Make Do, Mend & Minimise in 2025 (and 2024)

Cherryfudge

A few things over the last week:

Make do: Can't think of anything right now, unless you count cutting DH's hair, which I do anyway.

Mend: fixed a seam on an old but useful cardigan and de-bobbled it, then de-bobbled a cheap but useful jumper. Since buying the jumper (a few years ago) I've realised acrylic is a waste of money unless I absolutely can't afford natural fibres. It just ages so quickly - however well it fills a gap in my wardrobe. I still buy too many things at car boots sales, but I like knitting so I need to focus on replacing the useful items with something that won't wear so badly. I also had a go at repairing some tiny (moth?) holes in a waistcoat I made many years ago but I'm running into difficulties finding matching yarn that's the right weight and blends in, so I'm pausing that till I come up with an inspiration.

DH has done a good job of pulling loose joints on a dining chair as much to pieces as possible and regluing it so we can safely allow guests to sit there! I need to track down a suitable fabric or leather to reupholster the seats. I've done it before on a couple of items so I'm reasonably confident but the new seats on these chairs haven't lasted due to the faux leather cracking up.

Minimise: I haven't done well in the sense that my freezer is stuffed full, but I made cakes which used up ingredients and have eaten my way through a  selection of lunches that have successfully made more fridge space. I've also donated a gillet and a book to my daughter, who will enjoy them more than I do.

YorksLass

I haven't posted on here for nearly two weeks as "life" has been getting in the way - numerous hospital appointments for DH that seem to take large chunks out of those days and the return of DS (sad but expected breakdown of marriage) so MMM'ing has been on the back burner.

Minimise:
Stayed under budget for February's groceries - only a few ££s but at least it's a saving!
DS has taken several bags of donated items to the CS for me.
Like @Cherryfudge, I've also given DH a haircut.

Make Do:
The usual of eating from existing stocks and pleased to say we've had no waste.  We did however have a take away on Saturday as a treat, the first one in probably 4 years - it wasn't that good so it will more than likely be 4 years before we have another one.  

Mend:
Can't think of anything.

The next biggie is to clear out the back bedroom so DS can use it as an office.  He works from home some of the time and is currently monopolising the dining table, which isn't ideal for us or him.  Furniture wise, there's only a single bed to dispose of (will be donated) to make room for a desk but it's my Room of Doom so there's an awful lot of bags and boxes to sort through first.  I foresee more trips to the CS!     

number_23

Glad to fallen across this thread …

Plan tonight is to mend my little boys school pants as the hems have dropped down

I’m also considering mending our kitchen table. It was brand new in 2019, then an unplanned puppy joined our house in 2021… he’s out of the biting stage now but when he was younger he’s chewed at the table legs and chair legs and I begrudged paying out for another kitchen table. 

Has anyone else renovated a damaged table that could give me some hints and tips please? TIA

Cranmer1662

I haven't posted here for a long time but I'm back as my moneysaving has entered a new phase. Previously I was always a saver but didn't have to, it was just something I liked doing. Now, my business has taken a bit of a downturn and my wife has had to give up work for health reasons (hopefully temporarily) so we're having to save 'for real'. I'm embarking on a new business venture however which will hopefully pay off in a few months so we shouldn't have to be on 'active frugal service' for too long. 

Anyway, the big change for me has been avoiding non-essential purchases. I was always one for buying stuff, mostly second hand on Ebay, but I was doing it as a past-time and not because I needed things. Same with charity shops, I would just buy stuff because it was cheap. Now, I just don't buy anything unless I absolutely have to. 

I'm also cutting out shop-bought alcohol and brewing my own. A home made bottle of wine costs about 20p to make so that's about 20-40 times cheaper than shop bought wine. And I know that it's only got 'healthy' ingredients in it. Of course I would save more by not drinking at all, but I have to have some pleasure left to me!

Also this year I've decided not only to grow my own fruits and veg and forage wherever possible, but grow from seed instead of plug plants, and keep seed for next year. 

I'm hoping to not have to buy new shoes again. I don't like second-hand shoes unless they are the the kind on Ebay that have only been worn once or twice with no visible signs of wear. I never pay more than about £15 for these and cobble them myself when the heels/soles wear out; it's much cheaper than buying another pair or going to Timpson's etc.

So overall my big change is a mindset change. 

PS the person that is renovating a table. There's a product called  Restor-a-Finish (about £15 a bottle on Amazon) which I've seen used on restoration videos on Youtube. It covers up really bad scratches and damaged wood etc.

Floss

Cranmer1662 said:

I'm also cutting out shop-bought alcohol and brewing my own. A home made bottle of wine costs about 20p to make so that's about 20-40 times cheaper than shop bought wine. And I know that it's only got 'healthy' ingredients in it. Of course I would save more by not drinking at all, but I have to have some pleasure left to me!

Also this year I've decided not only to grow my own fruits and veg and forage wherever possible, but grow from seed instead of plug plants, and keep seed for next year.

I can recommend strawberry wine, also apple wine and rhubarb wine. My ex used to used the fruits I grew on my allotment, delicious at very low cost.

gemmajenkins0208

Make do - as per, using up existing stocks and only buying specific things to make a meal.


Mend - nothing


Minimise - the usual as we use things up, the supplies are going down(we might actually have to do a big food shop soon!). OH has finally agreed to part with the old bedroom TV! He wanted it for his man cave but has finally realised it's knackered and most probably won't work as expected so it's only fit for the bin. Not very MSE and not really minimising but I have recently replaced my phone, smartwatch and living room tv. I am trying to sell my old phone and watch but no biters so far. I did however bin 2 battered cases i had for the old phone and the mailing bag etc my new phone and watch came in. OH's mum is having our old tv temporarily until she gets herself a new one and we've said to her to just tip it when she's done with it.

Cherryfudge

Make do - we've lent our full sized vacuum cleaner out as it was wanted to shampoo carpets, and we've been using the little hand-held one for a few days. Then two small clips broke off it, so my 'making do' has been holding it together with both hands while I do the floors! I'm looking into replacing it as repair isn't practicable.

Mend - nothing recently.

Minimise - finished off a big pot of tikka from the other day for tonight's dinner, and have already had two meals from a chicken I slow cooked on Monday. There's a lot left so that's minimising buying. I've also been carrying lots of cut up wood to the back of the house to stack it and dry it for firewood. That's better than sending it to recycling and reduces our fuel costs.

Moorviews

Green_hopeful said:

Moorviews said:

Yum to peanut butter fudge and I haven’t even had breakfast yet!

Make do - postponing buying some new furniture while we think carefully. We would like a couple of replacement items as the existing ones aren’t suitable for the space and our requirements. Nevertheless, we have managed for many years so despite the weekend sales ending we are continuing to think and consider. I have been frustrated that I don’t have a big table for cutting out when I am sewing and have been eyeing up tables with envy. I then worked out that my new sitting room arrangement allows for me to spread my whole cardboard cutting out board on the floor. There is good light from the windows in the morning so I shall manage fine that way.

There are some fantastic dining tables on Facebook marketplace and often they are reasonably priced because few people want them. I use our dining table for sewing. It’s great to have space and not have to do stuff on the floor. 

Thank you, I agree that there are some really fabulous dining tables and chairs on FB marketplace, for next to nothing sometimes. Unfortunately, we don’t have a dining room in this house and nowhere else to put a big table. If we ever carry out our plan to extend then this will include a large dining space and I will take great pleasure in snapping one of those dining tables up! And totally monopolising it for my sewing 😂

number_23

Thank you all for your recommendations re the kitchen table.  It’s an 8 seater, 6 seater that can be extended and is in really good condition other than where the puppy has chewed.  I think I’m going to sand down where doggo has chewed and sand over everywhere else and give the product recommended a go, then paint the currently painted area with some french chic paint. We have a similar style to stand which we’ve just moved into the dining area as our to is now on the wall in the living room so I can do the same to that and it will match.  I’m thinking I can do this with a minimal budget… 😀

thanks again, 23

Cherryfudge

Make do - we have our vacuum cleaner/carpet shampooer back and today has been really busy with trying to prepare for a guest in between other commitments, so my making do was a quick hoover round and carpet shampooing - just the bits that get walked on most! I can't say it's impressive (you can still see those are high traffic areas) but it smells really nice.

Mend - a pair of DH's socks.

Minimise - threw out a lot of lightweight paper that I'd been saving to wrap ornaments. I've wrapped and stored quite a few and was only keeping the paper because I'd saved it, if you see what I mean. It can go on to become... other paper.