A personalized recipe book

If you don't have the time (or the inclination) to handwrite all those recipes you want to try into a personalized recipe book, here's a handy tip that will keep them for you.  Take all those clippings from magazines and newspapers, and all those recipe leaflets you've collected over the years and photocopy or scan and print them onto nice paper. Put each page into a sheet protector to protect them from spills and store them in a 3-ring binder.  Use an insert binder and you can use clipart to create a cover page and spine for your recipe book. The entire project should cost well under $10 and it's easy to make multiple copies at the same time to use as gifts for family and friends.

Fruit Salad Cake

This delicious cake can be eaten as warm as dessert or cold for afternoon tea. And it's fat, egg and dairy free!

Ingredients:
¾ cups sugar
1 cup SR flour
½ tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
410g can fruit cocktail in syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup crushed walnuts or almonds

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius.  Mix together sugar, flour and salt in mixing bowl.  Beat in egg, fruit cocktail and vanilla extract.  Pour into shallow, greased 2ocm square cake tin. Combine brown sugar  and nuts and sprinkle over top.   Bake for 40 - 45 minutes.  Serve plain or with ice cream or whipped cream if you're not watching your diet.

Bath Toys

Why spend good money on rubber ducks and floating tug boats when you already have great bath toys around your home? Simply recycle plastic drink bottles, cups and colanders. The measuring scoops from washing powder float easily for lots of bathtime fun, and the caps from liquid laundry detergent also make great float toys. And don't underestimate  the fun to be had with a plain old wet facewasher.

What vegetables should I plant?

First, you should think of what vegetables you and your family usually love to eat. Then choose the most expensive from the list - perhaps red or yellow capsicums as they usually cost more than the green ones, mignonette lettuce as they are more expensive than good old ice berg etc. To keep your food interesting try different varieties of your favourites like Five Colour silverbeet instead of common Fordhook, or purple carrots instead of the more common orange (they actually turn orange when they are cooked).  Just because you are growing vegetables doesn't mean your diet has to be limited. There are literally hundreds of different varieties of every vegetable so you can have some fun with your garden as well as save some money.

The perfect afternoon tea

Hannah recorded a Martha Stewart show during the week and we watched it this afternoon and I was a little surprised to find that I know more about something than Martha does!

Some of you may watch the show (shown weekdays on 7Two) hosted by the 21st century epitome of housekeeping, but I don't so you can imagine my glee when I realised she doesn't know how to make real scones!  Poor Martha, she had eggs and sugar in the dough and had the scones spaced about an inch apart on the tray.  Then she brushed the tops with beaten egg and sprinkled them with more sugar.  The recipe she demonstrated as "real English scones" only bore a faint resemblance to what we know as scones, although they did look a similar shape when they were cooked.

Now I can make scones, both traditional and my favourite Lemonade Scones, and they are always scrumptious and never last long. In fact if ever there are any left the next day the boys split them, toast them under the grill and either top them with honey or jam and cheese and wolf them down in no time.

The recipe for Lemonade Scones is very easy and absolutely no fail. If you're a beginner scone maker try this recipe first, you'll love it.

Lemonade Scones
Ingredients:
1 cup of lemonade
1 cup of cream
3 cups of self-raising flour

Method:
Preheat oven to very hot 220C. Add lemonade and cream to flour, mix to form soft dough, then place mixture on floured surface. Knead dough to a 2 cm thickness and cut with a floured cutter. Place close together on tray, brush with whisked egg and bake for 10 - 15 minutes.

Here's my "traditional" scone recipe, also very easy and no fail. You'll notice I don't put sugar into these scones, I think the jam is sweet enough. It also means that they can be used for savoury toppings without tasting odd. Try them with pickle and grated cheese or cream cheese and salmon, they are just delicious.

Traditional Scones

Ingredients:
3 cups SR flour
90g chilled butter (not margarine), cut into 1cm cubes
1 cup milk
A little extra milk, for brushing

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 230 degrees Celsius. Line a baking tray with baking paper.  Place flour in a large bowl. Tip chilled, cubed butter into bowl. Working quickly  and using your fingertips rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the milk and using a flat-bladed knife mix until just combined. Sprinkle a pastry sheet or benchtop with some flour and turn the dough out. Knead gently with your fingertips, shaping into a round. Using the palm of your hand flatten the dough to about 2cm thick. Cut into rounds with a scone cutter dipped in flour (this will stop it sticking to the dough). Place the scones onto the baking tray so they are just touching. Brush the tops only lightly with milk and place in oven. Bake for 10 -12 minutes until golden.

Serve warm from the oven with raspberry or strawberry jam and whipped cream.

My top tips for scone making:

• Work quickly - from tipping the butter into the flour to getting the scones into the oven shouldn't be more than five minutes.
• Always use butter - margarine will work but the flavour and texture are not quite as good.
• Always use chilled butter so it rubs into the flour without melting. Soft butter melts into the flour, turning it to a greasy dough and producing flat, hard scones.
• Use your fingertips when rubbing in the butter as they don't get as hot as your hands.
• If you don't want to or are not able to use your fingertips, you can get a pastry cutter which will do the job for you. You'll find them at homeware stores for around $8 each.
• Never roll the dough with a rolling pin - it will take the air out of the dough, making tough, dry scones.
• Brush only the tops of the scones to help with rising.
• Scones that are touching rise higher and bake more evenly than if they are spaced on the tray.

If you've never made scones, give them a go. They are so easy and you'll be the best hostess if you can whip up a batch of fresh scones with jam and cream for the perfect afternoon tea.

Miracle Microfibre - It's Not Just Hype

Microfibre cleaning cloths are fantastic. But do they really save you money?  Research carried out by the University of California Davis Medical Centre way back in 1999 concluded that not only do microfibre cleaning clothes make your cleaning chores easier, they can save you a fortune. They studied the cost and performance benefits of microfibre mops against conventional mops and concluded that the microfibre mop, while costing more initially actually saved around 95% on cleaning chemicals, 60% on replacement costs over the lifetime of a conventional mop and approximately 20% on labour costs. They also discovered that using microfibre cleaning products uses less water too.  These days microfibre cloths range in price, but they all do a great job. Choose the cloth that best suits your budget and the cleaning job and you're sure to save a lot of money, time and energy.

I couldn't find any Australian research (apart from my own) carried out on the cost-benefits of microfibre v conventional cleaning. If you know of any, please let me know. I'd love to see it.

How Fresh is Your Pillow?

I've seen it all now, folks.  Pillows that come stamped with a "change" date!

Tontine are now stamping their pillows with a "change date" so you'll know when it's time to buy a one. How handy is that? not!

Good pillows are necessary for comfortable and healthy sleep.I have nothing against new pillows and if you really want them and can afford them go right ahead. But whatever happened to using your commonsense? Surely you don't need a date stamped on your pillow to tell you it's time for a change. A distinctly ugly odour, a sore neck and a few sleepless nights should do the job.

I personally do not like new pillows. They are always too high, too soft or too hard - just plain uncomfortable, which is why I always take my own pillows when we travel (most of my overnight bag is pillows, even if I'm going to be staying in a great hotel). I would much rather renovate the pillows we have every twelve months or so.  It's a job for a warm, sunny day, just perfect for this time of year.  And believe it or not it's very easy to do if your pillows have a synthetic filling. Feather pillows and the new memory foam pillows take a little more effort but can be renovated yourself too.

Once a year seems to be the right length of time for my family, yours may need more frequent or less often treatment. You'll know what works best for you.

I just dunk them in the bath with warm, soapy water, let them soak, rinse and dry flat. The trick is not to wring them, that just ruins the filling, and to let them drip dry flat. That's why you are best to choose a warm day  for your pillow renovation. The next, and most important thing, to remember is to make sure they are thoroughly dry before you start using them. You don't want to end up with a mouldy pillow under your head.

Keep your pillows fresh between renovations by airing them in the sunshine once a month. Just peg them to the clothesline for the day and give them a good shake before you put them back on your bed. They'll smell like the sun and be delightfully fresh, and you won't have spent a cent.

The sceptic in me wonders at the helpfulness of Tontine and the company's concern about your health and well being. Personally I think this is such a clever marketing ploy - how many people are going to buy their stamped pillows and simply put them in the bin when the stamped date rolls around, irrespective of whether or not their pillow is doing a great job. And these pillows will go to landfill - for health reasons you can't donate them or sell them.  You can even register online to receive an email reminder when it's time to change your pillow!

It's another great way to convince those sheep-like people, who don't want to think for themselves or take responsibility for their own life, to buy new pillows. Pillows aren't cheap - even at $10 each we have 14 in our house (we all have two each, and four for the spare beds). That's $140 every couple of years, just on pillows! Actually in two years time it will be more, I'm sure they won't stay the same or drop in price.

Now I'm over my awe, I won't be buying any new pillows according to a change-by, use-by or best-before date, I'll be doing just as I always have and renovating until I feel my pillows are beyond renovation.

My advice to you is to use your commonsense, and give renovating your pillows yourself a go before you rush out and buy new ones.

Greetings Workshop at Home

If you are following our Christmas Countdown, you'll know that Christmas cards are done early in the countdown. You don't need to buy them, nor do you have to be particularly creative or crafty, as Cheryl's tip shows.

When our first child was born we made our own Christmas cards. We used "Greetings Workshop" software, but there are a lot of different types of software around. Using A4 paper we put a photo of us and the new baby on the front cover. We personalised the cards including other photos and printed a letter on the inside to let people know what we had been doing during the year. We had so many comments about the cards, we have done them this way every year since. Every year people 'watched' the children growing. It was cheap but more than that it was very personal and relatives and friends loved it.
Contributed by Cheryl

Irish Potatoes

These potatoes are delicious and very easy. They also transport well so are perfect for taking to pot-luck dinners.  If you have any leftovers (highly unlikely, they are really good) fry them in a non-stick pan the next day and serve with a fried egg for a quick and tasty meal.  You won't need to add any butter or oil to the pan, there will be enough in the sauce.  The addition of dill adds a lovely flavour to this simple dish.

Ingredients:
1kg potatoes, washed and cut into wedges (no need to peel)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup butter, melted
1tbsp lemon juice
1tbsp chopped parsley
2 spring onions, finely sliced
3 tsp dried dill
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Put the potatoes and water into a covered casserole dish. Place in oven and cook for 45 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.  Drain and return to casserole dish. Combine melted butter, lemon juice, parsley, spring onions, dill and seasonings. Pour over potatoes and return to oven to heat through, about 15 minutes.   Serve.

Keep it Cool

When you need to grate a semi-hard cheese such as cheddar, pop it into the freezer for a half hour or so before grating. This prevents the cheese from turning into a total mess on the back side of the grater.  Chill and grate butter as well when a recipe calls for dotting the top of the casserole or when making pastry with butter.

Lazy Sunday

It really has been a lazy Sunday here today. I didn't get out of bed until 9.30am! I didn't even hear or feel Wayne get up this morning. I usually wake as soon as he gets out of bed, but not today. The busyness of the last few weeks has finally caught up with me and I am tired.

So, instead of doing the laundry and ironing and some baking for the week I've spent most of today on the lounge, working on the website and my new book and getting some other articles ready for an upcoming project. I didn't even get lunch, Wayne brought it to me on a plate and I ate right here, where I am now.

It's still cool outside, not cold like it was yesterday, but cool and damp and a little windy. Every time the sun breaks through the clouds I think I'd like to get up and go and check the garden then it clouds over and looks miserable so I stay here.

Yesterday was so cold we lit the fire again and it's been going ever since. We are so blessed to have the fire. It does a great job of heating the whole house, but I use it to dry the washing (Hannah did a load of laundry) and keeps a pot of water almost on the boil all day, just perfect for a quick cuppa, washing the dishes or adding to the bath for a soak.

There won't be a roast for tea tonight, I forgot to take it out of the freezer yesterday. Instead I have ribs on the stove, bubbling away. I love ribs, the smoky bbq flavour of the sauce is one of my favourite things but no-one else is all that keen on them so they don't appear regularly.  We only have them now because they a cut that was included with the last side of beef we bought. This particular recipe is a "cheat" for bbq ribs and only takes two hours from start to servings. I'm going to make some seasoned rice to have with them, a lazy side dish option for a lazy Sunday. I wanted to get a photo of the ribs plated up but the hungry hoards couldn't wait so hopefully next time.

Cheats BBQ Ribs
Ingredients:
2.5kg beef short ribs
250g tomato paste
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp dried onion flakes
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Method:
Put the ribs into a large, heavy saucepan and cover with cold water. Cover and bring to the boil. Turn heat down and cook for 1 hour. To make the sauce place the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan, stir to combine and bring to the boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Turn heat down and simmer for 15 minutes. When the ribs are cooked drain and pour sauce over, turning to coat each rib. Heat a grill (bbq or heavy fry pan) and grill the ribs, turning frequently and basting with sauce for 15 minutes. Serve with seasoned rice.

I'll put this recipe in the Recipe File too, so you'll be able to find it when you want to try it because it really is delicious.

While I've been sitting doing nothing all day, I caught up on a whole lot of paperwork that's been sitting on my desk for days, and even managed to do some filing. For a world that claims to be moving towards being "paperless" I seem to get more and more paper every day, even without junk mail. I used to joke that our electricity bill would be a lot cheaper if they'd leave the junk out of the envelope and just send the bill, now I'm not so sure I'm joking.  We've moved to getting as many bills and newsletters as we can via email and still there is so much useless paper flooding our home day after day. Whether it's recycled or not, the environmental cost of all this useless paper is huge. If you know a way to control it let me know because I'm stumped.

Drought tolerant doesn't mean "don't water"

While we all want to conserve water and have nice gardens, just remember that while there are many plants labelled "drought tolerant" they still need water.  When planting, even drought tolerant plants, remember that they will need regular watering for at least the first year until they are established. After that, as long as you have selected the right plants for your zone, they should be able to exist on the natural groundwater and rainfall.

The road trip isn't so long if the kids are quiet

It's easy to keep the kids entertained in the car, whether the trip is short or you're on an epic road trip, and you don't have to knock them out or travel at night either. Letting them have hours of Gameboy time isn't necessarily the best way to keep them quiet, but talking books are. Most cars these days have CD players and/or tape decks, so go to your local library and borrow some talking books. Choosing a couple of their favourite stories will keep them quiet between rest stops.  Another option is DVDs. If you don't have a portable DVD player, you can use a laptop computer for their favourite movies. There are adaptors you can get that will plug in to the cigarette lighter to keep the laptop charged - you don't want a fight if the battery goes flat.

Variety is the Key to Menu Planning

You don't have to cook/eat big meat and 3 veg meals every night. Try having meat and 3 veg one night followed by stir fry, quiche, noodle soup next night. Omelettes, poached, scrambled eggs are great too. Try adding different fillings i.e. grated cheese, chopped tomato n herbs, tuna/salmon, leftover meats to eggs for flavour.

You can peel and cut up fresh potato, carrot, pumpkin, sweet potato cover with cold water and store in an airtight container in fridge. Boil, steam or micro vegies while grilling chops, steak or fish. Turn griller on first, get this cooking, have shower or cuppa or something stronger!!! Then start cooking vegies.

Use a packet sauce to make different flavoured gravies to dress up meat. Remember, its only 5 nights you need to prepare for each week. That's 1 meal of grill and veg, 1 meal of stir fry, 1 meal of quiche, 1 meal of meatballs, 1 meal of Asian noodle soup. You haven't even used an egg dish yet!!! Don't forget you can always grab a bbq chicken on your way home and micro those fresh vegies you've prepared ahead if you get stuck late at work etc. Home made toppings on a pre prepared fresh pizza base are good fun too! Freeze a few for quick meals too!

Contributed by Pauline

Eggs-idental Spills

If you accidentally drop an egg on the kitchen floor, don't make the sticky mess worse by wiping it up. Instead, cover the egg glob completely with salt. Leave on for about 15 minutes. Simply sweep or wipe up with a paper towel.

Drink Can Saving

A friend told me you could fit over $600 in $2 coins in a drink can which I found hard to believe so thought I'd give it a try. When the tab is pulled off the can you can only fit $2 coins in the opening...5 cent coins will also fit but the goal was to see how much a can of $2 coins would add up to. I washed and dried the can and started adding the coins. Low and behold by the time the can was full there was over $640! I ended up getting a larger beer can and that can holds over $700. I've got to the stage where I can't spend a $2 coin, which probably isn't a bad thing. After seeing the amount the drink can held my friend has been saving her $2 coins as well and it came in very handy with unexpected car repairs.

Contributed by Dianne Keen

Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Everyone needs a simple recipe they can pull together in a few minutes, but that looks and tastes as though they've spent hours in the kitchen. This casserole is it. You can assemble the whole dish in around 10 minutes, 5 if you're really quick, and then just leave it in the slow cooker to simmer away all day.

Ingredients:
4 chicken breast fillets, skin off
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 slices ham
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk

Method:
Flatten chicken fillets. Roll a slice of ham, slice of cheese and a chicken fillet together. Fasten with a toothpick to hold closed. Heat butter in a frying pan and brown chicken on all sides. Remove from pan and place in crockpot. Mix chicken soup and milk and pour over chicken. Cook on low 4 - 5 hours. Add more milk to sauce if necessary.

Notes:  I have used tasty and Mozarella cheeses for this recipe with equal success. I would use whatever was on hand.  I also use homemade cream of chicken soup rather than a can, simply because I don't often have a tin of chicken soup handy. This dish works equally well with cream of mushroom and cream of asparagus soups.

Camera Stable Table

Fill a small ziplock bag with rice and keep it in your camera bag. It makes a great stable surface to rest your camera on when you want to take time exposure photos or you want to be in the photo and don't have a tripod. Just put the bag on a stable surface and rest the camera on top. Voila, a steady camera and a steady shot!

Contributed by Stuart, Sydney

What's to eat?

Do those words frustrate you as much as they do me? Seriously, AJ and Tom have lived with me long enough to know my answer. "Nothing".

The one thing we are never short of is food. The pantry is full. The fridge is full, ditto the freezer. The stockpile shelves and cupboard are full to overflowing. And yet they stand before me and ask "what's to eat?".

What they are really asking is "why isn't there a plate of food in the fridge with a note saying 'Tom, please eat me'.

There isn't because I'm not that nice a mother. And because they are 18 and 19 years old, well capable of finding something to eat for themselves. They just don't want to.

Maybe I am a nice mum after all. I took pity on them this afternoon and did some baking. Now there's a chocolate cake in the cake tin, a craisin (dried cranberry) cake on the cake stand and a batch of choc chip lunchbox cookies in the biscuit jar. There's also a dozen hardboiled eggs and a tub of hummus in the fridge. Surely they'll find something to eat now?

If you are wondering about the craisin cake, it came about because we are out of sultanas and I'm not due to go to the shops until next Thursday.

I used my Sultana Cake recipe, substituting craisins for the sultanas and skipping the overnight soaking. The cake is a pale shade of pink and smells lovely. It's still cooling so I haven't tasted it yet but I think it will be nice. I'm tossing up whether to do a cream cheese icing for it, but will probably leave it as is. Un-iced it will keep longer and won't need to go into the fridge.

At least it'll last until the boys find it - then I won't need to blink or it'll be gone!

Don't forget the flowers

A sure sign of a healthy garden is the birds, bees and butterflies flitting from plant to plant. But these garden lovelies need nectar, the nectar found in flowers, to survive in your garden and thus do their job.  While growing only edible plants or low maintenance and low-water gardens appears to be eco-friendly, these gardens do not offer the habitat these garden helpers need. Without some flowers or at least nectar and pollen producing plants, your garden cannot flourish.  There are any number of flowering plants that are both low-water and low-maintenance so remember to include them in your minimalist garden plan.

Perfect Party Food

Keep it simple. The last thing you need on a busy day is for you to be running around like crazy trying to make cherries flambé or tiramisu with crème frache. However, with a little creative planning, you can make something spectacular and still be able to take great photos of the party guests and birthday child eating your birthday spread. There are so many recipes available at your fingertips that are not only delicious but easy to make with items you probably have in the house or can pick up in your local supermarket at minimal cost (another key!).  Our standard birthday party fare is all mini foods, simply because kids at parties just don't eat.  We have mini sausage rolls, party pies and mini quiche, fairy bread (the grown ups really go for this), dip and carrot straws, with birthday cake and frog-in-a-pond for desserts. A punch is easy to make and always popular - try Fairy Nectar or Precious Gem Punch.  Whatever party menu you choose, remember, especially for a kids' party, just keep it simple! 


Precious Gem Punch
Make ice cubes by freezing blackcurrant or grape juice. Just before serving add the ice cubes to 2 litres of apple juice and 2 litres of lemonade in a punchbowl. The precious gems floating on top will glisten and glow.

To make the “gems” even more special, use different shaped ice cube trays.


Fairy Nectar
3 litre can sunshine punch
2 litres lemonade
2 litres dry ginger
1 tin apricot nectar

Freeze small pieces of fruit (pineapple, strawberries, mandarins) in ice cubes. Just before serving add the ice cubes to the punch. Float some washed and dried mint leaves on the top of the fairy nectar.

How long does food last?

Before you fill your cupboards with bulk items, you may want to review the average "life" of those products you are considering purchasing. Ask yourself if you have adequate storage space, freezer space, and how much your family enjoys the products you are purchasing.  This is a list of the average life of some common pantry and fridge/freezer foods.


Meat & Poultry - Uncooked:
Chicken/Turkey - 9 months
Steaks, beef - 6 to 12 months
Chops, pork - 4 to 6 months
Chops, lamb - 6 to 9 months
Roasts, beef - 6 to 12 months
Roasts, lamb - 6 to 9 months
Roasts, pork and veal - 4 to 6 months
Stew Meats - 3 to 4 months
Ground meats - 3 to 4 months
Organ meats - 3 to 4 months


Dairy Products:
Butter/margarine - 6-9 months
Cheese, soft and spreads, dips - 1 months
Cheese, hard or semi-hard - 6 months
Eggs in shell- Do not freeze
Ice cream - 1 months
Milk / Cream- 3 weeks


Dried Food Items - Shelf Life:
Baking powder/bi-carb soda - 18 months
Bread Crumbs - 6 months
Cereals - 6 months
Flour/cake mixes - 1 year
Gelatin/pudding mixes - 1 year
Herbs/spices - 6-12 months
Milk, nonfat dry - 6 months
Pancake/pastry mixes - 6 months
Pasta/noodles - 2 years
Potatoes, instant - 18 months
Rice, white - 2 years
Sugar, white - 2 years
Sugar, brown, -  4 months

Get that Bling to Sparkle

A simple way to clean jewellery, particularly diamond rings, is to mix 1 part cloudy ammonia (found in the cleaning aisle of the supermarket) to 1 part hot tap water. Sit the jewellery in the mixture  for 15-30 minutes in a well ventilated area and then rinse off with warm water. Dry with a soft cloth and your jewellery will sparkle.  The ammonia can be used neat but the hot water seems to help loosen any grime.  Do NOT use on pearls or Mother of pearl jewellery.

Chicken Pot Pie

This pie is delicious and is a nice way to serve leftover roast chicken too. Just substitute the leftover chicken for the chicken fillet. As it will already be cooked you can skip the first step in the method.

Serves 4 - 6
Cost $5.29

Ingredients:
2 sheets puff pastry $1.20
1 chicken breast fillet $2.30
1 onion, diced . 20c
1 small carrot, diced .20c
1 stick celery, diced  .10c
1 tin cream of chicken soup  $1.29 (or use the equivalent of homemade mix)

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Cook the chicken fillet, remove from pan and set aside to cool. Sauté the onion, carrot and celery in the pan the chicken was cooked in, being sure to scrape up the brownings. When the chicken is cool, shred the meat with a fork. Add to the pan with the vegetables, stir in the cream of chicken soup and mix gently until well combined. Grease a pie plate and line the base with one sheet of pastry. Add the filling and top with the second pastry sheet. Trim and crimp the edges to seal, either with a fork or using your fingers to pinch the edges closed. Cut four or five vents in the top of the pie.  Brush top with a little water. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Cook in a hot oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until golden brown on top and base is cooked through.

Sewing, Craft, Fix-its and More!

Approximate $ Savings: $30
  
The ribbons that are sewn into the shoulders of clothing are very handy indeed! I personally don't use them and find them highly annoying so they are cut out of new clothing as soon as it arrives home! I keep them in a designated box so I know where to find them when needed. One of the best things about these ribbons is the variety in colour and the myriad of uses they have. They are great for scrapbooking, craft projects, hair decorations, quick fixes and so much more! My daughter has a strappy sun dress which she loves to bits. The strap from one shoulder snapped and I was unable to repair it. Rather than try to find the dress and replace it totally ($30 new), I got out my ribbon box and created 2 new funky straps for the dress so they would match. My daughter was ecstatic that she still had her dress and that it had received an upgrade. I was MORE than pleased with my handy-work and for saving over $30!

Contributed by Tenille Harrison

A Wonderful Gift of Fresh Eggs

A dozen fresh eggs, what a wonderful gift

Thomas had some friends over this afternoon and one the boys brought me a dozen farm fresh eggs, straight from his own chickens. I was so thrilled when he gave them to me,  to think this young man knows me so well that he was comfortable enough to give me a dozen eggs as a hostess gift. Not that I think he knows what a hostess gift is, but he was pleased at my joy and I am more than pleased that my boys have such gorgeous friends.

Andre has 20 hens and as well as keeping his own mum and grandmother in fresh eggs he has enough to be able to give them away. When I suggested he could sell them he just shook his head no. He has the chickens because he just loves working with animals and he loves being able to gift something of his own to special people. In this materialistic, self-centred world, isn't that a nice attitude?

So, with a spare dozen eggs I did some extra cooking this afternoon. There's a lovely bread and butter custard for dessert tonight and 10 individual quiche of various flavours in the freezer for lunches. I gave the already recycled carton back to him and have just added 12 crushed egg shells to the bokashi bucket. Nothing  about this gift has been wasted.

It's Tomato Time

It's almost time to get your tomato seedlings into the ground. You can plant them out as soon as the risk of frost is gone.

Prepare the soil by digging over and removing any rocks and clumps. Dig in lots of compost and organic matter and water well.

If you space the plants about 1 metre apart you'll ensure good airflow, reducing the risk of disease. And remember to mulch well.  A simple trick is to plant them just a little deeper than they were in the pot to encourage a good root system and a strong stem.

And lastly remember to feed them regularly with liquid fertilizer like a seaweed mix or use worm castings or compost tea.

Daylight saving starts tomorrow morning

Don't forget to put your clocks forward one hour before you go to bed tonight. Daylight Savings starts at 2am tomorrow morning for the ACT, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania.

And for those who bemoan the "lost" hour, you'll get it back on 3rd April 2011 when we put the clocks back!

Search Your Family Tree

Most of us know two or three, sometimes four generations of our family tree, but tracing our ancestry back any further can be a little confused.  A great activity that can include everyone in the family is to trace your family tree.  Start with what you know - you and your family, your parents and possibly grandparents. Then go back further by asking older relatives for their memories.  You can use resources like ancestry.com.au to fill in more blanks or contact your local genealogical society for help. You can add as much detail as you like and go back as far at you like.  There are plenty of computer programs around that can help you put the information together or you can use a simple spreadsheet.  Once you've finished put it all together in a book for family members.

Buy Nothing New month

Today is the start of this month long challenge, the first Buy Nothing New month for Salvos Stores. Of course it fits perfectly with the Cheapskates philosophy too.

We live in a throw-away society, where very little is made to last beyond a couple of years or a few uses and nothing is made to be repaired. Instead, just about everything from paper plates to computers, clothes to washing machines, is disposable, made to be thrown away when it stops working.

This throw-away mentality hasn't made our lives any easier. Instead it has complicated them, adding significantly to the cost of living and creating stresses unknown just a generation ago.

So for the month of October, just 31 short days, the challenge is to ignore the tendency we all have to throw things away and buy a new whatever. This month we are going to extend the useful life of the things we buy, learn just how easy it is to find what we need second-hand, used, repaired, recycled or renovated.  Just so long as we don't buy anything new.

To help you get started here are 10 tips for Op-shopping:

1.Shop with a plan and a list.
2.Be open minded.
3.Look for quality.
4.Don't be afraid to try new, unknown brands.
5.Always try things on.
6.Leave the kids at home.
7.Know your local op-shops opening hours and sale days.
8.Go often and with cash.
9.Think creatively - look for ways to re-purpose the items you see.
10.Think ahead - stockpile great buys for future use.

Spring Cleaning Tip: Let your clutter pay for itself

If you are looking to clear out some knick knacks or perhaps even some holiday decorations in order to make room for new ones, consider a trip to the local trash'n'treasure market. Everyone is looking for a bargain and they just may be looking for something that you no longer wish to own.  Otherwise, you can always sell items at internet auction sites, including gumtree.com.au and ebay.com.au

Question Every Expense

We often think we just can't live without that unlimited mobile phone account, or the gym membership, or the kids' babysitting or daycare. But instead of taking everything as a given, go through your bills one by one and see what you could do without if you HAD to cut your spending in half. Most people won't be faced with that kind of drastic reduction in income, but many Australians are dealing with that very scenario right now for one reason or another. If you know what bills you can get rid of straight away then facing a sudden drop in income won't be quite so scary.

Saving flavoured oils

If you use canned products such as anchovies, sardines, stuffed grape leaves etc that come packed in olive oil, save the oil. Instead of throwing it into the compost save it in a small container in the fridge and re-use it for cooking. It's also great for making a flavoured vinaigrette. Just remember to keep the oils in separate containers and label them - you don't want to fry potatoes in sardine flavoured oil, but it's great for cooking fishcakes. You'll save money by recycling the oil and by not pouring it down the drain (you don't do that do you?).  By adding it to your compost you are helping to keep our waterways clean and clear and enriching the soil.

Slow Cooker

There is a great discussion going on in the Member's forum at the moment about slow cooker desserts so I thought I'd let you know that I have a new favourite book. You all know of my absolute love of my slow cookers - I have two - so it will be no surprise to you to learn that I have fallen in love with "Slow Cooker" by Sally Wise.

Some of you may already have Sally's other books A Year in a Bottle and Out of a Bottle, two of my other favourite books. Slow Cooker is just as delightful to read and use. If you don't have them or haven't read them, get them from your library and immerse yourself in a warm, old fashioned foodie heaven with a slightly modern twist.


Slow cookers aren't just for winter and they don't just cook soups and stews. I use mine at least twice a week all year round, even in summer. They do make beautiful soups and stews, but they also cook the perfect corned beef, wonderful roasts, delicous puddings and even perfect porridge for a warm winter breakfast. So when I found this book I stood and read it (always a good sign for the bookshop). I didn't just skim it, I read pages and pages before deciding I would use my mad money to buy it. And I am so glad that I did.

It was thrilling to find out that I am not the only nutter with a collection of slow cookers, something Wayne thinks I made up. He finds it hard to understand why I'd need, let alone want, more than one. But then I point out that I find it equally hard to understand why he needs so many trains and that end the discussion quick smart.

Right now Italian Vegetarian Meatballs are simmering in the crockpot for dinner tonight. They smell delicious and Wayne will be home from work soon and I know he'll have a smile on his face when he walks in and can smell dinner cooking. I'm going to put them over mashed potato and green beans (from the garden) tonight. Do you all know that you get the creamiest, smoothest mashed potatoes if you use some of the water they were steamed in and a quarter cup of milk powder to mash them rather than fresh milk? No butter or cream needed if you use the cooking water. Any leftover water can added to the soup or stock pot or frozen to use in gravies, sauces and so on later. Don't pour it down the sink and waste all those vitamins and minerals. If you don't want to use it yourself, pour it over your indoor plants for a treat.


You'll find slow cooker recipes for baked apples, bread and butter pudding and apple pudding in the Recipe File. They are all delicous and just perfect for the slow cooker but my favourite is self-saucing chocolate pudding.

Slow Cooker Chocolate Self- Saucing Pudding
Ingredients:
100g butter, melted
½ cup milk
1 egg
1 cup self raising flour
2 tablespoons cocoa
½ cup caster sugar

Sauce:
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 cups boiling water

Method:
Combine melted butter, milk and egg. In a separate bowl, sift flour and cocoa together and mix in the sugar. Gradually add the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and mix well. Spoon this mixture into a buttered 6 cup pudding basin. Place a saucer upside down in the bottom of the slow cooker and sit the pudding basin on the top. Combine the cocoa and brown sugar together, sprinkle over the top of pudding. Carefully pour boiling water over the mixture. Cover and cook on High for 3 1/2 hours or on Low for 5-6 hours.  Serve hot with ice cream or custard.

Watercolours From Make-up

Let the kids use old (or that very cheap from the $2 shop) make-up to draw pictures. They can use lipsticks and eyeliners for the outlines. The powders like eye shadow, blushers etc can be used as water colours. Give them a jar of water and a paintbrush and they can just dip, brush and paint to create watercolours. For softer shades and effects they can use the powders dry.
Contributed by Rachael, Rivervale

Invest in the best tools you can afford

Spend more money now by purchasing better quality gardening tools and you will save in the long run.  Taken care of, they will last for years, saving you dollars because you don’t need to replace them every planting season.  Same goes for gardening gloves - they may seem cheap and disposable, but make sure you buy the best you can afford so they last all season and possibly longer.

Perfect party food

Presentation is everything, especially with party food. Think about it. A sprinkle sandwich is nice, but, make that sandwich and cut it with petite cookie cutters into various shapes matched to the party theme and you have something spectacular. Even just cutting the sandwiches into a circle with a glass and then cutting the circles in half would work. Display them nicely on a glass plate with some red grapes or flowers and it's no longer just a boring sandwich but a delicacy that's a delight to look at AND eat.  Even the simplest party fare looks spectacular and appetizing when it's presented as though it's a gourmet delight.

The Shopping List Challenge

Make a list and stick to it. If it’s not on the list, don’t buy it. Carry a pen and make sure you cross each item off as you put it in the basket or trolley. When everything is crossed off, count the items on the list and then count the items in your basket - they should be the same. If you have more items in your basket you have to put whatever isn't on the list back!

Close the fridge door

Have you ever spaced out while looking in the fridge for something? No? Then surely you've watched your kids stand with the refrigerator or freezer door open while they ponder what to snack on? Each time you or your kids stand there with the door open, the cold air is pouring out onto the floor. You can understand this if you replace the image of cold air with water; it works just the same. Every time you let the fridge drain cold air, it takes that much more energy to re-cool the food inside once you close the door. If each person in your family does that once or twice a day, it adds up to energy wasted and money lost.

Find bargains wherever possible

One of the best ways to save money is to keep your eyes open for money-saving opportunities and take advantage of them. For example, many of your day to day expenses can be reduced simply by changing your routine. If certain things are important to you, however, simply make your changes in other areas. Most people find that they save the most money from many small changes, not a single huge change, in the way they spend their money. Bargains are everywhere and can be for just about anything too so keep an open mind and watch your spending decrease and your savings grow.

Same ingredients, different dishes

When you are menu planning and making up your shopping list, try to choose meals that use a lot of the same ingredients. Doing this you can buy in bulk where appropriate, stop buying lots of different ingredients you only use once and keep your pantry, fridge and freezer contents under control.

Don't lose the cord

If your children have drawstrings in their pyjama pants or around the hood of a coat chances are at some stage they will lose the cord inside the casing. To stop them losing the cord, sew a large button on each end of the drawstring. This will keep the string from disappearing inside the casing, saving you a lot of time and stress.  Do this to swimming and library bags too, even if they have a sturdy knot. You won't have to spend time re-threading a drawstring ever again.

A Prize Winning Sultana Cake

While we were having lunch today Wayne had the TV on, watching Landline on the ABC.  One of the segments on the show featured Show cooks.  It seems that show cooking has had a resurgence in recent times, with this year's ECCA seeing an increase of 180 entries.

And can you believe the youngest entrant was just four years old!

As they were talking about fruit cakes, and how to cut all the fruit, line the tins etc Wayne hinted that perhaps I could make him one of my prize winning sultana cakes.  Yes, I have won a first prize for sultana cake, not at an agricultural show, but at Group CWA, an honour I am still proud of.

Anyone who knows me understands why I am so honoured. I'm not a great cook and I really don't enjoy everyday cooking. I have a few recipes that I make over and over (if you check my menu plan each month you'll know what I mean) because I can make them very well.

Sultana cake is one of those things.  My top 10 tips for a prize winning sultana cake are:

1.Use the freshest sultanas possible.
2.Always soak the sultanas overnight, drain and let them dry for 24 hours.
3.Dust sultanas with a little flour before adding them to the mixture.
4.Add 1 teaspoon of lemon essence with the liquids - it gives a delicious flavour.
5.Line the tin with 2 layers of brown paper and then 1 layer of baking paper.
6.After pouring the batter into the tin, wet your hands and gently pat the top to even out. This helps to stop the top cracking during baking.
7.Always pre-heat your oven and make sure it is exactly the right temperature before you put the cake in to bake.
8.Never open the oven during baking.
9.After baking time is up, take the cake from the oven and if it is singing to you it is done. If it's not singing, put it back in for another five minutes and test again.
10.Let cool in tin for 10 minutes before turning out to cool.

Now I've given away my secrets, I guess I should share the recipe too.

Sultana Cake
Ingredients:
500g sultanas
250g butter
250g sugar
350g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
1 tsp lemon essence

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Cover the sultanas with water and bring to the boil (and yes, they were soaked overnight). Boil for 15 minutes and drain. Add butter to hot sultanas. Beat eggs and sugar together. Add to sultana mixture. Then add the sifted flour and baking powder. Add the lemon essence and mix well. Bake in a 20cm tin for about 11/2 hours. Test to see if it's done, if not return to oven for a few minutes and check again. Let cake cool in tin 10 minutes before turning out to cool on a cake rack.

Plan to Grow and Share

Plan your vegetable garden according to what your neighbours are planting so you can share your vegetables when they’re ready for eating. Often I’ve had too many of one kind of vegetable I couldn’t give away because my friend’s were ripe at the same time. These days we get together and plan our planting program so we all know what everyone is planting. We then plant enough for our families and a few extra to share. We all have a plentiful supply of fresh vegetables and save money, time and energy too.

Farmer's Markets

Spend the morning browsing a farmer's market rather than at your local shopping centre. You'll get fresh air, exercise and fresh food. You may even discover a bargain or two or a new recipe or craft to try at home.  Ask lots of questions and learn some new tricks for growing and making your own food. You don't need to spend any money if you don't want to (although it is nice to try a new bread or cheese or pick up some really fresh veggies), just walking through the stalls can inspire you and show you new ways to use the things you already have for a new purpose.

Go to www.farmersmarkets.org.au/ to find a farmer's market near you.

Double Up Shopping

When doing your grocery shop, for the week or fortnight double up on a staple such as tea or sugar. Store them in a separate place, and in a couple of months you will have nearly a whole shopping list of staples. I usually treat myself with the savings to something special. I also do the same thing with specials if I can afford to.
Contributed by Josie, Sydney

Spring Cleaning

Spring Clenaing Tip No. 3 - Air Fresheners

Freshen a room with your own air freshener. Saturate a ball of cotton with your favourite scent and put it in an open container or put a few drops of scented oil on your light bulbs (the heat from the bulbs will create a fragrance in the air). Only use a few drops, 2 or 3 at most, for safety's sake.

You can also put scented cotton balls  in the vacuum cleaner bag while you vacuum.  If you don't like synthetic scents in the air, put 1/2 cup white vinegar in a small dish and leave one in each room. The vinegar will deodorise the rooms without any overpowering or annoying scents. And your home won't smell like a fish and chip shop either. Change weekly.  Don't waste the vinegar though, use it to clean your toilet or drains.

To deodorise and freshen your carpets, sprinkle liberally with bicarb soda, brush in with a soft broom and leave two hours. Vacuum up for fresh, deodorised and clean carpets.

Save Money

Everyone talks about saving money, and often about how much they have saved. But have they really? Money isn't saved until it is safely in your Emergency Fund, Peace of Mind account or a Savings account. Until then it is just not spent.  Get into the habit of saving regularly - each week, fortnight or month, depending on how you are paid. It doesn't matte how much you start with - $2 will work - but you need to develop a saving habit. Once you are regularly saving your $2, you can increase the amount you save. As you see the balance of your savings grow you will be motivated to save more. The hardest part of saving is getting started, so be brave and start today!

Baked Chicken Salad

This is a great dish for using up leftovers - chicken, that half an onion at the back of the fridge, that last of the mayo, the dregs in the potato chip packet. You can substitute corn chips or even pita chips for the potato chips too. I often serve this with buttered bread stick and a tossed green salad to round out the meal.

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
2 cups celery, diced
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons onion, grated
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup potato chips, crushed
1/2 cup cheese, grated

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Combine chicken, eggs, celery, almonds, salt, onion, and lemon juice in bowl; fold in mayonnaise.   Turn into greased casserole dish; top with potato chips and cheese.  Bake for about 12 minutes or until salad is bubbly and cheese is melted.

Preserve a Painting

If you have pre-schoolers or even junior primary school aged children then you will have drawings and paintings, possibly hundreds of them. It's nice to keep a few favourites and put them away in the child's memory box. To keep the  drawing from fading or smudging, give it a light spray with hairspray. It will dry in just a few seconds and give the drawing a protective coating to keep it looking good for years.

A Nifty Veggie Box

I love wandering through the garden, picking the veggies for our next meal. Often I have quite a few, and I used to put them into a basket to make carrying them easier. I'd then have to clean them in my kitchen sink, sometimes creating quite a mess.

Until I had a bright idea!  I found an old wooden box, about the size of an apple box and replaced the base with flywire. Now the freshly picked veggies get deposited into the box and I can hose away any dirt and bugs before taking them inside. To save the water I sit the box over the corners of one of the garden boxes and let the water drain into the garden.

Search for Discount Codes

Before purchasing goods or services online, do a quick search for  discount codes (the online version of a coupon). Often you will find a code that will give you a discount off the price, free shipping, even a gift with purchase or an item upgrade. All you do is enter the code into the relevant field on the order form before going through the check-out.  It can be worthwhile taking two minutes to do a quick search as you shop.

Squish and save

I had an email from Cheapskater Shelley, asking if I could solve the riddle of how her household could go through so much toilet paper.  The answer is almost unbelievably simple: squish the roll.

Saving on toilet paper is especially important if you have children. They tend to use far more than they should. Before placing a roll of toilet tissue on the holder, squish it flat. This controls the amount of toilet paper that comes off by stopping each time it comes around to the bent part.  You'll find your TP consumption will drop dramatically as there is no more free-rolling.

Gluten Free Lemon Slice

This recipe is similar to the no-bake lemon slice made with Marie or Nice biscuits.

Ingredients:
Slice:
half a 415g can condensed milk
125g butter, melted
250g gluten-free cornflakes, crushed
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 tablespoon lemon juice
grated rind of 1 lemon OR mandarin

Icing:
250g pure icing sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons lemon juice
a little hot water

Method:
Mix the slice ingredients well. Press into a lightly greased dish.  In a separate bowl, bash the lumps out of the pure icing sugar. Add 2 tablespoons of melted butter and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Mix well. Very slowly add a little hot water until the icing is soft enough. Spread over the slice mixture. Refrigerate for a few hours. Cut into fingers.

Note: You can substitute 250g gluten-free rice cookies, crushed, for the gluten-free cornflakes in this recipe.

5 Tips for Using Hot glue

Hot glue is very handy, but it can be messy to use.  These five simple tips make using hot glue safe and convenient.

Drip catcher
Use a clay pot saucer to cradle the end of your hot glue gun. All the drippings are caught inside the saucer, saving your tabletop.

Don't get burnt
If you put hand cream on your hands before you hot glue something, the glue will not stick to your hands, preventing burns.

Fix a mistake
You can correct a mistake that you did with hot glue by placing the object on wax paper and microwaving for 1 minute (remember...no metal in the microwave). The glue will soften and you can easily fix the mistake.

Safe glue stick storage
Store your glue sticks in an empty, clean peanut butter jar with cone incense. The glue sticks are neat and tidy and when you are hot gluing you get a pleasant scent.

Cleaning up the strings
To remove glue strings from your hot glue project, simply use an embossing tool to melt them away.

Rainy day fun

Have fun spending time with your children on rainy days. Something you can do together is create works of art from shaving cream.  Shaving cream art is fun, easy and cheap for a special rainy day activity. Using a vinyl tablecloth or plastic placemats just spray some shaving cream on and let the kids use it like finger paint.  When they've finished their picture or design, take a photo of it. Then they can smooth the shaving cream over and start a new picture. Generic shaving cream is perfect for this activity. And best of all it's easy to clean up too.

Make a dreary day into a fun and exciting day with your child.

Bag a bargain online

On the third of September, 1995 shopping as we know it was changed forever with the launch of ebay.com  Since then online shopping has taken off in leaps and bounds and has proved extremely popular. In fact you could very likely purchase your every need and want online if you cared too, perfect if you're feeling a little like a hermit.

The same rules apply for shopping online as they do when you pop to the local shopping centre and ensure that you always bag a bargain:

1.Know what you want
2.Do your research.
3.Know your price limit and stick to it.
4.Check return policies and guarantees on the product.
5.Check the reputation of the seller.

Spring Cleaning

 With warmer months just around the corner, it's time to think about spring cleaning. Whether you want to clear some of the winter clutter or just feel like a change in scenery, spring cleaning can make it happen. Now is the perfect time to clean out the garage, linen cupboard and wardrobes.  As we all know, this can take a lot of work but a few simple tips can make your spring cleaning experience a breeze.  Every Thursday through September I'll post a Spring Cleaning tip to help you get on top of this seasonal ritual.

Spring Cleaning Series Tip No. 1

If you are storing away your winter clothes, consider using plastic storage containers that feature snap-on lids. These can be found in at most department and hardware stores and even some supermarkets and are very inexpensive. Use a different container for each type of clothing i.e. one for long-sleeve t-shirts, one for cardigans, one for jumpers, one for winter trousers and so on. Label each container clearly so you can easily find a garment if you need it before next winter. Storage containers are very important to keeping your clothes dust and discoloration free, which may otherwise be a problem if they are left hanging in the wardrobe from one season to the next.  If possible choose containers that stack for ease of storage. See the June 21 2005 newsletter for more ideas.

Cut Back to a Fortnightly Garbage Pick Up

I'd like to be able to say it's a beautiful spring day, but it's not. It is cold, wet and miserable. I think today is the saddest day we've had since winter began. There's a little breeze, just enough to blow the drizzle into your face as you walk, so the water dribbles down under your collar.  And the rain isn't heavy enough to stay indoors, instead it's just heavy enough to make the roads slippery and walking unpleasant.

So, instead of working in the greenhouse as I'd planned, I am sitting, wrapped up in a rug, working on other things.

There's a pot of pumpkin soup on the stove and a quiche in the oven. Both will go down well for tea tonight.  Neither are on my menu plan but the pumpkin needed to be used up and for some reason I had a surplus of eggs, cream and mushrooms in the fridge. They had to be used up. I hate waste and have a constant battle to cut down on the amount of garbage we have.

My aim is to get down to one bin a fortnight by the end of the year. This week it was only just over half full, so I could have waited until next week but we have Father's Day on Sunday and then Tom's birthday on Thursday so there will be more garbage than usual.

Thankfully we don't use a lot of things with huge amounts of packaging. We don't have styro foam trays because we buy our meat and poultry in bulk.  We don't use a lot of tinned foods so cans and tins are kept to a minimum too.  And because we use green bags for groceries and I carry my trusty string bag with me for other shopping we don't have a lot of plastic grocery bags. I usually have to buy plastic bags if I need one unless I save the odd veggie bag. Using my recyclable veggie bags I don't even have those anymore.

We reuse or recycle as much of our household rubbish as we can. All milk and soft drink bottles (not the lids, they don't recycle) are flattened and put into the recycle bin. Veggie peelings, food scraps, the vacuum cleaner dust and shredded newspapers are put into the Bokashi bucket or the outside compost bin. Papers are shredded and used as mulch, put into the compost or made into fire lighters and if we've done all those things and still have paper then it goes into the recycle bin. Magazines are taken to my favourite op shop and if we ever get large cartons then I drop them at the local recycling depot. They don't charge for paper drop-offs

Cans are opened at each end and flattened to recycle. Glass jars and their lids are washed, have the label taken off and put away for summer and autumn preserving and jam making. I haven't bought jars in years since I saw Isabel Webb, author of  5 Minute Bottling, demonstrate microwave preserving and realised they can be reused safely.  AJ was a baby in the pram so that's at least 18 years ago and a lot of bottles reused and recycled.

Wayne even recycles the ashes from the fire. They get dug into fallow garden beds, used to clean the glass on the fire door and sprinkled in the compost heap.

We haven't always been so conscious of the amount of rubbish we add to landfill, but I think that until a few short years ago most of us thought it was only "hippies" or anyone living an "alternative lifestyle" that cared, and even then we thought they were slightly odd and eccentric.

It wasn't the green movement or even a burning desire to be kinder and more caring of our environment that brought about a change in our thinking. Instead it was finding ourselves jobless, with two and a bit children (Hannah was on her way) and barely enough money to pay the mortgage and buy food.

That's when I became conscious of how much of everything, not just money, we wasted and how that impacted on our lifestyle.  The food alone we wasted kept our grocery bill at around $100 a week, twice what I had to spend on food (remember, this was 16 years ago and $100 a week was a fairly luxurious grocery budget) - something had to change and change quickly.

Well the change wasn't overnight, it took a few months, but bit by bit we trimmed our spending and as a result we trimmed waste.

The realisation that living like Cheapskates was also "green" came as a pleasant surprise. And ever since I've been on a mission to save money and be less wasteful, hence my goal to halve our rubbish output.

The garbage truck has just been so I can run out and bring the bin in. And maybe next week I won't put it out after all.

Pool Your Resources

I have teamed up with some friends to pool our resources and save. I grow oranges, passionfruit and some vegies and share the crops with everyone in the group. A friend who keeps chooks supplies the eggs. Another friend works as a market researcher and includes us in her jobs involving free samples. We all take cuttings from the others' gardens and share expensive appliances e.g. garden mulcher. This ensures we all stay in touch often and saves us loads of money.
Contributed by Tracey, Northfield

Make your first stop the clearance rack

Always head straight for the clearance rack where you can find amazing bargains. Sometimes you may have to dig a little to find the right item, but the savings will be well-worth your time. Most clearance racks offer variety, current trends, and great value. For example, most Kmart stores have a clearance section where you can find all kinds of wonderful household items for a fraction of the original cost, most in brand new condition and just with torn or missing packaging.

Get on mailing lists

Sign up for the mailing list at your favourite craft stores. Look for both email and snail mail versions. Many include coupons you can use to get extra discounts on already on sale items. I use my coupons to buy the more expensive craft items, like a package of blades for my rotary cutter or machine embroidery threads that are normally out of my craft budget range. They are also great resources for crafting ideas and tips, and keep you up to date with current craft trends. Two of my favourites are Spotlight (www.spotlight.com.au) and Lincraft (www.lincraft.com.au).

Have a home and garden maintenance schedule

Make a list of all annual maintenance items for your home such as the air conditioner, heater, hot water service, etc. Include appliances such as the lawn mower, barbecue, and so on. Being prepared and working in a proactive manner can save you unnecessary expenses. If you take care of your air conditioner by performing basic maintenance yourself and getting a regular service call to tune it up then you lower the risk of something going wrong during the hot summer months when it will be quite costly to repair. Just as your car needs regular maintenance to keep it running in peak performance, so to do your household appliances.

Once a Water Watcher, Always a Water Watcher

I have cabin fever, and I live in the 'burbs!  It has been weeks since I've done more than race out the back and pick spinach and silverbeet or pull a cauli or cabbage for dinner.  I haven't even had to water.  Goodness I thought we would always be on water restrictions, but apparently not.  Our state government, in it's wisdom, had decided that now our water stocks are back up to a smidge over 40% they can ease water restrictions.

From the 1st September Melbournians will be able to use a hose with a trigger nozzle, bucket or watering can to water their gardens at any time. We will also be able to wash our cars at home with a bucket or a high pressure water saving device.  It has been four years since we have been able to do these things.

And you know what? I am used to watering early in the morning twice a week. I love to get up early during spring and summer and spend some quiet time in the garden, tending our veggies and the ferns. For four years my garden has flourished. Yes, keeping the water up to the veggies has required a little effort, but I have managed (with help of course from Wayne).

We have had green lawns, front and back, during the worst of the summer thanks to our water recycling regime. It takes less than five minutes each morning to move the soaker hoses around the lawn before I start the washing machine.

My concern with the easing of water restrictions is that once again we will become complacent with our water use.  One long, hot, very dry spring, summer and autumn and our water storages will be down to critical levels again.

It has been said that the increase in water rates will keep waste under control but I'm not convinced. Conditioning is insidious, and if bills rise a little each quarter, most people won't even realise they are paying more, let alone that they are paying more because they are using more.

One thing I am going to do after the 1st September though, is wash the outside of the windows with a bucket, broom and hose. Wayne has been doing them with an ice cream container of water and rags for the last few years, which makes them a huge job. We have 26 windows around our house, with the front ones being colonial. A hose will definitely make this chore easier.

With all the rain we've had recently the tanks are full, so I plan to maintain that 124 litres during summer, even with the bigger veggie garden.  According to our bill we only use 124 litres per person per day, down 31 litres from the 155 a day suggested as a target.

We still need to be conscious of how much water we use and just what we use good drinking water for. The target of 155 litres of water a day per person hasn't changed, just when and what we can do with it.

Double check

If you were to check your grocery or department store receipts regularly, chances are you will eventually find an overcharge.

This happens all the time and in some cases, the charge can be substantial. The same is true for credit card statements, bank statements, phone bills, etc. Check the detail because it is quite common to find errors.

These mistakes can easily be corrected simply by asking for the overcharge to be refunded and providing a copy of the receipt or statement.

Don't need it anymore?

Go through your house, garage and garden shed and pull together all the items you no longer use or need. These can include small or large kitchen appliances, gardening tools, clothing (baby, child and adult), makeup, and sporting equipment, furniture, whatever you have that you don't want or need.  Then list them on eBay or gumtree.com.au. Take the money earned from these sales and put it in your emergency fund not to be touched unless it's for a genuine emergency expense.

Get Organized and Pay on Time

For every payment you pay late, you are charged a late fee, which can be up to  $50 depending on the company. Late fees are not budgeted for (or they shouldn't be!), so if you are constantly paying them you are going to have trouble balancing your budget. Not only that, with extra fees being constantly added to the debt it is going to take longer to get it paid off, as well as paying extra interest just because you weren't organized enough to pay your bills on time. To avoid spending unnecessary money, be sure you make your bill payments in time to avoid these fees.

Meet the Bargain Bunch

I've been called lots of things since I began Cheapskating, but I have never been called Queen of Cheap. Until tonight that is. Tonight I became a member of the Bargain Bunch, along with five other Australian Bargain Queens: Fiona Lippey, Pamm Durkin, Anita Bell, Cynthia Mayne and Michelle House.

I had a lot of fun yesterday with the crew from A Current Affair. They are the most patient people, never rushing me and never, ever complaining (within hearing distance anyway) about how many times I muddle and mix my words or talk to quickly or forget what I was going to say (it's happening already!).

So, with all the fun and frivolity, I just knew the story would be a good one and it was fantastic.  Five other fabulous Australian women and myself all had the opportunity to share our ideas for living the Cheapskates way.

If you didn't get to see the story, you can watch the video here: http://aca.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=7950206

My top five ways to save money are:

1.Look high, look low. Skip the middle of the shelves - eye level. That's where you'll find the most popular and expensive branded products.

2.Stick to cash. Go to the bank or ATM once a week, withdraw all the cash you need for the coming week and put it in your purse or wallet.

3.Don't be afraid to haggle. You wouldn't pay sticker price for a car or asking price for a house. It's just a question "is this your best price?". You can haggle for just about anything including white goods, furniture and jewellery.

4.Stick to your budget. That means sticking to the allocated amounts for each category. If your weekly petrol budget is $60 and you put $65 worth of petrol in your car, that category is $5 in the red and you need to find the deficit somewhere else in your budget.  Be aware of how much is allocated to each category as well as your budget total and you'll find it much easier to stick to the allocated amounts.

5.Be organized. Know what you need to spend your money on and only spend it on those things.



Saving money is easy. You just need to do it.

Golden Syrup Dumplings

BREAKING NEWS

Cath is appearing on A Current Affair tonight, 24th August.  Tune in to Channel 9 at 6.30pm AEST to see Cath, Australia's bargain Queen in action.


Golden Syrup Dumplings
This old fashioned dessert is the ideal end to a winter dinner. Serve them with custard or ice- cream and watch them disappear. They'll soon be a family favourite.

Ingredients:
2 cups hot water
2 tbsp golden syrup
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup white sugar
2 cups self raising flour
2 tbsp butter, extra
milk 

Method:
Rub extra two tablespoons butter into flour to resemble breadcrumbs. Add just enough milk to make a soft dough. Roll into dessertspoon sized balls. Combine hot water, golden syrup, one tablespoon butter and white sugar in a saucepan. Slowly bring to the boil, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar.  Once boiling, carefully drop dumplings into syrup, turn heat down and simmer for twenty minutes.

Homemade White Oil

With spring just around the corner, thoughts are turning to gardening again. With gardens come pests. Oil based sprays are very effective at controlling a wide range of plant and garden pests such as aphids, scale, smooth skinned caterpillars and even young grasshoppers.

 It is easy, and much cheaper, to make your own white oil from vegetable oil and liquid soap. Prepare the concentrate using the proportions below. Store in a suitable container. Label the container, making sure to include the dilution rate on the label for quick reference.

Ingredients:
500ml vegetable oil (any brand)
1/2 cup Sunlight dish washing liquid

Dilution:  Dilute the above mix by placing 1 tablespoon into a litre of water. Mix well and spray thoroughly over both sides of the foliage and onto the offending pest. The contents of the stored concentrate will separate over time. Simply ensure that the concentrate is well mixed each time before you attempt to dilute it for use. Spray as often as required.

Always follow the dilution rate to avoid burning plants and don't spray in hot weather. Also avoid spraying on plants with hairy foliage and ferns, palms and cycads as they will suffer leaf burn too.

The Circle of Life

When I'm old and grey I hope my children look after me. I hope that I will have raised them to understand old age and it's eccentricities and want and be happy to look after me.

What brought thoughts of old age to mind was my three children, who are almost grown up. AJ is nineteen, Tom is about to turn eighteen and Hannah is fifteen. We are a large, extended family, on both sides.

I grew up with grandparents and a great-grandma, great aunties and uncles, second and third cousins as well as more immediate family. Birthdays, Christmas, weddings, christenings and funerals are all family occasions, where everyone comes together to celebrate, laugh and cry together. Wayne's family is pretty much the same and as a result our children have grown up with lots of cousins, grand-parents, aunties and uncles and great aunties and uncles of all ages surrounding them.

Now my children are growing up and becoming independent, I find that I don't have the spare time I was looking forward to.  I had grand plans to sew more, work a few more tapestries, extend the veggie beds, travel more, even keep the house a little tidier.

Instead, my days are filled with appointments - doctors, shopping, physio, even the  odd cleaning job. My mother is getting on in years and now instead of my  children depending on me to care for them I am doing more for this woman who did so much for me when I needed help.

When I was little it was my mother who made sure I had food to eat, and a warm, clean bed to sleep in. It was Mum who took me wherever I had to go, and sat up on Saturday nights to make sure I came home safe and sound (and on time).  Mum looked after me when I was sick, or hurt, or just hungry. 

After my father died it was mum who held our little family unit together, working four jobs to keep a roof over our heads, food on the table and my brother and me in school.

She did these things without being asked and without complaint, never once asking for anything in return. She did these things with love.

And now the circle is almost complete. It is my time to take care of mum now she needs a little help, just as she cared for me.  My mother is a proud and independent woman and she loves me enough to let me.

It is this understanding of the circle of life that I hope to pass on to my children, by example, showing them how to care for our elderly, so that when it's my time to need help again they will know I love them enough to let them help me.

Suit or Separates?

Rather than buying a suit for $250 or more, buy the pieces as separates. This can save you $100 to $150. Additionally, buy several pieces that can be mixed and matched. A good quality matching jacket, trousers and skirt (for the ladies!) can be co-ordinated with shirts, t-shirts, jumpers and cardigans to easily increase the number of outfits in your wardrobe.

Off-Season

The next time you plan a holiday, consider off-season. Generally, the prices for airfare, hotel, and cars are substantially lower than travelling during peak time. If you look at all your options, you will find that in many cases, you can come close to the date you would like to travel. Peak times in Australia are generally considered to be Easter, school holidays and from mid-December until after the Australia Day holiday in January. Choose your travel dates carefully, just one day can make a huge difference in price.

Family Haircuts

Look for hairdressers and barbers that offer family deals or even better learn how to cut hair yourself. Many families take care of their own haircuts and put the money they would have spent aside as a holiday fund or to pay down debt. You can buy a home hair cut kit for under $100 (for a deluxe, super dooper kit, under $50 for a basic budget kit) and they all come with instructions. As with all things practice makes perfect, so the more hair cuts you do the better you get at it and the more you save.

There's nothing like the scent of baking to say welcome

We are having visitors tomorrow, and they will be staying with us until early next week.  So, instead of putting the newsletter together today, I have been happily and busily making up beds, fluffing pillows, chasing dust bunnies from under the spare beds and baking.

The house smells divine. There truly is nothing quite like the scent of baking to say "home" or "welcome".  I've made a double batch of Lunchbox Cookies. One lot are white chocolate and cranberry, the other are choc chip. And they are big!

Lunchbox cookies are usually small biscuits when I make them, but tonight I have made lovely big cookies, very much like the giant biscuits you buy from Mrs Fields or coffee shops.  The boys' eye almost popped out of their heads when they saw them on the cooling racks. I gave in and let them try one each. And promptly put the others away.

Our visitors are due to arrive about afternoon tea time tomorrow, so I've put a log of choc chip dough in the fridge. I'm planning on putting a tray of biscuits in the oven a few minutes before they arrive so they'll smell the welcome when they come in the door. Then we can enjoy freshly baked cookies and a cup of tea together while we catch up and wait for everyone else to get home.

I love having visitors. Having a full to overflowing house makes me smile. Don't get me wrong, it's a lot of work with extra meals and washing and bed making but I love the conversations and laughter and the change in routine.

Thomas has very generously given up his bedroom. He'll sleep on the family room floor and he's very happy about it, he'll have a TV in his bedroom - albeit temporary (we don't allow TVs in the kids' bedrooms).  And he's decided he's going to park his mattress in front of the fire so he'll be toasty warm all night long.  Sounds like a good plan to me.

Freeze Foods

When you are doing your grocery shopping, don't for get to look for bargains on items that can be frozen. Even if you have a tiny freezer you can still save a lot of money by freezing bargains. Most people automatically think freezing for bread and meat, poultry and fish, but do not even think about grating a block cheese and freezing it.  You can save up to twenty-five percent on buying grated cheese, and if you buy on sale you'll save even more. For each cup of grated cheese add one teaspoon of cornflour and mix it through. This will stop the shards sticking together and clumping when freezing. And did you know that you can freeze eggs? You can as long as you give them a little room to expand. Crack them into ice cube trays or small containers and freeze. Once frozen, pop them out and wrap in cling wrap and then in freezer bags. When ready to use, simply let them thaw for a few minutes at room temperature. If you find apples on sale, make your own apple pies and freeze them or make applesauce or stew them to use on cereal or in puddings later. Many food items can be frozen with no problem. Therefore, the next time you see a great bargain think about freezing. (Dairy products other than hard cheeses do not generally freeze well).

Beat bindii the easy way

On my way to the letterbox the other day I noticed a patch of bindii in the front lawn.  It's been so cold and wet that they took me by surprise, but they won't be there for long.  To rid your lawn of bindii use a solution of two tablespoons iron sulphate to four litres of water. Spray liberally. The weeds will die and your lawn should start to look lush and green, growing over the bare patch left by the dead bindii. Where gloves and old clothes as iron sulphate will stain anything it comes in contact with.

Be a Label Reader

Reading the product label is the best way to find out more than what is advertised on the box. Ingredients are listed in order by the quantity actually used when making the product. The ingredients used in the highest quantity are listed first. For example, if you are looking for avocado dip you will want to see avocadoes listed in the first part of the ingredient list, not the last part.  Reading the ingredients list gives you a good idea of what you need to make that particular food item yourself too. Remember, if you are cooking and consuming at home, you don't need to fill up with preservatives and artificial food colours. If you are looking to cut fat from your diet, be careful of words such as "lite" or "fat-free" which can have broad definitions. By reading the label you can get a better idea of what the fat-to-calorie ratio is as well as other valuable nutritional information.

No mess frying

A splatter guard is so handy, keeping splashes and splatters to a minimum when you are frying. If you don't have one you can use a large strainer. Simply place it top down over the cooking food. Just be sure that it is metal and has metal mesh, and not plastic.

Charity begins at home

Now more than ever before we are being asked to donate to charity - money, blankets and food are just a few of the things I've been asked to donate in recent weeks.  Part of the Cheapskate philosophy is generosity and giving. Rather than just giving ad hoc to whoever asks, choose the three or four charities that are closest to your heart and share the giving ten percent of your spending plan to them on a regular basis. You can schedule an automatic payment to make sure you don't forget them.

Mum's Spaghetti and Meatballs

This is just one of the many recipes in the Recipe File. It has become a favourite with the kids and me. I love the fact that it is quick and easy and can be on the table in under 30 minutes.

Ingredients:
500g beef mince
2 large eggs
1/3 cup minced fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs (add Italian seasoning or mixed herbs to crumbs)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
olive oil
1 jar pasta sauce
500g spaghetti

Method:
Cook spaghetti according to directions on packet. In a medium bowl, combine mince, basil, eggs, cheese, bread crumbs, salt and pepper until well mixed. In a large frying pan heat 1/4-inch olive oil. Roll teaspoons of meat mixture into balls, and add to hot oil in batches. Fry 3 to 4 minutes, turning until meatballs are brown. Move meatballs to a paper towel on a plate to drain when they are done. When all the meatballs are cooked, add spaghetti sauce to frypan. Put meatballs into spaghetti sauce and heat. Serve over cooked spaghetti.

Contributed by Rena, North Bayswater

Easy to Use Oven Cleaner

It’s easier to clean the oven regularly than waiting until the gunk has become baked on and the shelves are enamelled, not silver. Oven cleaners are expensive, toxic and horrible to use.  Use this mixture once a month and keep on top of the gunk.

You will need:
125 ml Cloudy Ammonia
250 ml cool water

To use:
Mix in a small, heatproof bowl and place in a warm oven with the power off for 10 - 15 minutes. Wipe off gunk with a damp cloth.

Wash sports stains away

It's winter and with the cold, wet weather comes winter sports and all the inground dirt on sports clothes.  To get rid of those stains rinse off loose dirt, then rub the stain with a bar of laundry soap. Then wash normally.  If the stain is persistent, soak it overnight in warm, soapy water and give it a gently rub before putting it into the washing machine.

Clean nails and soft hands

To avoid fingernails getting grimy and gritty during messy work, apply some petroleum jelly or Vaseline generously all over the hands, especially under fingernails.  Then put on some cotton gloves and let the magic begin.  When you've finished your hands will be clean and soft and your nails will not have horrid, dark lines under them.

Loose change from the laundry

Keep a jar in the laundry - to stash all that loose cash that floats around the bottom of the washing machine!  In our house we have a rule - if you don't empty your pockets, then any change in the bottom of the washing machine goes to the kitty.  When the jar is full, we put it into our holiday fund.

Gorgeous window dressings

The difference between custom drapes and plain drapes is often nothing more than the details. One way to make plain drapes look elegant is by adding trims.  These are easily sewn or glued (use a hot glue gun) to the edge of the fabric. There are so many choices these days. Use those 40% off or free make coupons you get in the letterbox or newspaper or keep an eye out for bargains when you do your thrift shopping.  Add your own personal touch, and have elegant drapes for less.  And don't think it's hard - you can buy a pattern and instructions for making soft furnishings from your local sewing store.  Simplicity, Butterick and McCalls all have a great range if you need instructions.

Beat the Fridge Fairy

How many times have you opened the fridge only to find the key ingredient for the next meal missing, stolen by the fridge fairy? To save the meal, the day and your nerves, try using red dots as a warning. Any food you want to save should have one of these attention grabbing self-sticking red dots on it before it goes into the fridge.

Teach them young

Teach your children the value of saving and investing from as young an age as possible.  Let them start with their pocket money - saving 10% to start, then moving to investing as the savings grow.  Savings habits learnt young, even with just pocket money, tend to stick for a lifetime.

Using Up Everything, Even Potting Mix Bags

Don't throw out your old potting mix bags. Cut to size, they make good liners for terracotta pots and planters, and if you cut a bag into strips, they make fantastic plant ties. The other thing I like to do with them is to make them into mini composting units. Just poke some holes in the bottom and sides and fill with your garden waste to begin breaking down. In fact, with a bit of imagination you could turn them into just about anything.

Contributed by Lyndall