Learn more about thrifty living
Food
A waste that’s truly terrible
Undignified is the word that probably best describes the sight of a middle aged mother of three upended in a supermarket skip. Fortunately the night was dark, and the strategically posted lookout ensured that nobody witnessed this less ...
People
The spirit of the Blitz – more than a date, a country or a war
The 'Blitz' described the bombing of mainland Britain that took place between early September 1940 and May 1941. Bombs fell on many countries during the Second World War but the lasting legacy was not the damage and destruction, but the ...
Household
Recycling electrical goods – why, where and how
Next to my daughter and the cat, some of the things I love most have plugs on the end of them. I find vacuuming soothing and I couldn't go to an important meeting without getting out my hair straighteners. I love my digital radio and I ...
Garden
Get an allotment – ask the experts
Allotments used to have a whiff of austerity about them. During World War Two people were exhorted to 'Dig for victory' and make hearty meals with turnip tops. Allotments were about wellington boots and corduroy trousers. There were jolly ...
Food
Freezing summer fruit
If you're lucky enough to have a glut of homegrown fruit or just want to enjoy it in the winter months then freezing makes a lot of sense. At the time of writing summer berries are in plentiful supply and, with the exception of ...
fashion
How to make a sparkly laptop bag
It is amazing what you can do with a little left over fabric, especially something as lovely and glittery as this fabric I managed to get my hands on. The pink silk was a remnant from a cushion cover and the sequinned boob tube material ...
Food
Redcurrant jelly from the allotment
Redcurrant jelly is one of those preserves I’ve always shied away from. 1) I’ve had no access to decent quantities of redcurrants and 2) it’s a jelly! You need complicated things like jelly bags and loads of space - don't you? I ...
Food
Making cherry jam and cherry pickles
Pickled cherries? Have you ever made them? Well, I love my preserves, but I’d never made them, nor cherry jam before. But a few days ago I managed to rescue around 7 kilos of Rainier cherries from the lopped branches of an oversize tree ...
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