Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

janb5

Wow - you have been so busy!

Do any of your friends have a sewing machine so could run through the basics? It`s a skill I wish I had learnt as it would have been so useful and pleasurable. Some of the adult education centres do run classes and some have crèches. I know it varies from area to area.

cheerfulness4

Iris - I've made some great drawer dividers from packaging, too. I thought they were banana boxes I got from Morries but its turned out they are the packaging from boxes of raspberries. They're as hard as wood, as I found out when I was brandishing my very own, newly purchased Stanley Knife.
I waited until DH went out and got to work with my knife as he frets but it took me forever and he caught me in the act. His face was a picture.
Think the first time you allowed your child to start using a serrated bread knife. :rotfl:
I might laugh but I still cringe sometimes watching DS aged 21 as he hacks at a crusty loaf.

pws52 wrote: »

I have never posted on this thread but do read it!

For a great chutney recipe have a look at Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall's Glutney Chutney recipe.
This is the only recipe I use now and it is so easy.

Thanks for that pws52. I've popped a link below that I think must be the chutney you mention, but how do you do yours in the slow cooker, please? That would really suit me well.

http://www.vegetarianrecipesmag.com/vegetarian-recipes/hugh-fearnley-whittingstalls-glutney

villagelife wrote: »

I've made plant labels things from a milk carton for the seeds I'll plant when they arrive.
.

That's what I'm going to be making today or tomorrow ready for the next indoor seed sowing session.

IrisViolet wrote: »

Hoping I can really turn it around this year and learn lots of new skills. Need to buy a diary and notebook for keeping myself organised and writing lots of these wonderful tips down. Really enjoying reading back through the thread!!

I've just been reading back this weekend and dropping down lots of notes. I found my notebook but there are so many little bits that people say that they have no idea are incredibly useful, either because they are new to me or tips I'd totally forgotten over the years on here.

I'm glad everyone is enjoying the thread.
I completely agree that everyone on here is so warm, friendly and completely respectful of others.
Sometimes I've seen elsewhere posters being belittled and I cringe. We don't all know or understand everything. That's why we ask, isn't it?
I've loved watching us all learning from each other new skills and in an environment where we feel safe to ask because everyone else is eager to patiently help. Isn't that lovely?

Its been like having your mums, sisters, children and grandmas all in the room with you, even if you're not lucky enough to have them in RLife.

I must list my spends or I will start to overspend. I'm so excited that I've done nearly 4 months and still sticking to my budget. I'm normally last until half way through Feb if I'm lucky!

Wonder how Silva is coping with that boat? I'd love to see a photo of her steering.

vhalla1478

Afternoon everyone, I've been busy doing the accounts I mentioned earlier and have almost finished so am very pleased with myself. Why is it that we put off jobs, but once we get into them, it's ok? I was so absorbed I didn't notice how nasty the weather has turned - cold and wet here, but apparently next week is going to be a great improvement.

What a nice way to put it, Cheerfulness, 'it's like having your mums, sisters, children and grandmas in the room with you.. ' to that, I would add 'friends'. But can you imagine the cacophony if we were all together in real life - I bet none of us would be short of something to say! Congratulations on sticking to your budget, Cheerfulness - someone near the beginning of this thread mentioned a blog called something like 365 days on a £1 a day (?) Funnily enough I was re-reading some of the earlier posts here and looked it up - the lady who wrote it gave up - perhaps she was a little too hard on herself - we all need treats from time to time and should have them if we can afford them without feeling guilty about it.

Here's a nice alternative to the ubiquitous coleslaw.

Cabbage Salad with Lemon Dressing - Serves 4

white cabbage, 12 black olives, 2 tbsp lemon juice, crushed garlic clove, 2 tbsp. finely chopped flat leaf parsley, 5-6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, salt to taste.

Cut the cabbage into quarters, discard the outer leaves and trim off any thick hard stems as well as the hard base. (put the trimmings into your next batch of vegetable soup). Lay each quarter in turn on its side and cut long, very thin slices until you reach the central core which should be discarded (but see above). Place the cabbage in a large mixing bowl and stir in the black olives. Make the dressing by whisking the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, chopped parsley and salt to taste together in a bowl until well blended. Pour the dressing over the cabbage and olives and toss the salad until everything is evenly coated.

Right, I've no more excuses, I'm going to finish those accounts and then I'll get paid on Thursday. By the way, when all the money comes in I will have made over £250 by selling clothes that I no longer wear and there are still a few things left (and, if I'm honest, my wardrobe is still full, but everything in it is what I'm happy to wear, and I've no mending.

Speak later - I'm going to try and steal a couple of recipes from DD in law - she's a superb baker.

Viv xx

cheerfulness4

Absolutely friends, yes Viv.

I agree that you must have your treats. I found Ilona's (meanqueen's) blog very interesting because she is extremely frugal in day to day life but she's not against spending her money in the areas that are right for her. She enjoys her walking and budgets for her accommodation, albeit that she still thinks carefully about which places she stays in.
She also enjoys her driving and chose recently to purchase a different car rather than take the 'run it into the ground' option, for various reasons.
Some of her frugal steps might not be the way others would choose but they work very well for Ilona's life.

Here is a link to her blog based on her life after she finished working.
Life After Money (don't you just love that title)

Another blog I avidly read is
Frugal Queen

I love the fact she works hard, cooks delicious foods, again not being afraid to have some treaty meals when the need arises and shares all her lovely recipes.
I also love how she lets you in on how she runs her financial affairs.
I'm nosey and its not polite to ask the questions I'd love to ask in normal life so lovely when someone volunteers it in their blog! I think she's been a very clever lady.

meritaten

as we are having a 'love-fest', may I just say, I don't post often...but, this is the FIRST stop on mse forum every evening. I love this thread and you all inspire me and act as a 'guilty conscience'. just the thought of you all sadly shaking your heads in disappointment is enough for me to be more careful and not waste things. and to be more creative and not just 'spend money and buy it'. so big THANKS to you all. especially you, Cheerfulness for creating the thread.

maryb

re sewing and having special scissors - I bought red handled scissors for sewing and threatened the Family with dire consequences if they used them for paper. They can remember that red is for danger:rotfl:

It means they don't have to think about whether it's OK to use a particular pair of scissors or not - half the battle with my DH and DDs

[Deleted User]

Good evening chums had a brilliant weekend and a fantastic meal at the place in Faversham, Posillipo's, not cheap, but so well worth it.great service and amazing food. Bearing in mind what DD paid for the 'afternoon tea' my sis-in-law and I actually paid around £1.90 less and had an amazing two course meal including two small carafes of wine !!
We are going to save our pennies and go back there, probably just before Christmas.
This afternoon we had a mosey down to Margate and found a shop that carolbee had recommended nearby in Cliftonville and I splashed out £5.66 on lots of spices.Huge great bags of coriander,cinnamon peppercorns etc plus sisn-law and I shared a bag of red flaked peppers between us (we both like spicy food)
The food budget purse took a hit, but I still have £15.62 in my food budget purse to last until the end of the month, and nothing to buy at the moment.

The meal last night and our afternoon coffee and cake came from my 'Happy Cash Stash'Which is a seperate purse which I have for 'treats' :):) only used on high days and holidays :):):) but so nice now and again.

Normality resumes tomorrow when the boys go back to school and I get back into my routine again.
Next Saturday I am off galivanting again as my youngest DD is taking me up to london and we are going to see 'Cats' again. We saw it last when she was a little girl and Brian Blessed was in it, she is also treating us to a lunch out so I am being wined and dined this month.
Bless them my girls are so good to their old Mum I am so lucky to have them.
Right time to hit the pit and have a read I think
Hope everyone has had a good weekend
JackieO xxx

Lynplatinum

Evening all

Sorry I disappeared for a day - life all went mad again and a good friend took me out for a meal last night and as i had given them loads of lifts in my car refused to let me pay! A very kind person. but my goodness what LARGE portions of food! Some, sadly got wasted! As yet i dont know this person well enough to ask for a doggie bag LOL!

Kittykim - sorry to read of your misfortune - whatever you were doing - please dont do it again and get well soon.
Howmuch - glad your other half is on the mend.

Reading through it strikes me how fascinating it is to discover all our different styles of MM&M. So, for example, for me I use my Mr T points (gained from essential petrol purchase) to buy either new socks or new undies plus most of my washing tablets (for clothes) each year - i.e. those things become 'free'!!! However, others wait until the Mr T points double up and use them for days out with kiddies etc. Each is a good use of the 'freebies' but each is different. I, would regard stocking up on cheap spices as a great idea, whereas others would find it irrelevant.
The thing about on this thread is the tolerance encouragement and support for our individual styles of MM&M! Also we learn so much from each other PLUS, it keeps me on the straight and narrow re spends - my purse and my waistline are both better for it.:beer:
Prinzess - what is this 5:2 diet and where can I find out about it, please? you seem to have done well on it :A

good_advice

Good morning moneysavers
Just having my first coffee of the morning, I do not drink tea.
OH is a tea drinker. He has recently finished the very large bag of tea, I got him for his last birthday. 1500 pluss bags. I bought from an Amazon shop.

He now says he would like Yorkshire tea instead as it is a bit stronger.
I see Yorkshire tea make some for hard water, I might get that.
Will look around for another big bag.

I put the little work horse washing machine on at 7am, so on the line 9 ish.

Yesterday, I had a good no spending day. Then I do not spend much anyway except house bills.
Just thought, I fibbed! gave 20p to get into the carboot sale. I got dropped off by OH and then walked for 1/2 hour to get home. I went through the park. Lots of diffrent birds to see. Ducks, geese, more hens, swans and other little birds. No babies yet! I keep looking.

DD and BF were having a stall at the car boot. I watched as some of my unloved things found a new home. Items that had been up in my loft and cupboards now unused.

Looked in M & S at their clearance rails wile in town. Nothing jumped out and said buy me so I left with nothing.
You can never tell in that shop. Sometimes i find clothes I like and other times not impressed.

Started rereading a book I found wile decluttering.
An Idiot abroad. Karl Pilkinton is sent on a journey to see the 7 wonders of the world.
It was on TV awile ago. Very funny.

Todays housekeeping, a bit later.
Dance with Dyson and wash the kitchen floor. DONE :0)
Declutter under stairs cupboard. I want to loose some stuff so I can put the ironing board and clothes airer in. Maybe my big Dyson hoover? have less things out on show. DONE ;0) = not much to toss out though!
I have moved the coat hooks from the outside of cupboard to inside.
Shame the ironing board is so tall. It would only fit if I lent it against the coats and that is not practical. Cothes airer in its new home.

I am writing this on my mini iPad.
A realy good buy. A gift from OH. I then bought a logitech key board.
Small and portable.
I never did get on well with laptops.
I have had an old dest top computer for years. I like that and can upload photos from my camera.

Enough of my chatter. Have a thrifty day moneysavers

IrisViolet

Morning everyone.

I must say its been a pleasure joining in again, I have lurked and read as much as I could while not posting but its just not the same! Though I agree its a fab place over here & I too love how kind everyone is and how helpful. You have all achieved so much and its so much easier to stick to your guns with this little community to keep you going.

I do have a friend who is great on the sewing machine and is going to run through some stuff with me. Will have her and her girls round to play with my kids and get the machine out while they're occupied!

One really stupid question for sewers, yesterday I practised some stitches on a piece of scrap, what do you do when you get to the end of your stitches, like how do you make sure they don't come out? Do you reverse sew over the last few before cutting the thread? (Total newbie!).

JackieO sounds like you have lovely daughters, love hearing what they are doing for you how lovely.

Today Easter hols officially over, & though we Home educate its back at it with groups and meet ups etc, today its drama but ive a few hours before i need to get out anywhere so will get the housework done & hopefully organise one drawer with the cardboard!
Cheerfulness - I have cardboard from amazon boxes - not too difficult to cut though prob not as strong - but it will do!
Will get the under bed and other drawers done later, & hopefully a bit more sewing.
Going to make a curry and a pasta later, one for today one for tomorrow. No meat in but I have Butternut squash, carrots, aubergines, courgettes mushroom etc, so will make some veggie stuff. We eat veggie about 5 nights a week now as its just cheaper.
Will do the online order later to come tomorrow - budget of £65 - know I can do it. I save my clubcard points for xmas, doubled up can usually pay for one of the kids presents, sometimes two.

Iris.