Re: survive on a very tight budget
Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 7:19 am
Hi there,
I don't know if anyone has mentioned this yet as i'v not read through all the posts, but have you concidered going skipping?
And that doesn't meant skipping with joy down the street, although you might do that on your way home afterwards!
Skipping is going round the supermarket bins at the end of the day when they've just throwen stuff out. They chuck loads of still edible food as it is past the sell by date, but still not past the use before date and its still perfectly fine food, just leagally they cannot sell it. Obviously you only take things which are sealed in packets or tins ect, and take from the top of the bin so its not contaminated. but if you find out what time they chuck stuff you can be waiting there to collect it straight away for free.
You can also go forridging for wild fruits and edible plants. Things like doc leaves and dandilion leaves are edible and you can stuff them with rice ( like stuffed vine leaves ) or with whatever you have avalible. Just be carefull when forridging that you know what you are picking and don't mistakenly poison yourself! And make sure you throughly wash everything, and try not to pick from right beside the road as they will be more polouted from car fumes and dog pee.
And of course you can try to grow as much of your own veg as possible. If you dont have a garden you can grow in pots on your windowsill. Things like hearbs, tomaotes, peppers, french beans ect. Speak with Odsox as he grows all sorts of stuff year round inside his conservatory.
And anther way to cut costs is to stop buying shampoo and conditioner and instead wash your hair with bicarbonate of soda ( 1 tbsp per cup warm water ) just dissolve in the water and pour over your head and masage in, just like shampoo but it doesn't lather. It works grate, get rid of grease and smells. you can use viniger or lemon juice the same way, diluted in water 1 tbsp per cup, as conditioner and the lemon makes you hair smell nice. If you buy the bicarb in bulk it will save you even more money.
Here, for example, you can buy 5kg for 15 pounds, works out as 3 pounds a kilo. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sodium-Bicarbon ... 656&sr=8-4
Good luck!
I don't know if anyone has mentioned this yet as i'v not read through all the posts, but have you concidered going skipping?
And that doesn't meant skipping with joy down the street, although you might do that on your way home afterwards!
Skipping is going round the supermarket bins at the end of the day when they've just throwen stuff out. They chuck loads of still edible food as it is past the sell by date, but still not past the use before date and its still perfectly fine food, just leagally they cannot sell it. Obviously you only take things which are sealed in packets or tins ect, and take from the top of the bin so its not contaminated. but if you find out what time they chuck stuff you can be waiting there to collect it straight away for free.
You can also go forridging for wild fruits and edible plants. Things like doc leaves and dandilion leaves are edible and you can stuff them with rice ( like stuffed vine leaves ) or with whatever you have avalible. Just be carefull when forridging that you know what you are picking and don't mistakenly poison yourself! And make sure you throughly wash everything, and try not to pick from right beside the road as they will be more polouted from car fumes and dog pee.
And of course you can try to grow as much of your own veg as possible. If you dont have a garden you can grow in pots on your windowsill. Things like hearbs, tomaotes, peppers, french beans ect. Speak with Odsox as he grows all sorts of stuff year round inside his conservatory.
And anther way to cut costs is to stop buying shampoo and conditioner and instead wash your hair with bicarbonate of soda ( 1 tbsp per cup warm water ) just dissolve in the water and pour over your head and masage in, just like shampoo but it doesn't lather. It works grate, get rid of grease and smells. you can use viniger or lemon juice the same way, diluted in water 1 tbsp per cup, as conditioner and the lemon makes you hair smell nice. If you buy the bicarb in bulk it will save you even more money.
Here, for example, you can buy 5kg for 15 pounds, works out as 3 pounds a kilo. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sodium-Bicarbon ... 656&sr=8-4
Good luck!
Having a head torch is always useful, keep an eye out for people wandering past (just in case) and don't worry too much about the plod - there's only ever been one skipping related conviction in this country (although if you do get caught and imprisoned/fined, don't blame me!) - as apparently they tend to be understanding and/or don't care that you're taking 'rubbish' out of bins. Be aware that you could be trespassing but, again, the plod don't seem to mind too much once they understand that you ain't there to cause damage or break into the shop.