Economic Bust!

Picture this:
With unusual thoughtfulness and economic drive, I decided that while making dinner, I would boil the potatoes in the steamer water, thus cooking the potatoes and the vegies at the same time.  Before I knew it, the potatoes were finished but the vegies in the steamer basket above were not.  No problem, I thought.  I'll just drain the potatoes then tip the hot water back into the pot and finish the vegies off.  It was a good thought until I stood over the sink with the potatoes, about to pour them into the colander.  That's when I realized that if I poured the potatoes into the colander, the hot water would go down the drain.  Oops!  I stood there for a while, weighing up whether to tip out the hot water and re-boil cold water for the vegies, or scoop the potatoes out with the slotted spoon and put the hot water back under the vegies.  I went for the slotted spoon, but I don't think I've attempted anything quite so economic again!