How can you tell fermentation has finished?

[Wingwong]

Without a hydrometer. Should I just wait till bubbles stop rising or is this too simplistic?

 

[kentmark]

Bearing in mind how cheap they are i would mail order a hydrometer. The interim few days between order and delivery won't do any harm to the brew!

 

[Wingwong]

I do actually have one but the fact that my reading has gone up from 1040 to 1060 since yesterday has led me to think im either doing it wrong or my mix has gone strange

 

[jonnymorris]

You must be reading it wrong. Got a photo of it in your wort?

How long has it been fermenting, what is it and what temp is it at?

 

[klaus]

Without a hydrometer. Should I just wait till bubbles stop rising or is this too simplistic?

It was about 15 years before I bought a hydrometer.
I just went with the instructions on the kit (wait x days + a few more).
Never had a problem with it but couldn't say what the ABV might have been, probably very closee to the suggested %.