Great Internet deals for holidaymakers
Before you spend a fortune on holiday accommodation and travel take a few minutes to get online and do some hunting for the best deals. You can save upwards of 50% on your holiday costs if you take advantage of the deals that are offered online.
*Wotif.com.au is perfect for spur of the moment deals. You can pick up fantastic weekend packages and
often great mid-week packages in fabulous hotels for a fraction of the regular room rate.
*Lastminute.com has flights, accommodation , car hire, restaurants, etc. A saving of $237 was made on LA flights
Saturday, 15 August 2009
Friday, 14 August 2009
Tip of the Day 14 August 2009
Unit Pricing – the magic way to find the true cost
Knowing how to work out the unit price of items can save you a lot of money. Carry a small calculator with you or better still the Cheapskates How Much Does It Cost calculator to work out the unit price of goods. To do this divide the cost of each item by the number of grams, kilos, milliliters or litres. This will give you the cost per unit and you can compare them to find the cheapest product. In some cases, bigger is not always cheaper.
Knowing how to work out the unit price of items can save you a lot of money. Carry a small calculator with you or better still the Cheapskates How Much Does It Cost calculator to work out the unit price of goods. To do this divide the cost of each item by the number of grams, kilos, milliliters or litres. This will give you the cost per unit and you can compare them to find the cheapest product. In some cases, bigger is not always cheaper.
Thursday, 13 August 2009
Tip of the Day 13 August 2009
Eliminate laundry pre-treatments
If you add 1/2 cup bicarbonate soda to your load of washing and 3/4 cup white vinegar to in the fabric softener dispenser you'll be able to almost completely eliminate the use of pre-treatments like Preen etc. I've never come across anything that was ever harmed by this baking soda/vinegar treatment, it doesn't make your clothes smell like vinegar, and it also often gets rid of colours that have bled onto other clothes. When I use this treatment on the washing it gets it all clean. In fact, it seems to get all the clothes a lot cleaner for a lot less.
If you add 1/2 cup bicarbonate soda to your load of washing and 3/4 cup white vinegar to in the fabric softener dispenser you'll be able to almost completely eliminate the use of pre-treatments like Preen etc. I've never come across anything that was ever harmed by this baking soda/vinegar treatment, it doesn't make your clothes smell like vinegar, and it also often gets rid of colours that have bled onto other clothes. When I use this treatment on the washing it gets it all clean. In fact, it seems to get all the clothes a lot cleaner for a lot less.
Wednesday, 12 August 2009
Tip of the Day 12 August 2009
Save money doing the laundry
Wash in cold water and line dry. Make your own washing powder and for under $10 a year you’ll have clean clothes.
On wet days hang it over the clotheshorse instead of putting a load through the dryer. If you have ducted heating put the clotheshorse over a duct and let the warm air dry the clothes.
If you are drying heavy things such as jeans or bath towels, put them over the clotheshorse, place it over the duct and put a dry sheet over the lot tent fashion. It will create a nice little hot house effect and those wet, heavy things will be dry in no time and your house will still be warm.
To dry clothes when you don't have ducted heating, hang them over a clotheshorse and sit them under a ceiling fan turned to the lowest speed. You can do this even in winter, the fan will not only dry the washing but help circulate the warm air. Some ceiling fans have a reverse switch so they will spin backwards, forcing hot air down.
Wash in cold water and line dry. Make your own washing powder and for under $10 a year you’ll have clean clothes.
On wet days hang it over the clotheshorse instead of putting a load through the dryer. If you have ducted heating put the clotheshorse over a duct and let the warm air dry the clothes.
If you are drying heavy things such as jeans or bath towels, put them over the clotheshorse, place it over the duct and put a dry sheet over the lot tent fashion. It will create a nice little hot house effect and those wet, heavy things will be dry in no time and your house will still be warm.
To dry clothes when you don't have ducted heating, hang them over a clotheshorse and sit them under a ceiling fan turned to the lowest speed. You can do this even in winter, the fan will not only dry the washing but help circulate the warm air. Some ceiling fans have a reverse switch so they will spin backwards, forcing hot air down.
Tuesday, 11 August 2009
Tip of the Day 11 August 2009
Jigglers
Jigglers are popular at tuckshops and canteens around the country. These are a yummy treat, and kids just love them. These wobbly little morsels are very easy to make and extremely cheap.
Ingredients:
5 cups water
1 cup lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp gelatine
food colouring (if desired)
Method:
Heat the water, add the lemon juice, sugar and gelatine and stir until dissolved. Add food colouring of your choice. Pour into moulds and set in fridge. Egg cups make neat, half-egg shaped jigglers when they are set. You can pour the mixture into a slice tray and set cookie cutters into it. When the jigglers are set, lift out the cookie cutters to have lions, stars, flowers, cars or whatever shape your cookie cutters are. Or you can use ice cube trays. Or set them in icy-pole moulds and give the kids a frozen jiggler! Just be sure to make your jigglers big enough to be bitten a couple of times and not small enough to be swallowed whole and pose a choking hazard. As with any finger food for children, always supervise them while eating.
Jigglers are popular at tuckshops and canteens around the country. These are a yummy treat, and kids just love them. These wobbly little morsels are very easy to make and extremely cheap.
Ingredients:
5 cups water
1 cup lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp gelatine
food colouring (if desired)
Method:
Heat the water, add the lemon juice, sugar and gelatine and stir until dissolved. Add food colouring of your choice. Pour into moulds and set in fridge. Egg cups make neat, half-egg shaped jigglers when they are set. You can pour the mixture into a slice tray and set cookie cutters into it. When the jigglers are set, lift out the cookie cutters to have lions, stars, flowers, cars or whatever shape your cookie cutters are. Or you can use ice cube trays. Or set them in icy-pole moulds and give the kids a frozen jiggler! Just be sure to make your jigglers big enough to be bitten a couple of times and not small enough to be swallowed whole and pose a choking hazard. As with any finger food for children, always supervise them while eating.
Monday, 10 August 2009
Tip of the Day 10 August 2009
Sleep well on a scented pillow
My lavender bushes are stunning at the moment, so many flowers and the scent is just beautiful. I love my lavender pillows and sachets and looking at the bushes the other day reminded me to get out the sewing machine and make some more. They are really easy to do and are a great way of using up scraps of pretty fabric, old doileys and serviettes, even scarves and handkerchiefs.
Take two pieces of fabric measuring 15cm by 22cm each (scarves are lovely). Pick a pretty fabric that’s not too fragile. Sew the pieces together inside out, leaving a 2.5cm opening on one of the sides. Turn the pouch inside out and fill with 1 cup small grain rice. Add scented flowers like lavender and chamomile and a drop of your favourite essential oil or perfume. Sew or glue up the opening. You can vary the size with different sized pieces of cloth, to make it square, really big for a head, round for a seat or back, etc. It’s a great way to relax with your favourite scent.
From the May, 2004 Cheapskates Journal
My lavender bushes are stunning at the moment, so many flowers and the scent is just beautiful. I love my lavender pillows and sachets and looking at the bushes the other day reminded me to get out the sewing machine and make some more. They are really easy to do and are a great way of using up scraps of pretty fabric, old doileys and serviettes, even scarves and handkerchiefs.
Take two pieces of fabric measuring 15cm by 22cm each (scarves are lovely). Pick a pretty fabric that’s not too fragile. Sew the pieces together inside out, leaving a 2.5cm opening on one of the sides. Turn the pouch inside out and fill with 1 cup small grain rice. Add scented flowers like lavender and chamomile and a drop of your favourite essential oil or perfume. Sew or glue up the opening. You can vary the size with different sized pieces of cloth, to make it square, really big for a head, round for a seat or back, etc. It’s a great way to relax with your favourite scent.
From the May, 2004 Cheapskates Journal
Sunday, 9 August 2009
Tip of the Day 9 August 2009
Seedling Swap Group
Starting and keeping a veggie going can cost a bit so I have just joined a friends group that swap seedlings/plants. Everyone raises different seedlings that we then swap for other types. It is a great way to try growing different veggies or species while getting to know what grows best in your area by talking to other gardeners. It also means that you don't have to outlay on all different seedlings or seeds.
Contributed by Tracey, Gympie
Starting and keeping a veggie going can cost a bit so I have just joined a friends group that swap seedlings/plants. Everyone raises different seedlings that we then swap for other types. It is a great way to try growing different veggies or species while getting to know what grows best in your area by talking to other gardeners. It also means that you don't have to outlay on all different seedlings or seeds.
Contributed by Tracey, Gympie
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