2021 Frugal Living Challenge

Tightpants24

We recently had our boiler replaced and moved out of our kitchen.  This promptly led to us getting carried away thinking we might as well get a new kitchen too....you know how it is.  Anyway, after 2 quotes of approximately £15k (and it isn't a huge room), we have decided that we are going to do a more frugal version.  Will be adding a couple of extra basic units to fill the gaps, then going to paint all the units (after seeing a post about Frenchic paint on here), then get new flooring.  With labour I expect this to be well under £1k total...and a whole "new" kitchen too.  I know this isn't extremely frugal, but I just want to thank all of you for helping me to avoid huge diy costs/debt and making me excited to try cheaper alternatives.  😀

AnimalTribe

Skint_yet_Again said:

Hello just delurking to ask if anyone has tried cutting dishwasher tablets in half ? Lots on google including past mse threads but not many seem to do it ? 

I found cutting tablets in half worked fine, and I always bought the cheapest Lidl or Aldi ones. I haven't used a dishwasher for the past 6 months though, as it broke down and I decided I didn't really need it.

balabooberlies

Hello All

have been meaning to ask Sparkly Blonde and those in the know........how do you dismantle wood pallets ?

I imagine using something akin to a chainsaw or do you just demolish with very large hammer ?  

Most important how do you seek and remove the nails ?

Mum has wood burner and with things the way they are cutting heating costs are a must.  And I want to help her.

These are genuine questions from a complete wood pallet numpty ! 

bala

joedenise

bala we never bothered removing the nails when we burned pallets.  Just used to dismantle with with a big hammer.  When the wood burns the nails fall through into the ash pan so get dumped along with the ashes.

Frugaldom

Good question about the pallets! We've found the easiest way is to saw through each of the straps, one by one, removing pieces as we go but if it's a really good pallet, it gets kept for something else.  I find it almost impossible to get the nails out and, at the risk of being lynched, find it easier to let them burn out then remove them from the cold ashes. Only the very worst pallets get chopped and burned.  

balabooberlies

Thank you frugadom and Joedenise

not long on patience but am pleased that i don't have to worry about the nails.  

bala

YORKSHIRELASS

Bala I should send my son over, he loves breaking pallets up!  He brings pallets from work and chops them up but some really spit so you do need a stove.  We dont bother removing the nails.

I have worked out that if I work from home 2 days a week and use my little oil fired radiator in our home office all day it costs less than £5 a month in electric.  I only have it only low and rarely have it on all day anyway so thats not too bad.

One load of washing over the airer, washed on a 30 minute quick wash.  I dont really like using this setting on the wm because I have it in my head that its not getting clothes clean, but it makes sense to use it for things that just need a freshen up.  Undies and towels will still go through a "proper" wash.

Veg curry is simmering away, I had a cauliflower which was "out of date" on 24th August!  I am impressed with DH who has made a chicken breast stretch to 2 portions of his version of madras curry.  DH doesnt eat veg and I dont eat much meat so we always make at least 4 portions and freeze some.

The heating has been on for an hour in the middle of the day, it is really cold here.  Hoping we can afford to get the woodburning stove working again, we have loads of free wood that we can use.

Kerry_Woman

Was under budget for the food shopping.  Did have some unexpected spends this month, so went over one of the categories.  Used up some toiletries this month.  Did manage to resist buying a few books this month.  Going to try my best to be more careful about spending for the rest of the year.  Did achieve in doing some life admin bits which I am happy about. 

Jellytotts

If you want to use the wood from pallets in anything other than a burning capacity then a crow bar, an axe and a lump hammer are your friends. Some split down lovely, others just fall to bits with the first blow of the hammer.  Like everyone else, we leave the nails in and just fish them out at the end before the cold ashes go in the compost bin.

marionmgcars

AnimalTribe said:

Skint_yet_Again said:

Hello just delurking to ask if anyone has tried cutting dishwasher tablets in half ? Lots on google including past mse threads but not many seem to do it ? 

I found cutting tablets in half worked fine, and I always bought the cheapest Lidl or Aldi ones. I haven't used a dishwasher for the past 6 months though, as it broke down and I decided I didn't really need it.

I always buy the cheapest Al*I dishwasher tablets & snap in half, but I do only have a slimline dishwasher.