Stay Organized
If you’ve ever spent several frantic minutes searching for your keys on your way out the door or looked everywhere for that hammer just to hang up a few pictures, you know that being disorganized can eat up a lot of your time. Clean out cupboards, under sinks, and even your garage or garden shed and put items you want to keep in boxes or bins with labels so that you’ll be able to find the items when you need them.
Saturday, 28 March 2009
Friday, 27 March 2009
Tip of the Day March 27, 2009
Cleaning melted plastic off the toaster
Next time a plastic bread wrapper melts onto the toaster or the kettle, try this. Rub some petroleum jelly on the spot, reheat the appliance and use a paper towel to rub off the plastic and the printing.
Next time a plastic bread wrapper melts onto the toaster or the kettle, try this. Rub some petroleum jelly on the spot, reheat the appliance and use a paper towel to rub off the plastic and the printing.
Thursday, 26 March 2009
Tip of the Day March 26, 2009
How much should you save?
The short answer is as much as you can. What does that mean? It means different things to different people. However, no matter how much money you earn or how many expenses you have, you will always save more if you pay yourself first.
The suggested amount is 10% of your gross salary, but if you can't manage that, save 5% or 2%. Even saving just $5 a week regularly will help you establish a good saving routine and habits. You can make saving automatic by setting up a regular direct debit from your everyday account to your savings account.
The short answer is as much as you can. What does that mean? It means different things to different people. However, no matter how much money you earn or how many expenses you have, you will always save more if you pay yourself first.
The suggested amount is 10% of your gross salary, but if you can't manage that, save 5% or 2%. Even saving just $5 a week regularly will help you establish a good saving routine and habits. You can make saving automatic by setting up a regular direct debit from your everyday account to your savings account.
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Tip of the Day March 25, 2009
Using lay-by instead of credit to get what you want
Not too long ago lay-by was out of vogue and very few stores offered the service. These days it is coming back into it's own and more and more stores are re-opening their lay-by counters. Lay-by items you want or need rather than buy them on credit. Even big ticket items such as fridges, lounge suites, televisions etc can be put on lay-by. True, you will have to wait until it is paid for before you get the goods, but you will own it straight away, won't be paying for it forever and better still will only pay the actual cost price and a small lay-by fee (usually around $1) - no interest.
Lay-by is a good way to get items you need or want when they are on sale and you don't have the ready cash to buy them then and there. It's also a great way to "hide" Christmas and birthday presents when hiding spots at home are limited.
Not too long ago lay-by was out of vogue and very few stores offered the service. These days it is coming back into it's own and more and more stores are re-opening their lay-by counters. Lay-by items you want or need rather than buy them on credit. Even big ticket items such as fridges, lounge suites, televisions etc can be put on lay-by. True, you will have to wait until it is paid for before you get the goods, but you will own it straight away, won't be paying for it forever and better still will only pay the actual cost price and a small lay-by fee (usually around $1) - no interest.
Lay-by is a good way to get items you need or want when they are on sale and you don't have the ready cash to buy them then and there. It's also a great way to "hide" Christmas and birthday presents when hiding spots at home are limited.
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
Tip of the Day March 24, 2009
De-scaling the kettle
Need to clean the scale from the inside of your electric kettle? Don't spend your money on those expensive products advertised as the only thing to use for this job. Simply put the minimum amount of water in it and add half a cup of white vinegar. Let it sit overnight, boil and rinse, refill with clean water and you'll have a nice clean kettle.
Need to clean the scale from the inside of your electric kettle? Don't spend your money on those expensive products advertised as the only thing to use for this job. Simply put the minimum amount of water in it and add half a cup of white vinegar. Let it sit overnight, boil and rinse, refill with clean water and you'll have a nice clean kettle.
Monday, 23 March 2009
Tip of the Day March 23, 2009
Using up horrible shampoo
If you ever wind up with shampoo you really don't like (does anyone NOT do that?), don't just throw it out. Most shampoos make good liquid hand soap diluted 50:50 with water, but if you don't like it for that, use it to wash delicates in.
Extra Tip: It will dissolve some greasy stains, too. Mop the floor, or wash the soap ring out of the bathtub with it or use it as a pre-wash on collars and cuffs.
If you ever wind up with shampoo you really don't like (does anyone NOT do that?), don't just throw it out. Most shampoos make good liquid hand soap diluted 50:50 with water, but if you don't like it for that, use it to wash delicates in.
Extra Tip: It will dissolve some greasy stains, too. Mop the floor, or wash the soap ring out of the bathtub with it or use it as a pre-wash on collars and cuffs.
Sunday, 22 March 2009
Tip of the Day March 22, 2009
Budget Freezer Labels
For really cheap freezer container labels, buy a roll of masking tape and just rip off as much as you need and write on it with ballpoint pen. Make sure that you stick the masking tape to a dry lid or base, one that has not been stored in the fridge or freezer. These labels will stick on pretty much everything from freezer bags, containers in the fridge or freezer to containers in pantry. To avoid confusion in the future, write on the label what's inside, how many serves, whether it could stretch to more serves by adding something and the date it was made i.e. "rich tomato sauce 1 serve - add zucchini/capsicum & tinned tomatoes for 2-4 serves 26/2/09". You can also do this for meat that is to be frozen. We all know how hard it is to tell what's in that freezer bag once it's frozen.
For really cheap freezer container labels, buy a roll of masking tape and just rip off as much as you need and write on it with ballpoint pen. Make sure that you stick the masking tape to a dry lid or base, one that has not been stored in the fridge or freezer. These labels will stick on pretty much everything from freezer bags, containers in the fridge or freezer to containers in pantry. To avoid confusion in the future, write on the label what's inside, how many serves, whether it could stretch to more serves by adding something and the date it was made i.e. "rich tomato sauce 1 serve - add zucchini/capsicum & tinned tomatoes for 2-4 serves 26/2/09". You can also do this for meat that is to be frozen. We all know how hard it is to tell what's in that freezer bag once it's frozen.
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