Great Tips... one liners

Peem

MushyPeas wrote:

9) Challenges
Join in with the storecuboard challenges also the bathroom cuboard challenge is good one to do. I now get a strange sense of achievement when I use something up, rather than having 2 or 3 bottles of something on the go!

MPxx

:T :T :T
Absolutely agree. I get MUCH more satisfaction now out of finishing something (and scraping as much as poss out of the jar/bottle/tube) than I ever used to wandering around the shop and haphazardly buying stuff cos I couldn't remember what I had in (or cos the jar/bottle/tube looked pretty)

margarete_2

Don't throw away orange peel! - Cut it into small pieces, without removing the white pith, and add the small pieces to suitable meals you are making from scratch - like beef and vegetable stew. - This adds taste and extra nutritional benefit and costs nothing.

EagerLearner

I love that one Margarete - orange tastes particularly good in Marroccan meals I find.

Plus when making chocolate brownies I love to grate orange zest into the mix - heavenly...

fairy3

Hi SusanCarter

When making your own butter you need double cream (only when it is cheap).

Fill a jar until just over a third full of cream (I use a hellmans mayo jar) then shake and shake until your arm drops off (only joking) I have been known to use my feet to roll whilst on here too!
It will seem to set solid after a while but keep going until you hear/feel a plop and the butter is separated from the buttermilk. Drain the buttermilk or keep it for making scones and run the butter under cold water until no more liquid is released. Place on a board and press all liquid out and shape into butter block. I add a little salt to mine but this is optional. Wrap in greaseproof paper and keep in the fridge. It is lovely and something the kids can do to amuse themseves. I find that it does set a little harder than commercial brands so take it out of the fridge earlier than normal if you are spreading.........

Not sure whether this has been mentioned so sorry if repeated but a large tablespoon of sage and onion stuffing mix placed in mince or casserole dishes in the SC or oven helps to thicken and go a bit further. The children have never noticed!

Loads of tips in this thread am really enjoying it

J
X

gerretl

CFC wrote:

My top tip!


Grated cheese in a bag? Work time X amount of minutes going to pay for it, at home with a grater 1 minute...it may help to keep you on the straight and narrow OS!

Look at my posting on page one of this thread. You can even make it a game.

123xyz

My personal top 10 are:

1. Washing

Supermarket's 2 in 1 washing powder is the same price and dosage as supermarket's powder for coloureds and works just as well as Persil or Bold, but you will save the price of fabric softener. Supermarket's biological powder works just as well as Ariel. The trick is sorting the wasing into darks, lights and whites, not the brand of powder you use. I only ever use a maximum of the medium dose, and all washing comes out lovely and clean.

2. Ironing

Use filtered water for the iron, the iron will last twice as long and there is no need to buy de-ionised water or ironing water. An iron heats up really quickly and takes ages to cool down, so start with a cool item while it is heating up, and move on to the hot items, leaving the rest of the cool items until the end when the iron is cooling down. If you have a fair size load that could go in 10 minutes cool easy iron setting in the tumble drier, do this in favour of having the iron on for an hour.

3. Washing up

Rinse plates under the hot tap while the water is heating up. Start the glasses in the first little bit of water, and rinse the soap off while the bowl is filling up. Using the dark green liquid means you are inclined to use less, because you can see it. Use the yellow stuff and you will use a lot more.

4. Potatos

Peel potatos as thinly as possible. If you are making mash, cut them into thin chip like circles and they will only take 5 or 10 minutes to cook with the lid on.

5. Hot water

Don't let your bath water out until it is cold. It is just as easy to rinse the bath then as it is to do it immediately. If you have any doubts, run outside and look at the steam going down the drain. This is heat that you have paid for. Use the hot tap to clean teeth, by the time you have finished, the water will be hot enough for face washing

6. Cleaning

Invest in a good feather duster such as ostrich feather. don't worry about animal cruelty, these feathers are a by-product of the meat industry. You will get cleaning done much quicker and reduce the use of horrible spray polish, which is no good for a lot of wood anyway.

7. Envelopes

Save return envelopes from junk mail and use them as dinner money envelopes. Scribble through through the return address and write your child's name on the blank side.

8. Free food

Make sure you go out EVERY DAY to collect wild fruit when in season. A chinese takeaway container is just the right amount of cooked fruit for a pie. If you run out of room in the freezer, make jam with it.

9. Empties

Tip all kitchen empties upside down to get the last drop out. Plastic bottles can be balanced against a wall on top of the new bottle to completely empty them. Rinse glass cooking sauce bottles out with a little water and tip it in the pan. Take the lid off and the excess water will steam off, leaving just the sauce.

10. Be a tart

Having got rid of credit card debt by being a tart, I now continue to use credit cards, putting every penny I spend in an internet account, waiting for the bill to arrive and earning interest and points in the meantime. I am however a Utility Bill tart, and use the price comparison sites to check that I am on the best deal every quarter without fail (unless Martin has told us to wait!)

Sorry if this makes me sound like a boring housewife, but I hope it helps someone a little.

anna27uk

EagerLearner wrote:

Thanks all - will have to look about for those...

Aren't microfible cloths the ones that are really good for exfoliating your face too? I am sure the cloth I got with my cleanser/wash is microfibre...

Still on the hunt for a juicer, nothing in town so will have to order online I guess - at least that way I get cashback etc.

Am planning to buy a pack of 12 water filter cartridges for my Kenwood filter as Robert Dyas have these at £12.99 for 12 at the mo in Brighton. Hmmm, wonder if I can get those online and get cashback too...

Any other normal day to day tips? Or monthly / yearly ones?

Haven't read the rest of the tips, so sorry if i'm repaeting anyone!
Just wanted to say i bought a juicer from Aldi for £9.99 on friday and it seems really good.

Soapy955

EagerLearner wrote:

would love to find something 'like' Fairy (as good as) but not as expensive - any ideas?

I buy Morning Fresh in Wilkinsons.
They always seem to have the bigger bottles with 50% extra free and it's only about 70p I think. It smells alot nicer than Fairy too and is just as effective.

EagerLearner

I'd like to ditch Fairy and try others like Morning Fresh and Tesco's own - but anyone got any ideas as to the top 3 washing up liquids, on the cheap side? Any recommendations much appreciated, will save me lots!

Same goes for washing powder - top 3 on the cheap side?

GardenMillie

My top old-style tips are:

1) Budget exactly what goes out each month and keep every receipt

2) Bulk cook and freeze (lots of great recipes on OS)

3) Buy presents/cards in the sales - have a birthday planner so you know when busy months are

4) Make lunches to take to work

5) De-clutter and sell unwated stuff either on ebay or at a carboot

6) Exercise at home or go walking or in the garden - saves money on the gym

7) Grow your own veg - even in pots

8) Cut out money off vouchers

9) Keep checking MSE for great deal (like Primus phone calls)

10) Try to save a little bit each month for unexpected expenses

Happy money saving folks.:T