How to... ‘make do and mend’ (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

How to... ‘make do and mend’

9:24am Monday 18th August 2008 in

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When looking for ways to make a little go a long way, it’s wise to remember your granny’s favourite motto – ‘make do and mend.’ The older generation got through the war years on rations and common sense and were re-using and recycling long before it became fashionable. When it comes to coping with the credit crunch, we could do a lot worse than take their advice on board.

1 Re-use what you can and think carefully before you throw something away. Empty ice cream or yoghurt pots or other plastic containers can be re-used to freeze food. If you take care unwrapping presents you could re-use the paper to wrap someone else’s present with. And do you really need to use four separate teabags for four separate cups of tea? Why not use the same teabag for every cup? As your granny will tell you, a humble teabag can go a long way! – or brew up in a teapot, using just a couple of teabags? Leftover food still in the saucepan? Don’t throw it out – you can conjure up some very tasty dishes made out of the remnants of other meals. Where do you think Bubble and Squeak came from? Just ask your granny.

2 Consider some old-fashioned cleaning remedies instead of investing in expensive products. You can use products such as vinegar to get rid of some stains and sheets of newspaper to clean your windows.

3 When holes start appearing in socks and tights, the temptation is to throw them away and buy new ones. But a needle and thread and a bit of initiative is all it takes to mend them so they’re wearable again. Get darning!