Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2016

t14cy_t

made do with using dh stash of ale to make shandy, when i would really like wine. mended 3 dogs toys after they mullered them and just about to minimise lunch...im famished!! better day today. chilling with the hounds, combination of sunshine, then cooling indoors helping them to mend and keep even tempers. xx

PinkFlamingo30

Hi folks, just minimised the newspaper pile makipng bricks for the winter. Lovely to do playing with water on a day like today - for once glad the patio is in shade. Any hints for getting newspaper print off your fingernails? Bleach sort of worked, but mostly just stripped my megre tan!

nursemaggie

You probably wont believe this but just try washing your hair. It seems to get most stains from hands.

PinkFlamingo30

I quite believe it, but got hair dressers on wed, so not washing it before then

[Deleted User]

Had a nice day out at my friends in Dartford even though the temperatures were through the roof we had a delicious beef casserole with new pots and green beans, followed by fresh fruit salad.I came home with a bag of wool oddments from left over wool to go into my stash for my charity blankets. I also took an old double duvet cover that had seen better days ,washed so many times it had faded, but was very soft My friend has a big cutting board and a roller cutter as she does quilting so she cut me a square 24" x58" its doubled over so four thickness's and it will fit my ironing board a treat Very soft cotton and all I have to buy are those stretchy things that clip on either side to hold it flat to the board.voila one good ironing board cover for very little for one that size it would cost me over £20.odd.

So I have recycled my old duvet cover and its now converted into a cover for my iroing board.My friend kept the rest of the left over material as it will be turned into a small cot quilt for her grandaughter dolls cot.win-win to us both :):)
She also gave me a £15.00 donation for my DD and I's Race for Life that we did.I gave her 8 charity blankets that I have knitted for the Linus Trust as she goes in September to Guildford to see the next lady up the chain with all of the blankets knitted by our team in Kent.They then have labels sewn on saying 'A Gift from the Linus Trust' and are shipped all over the world to underprivileged children who have very little

She makes quilts and crochets blankets, and I knit them with oddments of wool from left over balls We try to recycle as much as possible.

So today I have made do without having to buy a new ironing board cover and she mended buy cutting it out for me and together we minimised some of her Y/S beef in a casserole and she has enough left over for her dinner tomorrow :):)

elona

I have just braved the integral garage and had a look at all the boxes which are still there. Some are documents to go upstairs later to the study. A couple are Christmas decoration which will be labelled, a couple are things like cleaning materials which can stay where they are until I get shelving in there and I dragged about five large boxes through to the living room to sort out.

Builders come round tomorrow and will take away any stuff to go to charity. I seem to have chosen the hottest day of the year to do physical work but it does need to be done.

I have some roast beef and veg from Sunday to have for a meal later, need to take three parcels to post for DD so she can get her money back and will make some more ice cubes later rather than buying any.

Shattered now so will have to pace myself throughout the afternoon.

iamsalt

Evening
Minimising- somehow the paper recycling wheely bin is full even though I don't feel like I have tried to get rid of paper waste. It's green bin day tomorrow too soon I am trying to fill that so I can start filling it again at the weekend.
Mending - well I have discovered that I can fit a king size duvet in my washing machine so I have been taking advantage of the weather and washing the duvets in the house. I am Embarrassed to see how different they look, now I know they fit in the washer I can feel confident about doing it more frequently. Please don't judge my housekeeping skills!
Make do - I made a pudding for oh out of some plums which were reduced to 50p and popped a sponge mix on top, served with evaporated milk from stores.
It's his birthday on Sunday so I have used vouchers I have have saved up from surveys and bought him a book and a new wallet, both through a work cash back site . On the day we are off to Sussex with a picnic to go geocaching, which is a nice free hobby and should be a special but cheap day out! Apparently we will also look for Pokemon things too (I haven't quite got my head around that craze yet) .

I keep thinking its Friday today but there is another work day ahead before I can start on my never ending to do list!

S x

Lynplatinum

Hiya

Many thanks for your congrats over achieving my goal of moving house - it has been a long struggle and could not have done it without my friends - both on here and in RL. Ta for the virtual cake.

to the lady with newspaper print issues on her hands - my son used to deliver newspapers and I used to put the leaflets into 300 papers per week while he was at school (I only managed to get a part time job when I first came off benefits - a long story for another time) sticking my finger tips into old lemon halves while watching telly for about 20 mins worked well but you need to wash hands and apply handcream afterwards so the dont dry out too much.

OK so have unpacked all boxes - most of stuff is put away but I still have too many clothes (a wardrobe for two women - one my current size and one a size smaller). Need to reduce to favourites only and stop doing the 'just in case stuff'.

Also far too much paperwork moved with me so aim to minimise more of that - have shredded one bag full all ready. Have also managed to minimise my bills - Council Tax in this new place is £300 a year cheaper + argued with energy provider that £79 per month was too high when my bill for a 3 bed, no double glazing house, 300 miles north was £67. Further more this new house (2 bed, full double glazed, 300 miles South) previously had 3 people living in it - they eventually agreed to £60 per month but I think it will work out to less.

No mending yet - no time
Making do - well kinda - despite having no stocks other than herbs and spices having been living happily off about £10 - 12 per week and rebuilding stocks!!
Currently back up in MK visiting folks and attending a funeral
But will be also going to Writer's Group next week before going home - once again kind friends are putting me up - must go to bed now so I dont disturb them.
Catch you all later!
PS Bleeboop - if you are trying to loose weight - remember veg are cheap - especially if you use the special offer ones!! and they are low cal too! PM me f you want some recipies or use Hugh Fearnly Wittingstall 's veg book. tc

dND

iamsalt wrote: »

Mending - well I have discovered that I can fit a king size duvet in my washing machine so I have been taking advantage of the weather and washing the duvets in the house. I am Embarrassed to see how different they look, now I know they fit in the washer I can feel confident about doing it more frequently. Please don't judge my housekeeping skills

No judgement at all as I had a similar light-bulb moment a few years back. Previously I'd valiantly tried cleaning them by walking up and down on them in the bath then carrying the soggy, dripping mass out to drip-dry on the line only to find I was left with ugly brown drying lines.

Eventually I tried the large machine at a launderette - bingo! Not only was I surprised by the colour change but by how much lighter in weight they were once all the accumulated perspiration had been washed out :embarasse :eek:

Here in France some of the supermarkets have large washing machines in the car parks which are relatively cheap to use - at the cleaners here it costs more than a new duvet to get them cleaned!!

And welcome back Lyn :wave::wave::wave: I do so hope to be in your position of unpacking boxes but so far after a year of being on the market not had one visit :eek: hey ho, that is France for you!

bargainhunterss

Quick question, does anyone have any good recipes for frozen cod fillets? I've got two in the freezer and I don;t really know what to do with them! I've seen some nice recipes for cod & tomato tray bake (http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1841665/cod-and-tomato-tray-bake) but they seem to use fresh rather than frozen fish...

What does everyone think?