Electricity Free Night Lights

My kids, 2 and 3, like to have a night light. Unfortunately, we have had many unsuccessful experiences of purchasing a special 'night light' and it not lasting for too long for what ever the reason. They've also required electricity to run. I was recently shopping in Target and looking at a clearance section which included 10 small solar power garden lights at a considerably low cost. Walking away my lights suddenly went on: they'll provide just the right amount of light, will not get hot, would be child safe and most importantly, they don't have to be outside at night. So with that, we now use garden solar power lights as night lights, it's saving electricity, is better on the environment and a great toddler task to make sure they're put out side and brought in each morning and night to get the best possible light!
Contributed by Catherine, Box Hill South

A Surefire Way to Put the Brakes on Spending

The easiest way to control your spending is to work out the real cost in dollars you need to earn to be able to afford what you are buying.  Find out what percentage of every dollar you earn goes in tax. Add this to the price of the item you want. You may find that $10 item you wanted will mean you need to earn $13.70 to be able to make the purchase.

How long do you have to work to earn $13.70?

Bread Crumb Biscuits

These biscuits are so good and are another delicious way to use up leftover bread crusts or stale bread.

Breadcrumb Biscuits
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups SR flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 cup skim milk
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup apple sauce
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs*

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Sift together flour and cocoa, stir in bread crumbs.  Combine skim milk, egg, vanilla extract and apple sauce.  Add to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Drop by spoonfuls onto an a cookie sheet lined with baking paper. Bake 15 minutes until golden.

*Note:  Save crusts in the freezer until you have enough to make 2 cups of breadcrumbs.

Get regular exercise

This pops up a lot and is really commonsense, but in our busy lives it tends to be forgotten. Regular exercise is a major factor in living longer. Fresh air and sunlight especially provide Vitamin D to the body. Stretching those muscles even for thirty minutes a day stimulates the metabolism, helping with weight control. You don’t have to join a gym or pay for a personal trainer. Housework, gardening, riding your bicycle, bed making, hanging the washing and mowing the lawn are all forms of exercise that cost absolutely nothing.

The Scent of Spring

At this time of year, when windows are shut tight against winter draughts, our homes can get stale and stuffy.  If you can't open the windows and doors wide and let the breeze blow through, the next best thing is the scent of spring.  Rather than use an artificial room deodoriser make up one of your own.  For the cost of a few drops of your favourite essential oil, a little vodka (yes, real alcohol) and about two minutes you can have a room spray that will have you thinking you've skipped July and August and gone straight to September.

To make your air freshener spray you will need:

1 spray bottle
1 cup cool water
2 tbsp vodka
10 drops bergamot essential oil
10 drops peppermint essential oil

Pour the water, vodka and essential oils into the spray bottle. Put the lid on and shake really well.  Spray into the air for an instant "spring fresh" scent.

You can alter the mood of your spray by using different essential oils. Experiment with your favourites until you find a combination that you love, then use your own unique air freshener liberally to keep your home fresh all winter long.

Keep Receipts Organized

Tax time is fast approaching and the need to gather receipts, credit card and bank statements is here. This may not get you organized for this tax year, but start now so next year will be easy.

Keep Receipts Organized
An easy way to keep the hundreds of receipts in order every year is to have a file for each credit card, bank account, cash, etc. File the receipts for purchases, statements, etc., in that particular file. When you need to go back and retrieve receipts to return an item or to claim a repair under warranty you'll be able to find it immediately. You may not always remember what month you purchased an item but you can usually remember how you paid for it. At the end of the year, put all the statements, receipts, etc., for each account in its own manila envelope and label it for the year. Makes retrieving and organizing receipts much easier than keeping them in a box somewhere. It also makes getting ready for taxes a little less stressful.
Contributed by Sharon D.

Eggy Toast

Sometimes you just need comfort food, not the usual hot and stodgy meal full of carbs, but something more nostalgic. Eggy Toast is my ultimate nostalgic comfort food. It brings back memories of winter breakfasts when Mum would make it to fill us up after our porridge and memories of something warm, gentle and easy to eat when life wasn't kind. To me eggy toast says "I love you" in the most delicious way.

Hannah and I had eggy toast for dinner last night. She had a particularly distressing day at school and was in dire need of some comfort and eggy toast fit the bill perfectly. Wayne and the boys had their rissoles and veggies and managed to dispose of the leftovers. Hannah and I made our eggy toast and curled up under the doona on her bed and ate our eggy toast and watched The Princess Diary on DVD and it was nice. And comforting. And my girl went to sleep peaceful, contented and much happier than she had been a few hours earlier.

Eggy Toast

Ingredients:
Sliced bread - heavier breads such as wholegrain or sour dough are perfect but any bread will do
Eggs - one for each slice of bread
Butter

Method:
1.  Use an egg ring or scone cutter to cut a circle from the middle of each slice of bread.

2.  Heat a fry pan over a medium heat, add butter and melt. Drop the bread into the butter, swish it around a little so it soaks up the butter.

3.  Crack an egg into the circle. Cook until the white is set and the bottom of the bread is toasted.  Flip and cook until the egg is cooked.

 4.  Place onto a serving plate.

5.  Add more butter to the pan if necessary, you need enough to toast the bread. Butter the circles on both sides, drop into the hot fry pan and cook until golden, flip and toast other side.

Place the circles on top of the egg, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.

This toast is best made with butter BUT if you are worried about cholesterol use margarine. I've tried it with cooking spray and olive oil spray in the pan and it just didn't work, butter or marg are needed to get the right degree of "toast".  It's a great way to use up stale bread if you have plenty of breadcrumbs.

Served with baked beans it makes a great Saturday or Sunday night dinner too.

Eggy toast really is the ultimate nostalgic comfort food.

The Wrapping Box

You have ten minutes before you leave for the party, and you haven't wrapped the gift, or written in the card. In fact, you don't even have a card to write in. What do you do? Panic? Stop on the way to buy wrapping and a card?

Why not be prepared and start a wrapping box? It's a simple thing really. I have a real Cheapskate wrapping box - just a plain, old, brown cardboard box that fits on the top shelf of the cupboard. But this box has saved me a panic over and over again.

What's in the box?
My wrapping box has sheets of wrapping paper (bought at the market 6 sheets for $1) and a variety of cards for all occasions (these are 50 cents each from the thrift shop). It also holds rolls of sticky tape, pretty stickers, and ribbons and bunches of silk and dried flowers to decorate gifts. I use plain scissors and two pairs of fancy scissors to make decorative edges around cards and gift bags. Also in the box are rubber stamps, stamp pads, texta pens, gel pens, glue sticks, liquid glue, tubes of glitter glue and bottles of glitter.

My children love the wrapping box because we save the funnies from the Sunday paper, sheets of butcher paper, coloured cards and envelopes. They love decorating the wrapping for the gifts they are giving.

All of these things have been bought at markets, $2 shops or discount stores on sale. I top the box up once a year, usually between Christmas and New Year when everything is on sale.

It's such a relief to know that you have a stock of wrapping papers, cards and ribbons on hand. Life with a wrapping box on the top shelf of the cupboard is such a joy! And no more last minute, panic buying trips, on the way to the party!

Start a wrapping box for your familythis week (it doesn't have to be glamorous, but you could let the kids deocrate it), and surprise everyone with the gorgeous gifts you present, for only a few cents worth of wrappings.

Bootees and Babies

I'm knitting bootees at the moment. The family of one of Hannah's school friends has just welcomed a beautiful little girl into their family. As her big sister is 15 and there are 3 big brothers between her and her new sister, pretty baby girl things are in order.

The thing I like to knit best is bootees. Old fashioned I know, but baby bootees are so special. They are such tiny little shoes, for precious, tiny little feet. Bootees are quick to knit too, I can usually do a pair a night if I concentrate on them.

Years ago when I travelled an hour each way by train into the city for work, I could knit a pair of bootees every couple of days. Around that time there was a real baby boom - school friends having their first babies, my cousins having new babies, neighbours having new babies - I spent two years knitting nothing but bootees.

They were then and still are now my favourite "new baby" gift, a selection of bootees, presented in a pretty keepsake box. Colour of course was determined by the gender of the bub and the personality of the new parents. I had the dickens of a time trying to find red, yellow and lime green 4 ply baby wool in the 1970's for a co-worker's new baby. New babies were still meant to be in white or pastel pink or baby blue, not colours!

I've gone through the cupboard and found a ball of 4 ply baby wool I bought on clearance at Spotlight at the end of last year for 99c. It's a 100g ball so I'll get 4 pairs or bootees from it, or two pairs and a bonnet or helmet. 

I knitted dozens of bootees, mittens and helmets for the boys when they were babies and toddlers. Living in Wagga as we were then, the winters were bitterly cold, so helmets and mittens were essential items. We have photos of them playing in the backyard, in snowsuits, helmets and mittens, as happy as Larry. It didn't seem to matter how cold it was, they just wanted to be outside playing. Brrrrrrr some of those days it didn't get above 5 degrees!

Hannah, being our baby girl and a real winter baby, had plenty of bonnets, bootees and matinee jackets, all matching sets.

But I digress.

I've had the knitting for months. The sewing machine has been set up, along with the embroidery machine, waiting to be used. I have a pile of photos to put into albums, I'm just not in the mood.

So instead I've been knitting. The dishcloth basket is overflowing with lovely new dishcloths. I've knitted some and sent them overseas for gifts and given some to a couple of friends who have been a great help while Wayne has been unwell.

I've re-covered old coat hangers and covered some that need doing and used up lots of scraps of yarn in the process. I had lots of fun playing with different patterns and colour combinations. Some are striped, some are plain, others are patterned.

And now I'm onto bootees. As well as Steph's new sister, a dear friend's granddaughter is expecting her first baby, due later this month and she's sent out a call for bootees, mittens and bonnets to keep the baby warm. They live in Goulbourn, where winters are cold (oh so very cold) and wet, so lots of warm knits will make life a little easier for this new mum. I'm thrilled that a young mother wants something that's considered old fashioned and a nuisance for her baby gift, and I'm even more thrilled that she's asked me to knit them for her.

We don't know whether the baby is a precious little girl or a handsome baby boy, so I'm using lots of either-or colours - white, lemon, blue and green, and a few pairs in a pretty pink just in case. I don't know what it is about baby girls, but they do seem to need pink! I've dragged out my pattern books as I said, and yes, it's true, some of them are older than me. Mum used them to knit when she was expecting me and my brother, oh, just a few years ago!

AJ and Tom don't believe they ever had feet so small they'd fit into a newborn bootee. To look at their size 13 planks feet now you'd never believe it either. Thankfully I have photos to prove it to them!

It's time to plant your garlic

If you are planning on growing your own garlic this year and haven't already planted it, now is the time to do it! Traditionally garlic needs to be in the ground before the shortest day of the year, and that is this coming Wednesday, June 22.

To plant your garlic, gently break the heads into cloves. Plant each clove, point end up, about 7cm deep and 7cm apart. Garlic likes well drained soil, soggy soil will cause the heads to rot. Dig in a little compost before you plant to give the cloves a boost. After a couple of weeks the shoots will begin to show through. Treat your garlic to a once-a-month watering of seaweed solution and watch it grow. It is ready to pull when the leaves have died off and the heads have formed their papery outer skin. Hang the garlic to dry for two weeks, this is essential if you want to store it.

And there you have it, your very own home grown garlic, a most undemanding crop if ever there was one, that gives such a wonderful, fragrant bounty.

Keeping Track of Books

How often have you lent a favourite book to someone, only to never see it again? Keeping a note of who borrowed which book and when is one way to keep track of them and hopefully get them back. Adding bookplates to the inside of your books is added security against their return. Who wants to have a book belonging to someone else on their bookshelf?

Bookplates are readily available from book shops and stationers, but they can be pricey. Instead of buying them, make your own. There are any number of free templates available, Google "free bookplate templates" and choose the design and style that suits you best. Microsoft Office and Avery Labels also have templates you can download, personalize and print. Personalize your chosen design by changing colours, fonts and font size and adding your name and phone number. Then, to save some work and a little time, print your bookplates straight onto labels and stick them straight into your books.

Here are some free templates you can use:
Martha Stewart - Homemade Bookplates

My Home Library - beautiful bookplates especially for children

How to Design Custom Bookplates

Lemon Scented Furniture Polish

Back in the olden days, before Mr Sheen and O'Cedar, homemakers kept their furniture gleaming and in tip top condition with a simple homemade furniture polish. You can get the same shine with this simple furniture polish you can whip up in your kitchen.

First, take a spray bottle and wash it thoroughly in hot, soapy water. Rinse in hot water and let it air dry (make sure it is absolutely dry). Then mix together 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice and pour into the bottle. Give it a good shake to mix.

To use, take a clean cloth and spray with the polish until it is just damp. Using circular motions, polish your timber furniture.  Respray the cloth as needed (it takes three sprays to polish our TV unit). Take another clean cloth and buff to a shine, again using circular motions.

Your furniture will look lovely and your home will smell lemon fresh.

This polish will keep well if stored in a cool, dark place. Just shake the bottle well to combine the oil and lemon juice before using.

Trim the wick

Lighting candles makes a room warmer, just perfect for these chilly winter nights. To keep your candles burning brightly and cleanly, you need to trim the wick after each burn. When a candle is in a votive or jar, this can be quite difficult as regular scissors just don't manoeuvre to get the job done. Instead of giving up in frustration use a pair of nail clippers to quickly and easily snip the wick. They are slim enough and long enough to fit in a jar and only need to fingers to operate.

Play the Game and Watch the Savings Add Up

Approximate $ Savings: $2,500 annually
  
Becoming a seasoned "Cheapskate" has taught me to always be on the lookout for ways to save $$$. At first glance, many things may not seem to be worth the effort, however the results, when combined and calculated over a years time, are significant. For example, a call to the phone company saved me $5, a change in cable service -$13, called the refuse company to discuss rates -$3, closed our Safety Deposit box -$2.10, switched from disposable to reusable (dish rags, napkins, plates, etc.) -$6, eliminated most all junk food purchases -$33 and 5kgs.:), one additional week between hair appointments -$10, cancelled daily newspaper delivery $8.33, on-line bill payments -$3.33, reduced electric -$15.50,natural gas -$8.33, water-$2.50, practice ESSENTIAL spending -$86, use Cheapskates washing powder -$12.50. Combined, these small monthly changes save us (at least) $2,500 annually. Happily, we can add to that another $300, as we are now able to avoid the late penalty on our property taxes! After getting started, it's become a bit of a game, and the savings just keep coming!

Contributed by Laura Toy

Cornish Squares

A family sized version of a Cornish style pasty, this slice is quick, easy and very economical. It is delicious hot or cold, although keeping it long enough to actually get cold is a challenge in our house, there are never leftovers as the lack of photo shows. I'll make another one and post a picture for you, as soon as I have the house to myself!

Ingredients:
500g lean mince
250g sausage mince
30g butter
1 large onion, diced
2 level tbsp  plain flour
2 level tbsp curry powder
1 cup beef stock
2 tbsp tomato sauce
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup grated apple (Granny Smiths are perfect as they are tart)
100g grated tasty cheese
2 sheets shortcrust pastry*

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 220 degrees Celsius.  Melt butter and saute onion until clear. Add meat and brown. Drain. Blend flour and curry powder in stock, add tomato sauce and pour into meat mixture. Bring to boil and cook 30 minutes over a low heat.  Add grated carrot and apple. Season with salt and pepper. Grease a lamington tin. Line the base and sides of the tin with the pastry (depending on the size of the tin you may need to add a section from the second sheet).  Add filling. Sprinkle grated cheese on top. Bake at 220 degrees for 40 minutes, reduce heat and cook at 175 degrees for 10 minutes. Let sit in tin 5 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.

Cost: Approximately $7, serves 8.

*If you make your own pastry, the cost will be reduced by around $1.20. Elaine's Easy Pastry is perfect as the base of this slice.

Time for plotting and planning

Winter is a quiet time in the garden, which makes it the perfect time for plotting and planning.  Use your garden journal to plan where and what you are going to plant for spring and summer.  Remember rotate where you plant to avoid depleting the soil and the spread of plant diseases.

Keep Kids Content in the Car with Games

Taking off on a road trip is an Aussie long weekend ritual. Keeping the kids amused is one of the challenges of this ritual.  Here are three fun car games kids and adults can play. Playing games in the car keep the kids amused and calm and if anyone tends towards car sickness, it take their mind off the journey and eases the nausea.

Car Colours
Perfect for little kids. Everyone chooses a colour, then has to count the number of cars they see in their colour in a given time frame. When the time is up the person with the most cars wins.

Alphabet Game
Taking turns, each person has 5 kilometres to find the letters of the alphabet. Starting with A, they must find them in order.  A for instance could be on a number plate, B on a road sign, C on the side of a truck etc. When the 5 kilometres is up it's the next person's turn. The person who finds the most letters wins.

The Sightseeing Game
The first person names a letter of the alphabet. Each player must name a tourist attraction or point of interest that begins with that letter in each of these categories: city, state, country, river, mountain, park. Whoever completes the most categories wins.

Check the Specials Before You Shop

After you've made your  meal plan and shopping list, check the sales flyers for the week. Ours usually arrive in the letterbox on a Wednesday and a Sunday. Compare them with your shopping list.  Look for ingredients you have on your list that are on sale, or ingredients on sale that will do the same job as some you have on your list.  If certain items you like are on sale, use your grocery slush fund to stock up and freeze the excess for future meals.

Give a room a new look for free

Redecorating, new furniture and accessories may be what you want, but they all cost a lot of money, even when done on a budget. You can give a room a brand new look by simply moving the furniture.  It doesn't take long, require drop sheets or special equipment and best of all it's totally free.

I'm not dreaming, it's really banana cake!

I made a banana cake this morning, after six months of being a banana-free household. It smells so good, and I know that not a crumb will be left tonight.

Banana cake is AJ's favourite cake, he usually asks my friend Sandra to make him one for his birthday and she always does. Sandra makes the best banana cake you've ever tasted, so moist and full of real banana. But I digress.

I made banana cake this morning because I found two bananas hiding in the bottom of the freezer, wrapped in clingwrap and as black as could be. I almost did a happy dance right there in the laundry. With bananas being so expensive (the cheapest I've seen them locally is $10.99/kg) they have been a rare treat and most definitely have not lasted long enough to even make it to the fruit bowl, let alone go soft for cake!

Now you know why I made a banana cake, and why I was so excited by. It smelt so good while it was baking, it was hard not to cut it as soon as it came out of the oven.

It's a silly thing, really, being so happy to have a simple banana cake, especially when we don't go hungry and have the luxury of eating only foods we love.  We are blessed with more than enough to meet our needs and share and I am so grateful for that.

I just know that we will all really appreciate the sheer luxury of banana cake for dessert tonight.

Banana Cake

Ingredients:
60g butter
1 cup sugar
2 bananas, mashed
1/2 cup apple sauce
2 tablespoons milk
1 egg
11/2 cups S.R. flour

Method:
Cream butter and sugar, add beaten egg, apple sauce and mashed bananas. Add flour and milk last. Put in greased loaf tin and bake 35-40 minutes in moderate oven. When cold ice with lemon icing (if it lasts that long).