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Interesting tips re keeping costs down

24

Comments

  • #32
    Field east
    Registered Users Posts: 2,427 ✭✭✭Field east


    Use a rubber spatula to scrape out the last of the jam. It's amazing how many families throw out jam pots with a lot of jam still in them


  • #33
    Greenmachine
    Registered Users Posts: 5,063 ✭✭✭Greenmachine


    brian_t wrote: »
    It also means that you will be using completely fresh water for your next cuppa which is as reccomended.

    That completely fresh water has probably already been recycled hundreds of times.


  • #34
    Elora Ashy Registry
    Closed Accounts Posts: 518 ✭✭✭ Elora Ashy Registry


    PeterDuggan wrote: »
    When boiling the kettle for a cuppa, use the excess hot water to wash a pot or pan. Saves on water, electricity, washing machine detergent pollution ...and time (You can do it while you're standing around waiting for the tea to brew).

    Just boil enough hot water for one cup, no extra electricity wasted/excess water.


  • #35
    brian_t
    Registered Users Posts: 6,651 ✭✭✭brian_t


    Greenmachine wrote: »
    That completely fresh water has probably already been recycled hundreds of times.


    By fresh water I meant not previously boiled.

    When making tea it is reccomended to use water that has not been previously boiled as it helps bring out the flavours.


  • #36
    Holy BoBo
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 14 ✭Holy BoBo


    Putting waste food rubbish down your toilet will save in bin charges.


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  • #37
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,523 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Holy BoBo wrote: »
    Putting waste food rubbish down your toilet will save in bin charges.

    And increase your water charges, your chances of getting a blocked pipe, etc - file this one under insane.


  • #38
    Holy BoBo
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 14 ✭Holy BoBo


    L1011 wrote: »
    And increase your water charges, your chances of getting a blocked pipe, etc - file this one under insane.

    How increased water charges? We are not paying by usage for a few more years yet ! No blocked pipes if you are reasonablely careful


  • #39
    Greenmachine
    Registered Users Posts: 5,063 ✭✭✭Greenmachine


    brian_t wrote: »
    By fresh water I meant not previously boiled.

    When making tea it is reccomended to use water that has not been previously boiled as it helps bring out the flavours.


    Complete old wives tale, lacking in imperial method.


  • #40
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,523 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Holy BoBo wrote: »
    How increased water charges? We are not paying by usage for a few more years yet ! No blocked pipes if you are reasonablely careful

    If your usage is low enough (mine is) you won't be paying the full capped price.

    You don't know how careful you've been until it backs up.

    The sewage system is for human waste, not food waste at that. Stop doing this. You are increasing the workload at the treatment plant, running risk of damage/blockage to the public system etc.


  • #41
    Holy BoBo
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 14 ✭Holy BoBo


    L1011 wrote: »
    If your usage is low enough (mine is) you won't be paying the full capped price.

    You don't know how careful you've been until it backs up.

    The sewage system is for human waste, not food waste at that. Stop doing this.

    I have been going it for years without problem and will continue to do so.


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  • #42
    sadbob
    Registered Users Posts: 39 ✭sadbob


    Holy BoBo wrote: »
    I have been going it for years without problem and will continue to do so.


    It's illegal under section 7 of the European Union (Household Food Waste and Bio-waste) Regulations 2013 (SI 71 of 2013) and you will have a problem after admitting such on a public forum.


    7. An original producer of food waste arising as part of household waste, shall not—

    (a) deposit food waste in the residual waste collection, or

    (b) use purpose built mechanical devices to shred or hydrate or otherwise alter the structure of food waste for the purposes of facilitating its discharge in waste water to a service connection, drain or sewer.


  • #43
    _Tombstone_
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,006 ✭✭✭_Tombstone_


    sadbob wrote: »
    It's illegal under section 7 of the European Union (Household Food Waste and Bio-waste) Regulations 2013 (SI 71 of 2013) and you will have a problem after admitting such on a public forum.


    7. An original producer of food waste arising as part of household waste, shall not—

    (a) deposit food waste in the residual waste collection, or

    (b) use purpose built mechanical devices to shred or hydrate or otherwise alter the structure of food waste for the purposes of facilitating its discharge in waste water to a service connection, drain or sewer.
    You could admit raping someone on a Public Forum and not have a problem the way the Courts are here.


  • #44
    Holy BoBo
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 14 ✭Holy BoBo


    sadbob wrote: »
    It's illegal under section 7 of the European Union (Household Food Waste and Bio-waste) Regulations 2013 (SI 71 of 2013) and you will have a problem after admitting such on a public forum.


    7. An original producer of food waste arising as part of household waste, shall not—

    (a) deposit food waste in the residual waste collection, or

    (b) use purpose built mechanical devices to shred or hydrate or otherwise alter the structure of food waste for the purposes of facilitating its discharge in waste water to a service connection, drain or sewer.

    If you go down that route you are saying poo is a food waste. Pure nonsense.

    100% of my waste goes down the jacks or up the chimney after being burned in the fireplace.


  • #45
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,523 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Holy BoBo wrote: »
    or up the chimney after being burned in the fireplace.

    Also highly illegal.


  • #46
    Holy BoBo
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 14 ✭Holy BoBo


    L1011 wrote: »
    Also highly illegal.

    Not at all. It's just free fuel to warm the house and reduce bin charges to zero.


  • #47
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,523 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Holy BoBo wrote: »
    Not at all.

    No, it very very much is. Air Pollution Act 1987.

    Your continued admission to illegal acts is not helping you.


  • #48
    Holy BoBo
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 14 ✭Holy BoBo


    L1011 wrote: »
    No, it very very much is. Air Pollution Act 1987.

    Your continued admission to illegal acts is not helping you.

    Eh this is a money saving thread ! Perhaps you need to join an ecological or legal forum. I all about saving the lids man !


  • #49
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,523 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Holy BoBo wrote: »
    Eh this is a money saving thread ! Perhaps you need to join an ecological or legal forum. I all about saving the lids man !

    Saving money by illegal means it not what this forum exists for.

    In your case, I sincerely hope the full force of the law comes down on your for your polluting ways. The fines for air pollution - and its an if, not a when you'll be caught - are impressively large. Maybe you'll have saved enough to cover it but I doubt it.


  • #50
    Tails142
    Registered Users Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭Tails142


    Lol, burning waste and flushing your rubbish down the toilet. Great tips thanks, next you'll be telling us how you can just gather your black bags and dump them at the side of the road to save on bin charges!


  • #51
    Holy BoBo
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 14 ✭Holy BoBo


    Tails142 wrote: »
    Lol, burning waste and flushing your rubbish down the toilet. Great tips thanks, next you'll be telling us how you can just gather your black bags and dump them at the side of the road to save on bin charges!

    I don't have black bags as I am self sufficient when it comes to waste disposal as I have outlined.


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  • #52
    pwurple
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    Yeah... Maybe reduce rather than pollute. Buy food without packaging. Don't buy heavily packaged stuff at all if possible. We have very little waste here. One minibin a month, and that's with two kids, one in nappies.

    Grow yer own. Great way of keeping Veg costs down, plus you compost your clippings, egg shells etc to grow yet more veg.

    Monitor costs. Get a bit of paper together and categorise all spends. Think of ways to reduce the bigger ones first for most impact. We can't do anything with childcare or mortgage, but vehicles were next on the list... Way ahead of food or power. Looking at how to reduce those now with more public transport, cycling etc.

    Don't store things you've finished with. Sell them. Books, furniture, children's toys, any unwanted gifts you are holding onto for nostalgia reasons. Off onto a selling website... Gives you more room in your house AND makes some dosh.


  • #53
    brian_t
    Registered Users Posts: 6,651 ✭✭✭brian_t


    Holy BoBo wrote: »
    Not at all. It's just free fuel to warm the house and reduce bin charges to zero.

    Free fuel and free toxins.
    Burning waste is not only a nuisance to neighbours, it can release many harmful chemicals into the air you breathe.

    Modern day waste has many toxic chemicals in it. Paper waste may contain synthetic materials, preservatives and even plastics. Disposable nappies contain gels, bleaches, plastics. Many wood products are treated with toxic chemicals to prevent rot.
    http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/environment/waste_management_and_recycling/burning_household_waste.html


  • #54
    Holy BoBo
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 14 ✭Holy BoBo


    ^^^
    Stuff and nonsense. Don't believe all that aul PC nonsense. Be your own man.


  • #55
    dudara
    Registered Users Posts: 33,519 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    Holy BoBo infracted for promoting illegal activity. Please take time to become familiar with Boards before posting again.

    dudara


  • #56
    Jellybaby1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭Jellybaby1


    pwurple wrote: »
    Yeah... Maybe reduce rather than pollute. Buy food without packaging. Don't buy heavily packaged stuff at all if possible. We have very little waste here. One minibin a month, and that's with two kids, one in nappies.

    Grow yer own. Great way of keeping Veg costs down, plus you compost your clippings, egg shells etc to grow yet more veg.

    Monitor costs. Get a bit of paper together and categorise all spends. Think of ways to reduce the bigger ones first for most impact. We can't do anything with childcare or mortgage, but vehicles were next on the list... Way ahead of food or power. Looking at how to reduce those now with more public transport, cycling etc.

    Don't store things you've finished with. Sell them. Books, furniture, children's toys, any unwanted gifts you are holding onto for nostalgia reasons. Off onto a selling website... Gives you more room in your house AND makes some dosh.

    A lot of good tips there pwurple. But I'd like to know more about buying food without packaging. As far as I can see the only thing I can buy without packaging is fruit and veg. Any suggestions on this? Everything seems to come packaged these days, and most packaging can go in the recycle bin anyway which is free for us, so how would reducing packaging keep costs down?


  • #57
    _Tombstone_
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,006 ✭✭✭_Tombstone_


    Jellybaby1 wrote: »
    Everything seems to come packaged these days, and most packaging can go in the recycle bin anyway which is free for us, so how would reducing packaging keep costs down?

    Its not free for everyone.


  • #58
    pwurple
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    Jellybaby1 wrote: »
    A lot of good tips there pwurple. But I'd like to know more about buying food without packaging. As far as I can see the only thing I can buy without packaging is fruit and veg. Any suggestions on this? Everything seems to come packaged these days, and most packaging can go in the recycle bin anyway which is free for us, so how would reducing packaging keep costs down?

    Buy meat from a butcher instead of the supermarket, saves the plastic carton and the revolting sanitary pad they sit it on.

    Buy fish from the fishmonger etc. what else do you buy? Oats and flour we get in 5 kg bags or bigger. We use soap bars instead of plastic pump things... It's packed in paper and it goes down way slower.

    Recycling has a cost because it's built into your bin charges... It's shipped abroad and hand sorted by some poor unfortunate. I flippen hate recycling if I'm honest when I think about what people have to do to recycle our waste.


  • #59
    Jellybaby1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭Jellybaby1


    I usually buy meat from the butcher but to be honest these days it is hard to find a butcher who doesn't plastic-package meat. I was even told by a farming relative living outside the Pale who said her butcher has all his meat packed in plastic. I hate this because it tends to sweat the meat and it sits in a puddle of bloody water. In fact my two local butchers have reduced the amount of meat displayed openly in the glass counters and the majority of the meat is wrapped in plastic on polystyrene trays. One butcher told me most of their income is made by selling pre-packaged meals, so they are becoming just like the supermarkets. My local fishmonger closed down so I have to buy fish in the supermarket and when I do, they wrap it in two or three plastic bags, sitting on a polystyrene tray. My green bin is free because I pay for the brown and black bins. I no longer have an open fire so I can't burn anything away. I buy flour in as large quantities as the supermarket sells them but its still in a paper bag. We buy soap bars, also in paper or plastic packaging, I can't get them any other way. What I'm trying to say is, it is nigh impossible to buy anything without packaging and the ordinary customers have no other option. We all do what we can, but the shops and food producers are the ones who do the packaging, not the customers. I'm worn out trying to keep costs down but its a losing battle. As soon as I feel I'm edging ahead, some ruddy bill is increased! Sorry, I expect mods. will kill me as this is all unhelpful but I've been doing this all my life, not just for the last few years. I haven't changed, but everything else has.


  • #60
    pwurple
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    I hate to say it, but those sound like they are not butchers at all, just retail sellers for some wholesaler. Sure how are you going to get the cheaper cuts at all if everything is prepacked? You won't be able to ask.

    Same for the fishmonger. How can they bone and scale, or give you offcuts for a fishstock or pie if they only sell prepacked? And shellfish and mackeral suffer really badly from being prepacked. Mussels are only pence for enough for the family, but I wouldn't trust them at all prepacked. They'd all be dead and poisonous. Mackeral are 50cent each around here in season, but best nearly straight off the boat. If they've gone off to a packaging plant that's wrecked them.Q

    I guess i am lucky to live in Cork, near the market so it's really easy to find great butchers and real fishmongers.


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  • #61
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,523 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    pwurple wrote: »
    It's shipped abroad and hand sorted by some poor unfortunate.

    Depending on your bin provider, its sorted in Ireland instead and a larger amount than before is sorted automatically (magnets, magnetic flux, compressed air, huge variety of things). Was a multi-page article on Thorntons in the Irish Times a few years back detailing what they do.

    Thorntons now take any level of clean plastic film as well which has hugely reduced my black bin usage, but as I already pay by weight rather than lift - which everyone will have to from the summer - hasn't done much to those costs.


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