Put away your purse & become debt-averse

QueenJess

Ah yes - I save all wrapping paper that we are given to reuse as well. I decided ages ago I was not going to buy wrapping paper again as it feels like such a waste, but this is the first time I didn’t have anything appropriate and so had to think on my feet!

DH thanks I’m a bit crazy and as for avoiding sellotape he said “you did all that just to avoid a tiny bit of tape?!”.

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

same here @QueenJess !  I have actually ironed used wrapping paper to reuse and i have a box of ribbons and pretty string etc that I've saved from presents me and my DDs have received that i then reuse to wrap presents.   I also have the paper tape that you can stick parcels together with that is ok in the recycling box - but better to fasten with string etc if you can

QueenJess

Deni_debt-free_dreamer said:

same here @QueenJess !  I have actually ironed used wrapping paper to reuse and i have a box of ribbons and pretty string etc that I've saved from presents me and my DDs have received that i then reuse to wrap presents.   I also have the paper tape that you can stick parcels together with that is ok in the recycling box - but better to fasten with string etc if you can

I’m glad it’s not just me! I did consider ironing the packaging paper as well, but since I haven’t ironed anything for 20 years, I thought that might be going a bit far 😂

foxgloves

I'm planning to use up the sellotape we already have in stock, then stop buying it in favour of the paper version & string. We try & drop at least a couple of everyday plastic items each year. Last year's were washing-up sponges & scourers, which we don't miss at all.
F

foxgloves

Hello Saturday Savers,
Oh my days, I feel about 103 tonight! My daily steps/exercise levels have dropped significantly over winter & I'm feeling it. We went out to a reasonably local historic park this morning & did a woodland walk, then walked around the lake. Not a particularly long walk of about 7000 steps. Called at Waitr*se to buy 2 items we didn't get yesterday because Mr F had decent money off vouchers from their new loyalty app thing. Did not visit their cafe for lunch, did not buy items in shop for lunch, went home & (quite rightly) ate what we'd already got in. Mr F decided to clean the car so I thought I'd take advantage of the dry weather & get out in the garden. So I've cleared & dug over a flowerbed, rejuvenated the overwintered hollyhocks & echinaceas I grew from seed last year, potted up self-sown foxgloves & linaea, de-vine weevilled a pot & rescued the lavender mint within, fetched the lawn rake & raked a whole trug of moss out of a patch of lawn. Filled all the bird feeders, gave newly planted stuff a drink of worm tea, came in, cleaned myself up, washed the dishes, tidied kitchen & served up cat biscuits. 
There's barely a bit of me not aching tonight -I reckon lawn raking has got to be a good 'green gym' activity. Thank goodness it's Mr F's cooking night because I'm doing bugg*r all!
Your creaky friend,
F x

Sun_Addict

Sounds like you’ve been really productive so a well deserved time to put your feet up and do bugg*r all night 😆

foxgloves

I've done over 13k steps today, @Sun_Addict. That's a lot for me.
F

QueenJess

foxgloves said:

I'm planning to use up the sellotape we already have in stock, then stop buying it in favour of the paper version & string. We try & drop at least a couple of everyday plastic items each year. Last year's were washing-up sponges & scourers, which we don't miss at all.
F

I’m always have something on the go to change - either no plastic or something which is better for the planet. I lead everything and try to drag DH with me for at least the non food stuff.  Currently I have some vegan cheese to try and we just tried making my own sweet potato chips to freeze (previously I’ve only done it to cook straight away and not to freeze), which I froze in a plastic free bag I bought with a free voucher from doing surveys. I have to say they tasted much nicer and have the thumbs up from DH. Only a small thing, but it all helps!

I rarely use sellotape, but our house seems to own two rolls of it (I also have the paper stuff too). It will probably take 10 years for me to use it up!

What sponges are you using? I tried a number of different ones and am still struggling with them a bit, although I am still getting through the plastic ones in the cupboard which appear to last forever here.

foxgloves

Hi @QueenJess, We don't use sponges at all now. We bought a very long loofah & sawed it into slices. Each slice lasts a long time & when they do start to disintegrate, we compost them. They feel a little stiff for dish washing at first, but they do become softer & more flexible. Of course, it's possible to grow your own loofahs, but I've never tried it.
The other thing we use is a rectangular scourer thing with soft cloth on one side & tough textured stuff (almost a bit like velcro) on the other. 100% cotton & available in various funky colours/patterns. Can't recall the brand right now. Machine washable. We've found these very good on tough pans, such as scrambled egg, etc. Also lasting well.
F x

foxgloves

Morning Daffodils,
Am still a bit achey this morning, so I need to get moving to limber up those lawn-raking muscles. Grey here & windy but dry, so I can get on with my planned gardening morning. Not sure which jobs to tackle. I'll see how the mood takes me. Mr F can't get on with his hedge renovation because the garden waste wheelie is rammed & there's no way that the brambles & bindweed roots are going in the compost. He's wondering whether to make a start on blitzing the shed. This is going to involve chucking a lot of stuff out because of damage when the (first) new roof failed & the shed repeatedly flooded. He has already bought new shelving units so I don't think there should be much financial implication.....though he has warned me that he found our electric drill sitting in water so that will almost certainly need replacing. I am making very positive noises about him starting the shed because I can't access my gardening stuff easily until he has had a pretty massive sort out. I reckon we will find useful stuff in there we've completely forgotten about.....as long as it remained dry.
Right I've had two big coffees, I'm off to get my boots on.
Enjoy your Sundays,
F x