The Week that Was 1st May 2022

It has been a long week! Or it feels long, even Wayne felt like it was dragging.

Hannah's car was towed (again) to the mechanic on Tuesday morning. It was an easy fix, our mechanic called, told us what the problem was, and said Wayne could fix it, and he was welcome to do it there, no charge. He is a lovely man and a very good mechanic. So that's what happened, with the car finally being fixed Wednesday nigh.

I have been wanting a particular item for about 18 months. Of course this is a tight budget year, so there really wasn't money for it. After talking it over with Wayne we decided to wait until it came on a good sale. Thursday I get an email to say one day only, 40% off! Off I went, to get one, and then there were only two on the shelf. I know that once they are gone, getting more will be hard due to the supply chain problems.

Little peas poking through the soil - so exciting!

I've been boiling the kettle once, in the morning, making my cuppa and then pouring the rest into our thermos. This saves me boiling the kettle each time I have a cuppa through the day, and depending on the how the day is going, sometimes I have a few. Every little bit of power not used keeps money in our pockets. 

Sold more dishcloths in our store Home Among the Gum Trees, so every time I sit down for a few minutes I pick up the knitting needles to get more done.

Made chicken soup using dehydrated veggies from the pantry (carrots, onions, celery), potatoes from the cupboard (canned earlier in the year), stock from the freezer and one small chicken fillet. It filled the pressure cooker. Sent some home with Hannah, and I've been eating the rest for my lunches each day.

Dried the washing on the clothesline each day. A little sunshine, a little breeze and it dries in no  time.

Packaged up a box of cards to send to the nursing home. Made a half batch of soap to use up the open/leftover bits of ingredients and tidy up the soap making box. It's a funny colour, but it smells nice and will be lovely to use when it's ready in about six weeks.

Cleaned the kettle with citric acid, then poured the water it into the toilet to clean it.

My face wash was empty - well according to the pump on the bottle! Off came the lid, in went about a quarter bottle of water, a few shakes and it will keep going for at least another couple of weeks, and I haven't noticed a difference in the way it lathers or cleans. I do this with so many things. I'll keep this bottle and tip half the new bottle into it and dilute it 50:50 with water like I do the shampoo, conditioner and dish washing liquid to stretch it even further.

Limited my trips to one this week and did all the errands in one go. Saves a lot of fuel, and when it's still over $1.90/litre that really helps.

Checked the toothbrushes each morning and made sure the chargers were turned off. They don't need to be on 24/7, using power. With four in the house it won't make a huge difference to the amount of power we use, but every little bit we don't use is money we're not spending on electricity.

Added to the compost with veggie peelings and lawn clippings.

Fed the worms with veggie peelings.

Rinsed and dried egg shells to use as either snail deterrent or fertiliser for the garden.

Fed the fruit trees, rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries and veggie beds with worm tea.

What did you do to save money, time and energy last week?

Be A Collector of Skills

"Be a collector of skills" was a phrase I read recently on a blog I follow (Frugal Measures) and it has stuck in my mind.

As a Cheapskate, my focus is often on saving money, and the many, many ways I can do that without compromising our lifestyle. After all, that's what started me on this journey: the need when disaster struck to stretch our dollars till they screeched so we could maintain our standard of living.

I had to learn to do so many things that were completely foreign to me. I had to develop hobbies I had into full-blown, usable, practical skills, then use those skills to feed us, clothe us, keep us dressed, give us presents and holidays and so much more.

Looking back, I became a collector of skills.

And I'm still collecting skills.

Some of the skills I've collected include:
Knitting
Sewing
Embroidery
Darning
Cross-stitch
Tapestry
Quilting
Patchwork
Dressmaking
Pattern making
How to sew on a button
How to take up hems
How to put in a zip
How to work buttonholes by hand
How to work buttonholes by machine
Using an overlocker
Making patterns from ready-made items
Paper making
Card making
Scrapbooking
Photography
Hair cutting
Gardening
Seed Saving
Pruning fruit trees
Sharpening shears, knives and axes
Firewood collecting (yes, it's a skill - not all wood is good firewood!)
Bottling/canning
Freezing
Jam making
Sauce making
Pickling
Smoking meats
Bread making
Soup making
Making yoghurt
Vinegar making
Dehydrating
Fruit growing
Composting
Car repairs
Tyre changing
Oil changing
Fuse changing
Soap making
Lotion making
Using essential oils and herbs to make medicines
Cooking over an open fire
Making washing powder
Making laundry soaker
Making window cleaner
Making all-purpose cleaner
Using a haybox cooker
Knowing how to use the chainsaw safely
Knowing how to winch safely
Knowing how to drive in low range in all types of country and weather

Some of the skills I'm working on include:
Making sourdough starter
Pressure canning
Making wicking beds for the garden
Knitting socks

Disaster struck, and at the time it was an absolute disaster.

Almost 25 years on, I can look back and see what a blessing it was (could've done without the "disaster" disguise), and how it has enabled me to care for my family and my home, and extended family, over the years on a sometimes almost miniscule budget, without compromising lifestyle.

The skills picked up over the years have saved us money, time and energy, and formed a collection I am proud to own.

Happiness Homemade 8th February 2018

Beautiful roses growing in the garden 

We live a much more luxurious and decadent lifestyle than we should on our income and budget -we feel rich, far richer than we are. We do.

One of the things that worried me most when Disaster Struck was that with no income (and we went for years without a regular income, and months at a time without any income at all) was that our lifestyle would change. I didn't want that to happen, I didn't want to not have the things we needed, let alone the things we loved and enjoyed; I didn't want to fee poor and deprived, and so I became a Cheapskate.

I learned to get us the things we needed and wanted within our budget. And I became very conscious of just how much things cost, and how much we weren't spending to get those things.

 Delicous homemade chicken pot pie

If we'd had to buy them, we wouldn't have been able to have them. Nowadays, I know better, and I simply won't spend money I don't need to on the things we need and want. And I firmly believe that money isn't saved until it is safely in the bank. Until then it just isn't spent!

Each week I look back over our spending, and what we didn't spend. When it is appropriate, I move the amount we didn't spend to our savings (at the moment most of it is going to our holiday savings account, ready for our trip in May). I've been doing it so long it's habit to me now and just one of the things I do on autopilot.

Violas in a pot - grown from seed, they put a smile on my face every time I see them

But if you're new to the idea of paying yourself the money you didn’t spend, it can be confusing.

A friend wrote

"Hi Cath
Just wanted to say I'm really enjoying your new series on the blog about what you spend, what you don't spend etc. I really want to adopt your method of transferring money saved by making gifts or cooking from scratch etc into a savings/holiday type account, and I was hoping you might be able to explain what you do a bit further for me please?

I get the general idea, it's more the finer details I'm not sure how to deal with. For example, in your second week, where you made the cinnamon scrolls (I feel like some now btw!) and sausages rolls. As you mention, both would cost heaps at the bakery, so your saving is significant. But you also said that of course you wouldn't actually buy that many from a bakery.  So I guess what I'm asking is where you would transfer that money from in order to save it given that you wouldn't have that amount in your grocery budget?

This is just an area that has always tripped me up a bit when trying to work out the value of what I do in our home. There are a number of things like this that I do, baking, sewing, crocheting etc, and while I know they improve our lifestyle, I also know that they are things that if I didn't make them, we just wouldn't have them. For instance, I would never pay a huge amount for something like a handmade quilt for one of my children, so I don't feel like I've really saved money, I've just made something nice that we otherwise wouldn't have.

I've spoken to Annabel about this before in terms of her Vicky Challenge, and can see the benefit of recording what something I've made would have cost to buy, even if I wouldn't have bought it at that price. But where I get stuck is actually transferring the money so that it is truly saved. I love the idea, I'm just not sure how to transfer money saved when the amount is more than is in the budget. "

    Strawberries in our strawberry patch - they just keep on giving, year after year

And this is my answer

"Hello and lovely to hear from you. I actually read this last night before I went to bed, then spent all night thinking about how I could answer so it makes sense.

First, I believe that money isn't saved until it's actually in the bank - until then you just haven't spent it.

You'll see I have three headings each week:
1. what we spent
2. what we didn't spend
3. what we saved.

What we spent 

This s obviously, well what we actually spent i.e. groceries, petrol, chemist, hardware, clothes or whatever for the week. As the utility bills come in they'll be included in this amount too.

What we didn't spend

This is the area where I calculate the retail value of what I, or Wayne, have done for the week. You'll see costings for Wayne's coffee, lunches, baking, gardening, mending, cleaning, shopping around for better deals on utilities, major purchases etc.

This is mind boggling when you add it all up, and is what Annabel's Vicky Challenge is about. I don't consider this amount savings, because it's not banked. Rather it is money we didn't need to spend to maintain a rather comfortable, sometimes luxurious, lifestyle - the money that non-Cheapskates would spend without thinking about it to maintain their lifestyle. Does that make sense? Let me know - I can try to reword it if it doesn't.

You mention making the quilt for your children as not being a saving, and unless you actually put the value of the quilt into the bank, it's not saved. But the value of the quilt is important to show the value of your lifestyle. As you said, if you had to buy it, then you wouldn't. But making it has added value to your lifestyle.

What we saved

This is the amount I actually shift into our savings accounts each week.

For example, with petrol, I budget $80 a week, but these days I don't use anywhere near that much. I try to fill the car on the cheapest day and when it gets to about half a tank - just my fuel security and OCD kicking in. It's rarely more than around $50, depending on fuel prices of course. So each week I take the leftover money and shift it into our holiday fund. I can do this because the $80 has already been budgeted for, so the money is in the fuel account. I could leave it there and let it build up, but I like to see our holiday account grow - gives me something to look forward to.

Then there are a lot of things I'd never buy, because no matter how well off we will ever be, I just can't justify the price when I have a less expensive but just as good, if not better, alternative I can make - like the cinnamon scrolls and the sausage rolls. Or like paying for a manicure, these days I do my own nails and while they will never win prizes, I'm happy with them and I don't spent the money each week or fortnight.

These are the things that we can afford on our budget because we don't buy them (does that make sense?). There is no money in the budget for these things, so I don't have the money to move to savings.

This is money we didn't spend. And this total is important because at the end of the year I can see just how much living the Cheapskates way really saves us - a lot more than a full-time job when it's all added up. I get to be a full-time stay-at-home wife (our children are adults now, still live at home but don't need me to look after them), caring for our home and garden, because we don't spend tens of thousands of dollars every year on things we don't have to - and yet we don't go without a single thing we need or want.

We live the life of Riley, I'm sure, and all because we are aware of the value of what we have and do.

Frankly I'd much rather bake a batch of cinnamon scrolls than work at a paid job for three hours to earn the money to buy them - to me it's a no brainer!

Goodness I hope I haven't confused you more - but I hope this explains how I work out the value and the saving."

It's not really complicated, and it's just something I have always done. It's not vital to living the Cheapskates way, or sticking to your budget.

It does make you feel better though when you see the luxuries you enjoy on your Cheapskates style budget, and that is the secret to feeling rich, rather than feeling deprived.

Happiness Homemade

 This is the title of a little book I was given before we were married, and I've referred back to it many times since then, for encouragement, wisdom and old fashioned advice.

When Hannah was three and four, if you'd asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, she'd happily tell you she wanted to be a shopper (I know - she's my daughter!). When I was little, then as I grew older, if you'd asked me what I truly wanted to be when I grew up I'd have told you wife, mother and homemaker. They were the jobs I wanted most of all, everything else came second in my career choices.

As it turned out I met, then re-met quite a few years later, my sweetheart.  We fell in love, married (and in 12 days we'll be celebrating our 29th wedding anniversary) and started our life together.

But before we were married we talked (a lot) about our future dreams and goals, and how they'd work in our marriage. Both of us came from somewhat traditional homes, with two parents: working father and homemaker mother, and that was the style of home we both wanted. We both wanted our children to have a parent at home with them, and we both wanted to raise our children ourselves; we wanted to be the main influence in our children's lives. We wanted to have the traditional home we'd both grown-up in.

It hasn't been quite that, though: we do live in the modern world and Disaster did Strike. I've worked both within and outside our home and now my "outside" work means I am able to fit it in around my work at home.

This is a big thing for me, because it means that I can still have my first career choice of wife, mother and homemaker, yet still "work" and contribute in more ways to our home.

But wife, mother and homemaker is still my first career, one I take very seriously, and one I'm not going to give up.

Caring for my family and our home is important to me and I'm proud to be able to do it.

I could work more hours and bring more cash into our household, although in reality that wouldn't necessarily be the case (working outside the home may bring in a wage, but there are costs associated with that wage, often costing almost as much or even more than you are earning - truly!).

I like doing my housework, I've never thought of caring for my family by caring for our home as drudgery, or a chore or a waste of my time or talents. It's something I take pride in, and an important part of my career.

I smile when I remember that when I clean our home, I'm saving at least $25 an hour for a cleaner. IIt doesn't take long, about an hour a day, usually in the mornings, every morning from Monday through Friday doing housework (I've put my daily routines here) keeps our home tidy and clean and comfortable. And by doing it myself, I've saved $125 a week from leaving our household budget and saved my husband from having to work an extra six hours. I'd much rather do the cleaning and have those six hours with him.

Working in the garden, ironing (although I try not to, it's not my favourite chore), baking our bread, making jam and marmalade, cooking our meals from scratch, shopping wisely to get the most from our money, are all things I do as a part of my job. And all these things make our home a happier, nicer environment for our family.

Taking the time to sew on a button or restitch a downed hem makes the garment owner feel loved and special, and that flows forward to making our home a happier, nicer place, somewhere we all want to be.

Looking for the best deals on the things we need, making gifts instead of buying them, DIYing instead of paying someone else to paint or make curtains or repair something all save us spending money, so we can use it for the things we really enjoy.

My days are busy and sometimes they are non-stop and I get tired, but they are always fulfilling. At the end of each day I look back at what's been accomplished and smile, knowing that I've done my job to the best of my ability, that my family is happy and that my happiness truly is homemade.

Thursdays have always been household day here on the blog, and 2018 isn't going to change that.

What will change is the type of post on a Thursday. This year they'll focus on how we can make our homes happy, sometimes using old-fashioned methods, tips and tricks and sometimes using more modern ways.

And how a happy home can change your financial life, without you feeling deprived or poor.

I hope you'll join me, and enjoy finding that your happiness can be homemade too.

Cleaning the Wheelie Bin

Thursday is garbage pick-up for us, so each week out goes the small wheelie bin, and either the green waste or recycle bins.

We try really hard not to fill them up each week/fortnight, sometimes we win, sometimes we lose.  Last week the small bin was full, Christmas seemed to increase the rubbish. This week it wasn't quite so full, but it was definitely

We also try to keep the bins clean. After all, especially in an Australian summer, there is nothing quite as disgusting as a stinky bin.

I make sure that anything that goes into the bin is wrapped. I also try to only put things that can't be composted or recycled into the bin - saves space and mess. And if there is anything to go into the bin that is going to stink before pick-up on a Thursday, then I try to remember to wrap it and freeze, putting it in the bin just before it goes out.

But even with all these steps, the bin can get a bit on the nose.

So each Thursday, after they've been emptied, I wheel them around the back and clean them. It's not as hard, or as erky, as you may think, and it only takes about 5 minutes.

I use Miracle Spray and an old long-handled broom, the hose and then surface spray. Now surface spray isn't something I use in the house and I try to minimise its use but we seem to be living on a giant ant colony and they infest the bin within minutes if I don't spray. I do only spray around the top lip - that seems to be enough to keep the ants away.

So I tip the bin upside down, turn the hose onto the stream setting and give the inside a good squirt. This shifts anything that may be stuck to the sides or bottom. Tip the bin upside down to empty, then I turn it right side up, pour in 1 cup of Miracle Spray and fill it about a third with water. I use the old broom to scrub down the sides and bottom until they are sparkling (or as sparkling as an old, green wheelie bin can be). Tip the bin upside down again to empty, then it's turned right side up again and put in the sun to dry.

I let it sit in the sun for a couple of hours - the sun is a good disinfectant and to make sure it is thoroughly dry.

Once it's dry the lip gets a quick spray with the surface spray and it's ready to be put away.

The recycle bin and the green waste bin get the same treatment when they are emptied.

I know some folk swear by kitty litter in the bottom to absorb leaks and odours - I find it too messy for me.

I've also heard that a sprinkle of bicarb in the bottom and over rubbish as it's added helps. Again, this is too messy for me and I just know that I'd be the only one adding the bicarb.

It only takes about five minutes a week to clean the bin and keep it as sweet smelling as a bin can be.

My Non-Food Stockpiles

Not everything in my stockpile is food related, although food was the reason I started stockpiling.

I stockpile toiletries, cleaning products, garden needs, gifts, clothes and lots of other things to save money, save time when shopping and to ensure that if disaster strikes again we will be able to eat and stay clean, keep the house clean, the garden growing and celebrate, amongst other things.

Right now in my non-food pantry stockpile you'll find:

Oven bags
Freezer bags
Foil
Clingwrap
Vacuum bags (for the Foodsaver, not the vacuum cleaner!)
Baking paper
Patty pans of various sizes
Freezer paper
Paper bags
Foil trays
Serviettes
Plastic tablecloths

In the cleaning stockpile you'll find:

Laundry soap
Borax
Washing Soda
Bicarbonate Soda
Citric Acid
Eucalyptus oil
Lavender oil
Ti Tree oil
Salt
Ocedar furniture oil
White vinegar
Dishwashing detergent
Dishwasher powder
Scrub buds
Matches
Spare gas lighters (2)
Bug spray

In the toiletries stockpile:

Toothpaste
Toothebrushes
Toothbrush heads (for the electric toothbrushes)
Mouthwash
Dental floss
Shampoo
Conditioner
Hair spray
Deodorant
Moisturiser
BB cream
Mascara
Lipstick
Lip balm
Razors
Shaving cream
Bodywash
Soap
Dove bars
Body cream
Handcream
Sunscreen

In the first aid stockpile:

Bandaids of various shapes and sizes
Burn cream
Burn dressings
Betadine gargle
Betadine
Dettol
Antiseptic cream
Antiseptic wipes
Peroxide
Bandages
Elastic bandages
Paracetamol
Ibuprofen
Zyrtec
Immodium
Saline
Eye bath
Water purification tablets

In the garden stockpile you'll find:

Lots of different types of seeds
Icy pole sticks to use as plant markers
Twine
Torn sheets to use as ties
Brass hose fittings (2 spare sets)

In the clothing stockpile (these days I only stockpile for Wayne and myself) you'll see:

Socks
Underwear
T-shirts
Long sleeved t-shirts
PJs
Nighties
Track pants (for Wayne)
Slippers
Gloves
Beanies
Scarves
Spencers
Warm winter jackets (bought at Aldi on half-price clearance - $9.95 each!)

In the gift stockpile you'll find:

Wrapping paper
Gift bags (new)
Gift bags (recycled)
Cards & envelopes (birthday, thank you, thinking of you etc.)
Gift cards  & envelopes
Gift tags
Sticky tape
Double-sided tape
Ribbons
Bows
Curling Ribbon
And lots of things for presents, but because the recipients read my blog, I'm not listing them!

As you can see by my lists, stockpiles aren't just for food, they can be for anything you use.

What non-food items do you stockpile?

Dust African Violet Leaves

I'm trying this, I'll let you know how it goes. I have one African violet and I'm hoping to be able to strike more from it, so I need to keep it healthy and happy.

Dust African Violet Leaves

To keep your African violet plants healthy and help your plant to breathe through its leaves dust the leaves off periodically with a clean paint brush. When the plant's leaves are full of dust it cannot breath through its leaves and it cannot stay healthy. It really works! I have had no luck in getting blossoms on my African violet plants and now that I have been doing this they are full of blossoms.
Contributed by Jenny, Diamond Creek

How to Strike Lavender for Free Plants

My lavender is in full bloom, but I need more plants. I asked my father-in-law to raid the lavender garden and bring me a few cuttings - he brought me half the garden, I'm sure. Then Maureen kindly left some cuttings after the card making afternoon last week - my lavender needs, wants and dreams have been fulfilled!

I love lavender for it's beautiful scent but it also has wonderful medicinal properties and is such a hardy plant for the garden, needing very little water and loving full sun, just perfect for our north facing front garden.

I'm planning on harvesting the flowers to use in lavender water, sachets, soaps and to make flavoured sugar. I can't wait!

How to Strike Lavender Plants

Lavender is very easy to propagate, meaning you may never have to buy another plant if you follow these simple steps.

Step 1. Cut a stem of lavender about 10cm - 15cm (4 - 6 inches) long. Make sure it doesn't have any flowers on it and is still soft and flexible - you don't want any old, woody stems.

Step 2. Remove the leaves from the lower two-thirds of the stem. I do this by gently running my fingers down the stem - it's faster than pulling them off one-by-one.

Step 3. Plant the cutting into seed raising mix or a good quality potting mix or rich garden soil - whatever you have on hand. Make sure the container has good drainage. I use toilet roll planters as these can be put straight into the garden when the cutting is ready to be transplanted.

Step 4. Keep the cutting moist and in a sunny window. It will be ready to go into the garden in about 4 - 6 weeks. You'll see new growth, the sign it is ready to transplant. If you've used the toilet roll planters just dig a hole the depth of the roll and plant. Easy!

Keep the cuttings moist but not drowning in water their first summer in the garden so they establish a good, strong plant.

Expect to be cutting flowers from your free lavender plants next summer.

How to have a Beautiful Spring Garden on a Budget

By the time spring arrives, most of us are thrilled to see the sun shining and the flowers blooming. For we gardeners, springtime is especially welcome, because it's the first opportunity of the year to plant beautiful veggies and flowers. But if you're not careful, that spring garden can wreak havoc on your budget.

Here are some ways to save on your gardening costs.

* Plant perennials. Perennials are plants that come back every year on their own, so you don't have to buy new seeds year after year. Petunias are perennials, even though most of us pull them out at the end of each season. Cut them back and leave them over the winter and they'll grow and bloom again, saving you money, time and energy.

* Harvest seeds from your annual plants so that you can sow them again the following spring at no additional cost. Let the seeds dry, store them in labelled bags, and keep them in a warm, dry place for the winter. Plant them in seedling trays and place them in a window when spring is near, and they'll be ready to transplant when the weather is suitable for it.

* Ask fellow gardeners for cuttings from their plants. Friends and neighbours are often happy to give you a start from one of their plants that you admire. I currently have 23 lavender cuttings growing from my mother-in-law's garden.

* Plan your garden carefully. It's helpful to draw a diagram to scale and determine which plants you'll plant where. This will keep you from overspending by buying too many plants and it helps with crop rotation and succession planting too.

* Be sure to do your planting at the right time. It's important to wait until there is little chance of frost. If you don't, a frost could obliterate all your hard work and leave you with few or no flowers. Once you've planted, keep an eye on the weather forecast and cover your young plants overnight if frost is a possibility.

* Take care to make sure all of each plant's needs are met. Some need to be exposed to the sun all day, while others should be planted in shadier areas. Some plants should be planted deep in the ground, while others do best just below the surface. And space requirements vary significantly. These specifications should be listed on your plant's tags or the seed packet. If you're unsure about a plant's requirements, you can find out all you need to know online or from a good gardening book.

* Make your own fertilizer. Compost coffee grounds, food scraps and grass clippings, and add them to your garden. This works just as well as store-bought fertilizer, and it's much cheaper.


There are plenty of ways to have a beautiful and productive garden without spending a lot of money, these are just a few ideas you can easily use.

Old Seeds? Try this Trick to see if they are still Good

Seeds get old, packets get torn, sometimes we forget to jot down the date we harvest them if we seed save. Old seeds don't need to be tossed away though. You can try this simple trick to see if they are still viable and worth planting.

You will need:
10 seeds
Paper towel

Step 1. Wet the paper towel and wring it out until it is damp. Spread it out.

Step 2. Space the seeds evenly along the paper towel.

Step 3. Roll the paper towel up so the seeds are completely covered - they need to stay damp.

Step 4. Put the paper towel somewhere warm (I usually sit it on a sunny windowsill).

Step 5. After two days check to see how many, if any seeds have germinated.

Here's how you can determine the viability:

1 seed germinated = 10% germination rate
5 seeds germinated = 50% germination rate
10 seeds germinated = 100% germination rate

I personally only use the seeds if I get a 50% or more germination rate. You can choose the rate that suits your planting space and harvest needs.

The Week that Was

I picked a handful of these pretty roses that grow along the driveway for our bedroom

Last week was such a busy week, and this one is already shaping up to be the same. All the usual homemaking jobs of course: washing, dusting, vacuuming, beds, bathroom cleaning, ironing, gardening, bill paying, meal prep and cooking - you know how it goes.

My mother told me years and years ago, before we were even married, that once you have a home and a family you always have something to do and it is so true. Even if I didn't have Cheapskates I'm sure I'd have more than enough to do in and around our home, looking after my family to keep me busy.

There have been a few extra things on this past week. The fun stuff has been making the samples for the Mother's Day Gift Ideas series. I love handicrafts of any kind and would happily spend hours knitting, sewing, working on tapestries, making cards, quilling and trying other crafts so "having" to spend time doing these things has been a real hardship as I'm sure you'll understand, especially if you love crafting too.

I'm also working on the materials packages for the Art of Living the Cheapskates Way workshop. Only two weeks away, I'm hoping to get everything finalised early this week so I can be sure the workshop will run smoothly and everyone will not only have a great day but learn some of my secrets for living on a tight budget.

On SaturdayI had the absolute pleasure of going to the Hampton Park Library here in Melbourne and spending almost two hours talking to  the loveliest group of people about the Art of Living the Cheapskates Way.

It was lovely to see my friend Tracey come in. I've known her since I was 12, so a long time, and while we haven't seen each other face to face for about five years, she has been a member for a long time and we keep in touch via facebook. And it was fantastic to have Wendy sitting up the back offering encouragement too.

Apparently I was invited to talk at the library because I have a stalker! Deirdre and her "plus one" sat in the front row and I think she was like a bee in a bottle with excitement.

The questions came thick and fast as we went through my presentation, and then for almost an hour after. It was so nice to be able to share ideas with like-minded people and offer encouragement. I'm sure there is a young man went home and sat down with pen and paper, to work out how he can pay cash for the new care he wants in four years after I explained how we save to pay cash for everything and some advice from Wendy.

Then there's the young mum with four daughters who wants to learn to sew. Like me she worries about the fashions for little girls these days and struggles to find clothing she and her husband feel appropriate without having her daughters dressed like dowdy old ladies. I had some suggestions for her, having been in the same position when Hannah was small.

And it was thrilling to have a Tip of the Week winner in the audience too, encouraging everyone to share their tips for their chance to win a one-year membership. I love reading the new tips that come in and adding them to the Tip Store and the Journal and the newsletter. On that note if you have a great idea for saving money, time and/or energy share it! You might just be a lucky winner too!  http://www.cheapskates.com.au/contactform/default.cfm?form_id=125

Here's my tip for today: keep an eye out at your local library for guest speakers. Library events are (usually) free and they have some fascinating speakers (and you never know, I might just be one of them!). I'm at the Knox Library on Wednesday 13th May, you can contact the library for bookings, and I can't wait. Meeting so many lovely folk who don't think I'm odd (or are too polite to let me know if they do) is pure joy.

Then, to top off a perfectly lovely day, I followed Wendy home for what was to be a quick cuppa and chat. Two and a half hours later and we were still chatting even as I was getting into the car. Afternoon tea with Wendy and Darren is just wonderful. Beautiful china, a lovely table setting and the most delicious homemade treats.

Darren blessed me with two bags of coffee grounds for the compost! Oh the fragrance in the car on the way home, to a coffee lover like me it was perfume indeed. Wendy blessed me with a beautiful pad of printed papers I can use for making cards and a big bag of lemons, picked off her lemon tree that day. I've already used some of the paper and the lemons have been juiced and zested for lemon butter and cordial later in the year.

A gift of fresh lemons, picked straight from Wendy's tree

It's not like  Wendy and I don't talk or email reasonably often but when we are together we never run out of things to say. Having a friend who has had an almost identical life path, with it's up and downs and the odd test or two, is a rare and wonderful blessing, one I am thankful for. To the lady at the bread shop who told Wendy about Cheapskates, thank you. If you hadn't been brave enough to mention us, Wendy may never have subscribed to the newsletter and then eventually joined and I, and everyone else at Cheapskates, would have missed her beautiful friendship.

Now onto more mundane things.

This week my meal plan is out the window, and it's only Monday. I think about the only meal on the plan that will actually be made is the pizza on Thursday. Last night we had beef ribs instead of roast beef. AJ asked for ribs last Thursday and I said no, then the Tasman email arrived with weekend specials and low and behold, beef ribs were on sale for $5.99 a kilo. Off to Tasman I went, and was strong. So many great markdowns but no room in the freezer, so a tray of ribs was the lonely occupant of my basket when I went to the checkout.

And tonight is supposed to be bean and vegetable casserole, but there are some tortillas to use up, a little mince in the fridge that has to be used and half a tub of sour cream I don't want to waste so tacos it is.

And tomorrow night instead of chicken tortellini we'll be having MOOed chicken kievs. I want to try a new recipe and I have all the ingredients. Tomorrow night is the only night this week we'll all be home at the same time for a meal so the tortellini will have to wait.

It just goes to show that no matter how well organised you are, life can get in the way. If I wasn't so organised chances are we'd have a lot of wasted food (and therefore money) and we really can't afford to waste either thing.

Today has been glorious. It started out cold and foggy, but it wasn't long before the sun was shining. I've dried a load of washing on the line, picked some egg plants, capsicums and pumpkins; whizzed some dried bread for breadcrumbs, grated blocks of cheese and vac sealed them in 500g lots for the kids to use while I'm away; done my Monday cleaning jobs; taken three bags of towels to the op shop and tidied the laundry cupboard.

Pumpkin, egg plant and capsicum straight from my garden - can you see I need to beat the possums and birds?

Now I'm going to enjoy a cup of tea before it's time to start the tacos and get ready for whatever tomorrow brings.

Fake "Fruit" Tricks Birds

Just before your tomato plants start to grow ripe tomatoes, hang round plastic, red coloured Christmas baubles through the tomato bushes.

The birds will think the baubles are tomatoes, peck at them, and become unhappy when they don't get anything to eat. They then leave the plant alone and you get to harvest a bountiful crop of lovely, fresh, whole tomatoes.

It sounds absurd, and your neighbours may think you've flipped your lid, but it really works!

Cheapskates Garden Sprays

The weeds are growing faster than anything else in the garden, the bugs are out in force determined to eat every tiny seedling they come across and the plants are crying out for help. Here are three simple homemade remedies that will kill weeds, keep pests at bay and give vegetables and flowers a much needed boost.

Weed Killer

(a safe and cheap substitute for Round-up)

Here's a great weed killer you can make for less than $2 per 5 litres. Dissolve 2 cups (500g) table salt in 5 litres white vinegar (generic is ideal). Add 8 drops of liquid dishwashing detergent (helps plant material absorb the liquid). Label and keep out of reach of children. Use in an ordinary spray bottle. This non-toxic formulation acts as a temporary soil steriliser, so don t spray near roots of trees, shrubs, or plants you'd like to keep. This is especially effective on paths, driveways, footpath ... any place you don t want anything to grow.

Pest Spray

1 tsp antiseptic mouth wash (like Listerine)
1 tsp hydrogen peroxide
2 cups water
Mix in spray bottle and mist plants. Good for both indoor and outdoor plants. Mix small amounts as needed.

Fertiliser

Here's a great way to brew up your own plant fertiliser at a cost of about 5 cents per 5 litres: Add 2 teaspoons of plain household ammonia to 5 litres of water. Allow the mixture to steep for a full 24 hours. Use on plants instead of using costly commercial fertiliser. Caution: If you use more than two teaspoons per 5 litres of water it will be too strong, and you will burn your plants. In this case more is definitely not better.

The Hanging Veggie Garden

Want to grow a few veggies to ease the grocery bill or because they would be better than what you can buy but you don't have a lot of land (or any at all) to spare?

Consider a hanging garden. Growing your own food in hanging pots and baskets is a great way to turn verandahs, patios, decks and even carports into great growing spaces.

All you need are some hanging baskets, hooks to hang them from, potting mix and your vegetable seeds or plants. You can even grow some vegetables upside down (tomatoes for instance).

You can grow lots of great summer vegetables in hanging pots. Try cucumbers, spring onions, lettuce, strawberries, tomatoes, capsicums, peas, bush beans, cabbages, cauliflowers and herbs to get your hanging vegetable garden going.

Choose compact, bush or dwarf plants for your hanging garden and use a light potting mix rather than a heavy, compact soil. This will help keep the baskets light and safer to hang. Just remember that plants in pots and potting mix need more water than those in the ground. A layer of mulch works as well in pots as it does on the ground to keep moisture levels up and temperature even.