First The Worst, Second The Best

How many of you read that title and then muttered to yourself "...third the one with the hairy chest", a few I hope, otherwise I really will have to reconsider those counselling sessions...

Anyway, far from British playground rhymes or unsightly body hair, today's post is actually about SECONDS. Not wishing to dust off my A Level Physics and talk to you about units of time, I will instead be discussing Factory Seconds, which are items of a production run that contain tiny flaws or imperfections and so are sold at a discounted price.

While I do not suggest that you stock your kitchen cupboards with chipped crockery and bent cutlery, Factory Seconds from high end ranges where only perfection is accepted, really are worth scoping out. Seconds can be less than half the price of the original piece, and often have flaws so tiny that they are imperceptible to anyone less than expert in the range.

After growing tired of attempting to entertain my friends using crockery from my student days (which, at last use, consisted of three plates of different size and two bowls) I decided to invest in a dinner service which I truly loved. It is common to hear fashion writers talk about "investment pieces" for your wardrobe, but when it comes to the kitchen (something that you use EVERY DAY), investment is the key. However, I would not be living up to my mantra if I did not encourage you to invest your money in a real bargain. For me, investment doesn't mean pouring cash into something, it means making your decision or choice as future proof as possible. If you are going to buy a dinner service, you don't want it to look dated and tacky in 5 years time.

Here are a few tips to help you make your choice;

• Don't go for an ultra modern pattern
  If you choose to get pale pink and mustard striped plates with a bicycle motif because you absolutely love the look of it now, believe you me, it will look different in a few years when the 'popular' colours change.
• Food looks best on white plates
  I love to have accents of colour in my dinner service, but food really does look best against a white background. If you love patterns, get a few patterned serving dishes or a tea pot. If you can't bare a plain white plate, go for something with a pattern around the edge - for example a circle of colour around the rim.
• Make sure it is dishwasher proof
  Even if you don't have a dishwasher now, if you love cooking, you WILL want one in the future. Once you are accustomed to a dishwasher, you will never, ever want to wash anything up, least of all every single plate that you use.
• Not everything has to match!
  In fact, I am a great believer in an eclectic look - for one thing, no one else will ever have the same mix as you. In my opinion, the worst thing a kitchen can be is over designed, and the same goes for a dinner service. Whilst I want all of my dinner plates to match, I also want my set to be practical, welcoming and feel like my own. If that means that my table is not laid with glasses, plates, cutlery, serving dishes etc all from the same range and in the same style then so be it! It is also worth baring in mind that if you insist on one particular range or brand you really do limit yourself when it comes to bargain hunting.

And so, to start my journey from bring-your-own-plate host to dinner service owner, I headed to one of the best places to source crockery in the UK - Stoke on Trent. Since the 17th Century, this city in Staffordshire has been renowned for its industrial scale manufacturing of pottery, with crockery giants such as Wedgewood and Royal Dalton establishing themselves there. This is in part due to the availability of nearby clay suitable for pottery and in part due to the abundance of coal in the region, oh so important for an industrial revolution. Sadly, in recent years much of the pottery production has been pulled from the region and out sourced to China. However, many factory shops still remain in the city selling an abundance of high quality seconds at a fraction of the price of the original pieces. A list of the factory shops in Stoke on Trent can be found on the following website http://www.visitstoke.co.uk/ and once you have navigated to one, you can usually ask for a map which will show the others.

I also feel that I must mention that the Emma Bridgewater Factory can been found in Stoke on Trent. It is in a truly beautiful renovated Victorian factory, offering factory tours, pottery classes and a place to get a cup of coffee. It is well worth a visit, although I must warn you that the seconds are not hugely reduced at the factory, so you are better to purchase your Emma Bridgewater seconds elsewhere.

I had done some research before we decided to make the two and a half journey to Stoke, so I knew what kind of things I wanted to look out for. I loved the range Sophie Conran did for Portmeirion, but when it came down to it, I felt the dinner plates were too ridged and would be annoying to eat from. Instead, we opted mainly for Sophie Conran serving dishes and our main plates are actually from a range Gordon Ramsay did for Royal Dalton. I also got other, more colourful, pieces from Spode and Tala and have a few items from Le Cruset (also seconds, but not purchased in Stoke).

If Stoke is too far for you to travel, I urge you to have a look online at outlet villages or factory shops near you. There is a Portmeirion Factory Shop about half an hour away from our home, and I have used it to top up our collection and buy gifts many times. Factory shops often have "deal weekends" where a certain range will be cut price - we once stumbled into a 50% off all Sophie Conran glassware day and the car was considerably heavier on the way home. Ask in the shop if they have a mailing list, they usually do, and if you sign up you will receive emails alerting you to any sales or offers.

I mentioned above that I have purchased many gifts from seconds shops. This is not something of which I am ashamed, and I urge you not to be either! All of the seconds I purchase are of very high quality (or I wouldn't buy them) and they are usually unmarked, so no one would know they are seconds. Furthermore, if a friend of mine would be offended at receiving factory seconds from me, I would have to reconsider how much of a friend they truly were.

Until next time...spend wisely, give generously,

The Wise Old Rabbit

Bargain Baby Buys

I love to hear from my readers, and when I got my very first Facebook like the lady in question requested some ideas for saving money on baby products (incidentally, I would love you to Like me on Facebook, so please click here if you feel the desire to do so!). Although I have not mentioned it before, I am a very proud parent to a beautiful two year old girl. My previous non-disclosure with regards to my little princess has been deliberate, as new as I am to the blogging world I wanted to keep some separation between my personal life and my rabbity alter ego. However, the time that I have spent in front of my computer keying out wisdom has been wonderfully therapeutic and fulfilling to the point where I feel some blurring of lines is perfectly acceptable to me. Whilst I do not intend for this to become a parenting blog; I am delighted to be able to share some of the tips and tricks overflowing from my brain with regards to lavishing your children with the luxury you want for them, whilst maintaining a realistic budget to enable you to save for their future - which believe you me, is more important than all the designer push chairs or baby clothes in the world!

Before I start, I would like to reprimand the baby brands out there who sadistically exploit the new parent's desire to always do the best for their children. You do not need branded, specifically designed tupperware in order to make and store the best meals for your babies, neither does it make you a bad parent if you choose not to spend £150 on a swinging crib which is useless as soon as the baby can sit. Shame on you all, a new parent's heart is full enough with worry without your scaremongering.

Now that I have that rant out of my system I shall begin. I have attempted to arrange this post into an order illustrating methods for purchasing the best bargains and specific highly recommended bargain products.

Sources of Great Baby Bargains

• Car Boot Sales
  This may seem obvious to some, but if you are a new or expecting parent and have not yet started frequenting your local car boot sales, I urge you to do so. We bought our high chair for £5 at a car boot, and whilst it looked a little tatty, once cleaned up*, we never looked back. It was heavy and did not fold flat, two things that led me to believe this highchair would be a temporary solution until a more streamlined version went on sale at Mothercare. HOWEVER, the very things that made me consider it cumbersome, made the chair perfect. It was so heavy there was no danger of it ever being tipped over, and as for not folding flat, I'm afraid I hardly ever bothered to put it away, so frequent was our use of it. The legs could be lengthened and shortened and the chair used with or without the tray meaning that our daughter could sit at the table with us. A similar style of chair would have cost around £100 new. Car boots are also great places to get children's bikes, baby walkers, push chairs, toys, books and baby clothes. I urge you not to feel cheap buying second hand baby clothes. Children grow out of ages 0-3mth, 3-6mth and 6-9mth so quickly that hardly any wear is caused to the clothes. This means that for 20-50p per item you can get some practically new clothes. Get to the car boot early so as to have the best pick of the bargains, and bring your baby along. In my experience the gentle rocking of pram over grass sends even the most cantankerous child to sleep within minutes.
• Gumtree
  I have discussed the virtues of Gumtree before, but it really does come into its own when searching for bigger baby items. Go to Mothercare and pick out the style of pram, push chair, cot, changing table etc that you like and then see if you can source them on Gumtree. We got a beautiful cot with movable sides on Gumtree for £20 and it is currently stowed in our attic, should we decide to reproduce again.
• Local Facebook Buying Groups
  You can usually find a Facebook buying group specifically for the sale of baby and children's items in your area. These are great places to pick up large bundles of second hand clothes and toys. However, these sites should be used cautiously; when you go to pick up your items make sure you have a good look at them before handing over the cash, and don't be afraid to walk away from the purchase if the item isn't as much of a deal as you thought it was going to be.
• TU clothing at Sainsbury's
  The children's clothing range at Sainsbury's is absolutely fantastic. The quality is every bit as good as the more expensive Next, Boots or Mothercare brands, and the clothes are wonderfully colourful and fun. There are two other brilliant things about Sainsbury's clothes - firstly, they always have a sale rail somewhere and the clothes here are usually half price. Secondly, it seems that every bank holiday weekend they have a 25% off clothes event, making their beautiful items even more affordable.
• Home Bargains
  Home Bargains is to me what taking selfies is to Kim Kardashian - without one the other would not survive. My cleaning product purchasing habits are not the only thing keeping Home Bargains in business - their baby isle takes a hammering from me too. You can often get branded baby wipes (I love the Pampers Fresh Clean Wipes), nappy creams and children's medicines for a fraction of the supermarket price. More than that, their baby gift range is wonderful. Beautifully presented boxed socks for 79p, appliqued fleece blankets for £3.99 and Disney toys, teethers and feeding sets for pennies.

Brilliant Bargain Baby Products

• Sainsbury's Little Ones Dry Nappies
  I have heard many parents wax lyrical about Aldi nappies, but as our local Aldi opened after our daughter was dry, I have never tried them myself. I can however, strongly recommend the Sainsbury's version, which are about 1p more per nappy than the Aldi ones. They go on (and stay on) easily, absorb every bit as well as Pampers, and do not leak. Incidentally, they are half the price of Pampers. What more could you want? 
• Sainsbury's Little Ones Pull On Junior's
  I don't subscribe to the theory that pull-up nappies are a requirement of potty training, but these are brilliant for changing very active babies when they first start to walk, as most changes can be done without requiring the child to lay down. In my experience, these are much better than the Pampers Easy Up Pants as they can be easily opened (and re-sealed) at the sides. At 18p per nappy, verses 32p for the branded ones they are a bargain not to be missed.
• Tesco Loves Baby 64 Fragranced Baby Wipes
  I do prefer to get the Pampers wipes from Home Bargains as mentioned before, but if you are unable to get to a Home Bargains, these are a great alternative. They are as functional as a baby wipe can be, cause no irritation to sensitive skin and have a plastic clip style seal to stop the wipes from drying out. Perfect!
• Tesco Loves Baby and Toddler Soft & Gently / Gentle Shampoo
  As far as I can tell, this is exactly the same as Johnson's Baby Gold Shampoo, and it is half the price (unless the Johnson's stuff is on offer...).
• Sainsbury's Little Ones Botty Wipes
  These are, basically, flush-able baby wipes, or wet toilet tissue if you like. They are half the price of the Andrex version and smell amazing! They are perfect for potty training, or just generally for messy children.
• Tommee Tippee Explora Easy Drink Cup - 260ml
  This is THE BEST non-spill cup. It has a heart shaped valve which makes it really and truly non-spill (providing that the adult who fills it screws the lid on properly!) I have seen this product for some silly prices, but I bought mine in Wilko for £3, which it still is today. In fact, if you want anything Tommee Tippee branded, Wilko seems to be the cheapest place to find it.

I feel like this post could go on for ever, but in stead I will leave you with one more parting piece of wisdom: download the Aldi app. Go on, do it. Do it now. Right now. Aldi have some FANTASTIC special buys for babies, children and parents ranging from books and toys through to nipple cream (which I hear is fantastic). If you have the app, you are pre-warned about the special buys that are coming, so you can be sure not to miss out,

Until next time... spend wisely, give generously,

The Wise Old Rabbit

*A small side note - when cleaning second hand items such as toys or high chairs which have a lot of scuffed or dirty plastic, a cream cleaner (like Cif or the non-brand equivalent) on a dry cloth and some elbow grease will bring it up beautifully. This is a tip from my mother, for which I am repeatedly grateful.

DIY Eye Make-Up Remover (NITMM)

Time for another NITMM (Not Interesting To Most Men) post! Let me assure you, whilst your boyfriend may not find use for this post, you certainly will and your wallet will like it too!

I was once bought Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Eye Make-up Remover as a part of a gift set, and let me tell you, it is brilliant. It easily wipes away all make-up, including waterproof mascara and long wear eyeliners. HOWEVER, this product is £8.50 per 100ml, and its viscosity means that you will power through this little bottle in a flash. With my mantra, £8.50 is too much to spend on this product without feeling horribly guilty every time I open my bathroom cabinet. 

And so, for you and me, I began a search for an alternative. Surprisingly, I did not find the alternative adorning Lidl's shelves, but instead through an adapted Pintrest post I stumbled upon whilst eating my lunch. Instead of wasting your money trying out every budget eye-make up remover on the market, why not try making your own. This process is ridiculously easy, and I promise, once you have moved over to this homemade delight, you will not look back.

I decided to use my spent No7 container to create my new remover, so the following will make enough product to fill an 100ml container. Scale up and down as you wish.

Ingredients
60ml x Tap water*
20ml x Baby Oil
1tsp x Tear Free Baby Shampoo

*Whilst I say tap water, as I live in an area which suffers terribly from hard water, I actually used water from the Britta Water Filter.

Method
In a jug dissolve the shampoo in the water, then transfer into your bottle. Add the baby oil, then shake well before each use.

Pounds and Pennies
I used Tesco Loves Baby & Toddler Soft & Gently/Gentle Shampoo which is £1 for 500ml and Johnson's Baby Oil which is £1.25 for 300ml. As these two will allow you to refill your No7 container over ten times, your homemade solution works out at less than 3% of the cost of the shop bought version. 

As a side note, if you wish to use up your left over Baby Shampoo, it is brilliant for clarifying the hair and removing product build up, so just place it in your shower tray and use it for every other wash.

Until next time... spend wisely, live generously,

The Wise Old Rabbit

Brands I Buy and What I Pay

While I am a huge fan of no frills supermarket buys and Aldi or Lidl brands, there are some things which I always buy branded. Most of these are long shelf life items, so I tend to buy them in quantity when they are at their lowest price. Taking advantage of sales and special offers really is a quick route to luxury on a shoestring. Since I left home and became a frequenter of supermarkets I have been monitoring my favorite brands in order to stock my shelves for the lowest price. In order to help you do the same I have listed some of my staples and the price I pay.

Surf Essential Oils Powder Tropical Lily & Ylang Ylang - 45 Washes
£5 - 6 

This is the best washing powder for heavenly scented clothes, towels and sheets. At its normal price of £9, it is miles beyond my sending capacity. However this washing powder is frequently on offer for between £5 and £6, which I am happy to pay; and so, with a little forward planning, I never wash with anything else.

Comfort Concentrate Fabric Conditioner Exhilarations Blueberry & Jasmine Twist - 33 Washes
£2

In case it is not obvious, I am a big fan of beautiful smelling washing. I use this mainly for bed clothes and big warm jumpers, where I want a little extra softness and scent to snuggle up in. Its standard cost is around £3.90, but I have never paid more than £2.

Fairy Pomegranate & Honeysuckle Washing Up Liquid (530ml)
£1
Led, as ever, by my olfactory sense, this washing up liquid makes me happy; and believe me, if I am washing up I need all the happiness I can get. I always buy the large bottles, which can be over £2 each, but I only ever get them when they are on offer (usually 2 for £2).

Fairy All in 1 Dishwasher Tablets Citrus(51)
£5

These usually cost an extortionate £10-15 per bag, so I stock up when they are on offer at £5. To further reduce the cost of running a dishwasher, I do not use these in every cycle. Instead I use the Sainsbury's Basics All in One Dishwasher Tablets which are (£1.80 for 30) on alternate washes. I find if I use a budget brand continually, on about the third wash all of my crockery has a milky residue, but alternating with Fairy eliminates this issue.

Herbal Essences Silk 'n' Shine Shampoo / Conditioner - Dry Damaged Hair (400ml)

£2

This is Herbal Essences in its old-style packaging, and its nostalgic scent takes me back to my school days. The bottles are usually priced at £3, but frequently go down to £2 and sometimes even cheaper (currently £1.89 at Tesco). This is not the only shampoo / conditioner I use, but it is certainly one of my favorites.

Flash All Purpose Cleaning Liquid Cotton Fresh with Febreze (1.3L)
£1-2
Flash is the best all purpose cleaner out there, and this one smells fantastic. I always buy Flash from Home Bargains (the shop for which a whole post will certainly follow one day soon) where it is always between £1-2. Home Bargains is great for stocking "rarer" or limited edition (less popular) fragrances of certain branded products, and my all time favorite Flash was called Newzealand Springs; but alas, I have been unable to find that for quite some time now.

Kenco Millicano Wholebean Instant(85g)

£1.15

Although I am a self confessed "morning person", I can hardly string together a sentence longer than "Good morning darling" before my first cup of coffee. As a serious coffee enthusiast I can certainly say that when it comes to Kenco Millicano you CAN believe the hype. It is hands down the best instant coffee on the market, and every so often the major supermarkets will sell these packets in a buy-one-get-one-free offer, making them just £1.15 each. When this miraculous time occurs, I will be the crazy lady pushing the trolley full of the stuff.

And so to conclude; although shopping savvy sounds like a time consuming business, far from suggesting that you visit every supermarket every week to sniff out the best deals, my only advice is this: if its on offer, buy a few. If you run out of something specific and need to buy it that week, search on mysupermarket.co.uk for your chosen product and it will show you which supermarket currently has the best price.

Until next time... spend wisely, give generously,

The Wise Old Rabbit

#LidlSurprises - Diamonds!

You have all already heard me wax lyrical about Lidl's Suddenly - Madame Glamour perfume (see this post for my thoughts), which has found its permanent home in the bottom of my handbag ready to be spritzed at a moment's notice; but today I was tweeted by @LidlUK and alerted to their newest fragrance offering: Suddenly - Diamonds.

So to jump on today's #LidlSurprises trend on Twitter, I hot footed it across the road to get my hands on this orange scented delight. In fact, it was so good, I purchased one for myself and one as a gift.

If you have ever used (and loved) Sienna Miller endorsed Hugo Boss Orange, then this perfume is for you. The scent is almost exactly the same as the more expensive offering, which I also have in my possession (what can I say? I'm a fragrance fanatic!) If the musky scent of Madame Glamour is not for you, this perfume offers a more fruity fragrance with spicy undertones perfect for Autumn. 

At just £3.99 a bottle, why not treat yourself and spray away. I promise the compliments will flow thick and fast. After the effect of these two perfumes on my olfactory senses, I certainly plan to test Lidl's aftershave soon...

Until next time... spend wisely, give generously,

The Wise Old Rabbit

The Best Bargainista Apps

Although perhaps a little shamefully, I am willing to admit that I am almost umbilically attached to my smart phone. It may not surprise you to hear that my attachment stems not from the need to be contactable or to contact 24 hours a day, nor from the desire to like every picture of pink cocktails my old school friends put on Facebook (in fact these are both features I could live without). The real appeal of my smart phone resides in its ability to continuously satisfy my bargain hunting hunger.

Below I have laid out various free apps which have, in one way or another, helped me to either save money or sniff out a bargain. 

1. Aldi
The Aldi app simply shows the user what Special Buys are coming up in store. Aldi Special Buys are released on Thursdays and Sundays and range from specialist food items through to home decor and gifts. This week's offerings include Memory Foam mattress toppers and a £29.99 circular saw. Aldi often stocks highly sort after bargains, which can sell out very quickly, this app helps you to get ahead of the game so you will never miss that perfect product again!

2. Lidl
In a similar vein to the Aldi app, this app lists up-coming Lidl Special Buys. In this case the items are released every Monday and Thursday. Next week's releases from Lidl includes a much anticipated clothing range promising to deliver quality staples to the fashion conscious at low prices.



3. Gumtree
If you are new to Gumtree, my are you in for a treat! Gumtree is an online version of the classifieds pages from your local paper. It is free to browse and free to post, so can be used not only to find new treasures but also to sell off some of your old junk. I have had many, many Gumtree successes including two FREE TV sets and a beautiful pine dining table and six chairs that I acquired for just £30. In fact, my whole house is almost entirely furnished with second hand items either inherited or found through Gumtree.

4. Local Ebay
This app, from Money Saving Expert, turns browsing Ebay into a Gumtree style experience by filtering results to "collection only" and within a set radius from your location. This is the perfect way to find furniture, cars and other large items for sale without the disappointment of finding the perfect item and discovering it is an 8 hour journey away.






5. Voucher Cloud
This is my favorite voucher app. It uses your location to list available discount codes for shops, restaurants and entertainment venues nearby. It is a fantastic way to get a cut priced chain restaurant meal, in fact, I don't think I've paid full price at ASK or Prezzo since this app was launched.


And so to conclude, all of these apps are free - so why not give them a go? I would love to hear your recommendations for more money saving / bargain hunting apps.

Until next time... spend wisely, give generously,

The Wise Old Rabbit

Sainsbury's Basics I Always Buy

The supermarket battle of orange v. blue, green v. yellow rages on and, personally, I am tired of having false promises of a cheaper weekly shop rammed down my throat. And so, I split my shopping loyalty between Aldi, Lidl and Sainsburys. Why? Because for me, as with real estate, my weekly shop is all about location, location, location. I was once an Asda devotee, but since moving house a few years ago, my closest Asda is now 20 miles away, so trips to the green and white bargain haven are sporadic. Whilst my closest supermarket is Lidl, I don't think I am alone in finding it difficult to get everything I need from Lidl (or Aldi for that matter) in one visit. Whilst it is undeniable that Special Buys from these German stores are fantastic, I have grown tired of attempting a full shop at Lidl or Aldi only to find the milk shelf bare, the fruit selection depleted and other specific goods unavailable.

A future post will certainly be devoted to super staples I always purchase from Aldi or Lidl, but for today, allow the spotlight to fall on Sainsburys where many excellent and very cheap products can be found.

• Sainsbury's Basics Fromage Frais, 6 x 50g, 45p
  These yogurts are excellent, and although the packaging is a little less enticing, the contents is truly no different than the Petits Filous version which come in at £1.50 for 6x47g pots and so are over three times the price.
• Sainsbury's Basics Italian Hard Cheese, 200g, £2.50
  This is not the best parmesan style cheese you are ever going to taste, but it is every bit as good on everyday pasta dishes, pizzas and salads as Sainsbury's brand Parmigiano Reggiano which comes in at £3.30 for 200g. If you want luxury and have the cash to spend, opt for Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Parmigiano Reggiano which is £4.50 for 200g. What I am trying to illustrate is that in this example, if you wouldn't buy the luxury product for everyday use, don't bother with the mid-range as here, the basic range is just as good.
• Sainsbury's Basics Mozzarella, 125g, 50p
  This is perfect for topping pasta bakes, pizzas or salads. The Sainsbury's mid range version of this is double the price, and quite honestly, I can't tell the difference.
• Sainsbury's Basics Peppers, 600g, £1.45
  "Traffic light" peppers from Sainsburys will cost £1.75, and you will only get 3. The basics bags typically contain 4-5 peppers and so are much more economical. The only downside is that you can not guarentee to get one of each colour... but as the quality and freshness remain the same, do you really feel that one coloured pepper can not be substituted for another?
• Sainsbury's Basics Smoked Salmon Trimmings, 120g, £1.59
  This product is wondrous. Although not in full, delightfully translucent slices, these trimmings are every bit as delicious. The packet is PERFECT for stirring through pasta or scrambled egg, mixing with cream cheese and topping a bagel, or turning into a luxurious pate for the start of a dinner party (recipe to follow in a later post). It is a fraction of the cost of full slices which would set you back around £5 for the same weight.
• Sainsbury's Basics Low Fat Natural Yogurt, 500g, 50p
  This version is just a third of the price of the mid range Sainsbury's version and it is perfect both for topping with fruit and honey and eating for breakfast, and for adding to curries and sauces. 
• Sainsbury's Basics Tortilla Chips, 200g, 50p
  Another brilliant 50p buy. Perfect with dips or chilli con carne. Doritos are over four times the price of these... so, unless you are desperate for the orange fingers and sicky breath unique to Tangy Cheese Doritos, why would you bother?
• Sainsbury's Basics Pasta Shapes, 500g, 35p
  I am not sure of the scientific reasoning behind this, but the basics pasta is more textured and tastier than the regular pasta (which is 95p for 500g). Mr Rabbit and I both love this, and he complains if we run out and he has to eat regular (and more expensive) pasta from the One Stop near our house.

I could wax lyrical about all the Sainsbury's Basics bargains out there, but I will leave you with these, my most purchased pieces. The beauty of basics is that they are CHEAP, so why not give them a try? They might not be for you, but if they are you may find yourself converted for life and a good few pounds richer as a result.

Until next time... spend wisely, give generously.

The Wise Old Rabbit

Christmas Blackberry Liqueur

I can already feel the onslaught of cries from those of you, like myself, who are desperately clinging to the last few strands of Summer for whom the mere mention of Christmas brings on a rash. However, I can promise you that this post will not only help you to make the most of the breezy late Summer days, but also to make the long Winter months slightly more bearable. All of this, of course, will be entangled with the Wise Old Rabbit's penny pinching ways to achieve something not only wonderful, but truly affordable.

And so... let's make Christmas Blackberry Liqueur.  Not only perfect for presents (if you can bare to give it away), but also perfect to sip with family and friends whilst watching The Snowman on a December evening. Even better than that... the main ingredient of this Wintry delight is currently FREE... if you can be bothered to go out and get it (which I urge you to).

Of course, I am talking about blackberries, which can currently be plucked from thorny bushes in parks, hedgerows, commons and woodland all over the UK.  Yesterday afternoon, Mr Rabbit and I headed out to our local common, Tupperware in hand, and collected our socks off. In just over an hour of thorn dodging in the sunshine we had 2.5lbs (about 1kg) of free blackberries. Not for one minute would I suggest making this recipe with blackberries from the supermarket; a large quantity is required, and it would cost you a fortune (according to today's prices, about £10).

The process for making this liqueur is extremely simple, being patient enough to wait for it to steep over three months is the hard part.

You will need;

1 x Large Kilner style jar (available from Ikea for £2)
800g x Blackberries
280g x White sugar
500ml x Vodka
200ml x Dark Rum (the Aldi or Lidl stuff is fine)
1 x Large muslin cloth (can be bought very cheaply in the baby department of any large supermarket)
2 x Medium / 1 x Large Kilner style bottle in which to store your finished product (can be bought for £2-3 each online, or treat yourself to some posh cordial from M&S and re-use the bottle)

Step 1
Steralize your jar by washing well in hot, soapy water and then placing in an oven (pre-heated to 130°C) for 20mins. You must then leave the jar to cool, as placing cool liquids into hot glass jars will end in a splintering disaster.

Step 2
Place your blackberries in a large bowl and fill with water. Swish them around to clean and remove any clinging insects or debris. Scoop the blackberries from the water and place in the bottom of the cooled jar.

Step 3
Top the blackberries with the sugar and finally the alcohol. Seal and invert the glass a few times to mix (don't be alarmed if some of the sugar remains undissolved at this point). Leave to develop in a cool, dark place (like the garage) for 3-4 months, inverting the jar a few times every 2-3 days.

Step 4
After the allotted time, strain the liquid using the muslin cloth and decant into your bottles.

A side note: If you really don't want to buy any Kilner style glass wear, this can be made in the vodka bottle. However, when it comes to straining, it can be difficult to get all of the blackberry mush out of the bottom of the bottle.

Until next time... spend wisely, give generously,

The Wise Old Rabbit