[Rosemary]

I'm more from the "every man to his trade" school of thought and supporting the local economy 

[lazybee]

I'm more from the "every man to his trade" school of thought and supporting the local economy 

Okay if your a multi-millionaire like you.

A little example: I have an old 300tdi landrover for a cambelt replacement kit and fitting 250quid at the dealer.

DIY 70quid for the kit, zero to fit it, just a mornings work

Just saved 180quid in one morning. (more goodies for the horses or a weekend break somewhere) just for getting my hands oily.
A heating firm quoted me 6500 to install heating in my house. I did it for 1200 even picked up the new boiler in the horse trailer. I have an excellent book on domestic heating to turn to when it got a bit complicated.

It's soooo rewarding when you finish a job like that too, it did take me four weeks for the heating though. I don't want to hand my money over to someone else. Where's the fun in that? This is serious money saving. I'm not the fastest in the world, worry a lot about getting started, often get cold feet but once I get into it, it's all forgotten and very satisfying. 

[Rosemary]

Okay if your a multi-millionaire like you.

If only - too busy spending money at the garage. I have a Highland and a Shetland pony - they don't need treats so are moneysaving (explain THAT one to Dan)

I really admire you - but all I'd end up with is a pile of bits and a bigger bill. There is no book on the planet that would enable me to put in central heating 

[doganjo]

Okay if your a multi-millionaire like you.

If only - too busy spending money at the garage. I have a Highland and a Shetland pony - they don't need treats so are moneysaving (explain THAT one to Dan)

I really admire you - but all I'd end up with is a pile of bits and a bigger bill. There is no book on the planet that would enable me to put in central heating 

Nor me, and my time is better spent with my animals and book keeping skills anyway.  Maybe that's why I'll never be a multimillionaire too

[NormandyMary]

I now do a supermarket shop once every 2 weeks instead of every week, and if I run out of something, I just go to a little local store. That way, because of their higher prices, I only by the really essential items. Our supermarket is around 20kms away, and I drive a gas guzzler, so any savings on fuel are worth while, and it means I dont buy extra treats.
Also, when I make my list, I try and stick to it. If I see any "bargains" at the shops, I stop and ask myself "now do I really NEED this". Then I go away and think about it before putting it in the trolley. Ive also started saving money off coupons, which is something I didnt do before.

[Sandy]

Some bargains are just money stored in the cupboard I agree, although I will buy reduced stuff that I would normaly eat anyway. It is good to work your way through the freezer being creative as otherwise, the stuff you buy that was a bargain just gets left!!! I bought 2 THick sliced loaves this week for 10p each, we have a B&B so sometimes need white bread!!!!!

[benkt]

I've been enjoying building stuff from recycled materials over the last couple of weeks. Our duck house used to be one of the local church's table tennis table. A couple of massive crates that were used to deliver lab equipment to one of our member's work have been turned in to a 8'x5' goose house. Today we made a cold frame from some leftover bits of wood and a shower-cubicle door which makes a perfect hinged glass roof!

I like nothing better than when one of our members rings me up and says "You'll never guess what I saw in a skip today on the way home..."

[Sandy]

I think creative recycling is a common thread on here!!! I also look at stuff for other uses!! my brother turned his old fridge into a small raised garden, I thought you could do the same with a small or large if you want, old wardrobe....I used some ladder type things to make a frame for a chicken run and it withstood all the gails we had!!!!!

[helskitchen]

We used my sons old wardrobe as a salad/herb/strawberry planter, just tipped it over and took the door off and it has done the job.  And we went to Suffolk show yesterday and my son and hubby had a competition to see how much useful free stuff they could get, came home with 2 dozen cotton shopping bags, umpteen pens, 3 packets of colouring pencils and crayons, 4 childrens activity books, lettuce and sunflower seeds, 5 pencils, a piggy bank, stapler and staples, a toy bus, dog, cat, guinea pig and chicken food samples, a nice little wallet (for sons pocket money) and a really nice calendar.  Also went into the food tent, and sampled lots of food and drink, by the time we had come out we didnt need any lunch (mind you we bought some foodie bits that cost more than we would normally spend on them so that balanced out).  We had a great day and Luis will spend all day today sorting his pencils and doing his activity packs that he got 

[Sandy]

Thats my idea of a good day out......amazing how many people can push you out of the way on a food stand!! Reminds me of going to a County Show, I walked around with my daughter and her children and my husband went off with her husband, they disapeared and as we walked between stands we saw them sat at a mock up of a french style cafe sampling wine!!!!!