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Hi all
Hope you are all well.
We are in our 4th year and have found learning new skills can save afew quid where we would normally pay someone else to do it.
Today I took apart and fitted a replacement motor (cost £10 from a scrap yard) in the door panel of our car to fix the drivers side electric window, I used you tube videos for instructions and it worked, I feel really chuffed with myself and I have saved us a trip to the garage.
I know this sort of thing is not for everyone but I like tinkering, last year I replaced the indicator switch on our escort.
Some things I would not attempt (big things that can be expensive) but the sense of satifaction I feel is great and would recommend anyone to give it a go.
Mind you we run old cars, had we had a new car the story maybe very different!!!

Sorry if I have rattled on abit but just wanted to share my chuffedness!

Good for you barb! I wouldn't have a clue how to do anything like that!

Well done, Barb. It's often the ;ittle jobs that work out expensive at the garages, as stripping something out and putting it back takes all the time. Often the repair itself is a couple of quid. So, if you can do it yourself, all the better for the bank balance :0)

Well done barb! I am chuffed for you [:)]

My hubby is quite good with cars but he wouldn't tackle the modern engines. Me? I can check oil and water and even change a wheel if pushed but that's my lot.

It's quite amazing what people will do in "our circumstances",just last weekend I picked a load of green tomato's out of the greenhouse (no way were they going to ripen) and instead of doing what I have done in previous years (bin them), I made some chutney; may even give some away as Xmas gifts,

Good for you Barb, I wouldn't dare try anything like that!

Don't have a greenhouse, have no space and couldn't afford one anyway!!! We have dwarf apple trees, a rhubarb crown and we had a fantastic crop of strawberries this year. That's our limit I'm afraid.

My greenhouse didn't cost me anything (sort of) except for the price of some screws, I built it myself. The materials (timber and plastic sheeting) I got from being in a "birthday pot" at work, basically everyone puts in £3 when it is someones birthday and they receive a gift voucher; now I have a 6 feet x 8 feet greenhouse. OK so it took me 2 years to build - have you seen the price of treated timber?- but there are cheaper ways to build them, you can get some idea's and plans here = http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/forum.php

We just don't have the space as our garden is a postage stamp and we already have two sheds!

Same as ours Jan - with 2 sheds there's no way we could have a greenhouse!

I'm not really interested in growing veggies, that's Dave's thing. I prefer growing pretty flowers!

I leave the garden to hubby. I like to pick the flowers but he does the rest!!

Your garden is huge Jan compared to my yard, I don't even own a blade of grass.

Well done for fixing with the help of YouTube, i'm not good with cars.

one of my students brought me some windfall cookers (apples) on thursday and tomorrow I plan to make my own apple sauce and an apple pie, those that know me it could be interesting!

Sounds yummy Lesley!! We've got a load of pears which we have been given so hubby will have to put his thinking cap on as to what to do with them!

Our apples are now just about ready for picking so they'll be going into pies and crumbles and sauce.

Now this is my topic! Just made 30 apple and blackberry pies - blackberries and apples free with farmers permission - as long as I make hime some! Value flour and value spread - 30 pies = £3.00. We also bought a box of beef from him for £100 and made 12 meat pies with the cuts that are a bit crap! Used the flour and spread for the pastry that I bought for the fruit pies. Fabbo!!! And a slow roasting joint yesterday from the box with potatoes and veg from the garden. Have to be frugal - car tax due!!!