20 minute read
Saving is the new spending
Lorna Hogg on the movement towards thrift
It’s official - Saving is the new Spending. Thrifting, as it is now known, holds that not only can you keep track of your money, and get better value from it – but that you can also become in tune with the times.
We can all help the environment, by saving water and power, supporting home-made or home grown items - and through general re-purposing, restoring and re-using of items. This outlook is spreading to all areas of our lives - home, holidays, entertaining – and also, our future plans. It’s unsurprising when you think about it - a successful clear-out could result in all sorts of possibilities. You could consider downsizing, making money from your home and surroundings - or even welcoming a relative into part of it.
For many of us, home provides our major asset – and source of expenditure. Most of our money may be spent there, but happily, savings can be painlessly made. Start off with the obvious – switch off your (ideally energy efficient Halogen) lights every time you leave a room for more than a moment. Well, it’s a habit that’s good enough for King Charles, a man not short of cash, and he has apparently instilled the principle into his sons.
Turn your central heating down a degree or two – until you start to notice the difference. Would it be possible to dry clothes outdoors, or on a clothes horse, rather than always tumble dry? Remember also, to unplug all electrical appliances when you go to bed – excepting, of course, the fridge and freezer. When it comes to a good night’s sleep – electric blankets will always remain the choice for some, but the old fashioned hot water bottle and blankets are coming back into fashion for the eco-aware!
In the bathroom, look for new water reducing low flow shower heads, which deliver a powerful flow for less water usage. When it comes to the ‘great debate’ between baths and showers – well, it seems that timing matters! A short relaxed soaking in a half filled bath could match a long power shower, especially with an older, traditional head, in energy and water usage. So, compromise might prove to be the key – aim for short regular showers, plus the occasional relaxing soak!
Kitchens provide endless opportunities to both waste and conserve energy. Check that your fridge is working properly and at its most efficient. Keep the door shut, and check door seals. Your fridge works best when you keep it filled – but not overcrowded. Start to invest in glass fridge food containers – they ` hold the cold’ better. Also - no hot food in the fridge! It raises the temperature, and your fridge has to work twice as (expensively) hard to main it. Invest in a hanging thermometer, as well as the fridge’s inbuilt version.
When it comes to cooking, it probably will come as no surprise to many that the slow cooker not only produces delicious meals – but uses the least energy. Before you enter the Electricity versus Gas, or Halogen versus Electricity debates - remember that the correct sized saucepan, and lid, plus just enough water for cooking, can help energy efficiency for your needs. To keep laundry costs down, ensure that you have a full load – i.e. about three quarters full drum. An overloaded machine means the wash quality won’t be as good, but a quarter full load is wasteful. When it comes to drying, we all know that open air is best, but inside the home - why not try air drying, helped by a heated clothes dryer? Tempting though it may be, try avoid radiator clothes drying. It will result in the radiator working (expensively) twice as hard to maintain room temperature – and will stop efficient heat flow around the room. On that particular subject – don’t push your sofa/favourite chair up against the radiator – it’s wasteful for energy. Also, invest in regular boiler services, to ensure that top form economy.
In the living room, television may seem like a cheap and harmless way to relax – but that may be influenced by your choice of machine. Savings experts advise thinking very carefully before you ditch your high definition set, and move to the top of the range, big screen ultra high definition models. These are much more expensive, and can also eat up energy, especially if you add on players. Avoid a simple, often overlooked expensive mistake many of us make - turn off your appliances at night, rather than leaving them on the infamous `Vampire’ standby. Hi Fi systems, TX
When it comes to cooking, it probably will come as no surprise to many that the slow cooker not only produces delicious meals – but uses the least energy.
Make do and mend is the mantra of the thrift movement Looking for value? some of the best fares are to be found in the cruise sector
`Boxes,’ laptop chargers and printers can eat up power, simply by remaining plugged in. It has been estimated that you can save €20 a year but turning off the red pilot lights on appliances. Doesn’t seem much but if you multiply that by up to a couple of dozen times the saving is not insignificant.
If you’ve recently stayed in a holiday home, you will probably have noticed that they can provide endless useful tips and inspirations on how to furnish a home economically, as well as stylishly. There is a carefully planned place and space for everything, and just enough matched plates and cutlery for those who will be staying there. One tip noted by travellers who constantly replace broken or cracked, china/delft at home - is to switch to plain white china. You can get white china and delft plates, cups etc. at all price ranges in a variety of stores – they will all match perfectly, and can easily be replaced.
Thrifting is, of course, an excellent excuse to evict that unwelcome long stay resident in your home – clutter. If. your attic is filled with outdated and often broken furniture, unwanted family pictures, old record players, music collections, chipped china, old dusty yellowing unnamed or/undated photo albums, old letters and carpet off-cuts – maybe it’s time for some evictions. Thrifting can be a perfect time to re-use, re-create – or even remove. Old wooden or plastic picture frames can be re-sprayed, all ideally in the same colour, to form `groups’ of pictures, or matched pairs. Marble slabs on old washstands can be cut to size, or cleaned, to create table tops, or kitchen top accessories. Old clocks can be repaired, and small rugs can become trendy cushion covers. Old trays and even writing desks, re- fitted with legs, can form bedside or small tables. Thrifting is also a good time to find out if your children or relatives really want the old furniture, pictures, etc. that you are hoarding for them. You might learn that many would promptly send it on to the nearest jumble auction. If, however, you have antiques, silver, china, that might not meet the exacting standards of top dealers, but still have some value, then check the website for Oakland Antiques, in Belfast. Their stock includes midmarket antiques, copper pans, antique clocks, silver and mahogany furniture. The owner is in close contact with fellow dealers in the Republic, and can recommend names to those living too far away to visit his Belfast, or Ballinderry stores.
One of the often unappreciated advantages of de-cluttering is the opportunity to develop a change of usage within your home space. These days, unused garages are becoming selfcontained flats for family members, or even holiday/student rental. Some are being converted to home offices, storage units - plus extra family rooms. Attics can be converted into home- working accommodation, or for cash strapped young family members. If you are uninterested in cultivating your garden - why not rent out the space to keen fruit and vegetable growers?
Ireland has embraced pre-loved, lightly worn clothes - plus those from consignment sales, and there is a wide choice of online and walk-in shops. Keep an eye out for a future Senior Times feature on the topic - plus, of course, inspiration for any items which you might sell!
When you have decided on possessions you want to dispose of – the next question is, of course, how to do so. You might be surprised at just how much can go to recycling these days. From fridges and freezers, to mobile phones, light bulbs, power tools, through to electronics – check the list below for details.
Travel
Airport queues over the summer have shown just how much travel is a part of our lives, and slowly, we are returning to our trips. If you are looking for value, some of the best fares are to be found in the cruise sector. The smaller and specialist cruise lines, many of which are aimed at the more mature market, have excellent value just now, and are very Covid aware, with excellent onboard precautions. Hence, many seasoned travellers are happy to return to shorter cruises, e.g around the Mediterranean areas.
One of the best value ways to visit new destinations, especially in Europe, has long been popular with established travellers – but less so with occasional holiday makers. Why not take advantage of the fact that you don’t necessarily have to book a return ticket for your break? You can book a one-way ticket, and fly back from another destination! Keen travellers understand this principle, and often fit in two, if not more destinations, by doing some careful research of the surrounding areas. For example - you could fly from Dublin to Copenhagen one way, enjoy a short break there - before taking the train across the splendid Oresund Bridge, to Malmo, in Sweden. The adventurous could take a fast train to Stockholm – and then fly back to Dublin. That’s two – or even three, holidays in one!
If you are intrigued, but rather nervous about the idea, then why not have a practice run in England? Fly from Dublin to Manchester, and after a short city break, take the beautiful Hope Valley train line – to see the unspoiled Peak District, and stunning High Peaks. This
part of England also has superb stately homes – such as Chatsworth, Kedleston, and the delightful Haddon Hall. The Industrial Revolution started in the Derwent Valley – original old mills can be seen at Belper. With a choice of caves to visit, a cable car ride at Abraham’s Heights, Buxton Spa town and Bakewell (home of the famed Bakewell Tart), plus museums of cars and trams – there is plenty to see, via the Hope Valley Railway Line and various Derbyshire bus routes, en route to Derby, the home of the railway, and finally, Birmingham, for a flight back to Dublin. Check thegreentraveller.co.uk for carless travel. Whilst sometimes initially requiring more financial outlay, planning and pre-booking, these multi destination trips can work out cheaper than several separate trips. As well, with careful planning and research, you can take in destinations you’ve always wanted to see – and several unforgettable ones you had previously never even heard of. By now, you may well be thinking that this all saving and cutting back sounds very worthy, and inspirational – but also perhaps a touch dismal. With so much sensible scrimping and saving, and searching for value - where is the fun, the light-heartedness, the joy in life? Well, the Danes have practised a similar lifestyle for generations – they call it Hygge (pronounced Hoo-gah.) They have managed to inspire international interest – and even made it a cool lifestyle.
Hygge is essentially all about living well without spending large amounts of money. Of course, the Danes don’t necessarily see it that way – they prefer to see it as learning – or re-learning, to enjoy simple pleasures. Admittedly, Hygge has now become internationally associated with candlelit gatherings of family or friends, warm sweaters and woolly socks! However, all that associated comfort food and slow cooked stews, are part of slowing the pace of life down and creating a cosy atmosphere. Hygge lovers enjoy and use what they have – and yes, there are some old fashioned values. Mending, making repairing, planning ahead and avoiding waste – in food, clothes and entertaining. Homes are cosy and stylish, rather than trendy. Eating is an important factor, but they also believe in socialising – which interestingly, does not automatically mean spending money. It can be as simple as home made pizza nights with friends or neighbours. It can encompass parties, book reviews, informal gatherings with pals, board games, shared TV viewings of old films – all part the Good Life for the 2020s!
More information
stopfoodwaste.ie Citizensinformation.ie/environment/waste mywaste.ie repak.ie/recycling moneyguideireland.com Greenchoices.org Energysavingtrust.org.uk Greenglobaltravel.com Recycleit.ie. Recyclenow.com WEE.ie oaklandantiques.co.uk The Little Book of Hygge www.visitpeakdistrict.com
Personalised Private Matchmaking Service For the over 60’s
We provide a personal hands-on approach to help you find your Life Partner. Let us introduce you to someone special. Nationwide service
Luxury, comfort and excellent food in West Cork
Situated on the waterfront in picturesque Glengarriff village, Eccles Hotel & Spa, the only 4 star hotel in Glengarriff, commands panoramic views of Bantry Bay on West Cork’s Wild Atlantic Way. Glengarriff Harbour, with its boats to the famous gardens on Garnish Island, and the village centre with quaint craft shops, cafes and pubs are just a two-minute stroll away.
Guests can make the most of their time at Eccles Hotel and the scenic surroundings of West Cork by sea kayaking in Glengarriff Bay, going for a hike up to Mount Gabriel or take a boat tour and discover what’s beneath the surface of Bantry Bay.
In 2020 Eccles Hotel & Spa in Glengarriff was awarded the achievement of a four-star status rating, an appraisal recognising the hotel’s superior facilities and accommodation offering. The award is testament to a comprehensive refurbishment and restoration of the mid-18th Century property. established a reputation for its excellent food, with most of the produce on Eddie’s menus picked fresh daily from the hotel garden and polytunnels he has planted, foraged locally or supplied by the best of West Cork’s artisan food and drink suppliers.
Prior to joining the Eccles team, among other career highlights, Eddie spent time in the 2 star Michelin restaurant L’Enclume in Cumbria and has appeared twice on BBC’s Great British Menu.
Since 1745, the property has been home to a hostelry and accommodation on the site of the current Eccles Hotel. The hotel has hosted many well-known names including sister to Duchess of Cambridge, Pippa Middleton, and many famous guests have crossed its threshold over the years including Maureen O’ Hara, and writers Maeve Binchy, WB Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Enid Blyton and William Makepeace Thackeray, who following a stay in 1843 asked ‘What sends tourists to the Rhine and Saxon Switzerland? Within 5 miles of the pretty Inn of Glengarriff there is a country of the magnificence of which no pen can give any idea.’
One of the luxurious appointed bedrooms
The celebrated English novelist William Makepeace Thackeray, who following a stay in 1843 wrote: ‘What sends tourists to the Rhine and Saxon Switzerland? Within 5 miles of the pretty Inn of Glengarriff there is a country of the magnificence of which no pen can give any idea.’
Eccles Hotel & Spa is the perfect place for a break away this season. Relax in a charming setting that’s beyond compare. Explore all the amazing things to do in the surrounding area. Taste a menu that celebrates the finest local artisan producers and enjoy the warmest of West Cork welcomes.
Sona Irish Vitamins launch ‘Golden Ticket’ campaign to support sick children and their families through Children’s Health Foundation
On October 1st, Sona Irish Vitamins launched a search to find their Golden Ticket!
Whoever finds the ticket, which is hidden in the packaging in one of Sona’s children’s vitamins range, will win an amazing €1,000! On top of that, when the ticket is found, Sona will donate an incredible €30,000 to Children’s Health Foundation to support sick children and their families who attend Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin, Temple Street, Tallaght and Connolly.
Children’s Health Foundation is the charity supporting the life-saving work of Children’s Health Ireland hospitals and urgent care centres. Since 2018, Sona has donated over €52,000 to Children’s Health Foundation. The funds donated by Sona will be used to help sick children across Ireland – children like Rosie. One-week-old Rosie had suddenly begun to cry. She was in obvious distress. Rosie’s parents, Susie and JP knew she was in trouble. It was a bank holiday Monday, their GP wasn’t available, so they took Rosie straight to the Paediatric Unit in the A&E in Mullingar.
The diagnosis was a serious one – Strep B Bacterial Meningitis. Rosie was immediately sent to Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street by ambulance, with her parents following behind in their car, completely in shock. By the time they arrived in ICU, Rosie had already been seen and her treatment started. That night Susie and JP slept in two reclining chairs in the family room. Susie will never forget the experience. “I use the word ‘slept’ but we didn’t. We were very worried obviously, but the staff were incredible and doing their best to reassure us. I knew she was in good hands. The one-on-one care around the clock that Rosie got was just fabulous, it meant that me and my husband could leave her cot-side temporarily and know we weren’t leaving her on her own.”
Susie recalls the stressful moment when Rosie had to go for her MRI scan. She had to be sedated. Susie waited outside, her heart in turmoil. Once the scan was completed, Susie got to hold little Rosie again. It was good news. The MRI was all clear. You can imagine what a huge relief it was for her family. Behind every sick child’s story, a lesser-known story – the story of how generosity, like that of Sona’s, directly connects with little patients like Rosie. It is the story of the vital equipment and upgraded facilities that your donation makes possible. Crucial improvements that make every patient’s and family’s journey less stressful, more comfortable and more positive. And thankfully, Susie tells us that Rosie is doing great. “Rosie started 1st class this year and thankfully all is going well with her. She has been a very healthy girl since she recovered from her meningitis as a new-born. She never stops talking and is a great character, cracks me up!” For more information on how to find Sona’s Golden Ticket, visit https://www.
childrenshealth.ie/sona-golden-ticket/
Commenting on the launch of the Golden Ticket campaign, Ohan Yergainharsian, Managing Director of Sona Irish Vitamins said: “SONA, as an Irish company, are proud to support the Children’s Health Foundation who work tirelessly in helping sick children and their families across Ireland. We are also delighted with the enthusiastic support we have received from community pharmacies to help make our Golden Ticket campaign a success.”
Denise Fitzgerald, Chief Executive of Children’s Health Foundation said: “We are quite simply blown away by the incredible support that Sona have shown sick children and their families in Children’s Health Ireland since 2018. Their commitment to helping sick children is steadfast, and we’re excited to launch the Golden Ticket campaign with them today. Best of luck to everyone looking for the Golden Ticket!”
Visit our website!
Book Direct Online!
Feeling comfortable in one another’s company
Jennifer Haskins of Two’s Company Dating Agency believes that the decisive factor in whether two people feel comfortable with each other is ultimately banal everyday things.
The diet, the preferred evening routine, the sleeping habits. At 60 plus, people know that shared values, hobbies and holiday destinations are important. Obviously physical attraction is important too but ultimately feeling comfortable in one another’s company, being able to laugh together, appreciating the same things is the key to success. What most people who come to me still have in common: They've already had the love of their life so they believe in good relationships. Now they are 60 or 70 and say to themselves: My next years are too good to spend alone.
However, I know from my own experience that the head sometimes wants more than the heart in this phase and therefore I ask questions like: "Is your wife's coat still hanging on the coat rack because you can't bring yourself to put it away yet? Or, "Are his shoes still on the doormat even though years have passed?" I like to establish that they are ready to move on, to start a new chapter in their life.
A new love in the second half of life is different from the first, Jennifer says. Less ambitious, without big plans, as if people had understood that happiness always lies in the present anyway.
Some people want intimacy and others just companionship. Do I set up a woman who has no desire for physicality anymore with a man who still wants to?
It’s obviously best if both parties are on the same page, so to speak. These kinds of matches can change over time, they may start out as purely platonic and develop over time into something much more significant.
The black dot
For the most part, it’s up to us how much joie de vivre and enjoyment we have in our everyday lives: A professor came to class and handed out a test sheet. To everyone's surprise, there were no questions on the sheet – just a black dot • in the middle.
He then asked the students to write down what they saw on the paper. He collected the sheets and looked at the answers. The students had described the black dot •: its position on the sheet, its location in space, its size in relation to the page, etc.
Then he smiled and explained: "I wanted to give you a task to think about. None of you wrote anything about the white part of the sheet. Everyone focused on the black dot • - and the same thing happens in our lives. We have been given a white paper to use and create on, but we focus on the dark spots".
If you focus your attention primarily on the bright, white paper- only then will you become aware of the possibilities in your life.
