Things you used to buy but now you don't need to

[booksandnooks]

I used to buy coloured card for my children to draw on and make things with, now I just use the card in cereal boxes.
-paper- i just save letters for them to use the other side!
We were about to spend god knows how much on more module pots for seedlings, until I saw a video on YouTube where someone uses toilet paper tubes! Genius!
I used to buy lettuce bags and spinach bags for salads. Now I have a long plant pot on the windowsill and I havent needed to buy any for 2 years. So easy and grows all year round, same with spring onions!

Things I never missed once I stopped buying it
-foil
-cling film
-baking paper
-kitchen paper
-craft items from hobbycraft or poundland. I save so much money from making things with the kids instead of buying it all. I would never do that now! And the craft time we spend making the craft supplies is so much more fun than the actual activity we end up doing

has anyone got any more?

Cat food 😭

i wrap my sandwiches in cling film, is that bad?

guineapig food
and newspapers

Dvds..youtube or streaming

books..use libraries

Supermarket milk (now get it from the milk station and it’s tastes so much better).

Never bought kitchen roll.

No sanpro after menopause, but Tenapause is an issue.

@Temp023

Microfibres clothes last forever. Actually I suspect most fleece material lasts forever too, they get a bit tired looking but I have never heard of a fleece garment actually wearing out!

I agree. My dog’s Equafleece coats are as good as the day they were bought, and two of them are 9 years old !

fiercestcalm could you post a link to the bread recipe please? I have bags of flour I need to use up.

Cat food, cat litter, vet's fees since we lost our beautiful cat. Wish I was still having to buy them...

Totally agree about shower gel. Love a bar of soap now, feels so much cleaner, I bought a shampoo bar but that's going to take some getting used to I think.

I saw a recipe on TikTok. SR flour and yogurt (maybe Greek ?) mix it together, bang it in the oven and you’ve got bagels. Anyone know the actual recipe ? I’d love to give it a go.

@thinkingaboutLangCleg

Vaginal lubricant - we use almond oil instead, and find it better in every way. Not for use with condoms or diaphragm though, because apparently oil can damage them. Also almond oil is a good conditioner: comb it through your hair then wash it off.

@thinkingaboutLangCleg - interesting. Does the almond oil not sting like lube does?

Greek Yoghurt - I make my own. It's probably no cheaper but it's delicious

Confusedandshaken what recipe do you use? We go through three or four large tubs a week and the plastic waste is dreadful although I do try to reuse some of the containers.

Making it has always seemed a real faff - does it take for ever?

Anything child related except through choice
Very little for my elderly mother now as she is too removed from this world
High heels. I still have the odd mid heel but have lost all desire for very high heels.
Shower gel.
Bottles of shampoo
Sanitary protection except for guest bathrooms
Any household things like kitchenware - we have more than enough.

@fiercestcalm could you share your no knead bread recipe please

size 10, 12 and 14 clothes :(
newspapers
san pro
weekly petrol - now once a month max
ready made pizzas - make my own
bread rolls - make my own
meat that got thrown away - I now use the freezer properly
sandwich bags - dh is wfh
air freshners - I open the windows - so much better

@Janedownourlane

This recipe, a decent casserole pot works if you have no Dutch oven and it’s really worth making sure the pot is hot.

www.recipetineats.com/easy-yeast-bread-recipe-no-knead/

The caramel slice recipe on this site is to die for as is the easy chocolate cake ....

Kitchen wipes. I have tonnes of cloth face washers and use them instead of disposable wipes as cleaning cloths in the kitchen, I change them once or twice each day.

Supermarket sandwich meal deals for lunch, now wfh and eat less and cheaper. Often last night dinner leftovers, or a couple of slices of toast. Instead of costing £15 a week, it's probably £15 a month.

Cling film, haven't bought for years. Still use foil sometimes.

Ready meals. Very rarely now, used to use them a lot. Having a DP who does half the cooking has made a big difference to my level of enthusiasm for cooking from scratch.

@fiercestcalm Thank you, that looks fab...I'm giving that a go later!

Also hardly any dog food as I just make it every few days. Dog hates tin food anyway. Her fav meal is chicken mince cooked with a bit of rice, lots of finely diced frozen veggies, veggie stock plus rosemary from the garden and a bit of ginger and sometimes bacon.

A TV licence. Happy with netflix and catch up TV.

Sanpro: had a mooncup for the last 10 years.
Foil: use silicon baking mats to line baking tins
Clingfilm: I reuse packaging from other things. I use a plate over a bowl to cover things or a bowl over a plate. I have wax wraps for certain things like wrapping cheese.
I refill loads of things like shampoo conditioner washing up liquid cleaning sprays rinse aid fabric softener.
Cotton wall rolls or pads: I made washable ones out of old baby grows.
I repair absolutely loads of things rather than buying New: bed linen, clothes, a split laundry basket.
Cleaning cloths: I make my own out of old clothes and towels and things.
I always did hand-me-downs, but I now consider handing down things that I did not before like shoes. If the shoes are watertight I clean them up and replace the insoles. I’m lucky I have three boys and the youngest is wearing stuff that both his older brothers have worn previously.
Loaves of bread: I got a bread maker secondhand off marketplace a few years ago and not bought a loaf of bread since. I also use it to make the dough for other things like bagels. I still buy other bread products.

I’m generally thinking really hard about every new purchase, considering whether it’s something I could do without. It doesn’t mean I don’t buy anything that I might fancy but I do reconsider and often not purchase stuff that are used to.

@mildlymiffed

Makeup wipes. I now have lovely washable pads. Can't believe I used wipes which are so terrible for the environment 😔

Also awful for face. Just smear makeup etc over the face

Very expensive work clothing. I used to spend many many hundreds a month on clothes and shoes for work.

Now - much more casual. Much cheaper.

Bottled shampoo and shower gel - now that i've switched to shampoo bars and solid soap there is no going back. We also use Splosh for refillable kitchen cleaner spray, washing up liquid etc.

Don't buy cling film any more either, or sanitary products (hysterectomy).

Don't buy baby products any more either and don't miss that!