Making savings before it's too late

purpleivy

A Roomba isn't a total solution, but it helps me keep the big areas sorted for day to day cleaning. I have had tennis elbow in both elbows, and shoulder problems. I'm generally keeping these at bay these days, also have facet joint inflammation in my back. If I'm careful I get by with no/few problems.

The floors I use it on are travertine (tiles) and carpet. The main big area is all tiled, upstairs landing is carpet. Upstairs bathroom and guest room are laminate.

I find it works best if I make a little barricade in our open plan sitting/dining/kitchen and do it in 3 sections. You DO need to keep your floor clear, otherwise having to pick up before you set it off is a barrier to regular use! I find it 'humps' (sorry!) the IKEA Poang chairs, so tip those on their side and use as part of said barricade. I have boxes under the sofa to stop it getting under there and the same under the bureau, as it sometimes got stuck there too.

I have been very pleased with it. When someone asked how good it is, my reply was 'not as good as T***** (son) at doing the job, but better than T**** (hub!). To be fair, my hub is a quality washer upper!

Would I purchase again? Yes, in my circumstances.

[Deleted User]

purpleivy I have two roombas, I rate them 100%. Bought the first when neighbour got a cleaner at £22 for 2 hours a week. I worked out that roomba would pay for itself in 5 months. It does a fab job, I hardly ever need to make a barricade, just shut doors and cannot believe the amount it picks up, even though it is just me and a stove. It works great on downstairs which is tiled with rugs and I keep it parked in a corner of the dining area

Then a year later I bought another for upstairs, it parks on the landing and cleans tiled bathroom floors and sisal carpets all over upstairs, even up to the stair edge. They are amazing robotic machines, I got genuine roomba from online suppliers. The first one when I was not coping with house cleaning, after husband died suddenly. It picks up so much dust that surfaces hardly ever need dusting. I did need shortcuts as I have an allotment as well as continue to cook from scratch as well as trying to keep hobbies going. Roomba is perfect, my neighbour ditched the cleaner after a year. So in relation to that comparison, my roombas are now working for free

mardatha

I've got a Jimmy. Well two Jimmies. One is living (allegedly) and a husband, the other is a hoover. Only the hoover Jimmy has a nice big smile and doesn't moan. :rotfl:

[Deleted User]

lol, mar. My hubbie used to go up and vacuum without me asking and he put dishes away. It was such a shock when I realised that I had to do it all, that the dishes were not going to wash themselves. He used to do all the house maintenance like oiling hinges and repairing stuff, all for me now, so getting a robot to clean is good. I do the oiling of hinges and render repairs and I am good at it, if I say so myself but floor cleaning!! pah, a robot can do that and it is loads cheaper than getting a handyman in because I am too busy cleaning

purpleivy

The best was when my son was living at home between university and moving south to start his first job. DD (who has ME/CFS) and I miss him terribly! I learned with him that I needed to focus on his strengths when asking for help. Great at cooking dinner. Just don't leave him in charge of an iron or a potato peeler.....either burns or blood would be found!

My DH was nattering about me having a cleaner, but I don't WANT a cleaner. I would rather work £20/week less at my job ( home based garment alterations and repairs) and do my own housework. I did do one thing last year though and that was have my ovens professionally cleaned. That was expensive but worth every single penny! I also managed to barter altering a bridemaid dress for a friend at choir. WHen I went away with dd and parents, she ironed hubs shirts for him. It was a busy time of year so he appreciated it too.

The room is very big Kittie, 14-15m long! Anyone know of anyone with the Scooba, that does a wet clean?

[Deleted User]

I have one of these mops, the very best I have ever ever used. I can whizz around the whole downstairs very quickly and I have a cream textured stone

https://shop.vileda.co.uk/vileda-easy-wring-clean-turbo.html

Not spending anything much at all, a bit of milk, algae cleaner and a whole box of my special 85% dark chocolate, each bar lasts about a week.

mumofthetwins

Thanks for such a great thread kittie .. I'm a lurker who is coming out .. hope you don't mind.
There's so many fab tips
Just want to say as well I am mega impressed a choice bar will last a week .. that's some going mrs .. mine normally lasts an hour if I'm lucky lol

Lisa x

[Deleted User]

Hi mum, I know I post a lot but it`s not my thread, I also think the thread was a wonderful idea and I am not the only one who has been able to focus because of it. The chocolate, haha, it is bitter almost black but the best thing is that a thin piece satisfies that craving and I own up to being a chocoholic. It really does stop the cravings. I would be a gonner if ever the old cadburys came back, that one made from good stuff, melted in the mouth, ahhh the stuff of dreams from the distant past

tori.k

Had a massive saving of 113k today, as the house we we're buying finally fell through
We've been SSC for nine months think it must have been the longest a non- chain property has taken with no end it sight we've left the offer on the table but informed the vendors EA we are now looking at other properties, we always have been but this is the first time we've booked a viewing on a different house with the same estate agent.
I'm going to stay positive about the experience and try and focus on the savings we make now will be less needed on the mortgage needed ,no point on thinking about the money already lost it all part of the house buying minefield.

caronc

Nipping out of lurking to say hello.
This is a great thread and very apt for me as my gross income in the past 12 months has halved....:eek:
I've not much to add to the fab tips on here, my "doing differently" for 2018 is grocery shopping every 8-9 days rather than every week. Not a bick change but does mean I'm being better at "shopping" from stores and in theory I should get a "free" week every so often which will either be used to cover higher spend times when my offspring visit or get stashed into my morthage overpayment fund.:)