Tenner Week Sept 2015: Day 5

It’s Day Five of this Tenner Week challenge, and today’s activity is a bit of old fashioned make do and mend. We’re going to mend, alter or upcycle something.

Since it’s Tenner Week, you probably won’t have the budget to hire someone else or take something out to get it fixed. It’s time to get hands-on and sort it out ourselves, ideally without purchasing any expensive new materials if possible. You may even have a few things piled up around your home that need to be mended or altered…

• Finish some half-done sanding, undercoating or painting
• Change a dead lightbulb or a fuse
• Replace batteries in a watch, clock or TV remote control
• Re-do grouting or sealant around sinks or baths
• Fix house numbers or a doorbell or buzzer
• Replace or improve insulation around front door or letterbox
• Sew a button back onto a shirt or coat
• Take up a hem
• Darn knitted items of clothing
• …and so on

If you can’t find anything in your home to mend or alter today, consider doing some general maintenance instead, even if it’s only for 20 minutes. Check the tyre pressure and oil for your car, put garden furniture away, polish some shoes or boots, or rearrange your wardrobe.

What I’m up to

Yesterday I managed to grab a free trial of some software, so that’s potentially something good once I’ve got the hang of making things look pretty. So that was my geeky freebie. I also treated myself to a proper coffee because I was flagging at work and fancied a treat. We had roasted home grown vegetables and cous cous for dinner, which was a good tasty meal and easy to make.

Meanwhile, I bought a great pair of trousers last month (a bargain in the end of summer sale, you’d love them….). Sorry, where was I? Oh yes, so these trousers need an inch taking off them because they’re just a tiny bit too long. My plan is to fix the hems while I’m watching a trashy film of some sort. Let’s hope there’s something free on iPlayer.

We’ll be having a home made curry with papads and rice tonight, and cucumber mint raita. Last time I made a curry I cooked too much and ended up having to freeze a couple of portions, so it’s going to be like getting a free Friday night takeaway this evening.

Money spent yesterday: £2.50

Total spent so far: £3.50

Over to you

What are you going to mend, alter, update or maintain today? Will you pick something simple and quick, or are you going to spend a little longer?

And finally, how’s your budget going?