My Garden

canny tips to save ££££'s

Last post 28-08-2009 11:23 PM by richardpeeej. 44 replies.

• 14/11/2008 06:41 PM

  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743

  Reply | Contact I've racked my brain for a while so here goes, don't buy any newspapers they are expensive and usually quite dull, if you need to read a newspaper go to the local library and you can read one for nowt. Next don't put the central heating on at all just wear an extra jumper,this will save lots of money gas is expensive, next if you boil the kettle for a cup of coffee make your brew and pour the rest of the boiling water into a thermos flask,this will save you having to boil the water in the kettle again, next one is don't switch the lights on in the house ,use candles instead, but the cheapest ones you can find and store them in the freezer,just take one out each time you need to see in the dark,because they are frozen they will last three times longer than usual. The last one for now is don't give any money away at all no matter what it's for, charity begins at home and a lot of charities in the UK are awash with financial resources but still go out begging for our hard earned dosh. Oh and one more drive the car very carefully never race off at the traffic lights and if you are on the motorway run the car at 54.9mph or thereabouts and keep the car windows closed, don't put the heated rear window on that uses more energy. If you get invited to a party over the Christmas period, don't think that you have to take along an expensive bottle of wine or spirits, fill an old wine bottle with watered down vinegar and then when everyone is drunk let them have the vinegar and tell them it's homemade wine, they won't know the difference if they are drunk enough. digger

• 14/11/2008 06:48 PM	In reply to
  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 3,347	Reply | Contact Thanks for those, DiggerVinegar can be pricey - I think it'd be better to actually make that homemade wine. Also you're then more likely to get invited back and can save loads of money eating your hosts food and using their heat and light.  Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 14/11/2008 07:12 PM

  In reply to

  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743

  Reply | Contact That's a good point Phot's but don't buy vinegar or salt/pepper or sugar, go to an establishment that provides downmarket foodstuffs and they provide little packets of condiments just fill yer pockets when you get the opportunity. some supermarkets have restaraunts (if you can call them that) and it's a synch to fill your pockets with stuff i like brown sugar with my coffee and our local supermarkets has loads of it, going to party's to eat food sounds good but you may have to host your own party and that will cost digger

• 14/11/2008 08:13 PM

  In reply to

  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 5,200

  Reply | Contact  How long did it take you to come up with all those then digger? I don't buy newspapers, the only one we get is the freebie one that comes through the door every week and I always sling them in the back of the cupboard in the kitchen until I find a use for them, ie making newspaper pots.  I get my news info from either the tv or the internet. When I'm making a cuppa, I only put the amount of water required in the kettle that is actually needed so I don't boil more than is needed. I've got another tip which will save money in the garden - make your own plant feed from comfrey/nettles etc instead of buying the chemical ones available in the shops. sue1002

• 14/11/2008 09:07 PM	In reply to
  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743	Reply | Contact Yes i remember those paper pots i did get the hang of them eventually, the nettle brew stinks to high heaven though. I'll think of some more money saving tips soon enough. I did read the subject section and it said money saving tips, which can be about any way to save money not just in the garden, so I've lots to think about. digger

• 14/11/2008 09:10 PM	In reply to
  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 3,347	Reply | Contact  The more money we save elsewhere, the more we'll have to spend on plants! Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 23/11/2008 01:25 PM	In reply to
  Silver surfer Location: South Wales. U.K. Joined on: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 392	Reply | Contact I'm all for that Phot's-Moll !!!!

• 27/11/2008 02:04 PM	In reply to
  Lennie Location: SE23 London Joined on: 27 Nov 2008 Posts: 3	Reply | Contact Make your own medicine from herbs and honey. Lemsip, cough mixture and tonic from pharmacies are so expensive.  I just make some herbal medicine using my own herbs and that gets me better and saves me money.

• 27/11/2008 02:30 PM

  In reply to

  miranda Location: Oxfordshire Joined on: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 2,976

  Reply | Contact That one about putting candles in the freezer sounds like a True Story, digger. Where did you get that one from? Here's mine - if you use hard soap, rather than liquid, keep several bars in the airing cupboard to let them dry out and harden more, then the soap will last longer when you come to use it. I buy very few cleaning products - old t-shirts are used for rags and dusters and I use soap and hot water for cleaning rather than fancy stuff and everything is quite clean enough. For windows, some vinegar in the water and then a shine with newspaper works well.

• 27/11/2008 03:13 PM	In reply to
  Susiq Location: Northumberland Joined on: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 1,104	Reply | Contact I always do my windows that way Miranda, and I also think the results are much better than using any expensive stuff! Keep nail varnish in the fridge - it lasts much, much longer - sorry Digger, not one for you!

• 27/11/2008 03:26 PM

  In reply to

  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743

  Reply | Contact Hmmmn, even Oh rarely wears nail varnish due to always being at the stables, all my hints are feasible i think, but the candle in the freezer works really well, I've no idea where it came from??? maybe I dreamed it? I don't clean windows though, except the greenhouse and then I use water and armillatox, but don't do that in the house it will reek for months! the herbal remedies are a good idea, but local honey is soon to be a thing of the past in Britain digger

• 27/11/2008 04:06 PM

  In reply to

  miranda Location: Oxfordshire Joined on: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 2,976

  Reply | Contact Nail varnish...oh yes, that stuff, I remember now The window cleaning method works far better than any liquid spray I've ever bought. Can't figure out why people bother with all that stuff. Not sure I can bring myself to believe you about the candles, digger. Part of me suspects that you're giggling about it, right now, and waiting to see who believes it. Like Sue, we also make our own plant food from nettles and comfrey and, yes, it reeks to high heaven, but it does the trick. For the garden, we've got to know some thatchers and they let us have their old straw. It's useful stuff for mulching the beds with and for the brown layer on the compost heap.

• 27/11/2008 05:23 PM	In reply to
  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743	Reply | Contact Miranda it's true honestly just give it a go with a candle kept in the cupboard and one that's been in the freezer overnight, digger

• 27/11/2008 06:07 PM	In reply to
  miranda Location: Oxfordshire Joined on: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 2,976	Reply | Contact Oh, alright then, digger, I shall.   If it doesn't work, I shall be asking questions...

• 28/11/2008 03:33 PM	In reply to
  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743	Reply | Contact Did you try freezing the candles Miranda? digger