Great 'ways To Cut Back' Hunt

brownfrog

Impomdasp wrote: »

Main problem is Calgon for the washing machine. I stick to using one in every was because my last machine (in pre Calgon days) gave up the ghost through limescale after a lot of use. Would a half tablet work effectively? Calgon is a shocking price and I get through a lot:eek: .

Try working it out - you might find it's cheaper to just let the washing machine grind to a halt every few years (although not very environmentally friendly). Otherwise, someone mentioned using soda crystals mixed with the powder. Vinegar dissolves limescale, so I'd imagine using that as your fabric conditioner would help too.

brownfrog

suzialwaysbroke wrote: »

Have just spotted post about if you are on thyroxine your prescriptions should be free.
Can anyone point up how I find out more as my daughter is on thyroxine plus a whole load of other drugs & has to buy a prepay cert

cheers,

Suzi xx

Go to your pharmacist and explain the situation. They should have a form for you to fill in, which you then take to your doctor, who signs it and sends it off. You'll then be issued with a card to take with you each time you get your prescription. However, it can take several weeks, and I've heard of people having to send it several times as it supposedly got 'lost'. If you don't hear back within a couple of weeks, ring up and find out. If they say it's lost, get another, make an appointment with your doctor to get it signed, and send by recorded delivery.

she_grinch

Make your own tea/coffee at work don't buy from vending machines.(add that up over a year!)
Ditto with crisps/choc bars buy multi packs and store in locker or bag.
Have a DVD night instead of the cinema, rent or borrow from friends and buy your own snacks.
Buy small tubs and make jellies and fruit cocktail for childrens lunchboxes.

brownfrog

nancypearl wrote: »

I don't understand why there are so many posts promoting cheap nasty food and clothes.
3 t shirts for a tenner that will go baggy and shapeless, out of fashion and fall to bits that you won't be wearing in a year's time or a 15-20 quid t shirt that you will still be wearing in 4 years time?
LEARN TO COOK (watch 'Ready Steady Cook for tips on how to make things out of what you have got). I would rather have six basic homecooked meals that cost pence and one slap up meal a week (something to look forward to) than 7 meals of cheap processed food that tastes like crap.

You're entitled to your opinion, but how many of us really wear clothes for years? Most of us will get tired of them long before they wear out, hence buying expensive clothes can be a false economy. As for cheap and nasty food, as mentioned several times in this thread, 'value' brands are usually exactly the same as 'premium' brands (often made in the same factory, on the same conveyor belt, just with different packaging at the end). Lidl, Aldi and Netto usually have far better quality food (mainland Europe usually doesn't stand for the type of rubbish the Brits get sold), so that argument doesn't wash either, and in any case, people have mentioned farm shops and independent butchers many times over. Sorry, but unless you're a labels snob, there's nothing wrong with buying cheap - the phrase 'you get what you pay for' is decades out of date.

brownfrog

Eddi wrote: »

- Drain the fat off mince (which is healthier) and then add Scotts Porridge Oats or something similar which will both soak up the last remainig fat and also will bulk out the mince so you don't need as much meat. The oats take on the flavour of whatever else you're adding to the mix and makes any juice not so runny/watery.

Black-eyed beans are delish in mince dishes too - they tend to keep quite a crunchy texture rather than going all mushy. Lentils are good too.[/quote]

Eddi wrote: »

- If you've got children look for the parks with free entertainment passes so you can use the facilities for no extra charge. Take your own duvet covers / pillow cases so you don't have to hire linen.

One of the parks (think it might be Pontin's) does a special offer round about July time when all you pay is gas & leccy charges. If anyone's interested, there's definitely a thread about it on the site somewhere.

cazbarfeatures wrote: »

Another thing I do is collect all my coppers, found and ones of my own and use them in the Post Office stamp machine (the one that issues one at a time). One of the few machines that accepts coppers and it also gives you silver in change.

Good idea. Whatever you do, don't use those 'moneychanging' machines at Sainsburys - they charge something like 7% to change the money!

looneyleo wrote: »

If you buy the pre-packed chicken fillets, buy the packs with four fillets in. I buy three of the packs, then when I get home, I split the packs into 4 sets of three fillets each and I then get four meals from three packs. Hope that makes sense.

As someone else said, buy a whole chicken instead. If you don't think you'll use a chicken, try packs of drumsticks or chicken legs. Much, much cheaper, and IMO, much tastier. Plus you end up with bones - put them in a bag in the freezer and once you've collected enough, make soup!

jackomdj wrote: »

Be aware of portion sizes -we used to waste a lot of food by doing too much!

Freeze it for ready meals!

Gallovidian wrote: »

We used to use a brick.

Best not to - the bits flaking off can damage your plumbing. If you can't get a 'hippo', fill a plastic drinks bottle with water instead.

sylwright wrote: »

I always cut Brillo pads in half, makes them go twice as far. I do the same with the Toilet duck pads

The value brands of pads are usually just as good. Once you've used the pad, wrap it in tinfoil to stop it rusting and allow re-use.

Dizzyfish wrote: »

I guess it kind of works for socks too...

When you buy socks, buy multipacks, all of the same type and colour. No more hunting for odd socks, and if two wear out, you still have a pair from the survivors. Tip: look for socks that are mainly cotton mixed with another yarn - that usually stabilises the socks so they don't fade in the wash like all-cotton ones do.

brownfrog

brownfrog wrote: »

Tulips and daffs will last longer if you put them into iced water for 24 hours. All flowers will last longer if the water's not allowed to breed bacteria. Change it regularly (every couple of days, and chuck the water on the compost heap), removing any flowers past their best, and cutting a bit more off the stems of the others. Make sure no leaves are below the waterline - they'll rot. Add a bit of bleach (I reckon roughly a tenth of the volume of water) to the water - it should make them last at least a week longer.

Whoops! Hope no-one's killed their flowers by following the above. Stray decimal point - should be a hundredth, i.e about 10ml of bleach to a litre of water. Bought flowers today (street market, just before closing - 5 bunches for 3 quid), and while I was adding the bleach, realised my faux pas here.

Batgirl

I am not sure if I have already posted this on this thread but I never use my tumble drier, instead I hang my wet clothes up on their coathangers and then hang them on my upstairs curtain poles, then the heat goes straight up when the heating is on, the clothes are not blocking the heat by being on the radiators and they are not in the way. Also they dry very quickly and are then ready ( and normally crease free) to go straight into your wardrobe :beer:

HAVEFAITH

Hi a member of my family is getting married in Oct. I wondered if anyone out there could point me in the direction of where to buy a wedding dress. I reside in North London and would like to help out with this task. The budget is not mega - so outlets, factories that type of thing or a small business set-up ... Ideas please, thanks!

CarolynH

HAVEFAITH wrote: »

Hi a member of my family is getting married in Oct. I wondered if anyone out there could point me in the direction of where to buy a wedding dress. I reside in North London and would like to help out with this task. The budget is not mega - so outlets, factories that type of thing or a small business set-up ... Ideas please, thanks!

My sis got hers from Asda (she had a bodice and long skirt rather than a dress though) and it was lovely. Think it cost her £20.

Tustastic

HAVEFAITH wrote: »

Hi a member of my family is getting married in Oct. I wondered if anyone out there could point me in the direction of where to buy a wedding dress. I reside in North London and would like to help out with this task. The budget is not mega - so outlets, factories that type of thing or a small business set-up ... Ideas please, thanks!

You should definitely try the shops in Fonthill Road near Finsbury Park then;
http://www.qype.co.uk/place/95498-Fonthill-Road