As many of us continue to struggle in the current economic climate, we thought it a good idea to look at some more little tips to make money go further. After all, every little helps, and these small savings can add up and make all the difference.
You’d be amazed at how many tubes people throw out when there is plenty of stuff still left in it. People give up when there is any effort left. But do try and get every last bit out, be it toothpaste or tomato puree. You can actually buy special squeezers that will save you plenty of money in the long term. you can pick them up pretty cheaply, after all. Or use a bulldog clip. I tightly roll tubes so that the content is pushed along as you go.
Put the jar in warm water or the oven for a few minutes if you have old jam or honey that has crystallised (you can do this while the oven is cooling after cooking to save electricity). The dregs will warm up and become liquid.
Add a bit of water, swish around to get the last bits out, then add the lot to your cooking.
Even if you believe the tube or bottle is empty, cutting the end off will probably reveal that there is still a lot of product within. Simply slide the end back on to the tube if there is enough for more than one day to prevent it from drying out.
To clean taps and in between tiles. I find they work better at cleaning toilets than toilet brushes do. Though after using them for that particular purpose, they are definitely ready for the bin.
If you finish using the oven, leave the door open afterwards, and you get free heat for the surrounding area.
Rather than throwing them out – they can often be refreshed and used again.
If you’re preparing a Sunday roast or anything similar, we advise utilising the water left over after boiling your vegetables to dissolve instant gravy granules rather than heating additional water for the purpose.
Bread should be torn into pieces before being placed in a food processor and pulsed. If you don’t have a food processor, you might crush the stale bread into crumbs with a rolling pin. The freezer can be used to keep the breadcrumbs. This is not a compromise – the best breadcrumbs are made from stale bread, not fresh.
This is a useful strategy, whether you’re attempting to dazzle visitors or fool picky family members who claim to prefer branded products but can’t actually tell the difference. Everything from shampoo to cornflakes can be used with it. Naturally, any allergies or intolerances require special caution.