21 August 2013

Sometimes I Just have so much to share


There are days I have so much I want to share with you I just don't know where to start or what order to put things in.  Some things deserve a post on their own, but how many posts can I subject you to each day?  Some things become stories and articles for the Journal, but even then I struggle to fit everything in. Some things become Tip of the Day posts and emails, and again I struggle to fit everything in.  I can share some things in the Members Forum, but again it is a struggle. I can add a little to each newsletter (it's one reason why I do a weekly newsletter and not a monthly one, there is just too much information to share - and if you haven't subscribed to my weekly newsletter, Bright ideas to save you money, you can do so here).  

This morning I woke up to an interview with Lloyd Nicol from Team UOW, talking about winning the Solar Decathlon held in China (Datong to be precise) with their design for a retro-fit of an existing house.  How cool is it that it is possible to completely retro fit your house to be energy efficient from the very frame up and out!  I really want to let you know about this project (if you don't already) because it is so exciting. You can read more about Team UOW, the project, their amazing house, the competition and their win here

And there's the bedroom makeover we did for Hannah's birthday. Her room is just gorgeous, and we did it all on a rather tight budget and still managed to buy beautiful bed linen, a new bed and mattress, a new dressing table, shelves, bedside table, lamp, curtains and wall art.  Her bedroom has gone from a rather boring beige and little girl décor to a beautiful, grown-up shabby chic for under $600!

On top of those two exciting happenings there are the usual day-to-day savings. I was rather excited this morning to hear labna being touted as a super food for women (on Today, Channel 9 this morning) and used as an ingredient in a beetroot salad. Labna is so easy to make and is very frugal and versatile, especially if you make your own yoghurt. That segment reminded me that perhaps it was time to remind you all not only how to make and use labna but how easy, convenient and economical it is to MOO yoghurt.

Thinking about making yoghurt reminded me that I haven't shared my new ginger beer recipe, or the instructions on how to make it. MOO ginger beer is so much better than bought (even better than Bundaberg) and of course it is a fraction of the price. I started the ginger beer plant on Sunday so we'll have some ready when the weather warms up.

That's just four things I want to share with you, and there are more.

While I was getting the meat out of the freezer for tonight's dinner, it reminded me that it had been a while since I defrosted the freezer or updated you with how the freezer organizing is going. And that reminded me of bulk meat buys, where to buy, the top prices I am prepared to pay, how to package and store that meat to get the very best from it.

Of course bulk buying made me think of the question from Christine, asking for a copy of my shopping list and by default that had me thinking about stockpiling and how I build my stockpile, what I stockpile, where I buy those items and the top prices I am prepared to pay.

Can you see my dilemma?  There are just six thoughts since 6am this morning. There will be more throughout the day.

I need your help. I have all this information and thousands of ideas and hints that really work, but I need to know what you want to know so I can share it with you.

Please leave a comment below and tell me what you want to know about. It might be cleaning. It might be how to tackle the laundry. You might want to know the vegetables you can grow that will have the biggest impact on your budget. You might want to know how to keep the cost of travel down. Perhaps you are interested in how we can be well dressed on $200 a year. It could be that you are craving a simpler, more self-sufficient life and want to know where to start.

I'm waiting, with bated breath and coffee in hand, to find out how I can best help you live life debt free, cashed up and laughing.


17 comments:

  1. Love your blog....I was a spendthrift in my previous life!!..now trying to learn how to save money and the planet at the same time...your tips are great, have spent quite a bit of time trawling through all you previous blogs..stay well.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think you read my mind!!! We are just about to start a veggie garden, with limited space, time and two little boys to feed and one very hungry husband I am wondering, whatveggies to grow which will give you most bang for your buck?
    I am loving your posts and have found so many useful tips which not only save us some case but are good for the environment too (a biggie in our house!). So thank you for contuing to have all these wonderful ideas and sharing them with us (and all before 6am!).....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love my veggie plot. I know we wouldn't eat as well or be as healthy without it. We have a small backyard too, smaller than normal and I'll be happy to share some ideas with you.

      Before you start sowing and planting though think about what veggies you eat the most of during spring and summer (as they are the seasons coming up), then work out which of those veggies are the most expensive to buy. There's no point in planting zucchini if you don't eat it, no matter how easy it is to grow. On the other hand if you love cabbage and coleslaw and borscht and sauerkraut then a staggered planting of cabbage will be worth it.

      I'll start putting some notes together for you, so stay tuned :)

      Delete
  3. Thanks for your blog Cath. Right now I would like info on organising and decluttering while dealing with littlies. I have a 2 year old girl in part time day care and a 4 month old girl at home and I will return to part time work when she is 1. I want to feel organised by the time this happens with unnecessary stuff gone and the power to feel mentally organised.

    I find all your advice on saving invaluable and hope that one day my husband will have a permanent job and we`ll be able to buy our own place. And won`t have to move junk in there!

    Thanks,

    Allie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anything you blog about is fine by me. Tell it all. I wouldn't mind if you blogged a couple of times a day to ease the backlog of ideas you want to share.

      I'd love to see your shopping list, what you pay for things and what you buy in bulk. Would also like to know how you save on electricity, water and gas. I'm forever trying to reduce our bills.

      I'm also interested in anything to do with being more self sufficent on a regular suburban block.

      Delete
    2. Allie stay strong and focused. After Disaster Struck it was 4 years before Wayne had a permanent full-time job. We survived on 3 days here, 2 days there of casual work during those 4 years. It wasn't easy, but it wasn't that hard either, once we'd decided what was important to us.

      Delete
  4. Thanks to you Cath I rarely go through the cleaning aisle at the supermarket. I make almost all of my own cleaners including the laundry powder. I do however still reluctantly buy dishwasher tablets which are so expensive. I tried to make my own dishwasher powder but it solidified. Any tips and suggestions for homemade dishwasher powder and dishwasher cleaner would be great.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'd really like to know about this too! I have just started making my own products, its great fun and saving money (as well as being grey water safe), but worries me I cant make dishwashing powder myself. ANy tips would be greatly apprecited!!

      Delete
    2. I've been using this for my dishwasher, it's much gentler on everything in it, more a hand wash, can do all my plastics, and doesn't take the surface off all my crockery etc. And you use a teaspoon per load, so it's very economic. Shop around for the best price, I just did a quick search for the product :)
      http://www.allergytrain.com.au/Store/tabid/62/ProductID/520/Default.aspx
      Jenny

      Delete
    3. Dishwasher powder is hard to MOO, I've not found one recipe yet that I am completely happy with. At the moment I am using straight bicarb as the powder and vinegar for the rinse aid and it's giving the best results so far.

      I am a little miffed with Aldi for discontinuing their budget dishwasher powder - $2.19 for 1kg and it did a great job, was very economical. I mixed it 50:50 with bicarb and used 3 teaspoons a load. Best of all it came in a recyclable cardboard box.

      It's been replaced with a plastic bottle that is almost impossible to open,especially when you have arthritic fingers, costs $1.80 more for the same weight and if you are to follow the instructions uses twice as much, and that's why I'm back to plain bicarb and vinegar.

      Delete
  5. Hi Cath, I LOVE to read your blog, and would love for you to write about anything and everything that you think of to tell us. I have learnt so much from you, and am happy to read as many posts as you want to publish. I can only learn more, and I love too to hear about your life in terms of how you organise your cleaning schedule etc. Bring it on, I say! I am more than happy to read anything you write. Thank you so much for all you do and all the information you provide. With warmest regards

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gee Tania, I think my life is rather dull, not that I'm complaining, I like dull, it just still amazes me that anyone else is interested in it :)

      When it comes to cleaning the operative word is routine. It's boring but it has to be done. Funny thing is the more often you do it, the easier it is and the less time it takes.

      Delete
  6. Hi cath, I love everything you write ! I would also love to see your shopping list and max prices as well as everything else you want to share. Maybe do more blogs and then ppl can choose whether to read them or not. I certainly will!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OK, I will work on uploading shopping lists and price book info, although you'll probably be disappointed, my shopping list isn't at all exciting.

      Max prices: here's one for you. I won't pay more than 12c/100 sheets for TP. I am always amazed at the people who flock to Costco and buy 60 rolls at once and think they have a bargain at 54c a roll - I buy 4 for less than the price they are paying for 1. Honestly when you think about what you use it for you really are just flushing your money down the toilet ;)

      Delete
  7. Hi Cath, I also love reading your blog and newsletters. I really appreciate your time and effort you put into helping all of us! I am particularly interested in learning more from you on MOOing, your shopping list and max prices you pay, where & how you bulk buy, and anything further you can share with us on household routines and personal organisation. Also more sewing/crafting on a budget would be great.... better stop now, my list is getting longer and longer!! Keep up the great work Cath. You are a true inspiration, Kelly

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi there! Anonymous wanted to know how to replace commercial dishwash tablets - I used 1/4 cup of bicarb and then 1/2 cup cheap white vinegar for the rinse (it was an older dishwasher) but it got everything pleasantly clean EVEN the(my DS DIL) dishwasher which desperately needed it. An of course it is cheap. Try it - at worst it will clean your dishwasher beautifully.
    Hope this helped Peggy

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks so much for sharing all your advice, tips and ideas. I just love them, they are so helpful. It is such a help (and a relief to be honest), to learn all these ways I can reduce our expenses and actually be able to put money away. I just today made up my first batch of miracle spray and will no longer be buying pine-o-clean wipes. And this is because of having washing soda left over after making up a batch of your laundry powder. And I had all the other ingredients so I didn't have to buy anything to make it. Was really pleased with myself. I love reading all your ideas and tips. For me the most relevant are cleaning & groceries tips. I'm also keen to hear your tips on how to dress nicely for so little. I did recently discover Savers in Ringwood, and was able to buy myself a gorgeous work jacket for winter for only $14. Normally I would pay $50-$70. Would love to hear any ideas you have :-) Thanks again for your generosity in sharing!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment...I just love hearing from you!

Just a couple of things:

Please don't use your comments to advertise your business or goods for sale, any such comments will be removed.

And please include your name, ANONYMOUS POSTS WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED AND WILL BE RECORDED AS SPAM.