Spring is definitely in the air.Which is great, obviously.Except for the fact that the sunshine outside always seems to highlight the fact that my house is due it's annual spring clean and de-clutter. As you'd probably expect, rather than actually start the job itself, I'm going to put it off for as long as possible - firstly by sharing my top tips for Spring Cleaning with you....De-cluttering is a great way to not only make some space in the house but also to make a little bit of money at the same time and as an added bonus, it's easier to clean because there's less … [Read more...]
Thrifty Thursday – Leftover pies and alternative pie toppings….
Who doesn't love a good pie?I've always been put off making pies because (a) I worry about a soggy bottom and (b) I always thought pastry was difficult to master. The soggy bottom thing is probably a fear of Mary Berry jumping out from my kitchen cupboard to examine my pie (impossible I know, not least because there's no space for her by the time I've squeezed every kitchen gadget known to man in there). The difficulty thing I definitely get from my Mam who I always used to think could make great pastry until one day she told me that most of the time she actually used ready … [Read more...]
The Thursday Thrifty Tip round up….
Last week I was considering hiring a skip for the day (at a cost of £90) so that I could clear out some of the junk from my garage and one of my friends pointed out that I didn't need to pay for a skip when I could arrange a collection from the council for a fraction of the price. I didn't even know the council offered that as a service let alone that they would come along and take my rubbish for just £15.00!I saved a fortune because someone pointed out something they thought was obvious.So, I started thinking about how many other little tips there were that may seem obvious for … [Read more...]
Thrifty Thursday – Be prepared with a present bag….
Anyone with children will know that it's inevitable that they'll be invited to birthday parties of their school friends throughout they year - we had three in one weekend last year! I hate giving children money in a card for a present, even though that's clearly the easiest option but at the same time, to buy a nice little present for them isn't always cheap.So, a few years ago I started to stockpile presents and gifts that I saw on offer throughout the year, especially in the sales at the start of the year. I keep mine in one of those Orla Kiely Bags from Tesco which looks very pretty on … [Read more...]
Five things I’ve done this week to save money….
Saving money isn't just about the big savings you make, it's about the little things you do each and every day that save you money. In fact, my Nana used to have a saying which I'm sure lots of you will have heard - "Look after the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves!"It's so true isn't it?So here's my five small things that I've done this week to save some money:1. Rather than go to the shop for something for my work packed lunch when we ran out of bread (don't ask) I made up a packet of cous cous that's been at the back of my cupboard for as long as I … [Read more...]
10 different uses for Vinegar….
I'm pretty sure that a lot of you will already know that vinegar isn't just for sprinkling on your chips, but did you know just how much you can do with it?Vinegar has been used for thousands of years and has so many different uses around the house that it's impossible to cover them all in just one post so I'm not even going to try although I am going to tell you what I think the top ten uses for vinegar are. It's chemical free and because of it's acidity it's great for getting rid of germs and bacteria.Clean your microwave by mixing 1/2 cup full of white vinegar with 1/2 cup water … [Read more...]
