Scooby Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 As an anti-dote to the thread 'It's not looking good for 2009' some money saving tips:Food:Use more vegetables and pulses in your cooking - cheaper and healthier.Eggs are versatile, cheap and a great source of protein.If you do cook meat, use very cheap cuts and cook them slowly (slow cookers are great) and the flavour is much better.Never use your oven for only one thing - cook in bulk and freeze.Buy a stacking steamer - that way you can cook all your veg on one gas ring. Food is healthier and tastes better too.Use 'one pot' recipes - again saves on gas / electricInvest in a chest freezer, if you don't have one already.Buy food in season and freeze. If you can grow your own even better.Learn what other 'foods' can be eaten - sprouting shoots from pea plants can be added to salad, courgette flowers are edible (great stuffed with soft cheese and deep fried). Hedgerows and woodlands can be a great source of 'free' food - if you can beat the French there!Learn to pickle, bottle etc.Trade food for favours (see below).Cleaning:Use the old methods:Use vinegar and newspaper to clean windowsUse salt and lemon juice to clean copperBicarbonate of soda paste is a great cleaning agent - even works on stonework50:50 mix of linseed oil and white spirit brings up terracotta tiles a treatCinnamon or black pepper works great as an ant deterrentTo remove rust from chrome use aluminium foil dipped in cokeTo remove food splatters from your microwave place a soaked sponge in the microwave and microwave on high for a two minutes and then leave in the microwave for 5 minutes - stains should wipe offCornflour and talcum powder are absorbents and will work on greasy stainsApply a paste of vinegar and baking soda on ring-around-the-collar before throwing it into the washMix vinegar and baking soda in a plastic bag, tie it to a shower head to get rid of scum and hard water build up.Presents:Shop during the year for presents - if you see a bargain buy it and put it awayMake presents - homemade jams, biscuits, chocolates, personalised calenders, framed photos etc are cheaper and are more welcome than a bought present.Make your own gift toiletries - pick up nice jars etc in vide greniers etc and fill with fragrance free shower gel etc (bought in larger sized containers) and fragrance it yourself with essential oils (just a few drops of lavender essential oil etc is sufficient). Finish with some nice ribbon etc - makes a lovely gift. Make your own cards and wrapping - brown paper with natural decorative items - holly, pine cones and a little ribbon looks fab and costs nothing. Personalise paper by a little painted / inked decoration, repeated personal greetings etc. Trade:If you are good at something: sewing, gardening, woodwork, cooking etc - trade your skills. Offer to do some sewing in exchange for something else - both parties win. For example I'm good at sewing so I made curtains and cushions etc in exchange for some carpentry. Social:Rediscover the old pleasures - a walk in the countryside, evenings with friendsLearn new hobbies - maybe someone in the village is good at something - see if they will teach you?Invite friends for dinner - fun, sociable and more effective use of your cooker - especially if they reciprocate!Use time to socialise with your neighbours and improve your French Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinabee Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Some great ideas Scooby.Following on from your last item, if you want to do some nibbles with your aperitifs, serve home made hummus with carrot and cucumber sticks. A tin of chick peas should only cost about 50 centimes, and the carrot and cucumber are cheap - even cheaper if you grow your own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katherine Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Removed as Advertising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 And I use the oven in my wood burner in winter to casserole or cook joints or chickens. And I always have at least one kettle on top of my wood burner, no reason why it shouldn't heat water too. Hated my slow cooker with a passion, never ever liked the taste of the food that came out of it, pleased when the lid broke.And I NEVER use tinned chick peas, they taste awful to me too, made that mistake once and my coucous stew was not up to scratch, I buy a big bag and cook them all, OK it takes an age, but I freeze in useable quantities and then use them, and they are lovely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 [quote user="idun"]Hated my slow cooker with a passion, never ever liked the taste of the food that came out of it, pleased when the lid broke.[/quote]Surely that is a reflection of what you put into it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 LOL Teapot, I am not very good at many things, nay most things, but I can cook. Can't serve though, that is something I try to do, but have never mastered. But what is in the dish or pan ready to serve is always good, and when I had my slow cooker, nothing was not my standards, at all. The most disappointing cooking thing I have ever every owned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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