The Edcawber Principle

Suffolk_lass

I can't match 3p a wash but my hack is to buy my preferred brand on offer (£5 instead of £7) and to use about half to two-thirds of the recommended amount. I use the gloopy liquid as tablets or sachets stopped me using smaller portions.

In terms of coffee, there is a Sains own brand that is quite cheap , just over £1 for 100g if you like it. You do have a big Sains in Glasgow

edinburgher

Thanks both.

SL, is coffee beans or ground?

Poppycat1

I have been using this for ages, it's from Frugaldom's blog. It makes a lot so you may want to try making half.

LAUNDRY 'GLOOP'

1 bar of soap, grated
1 cup of washing soda (or Soda crystals)
1 litre water
A few drops of essential oil (if required)

Boil the water, dissolve soap in it, add the washing soda and fragrance and then dilute with water to at least 5 litres.

Add a few drops of blue dye in it to help 'whiten' whites.

greent

I do similar to above - but use freebie hotel soap

Suffolk_lass

edinburgher wrote: »

Thanks both.

SL, is coffee beans or ground?

Beans - check it out here

erin_transport

Hi
I’ve made homemade washing liquid and softener in the past. Both with great results.

edinburgher

Don't want to be one of those people who asks for suggestions and ignores them, so will totally make the laundry gloop at some point in the not too distant future - I didn't think I was going to be able to as soda crystals are an endangered species in my neck of the woods. Mildly irked as I bought two boxes of @ldi detergent and then found them in the next shop I visited! I have some scabby old Knights C@stile soap to use up anyway...

I also bought six bags of the coffee suggested by SL (we get through a lot).

A productive week so far. I've been on leave, trying and failing to relax.

• Problem with recruitment for my new job has been resolved (phew!)
• Ran 10.5 miles yesterday and have lost so much weight that I am no longer obese (I think my BMI has been crap for several years now)
• Paid £151 off credit cards
• Going away today for a wee overnight stay and visit to an animal park with Mrs E and DD

lulabelle1

We use loads of coffee beans and use the ones available in Aldi.... DH is a coffee snob and he thinks it's fantastic... we've tried all sorts from everywhere but this is good quality and a great price.
Pretty boring with Washing liquid - we just use Aldi, and just a small amount each wash....
Hope you and the family are well

Suffolk_lass

edinburgher wrote: »

I also bought six bags of the coffee suggested by SL (we get through a lot).

Ooh! I hope you like it. I would be mortified if it isn't up to your exacting standards. On coffee, there was a little article in the London Evening Standard last night about coffee. I read the first bit about the coffee machine that makes coffee to rival the best barista. Ooh, I thought, that looks like our Gaggia that has been in the cupboard for the last ten years (shame-face)... Anyway, £3k!!! :eek::eek::eek::eek:

I nearly ripped up the paper in disgust, and then I saw a much more reasonable snippet about a "tamper" Have you got one? We use one of the old stove-top percolators for preference and it sort of does it for itself but I seriously considered looking for one. Then I thought, do I love it? Do I need it? could I live without it? Basically Yes, No, Yes. Get a grip Woman. So I didn't. But I might. What do you think?

edinburgher

A tamper as in a coffee compacting doohicky? Absolutely a good idea, even the cheapest electric espresso machines have a basic tamper moulded onto the case. I don't suppose you have any friends who like woodworking? I imagine it's the sort of thing that would be an hour's work for them, plus a few pennies spent on a metal fitting from t'internet?

I'm sure the coffee will be lovely I think we're maybe more exacting with our ethics than the coffee itself, IYSWIM? I did have a momentary panic (after buying) that it wasn't Fair Trade, but it is :j

Exhausted after our (mostly fun) night away, although driving was a bit stressful during a 30 mile traffic jam and we did have the worst cappuccino we have ever tried at a wildlife park. The foam was fizzing? as they brought it over and it managed to taste like instant, despite the fact that there were bits of bean floating in it and they had an expensive coffee maker. We also made the mistake of buying a few loose chocolates from this place and found ourself gouged to the tune of nearly £12! :eek:

It can be expensive to visit one's own country :rotfl:

Also knackered as a friend got me a free ticket for the Glasgow Warriors last night, who managed to dispatch Munster with aplomb!

The weekend should be a lot cheaper and more relaxed. Mrs E is under the weather, so she needs a nap once DD gets back from dancing class. Other than that, I need to get groceries and rattle through the usual household chores.

I have spotted that it is nearly time for our next solar panel reading. I'm holding off on sending the readings as I *hope* that this will be our first £200+ quarter. That would be lovely, more than 1% of outstanding CC debt.