2022 Frugal Living Challenge

zafiro1984

VintageHistorian said:

Just breaking my lurking for @Frugaldom and others looking for white vinegar - my husband bought a very large (5 litres) bottle of the stuff off Amazon the other week.

I did the same, use it for cleaning and making chutneys and pickles this time of year - prefer it to malt vinegar

Frugaldom

zafiro1984 said:

VintageHistorian said:

Just breaking my lurking for @Frugaldom and others looking for white vinegar - my husband bought a very large (5 litres) bottle of the stuff off Amazon the other week.

I did the same, use it for cleaning and making chutneys and pickles this time of year - prefer it to malt vinegar

I prefer the cheap white vinegar for cooking, cleaning and preserving. Frugal sweet & sour is a regular meal here to use up bits and pieces as it's so quick and easy to make. I used to always have a supply of white vinegar, baking soda and washing soda so it's been rather annoying having to make do with cheap malt vinegar.

Siebrie

Glittering_M said:

2Scratters said:

I am continuing to use the water butt for reducing the water used, especially the loo. 

@2Scratters, can I please ask how you do this? I'd be interested in doing something like this myself but I'm unsure how I'd transport it from garden to house (watering can?) and keep it inside the house, or do you go out everytime you need it?

In West-African countries (the only one I've been to, anyway) they use a watering can with a lid, it looks like a large plastic teapot. Maybe there is an African shop nearby that sells them, or could obtain them for you. They come in very vibrant colours.

Glittering_M

Siebrie said:

Glittering_M said:

2Scratters said:

I am continuing to use the water butt for reducing the water used, especially the loo. 

@2Scratters, can I please ask how you do this? I'd be interested in doing something like this myself but I'm unsure how I'd transport it from garden to house (watering can?) and keep it inside the house, or do you go out everytime you need it?

In West-African countries (the only one I've been to, anyway) they use a watering can with a lid, it looks like a large plastic teapot. Maybe there is an African shop nearby that sells them, or could obtain them for you. They come in very vibrant colours.

Thanks, nothing near me but I'll have a internet search. My main concern is whether it would have the power to clear things sufficiently if you get what I mean. We used grey water in the shower and seemed to use loads of water to flush the toilet. We also ended up spilling loads on the floor, think that is just our ineptness, but we used a bucket and wouldn't be keen to repeat it so something with a lid would be great.

Does water smell for a while if collected and stored in the house? E.g could you collect and store enough for a week or is it a daily, or even per use collection. 

This has got me really curious. I'm not sure my partner would be too impressed though!

zafiro1984

Frugaldom said
 I used to always have a supply of white vinegar, baking soda and washing soda 

Washing soda, I've only just discovered this product.
How could I have lived for over 70yrs and not found this product???? 

2Scratters

@Glittering_M
This water butt collects off the workshop shed which is a big expansion. I simply use the watering can and decant into a bucket to give the flush. Its also another form of exercise for me  We have not flushed each time when having a wee. For us it has a financial benefit as are on a meter. I am living it up at the moment as the weather is still on the warm side.
The current butt holds 250 litres but my upgrade in time will be an 800l it will have a bit more outlay and are quite pleasing to the eye. The plan for this is to come off the house roof (bungalow)

2 Scratters xx

Siebrie

@Glittering_M There are also buckets that are specifically for pouring, they have a lip (?) on one side at the top.

London_1

I use an empty 5 litre ex-paint tub with a handle and as my hot tank is in the roof and my shower on the ground floor there is a good deal of water run off befor my shower gets warm ,so no water is wasted as much as possible and I just pour it into the loo and it flushes for no extra cost to me for my meter bill my water meter bill is £9.60 per month this way

 my late husband worked in the Sudan, and we all knew how precious fresh water was. In Khartoum in the 1980s a vodka and coke was cheaper than a litre of water in the ex-pats bar

maryb

@Frugaldom, I buy big 5l bottles of white vinegar at a Chinese supermarket but Wilko do smaller bottles in the cleaning aisle.  I have one which I top up from the big bottle because the cap size is just right for measuring out the amount I need to use instead of fabric conditioner.  Trying to slosh some into the conditioner drawer from the big bottle always ended up making a splashy mess

Siebrie

Before you use vinegar in your washing machine, check the manual. For my machine it's expressly mentioned not to use vinegar, as it will corrode the aluminium parts.