Sneaky ways to save the pennies

Primrose

The pump dispenser, which is a tip I got from this thread ages ago - really is a money saver. We have one in the kitchen to dispense washing up liquid, and two in the bathroom which dispense hair shampoo and liquid Radox. Our consumption of all these commodities has decreased massively since employing this method. It's all too easy to tip a nearly-full bottle upside down and let gravity pour out far more than you actually need. You don't have to buy special dispensers if you don't have one. Just use an empty liquid handwash container.

attentionseeker1

Confuzzled- I just had my 1st organic box delivered-I actually researched the comparative prices before committing- the box was £15 (free delivery) for a 10item fruit and veg box with loads of each item (e.g. 10 clementines). For the same or similar products in Tescos (I used MySupermarket), it would cost £13 for non-organic produce and lots more for organic produce.

Yes, I could save £2 by going to Tescos but when you consider a) petrol costs b) impulse buys I would pick up by going and c) the freshness and quality of produce received, I think it is worth it. (This was with Riverford as couldn't find a smaller local scheme)- it is an excellent way of making sure there are no big shocks when you get to the checkout as I always load my trolley with fruit and veg and am shocked at how big a proportion of my shopping bill it comes to.

oystercatcher

attentionseeker1 wrote: »

Confuzzled- I just had my 1st organic box delivered-I actually researched the comparative prices before committing- the box was £15 (free delivery) for a 10item fruit and veg box with loads of each item (e.g. 10 clementines). For the same or similar products in Tescos (I used MySupermarket), it would cost £13 for non-organic produce and lots more for organic produce.

Yes, I could save £2 by going to Tescos but when you consider a) petrol costs b) impulse buys I would pick up by going and c) the freshness and quality of produce received, I think it is worth it. (This was with Riverford as couldn't find a smaller local scheme)- it is an excellent way of making sure there are no big shocks when you get to the checkout as I always load my trolley with fruit and veg and am shocked at how big a proportion of my shopping bill it comes to.

I had a veg box for two years but have saved since stopping it. Although item for item it works out cheaper than a supermarket I found many of the more unusual veg difficult to use in ways the family enjoyed, I wouldn't have normally bought these things and all too often they were ending up in the compost bin either unused or cooked and rejected by fusspots.
I've found it better to buy what we are actually going to use in the correct amounts and to pick and choose what is on offer. I miss having the regular deliveries though, that was easier.

consultant31

Confuzzled wrote: »

they should be reported for doing that, it's been at least 5 years (i believe longer actually) since they were forced by EU laws to use kilograms not pounds for weights and i agree that really IS underhanded

Actually I think this law was recinded some time ago. It's up to the British Gov to decide which we go with, which is probably why we're still half lbs and half kgs........the only thing MPs can agree on is how much of our money they can get away with spending (sorry, just my daily rant).

Supermarkets also try to confuse the shopper by pricing some items by weight and some by volume, this is just too much for my brain and I often do without the item altogether rather than be fiddled by them.

Confuzzled

Aril wrote: »

A tip from my Mummy:D She's helped me many times over the years to make curtains and such like. She has suggested that it's best to wash the fabric first so that any natural shrinkage occurs before making them up. This then should hopefully avoid your curtains shrinking when you do come to wash them thereby saving you the cost of having to purchase more!!
Aril

another way to quickly make curtains with a minimum of sewing is to take either a single or double sheet (depends on your window width) fold it in half lengthwise and cut it down the middle

then gently unpick the end of the hem so that the top edge basically becomes a pocket to slide your curtain rod through (hope that makes sense) you can gently hand tuck the ends in and do some tiny stitches if you feel the need) you simply fold over the rough edge where you cut the sheet (making sure to leave a space for the rod to come through the hem at that end) and either use fabric glue to 'sew' it shut or do a simple hand stitch or running stitch on your sewing machine and voila! you have one side of your curtains. repeat on the other half and you have cheap as chips curtains that match your decor!

p00

or if you like natural coloured curtains buy curtain liners and put a rod through the top. Cheap and warm.

Also I noticed little airer type things attached to caravans last week so Im sure one could be hung from window ledges to dry smalls outside.

Ive thrown out loads of hand soap dispensers without thinking of putting shampoo etc in them. Ill do it with the washing up liquid definitely.

xxp00

Confuzzled

freedom2b wrote: »

Not really a money saver,unless you were going to buy wellie warmers....Before you put your wellies on tie two plastic bags over your feet! It really keeps them warm and noone can see! Just dont go visiting someone you don`t know very well and take your boots off!!:eek:

oh that brings back memories! my grandmother always made me slip bread bags on my feet before putting my boots on so i could go play outside in the snow!

Confuzzled

OrkneyStar wrote: »

I actually collect small tins as I often like the designs. I use the bigger ones for my craft papers etc and the small ones for small beads etc.
I have some tins that are about 15 years old .

i used to have 4 very large square biscuit tins that i saved from the bin when i was working in a hotel kitchen. kitchen staff thought i was weird but they were perfect for storing porridge oats, pasta, flour and sugar!

i just slapped some free lables on from avery , wrote the appropriate name on the label and used a different coloured highlighter pen on each one (to make it faster to identify) and i had them for years and years!

Confuzzled

eselt wrote: »

Years ago I got really fed up with having to keep buying new socks because of odd ones and single ones with holes in- so I now only buy black and white ASDA mens socks, always the same style, so I never have an odd one, and I don't have to spend time matching pairs after a wash- plus they are really cheap.

i've been doing this for years, especially with my wee one. she has received some coloured/printed socks as parts of pressies so i'm always quite careful to wash them together and when i hang up laundry on the washing line i hang them up together. then when i take them down i lay them on top of each other, fold over once (so they stay together) and pop them into my laundry bag til it's time to put the whole lot away... i lose a lot less of them doing this now

however if you DO have stray socks a few good uses

*long wooly socks, take one and stuff it fairly full, take another and do the same, then sew them together in the middle for a door snake (draught excluder) if you don't like the ugly join you can cut off the leg or arm of some clothing item that was destined to the bin, bunch up either end and tie with ribbons so it looks like a fancy pressie or a christmas cracker. if you fill the socks with fabric you can just pop the lot into the washer!

* for long socks (wool are best) you can fill it 2/3rds full of cheap rice then tie a knot in the end. fold the sock in half and microwave for 2-4 minutes (depends on how strong your microwave is) it smells nice like popcorn but the real benefit is a lovely warm soothing sock that is malleable and great for a sore neck, sore head, or sore back, also great for warming the bed at night or having in your lap if you're cold.

* make sock puppets of course!

* fill with oatmeal and tie to your taps allowing the water to run through, great for dry flaky skin or itchy skin (if you've had a bad mishap with midgies or nettles you'll find this such relief)

*slip it on your hand and use it to polish the furniture

plenty more uses i'm sure

Confuzzled

Gigervamp wrote: »

Do you cut them down a bit? I bought a thyme pot and surprisingly it's still going, but each *strand* is about 3 inches long. I was wondering if it would survive if it cut it to encourage bushyness.

i once had a supermarket thyme plant that i nicknamed Lazurus

i'd used it up and had forgotten about it in my kitchen window, winter had come and the curtains were drawn around it most of the time

anyway spring comes, curtains were always open and i rediscovered it

so, just for a lark i started watering it again and within 3 weeks i had new thyme!, the entire plant revived and turned into a large healthy plant that i put outside to happily sprawl.

you can just nip portions off the end and the plant will be fine, many things like this are 'cut and come again' and doing so merely encourages further growth