Fabulously fantastic: Tips for the house and your savings, plus a fab dress

I first started blogging as friends were always saying I should share my helpful hints for around the home and budgeting and although I've probably mentioned them before it was a long time ago so here are some handy tips.

If you cans of tuna fish that are stinking out your bin, put the can in separate plastic bag and place in the freezer until rubbish day.
Use fruit and vegetable peel as compost for the garden. Keep a sealable bucket outside and fill it with your off cuttings, you'll be doing your bit for the environment too.
If you don't have a garden and the off cuttings seam to always find a way to leak through the bin bag, also put them in the freezer until rubbish day.
Need to pick up little bits from a table cloth or threads after you have finished sewing, use a lint brush, I use mine for everything.
If your lipstick is a shade too dark, lighten it with some foundation or cover stick. My current 24 hour lipstick is a bit pale and pinky so I brown gloss on top of the lipstick and seal it in with the 24 hour balm, the lip gloss stays on a long time and it is a great shade.
Best way to cut a pineapple or melon…Cut the pineapple/melons into rounds, then peel each round with a knife, I usually cut a V shape into each round so I can easily start, then cut the rounds up into pieces.
Drying your clothes inside and find they are taking a while to dry or are drying with wet patches, that is probably because there is not enough air flowing through them, if possible hang them over two bars on clothes dryer or put them on a hanger and hang the hanger on the clothes dryer, this will also save on the ironing.
Yellow nails from wearing nail polish for prolonged lengths of time, dip your hands in some lemon juice (remember to test a finger first to make sure you are not allergic) and remember your nails need to breath, take your nail polish off at night and repaint in the morning or better yet give them a whole day to breath.
Going to a picnic, take a cheap shower curtain (you can get them for a £1 in the Pound Store) with to put under your blanket, a lot less cleaning and shaking will be needed for the blanket.
Have too many items lining around but not enough space, get a box that doubles as a little table. I keep my weights in one in the lounge which doubles as table and as I don't have space for a shoe rack I keep my everyday shoes in another one that doubles as a seat to sit on when you first walk in to sit on and take your shoes off.

Some budget tips

It is that time of year again when new ISA's (Investment Saving Accounts that are tax free) are rolled out. Even though the interest rates are a lot lower especially if you don't have oodles of cash, it’s still worth it. Remember you can have a new ISA each year so whatever you have saved in previous years in an ISA is still tax free. . If your ISA was on a special rate last year look to see if you can transfer it into your new ISA. Last year’s rate has probably dropped and you won't be earning much interest. But as in all things it depends on your circumstances. I found that Cheshire Bank’s Poppy ISA had the highest interest rate for starting with a balance under a £1000-00 but you cannot transfer in previous ISA’s. So I compared this with a few more and considering the value of my current ISA it would be best to leave it where it is and try transfer it in next year. Check out Martin's Money Tips for more advice.
Shop around, use voucher codes and websites. Grocery shops are getting more and more competitive as the belts tighten. Tesco now also gives you a voucher back like Sainsbury’s if your shop would have been cheaper at one of the other main grocers.
Save money on electricity by switching off if you don't need it on. I.e. leave a room, switch off the light, switch the TV off at the power switch and all other such devices don't leave them in idle position. Not using a cell phone charger, unplug it, it still uses small amounts of energy while just lying there plugged in. You'll not only be saving some pennies in the long run but helping the environment too by saving power.
Think about this, you turn on the hot water tap to wash your hands, but by the time you are finished the water is not warm, all you have done is used power to start warming the water but as you turned if off as quickly as you turned it on you have just wasted power, rather use the cold tap.
How much money do you spend on bottle water, depending of course on where you live if you are lucky enough to drink the water out of the tap make your own bottle water by filling a bottle with water. You will again not only save money but also help the environment with there being less water bottles lying around.

Before I go if you are not watching the Great British Sewing Bee on BBC, then get watching. This is one of my favourite dresses that I have made. I received the Pattern Simplicity K2588 free with the Sewing Magazine and as I already had the material all I had to buy was the lace, so I think in total it cost me a rainy day and all of £4-00 to make. I used a stretch material and it fitted much better. I'm bias but I think the red adds that little something extra...