There’s no doubt about it, things have been tough the last few years and they are rapidly getting tougher. Food prices are rising steadily, fuel costs are going up and the last fortnight has seen the top energy suppliers in the UK putting their prices up by 8%-11%. This means that no matter how careful you are in the rest of your life, your household bills will rise regardless  and unless you’re in one of those professions that have seen a wage increase in line with the cost of living (anyone?) then everyone is going to feel the pinch.

So while there might not be much you can do to improve that situation, there are ways to minimise some of the damage. Over the last few months, cost-saving ideas have been regular features in conversations and some of our Victory friends had some great tips for where to find top quality bargains.

For household and grocery items, it’s a good idea to make a list of your staples along with the retail prices. Make sure the list includes prices for any preferred brands and the weight or quantity of your usual purchase. Take the list with you whenever you go shopping (or add it to your phone) so you’ll always have it handy. That way you can check quickly and easily whether the deal in front of you is a good one or not.

Below are a few links that we found to be useful or that offered surprisingly low prices.

Google (other search engines are available) - If you’re after a specific item, check the recommended retail price first, then do a search for [product-name]+discount and see what comes up. Might seem obvious but often there are websites you’ve never heard of before offering very good discounts on specific brands or product types.

MoneySavingExpert.com – There is nowhere better for finding money saving advice, tips and discount codes than Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert site. There are also the tools for you to run a complete finance health check on your household finances – we did this last week and it’s going to save us over £500 a year on our bills.

VoucherCodes.co.uk - A good place for discount codes and vouchers across all types of purchase, from clothing and electronics to meals out and holidays.

Ebay.co.uk - Don’t assume that just because something is on Ebay, it’s automatically cheaper than buying from the shop. Do your research and set your bid limits carefully.

MySupermarket.co.uk – If you don’t already use this site, it’s a great place to check like-for-like costs on branded products. It’s hard to gauge the exact nature of the savings on non-brand items though, so it’s worth running a check on the basics too.

Amazon.co.uk – As they seem to sell everything these days, Amazon is a good place to go.  As a lot of their products are discounted, it is particularly good for price and bargain comparison.

GetTheLabel.com - This website sells named brand or ‘designer’ clothing and footwear at a discount and there’s no denying that the discount is significant. In most instances I looked at, it brought the product down to a price I would actually consider paying for a change.

MandMdirect.com – I found this site while looking for a properly waterproof winter coat for my daughter and the discounts on branded  outdoor wear were pretty good and definitely one to visit, if only for price comparison.

Poundland - It’s easy to assume that if all products cost a pound, they are all cheaper than you could buy elsewhere but that’s not always the case. However there are some amazing savings to be made if you seek out the right products.

TK Maxx – Well known on the high street, TK Maxx offers branded products at discounted prices.

Factory Shops – Like some of the links above, if there’s something specific you’re after, it’s worth checking their websites to look at the latest offers. They often have unexpected, season-appropriate lines at good prices.

If you have any suggestions for other useful websites, get in touch and we’ll add them to the list.

Ingredients:

500g plain flour
1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
4.5 teaspoons cream of tartar
50g butter
25g suet
300ml milk

Method:

Put all the dry ingredients plus the butter and suet into a food processor and blitz until it becomes breadcrumbs.

Add milk in one go and blitz again, but don’t work it for too long.

Turn the dough out of the processor onto a floured surface and shape the dough into a round. Roll to approximately 2cm thickness, and press out your scones. You’ll need to re-roll a couple of times, but again, don’t overwork the mixture!

Place onto a lined baking sheet and brush with milk or beaten egg. Bake at 220 degrees c for approximately 10-12 minutes.

Christmas Table Runner

This table runner started life as a Christmas item. For the first time, I was going for a coherent theme for the dinner table and chose to run with a children’s traditional style. After looking into buying a table runner to serve the purpose, I found these things can be extremely expensive and sometimes too fussy.

So, with runner measurements in hand, I headed to a local fabric and haberdashery store. There I found a veritable treasure trove of simple, homely designs amongst the more extravagant materials. I settled on a red gingham cotton, which turned out to be really inexpensive.

I had already decided to avoid sewing as far as possible (there is usually precious little time available on the run-up to Christmas Day), so bought myself some Wunderweb. And it is as the name suggests – a thing of wonder.

The haberdashery ladies were only too pleased to help with advice on joining the pieces of fabric together, and all the materials came to less than £4. Now that’s got to be a bargain in anyone’s book.

On Christmas Day, the finished effect was really lovely and the children adored it. In fact, I was so pleased with the runner that it now has a permanent place on the table and I shall be making one or two more in different colours.

End of the table runner

Step By Step

Decide on the dimensions you would like your runner to be, measuring them against the table. The width should be around one third of the table’s width and make sure you leave a few inches to hang over the table at each end.

Buy fabric to those dimensions. You may need two pieces to join together, but the shop staff will help with this.

Make sure you get your Wunderweb! One packet will do (unless the table is huge) as you can cut it lengthways and double the amount you have to use. Thrifty!

At home, lay out the material on the table to get an idea of how it will look when finished (it helps to picture what you are aiming for).

Following the Wunderweb instructions (it works by being ironed on to the material), place the strip on the edge of the material (wrong side up) and fold over the edge to about half an inch. If the Wunderweb is too deep, cut it in half lengthways.

Work your way around the edges before joining the two pieces together – this will prevent fraying.

When you have the two pieces finished, use more Wunderweb to stick them together. Of course, if you have the time and basic skills, you can always hem the runner with a needle and thread or sewing machine.

Voila! You have your lovely table runner. And it will be machine washable too (provided you chose a cotton/polyester-based material).

Little Extras

If you wish, you can form the ends of the runner into a triangle and add a tassel or beads at the point. You could also attach fancy edging, beads or buttons. For some great ideas and inspiration, try the haberdashery website josyrose.com. They have some really beautiful things to spark your imagination.

One salvaged chair, cleaned up beautifully

Old furniture is often an excellent alternative to buying new. Not only are older items more likely to be of better quality, but there is also the thrill of having saved yet more unwanted items from clogging up the local landfill.

If the item you have ‘salvaged’ requires a degree of attention before being fit for use, then you have the satisfaction of knowing you brought it back to life (whether it just needed wiping down with a soapy rag or complete strip and re-paint). You will also have acquired a lovely piece of retro furniture with memories fitted as standard.

So, where to start your search for the best bargains? Here are a few top ideas:

Freecycle

It kind of works like putting a note in the post office window, but with no money changing hands. You either offer an item for free, or request a specific item. Particularly great for finding the bits and pieces needed for sending students off to university, or for children returning for a new year at school. Wellington boots seem to be thick on the ground at key points in the year!

Follow this link: www.freecycle.org/group/uk and it will take you to the main page where you can select your area. Then simply sign up for free on the next page, and become part of a community of over 8 million worldwide.

Go on, give it a try!

Gumtree

Ostensibly a site for buying and selling, you can still pick up a bargain or even do a search for free furniture in your area. It’s worth a try if you’re not in a huge hurry.

Your Local Landfill Site

Sounds crazy, I know, but simply visit your local household waste site (otherwise known as ‘The Tip’), and you should find the lovely folks who work there have sorted all the decent furniture, and put it to one side. They usually charge a very small amount for items, and the money is generally ploughed back into local government initiatives, minimising landfill and encouraging recycling and reuse of large items.

There are often chests of drawers, sets of chairs, tables, TV cabinets, and I once found a 1950’s child’s chair which I bought for £3. After sanding it down and adding a matt varnish, you would never believe it had once been potential landfill.

The proceeds are put straight back into maintaining the Household Waste Sites, but if you have any queries about the process, just get in touch with your local waste partnership and they will be only too pleased to answer your questions.

Charity shops

Usually better for smaller items of furniture, or pottery and kitchenware, these places can be goldmines. Shop around and, if you’re after a specific item, don’t be afraid to ask if they have anything waiting to be put out. They may even let you know should they have something similar brought in.

Some charities have also branched out and have small warehouses to store larger items of furniture. Try an internet search in your area, and make sure to visit regularly for the best finds. These places are always good for a browse, and you’re doing your bit for charity at the same time – so go on, support them now!

ebay

When looking for larger pieces of furniture, there are often bargains on ebay, with free local pickup. Items such as wardrobes, tables, sets of chairs, sideboards, dressers, wooden beds, etc often pop up at a bargain price, because only a few folks can find a friend with a van/trailer/people carrier to help move them.

Happy hunting!

Auctions

There are some bargains to be had at local auctions, particularly if you don’t mind putting the work in afterwards. But, as everyone always says, decide on a budget and don’t get carried away. It’s not a bargain if the final purchase and restoration costs (not including your labour) add up to more than you would pay for a new item.

Close up of my chair bargain, complete with additional decorative touches

Car Boot Sales

As with charity shops, car boot sales are usually best for small to medium-sized items. However, there may be bedside cabinets, mirrors, small bookshelves, the odd chair or coffee table lurking underneath the nick nacks. If so, don’t be afraid to ask about it – they can always move the smaller items elsewhere and let you carry off your new bargain.

Recycling Projects

Here are just a few sites dedicated to spreading the joy of recycled furniture. There’s bound to be something similar in your part of the world:

Vision 21 (Gloucestershire) www.vision21.org.uk/index.asp?page=reclaim

ReStore Community Projects www.restorecommunityprojects.org

Dorset Reclaim www.dorsetreclaim.org.uk

Premier Sustain (Business-based) www.premiermoves.net/service/the-giving-back-project

So, these ideas not only offer great opportunities to pick up some exciting pieces of furniture, but they are also a great way to get rid of any unwanted items you might have of your own. Here at Victory Living, we always encourage good husbandry, and the mantra ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ is as important now as it was seventy years ago.

Year 4 at St John’s C of E First School in Frome recently re-enacted a WWII Evacuation Day as part of their studies on the theme Is It Right To Fight? Over the term, the Maple and Sycamore classes moved from listening to Chamberlain’s Declaration of War speech to making gas masks, ID cards and ration books. Pupils experienced mock-air raid sirens and taught to shelter under tables.

Filmed by Jade and Ed Thomas of Frome TV, Evacuation Day at St John’s C of E First School is a beautiful film capturing how the children of Maple and Sycamore classes felt about their Evacuation Day. Interestingly, even though they knew it wasn’t real, both children and parents were affected by the experience.

Read the full article here on Frome.tv