Instead of buying new vacuum cleaner filters I chuck the used ones in an old pillowcase and bung them in the washing machine with the laundry. I get 4 or 5 uses out of them before they require replacing, which saves my change purse a tenner a time and reduces the amount going into landfill.

So what money saving hints and tips do you fine folk have?

A thread specially for 'persons of leisure' and independent means, or those with aspirations.
How do you while away those lazy days?
How do you cope financially?
When did you retire?
Is retirement what you expected?
How long did you take to adjust?
Etc.

Tell us what you are up to today or what plans you have.
Or just have a bit of silliness to while away those lazy hours.

I've been busy today. Hilly 15 mile ride in North Devon, took dog for a stroll along Saunton Sands, cut the front lawn..

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...thread.

How about a topic discussing all things regarding the great game.

Chat about anything from Arsenal to Accrington or John Terry to Terry Yorath.

I'm just happy as my team Norwich City have made it through to the 5th round of the FA Cup !!!

Well, I didn't know which thread this should go in, so started a new one!

I've been very kindly gifted an expensive bottle of single malt. I'm generally a rum drinker and never really tried a whisky that I like. Should I keep it for value, see if I can exchange it or do you think being a very good one I might like it?

I have now an increasingly detailed 'conversation' with ChatGPT regarding my health and habits. I have used it to get a view on blood results, Qrisk, need for medications(like statins) (I don't take any) diet, training, supplements etc.etc
I like the way it uses every piece of information and gives an overall, interdependent assesment rather than single issue/response. The very thing doctors don't have time for in a simple appointment

I think it's awesome.

Anyone else do this and how do..

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I figured some may find this to be an unusual perspective on the hobby and possibly someone else been there before and has some experience/advice. Or maybe there's even a physical therapist around who can share something. I'm not a huge poster, but I thought this may be a good subject to write about. Little note about my disability and the status quo: I've been in a coma due to sepsis and this caused A LOT of damage. At this point I can walk for about 2km (at just about 3kph speed) now, but..

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Daughter bought us a 'new' The Smiths LP for our wedding anniversary. Got round to playing it, and the sound quality isn't great, loss of range. Anyway, there are 8 tracks per side so it's been compressed - noticeably less quality than other LP's.

On the club ride my Garmin 1040 which is fresh up dated showed more climbing than everyone.
What’s going on, my computer is the best one out of the group & they’re all saying mine is over reading?

The carpet downstairs is old but serviceable until Mrs ck dripped loads of gloss paint when she tried to paint the door and ruined it.
Borrowed the father in law's Vax today with the intention of giving the dining area a clean which came up ok so I decided to keep that one but the paint was not coming out so as a last resort I bought some paint stripper as I thought if it bleached the carpet I was not losing anything.
I set to it scrubbing the stripper in with a scraper and I was surprised..

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[Admin edit: Continued from Tea? (Part 5) - https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/tea-part-5.173257/]

Fubar said:

Meats? MEATS?

No, absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Click to expand..

Maybe

Just thought I'd start a post showing local artwork we find along our way .... I will kick off with my mountain bike Konnie and the massive metal art Rose in Bathgate x both equally pretty methinks X wait ... Nope Konnie still edges it

Welcome to the 2026 Vuelta a Espana PTP thread. I'll be your scorer for this event, enter your predictions below.

This is open to anyone with a CycleChat account, so test your luck and/or knowledge won't you.

Get your GC and Stage 1 ITT picks in before 15:17 BST Saturday 22 August 2026.

Here are some useful links:

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/vuelta-a-espana/2026

https://www.lavuelta.es/en/

Road Book

Here is a map:

I haven't found an appropriate thread for this, so here goes:



Boat on the Ancien Canal du Neuf Brisach, Alsace.

I am in my sixties. Annoyingly Strava age brackets are 55-65 which seems crazy to me - how on earth can I compete with a 55 year old me? that guy was pretty damn quick!

But there is a popular segment near me which is tasking me. I have started back up with Strava and noticed last week that the fastest time is just under 3 mins for the over 55s - I had a crack at this last week from a standing start and was 7s off the pace.

How I can get faster (I think)
- First and foremost is some..

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Turns out that all Canary Islands finale bets are off for fear that someone might take offence that a team not called Israel in any way might be construed as being an Israeli team.

With Madrid having already shrugged its shoulders of the event by organising a car race for that weekend, it's looking like an Andalusian end to the GT year.

I have a Grandfather clock, quite literally as my grandfather bought it new almost a hundred years ago. Obviously since then it's been in the family (he died in 1976) and I seem to have inherited it, as it has been in my hands for the last 35 years or so and I'm not letting any of my siblings getting their hands on it.
It kept good time, is a fine piece of furniture in its own right, and I enjoy winding it up (whilst enacting that scene from "The Untouchables" just before Sean Connery..

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Picked this up today, thanks for the heads up @biggs682
Full 105 groupset including headset, and hubs with Araya rims. It's finished with some unknown - to me [hsin lung?] - bars and a Carrera-branded, Rolls look-a-like saddle.
A couple of the stickers have a bit of damage but otherwise everything spins tidy and looks like it just needs a clean and polish.
It's a few years (and a few extra stone) since I rode on 20mm tyres so they've gotta go, as will probably the corn cob 13-21..

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The time is upon us when the early signs of Christmas can appear. Discuss sightings here.

Review and score a film that you watched last night. It can be old or new. On TV, DVD/Blu Ray or cinema. Popular or obscure. Any film you like!

Last night I watched "Drag Me to Hell". Been wanting to see this for a while and watched it on DVD. A very good and pretty funny in parts horror flick from Sam Raimi (Evil Dead, Spiderman), it tells the story of a loan officer who rejects the pleads of an old gypsy women whose home is going to be repossessed. The gypsy women puts a curse on..

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Two Glaswegians, Archie and Jimmy, are sitting in the pub discussing Jimmy's forthcoming wedding.

"Och, it's all goin' pure dead brilliant," says Jimmy.

"Av goat everythin organised awready, the fluers, the church, the caurs, the reception, the rings, the minister, even ma stag night".
Archie nods approvingly.
I've even bought a kilt to be married in!" continues Jimmy.

"A kilt?" exclaims Archie, "That's magic, you'll look pure smart in that. Whit's the tartan?"

"Och," says Jimmy..

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Apparently linda lovelace introduced elton john at the hollywood bowl.