Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

fuddle

nursemaggie wrote: »

Anyone see this last night Wednesday on BB2?

I just watched it bit of fun!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0675njv/britains-spending-secrets-episode-1

yeah I watched it. Nice to see them playing with stereotypes etc but a myriad of emotions it was for me, especially harking back to my poor money management Jones' keeping up days. I felt for lady on a tight budget, although very much admired her ethos and determination and happiness with her lot. The millionaire who was self taught and the posh MP with her history of family well to do and status showing us their tight and frugal ways was a laugh. But I did get the concept in that exposing how we spend money and why, exposes our core being. Good programme, if not a bit cringe worthy at times.

I feel a bit urgh today. I think it's lack of routine and kiddies are now a bit bored. Same old, same old. It's time for school again now.

Youngest DD's wellies are now too small so they are shedward bound to be planters. I'm thinking strawbs.

A wholemeal loaf on the cards today. I got a bit bored of the 5 minute ones, especially watching GBBO. I'm going to dabble today. I think I might try to plait :rotfl: try.

I'm going to be making chicken, peppercorn sauce, mashed potato and green beans for tea today. I think I'll cheat today and have cheese, HM bread and sliced apples as a savoury supper no extra baking.

THIRZAH

FairyPrincessk

Glad to hear the WI meeting went o.k. Don't worry about anyone telling you off about the way you hold your needles. I made a remark at our craft group about my Mother telling me off about the way I hold the wool. When we looked half the group held the wool in the same way as me and a lot held their needles in an "odd" way.

[Deleted User]

You hold the needles in the way you most feel comfortable with.I hold them oddly as well and I've been knitting for over 65 years :)

mcculloch29

In Wales a 'bakestone' is the flat griddle that totally delicious and incredibly easy Welsh cakes are made on, placed on the top of the stove. They tend to be handed down within families and many in use date to the 19th C.
Many people in Wales - and exiles like me - call the actual cakes 'bakestones', as calling them Welsh cakes is a bit like calling muffins 'English muffins' in England.

I fully agree with Fuddle's comments on the Spending Secrets programme.
I warmed to Anne Robinson far more than I thought I would. She proved herself to be a really good sport and fearless, didn't back down when the police were mentioned when she went dumpster diving, and happily tucked in to her thrown out food stew.

I bet Aldi were joyous when the Baroness mentioned her Aldi coffee in the Fortnums' jar, made using a kitchen towel filter. Great PR for them.

I didn't warm to Darren, who earns a miniscule sum working from home, but felt qualified to lecture the Addicutts (sp) on how they spent their money, a lot of it being on children's after school activities.
One of my former childminded Mums did that too, particularly with swimming.
Her daughter was at the London Olympics and has made a good living from professional sport.

vulpix

Thanks nurse maggie,I enjoyed the prog.I too liked Ann much more than I thought I would.With the overdrawn family they are spending about £12 pw for dancing lessons etc for the children.An investment in my mind rather than the smug guys coffee habit.

I have been busy,the front garden is now more or less finished.

We went to see Alan carr last night,enjoyed it.Going for a cheap but very good curry at the pub when Mr V gets home.

Fingers crossed to do a car boot sale on Sunday,there wont be many more this year.

I doubled my t--co vouchers and got a cheap tv for youngests Christmas.She is an awkward age,still wants surprises but bless her is grateful for whatever we give her.I am doing well with my Christmas buying,almost done.We don't go mad,the whole thing costs about £250,I am canny though and get a lot for my money.

Ou he is here,laters Vx

nursemaggie

Do so agree Anne Robinson was superb. Just accepted everyone as they were. I thought she was very tactful in every situation.

The only one who did not surprise me one bit was the Baroness. When you think about it they inherit everything but their food and clothes and they probably have hand me downs as kids. The only way they can hang on to there estates is too be frugal. If you have never had anything new you don't mind buying stuff on ebay.

I wonder if our way is to go one better with the make do and mend.

117pauline

Just spent a happy couple of hours reading the last three pages. It always makes me smile.

I bought a Denman hairbrush in 1981 when I was down in Plymouth doing some work experience. I shared a flat with a girl whose hair I always admired and she recommended them. I can remember the shock of buying it although I can't remember the price. However I have only had two since which is pretty good when you consider cost per brushing! Perhaps I might treat myself to a new one soon.

I think I need a bit of re-educating. I have been trying to use up everything in the freezers so I can defrost them but I have noticed that I metaphorically get to a certain level and start buying stuff again. At least I am using up the old stuff first but even so, it does seem a little strange.

Thanks to the WI idea. I am quite reclusive at the moment and think this would be a good idea for me. Now I have thought this, I just need to get out there.

Bought another couple of shrubs to fill the flower borders so there isn't so much to weed. I am a bit embarrassed about the state of the garden and really need a plan. And we all like a plan, don't we?

Happy weekend everyone
Pauline

Lynplatinum

Hiya All

Nurse Maggie - many thanks for the tip off re that prog. I was in two minds whether to catch up on it or not - following your recommendation - i will give it a try!

Camelot - you said some 'interesting meals' - can you tell me what they were - I too have weird concoctions left in freezer to eat up and could do with some inspiration!

mcculloch29 - any recipes for said Welsh cakes going? i love em but I ve never made them!

Glad hols are progressing well and frugally Jackie O

Today has been the usual MM&M from me - in that I walked to L!dil; dried clothes on the washing line and cooked own food. funny isn't it that our habits would be seen as frugal by most but unless I think about it - I dont realise that most people (not on here of course) would drive to L!dil; put stuff in a tumble dryer; have a take away; buy food and other stuffs they dont need at supermarkets!!! Not so us on here :beer:

Re hairbrushes - I bought one from A!on for 99p and that lasted for 3 years - even now it only has a couple of bristles missing (it gets used as my 'suitcase' one (I am away so much that I have a permanently half packed suitcase). I bought a new one cos they were back on offer for 99p and it has lasted another 3 years thus far with no missing bristles. My hair is very long and thick - often waist length - so hairbrushes in the past were often getting broken - on one memorable occasion snapping with such force that it flew across the room and cracked a window! :rotfl:

Nite all

FairyPrincessk

Morning all,

Thanks for all of the support re knitting needle stance! I do a lot of things in an odd way--mum was ferocious enough to demand a left-handed desk and sympathetic person to help me learn to write at school, but everything else I've had to sort of work out on my own and often found it easier to adapt my stance and do it right handed or some version thereof. I also hold my wool wrong which I suspect means I'll always be a slow knitter, but I say just ask the tortoise and the hare what happens to slow people.;)

Yesterday was a bit of a mixed bag. We didn't get to Cannon Hall, but we think we'll have time to do it tomorrow. We did the the things we needed from ikea--and it was very nice not to have to wrestle them home on the bus. OH also did some research for a field trip he is organizing for the pupils and we got a couple of things from an outlet shop that I haven't been able to locate second hand.

Then we came home, I made a quick dinner with YS sausage, bendy veg and pasta and then the neighbour started ripping the brand new fence down and throwing it around. Much of last night was taken up with letting the landlord know (fortunately for us the neighbour's behaviour is well known so I don't think we'll be blamed in any way), reporting it to police as he asked us to and taking photos. I also brought in the plant pots and picked any veg that was almost ready rather than risk it becoming a target. We then spent the next few hours getting increasingly coherent messages scrawled on pieces of paper taken from other people's bins through the letter box as whatever he was on wore off and he tried to act as if he had done us a favour by ripping down the fence. The whole situation is frustrating for a number of reasons and both OH and I are doing our best to ignore the mess in the garden that we were told not to clear up yet by the police and go about having our nice weekend anyway. Bit easier said than done.

We're off to an historic home near Wolverhampton today. I'm on sandwich making duty in a moment. I think it is going to be tuna cucumber as that is what I've got in.

Pauline--I'm a bit reclusive too, give it a go. I think most will let you visit for the price of £1-3 for a few meetings, so you don't have much to lose.

vulpix

Oh FP! How horrible,xxx

I had an a-on brush for many years which I passed on to my daughter,must ask if she still has it.I have short fine hair and have used the same afro comb bought off the market since the 80's.

I have bought dd2 a d-nham brush for her birthday next month,was £8 something which I thought was reasonable.She will be 14,though is like a much younger child.I am trying to get her to take some interest not even pride in her appearance.She would happily go unwashed if i wasn't on her case.

I tried to make arrangements for a family trip to Cannon Hall but the elder childrens work doesn't allow.Sounds odd to call grownups children.If the weather is nice next week I might just take youngest dd.

I have a nice crop of plastic cutlery in the front garden,stuck in bare patches to keep the cat out.It is a very nice little cat who goes through my garden on her way to work several times a day.A couple of nights ago I came out of the bathroom to find her on the landing,we both jumped out of our skin.I disturbed a frog yesterday which then hopped straight through the front door and wedged itself under the skirting board.What a performance to get it out! helpfully filmed by dd2 on her ipad.

I am pottering today,home alone.Will do a bit of cooking for in the week,watch gardeners world and read.We are all off to a Hawian party at 6 when MrV comes home from work.

Lyn i also forget that what we do as normal is unusual for some people.I mended my glasses chain with a rather fetching purple loom band the other day.In the spirit of not being wasteful I have given away gravel from the back to 3 more people.Still plenty left.

The loft saga rumbles on.The man came to record the change of use from loft room to loft,cost £50.He informed british g-s.We have an appointment next month for a man to come to say we have no insulation,then in 6 months he will come again to say we have no insulation.this is because people were taking their insulation up to get free insulation then putting theirs back on top!(and we think we are extreme money savers!)We could then get a grant for some free insulation.Methinks the cost of heating a house with no insulation for the winter will be more than just buying the insulation ourselves.

Still no reply from the person who we bought the house from.We need to know where the stop tap is so the plumbers can fit the new loo and it would be most helpful to the architect if there were any existing plans for the extension.I want to knock a wall down and it would help building regs.It doesn't need planning but would save a few quid on plans if we could find the old ones.

enough from me,have a nice day.Vx