Save the pennies and....

For years I have made draught excluders from old trousers. I have them at all my exterior doors.
Simply cut off one leg from an old pair of trousers and insert it into the other leg. Work out the width of the door. Use the top part of the trousers to bulk out where necessary and sew up the ends - as neatly or roughly as you wish.
Hey Presto .... a draught excluder.

leeds22

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.....

Are you sure, absolutely sure, you aren't describing our son?

He was and is exactly the same! It is truly astonishing how much it helps when they have to pay the bills out of their own earnings, isn't it?

I remember telling my doctor after I had my first baby that ironing made my back ache, and he said "forget ironing and become an expert folder". I've followed his advice ever since.

I do a large jacket potato 10 minutes in the microwave and eight minutes in the air fryer…

I tried cooking a quarter of a marguerita pizza in the microwave and the cheese caught fire.
Fire alarms all tested and working!

I do rice and pasta in the microwave also. Had to one year when I didn’t have the use of a kitchen.

HannahLoisLuke

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.

I have for many years cooked potatoes in the microwave. People have been horrified but on a tv program yesterday, the cooking presenter confirmed it was a lot cheaper way of cooking them.

I launder at a warm temp, never hot water. To get around sanitizing items such as dish/wash cloths, socks, underwear, whatever you need treating - I first soak items in my sink with some bleach. Then I hand wring and place them in the washer with the rest of dry items (towels, t-shirts, pillow slips, etc) for a cycle. The little bit of bleach from wrung items adds to the disinfecting of all garments. Come out smelling uber clean.
Cheers!
USA Gundy

DaisyL

Dry orange peel in the airing cupboard for firelighters, stick last sliver of soap to new bar, Secret Santa for Christmas so all grown ups only get one present, heating only on for a short time morning and evening and wear more clothes!

If you can dry orange peel in your airing cupboard then you tank is not properly insulated and will be costing money.

Iwtwab12bow

I have been making my own Christmas cards. We send loads because of my husbands job. I went on ebay and for a few pence bought some yellowed sheet music and a couple of scruffy medieval manuscript books,also for a knockdown price. I then cut up the books it's amazing how many angels,shepherds, nativity scenes you can find . I now have 20 cards for very little cost.

It’s going to be the stamps that cost the money…?‍♀️

My extra spin is 1400 and my clothes aren't wrinkly nor does my iron come out often

I use candles sitting on my multifuel burner instead of turning lights on. They actually heat the chimney at same time so warmth goes out into my boat. I forage for wood...loads of fallen branches around where I am. I make soup and freeze...use bags as take up less room in my little freezer. I layer clothes, two pairs of socks. Corks make excellent firestarters. I also stop recycling paper and card at this time of year...it all puts heat out and helps light burner. I know how to cook a whole meal inside the burner.
My bed is covered by several patchwork quilts that I have made...far warmer than a duvet. I was brought up in the 50s...no central heating, ice on inside of windows and just the living room fire. Ya learn a lot from that...hahaha

My late husband always said I was economical to the point of meanness.
I use washing soda in the washing machine and very little detergent and 40 degrees or less. Shower and wash hair once a week using toilet soap. Pea size amount of toothpaste. Don’t iron anything. Wool and cotton clothes are warmer than synthetics.
Use the microwave whenever possible. Only boil enough water in the kettle for one cup. Eke out meat stews in the slow cooker with pearl barley or lentils.

I was bought up to be thrifty.
I reuse foil dishes. Line baking trays with foil cake cases. I reuse cerial packets and the cardboard boxes too. I save wrapping paper and gift bags to reuse. Empty spread containers are used in the freezer. Old clothes recycled or fabric used for crafting. I steam veg, pre soak pasta, batch cook, use a slow cooker and turn lights off as I leave a room. Recently a group of friends and us take turns to prep a meal for 12 but serve a meal for 6 so we can all take a little something home. We do this weekly and save using our own lighting,heating and cooking facilities. I wash on 30 and rarely use a dryer prefering to use an airer or my washing line. Put an extra layer on if chilly and close my blinds and curtains at dusk. We walk more and use our bus passes instead of our seperate cars. We survived childhood where money was tight but always had good food , a clean bed and decent shoes and coats and lots of love and warm cuddles. But the houses were colder and heated by a single coal fire and often slack when we had no coal. Sticks were bought in from local woodland and used once dryed out. The local woodyard would leave off cut out and if we didnt make a shelf a table or even picture frames we burnt it. It makes us feel good to know we are doing our bit now. .

Oopsadaisy1

Urms I then put them on a clothes airer, which gets them nice and flat.
Although I have to admit that I Always iron T-shirts, trousers, jeans, doesn’t everybody??
TBH it never occurred to me to not iron stuff.

Even here on holiday I’m ironing …… is it me??

I actually don't iron much at all now. Used to iron pillowcases when we had paying guests but finished that now. I suppose that if my husband had to wear a shirt one of us would iron that!
I simply don't buy anything that is dry clean only or will obviously need ironing.

Just got my tv/phone/ broadband package £70 per month cheaper….my husband would never ‘make a fuss’ ….now I’ve taken over everything to do with money…. gonna start on the insurances next!

i wash small items in a big bucket and smash them with a 'posser' saves putting washer on ,saves energy.
make my own oat milk .buy very little premade.Salads.and lots ive forgotten to add!

I just shop at Pound shops, you can get loads of stuff for £10. Saves all the 'faffing' about.

I have been making my own Christmas cards. We send loads because of my husbands job. I went on ebay and for a few pence bought some yellowed sheet music and a couple of scruffy medieval manuscript books,also for a knockdown price. I then cut up the books it's amazing how many angels,shepherds, nativity scenes you can find . I now have 20 cards for very little cost.

I'd love to be able to work out how much electricity I save if I bake (say) a sponge cake in my convention microwave rather than my electric oven. Same temp, same time.

I use soda crystals in the wash too. They soften hard water, so you can use less washing liquid/powder. Plus whitening whites.

Dry orange peel in the airing cupboard for firelighters, stick last sliver of soap to new bar, Secret Santa for Christmas so all grown ups only get one present, heating only on for a short time morning and evening and wear more clothes!

Zetacatty
I haven’t done it but I’ve eaten the results. A friend always cooked by this method on her boat to save gas.

Has anyone considered thermal (haybox) cooking? It’s where you start food off on the stove then transfer the container to an insulated outer where it will continue cooking for several hours - like a slow cooker but without electricity. This method was used on hunting trips and safaris so that the hunters/shooters could sit down to a proper cooked lunch before they carried on killing things. Xx

Shinamae

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 use a heaped desert spoon of washing powder and a heap desert spoonful of soda crystals..