Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2017

Lynplatinum

Evening All

So July NSDs were 23/31. Not bad.

Finished the month 62 pounds up.

August will be expensive as we are going up to the 'Free Festival'but there will be travel expenses; we have decided to stay in a Travel lodge (for various complex reasons ranging from an allergy to cats to not wanting to be overnight in a tent in middle of field with drunks and stoners wandering around with a small child) - which is only going to cost us 222 pounds for 4 nights for 3 adults; a baby and 2 dogs - all sharing one room! We've done it before!; then there will be food etc to look at. so am gonna budget separately for that and regard August as having only 25 days available to NSD (if you see what I mean). We will shop from Morrisions YS (is near to Festival site) and take with the 'Life saver flapjack' as its known by my boys who did Dof E with it in their rucksacks!

Other than this mad extravagance will be even more frugal to fund said extravagance!

Make do: With meal plan that used up some YS kippers from freezer for tea - havent had kippers for ages - v yum!
Mend: A dress from chazzer which was going to be thrown out cos it had slight holes under arms + swimming costume which had hooky thinks for the straps which kept on causing a wardrobe malfunction whenever I put my arms together as one does for breast stroke So sewed the darned things on and cut off the hooky things - daft designers - its supposed to be for swimming in- clue is in the title!
Minimise: Lots of cardboard wrapping from shopping today and other cardboard around the house! It seems to multiply without us noticing!

BTW off topic - doesnt it drive you mad when the phone goes - you just get there (while grabbing babies and falling over dogs) for the person to leave no message!! Grrrrrrrrrrr! Have it to maximum rings (8) I wish folk would minimise my stress; mend my scattered wits and make do with leaving me a message so I can get back to them!!!! Rant of the evening over! :rotfl:
Nite all!

crazytree

After a couple of weeks of being rubbish at mmm-ing I'm trying hard to get back into it. I've finally passed my driving test (at the age of 43!!!) So I've minimised the cost of driving lessons and repeat tests. And minimised the cost of train tickets to work :j. I can finally go shopping in Aldi without Himself which is minimising the amount spent on milkshakes and pork pies!

Made do with veggies grown in the garden with dinner for the last two nights, my first successful cucumber and some tomatoes. Also making do with home grown blackberries for pudding most days there are so many this year.

Minimising, trying to get rid of my old books. Hoping to have a go at selling some. I've put some on eBay but I don't really think that's the right place for books. I've looked at the "we buy your books" type sites but their reviews aren't good. Any suggestions? I'm not expecting to make a fortune but a few quid would be handy!

Thanx T

[Deleted User]

Congratulations crazytree well done on your success in passing your driving test, the world is your oyster now honey :):)

crazytree

Thank you Jackie O . It's amazing how much difference driving has made already!

Today I've minimised two bowls of blackberries into jam. I've run out of freezer bags and the top drawer of the freezer is half blackberries already. So I had no choice :cool:. Next pickings will go round to Himself's Mum, hopefully they've eaten the last lot.
Minimised the carp in desk drawer no.2 by putting the paperwork I need to keep in the correct folders and all the rest in the bins. Just another two drawers left! The bad ones!!!

Made do with fish finger sandwiches rather than buying something extra for lunch when I went shopping this morning.
And making do with old pallet wood to put another kick board in the chicken run to stop them chucking so much dirt on the patio :mad:. Painted a rusted watering can with leftover paint to make a little planter for the garden.

Now I'm going to go and minimise the amount of chook poop in the garden and take it to my friend for her compost...

T x

house_elf

Hello Peeps,

We have returned from a lovely week visiting DD in Greece. Very hot. Managed to get a tan just staying in the shade for a week! DD seems happy and has made some nice friends. No Greek shipping magnate yet :rotfl:

Make do: Had leftover pasta bake for lunch.

Mend: Can't think of anything I have mended today.

Minimise: Today has all been about minimising. Managed to list 10 things onto EBay and fill a big bag for the CS. The refuse collectors have finally emptied all three bins today, but I have also filled the car with recycling to take to Waities tomorrow, as the recycling is taking over the kitchen due to the bin strike!

Went to A for a few bits and pieces, but resisted buying too much, as need to minimise the freezer and the cupboards.

HE x

house_elf

Evening All,

Two posts on the run!

Make do: The weather and soggy leeks in the fridge suggested beef bouginion in the slow cooker. Didn't have all the ingredients for the Robert Carrier recipe, so made do with hickory smoked sausages instead of smoked ham, and the dregs of a week old bottle of wine. Mr Carrier would not have been impressed, but it tasted nice!

Mend : this is the easy one. I have sewn a button onto my coat, which has been in the pocket for months! I have also sewn the shoulder of a dress I have listed on EBay, so hopefully more interest then last time I listed it, and was honest about the hole in the stitching!

Minimise: Spent this afternoon emptying the shelves in my side of the wardrobe. Edited down the jumpers etc. Some to be washed, some to be EBayed and some to CS. shelves now home to neatly folded items.

Bag dropped off at CS. Boxes of paper and card at recycling. Couldn't find a bottle bank. Both of the places I tried, have had the containers removed!!!!

HE x

cafelady

Not posted in a long time but enjoying reading everyone's updates. Recently I've...
Minimised our redcurrant crop into the freezer and into jam and jelly. Minimised last year's freezer rhubarb into the jam also. Lots of lovely jars on the shelf! Also made a redcurrant cheesecake with some of them last night.
Minimised some spare jam jars via Freegle.
Also minimised the contents of a wardrobe, not clothes but lots of clutter sitting on the floor of it, including sorting out loads of photos, putting them in labelled envelopes. Feels much better now as I know the wardrobe isn't full of loads of grim clutter and we can actually look at and enjoy the photos!
Made do with garden veg for a few weeks. I've cancelled our veg box for the next few weeks as we have peas, courgettes, lettuce, rocket, onions and a few broad beans and mange tout in the garden.
Hope everyone's well and enjoying the summer!

silvasava

Minimising going slowly. Large bag given to CS yesterday and posted some bits on Fleabay that have been lurking. Also put a large item on Gtree .
Made do last night with leftover Rosti with ham & eggs. DH & I out today in different directions and different times so may end up doing a fridge raid for tea.
Mend? Replaced battery in my scales!
Have a good day all x

[Deleted User]

Making do with stuff from the fridge this week ,away on holiday on Friday

Mended .sewed a button on son-in-laws trousers (DD just doesn't sew and doesn't even own a sewing kit :))

Minimising my wool stash by knitting some more squares for the charity blankets I make.
Yesterday was a 'pottering day and I watched three films I had recorded on my TiVo box whilst knitting ,nice relaxing day

cafelady

Further update...

I've minimised the remaining broad bean crop into the freezer. Also some mange tout, some mustard greens which grow wild around the garden and are like spinach, and some rhubarb. I love being able to get home grown veg out of the freezer in the depths of winter.

Also minimised a giant courgette from the garden into grilled courgettes with yoghurt and lemon, to have with hm potato wedges and homegrown green salad.