Miss Thrifty

Yes, I know I’m really late to the party. I’d read all about Freecycle, which reduces waste by encouraging people to post their unwanted items online, and pass them on. But I hadn’t really paid much attention, because (a) Freecycle always popping up in those same rubbish “recessionista” features in the women’s pages. You know: those round-ups that tell us all to go out and stuff fallen fruit into our Lulu Guinness handbags, and take our clothes to “swap parties”. Also, (b) I’d presumed that Freecycle’s domains were eco-trendy places like Islington and Brighton, rather than my creaky Yorkshire backwater.

But lo! I looked Freecycle up, and it turns out that the little place in which I live (pop: 13,000) has its own, thriving Freecycle group. (more…)

Who’d have thunk that Woolies would be a magnet for frugal gardeners? It really shouldn’t surprise me - after all, that shop sells everything - but since discovering that it sells good gardening products at rock bottom prices, I’ve become a fan.

If you’re a super-organised gardener looking ahead to your Spring beds, I’d recommend that you check Woolworths out. The plants themselves are hit and miss - a forsythia I bought last year has done diddly squat - but the bulbs and seeds are great value for money. Cheaper than the supermarkets and discount stores, even. (more…)

Our new composter arrived today. It looks like this:

We have put it out in the garden, behind the shed. You dump the peelings etc. in the top, and scoop out the resulting compost through the sliding hatch at the bottom. This is a family-sized bin and it’s massive: I think it will take us a year to fill it!

Not only is it eco-friendly, it only cost us £20.00 including delivery! Our county council (North Yorkshire) is subsidising the costs of all home composters purchased by residents.

We bought it from the website recyclenow.com; if you are reading this in the UK, enter your postcode into the site’s homepage to find out if you can get money off too. You can also enter a competition to win £100 of gardening vouchers.

Five composting tips: (more…)

I use the grill in my oven a lot. Result: a really mucky oven! Unfortunately, I’m just not cut out for the industrial-strength cooker cleaning products that you can get from the supermarkets. I try my best: I open the back door, I open the windows and I hold my breath when I spray. But the stuff gets in my eyes and stings, burns my throat, and gets in my lungs and makes me cough. It’s not easy, being a delicate English rose!

So I’ve been trying a gentler solution, which has been working quite well. It’s eco-friendly and lung-friendly - and it’s super-cheap, too. (more…)

Homebase is selling Philips energy saving light bulbs at a knockdown price: £1.49 for five. This is about a third of the regular price, and works out at just 30p per bulb. Save your outgoings and the planet at the same time - I like it.

The bulbs are 11W, equivalent to the 60W regular bulbs. You’ll find the multipacks by the Homebase tills.