Moving shopping - a tip

Strap from shopping bag wrapped around bell mount to reduce strain on basket mounts

I went shopping yesterday, and the shopping bag was a bit more than the rated strength of my front basket.
I had about 7.5 kg (16.5 lbs) of shopping, and my basket is only rated for 5 kg (11 lbs).

So I wrapped one of the straps of the shopping basket around the bell mount on the handlebars.
Therefore some of the weight was taken by the bell mount, rather than by the basket mount.
It worked too!
(I would, however, recommend this tip as being for occasional use only!)

update 25th June 2013:
some time ago i fitted a "Steco" front rack to my bike, and that supports the same basket. Because the weight in the basket is now supported by the rack and not by the basket mounting, I can carry much heavier loads without fear of breakage - like a 7.5 kg *17.5 lbs) sack of potatoes I recently moved!