I have lost my OS ways, help!

CyclingLondonSaver

Caterina wrote: »

CyclingLondonSaver, I feel your pain about finding a good and reasonably priced haircutter in London, some of the salons are good if you have the time to go as a model, try the Aveda Institute in Holborn, it is rather good if they have any spaces, or just do a search for free model haircuts on Gumtree, sometimes the students put adverts there for models, I have had some very good haircuts and also colour.

Thanks Caterina for the advice. I only get my hair cut once every month to six weeks, but if I pay £15 a go it adds up! I shall look into the model haircuts, seems like a great way to save money.

Non-MSE and OS day for me today. Bit of a "meh" day at work so I got some chocolate and dried fruit from the Co-Op to cheer me up. I then went for dinner with a friend, which has also made me feel better. Wasn't particularly expensive but I'm out for dinner with the boyfriend tomorrow evening too! I must be careful that the eating out doesn't start becoming a regular thing again.

My £12 cheque appeared in my account today so I put it into savings. Only a small amount but better than nothing. And lots of small amounts soon becomes one big amount.

My friend is trying to convince me to get a bluetooth shower speaker as I want to listen to music in the shower. They're about £8 on Amazon but I'm not too sure. Might give it a week and think if I really want it. I'm hoping have a bit extra money left over before payday to move over to my savings, so don't really need frivolous spending...

Icey77

CyclingLondonSaver wrote: »

My friend is trying to convince me to get a bluetooth shower speaker as I want to listen to music in the shower. They're about £8 on Amazon but I'm not too sure. Might give it a week and think if I really want it. I'm hoping have a bit extra money left over before payday to move over to my savings, so don't really need frivolous spending...

Now that is a good idea! my DH would love that! I am off now to peruse Amazon for his birthday present, thank you very very much!!!! :D

CyclingLondonSaver

Icey77 wrote: »

Now that is a good idea! my DH would love that! I am off now to peruse Amazon for his birthday present, thank you very very much!!!! :D

Glad to have inadvertently been of use

So far a NSD for me. However, the boyfriend is on his way over and we're going for dinner at a cheap Turkish place a few minutes walk from me. Hopefully won't be spending too much but I am really hungry and want to treat myself! Last meal out for a while I think though.

Thankfully I had plans this evening otherwise I would have been at work quite late - lots to do and had to tear myself away from my desk to get home in time. Means I've got 15 minutes peace to myself. Tomorrow will be a long day though.

Just a quick rant about Lidl washing powder :mad: Bought some washing tablets a few weeks back (think it was £2.50 for a box of 25?) and have been using them recently. They're unscented which I don't really like, but have been combining them with fabric conditioner for a nice smell. However I was ironing just now and noticed a couple of clean shirts with stains on them! Obviously the washing tablets aren't working very well, which is annoying. Means I'll have to rewash the shirts - and one I only noticed the stain when I was halfway through ironing it :mad:

What would you lot recommend as a cheapish washing powder/liquid that's good value for money? I'm wondering if it's worth buying one of the branded ones in a pound shop. Or is it better to get a stain remover of some sorts, to use with the washing powder? Open to all suggestions though! :T

Icey77

I use Ariel washing liquid because I know it doesn't irritate my kids skin, unlike Persil or the Aldi one I can't remember the name of. I also use white vinegar as my conditioner, I loathe strong smelling fabric conditioner and I feel it just coats the fabric in a greasy layer that sweat gets stuck in and then smells bad later on.

My first level stain remover is washing up liquid. That's fab as getting baby poo out of anything - none of Toad's baby gro's have poo stains and we've had some major explosions!! It also shifts tomato based stains and nearly all grease or oil based stains like salad dressings etc

My second level stain remover if the washing up liquid doesn't work is Vanish bar, I get the garment wet, give it a good scrub with the vanish bar and a finger scrubbing brush and then chuck it in the washing machine.

Oh, and everything bar towels and bedding gets washed at 40° in my house So overall, I use a branded washing liquid but OS, cheaper fabric conditioner and stain removers

amandaatnumber7

Icey77 wrote: »

My first level stain remover is washing up liquid. That's fab as getting baby poo out of anything - none of Toad's baby gro's have poo stains and we've had some major explosions!! It also shifts tomato based stains and nearly all grease or oil based stains like salad dressings etc

Ive never thought of using washing up liquid, great tip :T:T:T

CyclingLondonSaver

Thanks for the great tip re washing liquid Icey77. I shall try it when I do a wash with my Lidl tablets. May try and stick one on later, if not tomorrow. I'll look to pick up some branded liquid next time, I know various pound shops do packs so shouldn't cost too much.

My semi-celebratory dinner out last night was good, first time at the local Turkish place. It was great value as well at only £21 for a three course meal and drink! That's the last time I'll be eating out for a little while though as I don't want to get back into bad habits.

Today was going to be an NSD but it then occurred to me I had no breakfast, lunch or dinner for tomorrow! Rather than do some hotchpotch shopping when I got hungry, I decided to pop into Lidl and spent about £8 on meals for the next few days. I'll try and get to do a big shop over the weekend.

Going to work out my January spending a bit later on. Tomorrow will definitely be an NSD and probably won't get a chance to do it on Saturday. Hoping it's stayed low. If it's gone up a bit, I shall have to intensively refocus my MSE and OS efforts!

Hope you have all had a fantastic day. Friday tomorrow, hooray! :T

Edit: Just an update. I've calculated last month's spending. Spending on meals out went up slightly, but still much much lower than mid-last year. Spending on food shopping dropped. Overall spending was a significant amount lower than last month. But I'm most pleased when I compare it to November - cut my spending habits by two thirds! So glad I found MSE and OS!

Icey77

amandaatnumber7 wrote: »

Ive never thought of using washing up liquid, great tip :T:T:T

A pleasure
My thinking is that it breaks down grease off cooking pans, plates etc so it should also work on food stains which are essentially made of grease!

villagelife

Must get back to OS ways after expense of a week away! We went to watch a rugby match in France and then stayed a few days,
It was budgeted for now need to take stock again.
Yesterday I sorted the seeds I have and I have no need to buy any more for the summer and sorted out the ones I need to plant soon. The fruit trees have all been planted and hopefully I will be able to drastically reduce spend on fruit and veg.
I went food shopping yesterday and spent less than I thought I would especially as I bought meat which will do for a couple of weeks.
DH had a nosebleed the other day and got blood on his jeans and as we were away in a self catering appartment all I had was washing up liquid and after soaking and rubbing in the washing up liquid there is no stain.

Caterina

Good afternoon,

Joedenise how lovely to get pheasant as a gift! I would not like it personally as being veggie it would be a wasted gift, but for meat eaters it must be very nice to receive such a speciality.

CyclingLondonSaver I have heard people swear by the A1di laundry stuff, the liquid one, but if you want to consider using eco stuff (nice light scent and very gentle on clothes) you might want to consider buying in bulk, or from places that sell loose detergents from large boxes. There is a good health food shop in Stoke Newington and a food co-op near Elephant and Castle, they both do refills and at very reasonable prices, for good quality "green" washing up and laundry liquids. Let me know if you want the details and I shall fish out the addresses. Glad you enjoyed the Turkish meal, they have very tasty food.

Icey, thank you from me, too, about the washing up liquid stain removing properties. On a different note, how is your little Spotty? Hope he is feeling better by now.

Villagelife welcome back, glad you had a few days away, hope you had a great time and well done for budgeting your break. I am sure you will catch up with your OS ways in a heartbeat!

Sorry for on and off absences, I am finding myself so busy at the moment that I have very little time to go online for more than a few minutes. Carving a half hour to myself now after getting online to sort out a payment (grrrrr they got my details right, why are they bothering me?), to the milkman. It was so much simpler when I could deal with the milkman in person, but now they want everything online and of course sometimes Computer Says NO! And I get a call from a call centre on the other side of the galaxy (was tempted to put "of the Milky Way" but it was too obvious LOL) giving me aggro for an account that is functioning perfectly well.

Anyway, life goes on, not much to report other than I have been spending a bit more these days because finding myself so much under budget I have given myself and my men a few treats (DH got 2 packs of Eccles cakes - his favourite - for his future packed lunches) and I have fed DS and our friendly builder nice sandwich fillings in fresh baguettes, as opposite to slabs of run-of-the-mill cheddar in sliced white. Not a permanent state of things but as a treat they both like and appreciate it.

The rubble is all bagged, 40-odd bags, DS and I have done the first run to the tip today. The car only takes 6 bags at any one time so we have another 6 runs to do, hopefully two each day over the weekend and one per day in weekdays until we finish. DS cannot really be expected to do it by himself because it is extremely hard work and even if he is very strong it might hurt him to lift so many heavy sacks without any help.

But the front room is all plastered and looking nice, the second one is being started today. In a couple of days I shall order the paint and then DH is getting down to work, evenings and weekends, until the two downstairs rooms are ready. Then we have to sand and oil the floors. It never ends!

Off again now, to counselling. Only 6 more weeks so we must resolve our differences by then, or we have had it!

Hoping you all have a good OS day and evening.

villagelife

Computers are supposed to make your life easier!! but are designed so things take twice as long as otherwise and creates problems that shouldn't exist.
A few treats are needed when we are busy and if they can be paid for out of budget they should be guilt free.

Today I have spent time in the garden and feel so much better for doing work outside. I dug a bit more of a vegetable plot, cleaned out my chickens and tidied up the garden.
I'm cooking a roast chicken at the moment and have plans for the leftovers.
Its been a NSD and NPD today as have only been for a couple of walks with my dog.