Tuesday 12 April 2016

Auntie Meanqueen speaking

Hello me hearties. It's been non stop rain this morning so I have been working on the picture, nearly finished.

The topic today is saving time and money on the washing up. Remember when I said years ago that if I didn't spend money then I didn't have to earn it? Common sense, eh! Well, applying that same principle in the kitchen, if I don't mess pots up I don't have to wash them. As you know I don't like washing up, I make a meal in one pan, and eat it out of there, and only have the pan to wash. Another variation of this idea is not to buy clothes that need ironing if you don't like ironing. That saves time and electricity. I haven't ironed anything  for years except the bits of fabric I use in crafting.

There are loads of ways to cut down on utilities, with a bit of tweaking the routine. We all know about cooking several meals at the same time, to be eaten over the whole week.

I listen to the radio on the computer, rather than turning the stereo on. I am already on the computer anyway, makes sense.

Other ways to save a bit of money. Wash your car with rain water or bath water. Don't put anything else down the toilet except poo and toilet paper. There's a chance that other things might block the pipes, and plumbers cost money. Switch off at the wall any electrical appliances that are not in use. Don't do 'out and back' journeys in your car. Wait until you have several places to visit and do them in a round trip in one journey. Pick up shopping on the way back from work.

Do not hoard frozen food, just buy what you need for the next few months. If your freezer is full, don't buy another one, eat some of the food you already have. De clutter fridge/freezer, and cupboards regularly. Don't buy any more food until you have significantly reduced the amount you have. Never mind saying 'I don't fancy it', you paid for it, you eat it.

There you are, that's your Auntie Meanqueen speaking.

I made this little vid for you. Think before you mess any pots up. Use the minimum pans and utensils, you only have to wash them if you get them dirty. Don't make a mess in the kitchen, keep the worktop tidy.



Thanks for popping in. We'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

53 comments:

  1. You could also dip the banana in the yoghurt

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  2. Why don't yoy dip the banana in the yoghurt. Saves the spoon! xx

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    1. Yes, magda and lovelydrey, I could have, good suggestion. But I would still need the spoon to scoop the last of the yogurt out the pot. My tongue does not reach to the bottom, I've tried it ;o)

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    2. no no no... you lick all the yoghurt off the banana and only eat the banana when the yoghurt is finished and the pot clean. :-)

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    3. Yes, I get that, but after you have smothered the banana in your saliva and yogurt a few times, wouldn't it go all soggy and the end drop off?

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    4. We're not going to persuade you are we!!x

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  3. Love your videos, love your blog x

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  4. is that a serious vid ? I mean you spent 3 minutes 21 seconds telling people how to peel a banana and eat yoghurt with a spoon to avoid washing a dish ? I think you're having a 'larf MQ !!

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    1. It's a larf with a message. Making money saving fun.

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  5. Couldn't you also use the spoon to cut some of the banana into the yogurt which off the subject is the American spelling version and used by Tesco in your video - LOL

    I do like your bowl, very pretty.

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  6. I'm with you on some things, but by no means all. I draw the line at eating my meal from the pan I cooked it in. This does save on work, i.e. washing up. But I wonder where to draw the line? Will you next advocate eating with our fingers, as fingers came before forks? Not bothering with sheets and pillow cases beucase they also need washing? I tease just a little, but I value my own self rather a little more, and I always lay a table, eat of pretty crockery, and iron my bedding and my clothes, not to be houseproud or to show off, but because I like my home to look nice. It doesn't take five minutes to wash up a few plates, make your table look nice, put out a vase of flowers, too. You are worth more than eating out of a pan. Even in prison I think they serve meals on plates.
    Margaret P

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    1. Thank you, Galant, I feel as you do. Part of our eating is done with the eyes, and I enjoy a nicely laid table and food presented attractively on a plate, on a platter, in a bowl, etc. As the old haircoloring ad used to say: "I'm worth it".
      Mary Eman

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    2. It depends what makes you happy doesn't it? Pretty crockery means something to you, not washing up means more to Iona. I don't think she is lacking in self esteem and I expect she eats from plates in polite company when appropriate. Unless prisoners all share from the same bowl, it's not comparing like with like.

      While you are pottering around the house with vases of flowers, or spraying mists of lavender water on your ironing, Iona is probably out in the garden planting up or digging; or perhaps crafting or cooking or keeping fit with one of her walks, or anyone of the valid worthwhile activities she does. No matter that washing up is not one of them. Horses for courses, each to their own don't you think?

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    3. You must not for one moment think I'm faffing around all day with vases of flowers or "spraying mists of lavender water on my ironing." Please credit me with more intelligence than that. I am a writer and I think I achieve, in retirement, more in a day than many achieve in a week. Not only do I look after a reasonably large house, help husband with the gardening, cook everything from scratch (convenience food is a an of tomatoes, not a shop-bought pizza), but read widely and go out regularly. I'm just saying that personally I draw the line at not ironing my bedding as I like to get into pristine, well ironed cotton sheets, and I prefer to eat off a nice china plate than straight from the pan. We're all different and if Ilona is happy not to iron and eat from a pan, then that's her choice.
      Margaret P

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    4. Galant, I'm pleased that you do your own thing. I used to do an ironing job to earn a bit of pin money, now I can't be bothered with it. I know some folks enjoy ironing. Each to their own.

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  7. You talk my kind of talk.... We gave a freezer to my son as I was sick to death of having 'too much choice' and not fancying it until it was well past its use by........ We still ate it though. Now we only buy what we know we will eat and i keep some freezer space for soups and other meals made from leftovers.

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  8. Haha Ilona you do think of everything! I wish my husband did this. I keep telling him not to grab a clean mug every time he wants tea or coffee. I use the same mug all day just wipe it out in between and wash it only once at the end of the day.

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    1. Oh I hear you!
      My son is just the same when left to his own devices he will use all the mugs on the mug tree then use those on the dresser grrrrrrrrrr!
      Ilona your way is much better :)

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  9. Having worked our way through our freezer I'm never packing it full ever again! Stockpiling's a good idea if it'll definitely get eaten/used - but I don't see it as money saving as you would have to buy extra in the first place to start the hoarding off and there are always reductions/special offers/BOGOFs available at any time. My hubby used to eat tinned fruit from the tin until I trained him!!

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  10. I thought you were going to dip the banana in the pot. Haha you are funny. Love seeing you on yoootube, more videos please!

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  11. Funny. Although it has to be said that the bowl would probably get washed up in the same stream of water as the spoon and take a nano second more. So in this instance a bowl wouldn't bother me. That said, I am in favour of washing up less.

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  12. I hate ironing, too. I'm not as strict about things as you are, but i do some of the same as you. I share my bananas with the dog, then eat the yogurt plain...

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  13. Just do what I do and lick plates clean after you use them - no need to wash them after :)

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    1. Shhh, don't tell everyone, but I lick the plates as well. I do rinse under the tap though.

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  14. I iron as little as possible, no creases no ironing. as for the dishes, I gave up washing up about a week ago, my new dish washer does the job for me. Bliss.

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  15. I think there's only so far you could take this. I wouldn't fancy eating a full sunday dinner over the kitchen sink!

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  16. Dear Ilona, you are a 'nutter', you make me laugh, you have a great sense of humour, long may you continue blogging your life in your own inimitable way. Teresa

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    1. Good, I'm glad I make you laugh. I make me laugh :o)

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  17. If you peel the banana completely you can just dip it into the yoghurt and eat it that way...then you won't even have to wash a spoon ha ha.

    I'm Alex, a 26 year old woman and started reading your blog a few months ago (im up to speed now!) and I love it! Far too much focus on material things and consumerism these days - I'd much rather live the way you do! I'm not quite as good as you are but you are such an inspiration to me :)
    Keep up the blog, it is such a pleasure to read!

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    1. Hello Alex, nice to have you on board, welcome to Tightwad Towers. Live your life as you see fit, do your own thing, it's far more satisfying than buying endless tat which will only get thrown out when the cupboards are full.

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    1. I like your blog Emma, nice food, so I have put it on the sidebar.

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    2. Wow, thank you! :) I've followed your blog for a while now but I think this was my first comment, he he. Being a student and taking loans it's nice to spend less on food and more on fun things! :)

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  19. If you're washing a pan it's not much more effort to wash a plate too. Eating out of a pan isn't my thing, but then I don't talk with my mouth full either.

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    1. I don't make a habit of talking with my mouthful either, except if I make a video about eating food, and this is the first and only lime it has happened.

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  20. its just common sense really isn't it, I enjoyed your video :)
    I don't iron anymore either. I wear clothes that don't crease and if they are bit wrinkled I hang them in the bathroom when the shower is on and the wrinkles drop out.

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  21. I think it's a bit sad.... why bother having a bowl at all if you don't use it simply because you can't seem to be bothered to wash it up? It's not so much frugal but idle... I wouldn't advocate it. A lot of your posts are fab but not this one.

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    1. Hi Wendy. I am eating out of the bowl at the moment. I don't think it would be a good idea to eat the cereal out of the packet and drink the milk out of the carton :o)

      I don't like housework, prefer to do things more enjoyable.

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    2. Phew, you had me going there for a moment Iona :)

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  22. Oh Ilona you are happily bonkers.
    Now you need to wash , disinfect the table cloth and still wash the spoon. With bowl could wash it in same water as spoon and not need to wash table covering.:)

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    1. Yes, happily bonkers, I'll agree there, but not that bonkers to wash the spoon. A good licking will do the job, ha ha. By the way, the table cloth is a bed sheet, the cats get up and down on it to access the window sill, and I use it as a crafting work table.

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  23. Absolutely loathe washing up, ironing, cleaning you name it. I feel no gratification in serving my nearest and dearest who really don't give a hoot and mess the place up as soon as I turn my back.

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  24. When I was working and going in at 7 I always took yoghurt and banana for breakfast I would chop half straight into the pot with the spoon if there was any yoghurt left I'd pop the rest in or just eat it as it was. No bowl. However I will just say that I would not touch flavoured low fat yoghurt only natural stuff for me lol

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    1. Hi Wendy. I had a long spell of not buying flavoured yogurt, but then I found a six pack in my trolley, ha ha, for a change. I eat mainly plain.

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  25. He He, youve created quite a flurry over this one. But if im on my own this is what i do , sadly with a big family im rarely on my own . I detest ironing , so dont buy anything that needs ironing , but the rest of them have learned , if it wants ironing they can do it themselves . My iron is a little travel iron , brilliant for the purpose of crafting , thats it . doesnt use much electric either

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  26. I can't abide man-made fibres for my bedding, they remind me of bri-nylon stuff from the 1960s, and as I like pure cotton with a high thread count (from The White Company of Cologne & Cotton) it does need ironing. But boy, does the bed look lovely when it's all been made. And I make the bed every day (or my husband does, and he also shares the ironing and the rest of the housework, after all, we both live here, it's not just women's work.)
    Margaret P

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  27. Hahahahaha! Illona you are priceless. We don't put toilet paper down the loo cos our system doesn't cope with it and loo paper doesn't degrade quickly. Yuk. We only wash up once a day, reusing tea mugs all day without washing. You see our water is pumped from our own well and every time you turn on the tap you can hear the pump running and since it is electric it costs us money. I only use my iron for dressmaking or when something is creased beyond wearability, if you dry and fold clothes carefully ironing is often not required and hey... There are no rules, eating customs are different all over the world and in your own home you can do what you like! And please keep doing it! X

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  28. Just wanted to say how much I enjoy reading your posts - they brighten my day... Excellent tips here and nice to know I'm not the only one who eats from the saucepan haha... All the best for the day Yx

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  29. Oh I have just read this and laughed loads - my husband thought I was mad! I think you have too much time on your hands! I hate washing up too! He he!

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  30. I like your tips, and many of them save time in addition to money, and time is precious.

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  31. For one terrible minute I thought you were going to dip the banana in the yoghurt and we were going to have a porn vid!! Phew, the relief.....

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