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

Floss

Katiehound said:

When I have got a few more items to buy I am going to start- really need the green bleach. Currently have stacks of most cleaning products- the bleach has all gone & many of the others are Method. I haven't had many other nasties for a long time.

Green bleach is great stuff, as is citric acid.

Green_hopeful

We get citric acid and oxygen bleach (sodium percarbonate) from our refill place. Not sure if it’s the same as green bleach. 

Cherryfudge

Wraithlady said:

Cherryfudge said:

I really thought Oxfam was supposed to be THE go-to place for second hand books, so I live and learn!

I think it depends very much on the staff - most CS staff are fine, this particular shop seems to have the attitude of THEY'RE doing YOU a favour and you should be grateful.

OK, I get books are heavy and awkward, but OH is quite happy to take bags through to the Stock Room for them if they ask - mind you, this is the same staff who complained loudly on a busy weekend something about ' how the standard of customers they were getting wasn't what they were expecting'. Several customers left without buying, I was one of them.

I think there really are charity shops staff (and occasional paid staff) who really need a good talking to, preferably not by me as it would take me ages to wind down, but by a good and experienced manager. I never want to buy if the staff are too chatty (uninvited) or are talking negatively among themselves. My other bugbear in shops is having the radio on too loud, and charity shops (and S*perdrug) are the ones I have in mind. That said, there are lovely staff who are polite, friendly without being pushy, helpful, and so forth, and I often catch myself enjoying the radio if it's not too loud.

For today:
Make do: used stores and Christmas veg to make another Moroccan-style stew that will do us some more meals too. DH remembered mince pies in the freezer so we had some with custard that was put in the fridge the other day.
I found a receipt of DH's where he'd bought kindling, and reminded him we have a box of twigs under a tarpaulin in the garden which he's now brought in to finish drying. Kindling is a fiver a bag and the twigs just take up green wheelie bin space if not used, so we might as well benefit from them.

Mend: not quite a mend but cut an itchy label out of a top.

Minimise: the things I sorted to return to the cupboard elsewhere, they've gone. Also the veg as mentioned above.

wishus

Minimize:

First day back in office today. I go by bus, come home by train otherwise I wouldn't get in until 7.30 and I'd be too shattered to do my side hustle. 
I've calculated it's still cheaper than flexi fare or a monthly train pass, so long as I leave on time and only need to get one bus. 

However, the bus price cap did rise last week, widely advertised. But I can hear aggressive passengers from upstairs arguing with the bus driver that the fare should only be £2.50 (that's the fare they charge up to halfway on this route). I feel bad for all... But let's hope they keep this cap. For too long, bus companies were allowed to drive out competition, then introduce crazy prices or shut down routes around here. Well, a certain bus company...

Glad I have a slight pay rise in the next pay round as I'm having to go in more now so my transport costs have risen by £68 a month.

Today, though, I have a delay repay voucher for £3. Better than a poke in the eye!

Katiehound

Yes Sodium percarbonate is the same thing as 'green bleach'.
One of the reasons Nancy calls it that is a short cut especially as she is using sodium bicarbonate (bicarb of soda) and sodium carbonate (washing soda) as well- it's less confusing if they have easy names!.

I already use citric acid as this is a very hard water area and sometimes washing soda.

wishus

Ugh just lost a huge post when my phone accidentally refreshed. 

Make do: hubby wants to make curry tonight. We have all essentials in place but I'm not sure I can persuade him I'm fine with the chicken thighs we have. He wants to make my "dream curry", but not my actual dream curry, which is sag paneer! I do have to get tea and coffee, so I will get him one ingredient 'especially' but honestly, he has everything else already!

Mend: must sew my holey socks before they go in the wash basket, or they'll remain holey. 

Minimize: won some chocolate, so that's in my work locker as future snacks of desperation. 

Recycling day, so will go through Christmas cards later. There are a couple of unique ones I'm keeping. 

Siebrie

"Minimize: won some chocolate, so that's in my work locker as future snacks of desperation. "

My dds (16 and 13) get a weekly allowance, and have to buy their own snacks with that money. Occasionally, they buy sweets to try out and don't like them. Those, I take to work as 'snacks of desperation'. They are not nice enough to nibble on, but will do when I have a craving. I don't want to spend €1/snack at the vending machine!

YorksLass

Today's tea is a Make Do - tricolour pasta spirals from the cupboard with a sauce I made from bits (half a tin of tomatoes, half a red pepper, chopped onion, tomato puree and basil simmered down), sliced leftover chipolatas from last night and topped with grated cheese.  Couple of satsumas for afters.

On the Mend front, I'm looking at adding modesty panels to 3 almost new bras that I hardly ever wear; they have quite a deep V and, whilst comfortable, the lady bits tend to fall out when bending down - not so comfortable.!    I've rummaged through my fabric stash and found some suitable material so just need to experiment as to right size and shape before sewing in.  I know you can buy ones that clip onto your bra but why buy when you can make them?  

wishus

Mend: another two pairs of socks added to the pile! Did my washing machine get hungry?

Green_hopeful

Our local wombles have tallied up their total bags of rubbish collected in 2024