Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2016

FunBrum

meritaten I've just finished reading Inferno! The book folding sounds great!

making do with what's in the fridge/cupboards for dinner.
minimising my book collection. I'm sorting out the book I already read, and they are either off to the carboot or for sale online.
mending well not so much mending as marking....candle ends to make candles this evening.:D

meritaten

if any of you want to have a go at folded book art - I use this site for free patterns. I like the measure and fold type rather than the graphic ones.

http://foldedbookart.co.uk/premiumpatterns/premiumhalloween/premiumpatternshalloween.html
They also sell on etsy - I am considering purchasing one of their special offers. some of the patterns on the free site cost up to £5 for similar ones on other sites!

mrs-moneypenny

Thank you meritaten, some really nice designs on that site. I've pinned a couple and given them a plug on Twitter.

Been doing some of my patchwork again this afternoon. While listening to frank turner, definately a lovely afternoon.

Just made tea using some YS veggies I got cheap last week and minimising the lasagne sheet stash. Finally down to one box I bought a load really cheap when the shop had a silly discount on it.

Tonight I'll be knitting little hats again while watching a DVD from the cupboards that will hopefully be ok but a one watch so it can be minimised to the CS.

misstara

thanks for those meritaten I've never tried book folding before but might give it a go - it looks ace

Tea tonight was egg fried rice with an assortment of veg which needed used up plus a couple of sausages and bits of salami - was yummy and OH has leftovers to eat tomorrow night while I'm at work.

Mended the hoover (ish)- OH said that it was broken, however, when I looked at it he had sucked up various papers and a lighter so it had blocked - very easily mended

I don't start until 1 again tomorrow so planning a lie in and then I must catch up on the washing and ironing. Piles up again so quickly!

Lynplatinum

Evening all
Day2 of being healthier - walked to bank and payed a regular bill which has to be done via bank) and checked if someone had put monies in. Then walked on to train station and bough ticket for Cornwall - they could offer me no better deal than on line So overall was out walking or standing for over an hour and a half :cool:

Then had the embarrassing experience of having to ask a client for their missing money to the their face. I dont mind asking for cash on the day and I also hint by taking out the wallet I keep the cash in and laying it on the table as I pack the rest of my stuff up. But having to point out that she was in debt to me was not pleasant. Would anyone else have this issue - Im the same when I ve loaned monies to friends. I am neurotic - even if I owe 10p I remember and have to give it back!
Make Do - last 2 fish cakes for tea!
Minimise - my book stash - one I was reading ( passed on to me) is lined up with others for CS + plumduff55 I too am eating up the last of Christmas bits - today had another 'go' at the nibbly savoury biccys - a handfull cures my craving for crispy v high cal things like buttered toast/packs of crisps!
Mend - still havent had time to do trousers!!!
Nite all

mrs-moneypenny

Morning all
Won't have time to mmm much today but food will be from the cupboards, and tonight I'll try and join Lynne with minimising my ironing pile.

I agree Lynne if I've had something it gets paid for there is no way I'd make someone wait for the money or give them the embarrassment of asking for it. It would be me that was embarrassed if that ever did happen.

Have a good day all.

plumduff55

Hi everyone, it's dry and windy here this morning but rain is forecast. I'm so fed up of drying the washing in the house. I do have a tumble drier but it's only used as a last resort.

I went a walk up the hill to the country park again yesterday. Managed the hill without stopping but very out of breath for the last 10 metres or so. Success will be when I can walk up that hill without becoming breathless. Going to ds tomorrow, they live at the top of a hill as well only its about 4 times the length and although the gradient is not quite as steep it is far longer.

MINIMISING - there is bag out on the front step for collection today. Mostly it was bric a brac, a couple of DVDs and some clothes including my black cardigan I used to wear to work. This cardigan was only worn occasionally as the office was quite warm and was usually left hanging on the back of the cupboard door. I bought it in Littlewoods years before it closed so you'll know how old it was. When I retired in October I kept the cardigan in case I ever worked again but have decided that I am enjoying retirement so much I never want to work again. If I do have to work again my problems would be greater than the cost of a cardigan SO OUT IT GOES 😃.

Like Lyn I'm still MINIMISING on the food front, more crackers and cheese for lunch today. Also someone on here spoke of minimising their chocolates from Xmas - can't remember who but that's what I'm doing! I have divided a whole box of Thorntons chocolates into 50-60 gram portions. All except the coffee ones which went into food recycling bin . These will be my Saturday night treat and I promise I will only consume 1 bag each week. WATCH THIS SPACE ..........

MENDING - I altered the blouse I bought from the CS. It took just under 2 hours and is perfect now. So I shall look for more bargains in the CS. The charity shops around here are so expensive you're cheaper buying things new sometimes. But i shall now keep an eye out for their bargain rails. Very happy with the blouse.

MORE MINIMISING - I filled the car up with petrol the other day and was amazed that it only cost me £19.64. When I retired my petrol budget was £50 each month. This was reduced by approx £20 by travelling to ds by bus twice a month. Now it's under £20 - again by using public transport more and only using car when necessary. I feel very lucky to have a bus pass now.

Have a nice day everyone - the sun has just come out and I'm going to be very optimistic and hang out my washing xx

misstara

Lyn I'm also the same, I hate owing money to friends and will always pay back even tiny amounts.

plumduff I don't think I have that kind of restraint when it comes to chocolate, it's always 'I'll just have one more'. Hope the weather stays dry for your washing.

I ate the last of my bread for breakfast this morning so I've made another loaf - due out of the oven in about 30mins. The washing machine is on and I'll start the ironing once I've finished my coffee. I'll take out the recycling before I go to work, I also need to go to the library at some point as I've finished all my books but will probably leave that until my day off on Saturday.

Right better get cracking - hope everyone has a MMM day

[Deleted User]

Plumduff I stopped eating bread around two years ago and lost a stone and a half without even trying I have crackers and soft cheese or pate at lunchtime with HM soup and have found its fine. No chance of a sandwich in my house as apart from when I make shortbread I also don't keep butter in stock either I use stork for baking or vitalite.I don't miss bread at all and when I see its costing £1.50 a loaf I am even more pleased that bread is off the menu.
I found some smoked mackerel fillets in the freezer a couple of weeks ago Lyn and they really were very tasty.I think I had bought them at a reduced price as well which was even nicer . I did have a recipe somewhere for smoked mackerel fillet pate which would be nice on crackers I think. Sometimes I will mash up a small tin of sardines with some mayo and a dash of chilli sauce and spread that on crackers, or just have it with salad a sort of 'poor mans salmon salad ':):):) Pilchards are pretty versatile as well as being 'penny friendly' I love fish of any sort and will try almost anything that's different.I adore crab meat and will buy it only when its at the fish market though so I know its pretty fresh.I like prawns but they don't like me and I come out in a rash so I don't eat them at all.But a 'finny haddock with a poached egg on top' now that's a treat to eat :):)

celtic_moon

Hi all!

Finally got some poota time been reading along avidly

Nurse Maggie - I use to live in a flat with really old storage heaters and no gas - was a nightmare. Apart from putting the foil insulation behind them, I didn't discover any nuggets of helpful info about making them more efficient in the 10 years I lived there! What I did do, was minimise my use of electric other ways so I could have the small electric fire on in the living room in the evenings. I did my washing in the 'cheap' period overnight. I used my slow cooker daily - again in the cheap time so I woke up to the most delicious smells and I knew tea was ready before I left for work! I set my boiler (old water tank system) to only heat up at that time so had to have a bath (no shower) and wash hair in the mornings. Put the metal draught excluders on all doors and a hot water bottle for bed. I was able to get a water meter installed there and at my current flat - it is on the intake pipe under my sink. Don't know if any of that helps but.......

Those of you who are knitting and crocheting your stashes - have you seen the appeal from the preemie unit at Alder Hey children's hospital on fb? They are in need of small blankets etc as the ones they did have were lost in the move to their new site - if you need anywhere to rehome your products to .....

I am back on the MMM wagon with a vengeance! We were lucky enough to surprise a week long visit on DH daughter who lives in Turkey for her birthday at the beginning of the month! Although we got the flights paid for (xmas pressie), we have had to use DH (0% thankfully) overdraft for spends. We did manage to spend about £80 on spices that we brought back :eek: although we got LOADS (5kg in total!) for our money and we will not need any for a good while (we freeze the excess to avoid spoilage - a trick an Asian student gave me at uni about 1000 years ago! ) We also got 5x600ml 'you're w0rth it' shampoo and conditioner for the equivalent of £10 in one of their cosmetic shops so DH won't need anymore for at least 2 years! We JUST got it all back - with an extra layer worn.

We have freezers and cupboards groaning with food and lots already prepared for our event season which starts next month so we are only buying the fresh stuff - milk, veg, fruit and the little extra we save is going off DH overdraft.

I have changed where I do my support work and managed to secure a better pay rate for the same hours so we should be able to get back to where we were a little quicker - phew! I am having to send my car to car heaven so I should get some insurance back too. Can't afford another just yet but can use DH van and get the train to work so, so far so good! Maybe it'll help minimise me a little too! :rotfl:

I am desperate to start doing some craft work again - love sewing! But we have so much carp in the 'office' I barely have a path through! We have stuff to put on fleabay (waiting for the slightly more affluent months to arrive....) and most of the rest is half sorted teaching resources I am trying to sort and rehome to avoid binning them. Then I will be able to finish the half done papercraft projects and get to the sewing machines.......Wondering if I will get there before I actually shuffle off this mortal plain!!!!

Well, suppose I'd better get back to the lovely accounts

Take care of yourselves xxx