Tip of the Day 31 January 2010

Balcony Garden Started With Free Containers

I started a herb and veg garden on the balcony in March this year - and have not purchased one pot! All of the containers I use have been collected from hard waste collections or are other household containers that would have otherwise been thrown out. Seedlings can be raised in egg cartons, old toilet rolls or yogurt containers. As pots I use various containers discarded by others – I have a child's sandpit, an office bin, a polystyrene box, etc, etc. Using this same theory, you could take any old container of the appropriate size (like a kitchen colander, a disused kettle or toaster, or 3L milk/juice bottles), add some chain from 3 points around the top and a loop at the top of the chain, and you have a hanging basket.
Contributed by Jacklyn, Kogarah

Tip of the Day 30 January 2010

Emergency Numbers

Use your computer to print out the information 000 would need to find your house, phone and contact details of friends and family and names and phone numbers of trades people you use. Print off copies for the fridge, phone, office, car, your diary and your handbag. Slipping the fridge copy into a plastic sleeve and using magnets to keep it in place makes it easy to change details.

Tip of the Day 29 January 2010

Air Bags

When you are packing delicate or fragile items bubble wrap or air bags are great as cushioning, but rather expensive to buy. A fantastic substitute for bubble wrap or packing material is ziplock bags. Simply gather some ziplock style bag and a plastic straw. Insert the end of the straw into the bag and seal the bag the rest of the way. Blow up the bag with the straw; then quickly remove the straw and seal the bag. Fill up your parcel with as many “air bags” as you need.

Tip of the Day 28 January 2010

A Matching Set

Mark your bowls and their covers with the same number using a permanent marker. Then you won't be searching for the lid that matches the bowl when putting away leftovers. All you have to do is match the numbers. If you own Tupperware bowls, you'll find that the bases and seals are already marked to make matching easy. Simply match the letter on the base with the letter on the tab part of the seal to find a matching pair.

Tip of the Day 27 January 2010

Read, Read, Read

Want to learn more? Or become more proficient in a particular area? Then READ, READ, READ! Reading 30 - 50 books in a year is the equivalent of a year towards a PhD. So, if you want to become an expert on anything, read up on your topic. It doesn't have to be costly - borrow books from the library or friends (make sure you return them) or use the Internet. Keep a record of what you read in a notebook. This is especially helpful when you want to buy a copy of a particular book or refer back to it later on. Whatever method you choose, just keep on reading.

Tip of the Day 26 January 2010

Pre-prep Saves Time and Stops the Takeaway Urge

I purchase lean mince in bulk quantities when it is on sale, usually in ten kilo lots, and prepare it to the cooking stage before freezing. I brown half the mixture and freeze in portions. This makes preparing tacos and pasta sauces a breeze. The other five kilos is made into a meatloaf mixture. Half of the meatloaf mixture goes into foil lined loaf tins so it is the proper shape. Then I take the foil and meat out, wrap it tightly and freeze. The rest of the mixture gets divided up into meatballs. I freeze it into sticks of 8 meatballs and then place in a plastic freezer bag. When I want to cook dinner, I can just pull a ready to cook meal from the freezer. On a busy night the time saving is huge, a freshly prepared and cooked dinner can be on the table in 30 minutes, faster than we can get a pizza delivered!

Tip of the Day 25 January 2010

Borrow Appliances

You can save hundreds of dollars by borrowing appliances from friends and family. Most of us have a lot of appliances that aren't used regularly,  and some that may not be used at all, lurking in cupboards. What a waste of  good appliances!  Make up a list of appliances you don't use very often, or wish to get rid of and ask friends and family to do the same. If one person decides to take up bread making, they look at the list and contact the person who has that appliance, and either borrow, buy or swap another item for it - rather than buying it. Think of the impact this would have on the environment and our pockets! Once you have the kitchen appliance swap working, why not start one for garden tools?  This really goes back to our basic roots of community sharing.


This Cheapskate Started a "Borrow an Appliance" Scheme at Work
 
I mentioned to a girlfriend at work the other day that I was thinking about buying a slow cooker but really wanted to take on for a test drive first. She immediately offered to loan me hers for a week and in the conversation that followed we discovered that we both had a number of appliances cluttering our cupboards that we rarely used. So we made a decision to clear out a shelf in a cupboard at work and keep them there. They can then be 'borrowed' by whoever needs that particular gadget for the night. The only condition is that the appliance must be cleaned and returned a.s.a.p. Another workmate overheard us and we now have an appliance library of 8 kitchen gizmos ranging in value from $50-$200 and HEAPS more space in our kitchen cupboards. Reckon you'll have a better chance of getting this off the ground if your boss is a working Mum too!! 

Karen Tatman

There's No Place Like Home

We are home! We were only away 10 days, but it seemed like forever and it's so good to be back in our own little piece of Australia.

It was great catching up with family and friends, some of them we haven't seen for a very long time. The whole family gathered to celebrate  Granny's birthday, with lots of good food and even more laughter. At times the neighbours must have been wondering what we were doing, the laughing was so loud.

But it is good to be home, even if we came home to a disaster in the front garden. One of our big trees had split right through the middle on one limb and was hanging over the footpath. Most of our neighbourhood walks, and many of them are quite elderly, so getting it cut down (just the offending limb, not the whole tree) was top priority for this morning.

My brother called and asked to borrow the trestle table and some folding chairs, so we swapped them for his chainsaw. It sure made cutting up the tree easy. Now it's all nicely stacked in the woodpile, to dry for firewood.  Wayne put the small branches and leaves through the mulcher and spread it over a new garden bed along the side fence and now it looks much better. I can't decide whether to put daisies (m favourite) or lavender in that spot, it would suit both. Decisions, decisions.



While we were away the tomatoes and cucumbers went crazy. I've picked two buckets full of lovely fresh vegetables. There are enough cucumbers to make ten jars of pickled cucumbers. The tomatoes I will cook into sauce and freeze. Tomorrow will be a busy day in the kitchen me thinks.

The good news is that we didn't spend over our regular budget while we were away. The petrol costs came out of our holiday budget and were covered. Food, treats, eating out and entertainment all came out of our normal household budget for 10 days so we  came home with money over! 

Now it's back to reality, getting ready for school and Uni.  There are books to cover, hems to take up and let down and new uniforms to name. And of course the newsletter and website to keep me out of mischief.  That should keep us all busy. 

Tip of the Day 24 Januayr 2010

Plant Food

Do you love corn on the cob? We do, and while we don't grow it in our garden, we do buy it direct from a farmer when it's ready and cook it in a huge stockpot full of water. After removing ears of corn from the pot I don't pour the water down the drain. Instead I set the water aside to cool and then use this to water indoor plants and my herb garden. The water has nutrients from the corn that the plants just love. And I love the idea of a free fertilizer.

Sewing with Style

When you are sewing for your children, take them with you when you go to select fabric and patterns for their clothes. Involve your child in the decision making part of their wardrobe, just as you would if you were buying ready made,  and they will always like what they have to wear. They'll develop their own sense of style and with your needlework skills and their input they'll have one-off garments to be envied. No longer will you hear "I'm not wearing that" when you show them your handmade fashion.

Tip of the Day 22 January 2010

Safety When Online Shopping

Shopping online is a great convenience, but I don't feel comfortable giving out my bank information over the Internet. Instead, I buy a Visa gift card for the approximate amount I will need to make my online purchases in any given month. That way, I stay within my budget, curbing my tendency to overspend, all while combating credit card fraud.

Contributed by Narelle, Mooroolbark

Tip of the Day 21 January 2010

Oily Spots Are Gone

A great idea from Frances of North Bayswater "Use a drop or two of ordinary dishwashing liquid to remove oily stains from your clothes before you wash them. Just rub the spot with the dishwashing liquid and put it in the washing machine. Your clothes will be oil spot free and nice and clean."

Tip of the Day 20 January 2010

Start Now to Retire Rich

To have a financially independent retirement, financial experts advise you will need to save 15% of your gross income all your working life. How are you going? Perhaps now is the time to re-evaluate your retirement fund - it's never too late to start saving!

Tip of the Day 19 January 2010

Yummy Flavoured Milk

Before you throw that empty jam jar out, make sure it is really empty. Fill it up with cold milk, put the lid back on and make a milk shake with the 'dregs' from empty jam jars. Shake the jar until the milk is frothy and thick, pour into a glass and enjoy. It's a delicious way to have a milk shake.

Tip of the Day 18 January 2010

Personal Took Kit

Have your own basic emergency tool kit. Mine has scissors, pliers, a claw hammer, a small saw, a Stanley knife, sticky tape, masking tape, picture hooks, a variety of nails, screws, nuts and bolts, flat and Phillips head screwdrivers in a few sizes, a good torch and a supply of candles and matches. I keep it all together in a plastic tool box I bought for $9.99 from Sams and everyone knows not to touch - it belongs to Mum!

Tip of the Day 17 Januayr 2010

Wash Before Eating

Most of us are aware of the need to wash all commercially grown fruits and vegetables before using in cooking or eating raw due to the large amounts of fertilizers etc used to grow them, but what about organically grown or home-grown? Although organic foods are grown without pesticides and chemical fertilizers, and their use may be limited in the veggie garden, the foods may have traces of traditional fertilizers, including animal manure. It is also wise to remember that organic produce is handled many times before it reaches your refrigerator. Simply put, you should wash all produce before eating it.

Tip of the Day 16 January 2010

Textured Paint Brushes

When you are finished with your bath sponges, scrunchies or anything made of a flexible material, use them to paint with...they make pretty designs and they are cheap. Textured finishes can give new life to old furniture and look fantastic as feature walls, especially in bedrooms. Sponge cupboard doors to give a dated kitchen a lift, re-vamp old drawers with a scrunchie paint job - use your imagination. Just because  you're painting doesn't mean you have to use a paint brush or roller.

Tip of the Day 15 January 2010

Calculate the Real Value of Spending

A good way to curb spending is to calculate how long you have to work to earn enough
money to pay for each purchase! For example, a takeaway meal may be nice, but is it worth the extra time you have to work to pay for it? The average takeaway chicken dinner for four means you would have to work three hours to enjoy one meal that is gone in just 30 minutes!

Instead of looking at the dollar value of an item,  look at the ‘work value’ of an item - this is what it will really cost you. To do this, work out your net hourly rate (after tax and minus expenses such as babysitting). When you are tempted to buy something, divide the purchase price by your nett hourly rate to see how long you will have to work. It can be a real turn off - especially when buying takeaway food!

Tip of the Day 14 January 2010

Have a Lipstick Stain? Try This to Clean It Up!

Summertime can be hard on lipsticks and coloured lip glosses left in handbags. The heat can make them soft  and on those really scorching days they can actually melt and run, leaving awful stains on fabrics.  If this happens to you, scrape the wax off with a flat bladed knife. Then using a cloth soaked in rubbing alcohol, dab the stain and rub towards the centre (this avoids spreading it any further). The colour should disappear quite quickly. If you 're not sure how the fabric will react, test it somewhere inconspicuous first

A Year of Saving

A Stitch in Time Saves .....$65!

When I was in high school I hated sewing class with a vengeance. Learning to make bias tape and the perfect French seam was BORING. Doing samples of different seams, fasteners, bindings and hems was painful. Then there was making things: the felt pot holder (yuk), the cotton nightie (so not my style back then) and the woollen, gored skirt (I was a definite jeans girl) nearly sent me, and my mother, around the bend.

My mother sews beautifully. The only bought things I wore were my socks and shoes. Mum made everything else. Dad drafted the patterns for her from Enid Gilchrist books (does anyone remember those?) and she'd sit at the sewing machine, hour after hour, sewing for my brother and me. She loves sewing and she didn't understand at all why I didn't. It led to many an interesting discussion, especially the weekend before a sewing project was due.

Thankfully mum and Mrs Winzenreid (she was my sewing teacher) persevered and I managed to pick up a few basic skills. A few years after I left school a friend talked me into going to sewing classes with her and after twelve weeks we graduated as fully certified Knit Wits. The sewing bug had bitten and I found that I actually liked it if I was able to choose the pattern and fabric. As time went on my skills developed (or my belief in them did anyway) and I started to adapt the patterns to suit my idea of the finished garment.

I would carry a pad, pencil and tape measure with me and when I saw something I liked I'd draw it and go home and try to make it. That habit has stuck with me and this week I stood in front of a dress Hannah liked and decided that no matter how much she wanted it and how pretty it was, $24.95 for what was about 90cm of fabric and some wide elastic was not worth it. Instead I pulled out the pad and pencil  and drew it, made some notes about waistlines, necklines and gathers  and came home to draft up a pattern. 

Monday was just too hot to sew, 44 degrees outside and about 34 inside and the thought of sitting at the machine was enough to send me back to the cool of the air-conditioned lounge. But yesterday was cooler so we pulled out the material boxes and went through them, then made a quick trip to Big W for a couple of singlet tops and came home to sew.

Hannah is now the very happy owner of two lovely new sundresses, one black and grey check, the other hot pink floral and a very pretty pink floral skirt. And all for $12, the cost of the two  singlet tops! The materials were already in the box, leftover from other garments. The elastic for the skirt was in my sewing box and we found a belt buckle on an old belt to use for the skirt.

Now if I could only figure out how to get the photos from the new camera onto my laptop I'd be able to show you. As soon as I can get one of the boys to show me I'll upload them for you.

I'm thrilled with the savings we have made, but I'm not putting $65 in my money box. I'll leave it sitting in the clothing budget. You never know, I may get the urge to actually buy something one day  soon.

Tip of the Day 13 January 2010

Get the Kids Involved

Let your children help with the housework, shopping and bill paying even if their performance isn't quite up to your standards. Show them how you like things done and give them the opportunity to learn from the best possible teacher - you!

Tip of the Day 12 January 2010

$2 Dinner Tuesday

Beef and Vegetable Pasties
Ingredients:
 400g can Coles Beef Stroganoff or other type of canned meat e.g. mild curry, braised steak and onions etc
1 cup frozen corn and pea mix
4 sheets of puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten

Method:
Preheat oven to 200ºC or 180 ºC for fan forced. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Place beef stroganoff in a bowl. Add corn and pea mix and mix well. Cut a 16cm round from each sheet of pastry. Place ¼ of the meat mixture in the centre or each round. Fold the pastry up over the filling to form pasties. Pinch the edges together to enclose filling and seal edges. Brush lightly with egg. Chill pasties for 10 minutes in the fridge. Bake pasties for 20 minutes or until puffed and golden. Serve with tomato sauce and salad.   Serves: 4 Prep: 10 minutes  Cook: 20 minutes

Contributed by Kirsty Harris

Tip of the Day 11 January 2010

Beautiful Gift Boxes

Here's a great idea for getting free gift boxes. Use spray paint on ordinary boxes that food and consumer goods (such as cereal or shoe boxes) come in to hide any lettering, logos, etc. that may be on the outside. Now you add the embellishments: stencilling, sponging, stamping, charms, stickers, decorative painting, yarn, small toys, fabric scraps, snippets of lace, silk flowers, ribbon roses, old greeting cards, etc. to make your gift package look even prettier, and to hide any damaged areas on the box. Not only will you be spared the expense of buying expensive gift boxes, but you're helping the environment by recycling what would normally end up in a tip into a gift box that's truly distinctive and one-of- a-kind.  Start now and you'll have all the gift boxes you need during the year and wrapping next Christmas will be a breeze.

2010 - A Year of Saving

Getting Started

I have been in the position of not knowing how much money would be coming into our home in a week, or even IF there would be money coming into our home. I have also been in the position of having to juggle bills because of the lack of money. It's not easy, I know. But you can live on a very unreliable income and still pay down debt and build savings. And you can do it while living a really good life.

How much money anyone saves depends not on their income and expenses but on their attitude. Yes, having a good income and minimal expenses will give you a surplus, but that doesn't mean you will save that surplus. You could be living on minimum wage, paying a mortgage and raising a family and be able to save more in a year than your wealthier neighbour. It's your attitude that makes the difference.

If you are trying to save $22,000 on a $35,000 income - that's too big a goal. Break it down. For example:

*aim to cut $20 a week off the grocery bill this month. That will give you $1,040 for the year. Put that $20 straight into a savings account.

*challenge yourself to not buy any takeaway meals or drinks this month. That means no fish'n'chips, pizza, Chinese, no bought lunches or snacks at work or while out. A lot of the families who come to me for help say they don't have takeaway meals, what they are saying is they don't have them five nights a week. They forget about the $24 fish'n'chip dinner they bought one night or the coffee and coke they had at the shops. They all add up. Thats another $1,248 in savings.

*aim to cut your utility costs. I don't mean sit in the dark or suffer the heat without fans. I do mean be sure to turn everything bar your fridge and freezer off at the wall when you have finished using it. That includes the TV, DVD player, set top box, the stereo, microwave, kettle, computers, the washing machine, even your clock radio. Do this faithfully for a month and you will see a decrease in your electricity bill. Think of ways to cut the cost of your gas, water and phone too and the savings soon mount up. A ten percent saving in electricity each month averages $300 a year - add that to your savings.

*Put a moratorium on all unnecessary spending. If it's not necessary to maintain life or pay at least the minimum payments on your debts, it's not necessary. No new clothes (even op shop bargains), shoes, books, toys, DVDs, CDs, magazines, hair cuts, movies etc. If the kids get invited to a birthday party, be creative and make a gift and card from materials and things you already have at home. If you get invited to a special event, renovate an outfil you already have instead of buying a new one. How much do you think you don't need to spend each week? Add another $50 a week to your savings, $2,600 in a year.


So far we've found $5,188 you could be adding to your savings. But unless you do actually bank the money as you find it, it's not saved. It's just not spent. To have $5,000 in savings at the end of the year make sure you actually bank your saved money. I'm putting mine in my money box (see the first post in A Year of Saving), where are you going to put yours?

Tip of the Day 10 January 2010

Coffee in the Compost

Composting is the most well known use for old coffee grounds. You can add your grounds, filters and even used tea bags right onto your compost pile. As they decompose, they will add nitrogen to your compost. You can also add your old grounds directly into the soil around your plants, or in your flowerpots. The old coffee grounds will increase the acidity of the soil so you'll want to be careful about the amount that you use.  Make sure you spread them evenly over your garden.

2010 - A Year of Saving

Sewing and Saving in a Heatwave

It was rather warm here again today (manged to get to 36 degress) so we have had the ceiling fans going from early morning. They did a great job of keeping the kitchen and family room cool when I thought we would be running the air conditioner so some electricity saved there.

Hannah and I spent some time sketching out a skirt and a dress that she'd like to make for church and decided we won't need to buy a pattern for either, so that's another $20 saved. I am going to use my drafting skills to make the skirt pattern. Thank goodness for an old fashioned Home Ec teacher when I was at school, being able to draft a patttern has saved us a fortune over the years. If you like to sew I heartily recommend you learn to draft at least basic patterns. Check your local TAFE or CAE for pattern making courses, there are even some you can do online.

To make the dress we are going to combine pieces from two patterns we already have. We'll make it up using an old sheet first, just to make sure what we imagine will work, before we cut into the beautiful fabric. It's a black, grey and purple checked organza and as we bought the last of the roll and it was quite expensive I don't want to take any chances. There are plenty of old sheets in the linen cupboard, mum gave me a pile when she had a clean out a while ago and they are great for mock-ups.

Savings today: $25

Total savings for 2010: $85

How is everyone else doing with their saving?

Have Fresh, Sweet Breath Every Day

If you've had a big night out and next morning your breath is not so nice, parsley will sweeten it. Juice half a bunch of parsley, add a squeeze of lemon juice and drink. It tastes different, but will really sweeten your breath and get rid of that yucky morning after taste in your mouth. It is especially effective on garlic breath.  Chewing a sprig or two throughout the day will help to keep your breath fresh as a daisy too.

2010 - A Year of Saving

Today is the first day of a year of saving

Everyday the things I do save us money. I get a lot done in a day, having a family and a home to look after, as well as Cheapskates certainly keeps me out of mischief. Today my mother had a hospital appointment for a check-up. Rather than wait at the hospital and pay those outrageous parking fees, I dropped her off and came straight home. It's OK, I didn't abandon her, the tests she had required her to have an anaesthetic so I would have just been sitting in a waiting room anyway. As it turned out she was there until 6pm, six and a half hours! Thank goodness I decided to come home, that saved about $40!

Because I wasn't sure where I would be at dinner time I pulled some sausages out of the freezer this morning, sliced up a couple of onions and made some coleslaw. That was dinner taken care of - bbq sausage and coleslaw rolls to use up the last of the hot dog rolls in the freezer. They were delicious too.

Hannah helped me save a few dollars today too. She has been looking and looking for a denim skirt, but they have been either too expensive or too short (mean mummy that I am). This morning I went through the attic boxes and pulled out a denim skirt I used to wear about twenty years ago. I have no idea what triggered my memory but I'm glad I remembered it. She tried it on and of course it was too long (even I thought it was) and too big but it's a straight skirt on a waistband - a simple job to fix it so it fits her. And best of all she loves it. We'll fix it on Sunday morning so she can wear it next week. $20 plus saved and a happy girl, what more could a mother ask for?

I have been wondering how to deal with the money I save. Remember I always say money isn't saved until it's in the bank, it's just not spent yet? The kids gave me a huge money box in the shape of a dollar sign last year so now it's sitting on my desk and I have put my savings from today into it. I won't be saving $60 everyday (wouldn't that be nice?) but I will be saving something so each afternoon I am going to add my daily savings to the money box. When it's full I'll count it and take it to the bank. I wonder how long it will take me to fill it?

It can be tricky working out just how much you save by living the Cheapskates way. There are lots of things we do that don't appear to be savings at all in the beginning, but actually end up saving a lot of money. Things like:

• Washing in cold water
• Hanging the washing outside or on a clothes horse to dry
• Cooking from scratch
• Only running the dishwasher on a full cycle
• Growing veggies
• Making cleaning products
• Taking lunch to work or school
• Learning to sew
• Doing home handyman jobs yourself
• Turning appliances off at the wall
• Leaving the car at home and walking or riding
• Carpooling
• Sharing tools with family and friends
• Bartering for what we need instead of buying

There are so many ways to save money everyday. And it is those savings that allow us to build fully funded Peace of Mind accounts and emergency funds so that when disaster strikes (and it will at some time) we only panic for a few minutes, until we remember that we have savings!

Ok. I've told you how I've saved today, now it's your turn. I can't wait to see how close we are to that $10,000,000.00!

Tip of the Day 8 January 2010

Always Check the Returns Policy

Before you order anything from a catalogue or over the Internet, find out about the return policy and the return postage policy of the company you are dealing with. Some companies will pay the return postage on exchanges and some won't. Paying postage both ways can be very expensive and will wipe out any savings you may have incurred by using their mail order service.

Tip of the Day 7 January 2010

Easy Clean Grill

Many people use the "George Foreman" type grills and cafe style sandwich toasters. Due to the non-stick surface and the shape and size of these appliances they can be hard to clean properly. So, when you are finished cooking, pull out the plug, thoroughly wet three pieces of paper towel, and fold the paper towels into a 3-ply thickness. Put the wet paper towels on the grill and close the top. While you are eating your meal, the moisture and residual heat is loosening the stuck on bits of food and your cleanup will be a snap.

Tip of the Day 6 January 2010

Hidden Money

Hide $100 note in the back of your purse or wallet (they're those lovely green notes!) and then put your credit cards away in a safe place. This way, when you are out and tempted to put something on credit, you can't. You have the option of spending the $100, but how long will it take you to save another $100 to put in it's place?

Tip of the Day 5 January 2010

Coffee Maker Not Just for Coffee

Use your coffeepot to brew hot tea. By doing so, you can stretch four tea bags into 10-12 cups of tea without sacrificing flavour and without steeping each bag individually. Simply put your tea bags in the part of your coffee machine where you would normally put your coffee (remove any tags and strings). Let the water through the top as usual. After it's finished brewing, you can remove the tea bags and immerse them directly in the freshly brewed pot of tea (if you like your tea strong, otherwise this step is not necessary).

During summer you can enjoy lemon tea throughout the day by brewing a pot in the morning using four lemon teabags, adding honey to taste and then chilling in the fridge. I particularly like lemon and ginger tea. Just add 1 teaspoon grated ginger to the tea as it steeps. Enjoy!

The soap is not too small

When your bar of soap gets too small to use, or so small that the family won't use it, save it in a microwave safe bowl. After you have about half a bowlful, just pop the bowl in the microwave for 1 or 2 minutes, depending on how much you have, to soften the soap . Place the soap onto wax paper and mould into shapes. This makes the best soap, is softer on your skin, really frugal and a great money saver. Use it in the bathroom, laundry or kitchen for hand washing, tie it to an outside tap for gardening clean-ups, keep it under the kitchen sink with a scrub bud for washing up duty - there are hundreds of uses for these soap bars.

Tip of the Day 3 January 2010

Fake Fruit Tricks Birds

Just before your tomato plants start to grow tomatoes, hang round plastic, red coloured Christmas baubles on your plant. The birds will think the bulbs 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, but it really works!

Tip of the Day 2 January 2010

Bubbles, Bubbles Everywhere

Bubbles have long been a traditional fun activity for kids. Below is just one of so many recipes I've found for making your own bubbles. Buy a couple of clean fly swatters, or use anything plastic with holes! Blow bubbles until the air is filled and the kids are laughing!

Bubble Formula
You'll need:
50ml Dishwashing detergent
500ml water,
1 tbsp glycerine


Mix in together. If you have hard water use bottled water instead of tap water. Store in a covered container and pour into a pie plate for using.

Tip of the Day 1 February 2010

You Can Always Have a Freshly Baked Cake to Serve

If you like fresh baked cakes but don't have time to always make them from scratch, prepare a few different cake batters and freeze them. If you line a cake tin with foil and then baking paper, you can pour in the batter, freeze the mix and then take it out of the tin, wrap, label and freeze. To bake you just need to remove the foil, drop the paper covered batter into the cake tin and bake as usual. Allow a little more cooking time if baking from frozen.

Tip of the Day 1 January 2010

Peppermint Brittle

Christmas is well and truly over, a new year has begun. So, if you have dozens of candy canes leftover , like we do, and need a way to use them up this is the treat for you!

Ingredients:
250g block white chocolate
6 - 10 small peppermint candy canes

Method:
Line a Swiss roll pan with baking paper or heavy tin foil. In a microwave safe container add the white chocolate and heat on medium in the microwave for about 2 -3 minutes. Stop during heating and stir occasionally until the chocolate is smooth and melted.

Put the candy canes in a large plastic bag. Using a rolling pin or another similar tool, begin breaking the candy canes into small pieces. Stir the candy into the melted chocolate and spread in the pan, evenly.

Place in refrigerator for about an hour to set completely and then break the into pieces.

Tip of the Day 31 December 2009

The January sales

It seems ridiculous to be thinking ahead to next Christmas when last Christmas was only a week ago. But a little forethought and planning ahead can save you hundreds of dollars. The January sales are a great time to buy presents for upcoming birthdays, Mother's and Father's Day and of course next Christmas. Make a list and keep it with you so that when you see a bargain you can buy if the next gift-giving occasion. By doing this you can reduce your spending by at least 50 per cent. Most people these days are reported to spend on average $3,000 at Christmas time alone, so the savings are huge.

Packing and storing Christmas baubles

Approximate $ Savings: $20

If you save your egg cartons, come Christmas time you can place all your fragile Christmas baubles in the egg spots once you remove them from the tree. Paint or wrap the egg cartons to indicate which baubles they house. Egg cartons are surprisingly strong and stable, especially when stacked for long-term storage.

Tip of the Day 29 December 2009

Make the switch to a cash only lifestyle

It may not be possible for you to switch entirely to cash only but you can easily switch back to cash for your day to day purchases and many of your bills and ditch the credit card. It is madness to use a credit card for day to day expenses unless you can pay the balance in full every month. Try it for a month. Use cash for every expense and purchase you would normally put on your card. If you don't have the cash don't buy the item. Living with cash will quickly make you realise just what you need and what you think you need.

Tip of the Day 28 December 2009

Buy your classic clothes in the January sales

Instead of rushing out and buying clothes when you need them, think ahead and plan to do your summer clothes shopping during the January sales. With our temperate climate you can wear summer clothes most of the year, with the addition of a cardigan or lightweight jumper during spring and autumn, leaving heavy woollies and coats for mid-winter. Take advantage of the percentage off sales and stock up on the classics (colour and style), then use trendy accessories to keep them up to date. You'll get better value for your dollar and lower your cost per wear.

Tip of the Day 27 December 2009

Wonderful wicker

When I was a little girl I had a wicker chair. It was child size and suited me perfectly. Of course as I grew older the chair became too small and I didn't use it. As a teenager I thought it was old fashioned and totally useless. Thank goodness my mother saw the value in it, even if it is only sentimental, and put the chair away for me. When I had my first baby that wicker chair came out of storage to be put to use in the nursery. Storage hadn't done much for the chair, it was dirty and yellowed and needed a good clean. Mum knew just what to do and she showed me. The life of wicker patio furniture, baskets or other wicker items can be extended by using salt to clean and whiten it. To clean and prevent yellowing, dust off with a soft brush and then scrub wicker furniture with a stiff brush moistened with warm saltwater and allow it to dry in the sun. Choose a nice hot day and never, ever soak your wicker furniture or baskets or you run the risk of it drying out of shape. Wipe over with a damp cloth between cleanings to keep it spic'n'span.

What to do With the Christmas Dinner Leftovers

The big day is over but you wouldn't know it to look at the fridge. It is bursting with leftovers and they all have to be used up. Try some of these ideas and get some time off from kitchen duty.

Freeze them. Freezing means that you can enjoy your Christmas fare at anytime. You can freeze sliced meats in gravy, and have a ready made roast for later on. Dice the vegetables and combine to use as fillings for pies, crepes and casseroles. If you use plastic storage bags, make sure that they are freezer bags and write the contents date of freezing on the outside (masking tape is good for this). Freeze in portion sizes or meal sizes and then you can thaw out only what you need and not the lot.

Make up some doggy bags and send guests home with food. Why keep all the bounty to yourself? Load up on disposable plates and bowls (in festive colours) so that each guest can take home some food for later.

Make a gourmet salad. Green salads can be so boring sometimes. Add a slice or two of turkey, beef, chicken or ham to spice it up. Dice or crumble the meat and use as a salad topper. Cold peas, carrots, corn, broccoli, cauliflower etc can all be added to a green salad for colour and texture.

Breakfast additions. Omelettes are fun to make. Even more fun than making them is adding different ingredients to them to see what kind of combinations you can come up with. Use leftover Christmas dinner fare to decorate your omelette. Ham, chicken or turkey can be diced to use as an omelette add-in. Leftover vegetables can also be cut up to sprinkle inside an omelette.

Turn it into a stir-fry. Cut the leftover chicken, turkey, beef or pork into thin strips. With a few stir-fry vegetables you have created a new dinner meal. If stir fry is not your cup of tea, you can make lo mien, fried rice and other Asian dishes that include meat. Or if you had the traditional turkey and there's still a lot left, go wild with turkey chow mein.

Create a pie. Turkey or chicken and even beef can be placed inside a crust with tons of delicious veggies to make a pot pie your family will love. Use a basic white or cheese sauce as the binder (or even a can of cream of something soup - chicken, mushroom, asparagus etc) and let your imagination run wild with the combinations. If you have a pie maker you can whip up a batch of gourmet pies in no time and freeze them, ready for a grab and heat lunch. Use bought pastry sheets if you're not a pastry maker, or give Elaine's Easy Pastry a try.

It can be overwhelming when faced with all that leftover food, and it's tempting to just ignore it until it goes furry and then you can throw it out, but I'm hoping that some of these ideas will inspire you to use up those leftovers and save your grocery budget.

The Great Restaurant Competition

Dining out is fun but it can be costly. Get together with your friends for regular get-togethers and try different restaurants at the same time. Simply take it in turns to choose the restaurant with these guidelines in mind:
1.It must be cheap
2.It must be good
3.To be fair, everyone pays their own way
3.It must be within a 30 minute drive of home (unless you arrange to carpool)

Keep a record of where you go and how much the total bill costs each time and at the end of the year whoever has chosen the cheapest and best restaurant wins the prize (the group can choose the prize at the first dinner).

Tip of the Day 25 December 2009

Merry Christmas

On this beautiful Christmas morning I pray that your Christmas day will be blessed with family, friends and loved ones and wish you hope, peace and joy.

Merry Christmas,

Cath


Boxing Day Shopping Tips

It's the best day of the year for shopping. Whether you get to line up early on the 26th or you have to wait until the 27th, hitting the Boxing Day sales is great fun and a great opportunity to pick up some fantastic bargains....and get a head start on next Christmas!

Before shopping:

*Check to see what you already have.

*Make a list of the things you want to buy. Prepare your list around what you already have and what's on sale.

*Plan your spending to avoid impulse buys. Don't spend money on things you don't need.

*Wear comfortable shoes and clothes, take a bottle of water and remember to have fun.

Tip of the Day 24 December 2009

Pairs of Ornaments Make Great Gifts

After each Christmas all the beautiful Christmas decorations (e.g.: glass, china, decoupage etc) go on sale. I buy them in pairs and the following Christmas I wrap them in material and ribbon instead of paper, which makes them even more lovely. Great for the hard to buy for women or office gift. For gift cards I do hand or foot prints (ink pad from $2 shop) of my kids on coloured paper and cut out around the shape. Fun for the kids.

Contributed by Susie, 18th October 2007

Free Christmas Eve Fun

Christmas activities can be very expensive but there are plenty of things you can do that won't cost a small fortune and many of them are even free so if you've been wondering what you can do with your family tomorrow night here are a couple of totally free ideas.

A great way to tire out excited little ones on Christmas Eve is to wait until dusk and then take them for a walk around your local area to see the Christmas lights. It's much more exciting to be walking in the dark and the lights and displays are just lovely. Children are entranced and grown-ups are thrilled by their excitement. And after an hour or so of walking around they are well and truly ready for bed so Santa can visit.

If you aren't up to fighting the mozzies to see the lights, have your very own carols by candlelight concert at home. You can watch the carols on TV (Channel 9 show the Christmas Eve carol concert from Melbourne) or you can put on a CD and sing along. Turn the lights out and give the kids a torch each (safer than candles for little ones) and have some fun. The singing and the candlelight will relax them and put them off to sleep, but not before they've left a slice of cake and a glass of milk for Santa and a carrot for the reindeer!

And some fun for mum and dad: sprinkle some chocolate coated sultanas around the base of the Christmas tree (not where it can be walked into the floor) or on the front verandah - instant reindeer poop! What better way to prove Santa really did come on Christmas Eve than a little gift from Rudolph!

Mini Christmas Puddings

If you are looking for a way to use up leftover Christmas cake or pudding (and there's bound to be leftovers after Christmas dinner) or a way to use up a not-so-nice cake or pudding, then these mini Christmas puddings are just the thing. Make them bite size and serve them on a plate with a dish of whipped cream or thick custard for dipping.

Mini Christmas Puddings

Ingredients:
A cheap Christmas pudding or fruitcake
Brandy
icing sugar
lolly snakes

Method:
Crumble the pudding or cake in a bowl. Add a small amount of brandy at a time and mix up until you have a playdough consistency. Roll into balls the size of a 10 or 20-cent piece. With a teaspoon dribble some icing on each ball to look like custard. Cut up some red and green snakes to look like holly leaves and berries and place on top of each "pudding". This is so quick and easy and you can even involve the kids. If the kids are too young to help - keep them amused with the leftover orange and yellow snakes.

Contributed by Emmalee, St. Kilda East

Tip of the Day 21 December 2009

The great family road trip

If you're planning a family road trip these school holidays plan ahead and pack drinks and snacks. Stop at roadside rest areas rather than crowded roadhouses and enjoy a thermos of tea or coffee, some cold drinks and a sandwich or piece of cake in peace and quiet. The kids can have a run around and use up some energy and everyone will get back into the car refreshed and ready for the next leg of the journey. Your pocket will also benefit, packing your food and drinks will save you a fortune.

Tip of the Day 20 December 2009

A Garden on Wheels

Instead of a hanging basket why not try an old wheelbarrow for planting vegies? I have strawberries in mine. It is up off the ground so slaters can't get to it, you can put it under a basket to catch any water from them, you don't have to bend to far to pick them. Mine is in the front garden in between my roses and other plants. Put a couple of holes in the bottom, fill it with good soil or potting mix and away you go.

Contributed by Kerry, Mandurah

Create a Calming Bath

There are any number of bath solutions you can buy that claim to be soothing and calming to children (and adults) and of course they are quite pricey. You can easily create a bath solution that really works yourself, for just a few cents per bath. To calm a toddler (or an adult!) buy (from the chemist) Epsom salts. Use the recommended amount in a warm bath. Add 10 drops of lavender essential oil (from chemists or health food shops) and let baby enjoy his bath. It is so calming, great for a before bed bath for a fractious toddler or a grown up with a headache or upset mood. Enjoy and relax!

Tip of the Day 18 December 2009

Lettuce Storage

Save washing time and have fresh lettuce on hand ready for immediate use.

Rather than storing your lettuce whole, consider washing, cutting it and storing it in a salad spinner. This way it is ready for immediate use and you are more inclined to use it when needing a quick snack. Washing once rather than each time you need lettuce will save you time. Encourage the whole family to grab a salad snack and have a tasty dressing handy.

Tip of the Day 17 December 2009

Light Bulb Moment Saves Money on Christmas Lights

Approximate $ Savings: $100-150

Instead of buying replacement globes for the fairy lights for the Christmas tree (at any where from $2 - $3 a packet for about 5 light globes) I just buy another box of lights for $12 and that gives me 200 - 250 bulbs that I know will fit. I have been doing this for the last 3 years and am still going on that same box and I have lots of fairy lights. Also if you have wiring problems with a set in use just transfer the bulbs to the replacement set and problem solved.

Contributed by Vickii, Waterford

Last Minute Gift Ideas

I’ve never been one to leave my Christmas shopping to the last minute, I like to be able to take my time searching for the perfect gift for everyone, even if it does take me the whole year. But statistics show that for all the talking about starting early, most of us don't. We wait until the very last minute and then hit the shops in a frantic rush.

So, if you are one of the many who wait until the very last minute to hit the shopping centres, you’re probably headed for some aggravation and disappointment and possibly some big bills in January (OK, it's almost a surety that there will be some big bills in January).

Use some of my tips for last-minute Christmas shopping and it will be much more pleasurable, possibly a lot cheaper and the recipients of your gifts will probably pretty happy too.

Gift cards. It seems like such a small present, but it is quite a popular gift. Do you know how many people pack the stores the day after Christmas just to return gifted items? A gift card avoids all of that. Have the kids put together some festive wrapping or decorate and envelope for a personal touch.

Charitable gifts. These gifts put others first and help great causes at the same time. Perfect for the person who ALREADY has everything, you can make a donation to various international charities (wildlife foundations, disaster relief, medical missions, peace keeping efforts and more) in the name of your gift recipient. They will receive a letter thanking them for their donation.

www.tear.org.au
www.worldvision.com.au
www.oxfam.org

Food gifts. Before toys and technology, people gave what they had and that was usually some sort of food item. Sweet breads in decorative loaf pans, cakes, biscuits and cupcakes still make great gifts for teachers, grandparents, neighbours and friends. Give the delectable offerings time to cool sufficiently before wrapping them. If you're stuck for ideas, make up "Cake in a Cup" packages using the Cheapskates Club How To..... sheet. They are really cute, very affordable and take only a few minutes to put together.

Memberships/Subscriptions. Has one of the people on your list been meaning to join a gym? You can gift them a membership for Christmas. When money gets tight, memberships and subscriptions are usually the first to go. Renew a subscription to their favourite magazine or a service like the RACV (or the equivalent for their state).

Gift baskets. Most shops have them on display at Christmas time. You can buy one that is already made if you see one that fits your recipient’s tastes and your budget. For teachers and co-workers, baskets with mugs and coffee or hot chocolate are a safe bet. Or better yet, create your own with a basket and small items that reflect the recipient. Movie tickets and popcorn, pancake mix and a bottle of homemade pancake syrup, a washing powder tin and the ingredients to make their own washing powder (and of course the Cheapskates Club tip sheet with instructions), there are any number of fantastic gift basket ideas that are quick, easy and frugal.

Overall…have fun. Dress your presents up, make your own gift cards and tie them up with a bow or raffia or even strips of wool plaited into lengths. The personal touch will always go a long way.

Tip of the Day 16 December 2009

Santa Gives Vouchers to Save the Budget During the Holidays

I buy entertainment vouchers for the kids during the year e.g. movie vouchers, Hard Rock ice cream, McDonalds etc and Santa gives them in their Christmas stockings. Then during the school holidays paid entertainment is already there waiting to use and it doesn't strain the budget.

Contributed by Liz, Gladstone

Christmas Truffles

Ingredients:
1 heaped dessertspoon cocoa
180g copha, melted
1 egg, beaten
250g pure icing sugar
½ cup coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 tablespoons rum essence
2 pkts chocolate slivers

Method:
Mix together dry ingredients. Melt copha, add vanilla essence. Add to dry ingredients and mix. Add beaten egg and mix well. Roll teaspoonfuls into balls and roll in chocolate slivers. Set in fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.

Tip of the Day 14 December 2009

Permanent Patterns

I do a lot of sewing and make a lot of crafts and as a result I have a lot of money sitting in patterns. As I tend to choose a basic pattern and adapt it to suit whatever I'm making, I like to trace my patterns onto cardboard (if it's a craft pattern) or lightweight interfacing (for dressmaking) for longevity. As most of my craft patterns are for small items empty cereal boxes do the job perfectly. Just slit the sides and open them out flat then draw the pattern onto the inside. Cut them out, label the pieces and they are easy to work with and long lasting. For dressmaking patterns, tracing off the tissue paper pattern onto interfacing keeps the original intact for future use. This is particularly useful for the multi-size patterns. The interfacing makes cutting the pattern off the fabric a breeze as it stays put when it's laid out, helping with cutting accuracy.

The Beauty of Cleopatra

History tells us that Cleopatra bathed in milk and was the most beautiful woman of her time. You can use milk for your skin too, and it's much easier and cheaper than bathing in it. Keep a small supply of powdered milk in a jar in the bathroom to use as a facial cleanser at night. Just put a small amount in the palm of your hand, add enough water to get the consistency you want, and wash. You won't believe how soft your face feels afterwards.

Tip of the Day 12 December 2009

A Fun Way to Start a Christmas Party

Approximate $ Savings: $20 is a cheap Christmas present

My children taught me this method of making Christmas cheap and fun. Every guest brings a gift worth $20 which is placed under the tree and then they receive a number. When everybody has arrived, draw the numbers out of a hat. The first person chooses a gift from under the tree and has to open it, then the second person drawn can either choose from under the tree or the one gift that has already been opened. If you lose your gift you get to choose either from under the tree or from one of the other opened gifts. We have played this game for a few years and every body seems to enjoy it especially if you are one of the last numbers drawn. It is fun and only $20 per person it is really quite reasonable.

Contributed by Maggie, Holt

Tip of the Day 11 December 2009

Nicer Teacher Gifts for Less

I wanted to buy my daughter's childcare teachers something special and individual for Christmas - rather than the boxes of chocolates that usually get eaten too quickly, melt or are given away to someone else. Throughout the year I would check the clearance rack at our local department store, and was able to pick up lovely tops, blouses and candles for between $2-$3. As I had to buy for 9 girls, this saved over a hundred dollars and they were all thrilled with their individual gifts (which I bought over several months, spending just $2 or $3 a month rather than rushing out and having to spend a heap all in one go.

Contributed by Ella, Salamander Bay

Tip of the Day 10 December 2009

'Merry Christmas' Painted 'Glass' Baubles

These are so easy to make. And they are quick and cheap too. You can buy boxes of twelve baubles in all colours from dollar shops such as GoLo, Reject Shop, The Warehouse, even Spotlight and Lincraft. Depending on the size they range in price from $2 - $6.95 for 12.

To make these decorations you don't need paints - you use stickers and decals! The stickers I used are available in sheets of gold, silver and rainbow colours for $2.95 a sheet. Each sheet makes at least twelve, if not more, ornaments. If you choose a coloured ball, all you need to do is stick on your Merry Christmas decal. If you want to add the year, use glitter glue in a coordinating colour under the 'Merry Christmas'. Instead of $6.95 each, you can make these gorgeous baubles for around 65 cents each!

Tip of the Day 9 December 2009

Paying Off the Credit Card

If you can only make the minimum payment on your credit cards then pay it on a weekly basis. For example if the minimum payment for the month is $100, make weekly payments of $25, just double check due dates to make sure you will have paid the minimum required on time. One week you may need to make the payment a day early. You could even set it up to be an automatic payment from your account each week. Then ignore the minimum balance on your next statement and keep on paying the $25 (or whatever amount it was) a week and watch the balance disappear.

Tip of the Day 8 December 2009

Nuts’n’Bolts

It's not a a $2 Dinner but it is a $2 gift and it is spectacular. Done up in a jar with a handmade label it looks fantastic. You can make a batch in around five minutes. One batch is enough to fill at least four large coffee jars so it is economical too. Once you start nibbling on nuts'n'bolts you won't be able to stop!


Ingredients:
500g Nutrigrain (generic equivalent works just as well)
375g salted peanuts
375g pretzels (broken into small pieces)
100g pumpkin seeds
1 packet Cream of Chicken soup mix
1 packet French Onion soup mix (generic works just as well)
3 tsp curry powder
Pinch chilli powder
1/2 cup currants (or sultanas)
3/4 cup olive oil, heated

Method:
Combine all ingredients except oil in a large bowl. Mix well to make sure everything is coated with the seasonings. Warm the oil and stir through the dry ingredients, making sure they are all coated completely. Store in a large, air tight bowl. If you are going to jar it up for gifts, wait two days. Stir the mix completely each day then on the third day pour into jars and label. This mix looks great in nut dishes on the Christmas table too.

Tip of the Day 7 December 2009

Christmas Pot-Pourri

This is kind of like cooking but also crafty. Leave bowls of this lovely Australian pot pourri throughout your home and fill it with the scents of Christmas or package it up in cellophane bags or small glass bowls to give to friends and family.


Ingredients:
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 cup of dried cloves
2 cups gum nuts
1 cup mistletoe leaves
A few drops of your favourite essential oil to sprinkle on gum nuts
Dried petals for colour


Method:
Gently toss all the ingredients together and package.

Tip of the Day 6 December 2009

Christmas Gifts for $3.33 each

Yesterday when I received my disability pension I invested $40.00 on seeds, pots, hanging baskets, two bags of potting mix, which I bought from the Reject Shop, potting mix from Safeway (Homebrand). I will plant them now for Christmas. I will have twelve presents for $40.00. I will wrap them in cellophane. For under $3.33 each these will be gifts for mum, family and friends and it will be something they can watch grow and remember me.

Contributed by Cathrene, Melbourne

Decorating the Christmas tree

Plastic covered paper clips make perfect hangers for your Christmas tree decorations. They are easy to clip onto the tops of the decorations and slip nicely onto the branches. They stay on the branches too, so that little fingers can't accidentally pull precious ornaments off the tree.

Tip of the Day 4 December 2009

Online Shopping Saves Postage

If you have to send birthday or Christmas presents interstate, check out the prices of online shopping sites. The advantages include:
1) Often lower freight charges than the postage you would pay.
2) Some offer free gift wrapping.
3) They have specials which regular shops can't beat because of the lower online overheads
4) You don't waste petrol and wear and tear on your vehicle driving to the shops and post office
5) You can shop any time of the day or night
6) They usually guarantee delivery before Christmas.
7) They usually have a free newsletter which emails you about their latest specials.

Tip of the Day 3 December 2009

Lolly Topiary Trees

These are sold in Target and the large ones I looked at were $24.95 each.

I bought a terracotta pot for $1. I hunted round the back yard for a strong, rustic looking twig to use as the stem. I stuck the stem in the pot using 15-minute quick set cement, because we had some in the garage. You could use plaster. When it was set and the stem was firm I sprayed the pot and stem gold. Then I stuck a large foam ball ($2.00 from the market) onto the top of the stem. The most expensive part of this decoration was the lollies. I chose to use Columbines because of the pretty colours. The topiaries I saw in target were covered in silver and green wrapped toffees. I just stuck the toffees to the foam fall with a little blob of blu-tack until it was completely covered. It looks like it has blue and purple flowers all over it.

I’m going to sit this on our lamp table and let visitors pull off a toffee to have with their coffee. I can easily replace the missing sweets until Christmas to keep it looking good. I estimate that it will have cost less than $10 by Christmas, even with replacing the lollies.

Tip of the Day 2 December 2009

Cath’s Top Tips for a Cash Christmas

1. Make a budget.
2. Start saving now - shop sales and lay-by, time is on your side.
3. Track your Christmas spending, just as you do regular spending. Keep track of how much you spend on presents, decorations, postage, food, clothes, parties etc.
4. Also the track savings i.e if you budget $10 for a gift, and find on sale for $8, that's a $2 saving. Put that money straight into your Emergency Fund.
5. Use cash - make it a priority to use cash for all your Christmas spending. Go to the ATM and make a cash withdrawal, don't use the credit card or eftpos, it's too easy to lose track of what you are spending. Having cash, you see exactly how much you've spent and how much you have left to spend. When it's gone, it's gone.
6. As you collect gifts, wrap and label them immediately. Then make a note on your gift list so you know where you've stashed it and mark it as finished.

Tip of the Day 1 December 2009

Homemade Ferrero Rocher Style Chocolates

Stuck for something for a secret santa? Anything to eat is always a winning gift and this recipe for homemade Ferro Rochers style truffles from Angie of East Ringwood is very easy and they are so good they may not last until it's time to hand the gift over!

You will need:
375 g melting chocolate
1 tbsp copha
1 jar hazelnut spread
Hazelnuts
Crushed nuts
1 cup Rice Bubbles
Mini paper or foil chocolate cups

Method:
Melt chocolate with copha over low heat. Add Rice Bubbles and mix gently. Put a little of the mixture in the bottom of each chocolate cup. Place half a teaspoon of hazelnut spread on top. Drop a whole hazelnut on top of spread. Cover with melted chocolate mixture to top of cup. Sprinkle with crushed nuts before freezing for at least an hour.

Tip of the Day 30 November 2009

New jeans that are as easy to wear as old ones

When you buy new jeans, do the first wash on their own in warm water with your regular detergent and half a cup of table salt. The salt softens the new denim to make it as soft and pliable as your older, well-worn threads. Now your jeans feel as fabulous as they look.

Tip of the Day 29 November 2009

Plant Splitting

When creating a new garden buy plants that you can split which can save you a lot of money - eg agapanthus, dianellas, and clivias. These varieties will also save you a lot of water and time in the long run.

Get that French Mmanicure Look Free

To clean fingernails and leaves the tips white and shiny, sprinkle a damp nail brush with bicarb soda and scrub your nails. The bicarb lifts stains and leaves the tips of your nails with a natural French manicure look without the hefty price tag.

Tip of the Day 27 November 2009

Colour co-ordinated shopping

Use highlighters for faster shopping. Highlight or mark fruit and vegetables on your shopping list with green, fridge and freezer items with blue and meats with a red marker. Unmarked items are things found "in the aisles" . Use orange to highlight things on your list that are "not at the supermarket" so you don't forget to pick them up while you are on a shopping trip.

Tip of the Day 26 November 2009

Easily pick pet hair from carpet

Keeping carpets free of pet hair is a back breaking and seemingly never ending job. Instead of struggling with the vacuum cleaner, run the brush you use to groom your dog or cat lightly over the carpet. It's like magic - the hair is picked up and trapped, no extra sweat or muscle needed.

Tip of the Day 25 November 2009

Storing receipts for online payments

Rather than printing a receipt after you've made a payment online, save it to an inexpensive thumb drive. Once you have finished the transaction you are given the option to save a copy of the receipt or print a copy of the receipt. If you can save a copy, save it straight to your thumb drive, with a file name such as the bill and month you are paying i.e. Phone/nov09. If you are only offered the option to print, open a word document. Highlight the receipt information, copy and paste it to the word document and save the word document to the thumb drive. You are saving on printing and paper and you still have an electronic copy of the receipt if you need it. Once you no longer need the receipt you can easily delete it from the thumb drive.

Tip of the day 23 November 2009

Wrapping paper memories

Don't throw away wrapping paper received with special gifts such as engagement, wedding, new baby and special birthday gifts. Instead use it as a background paper to scrapbook a memory page for the special event. The memories will come flooding back each time you look at the page.

Give the compost a boost with a cola

If you are a cola drinker, a great way to boost your compost pile is to pour a bottle of flat Coke (or other cola) over it. This increases the acidity and the sugar feeds the microorganisms, which in turn, increases the organic matter you get out of it. And it's a great way to use up any flat bottles of Coke if you happen to have any.

Tip of the Day 21 November 2009

Turning dinnertime into a fun learning experience

If you have young children and use placemats on your dining table turn them into teaching aids. You can print maps, times tables, spelling charts, lists of states, world flags etc, laminate them and use in place of vinyl placemats. Do this with anything your child needs to memorize and dinnertime becomes a fun learning time.

Tip of the Day 20 November 2009

Shop at home first

When you think you need something for the house, by all means look at the shops to see what's around and how much it costs. Then go home and have a look around the house: is there something you already have that will do the job?

A good example of this is the small dish I needed to hold used tea bags and teaspoons on the bench. I found some at the shops, but didn't like what was on offer or care for the price. Instead, I realized that I already had the ideal dish in the china cabinet - a used once china jam dish. It does the job, looks great, I love it and best of all it cost me nothing.

The same principle can be applied to everything you need: do your research and then look around home. If you don't already have something then go ahead and buy what you need.

Not just for dishes

The dishwasher may be the most underutilized appliance when it comes to cleaning things other than dishes. One example: the exhaust fans in our bathrooms were dirty, dusty and clogged up with fluff. Into the dishwasher they went, cover, filter and blades, all filthy and in need of a good clean. Out of dishwasher they came, sparkling white, lovely clear filters, almost like new and ready to be put back up. Using the dishwasher to do this dirty job made it very easy and painless.

Calendar Budgeting

Use a calendar to record your automatic payments, daily expenses, pay days and when irregular bills are due. By listing your income and expenses on a calendar you can see at a glance where your finances are each month. At the start of each year go through the calendar and mark regular payments such as direct debits and pay days so you can see exactly when money is going into and out of your accounts. This is especially helpful in tracking when a direct debit will occur before a regular deposit, running the risk of there not being enough funds to cover it. After a recording for a few months you should be able to see the pattern in your incomings and outgoings, enabling you to make a few phone calls to utility companies to have due dates adjusted to match pay days, eliminating the threat of overdraft.

Tip of the Day 17 November 2009

$2 Dinner Tuesday

Rice Patties

Ingredients:
1 cup of brown rice - cooked and well drained
1 onion finely diced
1 cup of grated cheese
1 egg (beaten)
1 packet Cream of Mushroom Soup Mix (or whatever else you may have lurking in your pantry that could be used for flavour)
Diced parsley
Salt and Pepper

Method:
Combine all of the above ingredients in a bowl. Put tablespoon portions onto greaseproof paper and shape to make small rissole sized patties. Cook in a moderate oven (180c) until golden brown. When the egg and cheese melt it holds the mixture together. These can be eaten either hot or cold, served as either a snack or with salad or vegetables as a main meal. Usually makes 24 patties.

Contributed by Kelly, Redlynch

Tip of the Day 16 November 2009

Make your own whiteboards

Whiteboards are so handy to have around the home. They work in the kitchen for shopping lists, menu plans, messages etc and they are handy in the study for keeping track of bills, appointments etc but a good whiteboard is expensive. You can make your own large (120cm x 120cm) whiteboards for under $30. Buy a piece of laminate from the hardware shop and ask if they will cut it in half for you. To finish the edges glue some narrow moulding around three sides, with a wider piece on the bottom edge to act as a shelf for markers and cloths. Hang with picture wire and hooks. They are lightweight, transportable and very effective.

Tip of the Day 15 November 2009

More plants in your garden

Try to grow your veggie plants from see whenever possible but if you do have to buy punnets of seedlings, always look for the containers that have an extra plant or two. Look for the punnets that have two or three extra plants in them. These little seedlings usually look scrawny but you can nurse them back to health and end up with extra plants free. Carefully separate the plants and pot them up or put them straight into the garden. With tender care they will grow and produce fruit, giving you a free supply of veggies for just a little extra care at planting time.

Tip of the Day 14 November 2009

Don't forget the essentials when packing

The most forgotten items when packing for a holiday are towels, swimmers, pyjamas, personal medication, underwear and soap. Even forgetting one of these essentials can put a damper on a great holiday. To make sure you don't leave anything out of the suitcase make a list of what you need to take (for every one you are packing for) at least three days before you need to pack. Cross off each item as it goes into the case and you won't leave anything out.

Tip of the Day 13 November 2009

Double Chocolate Muffins

Ingredients:
1 1/4cups flour
1/4cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2cup soft brown sugar
100g butter
2 eggs
1/2cup milk
1 cup chocolate chips

Method:
Sift flour, cocoa and baking powder into a bowl. Stir in brown sugar. Melt butter. Beat egg and milk until combined. Make a well in the centre of dry ingredients. Add butter, egg mixture and chocolate chips. Mix to just moisten. Three quarter fill greased, deep muffin tins. Bake at 190°C for 20 minutes or until cooked. Serve warm.

Hairspray in the Cleaning Cupboard

Keep a can of hairspray in the cleaning cupboard. It will remove ink, marking pen, even the sticky residue left after stickers and labels have been removed. It can be used on clothing, walls, floors and furniture. You don't need to buy the expensive sprays you would use on your hair, the cheapest you can find will do the job. Just remember to do a test in an inconspicuous spot to make sure it won't take the colour or finish off whatever you are trying to clean.

Tip of the Day 11 November 2009

Simple air fresheners for your home

Make your own air fresheners by cutting a small sponge and putting into a container (hint: I use cut off bottoms of 600ml soft drink bottles) put a few drops favourite fragrance oil and top with hot water. Put on or near window sills. The breeze makes the smell go through the house. After a few days top with more water.

Contributed by Sian

Tip of the Day 10 November 2009

$2 Dinner Tuesday

Try replacing lettuce, which has little nutritional value and a short shelf life, with finely shredded cabbage. It can be used in place of the lettuce on salad sandwiches and tacos for a delicious crunch. Use whole leaves in place of rice paper for Vietnamese rolls or as cups to hold potato or rice salads on a plate.

Tip of the Day 9 November 2009

Removing stuck photos

To easily and safely remove photos from those older albums with the self adhesive pages, use your hair dryer. On low, gently and carefully warm the pages a little, until the photos will lift off the page. Carefully slide them off the album and let them cool face down. Your photos will come off easily and safely, no tearing and losing precious pictures.

Tip of the Day 8 November 2009

Solar stain removal

The best solution for removing tomato-based stains (pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce or just chopped tomatoes) from clothing: hang the garment in the sunshine! Simply wash the stained garment as usual. Then hang it wet on your clothesline, in a window with lots of sunlight or over a backyard lawn chair—anywhere it will be in the direct sun for several hours. Wash and dry the garment again, and it will be as good as new and ready to wear.

Tip of the Day 7 November 2009

Great Chip Clips

To seal open packets of crisps or crackers in the pantry or frozen veggies in the freezer, use a metal binder clip from the office supply store or a $2 shop. You can get packets for around $2. They don't break like plastic chip clips and they grip harder than clothes pegs, can hold onto a narrower edge and don't fall off in the cupboard or freezer.

Tip of the Day 6 November 2009

Twice as Much Bacon From One Package

When you buy pre-packaged bacon, cut the entire packet in half before cooking. The half-size slices fit into the frying pan better, they cook more evenly and the family will think they are getting twice as much. Always start your bacon in a cold pan and it won't stick. You'll end up with lovely crisp rashers, the right size to top a slice of toast or an English muffin.

Tip of the Day, 4 November 2009

Hardboiled Eggs

Now summer and salad season is almost here, hard boiled eggs will be appearing in fridges all over the country. When boiling eggs, add a few onion skins to the water. It will stain the eggs a brown colour so that you can tell them from fresh eggs in the fridge. Don't worry it doesn't affect the taste at all, they still taste like eggs, not onions.

Tip of the Day 4 November 2009

Keep Fresh Spices

When we were married we were given a spice rack full of different spices as a gift. It was sitting on my kitchen bench until a friend suggested that they would last better if they were kept in the freezer (spices have a limited shelf life if subjected to heat and light). I went through the rack and threw out any jars that were older than a year. Then I cleaned out the shelf in the door of the freezer. This shelf is too small to hold anything much and tended to collect odd bread crusts etc but it is the perfect size to hold my jars of spices. Now I can read the names on the tall jars at the back. I have them arranged in two rows, alphabetically. I am storing only the spices I use and they are always fresh. My benchtop is less cluttered and the op shop was blessed with a good wooden spice rack to sell.


Contributed by Ruth, West Pennant Hills

Tip of the Day 3 November 2009

$2 Dinner Tuesday

Spinach and Egg Slice
Ingredients:
500g cooked spinach
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp basil
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
1/2 cup cheese

Method:
Cook spinach and drain well then put in a pan with fennel seeds, nutmeg and basil. Turn the spinach over so it gets all the spices. Put in a greased baking tray with deep sides. Beat up eggs with milk and add cheese. Pour over the spinach and if you want to put more cheese on top. Bake in moderate oven till set and golden. I save up all the ends of cheese and freeze them so I have it for this recipe or pizzas .

Contributed by Robyne, Goolwa North

Tip of the Day 2 November 2009

New jeans that are as easy to wear as old ones

When you buy new jeans, do the first wash on their own in warm water with your regular detergent and 1/2 cup of table salt thrown in. The sodium in the coarse crystals softens the new denim to make it as soft and pliable as your older, well-worn threads. Now your jeans feel as fabulous as they look.

$2 Dinner Tuesday

Mayonnaise Scones

Ingredients:
2 cups SR flour
2 heaped tablespoons mayonnaise
1 cup milk

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Mix all ingredients together until dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. You may need to add more milk, one tablespoon at a time, to reach this consistency. Using the heel of your hand, press out the dough on a floured surface, to about 2cm thick. Cut with a scone cutter or a glass. Place on a greased scone tray and bake 10 - 15 minutes until cooked. They should be light in colour and flakey on the outside, not doughy inside. Serve with a side salad and spreads.

Grow Your Own Food

Save money growing your own food. Get a jump on the gardening seasons by starting your plants indoors from seed. Put them in potting mix placed in empty egg cartons. Sit them on a tray in a sunny window and keep them damp. Within days your seeds will be sprouting and in just a few weeks you'll have healthy, strong seedlings ready to be planted out in the garden or into pots. When you put them into the garden (or a pot), cover each plant with an empty soft drink bottle "greenhouse". Create these mini greenhouses by cutting the bottom off empty soft drink bottles. Take the caps off and place them over seedlings to protect them from bugs and frosts until they are established.


Vegetables that can be grown in backyard gardens include tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, squash, cucumbers, capsicums, radishes, egg plant, beans, peas, beetroot, potatoes, onions, spring onions and pumpkins.

Growing your own vegies can save a family of four at least $1,000 a year!