Do you have a secret trick?

Effician

Longwalker said:

Effician said:

Not really a trick but i never buy something i want when i want it, the resultant lag if i do end up buying normally means i can get something that either doesn't depreciate (so can normally sell on at profit if not what i really wanted) or actually provides real value for money or pleasure. Buyers remorse is something i've not felt for many many years now.

Thats the best "trick" ever

Many moons ago, Id be the person standing in the queues for the sale ( back when they were real sales ) and then doing the online sales. Now I stick stuff in my basket and leave it a day or 2. Now 9 times out of ten, you get another 10% discount code sent to urge you to buy. If I dont get one, I dont buy - saves me a bloomin fortune

Sometimes it can take me a year or more before i make a purchase , ie i wanted a  mini chainsaw in Jan 2021 & finally bought one in Jan '22 , i ended up paying slightly more than i would have done a year earlier but got the one that suited best out of a few options, it's certainly earned it's money though in the last 12 months so a win even though it cost more.

My favoured approach is to buy seasonal stuff out of season but this is more a case of buying when other folks don't want them. 

18 months ago & when nobody was using them i  bought a easy to fix dehumidifier for a fiver & ran it last winter only to realise at the end of winter fans would be a better option . By spring/summer when i wanted to buy in readiness for this winter dc motored fans were pricey & in short supply & nobody wanted dehumidifiers.  but by Nov '22 i quickly sold the dehumidifier for £50 & bought 2 x dc motored 16" pedestal fans with the profit from the sale , effectively free fans.

Fortunately getting old does have it's perks, life is no longer a race &  patience in my case becomes much easier.

joedenise

MissRikkiC said:

Stumbled across this thread; love tips and tricks! Although my mind is so blank right now. 

I ‘peel’ ginger with a teaspoon, or freeze immediately and grate into cooking. 

A basket or box at the bottom of the stairs is something I’ve done for ages although everyone except me just walks past it 🤣 

I never bother peeling ginger - just grate it the skin tends to stay mainly on the grater and what little goes through just adds to the flavour.  I never use fresh ginger and just freeze as soon as I get it home and grate from frozen.

YoungBlueEyes

Garlic's like that. I used to spend ages peeling it and slicing it wafer thin so it'd melt. Now I just bang the whole thing in the crusher - the garlic seems to be pushed out through all the wee holes and the papery skin is kept back

JIL

I saw a trick of pulling herbs through the holes on a grater, meaning the leaves come off the stalks. Haven't tried it yet.

Rosa_Damascena

elsien said:

I have a rubber long handled brush which is very good for getting dog hairs off the stair carpet and rugs. It’s not this one, but this sort of style. 

https://www.therange.co.uk/pets/pet-home-cleaning/beldray-pet-plus-rubber-head-brush/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4ZXvhqbD_AIV2YxoCR04jAxvEAQYAiABEgJcKfD_BwE#539548

Not a fan of Beldray, but at that price who can complain? I have a Wilko equivalent for something like £8, and wouldn't be without it. So much better (softer needles than) than the JML brand leader and miraculously finds dirt invisible to the naked eye.

Rosa_Damascena

MissRikkiC said:

Stumbled across this thread; love tips and tricks! Although my mind is so blank right now. 

I ‘peel’ ginger with a teaspoon, or freeze immediately and grate into cooking. 

A basket or box at the bottom of the stairs is something I’ve done for ages although everyone except me just walks past it 🤣 

Along the same lines - any fresh garlic I buy goes straight into the freezer. I take out the required number of cloves as and when needed, the peel comes off really easily rather than sticking to your fingers, and grating it is simple as pie.

-taff

Freeze chillies whole as well, they're easy to slice or chop when semifrozen and they defrost quite quickly. And if you're defrosting  anything in a bag or foil, put it on a metal surface, like in the sink or on the sink, defrosts quicker.

Not really my trick since the cat is involved but he gets old egg boxes to chew on, then I sweep up the bits and put it in the compost, saves me putitng shredded paper in sometimes.

Caroby

Hanging washing out I don't use a peg bag. I peg a row of pegs onto my top across the middle and it leaves my hands free to handle the clothes, sheets and towels.

YoungBlueEyes

It's really handy that innit. I peg mine round the hem of my top. Or if it's really early and I'm still in my dressing gown they go down my front or on the 'belt'.

JIL

Another thing I do and I hope I can explain this properly. 

When I have a loaf of bread in a plastic sleeve, to reseal I twist the bag at the top and then fold down the bag on to the bread, all sides. Keeps it fresh. I will pop a photo on later.