Guardian ARticle today - excellent money saving old style tips!

moanymoany

My gran was very frugal. She saved her wet tea leaves to sprinkle on her carpet when she swept it. She sides to middled sheets - as did I in my younger days. She turned collars and cuffs and re-used everything. The contents of her cleaning cupboard were cakes of soap, vim and bleach. Let me tell you, her house was clean. Cloths were old garments and every penny did the work of two.

It is difficult to create an artificial poverty, but it is necessary to live such a frugal life. I'm not sure that I could go so far, but I do try!

balmaiden

I enjoyed reading that, thankyou.
I was brought up in the days when nothing was wasted and have lived my life the same way.
My two daughters, were brought up with what, at the time, were thought of as very strange money saving ideas. The eldest was never embarressed by our way of life. The youngest used to beg me to act like a "proper Mum" when her friends came around, i.e serve "bought" cake, remove drying plastic bags, tinfoil etc from the kitchen and not to let on in any way that we were "different".
The interesting thing to me is that as young adults my eldest had saved for and had put a deposit on her first flat at the age of 21. The youngest got badly in debt and suffered depression as a consequence.
I guess what I'm saying is that the sooner moneysaving/pennypinching whichever you like to call it, becomes the norm, the better. Take away the stigma and we will all live happier and more enriched lives as well as hopefully saving our planet.

rosieben

Brilliant article thanks OP! this bit made me smile - 'Her version of a use-by date was: "Smells all right to me."' She would have been so at home on the OS boards!!

mary43

Seen my gran scrape the mould of a pot of jam before we had it for tea.........did us no harm. Mum was a great one for the 'smells ok' and so is OH..................lol If in doubt offer it to the cats...........if they turn there nose up to a piece of meat then its 'off'....................lol
Forget who told me that but I bet it works. - not so with dogs though apparently.

ceridwen

Are we going to make that journalist an "honorary member"? lol:D

kay41_2

I often scrap mould off jam, pesto etc! IN fact I've a very green piece of cheese in the fridge now, just begging to have the green bits cut off. I must admit I don't take risks with meat, but I rarely have fresh meat in the fridge, it's always in the freezer. I hate throwing anything food-wise away, but my family don't really do leftovers. IN fact, I think my husband thinks I cook fresh a lot more than I do. I often batch cook, and then produce something for his supper weeks later. I am about to root in my compost bin for my orange peelings from this morning and give them a go for lighting the fire. When I do roast potatoes I always do extra 'cos my husband likes them cold, sliced in sandwiches - yuk! I am so glad this article has inspired other people. Did anyone else think the names tapes thing was hilarious?

rosieben

ceridwen wrote: »

Are we going to make that journalist an "honorary member"? lol:D

you've got my vote!

kay41 wrote: »

... Did anyone else think the names tapes thing was hilarious?

Brilliant, I think a lot of people today would have charged which is quite sad. Her first concern was not to waste! :T

meanmarie

And mine! I did know about the orange peel but as I very seldom light a fire it goes into the compost.

Some of you lived in very advanced land in the 40s and 50s....I got my first pair of tights towards the end of 1967, when my father and his sister braved the foot and mouth to visit another sister who was ill, she lived in Hampshire in a farming area. The tights were a great treat and lasted all of two wears...very fine.

Marie

rosieben

i wore stockings until about 1965 or 1966. Then the mini skirt came in and suddenly we were all in tights - according to a local doc, the most unhealthy thing a woman could wear!

kay41_2

I'm trying to bump this post up again as it was such a good article. Now have a container of orange and lemon peel drying underneath the radiator! Lemons left over from pancake day...

Looking at my pile of rubber gloves and wondering whether to chop them up for elastic bands, but I think my husband would think I'd gone mad!

She mentioned growing her own veg, but didn't mention my favourite money saving tip of all - take cuttings from your friends gardens and grow your own little plants (which soon grow into big ones). It's incredibly easy to do (I don't have a propagator or anything, just a warm windowsill). I have successfully propagated a hydrangea, a euonymous, cranesbills, astrantia, fuschias, busy lizzies, a begonia, a lemon geranium, sedum, bleeding hearts, vinca (bit of a pain actually!), euphorbia, st johns wort, alchemilla and some others I can't remember! I would say 50% of my tiny garden is made from cuttings, swap them amongst your friends. You could even be really naughty and take your secateurs on a midnight walk and do a little snipping (but don't get caught)... Also, if your friends are ever splitting and dividing their herbaceous plants then grab some bits, all you need is a bit of compost. Most gardening books will tell you how to do cuttings. I use a little rooting compound.

I grow my own herbs and tomatoes and this year I am going to grow chilli plants again as they are so easy and look beautiful.