PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Hello Forumites! However well-intentioned, for the safety of other users we ask that you refrain from seeking or offering medical advice. This includes recommendations for medicines, procedures or over-the-counter remedies. Posts or threads found to be in breach of this rule will be removed.

Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2018

Options
1…2526283031…48

Comments

  • silvasava
    silvasava Posts: 4,433 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post First Anniversary
    Options
    Hoping all goes well Mrs SD - at least you've got some fine dry weather too!
    Not much MMM going on here - I'll be minimising the washing basket and moving the dust. Need to check on freezer stock to see what I can use up there. I'm afraid I have a siege mentality where the freezer is concerned and end up stocking it with garden produce and not using it up! I am trying to improve so a bit more jam making is on the cards to make room for this years crop........;)
    Small victories - sometimes they are all you can hope for but sometimes they are all you need - be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle
  • SillyLily
    SillyLily Posts: 20 Forumite
    Options
    JackieO have you heard of the zip-it? It's a long barbed piece of plastic that you push down your drain and when you pull it out all the hair comes out with it. They are wonderful! And very inexpensive - I think mine was about $2. I've tried other brands/designs but this one is the best. Makes short work of a nasty job!
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 17,413 Forumite
    First Post I've been Money Tipped!
    Options
    SillyLily wrote: »
    JackieO have you heard of the zip-it? It's a long barbed piece of plastic that you push down your drain and when you pull it out all the hair comes out with it. They are wonderful! And very inexpensive - I think mine was about $2. I've tried other brands/designs but this one is the best. Makes short work of a nasty job!

    Wow sound brilliant where can you buy one I used an old crochet hook and found I had to spend about half an hour digging around

    JackieO xx
  • YorksLass
    YorksLass Posts: 1,712 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper
    Options
    SillyLily wrote: »
    JackieO have you heard of the zip-it? It's a long barbed piece of plastic that you push down your drain and when you pull it out all the hair comes out with it. They are wonderful! And very inexpensive - I think mine was about $2. I've tried other brands/designs but this one is the best. Makes short work of a nasty job!

    Sounds like DH's diy contraption (ie a wire coat hanger) for when the bathroom sink empties too slowly and emptying the trap doesn't solve the problem. The basin and bath outlet pipes go through the wall into the soil stack and, because of the stupid angle of the pipe, we get a build-up of soap scum and other gunk. He deals with it by removing the inspection panel in the airing cupboard, drills a small hole in the stack, inserts wire and, after a few pushes/pulls/wiggles, the gunk is released. Bit of sealant over hole and the job's done. It was a plumber who showed him this trick and it saves a fortune on plumbing bills. :):)

    All patio plant pots now sorted. Two emptied completely (bulbs had rotted), the OK ones with spring bulbs in have been moved to their summer resting place and two other large ones are ready for planting up this weekend.

    Have minimised a pair of shoes (too flat for me) and two pairs of slippers (one pair very uncomfortable, the others worn out :( ) - shoes and one pair of slippers donated to Sally Army clothing bank and the worn out slippers binned.

    Making do with sandals in place of slippers - why do shops assume you only buy them in winter? :mad:

    A chicken carcass, along with oddments of fridge bottom veggies and broken pieces of pasta, has made 4 portions of soup.

    Today I've had the freezer drawers out and sorted the contents (again ;) ) into some kind of order. I must be getting better though as I didn't come across any UFOs and know exactly what's in there. :D

    I've also washed all the walls and the ceiling in the bathroom and, by golly, it's made such a difference. I might give the ceiling a coat of paint but the walls are just fine. Unlike my knees that will be getting a good rest tonight. ;)
    Be kind to others and to yourself too.
  • silvasava
    silvasava Posts: 4,433 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post First Anniversary
    Options
    Make do: remainder of chicken cutlets with salad for tea.
    Mend: DgD's jeans - and turned them into 'fashionable' ripped shorts for a local music festival for her.
    Minimise: a top and a pair of sandals gone to the CS bag along with a new pair of jeggings for ragging. I'd sat on something and had a mark on the bum - I grabbed my spray bottle of diluted washing liquid to pre treat and then realised I'd picked up the kitchen cleaning spray that's got bleach in it!!!!! Too late, I did douse them with water but damage was done :(
    Yorkslass - clearing my pots and planters is on my list! I've about 5/6 that have got cyclamen , miniature darts and cyclamen in. Need to sort them out and put them to one side ready for next year. I've 3/4 really nice glazed ones that will look nice in a group near the house in the spring.
    Small victories - sometimes they are all you can hope for but sometimes they are all you need - be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle
  • Mrs_Salad_Dodger
    Mrs_Salad_Dodger Posts: 4,893 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post I've been Money Tipped!
    Options
    Make do: Cheesey beans on toast instead of making bolognese

    Mend: button sewn back on trousers

    Minimise: 90% of 6 week!!!8217;s post dealt with, recycled or shredded

    Thanks again dND for all the encouragement & kind words

    MrsSD
    Be Kind. Stay Safe. Break the Chain. Save Lives. 

    2024 Savings Pot Challenge: As a monthly amount, running total = £116.85
    Jan £5; Feb £13; Mch £25; Apr £31:65; May £42.20; Jun £??; July £??; Aug £??; Sep £??; Oct £??; Nov £??; Dec £??.  Grand Total £??
  • Knit_Witch
    Knit_Witch Posts: 4,436 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post
    Options
    YorksLass wrote: »
    Have minimised a pair of shoes (too flat for me) and two pairs of slippers (one pair very uncomfortable, the others worn out :( ) - shoes and one pair of slippers donated to Sally Army clothing bank and the worn out slippers binned.

    Making do with sandals in place of slippers - why do shops assume you only buy them in winter? :mad:

    Hmm what size do you take - I have just shoved an unworn pair of size 7's into a chazzer bag!
    Must use my stash up!
  • YorksLass
    YorksLass Posts: 1,712 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper
    Options
    YorksLass wrote: »
    All patio plant pots now sorted. Two emptied completely (bulbs had rotted), the OK ones with spring bulbs in have been moved to their summer resting place and two other large ones are ready for planting up this weekend.

    Large pots now planted up with salvia bedding plants - from the BP garage of all places! They look really healthy with good root systems and should make a lovely summer show. I've just prepared 5 hanging baskets for planting and I'm thinking geraniums for them. Once that's done I'll have minimised a 70L bag of compost. Strawberry plants all in bloom, so hoping for a decent crop of fruit if I can beat the slugs and snails to it. :D
    Knit_Witch wrote: »
    Hmm what size do you take - I have just shoved an unworn pair of size 7's into a chazzer bag!

    KW - I'm a size 5. The pair I donated were ballet style with elastic round the tops but they were very uncomfortable for my little fat feet! ;)

    Have also minimised my hair this week, very short (think Jamie Lee Curtis) and much needed. :)

    Making do this week will be all meals coming from existing stocks in freezer, fridge and cupboards.

    Mending - well, none to speak of but I'm sure if I looked hard enough I could find some. Being outside in the lovely sunshine is winning though! :D
    Be kind to others and to yourself too.
  • Treasurequeen
    Treasurequeen Posts: 615 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Xmas Saver!
    Options
    Minimising and making do with food from flat as going on holiday next week so using everything up that needs to be used up.

    Mended a wooden coffee table after the leg fell off and put a new door handle on tv cabinet as I didn’t like the original one. Minimised some paperwork which I will burn in garden next week when I come back.
  • misstara
    misstara Posts: 3,880 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post I've been Money Tipped!
    Options
    Beautiful day here so spent most of it outside - cut the grass and minimised all of the weeds plus washed down the garden furniture so that we can actually sit out on it. Sat out for a bit in the morning and then headed to the park for the afternoon :D. Got two loads of washing line dried as well.

    Been minimising the contents of the fridge, freezer and cupboards as skint until payday on Wednesday so just making do with what we have in. Tonight's tea was ys gammon steaks with mash and sweetcorn. The gammon steaks were huge so cut a bit of each one which will go into stirfry for tomorrow night.

    Hope everyone has had a good weekend :)
    Debt Dec 2022 - £2972.68. Current debt - £0 (100% paid). Flat deposit - £10552.61/£15000 (70.4% saved). Emergency fund - £1428.98/£1500 (95.3% saved).
This discussion has been closed.
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 343.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 235.3K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 608.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 173.1K Life & Family
  • 247.9K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards