Wow, what a trip G! Happy days!!
I am feeling so guilty about our recent trip to heat wave stricken Turkey that am now doing everything I can to cut costs, shamefully I’m pretty sure that I am way behind most efficient housewives and their cost cutting efforts. We no longer use our tumble dryer (very expensive) so I have invested in a clothes-dryer-stand-thingy bought for £20 and, assuming that it saves us bucket loads, I am happy with the purchase. My main bone about drying clothes in this way has always been that they don’t seem to have the same soft feel about them when dry, they always seem a little starched and horribly creased, however, a friend has told me that the trick is to put said clothes in the tumble dryer for 5 minutes once they are dry and you get the same result as you would have done after 40 mins in dryer; I can’t believe that there was a time, many moons ago, and long before our personal very hot and waxy meltdown that our au pair would iron the kids vests..oh Lordy, what a shocker.
I have taken to meal planning in a big way, no more food waste and that’s a real cost cutter in this house, I am ashamed to admit horrendous grub waste historically; now on my return from wherever I may be going with the kids I religiously stop off at the local shop (free parking) and simply buy what I need AND unlike before I do now invest in any bargains i.e half price loo paper (one can never have too much of that) infact I have instructed the kids to use fewer sheets when wiping their bottoms, but this is advice that I have not given to husband as he already leaves enough marks on the sheets as it is.
Am slowly getting through all those face creams in the cupboard, lip glosses, vitamins too and my last money saver is to make my own paper logswith all our shredded bank statements and bills etc ready for the fires ahead this winter. This is a very simple and satisfying process involving a bucket, some water, a tiny amount of bleach, old shredded paper and my Paper Log Maker...easy peasy!! No more paying for all those logs thanks very much.
Richer Ellie x
P.S I have a sneaky feeling that Piers Morgan may be next for the gallows……