Save the pennies and....

Caleo

Shinamae, I have considered using a small amount of washing soda to supplement the washing powder. In your experience, does the washing soda not irritate people's skin?

Certainly doesn’t irritate mine..?… And white vinegar and a splash of scented disinfectant instead of fabric conditioner, (which I haven’t used for years)..

i do most of what everyone else is doing, easier for some things than others as i live alone but the one thing i can't bring myself to do is re-use teabags. have been bought 2 early christmas presents- an air fryer and a snugsie to go with my hooded, fleece poncho.

I used to wear clothes a lot longer when I lived in a flat without a washing machine - though not if they needed washing!

Shinamae, I have considered using a small amount of washing soda to supplement the washing powder. In your experience, does the washing soda not irritate people's skin?

GrandeTante, I second your advice to scald dish towels and wash cloths.. The scalding water can be tipped into the washing up basin.

I add water to the last quarter of dish wash liquid so that it all gets used and I don't waste what is sticking to the inside of the bottle.

Do just about everything everyone else does. This last month have invested in lightweight fleece blankets ( in the sale) for lining the curtains. Bought white foam blocks for two windows that are not seen from outside as such. Bought a giant fleece onsie, a calor gas heater, an air fryer. Stopped using dishwasher, living from stock cupboards and freezer apart from fresh essentials. The biggest new thing i have done is join the OLIO app. Not had to buy bread now for over a month and have lots of other short dated free goodies. Good Luck everyone

A use for stale bread.

Cut it up into small bite sizes. Lump of butter in the bottom of an oven dish I prefer oven glass such as Pyrex. Cut slice (s) of onion into very tiny bits. You can also add finely chopped tomato if you have any. Put the onion in the bottom layer then the bread. Flake some more butter on top of the bread, then sprinkle grated cheese. Oven for less than ten minutes. It should be nicely browned by which time the bread will be toasty and the onion cooked.

I use a table -top oven which is economical for small quantities. Maybe this dish could be cooked by grilling in a built -in grill.

Oops..I don’t iron, all washing gets an extra spin,at 1400 the highest my machine goes to. Then hangs on Airer to finish off. Doesn’t take long. Certainly don’t iron jeans or T shirts.Need to watch material T shirts are made of when bought.
Our solar panels are a godsend, use tumble drier if sun shining.

I don't buy semi-skimmed milk any more, 1 pint packs (plastic supermarket bottles) are getting on for double the price they were a year ago. So now, I buy 1 pint of full cream milk and measure out half of what I need, using my kitchen scales and a small milk jug, then top up to the full amount with water. If there is any left over, I cover the milk jug with a bit of foil and pop it in the fridge for next time. It was a bit of a faff to begin with, but became second nature remarkably quickly.

Goldenage said "they use shampoo which is not only potentially carcinogenic for them but also pollutes the water chain"

I didn't know this! Can you point me to the research please? Thanks.

I agree about using less than the guideline amounts for products, especially as we have a water softener so shampoos, detergents, soaps do go further than the recommended dosage.

One minute we are being to told to hand sanitise every time we touch something and the next to wash clothes in cold water which doesn't deal with bacteria?? We need common sense in everything here and for me the environment takes priority. Washing our clothes less often should also feed into washing our hair less often, and using shampoos that are environmentally friendly. Some people I know wash their hair every day when they have their daily shower (again not necessary) and they use shampoo which is not only potentially carcinogenic for them but also pollutes the water chain. Cutting down on what's not necessary but being sensible when it comes to washing bed linen and using a higher temperature seems to be a sensible balance to me.

Urmstongran

I thought selling body parts was illegal, but if you're offering, I need one. How much you asking?

lots of tips here thank you. I use a teapot for making tea for more than 2 and find that 1 tea bag makes 2 mugs. I also fin d that putting a dishwasher tablet in the washing machine on a 40 or 60 wash cleans the drum and rubber seal

I invested in a spin dryer last year, 2500 rpm.
Surprised how much water comes out of clothes and towels even after a 1500 rpm washing machine spin. Worth every penny.

I only boil kettle once. Fill flask. Keeps piping hot for hours and hours. No waiting for cup of coffee either

I make my own laundry liquid by grating soap. Rinse with vinegar instead of fabric softener and add a cap of Zoflora to make it all smell lovely.

Download the apps too good to go and Olio for reduced price food items from restaurants and supermarkets. You don’t get a choice but it’s all very cheap as it’s on its sell by date.

Dd discovered as you go through the Lidl check out they have decent size boxes of varied fruit and vegetables on sale for £1.50.

Also do you have a community orchard? If so you can help yourself for free to whatever’s in season. Sachamac you can pick blackberries to go with those apples. I purée and freeze apples for the winter.

sazz1

We rang our water company as our bill seemed very high. We were being charged over £90 a month. We don't have a water meter and the Direct Debit had increased significantly over the 3yrs we've lived here. Eventually got through to a manager who told us as there are only 2 people in the house we should be paying £45 ish a month. We received a refund for the 3 years overpayment and also we're now paid up until next April
It definitely pays to check Direct Debits and query price rises.

I’d advise getting a water meter. Your bills will probably halve from your “reduced” rate if £45 a month.
My monthly direct debit is £11 but there is only me and I am careful about not wasting water,

Vampire queen, I’ve used the pasta cooking trick and it works. Also works for potatoes, cut them into smaller chunks and leave them for half an hour before lifting the lid.

No 2 DS was a pain for turning up the heating, then going out. Now a (well off) homeowner himself, his house is like a fridge. We smuggle a fan heater into our bedroom when visiting but I think he suspects.....

We rang our water company as our bill seemed very high. We were being charged over £90 a month. We don't have a water meter and the Direct Debit had increased significantly over the 3yrs we've lived here. Eventually got through to a manager who told us as there are only 2 people in the house we should be paying £45 ish a month. We received a refund for the 3 years overpayment and also we're now paid up until next April
It definitely pays to check Direct Debits and query price rises.

I’ve just made a Dorset apple cake and apple crumbles with a load of free apples, lots of people around here leaving fruit out to help yourself. Take advantage of any freebies.

Go shopping in the supermarket around 7pm, or find out what time they do their reductions. There are usually great bargains, loaves and bread cobs for around 30p fish, chicken, fruit and veg etc, you can freeze most of it and make soup with the reduced veg & then freeze. Also try more supermarket own brands, many are just as good and much cheaper.

Check out charity shops or car boot sales for things like candles, books, jigsaws, craft items etc. lots of people get given candles for presents and send them straight to the charity shop. I’ve picked up some really nice candles and craft items for next to nothing. You can re-donate the books & jigsaws when you have finished with them.

Previous years the heating would be turned on once we felt chilly
Last year instead of rushing for the thermostat I sat with a woolly hat on and it made such a difference as most of the body's heat is lost through the head.

I'm in the process of making fabric present bags for birthdays and Christmas which I am calling "RE-Bags". There is an initial cost to me as I often use new ribbon etc, but I use a laundry pen to encourage people to "Re-Use", "Re-Purpose" or Re-Turn", so they enjoy the present and the future saving on wrapping paper!
So far everyone has loved them. The bid Spiderman bag made for my grandsons birthday present is now a handy laundry bag for his room, and one of my bags has become a handy make up bag. The rest have been re-used or saved for re-use, but the main thing is they utilise smaller pieces of leftover material, no landfill so better for the environment ... and I enjoy making them!