Simple living in the country - back to basics

Cheery_Daff

You're right of course 😊 I think I spent about £14 on soap ingredients in total, plus £7 on a new thermometer, but obviously that will last for years and can be used for jam etc too, and I've made at least 20 bars of soap. And I've still got 90% of the caustic soda, and half of one of the oils left. So not too bad overall, just skews the budget somewhat! 

Working at home today, and a vet check up this evening 🙄 Hopefully that'll mean the end of the tablets though, fingers crossed 🙄

SuperSecretSquirrel

Would you mind sharing your recipe for soap making if you got good results Cheery? OH likes bars of soap (usually the peaceful bird brand), and fragranced oil drops in the bath. The children love "science lab" experiment kits and helping us in the kitchen. I can see an opportunity here for a fun activity that also results in a useful and thoughtful product at the end of it all 🙂

Bluegreen143

I read that traditional soap making is not recommended with young children around @SuperSecretSquirrel as the chemicals are a bit dangerous. I’ve been wanting to try it too but don’t get enough time without the children and the warnings all over the blog post I looked at put me off! Though I don’t know the age/sensibleness of your kids of course so ignore me if it’s not relevant!

But I wanted to say you can buy melt and pour soap base which is safe. I’ve done that before and it’s very easy, just melt and add your various scents and add-ins then pour into moulds. 

Edit - this is the post I read that put me off doing it with the kids. Again, your mileage may vary! https://heartscontentfarmhouse.com/soap-making-for-beginners/

Cheery_Daff

SuperSecretSquirrel said:

Would you mind sharing your recipe for soap making if you got good results Cheery? OH likes bars of soap (usually the peaceful bird brand), and fragranced oil drops in the bath. The children love "science lab" experiment kits and helping us in the kitchen. I can see an opportunity here for a fun activity that also results in a useful and thoughtful product at the end of it all 🙂

This is the recipe I used this time:

https://www.thesoapkitchen.co.uk/recipe-soap-natural-palm-free

It looks to have worked, although it still needs a few weeks to cure/set properly before trying it (or it'll just turn to mush).

I'd echo the warnings about children though. You know your kids best, but I wouldn't do it with any kind of distraction in the kitchen. The caustic soda gives off fumes and gets VERY hot very quickly, and can give a nasty burn if you spill it. And you're also heating a large pan of oil on the stove at the same time. With older, well trained kids, maybe, but if there's any chance of accidental spillage etc I'd be wary. But you know your children best - definitely worth reading instructions etc yourself to see if it's something you'd be happy with. 

Melt and pour sounds like a great idea though - I think you can add all kinds of fragrances and colours etc to those, so that should be fun, different moulds etc!

SuperSecretSquirrel

Thank you both, the children are quite sensible, but still very young. I think the melt and pour option might be best if we do go for it.

EssexHebridean

That was a great saving on the car insurance Cheery - definitely worth the time spent wasn't it! 

As for the diesel spending, I feel your pain - we're currently doing £80 a week with travel to/from Devon plus the usual work travel etc...my car has barely moved but will need topping up soon too. Needs must, but it definitely makes a difference to budgeting doesn't it - I'm just glad to have the flexibility to be able to absorb it. 

I want to do a blog post at some stage this month on looking at spending and needing to change habits I think - it's an interesting one isn't it. Like TMV says - we have lived with far lower expenditure than we are currently, so I know we can do it again when needed. I'm also assuming that once we're moved there will be a real incentive to spend more time at home too. 

themadvix

I agree with EH about the saving on the insurance - it was obviously worth the effort (remind me of that when it comes to house insurance later this month - I detest it!).

I think the problem with knowing you can survive on a lot less is that we don't necessarily want to go back to that - life is much nice once we're more comfortable, and while adversity is fun and a challenge when we're younger (and our peers are doing the same), it's less fun when we know about the pleasures of a cafe trip etc!! 😂 Unfortunately, I know there's definitely an element of this for me (and probably even more so for Mr MV, although he doesn't entirely seem to have realised that there's a limit - that if we build a house we won't be able to do some of the nice experiences etc.) - I'd rather have the money for experiences and live in a more modest house/area I think (swerving that expensive bottomless pit of a house we might have bought had clarified this for me somewhat).

EssexHebridean

Exactly this - there were some savings that we made over lockdown etc that we were very happy to just take the ongoing win from - less random weekends away, that sort of thing. Not least as I realised that actually having more "recharging" time just suited me really well at this point. (I'm probably crossing a little too  far into the territory on the other side of that one now mind - I need to strike a balance before I turn into a hermit!) Increasing food spending though - I don't want to go back to the £150 a month budget again - I could, if I needed to, but "want to?" nope. 

SusieT

Ouch on the diesel, I have changed (ok trying to change) to only going to the shops once a week as it is 5 miles to the nearest, that along with thinking before doing any travel has really helped me this winter. Luckily I do not have to drive for work or family so it is easier for me, but with fuel prices the way they are it has made a huge difference and when I do have a trip it is easier to justify adding a few extra miles for my enjoyment.

Cheery_Daff

Thanks all. 

You're all right, of course. It's one thing knowing you have lived on less and could do it again, and quite another actually doing it again 🙄

Susie, that sounds like it's making a real difference for you. It would for us too - supermarket is a 16 mile round trip and we do end up nipping out somewhere most days, which isn't ideal. 

Hmm, lots to ponder. 

We're at the vets again, just for a check up after last week's escapade. Obviously that'll be a check up cost, and the diesel. I'm hoping there won't be any other costs though. 

Long day today, I had work to finish before  meeting, and I knew I'd be finishing early to come here, so I started at 7 🙄 Tired now, but I imagine we won't be home til 6.30 at the earliest, if not 7.30, so need to stay awake for a while yet!