Sneaky ways to save the pennies

Confuzzled

geordie_joe wrote: »

I don't have any scientific details either, but I suspect it would use the same amount of electricity and cost the same whether you charge it via a computer or straight from the mains. The amount of electricity the phone needs won't change just because of what it is plugged into.

that probably is true... i know that computers will give more cpu computing power to the 'hungriest' programmes unless otherwise told not to, i'm not sure how this cpu distribution applies to actual energy consumption thus my comments above, it might divert, probably it doesn't however if you have your computer on anyway and will remember to unplug the item being recharged because it's right there in front of you then you're more likely to save energy overall, even if it's a small amount

really these small amounts make a big difference in attitude. whilst i don't agree with media and government scare tactics being used sadly many people just won't get off their collective backsides to make even the smallest changes unless they think it will significantly hurt their pocketbooks or cause a worldwide calamity.

the significance is in the overall amount of energy savings being made by millions of people. attitudes have to change and they need to have changed at least 20 years ago so we have a LOT of catching up to do. if the significant increased speed of melting ice caps doesn't scare people then maybe the fact that we can't continue on consuming all forms of energy (electric/coal and petrol) the way we have been or we'll all be up a creek without a paddle (far sooner than anyone dreamed of when most of us were born) most definitely should...

so yes, there may not be a huge savings but every little really does help when it's a group effort. i think it's really time to stop thinking is it worth it for me and think is it worth it for my grandchildren!

(edited to correct some appalling grammatical errors - methinks it's time for some coffee!)

Confuzzled

geordie_joe wrote: »

http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/sustainable/charger/

cheers for this link... been reading through some of it about home heating and it's very interesting and explained in laymen's terms which makes it infinitely more readable in my opinion

i'm taking an OU course U116 Environment: journeys through a changing world which focuses on sustainability so i shall have a good read through the site, it may be useful for my upcoming paper i need to write :T

pelirocco

Becky_2 wrote: »

I have a quite a small fridge but eat loads of sliced beetroot in vinegar and I have always bought the smallest jar in the supermarket because of the space issue. Last time I went food shopping I thought to myself why not buying the biggest jar I could find with beetroot because it's much cheaper and then keep filling up the small jar in the fridge. This will save me quite a lot of money in a year.

Um , why would you fill up the smaller jar? , if you put it in the fridge because you are worried about the beetroot going off , what about the opened big jar?

stilernin

Becky_2 wrote: »

I have a quite a small fridge but eat loads of sliced beetroot in vinegar and I have always bought the smallest jar in the supermarket because of the space issue. Last time I went food shopping I thought to myself why not buying the biggest jar I could find with beetroot because it's much cheaper and then keep filling up the small jar in the fridge. This will save me quite a lot of money in a year.

If you eat 'loads of sliced beetroot in vinegar' I wouldn't have thought you needed to put it in the fridge.

Nordictat2

My hubby can be picky when it comes to cheese slices. When we are in the shops he never lets me buy the store brand BUT when I go alone... I buy the store brand and pop it in the cheese storange container and he never seems to notice...funny that. I do the same thing with ketchup...buy store brand and empty it in the Heinz bottle :P

~BamNaggy~

laurel7172 wrote: »

I have a big bottle of HP sauce left over from a barbecue. The children won't eat it, and I can't. So, a few nights ago, I squeezed about three tablespoonfuls into the ketchup bottle, shook it up and put it back in the cupboard.

The children haven't noticed. So I reckon the rest of the bottle will be disappearing the same way

Try brown sauce in stews and corned beef hashs, it gives them a lovely spicey kick and you cannot tell it was ever brown sauce. x x

Reverbe

Olliebeak wrote: »

Hear, hear, Joe! I've seen them tossing small change coins on the floor as soon as they come out of shops. For goodness sake, if they don't WANT the change, why don't they just put it into collecting boxes - most shops have one or two by the tills these days.

It's almost as if they're expressing some kind of 'contempt' for something that they see as being of little value - horrible attitude.

I've seen that too Ollie with teen boys throwing great wodges of silver change in a free newspaper distribution box on their way out the store... course I waited and picked it right up...they might have contempt for it but I dont... Cheers lads it went towards paying for my meal that day:beer:

Olliebeak

~BamNaggy~ wrote: »

Try brown sauce in stews and corned beef hashs, it gives them a lovely spicey kick and you cannot tell it was ever brown sauce. x x

I add a dollop to Cottage Pie and it gives a great kick to the gravy :drool:

Reverbe wrote: »

I've seen that too Ollie with teen boys throwing great wodges of silver change in a free newspaper distribution box on their way out the store... course I waited and picked it right up...they might have contempt for it but I dont... Cheers lads it went towards paying for my meal that day:beer:

Good for you, Reverbe - don't blame you one bit! In our shopping centre they don't even bother to put it into a container of some kind - it just gets tossed to the floor like a discarded sweet wrapper!

Nomoneymummy_2

Hoping this doesn't sound terribly nutty/cheap, asking in shops for brown bananas ( muffins and banana bread!) and OOD bread (toast, breadcrumbs b&b pudding and ducks!)

Most more than half price it or give away free, its never on display but if you find nice shop staff (obv not over mithered) there normally happy to help...

Most local shops round here specially put aside "duck bread!" for people who come in and ask.. and the farm shops do the same.

Never told the OH about this but did it with my mum in tow the other week and she looked at me like I'd lost the plot... then offered a loan if we were struggling.... did try to explain to her it drives me mad that it gets skipped at the end of the night but she really didn't get it.

Ohh farm shops also do this with most veg so if its for soups no one would notice!!!

<slightly ashamed at cheapness now!!>

Nomoneymummy_2

Nordictat2 wrote: »

My hubby can be picky when it comes to cheese slices. When we are in the shops he never lets me buy the store brand BUT when I go alone... I buy the store brand and pop it in the cheese storange container and he never seems to notice...funny that. I do the same thing with ketchup...buy store brand and empty it in the Heinz bottle :P

Ohh so just had a tiff in tesco over this, I tried for the own brand but noooo, will be trying this asap!!!, managed to get away with own brand beans for the first time ever though, but only because I told him they were going into stew!!