May: Pin Money Savings Challenge

nicki_2

We didn't have a window cleaner when we first moved in a year ago but I asked one to start calling as we almost live on a main road, all the delivery trucks (and buses/coaches) seem to use our road as a cut through to avoid 2/3 sets of traffic lights to get to the local shops, so our windows were regularly filthy. Now that I'm in a more money saving as opposed to "Martha Stewart clean" frame of mind I think I'll cancel him. The only window I will definitely have trouble reaching is the bathroom window (I can lean out the others and stretch or buy a long handled squeegie thing which will probably pay for it's self quite quickly as window cleaner is £2.50 a fortnight) but then again that's frosted anyway so it isn't that obvious when thats dirty so I can make that an occasional clean as opposed to fortnightly. Beside which, our windowcleaner only comes on a Wednesday every other week, in theory, but in wet weather it's less often.

Mrs_Thrift

lucky111 wrote:

HI, Im new here, iv been reading all the postings, and its very interesting, im going to have a go, and try the ideas of pin money,, hopefully you will be seeing me more, my first aim is to, walk to work, instead of the car, and that way it should help me get fitter.

Welcome aboard!

Good luck with the walking, that's one of the best things about Old Style changes - so many of them are good for your health as well as your pocket! (Apart from the lovely HM puds, of course :rolleyes: )

And it's a great feeling buying things at Boots with your points isn't it? I always get a guilty thrill at getting things for "free"!

spendaholic

The main reason our window cleaner is getting the sack is because Misterholic noticed that he wasn't doing one of the windows as it was over the conservatory. (He noticed as we were moving our room into said room.) While he was happy to "let him off", due to H&S constraints, we discovered, from watching one of our neighbours, that all our upstairs windows apart from the bathroom can be swung around from the inside to aid right/lefthanded cleaning from the inside. So as he now knows he doesn't have to go up a ladder, MisterH is happier for us to do them ourselves.

nicki_2

I noticed the last time our came that he leaves streaks on the windows and doesn't clear up after himself either (wiping the window sil over) unlike the one who used to clean the windows on the first house I lived in (when at home with parents) which is just down the road and across a street who always did an excellent job and is still going. Mum told me he used to clean her windows before I was born, I'm now 26 and he's still going, even if he is looking a little greyer!!

I am really not impressed with our windowcleaner. I've been considering "sacking" him for a while, but now my mind is made up, better to save the money and do it myself, when OH is here of course when doing the one I need to lean dangerously out of. Then again, OH is taller, lighter and not likely to go through the kitchen roof so I might just send him out to do the bathroom one now and then as well. :j:D

spendaholic

We're in a new-ish house too - new to us and only 4 yrs old - and the other neighbours were using this one cleaner, so I hired him too. But the neighbours have been gradually sacking him because he's not been cleaning their windows properly - although we've only had the window over the conservatory to complain about - and they found out why. It's because he makes the same bucket of water last until it's almost freezing cold.

My mom used to clean our windows with scrunched up newspaper. How does that work?

Curry_Queen

spendaholic wrote:

My mom used to clean our windows with scrunched up newspaper. How does that work?

A spray bottle with 50:50 vinegar/water (you might have known vinegar was involved somewhere ) and scrunched up newspaper is the best thing for smear-free clean windows


Edit: Oooops sorry just noticed you ask how it works ... if you spray the windows and wipe with soft cloth to get rid of dirt and marks then use the scrunched up paper to buff the windows to a shine

spendaholic

Both replies were great, CQ, and I've gone off topic anyway. Should have opened a new thread ... ooh-er.

Galtizz

Spendaholic, there are loads of cleaning tips in the cleaning index in my signature (EDIT: it isn't in my signature, LOL, where'd it go but it is a sticky at the top of the main page of old style).

Are you using Flash or have you converted to vinegar and bicarb? It is amazing how much PMS you can get by switching cleaning products by just buying vinegar, bicarb and soda crystals (about 50p in the clothes washing section of the supermarket) you can clean pretty much everything in the house.

bad_mum

fab_at_forty wrote:

I am brand new to these forums but I've bin reading all your threads and you all seem so kind and caring so I decided to join in! I'm newly separated after 17yrs so becoming a single parent of 4 and down to one wage instead of two i desperatly need to save all my pennies. It seems so hard when my kids need and eat so much but with all your tips I have somewhere to start so no more wastage, I'm positive I can save some money somewhere :j Thanks to you all I feel inspired!

I have 4 children as well, any yes they eat loads! Tesco for one isnt exactly helping in the saving money situation, we all need to be able to buy good quality food (without all the excess packaging) at a reasonalable price. Lets here it for good old fashioned grocery stores!, where it wasn't so much about outselling your competitiors but earning customer loyalty and good customer service. Oh yes and REAL food for sale not processed junk. I would love to feed my 4 growing children food that is good for them and that doesnt cost a fotrtune!! :T

squeaky

Welcome to MoneySaving

We have plenty of recipes in our collections, many of which are economical, and these can be found by following the blue (The Indexes) in my signature below. We aslso have lots of hints on cleaning using the contents of your pantry in our "Save Zillions..." sticky at the top of the board.

Then there's making your own bread and slow cooking... shopping tips...