Great 'Make it last longer' Hunt

jac1_3

reehsetin wrote: »

i have a very large box full of nail varnishes, with all of them when they 'dry out' or get thick, i stick some nail varnish remover in there give it a shake and theyre absolutely fine to use

the nail varnish remover tends to evaporate quickly though so if you leave it for even a few mins it gets a bit thick again

I'm not sure why I know this but...

If you keep your nail varnish in the fridge it stays thin and lasts forever!

flugellover

At home (and work) we re-use blank paper - so things like paper printed on one side, backs of envelopes, fliers etc. A4 sheets tear into 4 quarters. The scrap paper is great for telephone messages, lists and notes to self, and saves on expensive sticky notes or fancy note pads. :rotfl: and you can recycle it at the end :T

culpepper

Recharge the disposable batteries.
We got a charger from innovations years ago(about 7 years ago I think) that lets you charge ordinary batteries as well as rechargeables.Here is an article about a similar one made by someone else.
http://the-gadgeteer.com/review/battery_xtender_alkaline_battery_recharger
Some people say they worry that the batteries will explode but we have never had a problem at all. I buy the energiser batteries and when they are low but not empty,I charge them up again. They will recharge about 4 more times.
This has saved us loads over the years.
You do need the special recharger,you cant just use an ordinary one as the batteries would get too hot.
The charger was about £20 back then.

oojeyboojey

This is one for the ladies – when you get a ladder in one leg of a pair of tights, cut off the offending leg and keep the other one attached to the waistband instead of throwing the whole pair away. Then, the next time it happens to another pair of tights you can team the two good legs together (assuming they match...)

I always use my rolling pin to squeeze every last bit of toothpaste out of the tube, before cutting the tube open and scraping it out. I bleach my old cleaning sponges once they’re too knackered for the washing-up anymore, and then I use them for other household cleaning jobs (cleaning mirrors, dusting, cleaning the bathroom etc.) Also, once you’ve worn out an item of clothing, cut it up to use as dusters.

When cereal like sugar puffs is old and has lost it’s crunch, spread it out onto a baking sheet and cook in the oven on a medium/low heat for about 10 minutes (try doing this at a time you were going to use the oven for something else anyway) – then, leave to cool and put into a different, airtight container (the cardboard box is probably too moist) and use within a week.
If you’re going to use your oven to cook something, don’t waste the empty space in there if you’re only using one shelf. Try to cook lots of things at once, and freeze what you won’t need straight away.


You can save money on milk by buying a larger amount than you would normally need (i.e. 4-pint container instead of 2-pints - try to time this with a special offer!) - decant the excess into easily washable containers, and freeze it. When you need some of your frozen store, take it out and place in a sinkful of water - it should defrost in half a day or so. Plastic juice or smoothie bottles, or jam jars can be reused for storing the milk - just make sure you thoroughly clean them!


Don't over-use salt and pepper - sprinkle it into your hand before you put it on your food and you'll use less. Also, make your food go further by dishing it up onto smaller plates! This really works - I tend to be very greedy, and usually will want to eat everything on my plate. But if the plate's smaller, then I will eat less and still feel full!

Darth_Nicholson

Well, pretty much...You can get solar powered battery rechargers for about a tenner - just leave them in your windowledge and they charge in a few hours. So you can save money AND help the environment!

reehsetin

jac1 wrote: »

I'm not sure why I know this but...

If you keep your nail varnish in the fridge it stays thin and lasts forever!

if i were to put them all in the fridge there would no room for anything else:o

veloo

i.want.it.2 wrote: »

I used to use shaving foam-but switched to oil

What oil is that - shaving oil, or any oil, including baby oil, vegetable oil, etc?

veloo

ailuro2 wrote: »

MY dh has had his electric shaver for years, has only replaced the foil head once, so it works out a lot cheaper than buying 'wet' blades all the time- they have to be one of the most overpriced items we all buy. £6 for 4 little pieces of plastic with a few slivers of metal in them?:eek:

I never buy branded shaving blades. At the supermarkets, I buy the store's own brand at 30p for pack of 10! Even if they don't last as long (but they do), they are still waaaaaay cheaper!!!!

veloo

silvercharming wrote: »

If I ever do have to use non-rechargeables, I find that just because they are 'dead' in a digital camera or MP3 player doesn't mean there is no power left in them. They will still power a remote control or clock for ages, I never use new batteries in either of these.

Also, I find that a used-up battery, if taken out and left for a few days magically gains some charge again.
I agree with the above poster on this. Some devices don't use as much power, and can run on almost dead batteries left over from other devices. My alarm clock and other wall clocks can use these dead batteries, and run for a few more months atleast. Then I take them out for a few weeks, and reuse them again!

Gazgandalf

"This is one for the ladies – when you get a ladder in one leg of a pair of tights, cut off the offending leg and keep the other one attached to the waistband" Easy Girl . . . cutting your legs off to save money???

Seriously - re: "What oil is that, shaving oil or any oil." You could use any vegetable oil, even olive Oil, that's what the Romans used. But you might find it a big thick and gooey. If possible, buy some Almond oil which will last ages, no smell and it's good for the skin. Also - it leaves the skin softer making next shaving easier on the skin and blades.

Barber hints - wash face and leave a little soap on just to moisten 'beard' perhaps whilst you brush teeth. If you shave later in the morning the face is less, 'Puffy' and you get a closer shave. Then wash face again in warm water, use oil or foam (on holiday I use Dove soap, saves carrying foam) and never shave upwards. This is what causes 'razor' burn, spots and ingrowing hair. I have no idea why they show models doing this on TV Ad's.

Close up the pores with rinse in cold water and don't put Aftershave on. If you get razor burn, try and avoid that area for a couple of days and dab some Lavender oil or Tea Tree - both great healers and antiseptics.

After you shave, if your face is 'tight' rub a small amount of Almond oil (Grapenut etc) on the skin. It'll soften the skin, impress the ladies AND makes the blades last longer. I resent the prices for small plastic items with strips of metal in - so follow these tips and your blades will last longer and your partners will appreciate the lack of "Yard-brush" kisses.