Making savings before it's too late

blackcatsx2

I won’t miss the frustrating battle with cling film when it hasn’t unrolled evenly and you can’t find the end, :rotfl:

[Deleted User]

I have beeswax granules and some thin cotton t towels so am going to make some special waxed cloths to cover my hm bread doughs. Its just a question of melt and brush in. I have been using clingfilm
http://www.sourdough.co.uk/make-wax-cloth-sourdough/

I don`t have to buy anything

tori.k

I broke my fiscal fast today, I've given up trying to find small portion enamel pie dishes second hand so brought some, I have downsized my kitchen ware as the kids left home, but what I am left with is still family sized as much as it's handy to have extra to freeze as we are getting older portion size have naturally decreased so my lasagna dish now does 6 servings rather than four.
I'm hoping to re-home my small chest freezer due to lack of space when we move so need to become less reliant on my freezer we are zero waste where food is concerned, mostly because it ends up frozen so need to make better use of the dehydrator.
Son also came home with news that the co-op are doing a lot of store wide price reductions tonight but not sure if it's just own products or branded, he's just glad that he doesn't have to do it as he is in college the first 3 days in the week.

[Deleted User]

I also have a small overflow chest freezer, it is a beko because that make works in a freezing detached garage. I have managed to empty mine and switched it off but will be taking it and keeping it, hopefully in a garage. It is on wooden bearers so is off the floor slightly, stops the bottom `rotting`. I also want to reduce fridge/freezer use in my new house and am aiming to go from a large tall fridge and same make freezer to a single tall fridge/freezer. I am aiming to use the small chest for non-food storage initially, to reduce space needed but it will be good to know it is there if ever needed for an emergency. I only buy grass fed meat for me, only use small portions but it costs an arm and a leg so would be good to know I have a safe place if needed. Also I can cut out the freezer add-on on my house insurance

My excalibur dehydrator and all the special sheets will be going with me. I am looking forward to dehydrating to make various foods. In the meantime, I got rid of all my `emergency` dehydrated stores, haven`t needed them and they were at least three years old. It cleared a lot of space and enabled me to give many lock n lock boxes away

I have those small portion enamel dished tori, very very good. I batch cook puddings in them and also store hm ready meals in them, then they go straight into the oven, mine are single sized but I have two for 4 people

maryb

kittie wrote: »

I have beeswax granules and some thin cotton t towels so am going to make some special waxed cloths to cover my hm bread doughs. Its just a question of melt and brush in. I have been using clingfilm
http://www.sourdough.co.uk/make-wax-cloth-sourdough/

I don`t have to buy anything

Let us know how you get on Kittie. I’m tempted to try this but I’ve seen an alternative method where you put wax shavings over the fabric, cover it with waxed paper and then iron it over the paper, using your iron to spread the softened wax. On the face of it that sounds easier but I can see it being difficult to get even and lots of potential for mess (they do suggest covering the sole plate of your iron with foil). So I was going to pick up a cheap paintbrush in land of pound and have a go at your method when I can find where I’ve put my beeswax:D

I saw a blog post somewhere which suggested making sandwich wraps with waxed cloth and sewing on a popper to hold them closed. You can sponge them with a soapy dishcloth to clean them. Sounds ok as long as it’s not a gooey filling but if it gets on the outside ie the cloth side of the wrap it sounds as if it could get a bit yucky

tori.k

Mines only really used for veg and leftovers, I will be losing the land when we move and it will be a year before I take on a allotment, but it's been handy at Christmas.
I would love an Excalibur ( have dehydrator envy) I have a Andrew James that I received as a gift it's noisy but does the job well enough, but unsure how well it will stand up to more regular use only time will tell.

[Deleted User]

I just paid the car insurance and that is the last of the bills for a while but I have to sit on my hands re any money transfers, I will be ok from 18th february, when my state pension goes in and my small occupational pension on the same day

Tbh I do feel quite virtuous this month, without this thread making me sit up, I would have been same old same old, buying whatever I needed but I have found ways around everything. I cannot wait to be actively putting money into my new savings account for yearly bills. I made sure it works and transferred £7 into it

I did a repair on my electric massage chair, omron bought for hubbie almost 20 years ago. It can be a life saver at times but the controller cable was looking fragile, bending, so a few years ago I strengthened with insulation tape and a stick. Now the lower twisty cable cover plastic has hardened and some has come off the wires to the control. I fixed it again with insulation tape and have fixed the whole control including cable to a wooden spatula, so that it sticks up. I do sometimes get family plonking themselves on that chair and pulling the control to their laps. Never again, I will tell them in advance, that chair is too important but I do know that these things will not last forever and next time there is a problem, will be the last time. Also if my new house does not have room, then it will have to go

blackcatsx2

I’m feeling a little bit virtuous this month but not as virtuous as I had anticipated. My plan is to reduce spending by 10% overall. I am on target to achieve that for January but only just. I had thought that I was doing better than I am so good job I’ve kept a spending diary for a reality check. I have already bought February birthday presents but had included them in this months spending so ive Just moved them to February costs which makes January better. Good job I don’t work in finance as my accountancy skills are a bit dodgy.

mardatha

All I've done- but it is making a difference - is swapping from Sainsbugs to Asda for the online delivery. Working out £15 a week cheaper.

tori.k

mardatha wrote: »

All I've done- but it is making a difference - is swapping from Sainsbugs to Asda for the online delivery. Working out £15 a week cheaper.

Almost £800 a year is not to be sniffed at :beer: