Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

fuddle

I forgot all about my stock in the SC. I asked DH to turn it off last night and subsequently had it sitting there all night. Thought best not to use it.

So the chicken leftovers are sat on a HM pizza, along with odds and ends of different Christmas cheeses and some sweetcorn. Never mind. Still, quite looking forward to a salad accompaniment than veg.

I have been on my hands and knees scrubbing the lino of the new to me kitchen floor. It was clean, has been cleaned a good few times since we moved in but on closer inspection there was dirt in the tiny nooks and crannies in the lino design. Once I started I couldn't really stop. I've got 1/3 done and have to give up due to poorly fingers, wrists and knees. Make me feel very sorry for the ladies of yesterday who scrubbed their floors lovingly and I dare say many weren't lino either!

Hopefully mop and bucket will suffice once it's up and cleaned.

candygirl

Nargleblast wrote: »

I remember, back in the Seventies, being shocked by my seven year old niece receiving a tape recorder for Christmas. I was only 18 myself, but even I thought "if they give her a tape recorder now, what will they give her when she's older?"

There's a lot of parents out there storing up trouble for the future, the way they are bringing up their children.

I got my first cassette player when I was about 7, with David Cassidy, n Bay City Rollers tapes it was was off my late Great Aunt.Every year after that she got me tapes, lps and later cds, right until she died in her late 80's in 93 It wasn't something i'd asked for, but Iloved it:D

FunBrum

Hi all.
Hope you all have had a lovely Christmas.:santa2:

I spent Christmas with friends and family, so was very frugal for me! My friend said if I did all the cooking, he would supply all the food etc. My children and grandchildren came boxing day for a 'pot luck' buffet. After sharing out the leftovers, there were loads left, and my friend told me to take it home as he would just throw it out.......sacrilege!!
:eek:
I came home with an arm full of goodies including the turkey, which was promptly turned into soup and carved up breast for the freezer.
I will be living off my little stash for the rest of the week, and the food that haven't even been opened, for longer! :beer:

MrsCD

Fuddle :D:D:D:D:D:D:D on your behalf! Well done for not playing their games though.
DD has invited us for tea on Friday so I don't need to do anything.
Went to MetroCentre on Monday and Tuesday but didn't buy anything. I think I'm getting the hang of Martin's mantras.

117pauline

I hope everyone is having a peaceful time.

My freezer is full so that means I will be minimising my grocery budget for the next month at least.

Make Do - well i am re-reading some of my older books which has been very enjoyable.

Mend - sewing up holes that managed to appear in a jumper.

I have spent nearly four hours over the last two days tidying up in the garden as I didn't feel like it earlier in the autumn. Yesterday it was beautifully sunny and a real pleasure to be outside. I do feel for all those up North suffering through yet more weather misery.

meritaten

my freezer has emptied now! made room for all the Christmas 'stuff' - that's now cooked and eaten ..................I need to fill it again!
going shopping tomorrow - hope there are 'reductions' to be had!

FunBrum

I minimised my spend on food today. Popped into Spar just to see if there were any bargains, and to my delight, I picked up a bag of Apple's, a bag of bananas and a punnet of plums, where £1 each, reduced to 30p! Then passing the fridges, I spied a large gammon joint reduced from £9.50, to £2.50! I couldnt have been more happy with my swag! £3.40 instead of £12.50.
The gammon is sitting in my sister's freezer until it's needed, and I'm scoffing the fruit, and will be for the next week!
It annoys me that these items may have been binned! Anyway....my gain! :j

Lynplatinum

Hiya All

Fuddle - well done for a subversively healthy and frugal present! And for keeping your own council - difficult I know cos I did a lot of it this Christmas!

As you may recall - I spent Christmas at my son's lady's folks who are multi millionaires. Seriously! The house was like a National Trust property! the dinning table housed 11 people comfortably - there was another section which expanded the table to 20 - all antique mahogany!! :eek: One of the fireplaces was about the size of my front room! Very luxurious! Roast turkey and everything Christmas day and roast Beef and everything on Boxing day.

Thanks so much you all for your advice :A - the hamper of homemade goodies was much appreciated - and nibbled at all over the festive period - folks kept coming up to me and saying how nice the items were - to whit: Cinnamon star biscuits; chocolate truffles; Lemon Curd (Ta someone on here! GQ? Jackie O?); Caramelised sweet onion pickle; Strawberry vodka; dried orange slices; cheese sables (Ta Viv)

I got some lovely real vanilla essence + posh candle (yankee ones smell better - so that is being regifted) + posh tea towels + antique bon-bon dish (cute but do I need it???) Plus a lovely bracelets HM by DIL 1 and one from DIL 2. DIL2 (pregnant one) hand made paper to make a HM card for me - so lovely!

I was told that I had really helped in the kitchen and by chatting along got folks chatting well (the step dad who is the millionaire business man came and thanked me a) for helping so much (apparently the missus has never let any other cook work alongside her in the kitchen but apparently I did it with sufficient tact!) and b) for helping to tactfully change the stream of conversation when conflict seemed to loom. He smiled and said that he could see how I did my job (working with troubled children) because I could anticipate what was coming . A nice man - probably why he could get folk to do what he wanted!

Glad most of you had a nice time over Christmas! Lookin forward to another MM&M year next year - you guys have so helped me to get through this year!
Whos gonna start the new thread?
Nite all

cybertortoise

I hope this thread runs again for 2016!

FairyPrincessk

Morning all,

I seem to have come down with my annual New Year cold just in time! Nevermind, we don't have plans until Saturday. I've been re-organizing bits of my craft stashes and slowly working on my summer ironing pile--things I washed at the end of the summer but knew I wouldn't be wearing immediately. I've been doing a bit each afternoon whilst watching some sort of drama on catch up. We ran out of chocolate yesterday--we don't buy any, but as a teacher OH usually gets a few boxes, so I made a blueberry cake with a bag of blueberries from the freezer. Not sure if that is making do or minimizing, but it tastes nice!

I'd like to do some sewing over the next day or two but can't quite make up my mind what to sew. I have some nice wool suiting that I got reduced in the summer that I'd like to make a dress from but I don't have enough lining fabric and don't fancy going out for it. I've got some very pretty cotton prints, but am loathe to commit them to just one thing. I also have a silk dress I bought in a CS to re-make, but haven't quite worked up the courage yet and feel it isn't the right project to do while I'm sniffly and not with a great deal of patience!

OH will be out for a bit today so I might tackle my two broken laundry baskets mentioned months ago. I'm not sure if that is making do or mending! Depending on my success it might be minimizing!

Lyn what a lovely Christmas, with everyone fitting in where they can.