Today I saved money by...
Today I saved money by...
I know that a lot of people on here have experienced a big reduction in income or are anticipating it, myself included, and that theres a lot of enthusiasm for the existing threads on living on less but thought that it might be nice to give specific examples, small (or big) things that are easy to adopt but add up to make a difference. I use to like the numbered thread we use to have to thought I start one with what I've done today...
1. Making 'washing up spray', two big squirts of washing up liquid in a spray bottle filled with water, when washing up spray the sponge instead of a using a whole squirt
2. Using my own facial scrub which I made without buying anything, muscovado sugar and olive oil with a little essential oil
3. Sewing up the tears on the inside of my jeans from where the fabric is wearing out
1. Making 'washing up spray', two big squirts of washing up liquid in a spray bottle filled with water, when washing up spray the sponge instead of a using a whole squirt
2. Using my own facial scrub which I made without buying anything, muscovado sugar and olive oil with a little essential oil
3. Sewing up the tears on the inside of my jeans from where the fabric is wearing out
Re: Today I saved money by...
4. Knitting a sock, I now have a pair!
5. Manually whittling away the rust on our camper and painting it, rather than taking it to get done professionally. Much more fun..
6. Ate food from the garden.
5. Manually whittling away the rust on our camper and painting it, rather than taking it to get done professionally. Much more fun..
6. Ate food from the garden.
Re: Today I saved money by...
Made anti puncture material for inside my new cycle tyres, and for my bike trailer. I used some strips of a heavy garden waste bag (which I also got for free!) and silver metal duct tape (free, left over from a job a few years ago) The proper "strips" in my local bike shop are £10. 50 for a box which does two inner tubes; I've just fitted out four tyres for nothing. M.
- Milims
- A selfsufficientish Regular
- Posts: 4390
- Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 9:06 pm
- Location: North East
Re: Today I saved money by...
8 I made the decision not to shop for anythingbu rice, milk, tomatoes and perhaps coffee for the next month - there is more than enough food in this house!
Let us be lovely
And let us be kind
Let us be silly and free
It won't make us famous
It won't make us rich
But damn it how happy we'll be!
Edward Monkton
Member of the Ish Weight Loss Club since 10/1/11 Started at 12st 8 and have lost 8lb so far!
And let us be kind
Let us be silly and free
It won't make us famous
It won't make us rich
But damn it how happy we'll be!
Edward Monkton
Member of the Ish Weight Loss Club since 10/1/11 Started at 12st 8 and have lost 8lb so far!
- Green Aura
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9313
- Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:16 pm
- latitude: 58.569279
- longitude: -4.762620
- Location: North West Highlands
Re: Today I saved money by...
Mine's possibly a strange one - we've just bought a van! £2k.
As many of you know we've just bought a house for our daughter which requires totally renovating. The quote we've had - mainly for dry-lining comes in at about 18 grand, without materials (not to mention electrics or plumbing)! That bit we can do ourselves but getting materials up here is extortionate. We reckon the van should pay for itself over 2-3 trips to Inverness (carefully combined with the monthly grocery shopping) as we'll be able to bring everything we need.
And I've got a new toy to play with
Now we just need a plumber - anyone available?
As many of you know we've just bought a house for our daughter which requires totally renovating. The quote we've had - mainly for dry-lining comes in at about 18 grand, without materials (not to mention electrics or plumbing)! That bit we can do ourselves but getting materials up here is extortionate. We reckon the van should pay for itself over 2-3 trips to Inverness (carefully combined with the monthly grocery shopping) as we'll be able to bring everything we need.
And I've got a new toy to play with
Now we just need a plumber - anyone available?
Maggie
Never doubt that you can change history. You already have. Marge Piercy
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. Anais Nin
Never doubt that you can change history. You already have. Marge Piercy
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. Anais Nin
- snapdragon
- A selfsufficientish Regular
- Posts: 1765
- Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2007 7:05 pm
- latitude: 51.253841
- longitude: -1.612340
- Location: Wiltshire, on the edge and holding
Re: Today I saved money by...
:D @ GreenAura
10, making wool yarn for socks and sweaters, sheep freely gave the wool (ok I believe a little struggle was involved- but no cost)
11, making jeans go for longer using patches made from swatches disposed of by local manufacturer
10, making wool yarn for socks and sweaters, sheep freely gave the wool (ok I believe a little struggle was involved- but no cost)
11, making jeans go for longer using patches made from swatches disposed of by local manufacturer
Say what you mean and be who you are, Those who mind don't matter, and those that matter don't mind
Re: Today I saved money by...
Loving the list so far
12. Going to S@insburys late last night and stocking up on their nice burgers and sausages for 1.00 a pack and ciabbatta and rolls for 40p a pack
13. OH finialy getting the hang of late night bargin hunting
14. And then bribing him to have only one burger in return for a slice of bacon which we already had
12. Going to S@insburys late last night and stocking up on their nice burgers and sausages for 1.00 a pack and ciabbatta and rolls for 40p a pack
13. OH finialy getting the hang of late night bargin hunting
14. And then bribing him to have only one burger in return for a slice of bacon which we already had
- Flo
- A selfsufficientish Regular
- Posts: 2188
- Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2008 10:12 am
- Location: Northumberland
Re: Today I saved money by...
Coming home from the allotment before the ice cream van arrived. I heard the chimes in the distance so got on the bus well before he was due at the gate.
- greenorelse
- A selfsufficientish Regular
- Posts: 540
- Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2010 11:56 am
- latitude: 52.52
- longitude: -8.9
- Location: East Clare, West Ireland
Re: Today I saved money by...
15 Closed down bank account. OK, this is not exactly 'saving' money but now I decide which day to pay bills, rather than on a fixed date.
Oh, and it wasn't really a bank - it was a building society that our government decided to 'demutualise'. So, feck 'em. I'll keep my money on me.
No more tearing around trying to find an ATM that works, so maybe that's a saving!
Oh, and it wasn't really a bank - it was a building society that our government decided to 'demutualise'. So, feck 'em. I'll keep my money on me.
No more tearing around trying to find an ATM that works, so maybe that's a saving!
Re: Today I saved money by...
swopped elderberrys in work for sugar i need to make my elderberry jam
eat from me garden
picked apples from the old field
nicked mulberries from a friend with a promise to give him a jar of jam
eat from me garden
picked apples from the old field
nicked mulberries from a friend with a promise to give him a jar of jam
Darn that Wabbit
Re: Today I saved money by...
Pickling a load of beetroots. Pretty chioggas again. Pickled sliced roots and stems and shredded and froze the leaves to use as spinach sub in a stew. Bought a load of reduced to clear stuff at a co-op on way home from lottie the other night. That's gone in the freezer for later use.
England is not a Free People, till the Poor that have no Land, have a free allowance to dig and labour the Commons.
Re: Today I saved money by...
...not going shopping at all and using what I already have in stock.
- Flo
- A selfsufficientish Regular
- Posts: 2188
- Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2008 10:12 am
- Location: Northumberland
Re: Today I saved money by...
.... buying a pair of cords for gardening which were too long off the sale rack and turning them up myself. Just a tenner for half an hour's work (could probably have done it faster but it's sodden outside and there's no pressing work inside).
- snapdragon
- A selfsufficientish Regular
- Posts: 1765
- Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2007 7:05 pm
- latitude: 51.253841
- longitude: -1.612340
- Location: Wiltshire, on the edge and holding
Re: Today I saved money by...
if you had to turn up a lot - you could cut it off and stitch it inside the knees and leave a gap to slot in some padding for kneeling - or just as a ready-in-place patchFlo wrote:.... buying a pair of cords for gardening which were too long off the sale rack and turning them up myself. Just a tenner for half an hour's work (could probably have done it faster but it's sodden outside and there's no pressing work inside).
Say what you mean and be who you are, Those who mind don't matter, and those that matter don't mind
- Thomzo
- A selfsufficientish Regular
- Posts: 4311
- Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2007 1:42 pm
- Facebook Name: Zoe Thomas
- Location: Swindon, South West England
Re: Today I saved money by...
I don't understand, how can trousers be too long?Flo wrote:.... buying a pair of cords for gardening which were too long.
[Sorry mini rant from someone who's 5' 10" at a time when all clothing manufacturers are cutting their costs by cutting down on the 'extra-long' sizing].
Good for you anyway.
Zoe