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

YorksLass

@weenancyinAmerica - Yes, I like to give good feedback too when it's deserved, even if it hasn't been requested.

@Katiehound - Thanks for that.  Sadly I don't have a Specsavers near me unless I travel into the city centre and that's something I do only when I'm really forced to.  Since retiring, I've found it easier to stay local or shop online.  I'm fortunate that I'm within walking distance of GP surgery, pharmacy, hairdresser, optician and a few shops and it gives me some exercise and fresh air.  I checked on the NHS website and the charge for OCT for NHS patients is £35 but it's not part of the normal eyetest (ie it's an "extra") and I'm guessing the larger chains like Specsavers have more buying power so can charge less.  My optician is an independent so probably couldn't do it cheaper.

Yesterday I managed to dodge the rain when I went to to Co-op and came back with a decent haul of YS items, including two bags of frozen mixed veg that were on clearance for 35p each.  I don't normally go there on a Saturday - maybe I should!     

Today the weather is being much kinder and we have sunshine along with a bit of a breeze so for once the washing is outside.    A rare thing of late.

For dinner we're having a joint of silverside of beef (a tad expensive but it will make us quite a few meals and it's a bit of a treat for Father's Day), mash, carrots, broccoli and Yorkshire puddings.  I've also made some fruit scones to use up the last bit of yogurt.

Right, off to wrangle with the grocery delivery list now to see if there's anything I can do without.  A coffee might help.     

Cherryfudge

I made another 'notebook' out of scrap paper today and realised I now have three or four and really they are growing much faster than I can use them, so any odd scraps I found afterwards have gone in the recycling - both a 'make-do' and a 'minimise'.

I've also added more chopped satsuma peel to the bag in the freezer, with the intention of making 'Miser's Marmalade'.

I don't think I've mended anything recently.

suzeesu2000

Make do - dinner from what we already had in

Mend - zero

Minimise - Four fold flat storage boxes given to a friend.

mandy47

Make do.
Made sourdough loaf and got another one started.
Meat from the freezer.
Minimise
Green bin emptied today so I've empty a bag of garden waste into it. Didn't have room last time. 
Mended.
Not really a mend but I repainted the bug hotel in the garden. Hopefully it will protect it from the weather.
I often see bees coming and going from it so want to keep it going.
I'm saving broken garden canes so I can make another one.

YorksLass

Today I've sliced up the joint of beef and frozen the best slices (enough for another four meals for us), plus there are enough thin slices for a round of sandwiches and some bits for a stir fry or a curry.  That will minimise the meat budget for a while.

Have finally finished the yellow sweater I was knitting so that's another 400g cotton yarn minimised from the stash.  

Making do for tea tonight with bacon rashers that need using up with an egg and oven chips.  There'll probably be more bacon than we need tonight but I'll cook it all and use some for BLT sandwiches.

No mending but I've had a walk out to collect DH's meds and also some camisole tops that I treated myself to (half price).  I like to wear them under blouses in summer but also use them in winter as an extra warm layer under tops/jumpers.  Well worth the price but sadly the spaghetti straps are a bit too long for me so I'll need to spend a little time shortening them.

Nelliegrace

I bought a vintage stoneware pot for £1 at a church fair. It stands on the kitchen window sill to hold small cleaning rags cut from cotton socks which are beyond repair or repurposing. 

I cut up an old sports sock to hold dressings in place on DH’s grazes from a fall. He is allergic to all dressing tapes. I knotted a rubber ball into an odd sock for a dog toy. I have folded the last bit of a bar of soap inside a thin sock and used it as a wash cloth, though usually I press the last wet slither of soap on to the next bar. 
I made some sock-top wrist warmers for reading in bed. 

YorksLass

I'm another one who sticks the last sliver of soap onto the next bar.  I also sometimes let the sliver dry out, grate it finely into a jar and cover with boiling water; stir every now and again and add more water until it becomes quite a runny texture.  Then it can be decanted into a fancy pump bottle (at a pinch, an empty washing up liquid bottle would do) to be used as liquid hand wash either in the bathroom or kitchen.

Today I've minimised my expired bus pass as I've got a new one.  Applied online on Thursday and it arrived yesterday (Tuesday) - good service!  There was a previous one in my wallet too - interesting (or depressing, depending on your point of view) to see how I've aged over the last 10 years.     That's been cut up as well.

Four small hand towels that I use in the kitchen have been binned.  They were cut down from bathroom hand towels many moons ago and were honestly so thin and worn they weren't even fit to use as cleaning cloths.

Today's food make-do courtesy of the freezer is fish fingers, mixed veg (YS) and baby potatoes for tea.  And I've made four individual pots of lime jelly and pears.  Am also defrosting two large h/m sausage rolls to have with a side salad for tomorrow's snack lunch.

Small grocery delivery arrived yesterday, all P&C.  Jam down 26p (now on Aldi price match) and corned beef up 20p.  Swings and roundabouts I guess.

Sarahspangles

YorksLass said:

I'm another one who sticks the last sliver of soap onto the next bar.  I also sometimes let the sliver dry out, grate it finely into a jar and cover with boiling water; stir every now and again and add more water until it becomes quite a runny texture.  Then it can be decanted into a fancy pump bottle (at a pinch, an empty washing up liquid bottle would do) to be used as liquid hand wash either in the bathroom or kitchen.

I do this too, if you add a couple of drops of glycerin the soap is less prone to going solid in the pump bottle. It’s also nice on the hands.

Glycerin is around 99p in the baking aisle. Other uses are that you can add it to salt dough ‘clay’ for children so it stays flexible for longer, or a drop in a water spray bottle helps revive watercolour pans.

YorksLass

@Sarahspangles - Thanks for this tip!  I've already put it on my next shopping list.  I see it's also useful to add to home made cake mixture to keep them moister for longer; I do a lot of baking so it will definitely be used.

Lovely weather today - shame I haven't got any washing to hang out.  But I have minimised a lot of cobwebs, thanks to the sun coming out and showing them all up.  I do clean - honestly!     Next target is the outside of the windows.

Make do tea today is a steak slice from the freezer with the last of the broccoli and baby potatoes.  Any leftover potatoes can be sliced and lightly fried tomorrow to have with home made salmon fishcakes and peas/sweetcorn.

Currently patiently waiting for the gas engineer to come back.  Yes, he's finally been to do the service (third attempt) but 15 minutes after he left I found I have no hot water!  Aarrgh!  I don't know what he's done, it was working perfectly before he came.  And breathe.

Nelliegrace

It might be summer at last. I have washed the various old quilted and fleece gilets, and fleece jacket which I have been wearing indoors as extra layers to save on the heating bills. They have all dried in the sunshine.