What's your favourite bit of Old Style?

Ticklemouse

OK. So, some of us are more Ol' Style than others. However, I was thinking the other day about all the great things I now do having become at least partially Ol' Style. Then I wondered what everyone else's favourite bit of Old Style is. This is going to be hard as I'm sure we all have lots of bits we like - recipes, cleaning tips, recycling, shopping tips to name but a few. Also, in finding a liking for one aspect, I then find this impacts sometimes quite dramatically on other aspects of my life. Thus, to narrow it down to one favourite would be nigh on impossible, so I'll let you have a couple:)

However, to get the ball rolling, I have to say that I'm really glad that I rediscovered my slow cooker. Without this board, it would have languished in my garage for another 10 years I'm sure. I am now trying out new recipes, new ways of cooking things and my shopping basket is much more varied - and cheaper - than it used to be.

White Vinegar - how brilliant is that in the wash. My clothes are softer and fresher than ever and for practically no money whatsoever.

Ok folks. Over to you. What's your favourite?

Lillibet_2

The bit I like best is the support of like-minded people on this board who don't think running a efficent healthy environmentally friendly home should come second to a career & who still take pride in cooking proper meals & good housework & givign time rather than working for posessions to their families : people who think a happy home leads to happy moral people out in the world being positive : people who don't think the latest mobile phone is a necessity or even know what an MP3 player is (I don't!)

But if it's tangaible benefits, then I like being able to ask a question here, which would totally weird out my colleagues or friends and knowing that someone on here will have come across it before! I like the chatting-over-the-garden-fence attitude which isnt part of & isn't experienced in most aspects of modern life.

I like cooking & knowing whats in my food rahter than just blindy trusting manufacturers and I like recipes & suggestions to this effect.

I like making my own presents & gifts rather than just going shopping in december and I likg the suggestions and craft ideas (even though I !!!! up most of them, they're fun to try & do!)

I like the fact that OS is automatically environmentally friendly and that reduce-reuse-recycle isn't really a new philosophy & that here we can (almost) always come up with something better than just filling up a landfill site.

LearningToSave.

ooohhhhhh i dont think i could put it any better than that lillibet :T

squeaky

Learning. Something new every day. It's reading a board where I don't skip posts or threads because they won't be interesting. That's the board itself.

As for the lifestyle, well, I was fairly Old Style in the way I did things but now it's all so much easier than it was. None of this no pain no gain malarky, just gently moving on a penny here and a recipe there...

..but the best thing about being Old Style is... well... ME

Not the way it sounds I mean that I feel so much better in so many ways, hundreds of which have come from here, that it's hard to pick any one thing.

So I won't

Nelski

I love Queenies posts like the daily update and her pin money challenge. i am not the best advert for old style living by any means but I have made a few changes for the better since catching up with all your tips. Yes I bought a slow cooker and its on now with some of Curry Queens Chilli beef for dinner tonight with my friends from London who will be arriving soon. (i miss CQ )

I have started to cook much more and am much more conscious of how much things cost. I am very fortunate not to be in debt but I am learning how much fun it is to spend money in a better way.

This is the friendliest board by far (and some others can get very nasty).

Keep up the good work and come back curry queen!

BWZN93

I think I personally love re-discovering talents I forgot I had through too many years of being a student and not having time to do them.

I originally learned to knit when I was 8 years old, and forgot, and recently found a cafe that has a knitting and crochet class once a week, and I have rediscovered how much I used to enjoy it. This board has let me to the idea of quilting - which I am about to start learning to do - and am looking forward to it immensley.

I have also rediscovered cooking from scratch, and am learning more recipies every time I come on here, today is going to be a lesson in pasta making, again - im looking forward to it! My sister also thinks that the meals I make are resturaunt quality too - I do love it when she asks for a lesson so she can make her OH the same thing - speading the knowledge is great!

I have always loved doing cross stitch, and have recently found a half done winnie the pooh design I was once given, so I am going to finish it and get it framed as a gift to a freind of mine who has just found out she is pregnant, and have lots of white baby wool I found off ebay - which I intend to make a blanket out of. My freind was especially pleased when I told her what I was doing, she learned to knit when we found the cafe, but hasnt got the time with having to work, save money, move house, boyf finding new job etc, and thinks that the handmade gifts are so much more meaningful than handing over money in a shop for something which doesnt have my time invested in it. Also - I havent told her yet - but im going to handmake some nice bath type treats for her - which was an idea I had after seeing Queenie's Oatmeal Soap recipie - And I know she would love it!

Whilst I havent currently got a garden - I love reading about the things you all grow and produce yourselves, and have tried to at least grow some things indoors, in the spirit of being self sufficient, and I get a greater sense of pleasure when I notice that my little lemon trees have a new leaf or two, instead of going out and wasting my money on a really expensive pair of 'cool' jeans for example.

Finally - another thing I love is the fact that I feel like I am in a community of helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable people who are there when I need help or advice or simply need to rant - and always feel better after reading about the things everyone else get up to. For me, this board is a font of knowledge - which has helped me to do the oldstyle things ive wanted to for a while - but never knew where to turn.

So - thank you - this is why I love o/s and those are my favourite bits!

Jo xx

Rebob

I like the way things are reused in a different way so to reduce the amount going to landfill. I like this os forum for people to chat to with similar veiws and a good sense of humour. As I cannot work and hubby has never earned a big wage we already did a lot of making our own stuff so this forum complements this. We have had a lot of upset in the last couple of years and decided that we were going to make more time and effort for us. This is what os peeps do. Their home is definately where the heart is!!!!

JAMIEDODGER

there is so much i love about old style...since joining this site i have:

- bought a slow cooker and use it at least once a week for dinner
- am sending my children to school with homemade snacks and fruit for breaktime instead of shop bought stuff
- bought a breadmaker and havent bought a shop bought loaf since!! and my kids rave over cheese and onion loaf.
- planted lettuces in my garden and rosemary, mint and basil..together with two tomato plants i was given
- throwing away hardly any food and organising myself better so that i use up things BEFORE they go off with a menu planner
- eating better myself
- finally ENJOYING being at home sooooo much more

i have been moaning for ages about my kitchen which is quite small and one small cupboard for food.....last night i moved the fridgefreezer to a different place in my kitchen diner (more into the "diner" bit) and freed up access to an old unused cupboard which was disgusting inside 1 shelf and housed the old heating system....i cleared it all out, disinfected it, screwed the broken panel back together and white washed the inside...voila...a whole "new" kitchen pantry "old style"...i am planning on making a few shelves inside to maximise space.......no need for expensive new kitchen now!!!!!

this is an amazing board and the people are warm and welcoming!!!!!!

jamie

apple_mint

I love the whole of Old Style ... I get up early, make myself a cup of tea and then log on

Queenie's daily OS chats give me a sense of being part of a community who are all happily trying to live OS ...

.... the recipes give me ideas for meals (and what to buy in season)

... the breadmaker is an essential part of the kitchen (haven't bought shop bought since we got it)

.... the slow cooker currently contains a 'rubber chicken'

.... the gardening sections have encouraged me to grow herbs and vegatables which are pesticide free

OS is better than any 'good living' magazine. It has constantly changing content, agony aunts who don't think your questions are too silly and a realistic attitude to keeping costs down!

What a great online community we have!

Chipps

A favourite bit of Old Style? All of it!
I have always been a bit OS (largely out of necessity) but it is SO nice to not be the only one! People can be a bit patronising sometimes if you like to do the domestic stuff, so the best thing about being here is the other people.
The great thing is that anyone can ask questions, & be answered by real people who have had the same problems & have found out how to deal with them.
So thank you to all of you - you are the best bit of Old Style

jennyjo_2

although I don't often post,
I love all Old-style especially Queenie's daily thread