Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2017

bettertogether

Thanks for the lovely welcomes (and the NSD translation ha!). I am sure that life will be better soon - it's all swings and roundabouts ey?

Today I turned an old duvet cover into cleaning rags, found some vintage cloth napkins in our local charity shop to use instead of paper ones and we took our daughter to a local fun fair - admittedly that cost us some money for the tickets for the rides but it was in aid of our local church and their chosen charity so was a good cause. Writing a meal plan tonight, doing a food shop tomorrow and then Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday will be NSDs apart from my travel into work.

A

savingpennies

Good morning all. I've not been on for a while as I've been holiday, where I started to think of all the things I need to sort out on the MMM front. My list included:
a) menu planning, to reduce waste and use up;
b) sorting books out for CS,
c) sorting other stuff 'stored' (hoarded) in garage for a car boot sale,
d) going through my wardrobe - I retired over a year ago but there is still stuff in there I now no longer wear which could go on Ebay,
e) make more of the garden/greenhouse.
I feel I am on a mission but I am determined to minimise and declutter and hopefully make a few pounds as a bonus.
So Friday morning I sat down did a meal plan for July. I don't stick to meal plans religiously, it's more plan 6 meals a week and see which one we fancy tonight - one night we eat out (usually courtesy of DD1) or we get a takeaway (DD2 and her bf have an Italian caf!/takeaway). I had to go shopping for a few bits and pieces for this week's, mainly veg/fruit, cheese, bread but didn't spend much. I've menu planned before but then fallen off the wagon, but it makes life so much easier when you don't have to think about what you have to make. One night is always 'throw it in the pot' - usually vegetarian, using all the odd carrots, onions, potatoes or what's left in the fridge, to make veggie curry/pasta/lasagne, so a great way to make do and minimise.
Yesterday, the sun was shining so I was out in the garden. I planted out my little spinach and leek seedlings and checked the tomato plants. Every day this week I've also picked raspberries and loganberries from the garden which have been lovely at breakfast
Although not MMM, DD1 wants me to make her some tops and skirts as she can find nothing in the shops that she likes or suits her (red head, pale skin, big hips), so I'm digging out some Prima patterns to see if there is anything there that takes her fancy. We're planning a day out next week to the local market and fabric shop to see what we can find.
Well, I feel like I'm on a mission now, let's hope I don't lose the 'missionary zeal' and fall off the wagon.

osbornbiscuit

Have just realised that it is ages since I posted so have to get my act together. I have now started to write down in my Filofax my NSDs. I do try to aim for at least 2 a week. I think once I get into the swing of it I will increase them to 3 a week at least.
I have decided to get out of the house more and talk to people so I am volunteering at one of our local charity shops, just helping out sorting out the clothes and donations for starters. As with all things in life there is a downside I get to look at the donations first. I spoke to the lady in charge and she said that what they tend to do is put the desired item to one side and if it is still there in a weeks time then you didn't really want it. Gosh I hope that is the case :rotfl:
She did say that it does soon wear off and you are still contributing to the charity.
Still busy knitting for preemies but will start to knit scarves and hats for the winter for the refugees. It keeps my fingers and brain busy.
At the start of the year my aim was to reread all the Agatha Christie books and write a review of each one in a notebook. It started slowly as I couldn't find any in the charity shops so enlisted friends and their relatives to hunt in the charity shops. Suddenly I now have in excess of 20 along with my other book finds so I must start reading more.
Am slowly managing to clear the attic of the cr...p that seems to have been there for ever. Ebay and Gumtree then charity shop if all else fails. I don't know about anyone else but I look and wonder why did I buy it and worse still kept it......
Mending is a bit more difficult apart from repairing self confidence with the volunteering.
Need to go and minimise the raspberries and blackcurrant bushes. I seem to have had a really good crop this year. Maybe it is all the rain we have had lately.
I won't leave it so long before the next post.

Lynplatinum

Evening all

So Im having NSDs and not over indulging to increase savings and reduce me am I ??? Well, EPIC FAIL today!

So went to Penzance as I needed to pay for the repairs to the bathroom (last tenant left it in a right state so have had to have it re-tiled and painted and new 'furniture' ) - this was £720 so not expensive as chap who did it is an old friend of some 30 years standing. But still monies Id rather not have had to spend out. Looking at a long haul with my business to put it back on the right lines!

Anyhoo DIL wanted to come with (+baby obviously) and we met up with DS1 who works there. Lunch out was the suggestion. OK found somewhere which was cheaper than usual. So I had a salad (£3.45 - OK) milkshake (I never those -£2.00 what?) and then a large slice of cake (just cos they did - where IS my willpower located??? £3.00 - MSE ??? DIET??? - all forgotten!!) Gerrrrr should have just stuck to the salad (which was fantastic) and some water! V cross with self.

So help me, dear friends to crawl back on bandwaggon! :A

Welcome back savingpennies and osbournebiscuit. We all go away and come back to this - some really great MSE habits have been aquired by myself over the years on here - its just with food I keep on having epic fails!!

So MM&M today:

Make do: with the sunshine to dry my clothes; wearing a top donated to me by my friend; evening meal from stores (seasame noodles)

Minimise: nowt
Mend: Nowt

Now have a quiet, at home day in prospect tomorrow - I must make it count by doing those trousers (motivational note - going to meet my friend for a 'ladies who do afternoon tea' after my dentist appointment on Wednesday and its a bit of a chance to dress it up a little and these trousers would really fit the bill!!). And must do the ebay as my attempts to sell directly seem to flounder most greviously.

Kick up backside from everyone please!! :rotfl:

Nite all

crazytree

Well done to all the people still mmming. And thanks to those of you who are struggling it makes me feel less rubbish, I've done very little due to a fun bout of anxiety/depression/crazy. I've mended nothing, bought snacks I didn't need and loads of veg went into the chickens and the bin.

On a more positive note two tops sold last week on eB@y - only 99p each but that goes into my PoyPol account that I'm allowed to spend on wants! I've also claimed for all the delayed trains I've waited for :mad: and that's topping up PayPol pretty quickly too!:T

Today I'm climbing back on the mmm wagon and shall be spending nothing. I'm going to sort out the cake tin/roasting pan cupboard and try and chuck out so I can see what's in there again. I'm also going to start using the 18 eggs that my girls have laid for me. Omelette for lunch!

Thanx T

[Deleted User]

Mending - sewed up a pocket on He Who Knows trousers that had 'sprung' a seam.

Making do - YS salmon from the freezer for supper tonight hot and for lunch tomorrow cold.

Minimising - using home grown veg particularly lettuce for a salad as they're tending to 'bolt' quickly this year and I don't want to waste them.

silvasava

Morning All!
Tried out the Halogen oven on some scutty frozen chips ( the fiddly bits that get left at the bottom) turned out quite acceptable so will not be buying either a deep fat or air fryer! Stores need topping up so will check and make a list before I shop today.Garden and greenhouse producing well so been picking, topping and tailing and trying not to middle up with the remainder of last year's in the freezer. Hav'n't been able to find any growing lettuce lately so will have another look today.
That's all folks! Have a good day x

Lynplatinum

Evening all,

Had a brilliant meet up with my friend at this wonderful independent coffee shop in Charlestown today (the harbour where they film Poldark galleons) and had my first cream tea of the year!! Very very good and all budgeted for so doubly enjoyed. :j

So:

Make do: DIL had kindly made a tuna pasta salad from stores for tea. Also my kind friend gave me one of her courgette plants and one of her chilli plants today so hopefully we will be making do with home grown veg!! (last year got about 12 courgettes from one plant). Making do in that I didnt buy them but exchanged them for egg boxes (her OH - but not partner-is a free range egg farmer and uses these for eggs sold from the farm gate/given as raffle prizes or to folk making cakes for charity events).

Mend: hope you are sitting down folks - I did manage to take up those trousers to wear out for afternoon tea today and got complimented on them so it was well worth it.

Minimise: Had dentist today but because I have been looking after my teeth will need no work done - so this minimises my outgoings considerably! Have also taken a load of stuff to the tip so my shed is now emptier so I can get to my stuff to do a bit more with my garden because i can get to the tools!!!

So not an NSD but a plan expenditure day, so thats OK.
Frugalling forward folks.

osbornbiscuit

Well the weekend is nearly here and I have had 2 NSD..... result!
Went to my first session of volunteering at a local charity shop enjoyed it so much went back the day after to do a few more hours. I even managed not to come out with any clothes although there were some beautiful summer dresses. I have started to wear dresses as they were stuck in the wardrobe waiting for that special occasion which after several years I have realised that it isn't going to happen.
Am minimising the garage contents as the roof is due to be replaced and I have took it as a sign to do a major sort out of rubbish that will come in useful on day, half empty paint tins, old paint brushes that have seen better days, those bits of wood which I can see no use for at all.
I did manage to mend the back gate by applying that famous glue that says it does away with the need for n.....
I have made do by not buying any clothes this week which is an achievement believe me.
There are grey clouds so hopefully I won't need to water the garden tonight and it might just bring the temperature down so everyone can get a good night's sleep.
Hope everyone has a good weekend doing what they enjoy. For me that will be watching the Lions match and pottering about in the garden weather permitting.
:j

RainbowHippie

Hi all, sounds like everyone has been MMMing busily away! Well done JackieO on all the poppies!!

Welcome to new posters, you'll find this is a very friendly place to hang out

LynnP - well done on finishing the trousers! I like your plan of aiming for 5 NSDs per week, i hope you don't mind if i pinch it and also have a go! I'm normally not too bad but got carried away before our holiday a couple of weeks ago, with some new clothes for OH and a few treats for us both so need to rein it in a bit now.

We had a lovely week in Dorset and did manage to do some MMMing - we rented a flat with some friends and cooked at home/took picnics for most meals (even had a picnic in the rain one day!) and did lots of free activities, took food/drinks to the beach, walked a lot etc. But we did eat out a couple of times and paid for a boat trip, a steam train ride and to hire a rowing boat (all felt very much worth it!).

On a more MMM note i've just realised i've passed the 6-month mark in my challenge to buy no new clothes for myself this year, without even noticing! To be honest i've forgotten a few times and wandered into charity shops (the only place i really buy clothes these days), then wandered out again without finding anything i could persuade myself to buy, before remembering the challenge! So it seems to be becoming second nature not to buy. The only thing I am feeling the need for is a pair of brown shoes/boots (my current pair is just starting to disintegrate and my other cool-weather shoes are black) but i'm sure i can get by and maybe reward myself with some at Christmas if i make it the whole year without giving in/totally forgetting and buying something!

Recently making do has been mainly about recycling various plastic containers into plant pots for the various veg i'm attempting to grow (with varying degrees of success - harvested my first courgette this week but French beans and pumpkins didn't even sprout!) and drying washing outside in this glorious weather. Minimising has been using up freezer stock and mending is a growing pile which i have been guiltily avoiding! Did manage to take some sewing for OH on holiday though and fix some shirts and shorts he wanted to wear while we were away. Must get on with the rest of it starting next week!!

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend, happy MMMing all