MN writes
"I am in dire need of help with huge debt. My first issue is denial, unable to collect my mail out of letterbox knowing I will collect bills and I just don't want to see them. Is there any help in this situation? Thankyou. Do you have the answer? If you have a suggestion or idea for MN let us know, by leaving it in the comments below. We'll enter your answer into our Tip of the Week competition, with a one-year membership to the Cheapskates Club as the prize. And keep an eye open, you may even see your answer in next week's newsletter.
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Dianne asks
"My husband and I have been married for five months, and are currently living with his parents. This is their wedding gift to us, so we can save as much as possible as a deposit on a home of our own. They offered us rent and utility free living for two years, which we are grateful for. The problem is grocery money (of all things!). Because of our work schedules, my MIL also does the grocery shopping and cooking (she's a great cook, I'm learning heaps) and we split the bill 50-50. Here's the rub: she does all the grocery shopping Coles and refuses to go anywhere else. She doesn't look for markdowns or specials, and flatly refuses to even consider generic brands. Last month our share of the grocery bill was $1,365 - even living rent free, we can't afford that! How can I , at 25 years old and a newlywed, tactfully introduce the idea of smart and frugal, budget shopping without any offence to my mother-in-law, who has been a housewife for 30+ years and has never needed to budget? Do you have the answer? If you can help Dianne let us know, by leaving it in the comments below. We'll enter your answer into our Tip of the Week competition, with a one-year membership to the Cheapskates Club as the prize. And keep an eye open, you may even see your answer in next week's newsletter. I think it’s time for a No Spend week. Can you live without spending for a week? We haven’t had a No Spend challenge for a while and this is just for one week, seven short days.
The rules are simple: no spending unless it is essential. You can pay your regular bills that fall due this week and buy your groceries (as long as you stick to the list), as long you have the cash to pay for them. Because this No Spend challenge is going to be a little different. Cash only. No credit cards, no debit cards, just old fashioned cash. Here are some tips that will make your spending freeze easier: Register Register in the comments field below and tell us how much you are hoping to not spend. Then keep us up to date with your progress. This is important, we all want to know how well you are doing and if you post regularly you'll be able to see how we are getting on too. Bookmark this page so you can find it again easily. Have a Plan Planning is the key to surviving and thriving during a spending freeze. Planning ensures you cover everything you need to get through: lunches, groceries, drinks, having enough petrol in the car etc. Planning and knowing what's happening will let you prepare ahead of time and find no spend alternatives to those "spend, spend, spend" situations. Get Your Cash After you've planned your no spend week go to the bank and get the cash you'll need. Remember, no plastic this week. You might find it easier to actually go into the bank and get your cash in a variety of denominations. Divvy up the cash according to your anticipated expenses (aren't you glad of those smaller denominations now?) and put each amount into a labelled envelope or ziplock bag. Then when you need to spend, you can take the money from the right bag. Stop Spending Seriously, stop spending money - no clothes, magazines, toys, makeup, computer bits and bobs, shoes etc. For seven days use your money to pay the essential living expenses (mortgage/rent, utilities, food - bare bones basics, fares/petrol) and see just how much is left over at the end of the week. You must bank the leftover money - it is not saved until it is safely in the bank it is just not spent. Track Your Spending If you track your spending already, fantastic. Pat yourself on the back. If you don't, start today. Get a notebook (any notebook or piece of paper will do) and write down every cent you spend for the next seven days. Write down what you bought and how much it cost. Do this so you can see exactly what you are spending your money on. Good luck. I can't wait to see how you do. Willow wreaths are so easy to make and they look lovely, either as they are or decorated. I use small willow wreaths to decorate our Christmas tree. If you want to use them for the same thing, you need to make them now so they have time to dry.
To make a small willow wreath, approximately 5cm in diameter you need one long or two short willow strands. Step 1. Strip the leaves from the strands. Step 2. Take one strand and twist it into a small circle. Weave one end around the circle to secure. Step 3. Take the other end and weave it in and out of the circle until you reach the end. Step 4. Tuck the end into the weaving to secure. Step 5. Lay the wreaths on several thicknesses of newspaper and place them in a warm, dry spot (in front of a sunny window is ideal). Turn the wreaths every day or so. Leave them for a month until they have dried. To decorate use craft paints to spray them gold, silver or red. Use a hot glue gun to stick berries, flowers, bows or other embellishments. Cut a 10cm length of narrow ribbon. Fold in half and glue raw edges to the back of the wreath. Let the glue dry then hang by the ribbon. Where to find willow: Weeping willows grow all over the place. They were once very common but have fallen out of favour due to their creeping and invasive roots. You'll still find them in parks and along creeks and waterways, or even along the side of a country road. I make Wayne stop at the picnic area between Goulbourn and Yass every time we are coming home from Sydney so I can collect a few more willow strands (the willows are on the southbound side of the freeway, which is why we stop on the way home). If the willow is on private property ask permission before taking just the number of strands you need to make your wreath. Rachel writes
"Hello, I recently read about eco-eggs which are basically laundry detergent replacements. Here's what they claim: 'The award winning Laundry Egg is a complete replacement for washing detergent. Just pop it in the drum of your washing machine – no powder, liquid, tablets or gels required. The two types of mineral pellets inside the egg get to work, producing powerful – but natural – cleaning foam which powers through the fibres lifting off the dirt and grime.' Has anyone used them? Do they work?" Do you have the answer? If you can help Rachel, let us know, by leaving it in the comments below. We'll enter your answer into our Tip of the Week competition, with a one-year membership to the Cheapskates Club as the prize. And keep an eye open, you may even see your answer in next week's newsletter. In this Newsletter
1. Cath's Corner 2. In the Tip Store - Keep Chickens for Easy Eggs; A Newsworthy 21st Birthday Present; Give Wallpaper a Softening Treatment 3. Share Your Tips 4. On the Menu - Simple Lemon Cake 5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy - Stockpiling for Summer 6. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog 7. Member's Featured Blog - I'm Revolting 8. Last Week's Question - Is there a frugal Armor All Replacement 9. This Week's Question - Do Eco Eggs work? 10. Ask Cath 11. Join the Cheapskates Club 12. Frequently Asked Questions 13. Contact Details Click here to read the complete newsletter I have no idea if the humble, but oh so very delicious, vanilla slice is an Australian creation or not, but I am more than happy to enjoy one every now and then. So last week when the topic came up in the Member's forum, and Coles had Lattice biscuits on sale, it didn't take too much encouraging to have me dragging out the slice tin, whipping up a custard and making a passionfruit icing. Because if it doesn't have passionfruit icing it isn't a real vanilla slice (a bit like neenish tarts that have white icing instead of pink - it's just wrong!). I'd love a passionfruit vine but we don't have the room so I had to resort to using a tin of passionfruit pulp. Of course that was way too much so the excess is frozen in ice cube trays. Anyway, back to the vanilla slice. I remembered my mother making the lattice biscuit vanilla slice when she was too busy to make the pastry from scratch so I wasn't at all worried about giving it a try. I did have to buy two packets of the biscuits though. You'll need a slice tray about 16cm x 26cm (or a Tupperware slice container works just as well). Line the tray with baking paper, making sure it comes up the sides so you have a "handle" to lift the prepared slice out. Place a layer of biscuits in the tray, shiny side up. Make a nice thick vanilla custard. Let it cool to warm then spread it over the biscuits. Place a layer of biscuits over the custard, shiny side down. Make a passionfruit icing. We prefer the icing to be reasonably thick so it sets quite hard (stops sticky fingers). Spread the icing over the top layer of biscuits. Place the slice in the fridge to set and chill, about two hours. Cut the slice into squares, using the edge of the biscuits as a guide. Make a cup of tea, use your best china and enjoy a fresh, yummy vanilla slice with your tea. MOO Vanilla Slice Ingredients: 200g packet Arnott's Lattice biscuits 1/3 cup custard powder 2 cups milk 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 cup caster sugar 1 cup icing sugar mixture 1 passionfruit, halved Method: Grease a 3cm-deep, 16.5cm x 26cm (base) slab pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, allowing a 2cm overhang at both long ends. Place 12 biscuits, in a single layer, in pan to cover base. Combine custard powder and 1/4 cup milk in a saucepan. Whisk until smooth. Pour in remaining milk. Add sugar and place pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until custard comes to the boil. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover surface of custard with plastic wrap. Set aside for 30 minutes to cool slightly. Pour warm custard over biscuits. Top with another layer of 12 biscuits. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set. Sift icing sugar into a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon passionfruit pulp. Stir to make a thick icing, adding more pulp if required. Spoon icing over slice. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until icing sets. Cut slice into squares, using shape of biscuits as a guide. Serve. This post has been shared from Debt Free, Cashed Up and Laughing
Step 1. Place a dishwasher-safe cup filled with plain white vinegar on the top rack of your empty dishwasher. The vinegar will help to wash away the loose, greasy grime, sanitizes, and helps remove the musty odour.
Step 2. Sprinkle a cup of bicarbonate soda around the bottom of the dishwasher. The bicarbonate soda will help freshen the smell of the dishwasher as well as brighten up the look of the inside of your appliance by removing stains. Step 3. Using the hottest water available, run the dishwasher through a cycle – except for the cup of vinegar, the dishwasher needs to be empty. Now that the dishwasher is clean and running right here are a few tips to keep it that way until the next cleaning. Run a bit of hot water in your sink before running the dishwasher. You will get cleaner dishes if the water starts hot. You can collect the water you run and use it to fill the kettle or for watering plants or other purposes. Run the water until what comes out of the tap feels hot. Make sure your water starts hot enough. Set the thermostat on your hot water service to 50 degrees Celsius. Water that is cooler than this won’t be hot enough to clean properly and water that is any hotter could scald. A routine dishwasher cleaning is a good habit to get into. Mark it on the calendar to do regularly each month, the same day you do the drains and the washing machine. To most people an egg shell would be rubbish, tossed in the bin and sent to landfill. Some keen gardeners may compost them or use them as snail repellent. Folk with chooks may grind them and add them to their chook's food as shell grit. But most people just toss them.
I have a little dish that sits on the sink and whenever we use an egg, the shell gets rinsed in cold water and then put into the dish. When I need egg shell for something, it's right there, ready and waiting to be used. Egg shells are surprisingly useful. Here's a list of 10 ways I use egg shells around our home. 1. Use egg shells to whiten and soften linen. Soak greying linens in boiling water with the juice of a lemon and two or three ground egg shells added. Let them soak overnight, then rinse and hang in the sun to dry. The linens will be white and soft, no nasty chemical whiteners or softeners needed. 2. In the garden to keep snails and slugs off seedlings. Just crush the egg shell and sprinkle it around the tiny plants. Snails and slugs won't travel over the sharp edges so your plants will be safe - from those predators at least. 3. Add them to chook food. Egg shells are a great source of calcium and grit, two things hens need to produce nice health eggs. Wash the egg shells and when you have a few grind them, either in a blender, with a stick blender or with a mortar and pestle and add it to the chook food. 4. Boil the shells in your coffee. At home we have a coffee maker but when we're camping we use an old fashioned stove top percolator. Adding egg shells to the percolator with the coffee grounds takes away the bitterness than can happen when coffee is boiled accidentally. 5. Use them to feed tomato plants. Calcium rich, crushed egg shell is a good source of this mineral for tomato plants. Tomatoes need calcium to prevent blossom end rot, a common tomato problem. Put a couple of egg shells in the hole before you plant your tomato to give it a boost. Then through the growing season grind egg shells, sprinkle them around the base of the tomato and water in. 6. As tiny seedling starters. Rinse out the egg shells, poke a couple of tiny drainage holes in the bottoms and fill with potting mix. Plant your seeds and when they are ready to be transplanted, gently squeeze the egg shell to crack it and then plant it intact in the ground. 7. Compost them. Nothing more needs to be said. 8. You don't compost? No problem, crush them, sprinkle over the soil and then lightly rake them in. 9. Turn them into ornaments. Rinse them well and let them dry. Then let your creative streak go to town. Paint them, add glitter and sequins, fill them with cotton wool, add little tiny ornaments, cover them with braid, glue on a ribbon hanger - use your imagination! 10. Add them to the bird feeder. Crush them up and mix in with the bird seed to give the wild birds that visit your garden a treat. So how do you use egg shells? Share your idea in the comments below Fresh Value Market in Cranbourne has strawberries for $1.99/500g this week - that's a great price and it means it's time to make jam.
Winter is the ideal time to make jam too - it's hot work. Standing over a pot of boiling fruit and sugar in winter isn't nearly as uncomfortable as it is in summer. Here are my tips for making great jam, every single time. 1. Use dry, barely ripe (preferably under-ripe) fruit. 2. Use a large, wide saucepan or stockpot, preferably aluminium or stainless steel. 3. Fruit should be partly cooked before adding the sugar. 4. Bring fruit to the boil slowly, to avoid burning and sticking. 5. Use a wooden spoon for stirring, although a slotted metal spoon is ideal for skimming. 6. Add warmed sugar, the helps the sugar to dissolve faster and prevents lowering the temperature and possible over-cooking of the fruit. 7. When sugar is added boil as rapidly as possible. Rapid boiling improves the colour and flavour of the jam and should continue for at least 10 minutes until setting point is reached. 8. Skim with a metal slotted spoon or stir in a lump of butter about the size of a walnut when the jam is cooked. If skimming, only skim once. 9. To test jam put a tiny amount on a saucer. When cooled it should form a skin on top. 10. Jam jars can be any jar that is clean, dry and unchipped. Jars should be sterilised and warmed in the oven to prevent cracking when the hot jam is poured in. 11. Seal immediately with jam covers (Kleer View Preserve Covers from hardware and supermarkets) or warm paraffin wax or wait until jam is completely cold. Never seal lukewarm jam. Strawberry Jam Ingredients: 1kg strawberries, hulled and halved 1kg white sugar Juice 1 lemon Method: Warm the sugar in the microwave on HIGH for 1 minute. Warm sugar dissolves much faster. Put fruit, sugar and lemon juice in a large pot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Make sure all the sugar has dissolved. Use a wet pastry brush to brush down the sides of the saucepan. Once boiling, boil rapidly for 10—15 minutes. Test. Once the jam is ready turn off the heat. Bottle immediately in sterilised, warm jam jars. |
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