

moanymoany wrote: »

Please tell me what a 'mooncup' is.

It's a kind of reuseable sanitary protection - http://www.mooncup.co.uk/

Miss_Scarlett

I didn't think I would get on with the mooncup at all, but I love it. I find it so easy to use and I feel so much cleaner than with tampons etc. I think mooncup offer a money back guarantee so it might be worth trying.

iceicebaby

OK I couldnt get on with vinegar as fabric conditiner, I have gone back to Facric conditioner but use half the recommended dose, likewise with washing powder/tablets.

Don't eat bread that much so wasnt worth trying a breadmaker.

I work long hours so dont really have tiome to do flylady, just do whatever needs doing when it needs it.

I DO cook from scratch more.
I am also more aware of what I am doing/spending. I will think can I get it cheaper elsewhere and will research this before buying.

vfairbrass

I still use proprietary brand limescale remover on the toilets. Nothing else seems to work.
Buy puff pastry but do make normal pastry on the rare occasions I need it.
I don't meal plan.
I make my own hummus
Grow own veg but am overwhelmed by too many lettuces at the moment - can't bear to throw away my thinned out my seedlings so end up with far too many plants.
Tried shopping at the market for vegetables for a while and did find them good value and qualilty but at the moment I lack the time to do it on a regular basis. It is on my to do list for when I retire.
Tried to use more local shops rather than the supermarket but found the product range too small. Perhaps I should get out of the supermarket mindset but do like a choice with some food items.
I am planning to SORN the car when its tax next runs out and see if I can manage without it.
Microfibe cloths - I cannot seem to get these clean. I love them for washing windows but they look disgusting. Someone mentioned putting them in the dishwasher - does this work?

Aril

Microfibre cloths- bought them and gave them to my Mum. Bought some more and they are now lining my cupboard under the sink...don't think I'll keep on with them!
BM for anything other than bread and cakes...far too idle to go to the trouble of making pizza bases etc.
Slow cooker...I enjoy the meals I make in it but it doesn't save me any time and couldn't use it during the week. What it does give me is the opportunity to go out for the day at the weekend knowing that there's a meal ready and waiting for us when we get back.
Yogurt maker...I actually won my Easiyo in a competition. Don't think I'd have bought one myself. Again enjoy having it but only use it occasionally. It had been such a long time since I last used it that this time the water cooled down too much whilst I was faffing about trying to remember which way up the red thingy goes in so the yougurt didn't set! However, small person had fab banana milkshake instead.
Allotment...I love the idea in theory [romantic ideas of serving up home grown veg] but in reality I loathe gardening and a commitment like that on top of everything else would put me in a permanent grump!! Still up for a few low maintenance salad veg in pots though!
Wine making....again I fancy having a go at this but everytime I read up on it there seems to be rather complicated so have until now stuck to hm liquers instead. However, will one day speak to my friend who makes it to find out whether it's a realistic possibility or not due to space constraints etc.
Having said all that I enjoy lots of aspects of OS..I just tend to compromise and temper it a bit to fit in with work and family commitments
Aril

thriftlady_2

I've thought of a few more OS things I don't do.
I don't use Stardrops - I've never clapped eyes on it in my neck of the woods, but I'll stop looking now some people have said it's not that brilliant

I don't meal plan, at least not for longer than 3 days at a time.

I didn't use reusable nappies with my kids (I tried Kooshies, but found they took ages to dry) and I buy Dry Nites for 7 yo dd who has never been dry at night :rolleyes:

I'm using my yogurt maker less and less. Not because it's no good, as it makes lovely thick yogurt, but because I realised that no one really likes yogurt in my family. My kids have rediscovered the joys of milk puddings, so I get milk down them that way. OH has never eaten yogurt to my knowledge and I was only eating it because I thought I should. My Gran is 100 next year and still fit and well without ever eating yogurt

I can't imagine life without tampons I'm afraid

And I hate Lidl and Aldi, in fact my supermarket of choice is Waitrose :eek:

What I do do

Handbake all our bread except the occasional French stick
Make every meal from scratch (except baked beans)
Make stock
Make icelollies for the kids - good one this week was a large tin of peaches in juice blended with the last of my yogurt (trying to use it up).
Make all biscuits, muffins and cakes - this isn't necessarily a good thing as I eat far more than my fair share
Make all my own jam, jellies and chutneys
Make my own fruit liqueurs

I don't have a dishwasher or a tumble dryer.

As you can see, my 'thing' is cooking, I just love it.

meanmarie

Almost afraid to start this...when you write it down you have to SEE it..if you know what I mean!

Seen finding MSE and OS I use one tablet and some washing soda in my WM, good results, rarely wash at higher than 40c;
Always used vinegar on my windows, used to dry with crumpled newspaper, now I use microfibre cloth very satisfactorily;
Vey seldom make bread in BM but make dough in it almost every day as I can't handle the sticky hands business with making bread from scratch;
Use vinegar in lavatories and find it equally satisfactory to cleaner I used to use;
Do not use TD, use clothes horses in spare room in winter...can only do this since most of family have left home;
Keep my sink shined, but have moved no further on flylady;
Make meals from scratch;
Growing more veg this year and since we got small area of land free from council when they were re-aligning roads have used it to plant 6 fruit trees and 12 fruit bushes, room for lots more so dreaming of becoming self sufficient in fruit over next few years;
Have set myself a monthly food budget and stick to it;
No SC as I find that 'gadgetry' and I don't really get on...love my rice cooker but never got on with electric steamer which came as free gift with something else...have offered it to everyone I know but no takers, prefer my old fashioned one from Argos which I can layer when need arises;
make sure that all things electric are not on standby when I go to bed;
Nappies or sanitary towels are no longer my concern!

A lot done, much to do

Marie

Linda32

tinkerbelluk wrote: »

I use stardrops for most of the cleaning but I admit I still use a branded cleaner on the bath as the smell is fanastic and I get a much better shine

Would that be Flash, by any chance it is here, wonderful smell and works the best.

Soap nuts is about the only thing I can think off, good idea in principle but I found they don't really work and you have to sweep them up off the floor everytime. :eek: :mad:

Our cooker actually has a slow cooker setting, which I used years ago to make a sort of chicken casserole affair, meat too soft though so never really used it since.

Overall, I love OS though. :T

Gillian1912

Several years ago, with good intentions, I bought a yoghurt maker. Used it twice I think. The whole thing was too much bother and came with little glass jars. As I never seem to eat yoghurt at home (it's something I take to work in my lunchbox) it was just easier to buy normal shop-bought yoghurts in plastic pots which I just throw in my bin at work when I've eaten it. I sold the yoghurt maker on ebay at a profit! Lots of people bid on it.

I inherited a breadmaker from my aunt but couldn't get on with it. Again, too much bother. That went to my daughter who uses it all the time.

Coke I found totally useless in the toilet.

However, I do use white vinegar as a conditioner in my washing machine though hubby is very sceptical about this and has told his workmates who all think it is a huge joke!

Since I invested in a small slow cooker, it has been fantastic. As I am out at work all day, I prepare a meal in the morning before I leave. My OH arrives home first and he will do potatoes, vegetables or rice or whatever to go with whatever is in the slow cooker. I have found gammon or beef joints cook beautifully on their own with a very little liquid. Casseroles now and again but I am not keen on all my veg etc thrown in together and all tasting of mush.

I do not own a dishwasher or tumble drier.

lil_me

Remembered a few more today, cast iron pan, just couldn't put up with the smoke it generated!

I still use too much disposable items (OK I did use terry nappies with the kids etc) but more the likes of kitchen roll etc when I don't really need to. Going to try to reduce that.

I do buy oven chips, also the very occasional pizza, basically every one I have made so fars been a bloomin disaster, pitta breads aswell, for the price and the amount we used, in all honesty I can't be bothered!

I pop onto the green/ethical board but feel guilty as I drive what they call a 'gas guzzler' but for genuine reasons, old Jeeps aren't posing cars! It's most definately not used for school runs, I make the little devils walk rain hail or shine.