Sneaky ways to save the pennies

rosemary54

InaPickle wrote: »

Prop up a big box with a stick. Place a sock under the box and when sock monster comes, he will knock the stick and trap himself under the box. They are fairly big, but not too clever.

Must admit I'm glad that I'm not the only one who does that same thing with multiple black sock purchases. I'm not sure if places like Matalan or Costco might not do big packs of socks. Best of luck in finding some!

strange as it may seem I have never had the problem despite living with 4 males(OH and sons)sons all had to wear black socks for school and used to buy packs from mr T,don't know if they still do them tho as sons all left home now
waiting for delivery of new radiator to replace 1 OH took out before the big freeze!V cold in living room so having to light woodburner each day,now using Christmas tree branches to start it :j
made soup with remains of Christmas veg for tea last night as all alone with OH stuck in airport .............trying to remember winter of 63 when we had no car to worry about or central heating but kept warm with lovely coal fires and hot water bottles:jdon't remember school ever closing either!

consultant31

rosemary54 wrote: »

............trying to remember winter of 63 when we had no car to worry about or central heating but kept warm with lovely coal fires and hot water bottles:jdon't remember school ever closing either!

Hah, I remember those days too. I was telling my daughter only yesterday how the inside of the bedroom windows used to frost over and it was a race to slosh a drop of water round your face and get dressed before your bits froze :rotfl:

ceebeeby

We had this problem with school socks - all kids wore grey knee lengths in varying sizes between 12 and 6, very difficult to tell them apart in the wash.
Stitch (just one stitch will do, with a 1 inch tail) into the inside top of each sock, different colour for each child. Makes wash day so much easier. Also works for knickers, t-shirts etc. when they're similarly sized.

Mrs_Thrify

ceebeeby wrote: »

We had this problem with school socks - all kids wore grey knee lengths in varying sizes between 12 and 6, very difficult to tell them apart in the wash.
Stitch (just one stitch will do, with a 1 inch tail) into the inside top of each sock, different colour for each child. Makes wash day so much easier. Also works for knickers, t-shirts etc. when they're similarly sized.

Yep, done this too! also sewed poppers on tops of socks to pair them up before washing.

downshifter

consultant31 wrote: »

Hah, I remember those days too. I was telling my daughter only yesterday how the inside of the bedroom windows used to frost over and it was a race to slosh a drop of water round your face and get dressed before your bits froze :rotfl:

The inside of my bedroom windows is frozen solid now, can't see out at all, and has been for days. I just see it as extra double glazing!

Primrose

I recently bought a pack of 6 pairs of black ladies socks from Matalan - think they were about £3. I'm delighted because at last have some matching pairs and my husband is delighted too because I have now stopped borrowing his black socks.

AGBAGB

Thanks for all the sock advice. Thinking about the rate of loss did drop when my eldest daughter left home. I never considered that ladies of our house could be the culprits, never had a problem with missing pants.

mummyfrugal

just an ickle tip - but probably too late now... is that the red plastic tub that the christmas pudding comes in (we get ours from asda) is great for microwaving beans in cos it doesnt discolour i save mine every year and use it just for this.

edaniels1983

mummyfrugal wrote: »

just an ickle tip - but probably too late now... is that the red plastic tub that the christmas pudding comes in (we get ours from asda) is great for microwaving beans in cos it doesnt discolour i save mine every year and use it just for this.

we have done this for years. much better than the bright white microwave containers xx

exlibris

mummyfrugal wrote: »

just an ickle tip - but probably too late now... is that the red plastic tub that the christmas pudding comes in (we get ours from asda) is great for microwaving beans in cos it doesnt discolour i save mine every year and use it just for this.

Do this too. They are also good for storing stock. You can scrape the fat off easier when it has frozen.

Storage - In the days when the boys were at home and I baked (I eat it if I do it now) I used to buy 4lb boxes of Kraft marge. I kept them all as the seal is as good as Tupperware. They store different kinds of flour, nuts, and other dried foodstuffs, all my sewing bits and buttons, gardening items that need to keep dry, and even serve as biscuit and cake tins! I still have a pile in the cupboard ready to use as they tend not to wear out.