2019 Frugal Living Challenge

sinkorswim2018

Nicki_sue - If you do need to courier the item this site allows you to compare all option and purchase, always surprisingly low price. Parcel2go.

mumtoomany

Hi RebeccaAnn, £20 sounds good for clothes. I've put £100 for two of us. We tend to get through a lot of wellies and jeans and sometimes like today OH sets his coat on fire welding a van!!! He's not injured and the coat was second hand, hopefully we'll find another preloved one. M2m.

Struckoil

Going to be joining in this year! Good luck all

System

Ok Frugal friends...what are you best buys on cheap loo rolls but good quality? Always used to be a loo roll snob and buy Andrex. Tried a few other brands but sometimes they turn out to be not a good buy as the cardboard is bigger so you think you are buying a bargain and you are not. I seem to spend hours reading the lables of how many sheets and sizes etc. :rotfl: Maybe I am not shopping in the right shops...lol

miss_empty_piggy

ploppy57 wrote: »

miss empty piggy....
How do you manage to reduce your waste so well. We get collections once a fortnight and the normal bin is usually 1/2 -3/4 full. Normally nearer the 1/2 mark TBH, but I would love to get it down. I thought I was good at recycling, but obviously not....lol
What are your tips?

oh wow, I didn't expect such a positive response. Ploppy57 the 1/2 mark is really good, I'm sure you've seen others with bags propped on top of their bin so I think you're doing a good job. At least you're mindful of it.

Well I started with an audit of my rubbish. I emptied all of my rubbish out onto the concreted area in my garden and sorted through what I could recycle and where alternatives could be sort. I've always been very passionate about recycling however, I read that typically only 9% of what we put into recycling actually gets recycled. This near broke my heart - so I decided to try to reduce everything where possible. I'm not perfect by any means, and of course I still make rubbish but it is significantly lower than it previously was. The main things I do are:

I use a milkman for fresh milk and OJ. We used to get dozens of plastic cartons and this would fill my bin right up. My DOH is lactose intolerant (when it suits him) and will only drink Lactose-free milk which comes in a carton (which annoys me greatly lol) so I still have waste here - I try to cut it up for the eco bottle.

I use shampoo and conditioner bars and soap instead of shower gel. This was a hard one to get DOH to swap as he loved a particular brand, but we were buying at least 8 bottles a month. My DD2 has REALLY long thick hair and we have swapped to lush products so that we can recycle their black plastic tubs. Although she does ask me frequently to buy her shampoo (sometimes I do but then I cut it up and put it into an eco bottle).

We have bought a bread maker so that we don't have to keep the bread bags, all the products generally come in paper bags which I stuff with other paper to make firelighters.

We don't use paper towels or facial or anti-bacterial disposable wipes.
Instead we use dishcloths and cut up towels with "wiping up" in the kitchen. I bought some 'green' face flannels which effectively remove make up but I use tinned vaseline to help with waterproof mascara.

I'm fortunate to have an open fire and so any paper waste we burn but I try to use a chalkboard or electronic notes on my phone so there's not too much waste.

We buy toilet paper online (Who gives a crap is the company name) as the paper is made from bamboo and they donate 50% of their profits to help build toilets in third world countries. The rolls come wrapped in paper which I sometimes use to wrap things up in (e.g. my xmas decorations) or I burn them. This year I saved all of my toilet rolls and made Christmas crackers and then stuffed them with wrapping paper to make firelighters.

I can't think of anything else at the moment. It's not easy and waste management has become part of my weekly chores. We have separate bins in the kitchen for bottles and cans - I take bottles to the specialist part of my local recycling centre and put them into allocated brown, green and white with the hope that if they've gone to that much trouble to keep them separated that they will actually recycle them.

There is still much more I hope (and plan) to do. My advice would be to not try to do everything all at once. I started off with the paper towels and wipes, then introduced shampoo bars, then added something else. If I had tried to do everything all at once it would have seemed impossible. And I know that there are still things I want to do, I'm not zero-waste, nor do I think I will ever get to that point. However, I'm pleased with how relatively easy a lot of it has been. My sister has not got the full support of her family who make it harder for her as they are so resistant to change and are unwilling to give up their 'luxuries' for the environment but she has found some balance and has made some positive steps to feeling more environmentally friendly.

I hope this helps

Ploppy 57 I have cleaned out my blue bin this morning with the aim to only get it out once this year. Don't know if I'll make it but this is my aim. :eek:

System

miss_empty_piggy wrote: »

oh wow, I didn't expect such a positive response. Ploppy57 the 1/2 mark is really good, I'm sure you've seen others with bags propped on top of their bin so I think you're doing a good job. At least you're mindful of it.

Well I started with an audit of my rubbish. I emptied all of my rubbish out onto the concreted area in my garden and sorted through what I could recycle and where alternatives could be sort. I've always been very passionate about recycling however, I read that typically only 9% of what we put into recycling actually gets recycled. This near broke my heart - so I decided to try to reduce everything where possible. I'm not perfect by any means, and of course I still make rubbish but it is significantly lower than it previously was. The main things I do are:

I use a milkman for fresh milk and OJ. We used to get dozens of plastic cartons and this would fill my bin right up. My DOH is lactose intolerant (when it suits him) and will only drink Lactose-free milk which comes in a carton (which annoys me greatly lol) so I still have waste here - I try to cut it up for the eco bottle.

I use shampoo and conditioner bars and soap instead of shower gel. This was a hard one to get DOH to swap as he loved a particular brand, but we were buying at least 8 bottles a month. My DD2 has REALLY long thick hair and we have swapped to lush products so that we can recycle their black plastic tubs. Although she does ask me frequently to buy her shampoo (sometimes I do but then I cut it up and put it into an eco bottle).

We have bought a bread maker so that we don't have to keep the bread bags, all the products generally come in paper bags which I stuff with other paper to make firelighters.

We don't use paper towels or facial or anti-bacterial disposable wipes.
Instead we use dishcloths and cut up towels with "wiping up" in the kitchen. I bought some 'green' face flannels which effectively remove make up but I use tinned vaseline to help with waterproof mascara.

I'm fortunate to have an open fire and so any paper waste we burn but I try to use a chalkboard or electronic notes on my phone so there's not too much waste.

We buy toilet paper online (Who gives a crap is the company name) as the paper is made from bamboo and they donate 50% of their profits to help build toilets in third world countries. The rolls come wrapped in paper which I sometimes use to wrap things up in (e.g. my xmas decorations) or I burn them. This year I saved all of my toilet rolls and made Christmas crackers and then stuffed them with wrapping paper to make firelighters.

I can't think of anything else at the moment. It's not easy and waste management has become part of my weekly chores. We have separate bins in the kitchen for bottles and cans - I take bottles to the specialist part of my local recycling centre and put them into allocated brown, green and white with the hope that if they've gone to that much trouble to keep them separated that they will actually recycle them.

There is still much more I hope (and plan) to do. My advice would be to not try to do everything all at once. I started off with the paper towels and wipes, then introduced shampoo bars, then added something else. If I had tried to do everything all at once it would have seemed impossible. And I know that there are still things I want to do, I'm not zero-waste, nor do I think I will ever get to that point. However, I'm pleased with how relatively easy a lot of it has been. My sister has not got the full support of her family who make it harder for her as they are so resistant to change and are unwilling to give up their 'luxuries' for the environment but she has found some balance and has made some positive steps to feeling more environmentally friendly.

I hope this helps

Ploppy 57 I have cleaned out my blue bin this morning with the aim to only get it out once this year. Don't know if I'll make it but this is my aim. :eek:

Thanks for the reply. When I said my bin is half full, that is my normal rubbish bin. We have separate recycling bin (blue lid) in our area and that is normally 3/4 full.
Like you I read about not everything being recycled correctly and think it is dreadful. The government really need to help local councils etc. and take more responsibility.


At our local tip we have a bin for hard plastics that can't go in the blue lid bin...if I am correct, I think only things with number 1 or 2 can go on the normal blue lid one in our area, not sure is that is the case across the country.


WE don't use normal milk as I don't like it...or it doesn't like me....and OH has Almond milk due to a medical condition and as far as I am aware it only comes in cartons. Although I do recycle these, but once again...where are they actually going?


I think antibacterial wipes for cleaning the loo are the BIG thing I need to stop. What do you clean your loo with?
Love the idea of the Loo rolls, are they good quality? Will look them up.


I did try a nice shampoo bar, but ended up still using conditioner, so was only 50% helpful. Where did you find conditioner bars?
I do still use kitchen towels but not as much as I used to . I also have cut up towels etc, but find paper towels good when you want to absorb grease or something odd like that.


Obviously having a wood burner to burn rubbish helps. Would love one but no room for one really. Although OH keeps on about a patio fir pit thing...suppose you could burn rubbish on that. ??


I will take all your ideas on board and if I think of anything else, I will pass it on.
Thanks:)

Kerry_Woman

miss empty piggy - I use the same company as you for toilet roll. Great that they give 50% of their profits to charity. I also get the bamboo loo roll.

miss_empty_piggy

ploppy57 wrote: »

I think antibacterial wipes for cleaning the loo are the BIG thing I need to stop. What do you clean your loo with?
Love the idea of the Loo rolls, are they good quality? Will look them up.

I did try a nice shampoo bar, but ended up still using conditioner, so was only 50% helpful. Where did you find conditioner bars?

Hi, at the moment I clean it with a diluted floor cleaner in a spray bottle. It is antibacterial and I make it up into a bottle. I find this so much cheaper but am planning on making my own (e.g. vinegar and citrus rinds) when I have finished using up my commercial products. I generally keep a spray bottle in my bathroom and give it a good squirt all over once a day and then clean it with a cut up towel which then goes in the wash. I still have some toilet cleaner for the inside left but am hoping to make some fizzing toilet cleaning tablets that I've seen on Pinterest. I still like to bleach every now and then - but when I've run out I will have to see what alternatives are available.

The loo rolls are great. You can get a sample pack - I think it's about £5 and as far as I can remember you get a standard loo roll, a premium one, a box of tissues and a roll of paper towel. We went for the standard ones but I have changed my order now for the premium as DOH says it is too flimsy and I agree.

miss_empty_piggy

Kerry_Woman wrote: »

miss empty piggy - I use the same company as you for toilet roll. Great that they give 50% of their profits to charity. I also get the bamboo loo roll.

I love that they do that - such a great company. :j

System

:rotfl:

miss_empty_piggy wrote: »

Hi, at the moment I clean it with a diluted floor cleaner in a spray bottle. It is antibacterial and I make it up into a bottle. I find this so much cheaper but am planning on making my own (e.g. vinegar and citrus rinds) when I have finished using up my commercial products. I generally keep a spray bottle in my bathroom and give it a good squirt all over once a day and then clean it with a cut up towel which then goes in the wash. I still have some toilet cleaner for the inside left but am hoping to make some fizzing toilet cleaning tablets that I've seen on Pinterest. I still like to bleach every now and then - but when I've run out I will have to see what alternatives are available.

The loo rolls are great. You can get a sample pack - I think it's about £5 and as far as I can remember you get a standard loo roll, a premium one, a box of tissues and a roll of paper towel. We went for the standard ones but I have changed my order now for the premium as DOH says it is too flimsy and I agree.

I tried White Vinegar and lemon juice but ended up using paper towel to clean it as got a bit of a thing about washing a cloth that has wiped the loo seat....lol. I know our parents did it years ago but my mum boiled them in a bucket on the stove, not in a washing machine...might have to get a bucket!:rotfl:

I use white vinegar for loads of stuff, even make my own weed killer with it, but don't like the fact that to buy it cheap, you need to buy massive plastic containers that I can never find a use for afterwards. Its good stuff though