Cheapskate tips for the credit crunch

[Speicher]

Learn how to unpick a zip from a damaged fleece, and re-use it in a fleece where the zip has broken. 28 inch long open-ended fleeces may not be expensive but finding one is more difficult than you might expect. Keep the rest of the damaged fleece in case you damage another fleeces, just make sure that the second fleece is damaged/torn in a different part to the first fleece.

Learn how to turn a collar in a blouse or shirt, when the foldy bit of the collar wears out.

Also when shopping in a Charity shop, if you find something you really like, but it is too big, have a really good look at it to see if you could make it smaller.

I was going to add that the above might be more suitable for the ladies on here, but any mechanical-minded male, might be able to sew.

I am also trying to work out how to "melt" if that is the right word, all the tiddly bits of soap, and make them into larger bars of soap. Then they could be used up. I am thinking of doing this without wasting disproportionately more energy. The residual heat from cooking pasta, might be hot enough, (yes, yes, I will try and remember to take the pasta out first). (put soap in a small bowl, and small bowl in the hot water?)

 

[longers]

I was thinking about the soap thing as the slivers never seem to stick to the new bar and end up getting stuck in the plughole when they fall off.

I remember distant relatives who had bars that were made exclusively from slivers.

 

[just jim]

Baggy and I have been rocking the Russian peasant

That sounds really dirty.

From a personal hygiene POV of course!!!!!!

 

[wafflycat]

Is your pease pudding hot or cold?

how long do you keep it for?

Keeps for up to a week in the fridge, in a sealed container. I like it hot best of all.

 

[Headgardener]

Funnily enough...

My bathroom has no windows, so the extractor comes on automatically when you turn the light on and with the door shut it's completely dark. Since I live alone, privacy isn't an issue, so quite often, I leave the bathroom door and the living room door open allowing light to spill into the bathroom - enough to see by certainly. The only drawback is that the living room door is on a spring - sometimes it stays wedged open by the carpet, sometimes it slides shut after a second or two leaving me sitting in the dark.... However the bathroom is small enough for me to be able to reach the light switch anyway if I need to.

I do bother with the light when I'm having a shower and so on, I just don't put it on every time I nip in....

Way to much information for a wednesday night.

 

[wafflycat]

Hot in the pot?
Like the cat in the hat? Sitting on a mat?
On a mat it was sat, with something hot in the pot. It ate quite a lot of what was hot in the pot.

 

[bobg]

I was thinking about the soap thing as the slivers never seem to stick to the new bar and end up getting stuck in the plughole when they fall off.

I remember distant relatives who had bars that were made exclusively from slivers.

My old Mum used to save up all the bits in the cut off foot of an old stocking. Use it a few times and it'll congeal and the shampoo was always diluted with water before using it , and Dad always chucked a hand full of neat soda in his bath water, and they always shared an apple , and and and....
I even remember sharing the bathwater. Bloody hell....

 

[Over The Hill]

Run your cold water into the bath...and leave it an hour or so. It goes from ice cold out of the taps, to not ice cold in the bath. The amount of hot water you then need is reduced dramatically...i was really surprised.

That only works in the summer.

In the winter the "cold" water you put in is actually heated by your central heating or whatever is heating your house. So you are paying for it!

In the summer it is a different matter as the cold is drawing in free heat from the room.

 

[Noodley]

Get a job with a local authority

 

[Over The Hill]

Look at the big costs and hit them.

My winter heating bill is really high - perhaps £800 or thereabouts. Cant afford it now I have been downsized so I have been out today cutting down trees in the garden (I have a few that need to come down) logging them and splitting them.
Warm house for free and a free work out.

I think I can keep the log fire going (enclosed stove type) on about two hours logging a week. So if I save £600 for say 25 weeks heat I save £12.00 per hours work which would be equivalent to much more (say £18.00 per hour) if I had to travel to work and earn it and pay tax on it.

 

[Over The Hill]

Get a job with a local authority

Funny you should say that I am trying to right now.

 

[Noodley]

Funny you should say that I am trying to right now.

Best of luck

When I was looking at training and employment options a few years ago, I decided local authority (although not offering the same financial reward as I could have earned elsewhere) offered the best career prospects and job security.

Sorry for being uncharacteristically sensible....as you were.

And to make up for it:

Rub lard on your testicles.
Does not save money but it brings a smile to my face...especially if I hide in a tree and small birds peck away.

 

[Chuffy]

Get a job with a local authority

Yeah, until you get re-structured...

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I've been collecting hardwood pallet blocks for firewood and bits of broken pallet slats to use as kindling. It's surprising how much firewood I can collect in a week at work.

 

[Noodley]

Yeah, until you get re-structured...

Well, I had planned for that as well and my job now involves planning. Guess who will be last to go?