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Cooking from scratch
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Cooking from scratch, photo editing & storage heaters – this week's MSE Forum highlights

James Hatts
James Hatts
Forum Executive
31 January 2025

This week on the MSE Forum, MoneySavers have been pondering the definition of 'cooking from scratch'. Does making a pie with ready-roll pastry count? And is it sometimes worth spending more to make your own coleslaw than buying ready-made?

If you're not a member yet, here's how to register for the MSE Forum. It's simple and quick to join.

A few of this week's top threads

These are some of the Forum discussions that caught our eye this week:

Money Moral Dilemma

Every week, the Money Tips email features a real-life Money Moral Dilemma (MMD for short). They're intended to encourage debate and, as such, they're usually among the most discussed threads each week.

A fire at my house damaged my neighbour's place - should I pay for the repairs?

A recent fire at my house caused damage to my and my neighbours' properties. The damage to my place was small, which is a blessing, as I don't have home insurance. My neighbours' place suffered about £300 of damage, which is around the same amount as their excess, so they've asked me to pay them back for the repair costs. The fire was an accident, and I've been told that, legally, I don't have to pay them anything, but should I?

See what our MSE Forumites had to say and add your own thoughts on the Money Moral Dilemma discussion thread. Do please stick to the MSE Forum rules: keep it kind and keep it clean. Remember, there's a real person behind every dilemma.

Got a Money Moral Dilemma of your own? Email us at MMD@moneysavingexpert.com and it could be featured.

Photo of the week

Our Crafting board is a great place to find inspiration for your own creative endeavours. CraftyRach shared this snap of a knitted baby jacket they've just completed, using only materials from their existing stash.

Knitted baby jacket on a dark background

Please note: We love seeing your photos in the MSE Forum, but if you're uploading one, make sure it doesn't include any personally-identifiable information such as your face or address.

Challenge corner

It's the start of a new month so it's an ideal time to join in with one of the February challenges on the Forum - take your pick from the No Spend Day Challenge, the No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries Challenge or the Grocery Challenge. What they all have in common is the Forum's unique blend of gentle accountability and mutual encouragement to help you reach your MoneySaving goals.

Latest comping wins

We love hearing about times when one of our comping community hits the jackpot. This week jaydeetee is celebrating a £2,025 cash win, plus a £1,000 holiday voucher, from a radio competition. As they said: "Obviously the odds against winning are huge but this shows there is hope for everyone here that enters."

Check out our Competitions time boards for many more contests and draws.

Your two cents

Are you an Asda shopper? Forumites are discussing the latest change to the Asda Rewards scheme. Will the removal of Star Products make a difference to your shopping habits?

If you're not a member yet, it's easy to register for the MSE Forum.

MSE Forum

Seen something that we should include in the next Forum blog? Let us know

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