I loved school holidays. Having the kids home was pure joy for me. It not only gave me an extra couple of hours in my day (no school runs), but our days were relaxed and easy. I planned easy meals, didn't fuss too much about tidying up toys and games and scheduled an extra special outing or two to keep us all entertained. We also had a list of over 200 things to do, most of them free, all of them cheap, that would keep everyone happy and entertained during the holidays. I even threw in a few household chores - after all, not everything has to be pure entertainment and chores can be fun. I've published the list before, but here it is again, just in time for the winter school holidays. School hols start here in Victoria tomorrow, so, if you are struggling to end the "there's nothing to do" whines, choose a few things off the list, and then have fun. • ride bikes • roller blade • basketball • play board games • make a tent out of blankets • squirt with hoses - but don t waste water • run through the sprinkler • have a skip-a-thon • start researching your family tree • start documenting your family tree • organise and plan a family reunion • hold a family reunion • read books - visit your local library and try some you haven t read before • blow bubbles • colour free templates you've downloaded and printed • play with play dough • press flowers • do crafts with pressed flowers - make a start on your Christmas cards • write a letter to a relative, friend or pen pal • clean bedroom (one of my favourites) • vacuum living room • clean bathroom • make a craft - try something new • draw • make homemade play dough • paint • pull weeds • give your favourite person a surprise party • watch a movie • write stories • use binoculars - look for as many different things as you can • use magnifying glass • use microscope • bird watching - how many different breeds can you find in your backyard? • write a play • act out a play • invent circus acts • perform a circus • play card games (snap, old maid, go fish) • make art on the footpath with chalk • play catch • play baseball • collect rocks • collect leaves • collect feathers • play Frisbee • make Frisbees out of old plastic lids, decorate with markers • dust the house • brush the pet • write letters to the editor of your local newspaper about articles you are interested in • read a magazine • play dress-up • play Cowboys • pick vegetables and then help Mum cook dinner • play outside with the pet • build a fort in your rooms • build a fort in the backyard • do a jigsaw puzzle • play on the computer • surprise Mum and Dad with breakfast in bed • listen to a story or book on tape • do extra schoolwork to get ahead • do brain teasers (i.e.: crosswords, word searches, hidden pictures, mazes, etc.) • cook • prepare lunch • surprise a neighbour with a good deed • play shops • prepare a "restaurant" lunch with menus • hold a tea party • have a Teddy bear picnic • play with toy cars • play dolls • play house • chase butterflies • collect caterpillars and bugs • plant a garden or a pot • collect seeds • hunt for four-leaf clovers • learn magic tricks • put on a magic show • plant a container garden • sprout seeds or beans • grow a grass head • make sock puppets • put on a puppet show • make Christmas presents • make homemade wrapping paper • make homemade gift cards • make picture frames from twigs glued onto sturdy cardboard • crochet or knit • make doll clothes • sew buttons in designs on old shirts • run relay races • make bookmarks • take a quiet rest time • take a shower or bubble bath • bath a pet • feed the birds • watch the clouds • organise a dresser drawer • clean under the bed • empty dishwasher • vacuum under the couch cushions and keep any change found • write these ideas on pieces of paper and pick out one or two to do • whittle • whittle bars of soap • practice musical instruments • perform a family concert • teach yourself to play a musical instrument (recorder, harmonica, guitar) • fold clean washing • sweep kitchen or bathroom floors • sweep front paths • sweep back verandah • sweep driveway • wash car - on the grass, of course! • vacuum car • vacuum or dust window blinds • clean bathroom mirrors • clean sliding glass doors • clean inside of car windows • wash bicycles • clean garage • play in the sandpit • build a sandcastle • work with clay • copy your favourite book illustration • design your own game • build with blocks or Lego • create a design box (copper wire, string, odds-and-ends of things destined for the garbage, pom-poms, thread, yarn, etc.) • plan a neighbourhood or family Olympics • have a marble tournament • find a model train club and see if they have visitors at their running days • take your bikes to the local BMX park and have a picnic and a day of riding • spend an hour or two at the local skateboard park learning some new tricks • paint a picture with lemon juice on white paper and hang it in a sunny window and see what happens in a few days • finger paint with instant pudding • make dessert • make dinner • have a sleepover • have a pamper party and paint your nails • make popcorn and watch an old movie • make toffee with Mum • make pink or blue (or whatever colour) pancakes for lunch • give your pet a party • start a nature diary • have a read-a-thon with a friend or sibling • have a neighbourhood bike wash • play Kick the Can • check out a science book and try some experiments • make up a story • catch butterflies and then let them go • arrange photo albums • find bugs and start a collection • do some stargazing • decorate bikes or scooters and have a neighbourhood parade • play hide-and-seek • create a symphony with bottles and pans and rubber bands • listen to the birds sing • try to imitate bird calls • read a story to a younger child • find out what's on at the Library and then go have free fun • find shapes in the clouds • string dry noodles or O-shaped cereals into a necklace • put together a family newsletter • write reviews of movies, plays, TV shows or concerts you see during the summer • bake a cake • bake a batch of biscuits • decorate a shoe box to hold your treasures • create family scrapbooks with old photos • glue noodles into a design on paper • play hopscotch • play jacks • make up a song • make a teepee out of blankets • write in your diary • find an ant colony and spill some food and watch what happens • play charades • make up a story by drawing pictures • draw a cartoon strip • make a map of your bedroom, house or neighbourhood • call a friend • cut pictures from old magazines and write a story • make a collage using pictures cut from old magazines • do a secret service for a neighbour • plan a treasure hunt • make a treasure map • make up a "Bored List" of things to do • plan a special activity for your family • search your house for items made in other countries and then learn about those countries from the encyclopaedia or online • plan an imaginary trip to the moon • plan an imaginary trip around the world, where would you want to go • write a science-fiction story • find a new pen pal • make up a play using old clothes as costumes • make up a game for practicing math facts • have a Spelling Bee • make up a game for practicing spelling • surprise an elderly neighbour or relative by weeding his/her garden • Finger paint with shaving cream • collect sticks and mud and build a bird's nest • write newspaper articles for a pretend newspaper • make a hideout or clubhouse • make paper airplanes • have paper airplane races • learn origami • make an obstacle course in your backyard After you've made your choices, use the Holiday Fun Planner to schedule all that fun, so you don't forget what you've planned or over-schedule (holidays mean down-time too). Stick your Holiday Fun Planner on the fridge so everyone can see what's coming up and have something to look forward to.
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If it's July, it must be Christmas, or at least our annual Christmas in July challenge.
If you belong to the BO group (and that's Born Organized, not what you were thinking!) then you are most likely finished with your Christmas planning, shopping, making and wrapping and are shaking your head at the rest of us who are thinking "Christmas? It's months away!". Christmas may well be months away, but if you want to own your Christmas and be able to actually relax and enjoy the festive season, you really do need to start now. You need to start now if you are planning on a handmade Christmas. You need to start now if you are on a tight gift and entertainment budget. Start saving in July if you find Christmas shopping, planning, wrapping and entertaining stressful in December and give yourself plenty of time to make Christmas 2018 one you can really enjoy.+ One of the best things I learned to do is to say "no".
Being overwhelmed with things to do is not good for your health or your budget. When you are flat out is when you spend without thinking, opt for takeaway because it's easier and go for convenience over price and health. Of course there are times when that's OK. But being flat out because you didn't want to hurt someone's feelings or appear impolite is a problem. Learn to say no. You don't need to offer an explanation; in fact, if you do, you are leaving yourself open to be offered an alternative. Just say NO! - and then change the subject. This was first posted on Debt Free, Cashed Up and Laughing Who's old enough to remember the Women's Weekly Cookery Club? The one where you sent away and they sent you a box, with dividers, then each month a new set of recipe cards would arrive in the mail? I think it was the precursor to the Women's Weekly cookbooks, and as soon as I started working I subscribed and collected those recipe cards in the neat off-white box.
I still have them and I still use them, quite often. They're over 30 years old now, and quite tattered. But those favourite recipes are much loved and guarded. One of them is the Baked Rice Custard. It was something my mother made weekly during winter as we were growing up, and we'd have it with ice-cream or a drizzle of cream when it was hot, then the next night it would be with hot custard over the top. My brother and I would beg to be allowed to have the "skin" off the top. Mum sprinkled it with nutmeg and sugar and it was so good - worth fighting with a brother over! Then, when we were first married I would make creamed rice or baked rice custard every week, it was one of Wayne's desserts. These days they are a treat, we don't eat dessert very often. But back then he had dessert every night, without fail. Both puddings are a great way to use up milk that is about to go off or excess milk if you have it. Here's my easy recipe for baked rice custard - it's good hot or cold! Baked Rice Custard Ingredients: 1/4 cup rice 2 cups boiling water 3 eggs 1/3 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla 2-1/2 cups milk 1/4 cup sultanas Method: Cook the rice in the boiling water, about 10 minutes. Drain well. Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla, add rice and sultanas and stir to combine. Add milk and stir again. making sure rice and sultanas are evenly distributed. Pour into a shallow oven-proof dish. Stand in a baking dish and fill with water to about halfway up the side of the pudding dish. Bake in a moderate oven for 30 minutes, reduce the heat to moderately slow and continue to cook for a further 30 - 40 minutes or until custard has set. Depending on appetites and generosity when serving, this will give you 6 - 8 serves. It keeps for up to three days covered in the fridge too. I use a 1 litre enamel pie dish to make this pudding, just make sure to butter it well so the rice and custard don't stick to the bottom and sides. From Debt Free, Cashed Up and Laughing Kathy Miller asks
"Just wondering what other Cheapskates think of cooking with frozen vegetables instead of fresh vegetables, is it a healthy option? Frozen vegetables are much cheaper than fresh but do they have as many vitamins?" If you have advice for Kathy, let us know 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 too. Ingredients:
1 sheet shortcrust pastry 425g tuna (drained and flaked) 1 tbsp butter 1 onion, finely diced 1 stalk celery, finely diced 2 tbsp butter, extra 2 tbsp plain flour 2 tsp curry powder ½ cup water ½ cup milk 2 eggs lightly beaten 2 tbsp grated cheddar cheese Topping Ingredients: 125g grated cheddar cheese 1-2 tsp curry powder ½ tsp paprika Combine ingredients, and sprinkle over base before cooking. Method: Pre-heat oven 200 degrees Celsius. Line the base of a greased, foil lined lamington tray with the pastry. Spread drained and flaked tuna evenly over pastry. In an small saucepan melt butter and sauté onion and celery for 1-2 minutes. Spread over tuna. Melt extra butter, add flour, and curry powder. Stir until combined together. Gradually add water, milk and eggs, stirring constantly and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and fold in 2 tablespoons grated cheese. Pour sauce over vegetables. Sprinkle topping over slice. Bake at 200 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce to 180 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until cooked. Filling will be set and top is golden brown. Serve hot or cold as a main meal or cut into 3cm squares to use as finger food. From the Seafood Recipe File Pauline writes "I am now on a single disability pension and have no money left after his cremation etc. After I pay my bills I'm left with approximately $100 per fortnight for food. I do the majority of my shopping at Aldi, but I'm finding it hard to work out a meal plan to get me through. I don't have a computer and really don't know where to begin. I was hoping for your help. OK folks, here's your chance to help a new member. If you have some advice for Julia, or a suggestion about what you love most about Cheapskates, share it below. Then keep an eye open, you may see your answer in next week's newsletter. Julia writes
"I've just joined Cheapskates (in November), so am relatively new and loving every minute. I'm a little overwhelmed at all the information and struggling to really start. My DH and I have set goals to clear our CC debt this year and to increase our mortgage payment by $120 a week (an extra $6,240 paid off this year!) and on paper we should be able to do it, but our money just seems to disappear - hence joining (we need the inspiration and the motivation). Do you have any suggestions to new members where to start? For example, I have the forum always open, joined the Saving Revolution and bookmarked Tip Store pages so I can refer back to them. Does anyone have any other suggestions we can use to reach our goals this year? What do other members do to get the best out of Cheapskates?" Do you have the answer? If you have a suggestion or advice for Julia, let us know. We'll enter your answer into our Tip of the Week competition, with a one-year membership to the Cheapskates Club as the prize too. Today I'm going to go over how to clean my next favourite household appliance - the washing machine.
I wash every day except Saturday. Some days I do two loads a day to get bedding and towels clean, or those extra stinky sports clothes or like yesterday Wayne's super filthy, mud stained clothes from our day out on Sunday (he was on his back under a friend's four wheel drive a couple of times - and in a good shirt too!). My washing machine gets a good workout, but it is a newer HE machine and frankly I really do long for my old Hoover. It didn't need to be babied and coddled like this one does. A once-a-month clean kept it going for almost 30 years. My new machine needs to be cleaned regularly, it tells me when it needs to be done, and the process takes three hours and uses three loads of hot water. There is an easier, cheaper and much more energy efficient way to keep your washing machine clean and in tip top shape, and it works. It's the method I've been using for 26 years. First thing you need to do is find out if your washing machine actually has a lint filter. My HE machine doesn't, check your handbook to find out if your machine has a lint filter. If your washing machine is a top loader it should have a lint filter in the agitator. Pull out the top of the agitator and it should have some kind of little bag or basket attached to it. Gently take it off and give it a good clean. You may need to empty the lint out of it first. Then rinse it under hot water. If you use fabric softener then you will also need to soak it for a few minutes in white vinegar. Fabric softeners leave a film over the mesh that actually stops the water from getting through. You need to get rid of this build up. Front loaders have different lint filters - check your handbook to find out where it is and how to get to it. If you empty and rinse the lint filter after every wash you'll stop those black flakes of gunk that sometimes appear on your washing - that's the old muck out of the lint filter flowing back up into the bowl. Yuk! While the lint filter is soaking, get a cloth and a bucket of warm water and add a splash of vinegar (about 1 cup). Use this to wipe around the top of the bowl, under the lid, over the outside of the cabinet etc. Don't forget the inside of the agitator and the fabric softener dispenser. If it's particularly grungy, sprinkle with bi-carb and use this as a scouring powder. Just watch your fingers - the edges of all those ridges and rims can be sharp (guess how I know!). Put the lint filter back together and replace the top of the agitator. Then run your washing machine through a full cycle on the longest and hottest wash cycle (this is the only time I use a hot wash) and add a full 2 litre bottle of vinegar to it. Don't add any clothes or other detergents; let the vinegar work its magic. The vinegar will remove the scum and gunk and any hard-water build up in the bowl and hoses. Wipe over the outside of the machine with a damp cloth and dry. You washing machine will sparkle inside and out. Do this on a regular basis and you'll extend the life of your machine and save on costly maintenance calls. My handbook suggests every 100 washes, for me that's about every two months because of the amount of washing I do. For my mother it's every six months or so as she only does two loads a week. If your family is larger you may need to do this more often. It may seem like a tedious chore but it is worth taking care of this most useful household appliance. Think about what you'd do if you couldn't use your washing machine for a week - hand-washing, paying for the laundromat -and you'll see the benefit quickly. 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. |
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