After some heart to heart PM discussions with another Forumite, it has been decided to start a topic labelled Economy.

It is not intended for the discussion of the British economy, International economy or otherwise, it is for those who wish to exchange money saving tips or ideas on how not to re-use things that you might otherwise throw out.

Some Forumites may be horrified, but I for one won't throw anything away just because it's old or looks unfashionable beside its modern counterpart. If an item is still functional and works, I'll keep it and use it. Only when it breaks or the function becomes unreliable will I replace it. In what is a now a very 'throw away society', where landfill sites are filling faster than ever before, I believe its time to stop and rethink whether that new gadget or replacing a piece of furniture - just because it's on special offer - is really necessary. Don't submit to the media spin that forces us to buy new, when what you've already got serves its purpose perfectly well. Why replace anything for the sake of it, it's only media pressure and advertising that makes you do it!

Who throws away food just because it's past its use by date? If it tastes and smells ok, I'll eat it.

I've also limited using my washing machine to one full load of clothing only once a week - with the exception of when I have to split dark and light colours.

Over to you......

EDIT: I'm also a sucker for secondhand clothing. I've picked up some absolute gems on ebay for less than a fiver and charity shops also make good places to find boots and shoes that other people have bought and never worn!

a very good idea AmandaL
as you say there is far too much waste, it is far too easy to be 'taken in' by spin etc.

Food is a particular pain in my view.
I often try to get the reduced-because-of-sell-by-date goods. It really annoys me when there is perfectly good food that has passed the date, so the shop refuses to sell it to me and it goes in a bin. I am not even allowed to exercise my own judgement in those cases!
No wonder the price of food is rising - this must be a major factor.

I suppose there is a limit to how much one can hang on to.. space becomes an issue at some point, but I support the principles of your post.

Not so long ago there was a Dispatches TV programme in which they spoke to a man who raids the bins behind supermarkets - the place where they throw fully wrapped food that is either one day past its use-by date, or sometimes a couple of days before the use-by date. He managed to pick up a reasonable amount of food - potatoes, some cauliflower, biscuits, a loaf of bread etc. all fully wrapped and not even past the use-by date. It was shocking, especially when you consider how the government spout their stuff about the public not throwing food away.

If I was toally honest, yes I'm a bit of a hoarder with some things, but, I've also got bits of equipment which date back a couple of decdes or more, which still work perfectly and in which case I've not needed to buy a more up-to-date verison of. Why buy a new one when the old one serves the same purpose - the old saying that 'they don't make things like they used to' is very true. Even if it looks a bit outdated, why throw something out for that reason only? Nothing like a bit of retro-fit if you ask me.

Addy and Liddy are experts at raiding supermarket bins
Seriously, though, best before and use by are there for a reason. Having said that, there is far too much waste.
Bev.

I'm really chuffed with myself, I've just been down to my allotment and some nasty little flies have been stealing my corn, so I chopped the end off, de-kernalled the rest (which I've never done before) and we'll use it in tomorrows risotto.

I am more wary of use by dates from supermarkets than I am from the local farm butcher as the initial preparation of the meat for supermarkets is usually done to a very tight time schedule and it is not always hung properly to start with so will start to deteriorate quicker. Mind you even with the farm stuff, I'm rarely more than a day over.

Also, I was making meringue the other day and decided to play it safe as the eggs from the farm were nearing their date, so I bought some from the supermarket with an expiry in about 3 weeks, and it was obvious from looking at them when cracked the farm ones were still fresher even though the date was nearly expired.

surely the reason that date is put there is to give guidance to fools, because we teach so little nowadays about "Domestic Science" and knowledge of food products, but even more to ensure as far as possible that the supplier is not sued by the purchaser.

Quite simply it is there to protect the supplier from litigation. No other reason. Same reason as takeaway coffee is marked "this product may be hot"! So it should be, and anyone with half a brain knows that.

It takes away any responsibility from the purchaser. My local store will not sell to me nor give me packaged goods beyond the date marked, when we all know that food can be good past the date. They will not even let ME decide, presumably even if I signed a waiver/indemnity.

It's to do with legal cotton wool and not with common sense and things we should know about.


sorry, I don't think it's a question of luck.
It's much more a matter of knowledge and judgement, skills, teaching and learning, experience...

I always select food from the back of racks in supermarkets, with the longest time left on their use-by dates. I have often seen meat at the front of refrigerated racks which has discoloured and clearly been allowed to get too warm - I'd not buy it, even if still in date. I've also come across in-date meat which has smelled off on opening it, and then I will throw it out. Creme fraiche and yoghurt I will taste - if there is any bitterness in them, they've had it, otherwised I'm happy enough to go beyond dates. With veg it is much easier to see if it is OK or not - it is not recommended to cut mouldy bits off veg and use the rest, though: strands of mould can extend invisibly through the tissues of softer veg. I also won't use not-green bits of greened potatoes, as toxins are then present throughout the tuber.

Other sorts of economising? I have used Freecycle before - we had a supernumerary bed, and someone from Freecycle took it off us; if ever I needed something offered on Freecycle, I could bid for it in turn. No money changes hands, but usable goods don't go to waste - I really can't see the point in cluttering up my house even more than it already is with stuff I can't use any more.


Calling ignorance foolish is surely a little harsh? We are very heavily reliant on advertising for our information; many people would find the more worthy and educative literature which might provide more balanced and sensible information rather dull to read, sadly.

You are right to be critical of what you buy.
But there is more to it than simply dates - which is implied in your post.

Discolouration of meat: depends rather on what meat it is. For example, good red beef is usually pre-discoloured - set up so that under the supermarket counter lights it LOOKS good, whereas the best is often the steak that is going slightly blue.. it is more matured. Discoloured chicken is a different matter.

You are doing the right thing in judging by smell as well as appearance - not just by those dates again!

You are also right about vegetables, but there again there are variations - depending to some extent on when you intend to use the product and also on how you are going to cook it. Or not cook it but use something in a salad for example.

Surely it's what is in the food you need to be careful of. By this I mean that anyone with an ounce of common sense can tell if meat is off, or fruit and veg, but so much of the food that people consume is quick food, ready meals and so on, that is harder to tell if it is not good.
I realize that opens a whole new topic, and yes, I mainly make my own food from scratch.
David can hardly be called a fool for not wanting gastroenteritis.
Bev.

I take them all back for exchange or refund.

To be ignorant and not realize it is excusable. To be aware of your ignorance and do nothing about it is foolish.

Was this a satirical comment, or are you serious??

I am sorry - I did not in the least mean to imply that David is any kind of fool - now you post I can see that might be the inference.
It is not meant that way at all.
I think there is a saying that 'rules are for the guidance of wise men and the obedience of fools' ... ?

One problem is that nowadays ounces of common sense appear to be harder to come by!
We seem to teach less about food handling, both in schools and at home.
Does everyone know say, with a ready meal, let's say beef curry with rice, where the main danger lies? Is it with the beef, the sauce, the rice...?
I also think that in many cases the labelling is taken as the be-all and end-all of the matter of safety; in other words even if you don't treat it correctly or cook it properly, you can sue so long as you eat it in time (before the clock strikes twelve and the golden coach turns back into a microwave!!)
"It's ok, there is legislation so it must be safe."


Is there a need to rely on advertising, which we know to be biased, for information?
I think you may be introducing a further topic here about reading and the teaching of reading ... and is it 'dull' to want to gather information?

I suppose we have hijacked the thread now and ought to get back to recycling. I have recycled my eldest's cycle by riding it Geddit??
Bev.

nice one!

perhaps not hijacked the thread completely, but we have thrashed one part of it quite a lot!!
and somehow I don't think that will be the end of it...

a useful, provocative and interesting thread - thank you AmandaL

A rueful comment based on my observation of behaviour in our society - doesn't mean I think it desirable, quite the reverse. I've just been reading a couple of books, one on the fast food culture and the other on how manufacturers manipulate our food to create a desire for their products. Both of the books are frightening to read, demonstrating as they do the power of huge food corporations to influence our choices. Both books though are challenging to read: I work in a population which would generally not have reached an educational level which would let them process such information - and this is a population which would benefit most from being able to understand how to be economical with food. In other words, it's fine being educated and middle-class when it comes to saving our pennies and knowing what is safe to eat and what not: it's the poorly-educated and low-income families who really need to know most, and the information is not available for them.

surely this is not just the food manufacturers... but all manufacturers? Don't they all want us all to buy their products?

I was meaning ham or pastrami. Raw meat I buy from our local butcher, who is much cheaper, and doesn't inject masses of water into his produce.


Yes, but the book I was reading was talking specifically about the tricks and ruses food manufacturers will stoop to to sell foods of dubious quality - the additives which go into chicken nuggets to make minced anything-vaguely-chickeny taste better, for instance.

Has anyone else used Freecycle?

Haven't used it yet Anacrusis, but I will do when I have a surplus of something. Mainly we use the charity shops in town to pass things on........that way the charity gets something, and someone who can't afford new gets something reasonably. However , they often don't want furniture.
Anacrusis............. is it true that a certain chain of fast food has a type of fat in their food that makes you crave more of the same??
Bev.

The book I read was in German, and largely focused on the big suppliers in Germany - but apparently the big manufacturers can use flavourings (what's allowed in different countries varies) and various other chemical components which enhance flavour in a way which makes us miss them in our own cooking, and yes, will induce a degree of craving. Worse, they can mask flavours we'd normally reject as being unfit for consumption; not to hide a lack of freshness or anything, that would be counterproductive, but to "help" us to eat stuff which is not nutritious or to mask chemicals which do some other job in our food but don't taste nice . Then, having "persuaded" us to eat high-fat, low in nutrients food, so we get obese on relatively small volumes of food, they can make other expensive products to "help" us lose weight again.
The most cynical example I read of though was one manufacurer allegedly lacing vitamins intended for pregnant women with their favoured flavouring, so as to induce a taste for it in the offspring even before they are born... .

Still trying to keep on track on the economy thing - there is another website, on which people can offer goods locally where they do expect some financial return - is it called gumtree, or something? I like the idea of local exchanges, to save on the major hassles of packaging and postage.

I don't know if it's so much to do with 'economy' as such but I'm very aware of recycling the things I don't use any more. Clothing goes to the charity shop, dog-stuff to the dog charities, and we do the whole plastic/paper thing too. Ebay is great for passing on books and odd things.

One economical tip I can share though - buy a dog! All our leftover food goes into their dishes and I honestly can't remember the last time (if ever) I threw food in the bin. My parents recyle their food leftovers either into their dog or on a compost heap which ends up back in the soil in their garden.

Again, I'm not sure if it's so much 'economy' as morals but I try to use local shops etc for food supplies .. more than the supermarket. Once my back has been repaired I'm planning to start a vegetable garden too. Our cottage has a septic tank so I can't use bleach-based or acid cleaners so I use home-made products (probably cheaper) with baking soda and lemon juice which work just as well... apart from when I clean the windows with dilute vinegar and the house smells like a chipshop for an hour or so

I limit use of my car for various reasons but it helps economically given the cost of fuel.. I wish I could just use a bicycle but I don't have that option where I live. The bus is more expensive than my car for getting to the city !!! ... oh and now that fuel has gone up so much we're going to wear more clothes this winter instead of using our heating!

I always recycle printer cartridges, my one old mobile phone, my last computer..etc... usually for charity.

However, my best 'economy' tip is to shop around for bank-accounts, credit cards, savings, Isas or investments etc... you'd be amazed the differences in interest rates so a good financial advisor (or accountant if you're self-employed) is worth the expense!

vinegar's also great instead of rinse-aid in dishwashers (which in turn aren't very PC, I know!) - and doesn't leave a foamy surface for those living in areas with soft water.

For windows I use a few drops of washing up liquid in very hot water; not only does it clean without smearing (good quality squeegee needed), it also helps prevent the windows from getting dirty again too quickly.

I remember seeing a Which? report a few years ago that found that running a full dishwasher used less energy (of the fuel sort!) than washing the same amount of dishes by hand.

*tries to forget that she often double-spaces the plates*

Better than having to put things through twice .

Before we go any further about food and whether I'm potentially recommending people poison themselves, I have a Basic Food Hygiene Certificate and university level modules in microbiology. I am perfectly aware of potential hazards and just how nasty some bacteria can be, but the majority of the population in their genuine ignorance, panic about such things.

What a lot of people don't realise is that it's often not the meat, fish or dairy products that are the biggest hazards, it's things like rice! It's also not just bacteria that can be harmful, spoilages such as pseudomonas can also be hazardous. Pseudomonas has a sort of fruity smell, a bit like strawberries, when present in a dairy product such as milk.

I also pride myself on having been quite mucky as a child - playing in the mud, messing around with horses or animals in general and often not washing my hands properly before eating. Never once was I ill, so it wasn't simply luck, and I put it down entirely to building up a strong immune system through none of this anti-bacterial wipes, sprays or soaps malarkey.

No wonder so many kids these days have allergies, they live in a sterile clean wipe world from the moment they are born. Their body never learns to defend itself from pathogens or spores and so when they do eventually pick something up, the body goes into overdrive.

Just one thing I'd like to mention, I am essentially from that latter category of family. I took the initiative to give myself an education, but my family background is essentially poor and extremely basically educated (both my parents left school at 14), but that didn't make me ignorant or indeed my parents when it came to food. Perhaps people were educated differently about the essentials in life back then - ie. self survival. Now it's all handed to us on a plate, literally, is there any need for people to be anything other than ignorant about what they eat. The 'nanny state' packets these days are supposed to tell us all we need to know....

EDIT: Worth mentioning that you actually need a huge number of bacteria in your gut to make you ill. Food poisoning that requires emergency treatment or hospitalisation, is actually pretty rare. And it isn't the bacteria which actually give you an upset stomach, it's the waste products they produce that make you ill. Your more likely to make yourself ill by either not storing foods properly, not using separate utensils when preparing foods and .... the most deadliest of environments, garden Bar-B-Qs!!!! I would never eat chicken or pork that's been cooked on such contraptions.

absolutely agree.
I love that expression.... "soaps malarkey" great one Amanda.
My aunt used to say 'you have to eat a peck of dirt before you die' ... as you say, build up the immune system.

Quite right about chicken and pork too. Or re-heated rice, unless I had checked the temperature.

Then how us this for an accurate re-statement?

"We are heavily reliant on advertising for our mis-information"

Saxfan.........don't even bother checking the temperature of re cooked rice. It ain't worth it. Just do some fresh, please. Very dangerous.
My "weak " point is my tummy, and I have had many a "bug". ( Mainly, I don't get coughs, colds and have never had flu). I have to admit, I am very careful with food, and hand washing. It annoys the H*ll out of me when I see people coming out of the Ladies loos and go out of the place with out washing their hands Disgusting.
We recycle all our paper, glass and tins. There is no where to recycle our plastic. That vexes me. Any ideas??
Bev.

Reheated rice is dangerous? See I didn't know that, and I don't think I'm a fool at all, as has been suggested. I used to play in the mud, and apparently I was always trying to eat slugs and things, but I still have a weak immune system and get every bug going (since I went to Egypt and was very ill, though I can't imagine any medical reason that the things would be related), and as such, I'm very careful about monitoring use by dates.

If you are someone, like AmandaL who did a degree which touched on this issue, or Saxfan, who was a chef, who has a lot of knowledge about the dangers of food, of course you are more qualified to make a judgement about whether something is safe to eat or not. That doesn't mean that everyone has the same information, or that everyone should have the same information.

Use by dates are a general way of getting by, even if you don't have specialised information about bacteria and spoilage. They may not always be correct, but they're a guideline, for if you're not sure.

It's a bit off to say "everyone should know this" and also, in the same post "I know this because I have university level modules in macro biology". Now that I know I wasn't aware of some food dangers, I'll look a few things up, but I'm not going to go and do a degree so that I can not be a "fool".

A novel idea - how about buying only what you need, and eating it before the use by date? That's what the date is there for really, to remind people to get the stuff eaten before it's dangerous. Then you neither have to waste food, nor endanger your health.

*Edit* AmandaL, this reads like I'm trying to get at you, which I'm not, but I'm not quite sure how to reformulate it to sound more neutral.

Can anyone explain what it is about rice that makes it so dodgy? My husband eats a lot of rice and we frequently have leftovers, but no-one has been ill yet.

The bacteria which like to thrive on it produce a toxin, which makes us ill - and no amount of heating it through gets rid of that, so a different scenario from killing bacteria by cooking.

AmandaL - you've chosen to get yourself educated, and hats off to you for that, but I'd suggest that you would be an exception to the sort of thing I see day-today amongst my patients.

And yes, I agree on antibacterial wipes and other antiseptic this-and-thats - but that goes for more general living. I'd still prefer to see hygienic practices in the kitchen.

The bacteria Bacillus Cereus is in rice, if it is not all killed by cooking, then the bacteria multiplies massively as it cools. Then when you reheat the rice, the toxins released by the bacteria cause gastro enteritis.
That's how I understand it, but I haven't a degree in anything as yet
If you have to reheat, then you must cool the rice quickly, within an hour, and freeze quickly, and then reheat thoroughly.
Bev..

I've also limited using my washing machine to one full load of clothing only once a week - with the exception of when I have to split dark and light colours.

I used to mix the colours, it never made any difference. If anyone in the London area would like, I would be willing to oblige if you could iron it afterwards!



I've also limited using my washing machine to one full load of clothing only once a week - with the exception of when I have to split dark and light colours.

I used to mix the colours, it never made any difference. If anyone in the London area would like, I would be willing to oblige and lend you my washing to make afull load if you could iron it afterwards!

I agree about the whole playing-in-the-dirt thing - I too grew up on mud-pies, horses, dogs and the whole climbing trees and exceeding the speed-limit on my bike I was a tough kid.

Now as an adult I don't mind cobwebs, dust and a bit of dog-hair because it hasn't killed anyone I know but unfortunately I have OCD with my hands and carry anti-bacterial gels in every pocket but that's a psychological problem, not a hygiene one. Luckily it's just my hands and don't mind a kiss on the nose from my poochies or soot on my elbows

the food should be cooked to over about 75 degrees Celsius, then if it is to be eaten cold should be cooled quickly to below 4 degrees Celsius. Food should not be 'held' at temperatures between 4-5C and 75C.
If re-heated, it should again be taken above 75C

The information below gives good guidelines....

"Preventive measures that can be taken to help avoid the illness [poisoning from bacillus cereus] include:

Ensuring adequate temperatures are reached during cooking of food mixes such as sauces, custards, and soups to inactivate the bacteria.
Keeping cooked hot foods above 60 deg C (preferably 70 deg C) if not served immediately.
Ensuring the rapid cooling of cooked food by dividing into smaller lots and refrigerating in shallow containers (less than 10cm deep).
Storing cold foods at or below 4 deg C to prevent toxin being produced.
Avoiding storing protein-containing foods with cooked rice because this stimulates the growth of Bacillus cereus.
Reheating foods to 75 deg C or until steaming hot, as flash frying or brief rewarming is not adequate to destroy the toxin. "


I don't think you need to apologise for this posting Lucky.
It's good sense.
I hope I didn't really give the impression that I think of anyone as a fool. Please.

Dates are a guideline to go with other information.

And it's an excellent point about buying only enough food and using it while it is fresh.
But this doesn't entirely work in a society where we want out of season fruit and vegetables all year, and where we don't think we have time to shop every day.


If it is cooked again well over 75C I have had no problems... lived to tell the tale so far!!


sorry for a sizeable posting.....

A bacteria called bacillus cereus found predominantly in cereal type foods, like rice. People leave freshly cooked food out of the fridge to cool and it's that mid-range temperature (somewhere around body temperature) which it passes through, makes the ideal multiplying ground for bacteria.

I am pretty confident that most manufacturers play the 'use by' or 'best before' dates very safe, to avoid being sued. I recently had a loaf of bread which I forgot to throw away before going on holiday. When I came back it was two weeks out of date but had no mould at all, was not stale, tasted fine and did not make me ill. Rather worrying how much preservative must have been in there, but that's another matter.

In my opinion it is fine to exercise one's discretion as to whether something is fit to eat: after all, if you grow your own vegetables or bake your own cakes they don't come out of the ground/oven showing a use-by date.

I think it's partly that and partly profiteering salesmanship. If they tell you that a bag of dried fruit will be past its "use by" date in a few days, they sell X times as many bags if householders take them at their word and throw away a half-full bag in order to buy a fresh one. I've used dried fruit *months* after the 'use by' date and it's been absolutely fine.

That's because the basic living skills for survival are no longer taught in schools and even if they were, would any of the children really be interested? Back in the days when the vast majority of the population were uneducated and the fridge wasn't even invented, people still managed to feed themselves and live to tell the tale. It was more likely to be the water you drunk that would kill you off!

Basic hygiene is one thing, but I still say the overly sterile environment so many have become used to is to blame for many of the allergy issues and illness due to stomach bugs.

I digress.

When it comes to food, like others who have posted on here, I sensibly only buy what I need for a few days. If things do go out of date, I will still eat them providing they have not gone rancid or covered in mould. I ignore all these daft BOGOF things, it's just the supermarkets way of trying to get more money out of you. If the government are so keen to stop people wasting food and filling up landfill, then stupid offers like this should be banned and they should be encouraging people to shop for only what they need.... but then again, the government are getting their portion of cash every time we spend more in the shops, so why on earth would they want to discourage us.

Likewise recycling. I recycle every bit of packaging possible, but I also choose to shop where packaging is kept to a minimum, take my own bags with me and that way produce very little waste overall.

And whatever happened to the good old paper bag?! In the US many grocery stores still use paper bags. With the poulation majority in the UK using their car even for trips as short as 400m, I don't think anyone could claim that a paper bag is of no use in wet weather.

I think the human race is slowly bringing about its own long term demise, solely through abuse of resources.

I am quite a miser when it comes to clothes. I take shoes to be repaired if I cannot mend them myself and always repair any tears or holes in the family's clothes. I buy things from eBay and from local charity shops too and have found some real bargains there.
I turn lights off when I leave rooms and am quite stingy with water too.
I make my own yogurt with a yog maker bought from eBay and it costs far less than the shop stuff and is much nicer.
No food goes to waste and what is beyong eating ends up in the hens.
I was reared by war-time parents who had learnt how to be really careful and I hardly ever throw things away if they are still useful. They get passed on to friends or the local charity shop or end up in car boot sales.
Once every three months the local council bring a skip to the village and things get thrown away only to be reclaimed by other folks here. I have had several music scores, a leather music case, a table and a baby belling stove that just needed a new fuse from there over the years.
Now we have a furniture recycling barn on Anglesey. If anyone has furniture that they no longer want they will collect it, mend and clean it and sell it for a very low price. This is a poor area and it helps some of the new home makers to put comfortable homes together. I hate to see waste anywhere.
Even our last Forum event was run on a budget!

hi having read the posts so far i hope i am on the right tracks i recycle glass plastic and paper i reuse the supermarket carrier bags ( to line and dispose of kitten litter) i cook a roast chicken make a curry the next day and boil carcuss for stock along with the ends of carrots leaks and anything else i can pop in i only buy enough veg for the week and make lots of homemade soups fruit is normally eaten everyday so again enought for the week if not its a crumble.

i recyle shoes with sister and clothes go to charity shops i take old clothes to india every year and give away music books to friends learning to play now

i cut up tee shirts jeans and jumpers to change them i dye duvet covers i am thrify but dont think its a bad thing

talking to my friends they wouldnt dream of making a curry from yesterdays chicken dinner or soups i dont buy ready meals as i dont think they taste nice and contain too much sugar and salt i didnt do much cooking at school ( only a apple crumble and i forgot to turn the oven on!!!) but i do agree kids need to learn the basics ( i learnt working in a kichen for a year and watching at home)

monkey flute

I try to make the best use of things - as Amanda said, why 'update' while the original is still doing the job as you want it done?
I use unsolicited advertising letters (if the back of a page is blank) for making notes, keeping phone numbers, writing messages on...
I often re-use envelopes where I can - occasionally use new if I think it needs to look good and new. But I also use the self-addressed envelopes some companies send out for you to pay your bills - just put a label over the address and use it as new.

Mending clothes, darning socks etc are skills that are not taught nor encouraged nowadays. We are all supposedly too busy to have the time to do any of that.




sounds brilliant!
it always used to be like that when I was younger -- a leg of lamb roasted the first day, some cold with salad, then a stew or curry to finish it ....
And of course it's cheaper to buy a whole chicken and joint it yourself instead of paying the high price for the chicken breasts or legs or thighs packaged for us.

Some very good ideas coming along here.
I still do the joint on Sunday thing, and have 2 more meals off it.
We do have ready meals on a Saturday for a Chinese instead of a take away. there is less fat and salt in them from the supermarket, but I admit they are naughty in terms of packaging.
Anyone know if Aspartame is very very bad for you??
I can't recycle plastic with our council, any ideas anyone??
I do use my own shopping bags, and rarely use plastic bags. If I do, then they are recycled into bin bags.
Am about to "do" the guest room. I shall cut the king size quilt into a single to save buying another one.
What can I do with the rest of the quilt??
Bev.

pillows?
lagging for your water pipes?
a bed for a pet - maybe a medium sized dog, or for two cats, even a dozen hamsters ?

recycling plastic: do you know if a neighbouring council recycles? make a friend there where you can drop off the plastic from time to time.

in addition with the joint thing - when the oven is hot, make sure you use space for roast potatoes or other vegetables, or a baked pudding or a cake...

If you know any dog breeders or horse owners they might be glad of the half duvet. Duvets are very good for pinning inside thinner horse turnout rugs when the weather is really cold.
Failing that you could make some cushion pads or use it for stuffing home made toys.

Plastic tubes of moisturising cream and toothpaste etc often seem to be empty when they are not. When I can't get any more out of them I cut them open. Usually there is quite a lot of product left inside.

On the food economy side I agree about sell by and use by dates being largely a device to make us throw away and buy more. There was a programme on television here a few weeks ago about a group of people who never buy food but live on what they find in dustbins. They had been doing this for some time and had not fallen ill. They were just careful.

The idea of only buying small quantities of food is, unfortunately, not on for me as I live a long way from the shops and my working hours mean that I can only shop at the weekend. I find I have often to throw away perishables even when I have tried to limit the quantity bought. Carrots, for example turn black within three days.

When I have washed the salad I save the water and use it to water the roses.

hi i did live in a flat above a supermarket my flatmate and i were pennyless and did get wise to when the supermarket threw out things yes i have saved stilton cheese, steak and bags of crisps and have lived to tell the tale. one thing not to do mind is take a 4 pint plastic bottle of orange juice as this went bang as we opened it and covered my flatmate and myself in sticky gone off juice .

I've always mended holes in socks and I recently mended a jumper too. We live in too much of a throwaway society. Things get thrown away for no good reason either, and the worse part of a throwaway society to date is the dumping of animals when people get bored with them. And why oh why do people still go out and buy an animal as a birthday or Christmas present.

I've been doing that for a number of years now and must have saved myself a small fortune.

Ehh? I regularly keep carrots in the fridge for as long as a fortnight and they never turn black.

I totally agree about mending things rather than throwing them away, but how often does one hear " ooh, it would be cheaper to buy a new one" or "I'm sorry, this model is obsolete and we can't get the spare parts to fix it".
Sometimes we take things to the re-cycling centre, and there is always a mountain of televisions - I wonder how many of them work perfectly well, but have been thrown away just because they are an outdated model.

And however nice your brand-new telly is, it still shows the same old rubbish...

Wish I could say the same. The ones I buy turn black in or out of the fridge. Mind you, at the moment I am trying to lose weight so am using them as snacks and they are getting eaten up more quickly than usual - though I still threw away three this morning.