This Week's Frugal Tasks Saturday 27th May 2017

With the cooling of the weather,  my slow cooker is getting more use.  I just love the comfort it brings as it cooks away and the delightful aromas wafting throughout our home.  Here's what I got up to this week -

* Gratefully received a small bag of home grown capsicums.  I've chopped them and frozen to use in casseroles.

*  Fed the chickens  lots of weeds from the veggie garden.

*  Saved a few glass jars from condiments in the fridge.  They will be reused later in the year for jam and relish.

*  Made lots of cards at the Cheapskates card making weekend.  I used supplies I had on hand so there was no extra cost.

*  For three days running I kept the heater off and the curtains open when the sun was shining.

*  Bought 3 Winter tops at the Savers 50% off sale. 

*  Baked four loaves of wholemeal bread with extra goodness.

*  Pruned the fruit trees and bushes.  I'm hoping this will promote healthier growth and more fruit.

*  Gratefully received lots of 30 x 30 card stock from a friend.

*  Baked an orange cake using pureed orange from the freezer.

*  Gratefully received some bread bags.  I used these to line the bathroom bins.

*  Jessica and I filled up our cars with petrol at $1.14 per litre just as it started going up to $151.9 per litre.

*  Sold one dozen eggs.
.
*  Fed the worm farm with veggie peelings.

*  Saved the pink plastic and display box from my Mother's Day flowers.  The flowers lasted 13 days from the time Jessica bought them. 

*  Wrote a menu plan for the next three weeks or so.

*  Sorted out my craft ribbons into same colors and stored them in snap lock bags.  This has given me a little room in my craft cupboard which is quite small.  Hopefully this organisation with lead to more ribbon being used instead of hoarded.

*  Darren picked the last of the iceberg roses on the bush.

    

Iceberg roses from the garden

Me trying to be artistic.

Potato plants grown from eyes.

Apricot tree changing color

Cards I made for charity

Cheapskate card making weekend results from the ladies.

What did you do this week to save time,  money or energy ?

Card Making Ideas May 2017

I thought it was time to share the latest cards I've been making.  Most of these were made at the Cheapskates card making weekend last week.

Z fold female card

Z fold in matching tones

Pink Z fold laying flat

Inside the Z fold

Male Z fold cogs card

Male Z fold cogs card laying flat

Centre of the Z fold card

Male twist and pop card

Card opens and the centre twists and pops out.

Female twist and pop card

Centre of twist and pop card

Zig zag female card

Gift box made with card stock I stamped.

Grocery Specials Starting Wednesday 24th May 2017

Here are this week's best grocery specials -

COLES -

*  Nescafé Gold 190g-200g1/2 PRICE Was $17.99, Save $9.00  Now $8.99 each

*  Golden Circle Tetra Fruit Drink 1 Litre1/2 PRICE Excludes Pineapple, Tomato & Nectar.Was $2.15, Save $1.08  Now $1.07 each

*  Arnott’s Salada Crispbread 250gWas $3.00, Save $1.00  Now $2.00 each

*  MasterFoods Squeezy Sauce 500mL1/2 PRICE Was $2.85, Save $1.43  Now $1.42 each

*  Maharajah’s Choice Basmati Rice 5kg1/2 PRICE Was $17.50, Save $8.75  Now $8.75 each

*  Cadbury Real Chocolate Melting Buttons 225g1/2 PRICE Was $4.19, Save $2.14  Now $2.05 each.  A stockpile worthy price.

*  Tip Top English Muffins 6 Pack1/2 PRICE Was $4.90, Save $2.45  Now $2.45 each

*  40% OFF Ogx Haircare.

*  30% OFF Olay Regenerist & Total Effects

*  Oral B Pro Health Advanced Deep Clean Toothpaste 110g1/2 PRICE Was $5.00, Save $2.50
Now $2.50 each

*  Pantene Shampoo or Conditioner 900mL1/2 PRICE Was $15.70, Save $7.85  Now $7.85 each

*  1/2 PRICE Papermate & Sharpie

*  30% OFF Wiltshire Bakeware

*  Mars M&M's or Maltesers 140g-180g1/2 PRICEWas $4.25, Save $2.13  Now $2.12 each

WOOLWORTHS -

*  SunRice Jasmine or Brown Rice 5 kg Now $6.75 each1/2 Price, Save $6.75

*   Imported Freshwater Basa Fillets Now $5.50 kg1/2 Price, Save $5.50 kg

*    40% off All Bonds

*    Ansell Silverlined Gloves Pk 1 Now $1.55 each1/2 Price, Save $1.55

*  30% Off All Total Effects & Regenerist Skincare.

*  30% Off All Aveeno Skincare

*  30% Off All Neutrogena Skincare

*  30% Off All Platinum Cosmetics

*  30% Off All L’Oreal Men’s

*  1/2 Price All Covergirl & Skin Therapy Skincare.

*  40% off All Men’s & Women’s Bic Razors

*  30% off All VO5

*  Oral B Essential Floss 2 x 50m Now $3.00 each1/2 Price, Save $3.00

*  Dynamo Laundry Liquid 1.8/2 Litre Now $8.75 each1/2 Price, Save $8.75.  Dilutes really well too.

                   

This Week's Frugal Tasks Saturday 20th May 2017

This week has been a busy one.  While you are reading this post,  I'll be down at Philip Island on a Cheapskates card making weekend.  So this week has been spent getting things ready to go away,   getting the house organised and getting meals sorted. Here's what else I got up to -

*  Made dried bread crumbs using saved bread crusts I had in the freezer.  I'll season the bread crumbs when the container gets low.

*  Chopped and blitzed 12 bars of laundry soap ready to make laundry powder later in the year as needed.

*  Gratefully received  a few bread bags.  They are the perfect size for our bathroom bins.

*  Sold two dozen eggs.

*  Saved lots of shower water and poured it into the washing machine.  Saved the washing machine rinse water for the next load.

*  Kept the heater off a couple of days when the sun was shining through the windows.

*  Changed over the Summer doona ( duvet ) for the Winter one.  Now we don't feel the cold at night and are no longer tempted to turn the heater back on.

*  Completed an extra hour of cleaning work and an extra hour of ironing work.

*  Came in under budget with my grocery shopping for the month.

*  Dried most of the washing on clothes horses, coat hangers in the shower and coat hangers from the towel rail over a ducted heating vent.  Only the sheets went into the dryer.

*  Mended a jacket of Megan's.  The seam had come apart on the sleeve   Mended two pairs od socks.

*  Megan cooked a big pot of chunky chicken and vegetable soup.  She portioned it into takeaway containers and froze for her work lunches.

*  Donated a bag of unwanted items to Savers and received a discount stamp.

*  Fed lots of grass and weeds to the chickens.

*  Made a small batch of ANZAC biscuits from dough  had in the freezer.  

Cutting up soap before blitzing to make laundry powder.

Family meat pie,  straight out of the oven

Mother's Day flowers from my girls

Making dried bread crumbs.

What was on your frugal list this week ?  

Potato Water And A Funny Story

Many years ago there was a tv show called Money For Jam.   Darren and I eagerly watched every episode hoping we'd learn some new ways to save money.  I remember seeing a lady on the show cleaning her saucepans with water from boiled potatoes.  At the time I thought this woman was mad.  Who in their right mind would clean saucepans with what I considered dirty water ?  REALLY !!!  Just clean them in the sink like everyone else !!!  I think I even said that to the tv.

A couple of years later I met Cath from The Cheapskates Club for the first time and had a wonderful afternoon with her.   Fast forward another three years and Cath and I became good friends doing workshops together.  At one of our regular visits I found out she was the potato water lady from Money For Jam.   We had a giggle over the saucepan story and Cath assured me potato water really does make saucepans shiny.

Each time I'd see Cath,  Darren would ask me if he should save our potato water for her.  It became a running joke between the two families.

Fast forward to 2017.  We have a new kitchen with a stainless steel stove top.  The stainless steel looks lovely but keeping it streak free is a challenge.  I've used metho,  miracle spray,  eucalyptus oil,  water,  Windex and mineral turps with microfiber cloths or paper towel.  Some worked better than others. 

One night while cooking dinner the potatoes boiled over leaving water on the stove top.  After loading the dishwasher together,  Darren decided to clean the stove.  Using a piece of paper towel,  he wiped the potato water around the stove top.  By then I'd moved to another area of the house but I could hear Darren in the kitchen yelping " It's a miracle,  it's a miracle  The potato water really does work."  So I went into the kitchen to inspect his handiwork.  I must say,  I've never seen the stove look so clean and shiny.  Streak free too.  Darren insisted I tell Cath the next time I saw her.  When I told her she had a good giggle at Darren's potato water miracle.

So,  there are a  few morals to this story -

*  Don't laugh at crazy potato water ladies on tv.  They might end up becoming a good friend ( with a lot of common sense ).

*  Don't knock a frugal tip until you've tried it.

*  Potato water really does clean stainless steel.

   

This Week's Frugal Tasks Saturday 13th May 2017

We had a couple of sunny days in Melbourne this week.  The lovely weather allowed me some much needed time in the garden to do a bit of tidying and planting.  Here's what i got up to this week -

*  Froze two single portions of leftovers.

*  Stretched a meatloaf for two meals by adding lots of steamed veggies to the plate.

*  Picked a few raspberries and feijoas from the garden.

*  Wrapped up all the gifts to be given throughout May.  I used discounted wrapping paper bought on Boxing Day and prettied up the present with strips of curtain netting.  I think they look lovely.

*  Used the dry mop to sweep the floors instead of the vacuum cleaner.

*  Hand washed the dinner dishes a couple of nights instead of loading the dishwasher.

*  Dried most of the washing on the line or clothes horses.  I only used the dryer for sheets and work uniforms.

*  Kept the heater off when possible during the day.  I made sure the family room curtain was opened first thing in the morning to let the Sun heat up the room.

*  Gratefully received a few bread bags and used them to line the bathroom bin.

*  Replanted the broccoli seedlings I planted a few weeks ago.  Some of the seeds germinated right next to each other and some didn't come up at all.  I now have 19 broccoli plants evenly spaced out.

*  Fed the weeds to the chickens.

*  Fed the worm farm with kitchen scraps.

*  Spaced out four potato plants that have grown from potato eyes thrown in the garden.

   

Strawberry guavas

Princess enjoying the sun

Gift wrapping.

What was on your frugal list this week ? 

Another 10 Ways To Save Money This Week

Finding extra money in your budget can be a little challenging.  Here are some ideas for you to try.  Some might not be your cup of tea but could jog your memory for a slightly different idea.

*  Take your kids to the park instead of a play centre.  Save even more money by bringing snacks from home.

*  Need a quick,  easy and cheap present ? Then take a photo of the family,  a flower in the garden or a sunset.  Photo frames can be cheap to buy.  Try shopping from a $2 shop or your local op shop.

*  Declutter an area of your home and sell unwanted items on Ebay or your local Buy,  Swap and Sell Facebook groups.

* Going food shopping ?  Then make sure you take a list and stick to it.  Save even further by editing your list before you go.

* Implement the " 2 light " rule in your home.  It makes you more aware of your electricity usage.  Of course there are exceptions when people are studying etc.  Ask the kids to come out of their rooms to join you in the lounge / family room.

*  Borrow a magazine from the library instead of buying them.  Libraries have a large assortment of magazine to choose from.  Be aware that latest editions cannot be borrowed and must be read at the library.

*  Drink water,  drink lots of it.  It's far cheaper than coffee,  soft drink,  alcohol or store / café bought anything.  Your body will thank you for it and so will your wallet.

*  Wash your hands with soap after using the ' little room ",  after coming home from shopping or after dealing with raw meat.  There's nothing wrong with being in contact with germs,  but they can cause illness.  I remember seeing a story on tv about a ship that asked its crew to wash their hands often during their daily routine.  Gastro cases dropped by 70% during this trial period.. Washing your hands could reduce your medical bills too.

* Keep an ideas notebook with you.  When you see or hear a money saving idea,  craft,  recipe or blog,  make a note so you'll remember what it was.

*  Drive your car smoothly.  Reading the traffic conditions ahead and being aware of your surroundings can reduce your fuel consumption.  Hands up those who've had cars fly past them only to stop at the lights next to you ? . 

Grocery Specials Starting Wednesday 10th May 2017

Here are this week's best grocery specials

COLES -

*  Continental Cup a Soup 2 Serve 40g-75g or Pasta & Sauce 85g-115g1/2 PRICE Was $2.00, Save $1.00  Now $1.00 each

*  Maharajah’s Choice Basmati Rice 5kg1/2 PRICE Was $17.50, Save $8.75  Now $8.75 each

*  Lindt Lindor Fruit Collection Gift Box 147g1/2 PRICE.Was $12.60, Save $6.30 Now $6.30 each

*  Tip Top English Muffins 6 Pack1/2 PRICE Was $4.90, Save $2.45  Now $2.45 each

*  MasterFoods Squeezy Tomato Sauce 500mLWas $2.85, Save $0.85  Now $2.00 each

*  Fountain Tomato or Barbecue Sauce 2 Litre1/2 PRICE Was $6.00, Save $3.00  Now $3.00 each

*  Don Footy Franks 375g-500g1/2 PRICE From the Dairy department.Was $5.60, Save $2.80
Now $2.80 each

*  Norsca Anti-Perspirant 245mL1/2 PRICE Was $5.99, Save $3.00  Now $2.99 each

*  Brut Anti-Perspirant or Body Spray 245mL1/2 PRICE New at Coles.Was $6.50, Save $3.25
Now $3.25 each

*  Palmolive Naturals Shower Gel 500mL1/2 PRICE Was $5.39, Save $2.70  Now $2.69 each

*  Palmolive Dishwashing Liquid 700mL-750mL1/2 PRICE Was $5.49, Save $2.75  Now $2.74 each

*  1/2 PRICE Bonds.

*  40% OFF Pyrex.

*  Handee Ultra Paper Towel 4 Pack1/2 PRICE Was $5.20, Save $2.60  Now $2.60 each

WOOLWORTHS -

*  Golden Crumpets Rounds Pk 6 Now $1.65 each1/2 Price, Save $1.65

*  Nescafe Cafe Menu Coffee Sachets Pk 10 Now $3.29 each1/2 Price, Save $3.30

*  Lavazza Coffee Beans or Ground 500g now $9.50 each1/2 Price, Save $9.50

*  My Dog 680g – Excludes Home Recipe Now $1.60 each1/2 Price, Save $1.60

*  Vegeta Stock Powder 180-250g Now $2.50 each Save from $1.10

*  Heinz Condensed Soup Cans 420g Now $1.10 each1/2 Price, Save $1.10

*  Old El Paso Premium Kits 275-370g Now $3.49 each1/2 Price, Save $3.50

*  Flora Proactiv 250g Now $2.25 each1/2 Price, Save $2.25

*  30% off All Wiltshire EasyBake

*  40% off All Inspire Bathroom Manchester

*  25% off All Onix.

*  Pine O Cleen Disinfectant 1.25 Litre Now $2.49 each1/2 Price, Save $2.50.  A stockpile worthy price.

*  30% off All Ecotools

*  40% off All Clearasil Skin Care

*  1/2 Price All Olay Skin Care

*  30% off All Dove Hair Care

*  Morning Fresh Dishwashing Liquid 900ml Now $3.47 each1/2 Price, Save $3.48   

                   

This Week's Frugal Tasks Saturday 6th May 2017

As you read this post on Saturday morning Jessica and I will be launching Bella Pamper Parties.  This is Jessica's new business that we have both been working on for the last couple of months.  The pamper parties are for girls aged 5 - 12 and we treat them to a wonderful time of games,  foot spas,  a little makeup, manicures,  a photo booth and prizes.

Here's a list of the other tasks I managed to squeeze into this week -

*  Baked four loaves of wholemeal bread with extra goodness.  Used old bread bags and bread clips to store the loaves in the freezer.

*  Made a prize bag for Jessica's new pamper party business.  I used scraps of material and lace.  The bag was made a little long so the party guests need to dig deep to get a prize.

*  Used the dry mop n the bamboo floors instead of getting the vacuum cleaner out.

*  Sold lots of raspberry and white chocolate muffins to a cleaning client.

*  Sold two dozen eggs

*  Fed some pulled weeds to the chickens.  I also fed them a lettuce plant that had gone to seed.

*  Fed the compost bin with kitchen scraps and teabags.

*  Used the last of my retractable eyeliner  by pushing up the extra bit of eyeliner in the holder bit ( hard to explain ).  I got another four weeks' worth of use.  I'm also digging into the bottom of my lipstick.  So far I've extended the use by two weeks and hoping for another four.

*  Refilled the foaming hand wash dispensers around the home with diluted shower gel.

*  Limited the dryer usage to urgent items and work uniforms.  The rest of the washing went on clothes horses over the ducted heating vents.

* Picked a few feijoas and raspberries every couple of days.

*  Only bought milk, cream,  potatoes and grapes at the shops.

*  Knitted a saucepan lid holder from knitting cotton I had on hand.  I bought a new saucepan set a couple of weeks ago.  I love the set but the lid handles get a little hot when cooking for long periods of time.  The kitchen shops sell these cloths but I didn't take notice of the price.

* Cooked a chicken curry in the slow cooker and froze four leftover portions.  I also cooked a tuna pasta bake that stretch to six serves by adding steamed veg on the side.

*  Cut up an old sock to use as garden ties.  I keep the ties in an icecream container in my garden shed.

*  Diluted a bottle of white vinegar to use for cleaning.

*  Cleaned the kettle with citric acid.  Cleaned the dishwasher with bi carb,  vinegar and Miracle Spray.

*  Petrol is too dear at the moment and I was getting low.  I chose to put in $25 to make do until the price drops.

*  Megan has been doing big cook ups of meals and portioning them into single serves to take to work for lunch.

      

Jessica's new business

Prize bag for the parties

Freezing leftovers

In the garden

Rosemary in flower

A blessing of lemons

What does your frugal list look like this week ?

Scrambled Eggs

I love scrambled eggs as a treat for breakfast,  lunch or a cheap dinner.  There's scrambled eggs and then there are tasty scrambled eggs.  Here's the recipe for how I make tasty scrambled eggs -

2 eggs
dash of milk ( maybe four tablespoons )
pinch of salt,  pepper
sprinkle of dried onion flakes,  dried garlic granules or powder and chives
knob or butter

Place the eggs and seasonings into a small bowl and whisk together

Heat a small frypan or saucepan on a medium heat.  Add a small knob of butter and melt

Add the egg mixture to the pan / saucepan and gently scrape a wooden spoon over the bottom. Ribbons of cooked egg will form. 

When the mixture turns from liquid to cooked egg,  turn off the heat immediately.

Serve with your choice of ingredients.  Bacon,  ham,  spinach,  cooked tomatoes,  mushrooms or toast work well.  I like mine on toast with a sprinkling of grated cheese.