Plastic Free July

 

It's been Plastic Free July for a whole month and I've not managed to mention it once ... yup, I admit it I am a bad blogger  😄

Most of you know me well enough by now to know that I recycle, I reuse, I most definintely re-purpose and I basically do the very best I can.  Hardly any of the plastic that I do get is single use plastic and the few things that I do get are recycled wherever possible to the correct place.

Something that I switched to at the start of last year when it became increasingly difficult to get washing powder tablets in cardboard boxes, was the smol range of products. 

 I started with a free trial of the washing capsules, which come through your letterbox in a sturdy cardboard box.  The trial proved to me that they did everything that I needed them to do and I signed up for a regular subscription after a week of using them.

The box is so childproof that it drove me to distraction, but if you have children this is a good thing.

There are instructions on how to open it and information on everything else that you need to know.

But I cheat, and for ease of use as soon as mine arrive I tip them into my little enamel pan ...

... and store them next to the little enamel bucket that holds the pegs.

A few months after starting with the washing capsules and when I had used up my supply of fabric conditioner I added bottles of the smol fabric conditioner to my order and trialled that.  It's very good and does exactly what it's supposed to but without leaving you scented like a pine forest or a rose garden.

You can choose how many laundry capsules you want to receive and also how often you want to receive them, ditto with the fabric conditioner and any of the other cleaning supplies that you might want to try.  There are also dishwasher tablets and surface sprays, (neither of which I use) so you could get all your cleaning supplies from one place and through the post

But the most important thing for me is that it gets the washing clean, smelling fresh and not synthetic and everything arrives just when I need it and if my needs change I can update how often I want to receive something.

If you would like a free trial like I did, just click HERE to go to the smol website and choose the item you would like to sample, and for just £1 towards the postage you will have enough of the product you choose to get a good idea of if it's right for you.

This is not in any way a sponsored post, just something that I use regularly and highly recommend.

Sue xx

The VeganKind Supermarket ... and Cheese and Onion Crisps

I regularly shop with The VeganKind Supermarket.  It's completely online way of buying all the vegan foods and treats that you might need ... or just fancy.  Although it's far too tempting to spend more than you mean to, so just like with going to the supermarket make sure you have a full tummy before you start to shop!!

My last order was last Christmas so I think I can be excused going a little bit wild in the virtual aisles that time.  Now the crisps are all gone and it was time for another order.

I started shopping with them when we lived in the middle of nowhere, with limited accessibility to the sort of shops that sold the products that I loved.  I signed up originally for the Lifestyle Boxes that came on subscription to my door once a month, it was a Christmas year long gift to myself and I loved it.  It was like getting one of those lucky bags I used to buy as a child ... only this one was full of tasty, healthy treats not dried up old sweets and a plastic toy.  😁  

When I decided to cancel that subscription after about 18 months I started shopping regularly instead.   This way I could pick out all the things that I really wanted and that I knew I liked ... although I have to admit that a few new items regularly make it into my virtual trolley.

When I put in my latest order they gave me a link to share with you.  So if you would like to have £10 off any spend of £40 or over just click on the link below and follow the instructions.  It's not a bad saving at all if you try and be good and stick as close to that limit as possible.  After all 25% off is really good ... as long as you are  😄

The link : - https://thevegankind.mention-me.com/m/ol/lk6ba-sue-hall

I have to admit that I usually spend far more than I should, but as you acquire points on everything you spend that add up to money off vouchers for future shopping it's a form of saving ... isn't it!! 😄😂😁

My favourite product from there are the Ten Acre Cheese and Onion crisps, the best dairy free cheese and onion crisps on the market in my opinion, and The VeganKind Supermarket is the place that virtually always has them in stock and also sells them the cheapest.  You can guarantee that a box of 20 packs always makes it into my shopping basket.

Well my latest order is in and in a couple of days will be with me ... crisp butty anyone?

Sue xx

Remember When ...?

 

Remember when I got the last Booths voucher and decided to save it to spend on a treat for my birthday?  Well my birthday is nearly here, and the coupon date was almost up so I took it with me to Booths last week when I was picking up last weeks cardholder freebie.

Which made a nice treat for Alan when he got home from work . 

This weeks freebie is a dairy free chocolate bar which will be mine, all mine.  😊

And my nice birthday treat ... one of my favourite hand and body lotions, which along with the £5 coupon cost me just 60p.

Another 'Remember When ...'

Remember HERE when I bought the expensive tinned tomatoes and the cheap tinned tomatoes and decided to do a comparison taste test?  Well I did it, and the verdict is ... you do actually get what you pay for if you are eating them as they are straight from the can or want to make a lovely rich tomatoey sauce for your pasta dish. 

They are lovely rich and, as the can says 'finely chopped tomatoes' as fine as I have ever seen tomatoes chopped in fact and with hardly any watery juice.  BUT and yes it is a huge but when I make anything with chopped or any sort of tinned tomatoes I do tend to add salt, pepper, some dried herbs and sometimes some dried garlic powder and onion powder too, it's just what I'm used to doing.  Doing this made the cheap tomatoes taste better than the more expensive ones in my opinion.

I honestly think that I would buy the more expensive ones again if they were on a good special offer for those days when I just want to be able to open a can and pour them onto some freshly cooked spaghetti or straight onto a slice of toast for a tasty and nourishing breakfast.

So in my humble opinion you are not missing out at all by continuing to buy the cheaper version for day to day meals and sauces.  And of course the very best cooked tomatoes are the ones that you have in the fridge that have gone slightly too soft for slicing for sandwiches, so you quarter and roast them in the oven while you are cooking something else and then simply whizz them up into a sauce or soup.

To continue this theme of playing with my food, I have just bought another expensive and cheap version of something ... more about that another day.

Sue xx

Blogmas - Advent Day 14

Earlier this year I discovered a new to me online sweet company ... The Conscious Candy Company  I found it after watching a YouTube video with Grackle and I have never looked back. It is just so refreshing to know that all their range is totally animal product free and the selection of chewy and jelly sweets that would usually have gelatin in just don't!!  Instead of brown paper packages tied up with string you get well packed boxes filled with gloriously pink tissue paper, all of which can be used ...and has been ... for gifts to other people.

And in amongst all the froth of tissue is all the gorgeous and fully vegan sweeties that you have ordered.  To say my sweet tooth is back would be an understatement.  But in this run up to the festive season and while I have been feeling so down in myself I have welcomed it and will do so for the next few weeks, then once again I will be all-growd-up and turn back to more savoury treats.  I am quite grown up in that no longer does opening a bar of chocolate mean I have to finish it all and then scout around for more, I can quite happily have a few squares or half a chocolate bar and relegate the rest to the fridge for later or the next day.

Something that I will be enjoying over Christmas and rationing out carefully and are these wonderful little Truffles.  The taste is amazing and lingers long after you have eaten them, with a glass of sparkling wine they are Christmas in a mouthful.

This latest orders will perhaps be my last as these 'crunchy' type bars and the box of  NOMO caramel chocolates have nice long dates on them and I will be saving these as a treat for next year when my excessive spending of this year is grinding to a halt.  I sealed up the box and hid it in the cupboard as I have lots more delicious treats to keep me very happy over Christmas ... but the Truffles are staying out ready for Christmas Day.

A previous order and one that I still have most of.

If you want to order from them try using the code GRACKLE to get a 10% discount, I'm not sure if it's still valid but it worked for me.

Todays Beauty Advent calendar gave me a 'Healthy Glow Plumping Serum', I wonder if I use all these products in the week before Christmas will I get a really good Christmas Glow Up.

Sue xx  🎄

An Offer Too Good To Miss ...?

 

An offer too good to miss ... well it was for me anyway!!

I was in Booths the other day picking up a couple of much needed supplies and I decided to treat myself to the November edition of Country Living.  In it was this flyer, now usually I don't bother reading any inserts they go straight into the paper recycling bin, but this one caught my eye.  I used to buy Country Living every month and I had a few years of it on subscription at one point too.  Then I stopped ... at £4.99 a copy, although it's cheaper than some other magazines it's still a lot of money for something with lots of adverts in, even if some of them are glossy 'advertisement features'.

Anyway I read through the blurb and decided that I would buy myself an early Christmas present.  A years worth of Country Living for £2.49 a copy and a 'free' CL Diary, CL calendar and Christmas Special.  If I'm enjoying it by this time next year I may let the direct debit run and get another year of the magazine at £3.49 a copy or if not I will just cancel.

I've shared the photo of the flyer in case any of you want to take advantage of this offer too, although it's only open to UK residents unfortunately.  And here is a link to the webpage to make things easier -  Country Living.  (I went for the Best Deal £29.94 option.)

Sometimes you just have to treat yourself it's the law 

... okay, okay I might have just made that one up 😉😄😄

Thanks for all the lovely comments yesterday, I won't mention my back again until I have more news,  but it was nice to feel all the support from you lovely lot yesterday.

Sue xx