Just Add Water

 A very quick and easy way to save lots of money is to add water to many items around your home.  Just because the manufacturer says you need to use X amount,  doesn't mean you have to.  Of course they want you to use more than really needed.  You'll buy the product more often and boost their profits.

Just add water to these items and keep more money in your bank account.

Shampoo -  This can be diluted by up to 50%.  Even better,  add a pump to the bottle for portion control. 

Conditioner -   The better the quality,  the more you can dilute it.  Add up to 50% water  

Shower gel -  Thick shower gel can be hard to spread over the body and many times falls to the bottom of the shower.  Add 25 - 50% water and also add a pump or pour it into a pump bottle.  

Laundry liquid - Adding too much laundry liquid to the wash can leave residue on your clothes.  Not to mention the extremely strong smelling perfume they add to the liquid.  Laundry liquid can be diluted by 80% and still give you clean,  fresh smelling clothes.  Give it a go.  It really works.

Tinned soup - Chunky tinned soups can be diluted up to 50%.  Even better,  add a handful of small pasta shapes to stretch the soup further.  I find these soups to be too rich in flavour and salt.  Diluting them gives you more serves and lessens the salt intake.  Of course homemade is better for you and cheaper. 

 Liquid hand soap - Dilute it by 75 - 80% and use it as foaming hand wash for a fraction of the store bought variety. 

 Fabric softener - We all know fabric softener is not good to use and certainly not good for the washing machine.  If you need to use it to help remove smells,  dilute it by at least 50%.  Maybe the clothes won't smell like perfume when they are dry,  but they will still have a fresh fragrance. For a cheaper alternative to remove bad smells,  spray the offending odours with white vinegar before washing.

 Kitchen detergent -  If you are heavy handed with the kitchen detergent,  dilute it by 50% and add a pump to the bottle.  I've been doing this for years and my dishes are still clean and sparkling. Some of the Aldi kitchen detergents are really thick and can be diluted by 75%.

Is there something you add water to ?

Has your family noticed anything different ?

Is There Gold In Your Shed ?

 I'm sure I've got your attention now.  You're probably thinking ' what the heck is she talking about ? '  I'm not talking about real gold,  but things that are of value,  especially when you can't get to the shops due to either lockdown,  sickness or if money is tight.

Have you stored things away you have forgotten about that could be used to save money or even make you money ?  Here are a few ideas of what could be lurking in your shed or garage -

*  Icecream containers.  It's hard to throw them out when they seem so useful.  Do you need storage containers in your pantry,  laundry or bedrooms.  They make great biscuit containers,  freezer containers ( for soups and stews ),  hair tie containers if you have girls or even storage for batteries,  household hooks,  screws and nails.  Maybe you are looking for a container to put your homemade laundry powder in.

*  Glass jars.  Have you stashed them away and forgotten about them.  They make great storage for dried herbs and spices in the pantry.  Jam making season will be upon us in a few months.  Maybe you could check to see if you have enough jars.  

*  Old shoe boxes.  Can they be used for craft storage,  for present giving or craft activities with the kids.  

*  A piece of furniture that's seem better days.  Can it be repaired or restored and used in your home ?  Could it be sold ?

*  Pieces of timber.  There are a million uses for timber but I'll name a few - make veggie garden markers,  make a picture frame,  build a vertical herb garden,  make a wall hanging.  Maybe you have enough timber to make things to sell.

*  Abandoned exercise equipment.  Could you use the equipment instead of buying into an expensive food / shake / exercise program or gym ?

*  Pantry / cleaning supplies.  Have you been using your shed or garage for your stockpile ?  Maybe it's time to see if you can refill your pantry or laundry cupboard.

*  Sporting or camping equipment that's no longer needed.  Could you sell it for a little extra money?

*  Vegetable or flower seeds.  Could you be planting them now for almost free food ?  No need to go to a florist when you could pick flowers straight from the garden.  Maybe you don't need another trip to Bunnings for more seeds.

*  Suitcases.  Do you have old suitcases that could be used as storage instead of buying more plastic tubs ?    

Only you know what's in your shed or garage.  Do you have any gold ?

3 Easy Chicken Marinades / Sauces

Once there was a time when all our chicken dishes were covered in a sauce that came from a jar.  I thought it was yummy.  Darren and the girls loved it ,  but we didn't know any better.  Then I needed to slash the grocery budget to free up some extra money.  Mr Google was helpful for ideas on how to make my own marinades as well as my own common sense.

I don't know how to make lemon chicken the conventional way.  Infact,  I've never looked for the recipe.  I just sort of made these recipes up in my head and tried them out on my family.  The feedback was positive and now the following recipes are firm favourites in our home.

The following recipes I've used on chicken pieces like drumsticks.  There's no need to measure anything.  Just a good squirt of this and that and adjust to your own personal taste.

Honey / soy - In a small bowl add a good squirt of honey and microwave for 20 seconds until runny. Then add a slightly smaller squirt of soy sauce. Mix together and brush over chicken. Season with garlic, pepper, parsley and onion flakes

Lemon chicken - squeeze 1 lemon over the chicken pieces. Season with salt, pepper, garlic, onion flakes and chives. Slice another lemon and place over each chicken piece.

Saucy chicken - use equal parts tomato and bbq sauce. Mix together with 1 - 2 teaspoons of mustard powder. Brush over chicken and season with salt and pepper.

Generally chicken pieces need to be cooked for 40 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.  To intensify the flavour,  baste the chicken half way through the cooking time with juices from the bottom of the pan.

Honey Soy Chicken Drumsticks

10 Items Frugal People Reuse

Being frugal or thrifty is NOT  about counting your money and being stingy.  More than anything it's about being mindful of what you use and reusing it until it cannot be reused any more.  The bonus is in the money saving and lowering our environmental impact.


*  Egg cartons can be reused for growing seedlings,  collecting eggs if you have chickens,  hold beads when the kids make necklaces and a myriad of craft ideas.

*  Empty bottles,  jars and tins.  Jars are great for jam and sauce making or to use as a vase. Bottles can be reused for homemade cordial,  sauce and to refrigerate water.  Tins can be used for baking cakes and as a rustic vase

*  Empty envelopes make great shopping lists,  to do lists or to jot down a note.

*  Birthday / Christmas cards can be made into lovely gift tags.  If the image is to your taste,  frame it in a cheap frame or cut it out to make a handmade greeting card.

*  Gift bags can generally be reused over and over again.  Generally when I receive a gift bag,  it's in perfect condition and too good to throw out. 

*  Icecream containers have so many uses I could write a blog post about them.  Here are a few uses - storage containers for baking,  to save water,  vomit buckets,  craft containers,    Barbie shoe storage and freezer storage.  

*  Shoe boxes.  I find it hard to throw out a good sturdy shoe box.  I use them for storing craft items,  for school projects   storing seed packets,  storing soup / meal packets,  Barbie clothes ( back in the day ) and wrapping paper / greeting cards.

*  Toothbrushes.  I never throw out a toothbrush once it's past it's best before date for teeth brushing.  I reuse them around the home for cleaning around taps,  down plug holes,  dishwasher seals,  to clean the stove top,  in the laundry for stain removal and to use at my cleaning jobs.

*  Old bathroom towels.  We use them as drop sheets,  rags,  to kneel on when weeding,  to mop up spills,  to wrap around items for protection when travelling / moving or storing and to protect bedding ( illness ), 

*  Newspapers.  Although most people now read their news online or watch it on tv,  the occasional local newspaper can make it's way to your letterbox.  Newspapers make great seedling pots.  These can then be directly planted into the ground.  Newspapers can be used in compost bins,  to line bird cages and chicken coops,  to clean windows and as a layer to prevent weeds growing.    

gift tags made from magazines and cards.

Recycled jars for jam making

Recycled bottles for homemade cordial

Pasta sauce jar makes a great vase

When looking at this list,  how frugal are you?

Stretching Meals To Go Further

Keeping the cost of groceries down can be a never ending battle. Prices are always on the increase, appetites increase, food is bought then wasted and adult children don't always show up for dinner. Unexpected visitors can send you into a tail spin ( or at least another trip to the supermarket )

Here are some of the tricks I use to keep my family fed for well under $300 a month and still put good food on the table -

* Spag bol is often served with shredded silverbeet from the garden and grated carrot and zucchini in the meat sauce. I've also been known to add half a handful of quick oats to the sauce. These " extras " increase the volume of meat sauce. I don't serve larger quantities because of this. The extra sauce is frozen and might serve two people for another meal.

* Two minute noodles as well as cabbage really bulk up chop suey.

* Meat is the most expensive component of a meal. Loading up the dinner plate with veggies will fill up hungry tummies. A much cheaper alternative to serving large portions of meat.

* When dishing out the main meal, serve out the leftovers at the same time into takeaway containers or other suitable freezer containers. When you are eating dinner, let those leftovers cool until the steam disappears. Put them straight in the fridge after dinner until completely cold. Put a lid on, label and freeze ASAP. You save more money if the leftovers are eaten at dinner instead of a lunch treat. When you have enough frozen leftovers, write " freezer meals " into the menu plan. A free meal.

* When adult children don't show up for dinner, cook as you usually do and freeze the leftovers.

* If the main meal looks a little on the frugal side, put a plate of buttered bread or toast on the table.

*  Stews and casseroles need less meat per person.   My chicken curry recipe uses two small chicken fillets yet serves up to eight people.

 * When I make chunky soups, I add 1/2 to 1 cup of small shell pasta 20 minutes before serving.

* Add mashed potato to salmon patties. You'll get more patties without changing the flavour.

*  When you come home from grocery shopping portion out the raw meat and freeze in meal sizes. This is a really frugal tip and easier to defrost instead of a whole tray of meat.

*  When cooking casseroles and stews,  cut the meat into smaller cubes.  The meat seems to go further and you are more likely to get a piece of meat with each mouthful.

Have you stretched food without your family noticing ?

What are your tricks for making food go further ?

Loading the plate with veggies

Adding silverbeet to a pasta bake

Chicken curry with two small chicken fillets

Chop suey with lots of veggies

Freezing leftovers

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 ? . 

Ice Cube Trays - Another 5 Ways To Save Money

Do you have ice cube trays sitting in your cupboard unused ?  Then here's another 5 ways to use them and save a little money -

*  Make your own baby food and portion it into the ice cube trays.  This is great for when you are introducing a new food to your baby.

*  Make chocolate covered strawberries without the mess.  Pour melted chocolate into each cube.  Place a strawberry in each cube pushing down slightly.  Refridgerate until the chocolate hardens.

*  Freeze pureed fruit to make your own smoothies.   This is a much cheaper option than the supermarket bought,  prepackaged frozen fruit cubes.

*  Use ice cube trays as snack trays for your children.  This is a wonderful way to portion control and present healthy food.

*  Novelty shaped ice cube trays make wonderful soap moulds.  The soaps are a perfect size for little hands and make great presents..

10 Ideas To Save You Money This Week

Are you looking for a bit of extra cash ?  Is your budget feeling a little tight ?  Then try some of these dollar stretching ideas.  Together these ideas could save you a few hundred dollars depending on how you value things.

*  Keep your curtains closed when you turn on the air conditioning.  I know this is common sense but you'd be suprised at the amount of homes I've visited or cleaned over the years with the Sun streaming in on a hot day.

*  Mend an item of clothing. Sew on a missing button,  mend a hole in a pair of socks or even take up a pair of trousers.  All these tasks don't require sewing skills except threading a needle and pushing it in and out of the item.  This task alone could save you $2 on a pair of socks,  $20 for hemming trousers or the $$ amount on the item you would otherwise throw out.

*  Avoid having drinks out with the girls,  coffee out with the mums or beers with the mates.  Drinks can lead to dinner,  coffee can lead to cake or lunch as well and beers can lead to food.  If you enjoy these activities then perhaps invite your friends around and share the cost. 

*  Try buying a generic brand of food for the first time.  You might be suprised how good the quality is.  The price difference will surprise you too.

*  Turn your fridge leftovers into a tasty casserole or pasta bake.    Anything with grated cheese on top is a winner.  This could be the making of a new family favourite.

*  Eat out of the fridge,  freezer and pantry for a week and only buy milk.  I'm sure you've got plenty of food on hand.

*  Turn the lights off and have a candlelit dinner for the whole family.  Dig out all those candles you've been hoarding.  Yes,  the ones your family and friends give you every birthday and Mother's Day.

*  Watch the petrol price cycle and only fill up when it's cheap.

*  Carry a  bottle of water with you when you go out.  Refilling at home costs less than 1 cent.  Buying a bottle costs up to $4.

*  Pick a flower ( or two or three ) from the garden instead of buying them.  You don't have any flowers ?  Then pick some green foliage and place it in a vase.  Wrap a bit of kitchen twine around the vase and you have yourself a boutique looking arrangement.  

Morning tea at home

Flowers in a pasta sauce jar.

Frugal Reading Links

Here are a few links to articles that are relevant to this time of the year.  Happy reading

Saving money and getting the kids back to school
http://myabundantlife07.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/starting-school-year.html

Beating the heat in Summer
http://myabundantlife07.blogspot.com.au/2016/11/keeping-cool-in-summer.html

Saving money on water usage
http://myabundantlife07.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/februarys-theme-being-water-wise.html

Budget planning for a new year
http://myabundantlife07.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/getting-your-budget-in-order-for-new.html

Our family's menu plan
http://myabundantlife07.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/my-menu-plan-thursday-20th-nov-thursday.html

Easy card ideas
http://myabundantlife07.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/hand-made-card-ideas-january-2016.html

A favourite Summer salad
http://myabundantlife07.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/creamy-pasta-salad.html

Keeping Cool In Summer

    

Summer is about to hit Melbourne next week and temperatures will rise to above 40 degrees Celsius during the next three months. I've started thinking and planning a strategy for coping with this heat. I'll start a list of things I do. I'm hoping everyone can add their ideas to the list so we can help each other.

Here's what I plan to do -

* Open doors in the morning to cool the house and close as soon as the temperature rises 

*  Keep the curtains closed all day 

*  Turn potable electric fans on while the cooling is on a little lower. The cool breeze from the fans is great and helps to circulate the air 

*  Keeping jugs of water in the fridge 

*  Filling ice cube trays for the freezer.  Great for drinks and wiping over hot faces 

*  Making icy poles in the freezer.  Orange juice,  cordial and flavoured milk work well. 

*  Making jelly for desserts 

*  Using wet face washers to cool you down 

*  Making a couple of day's worth of salads at a time 

*  Vacuuming early in the morning 

*  Using a carpet sweeper if it's too hot to vacuum 

*  Finding the coolest room in the house and hiding there

For the chickens we -

*  Dunk them in cool water a couple of times a day 

*  Spray them with the garden hose 

*  Feed them frozen watermelon 

*  Freeze 2 litre milk containers and putting them in the coop at night ( air conditioning )

What do you do to keep cool in Summer ?

Slow Cooker Chicken Stock

About 18 months ago I discovered through the Cheapskates Club a recipe for making chicken stock in the slow cooker.  It was a light bulb moment for me.  I love my slow cooker, I love simple recipes and I love saving money.  Making stock in the slow cooker cover all three of these loves.

Here's how I make chicken stock in the slow cooker

1 chicken carcass
3 - 4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon of dried onion flakes
2 teaspoons of dried parsley
1 - 1 1/2 litres of boiled water

Place all ingredients in the slow cooker making sure the carcass is covered with the boiling water.
 
Cook overnight or for up to 24 hours.

Drain the stock through a colander and use within 2 days or freeze for future use..

To make chicken soup,  use the little bits of chicken meat off the carcass once it's been in the slow cooker.  The meat is quite easy to get off and it's suprising how much meat a carcass can hide.

Cutting The Electricity Bill.

Lately I've been thinking about the rising cost of electricity for all households. I was alarmed at the cost of our last bill of $251 for the quarter ( including discounts and solar panels ). According to those online comparison websites, we are not high energy users yet it doesn't feel like it's being reflected in our bills. So I'm on a mission to cut our electricity usage and slash our bills.

There's what I'm going to do -

* Not using the clothes dryer until April next year. Even then only for urgent use.
* Get the electric fans out of the shed at the end of November. Evap cooling will only be used when really hot.
* Not using the lights in the bathroom when having a shower unless it's dark. This means getting my girls to have a shower before tea when the sun is still up.
* Limiting use of the tv.
* Reminding everyone to turn standby lights off.
* Turning the outside light on 10 minutes before Darren is due home from work, not when he rings ( he's 1/2 an hour away ).
* Charging my laptop every few days when I'm using it.
* Having tea a little earlier so that we don't have to turn a light on.
* Double use of the oven when possible.
* Getting the girls to go to bed earlier, therefore the lights, tv and laptops will be turned off.
* Doing some online research for more handy tips.
* Making use of our curtains and keeping them closed on hot days. ( when they finally arrive )
* Getting Darren to turn the hot water temp down a little.
*  Using the thermos to store boiled water.

If I think of anything else I'll keep adding to the list.

Will anyone join me in reducing their electricity bill ?

When I get my next bill,  I'll post any changes - good or bad .  I keep my bills from the same time last year, so I'll be able to compare costs.

Coping With Financial Storms

Some of the most commonly asked questions I get is -  How do you cope ?  How do you plan for the unexpected ?  How do you keep going ?

There are times when I've wondered " why us ". We've never had a comfortable income to live off.  It might seem that we are comfortable but it has taken so much hard work to get where we are. We've seen more financial challenges than most people we know.  Our income gets cut when most people's go up even if it's just in line with CPI. We lived for years and years with no pay rise and the cost of living increasing. And again I've wondered - why us ?

I get through these times firstly by praying. God knows our needs and they are always met, sometimes in the most miraculous of ways.  After praying about our situation, I start planning. There is nothing better than tackling a hard situation as soon as possible by putting pen to paper and finding a way out. Trying to ride out a storm hoping you will cope just doesn't work.  Every time we've had a income cut,  straight away I rework the budget. Of course we don't waste money but we always seem to do without something else. At the moment I'm able to start my Summer stockpile shopping on the $200 a month allocated grocery money. It sounds like a crazy amount but I'm doing it.

Being prepared for the storms of life makes it easier to cope. Having a monthly menu plan reduces stress if I get sick or something else happens. Weekly and fortnightly menu plans don't give a lot of wriggle room. If the monthly menu plan runs out and I don't have time or energy to write another one, we just repeat it. Because it's monthly, there are approximately 25 - 30 different meals on it so we don't repeat meals too often.  Constant repetition leads to boredom and boredom leads to eating out.

Having a healthy stockpile in the pantry, fridge and freezer gives me peace of mind. When I talk about a healthy stockpile, I'm talking about 4 - 6 month's worth ( except milk, fruit and veg ). My veggie garden is always there as a back up. I grow silverbeet and lettuce all year round and it saves us a fortune. If I can't get to the shops, I know I have greens to pick to go with a meal. Those greens are some of the most healthiest things to grow.

We all have unexpected bills arrive. Dental, car and appliance repairs are the most common. A way to get around this is to build an emergency account that covers these items. $5000 should be a minimum to set aside. This might seem like an unachievable goal but it can be done.   Holidays, and  luxuries such as gym memberships,  magazines,  coffees out etc etc should be avoided until the emergency account goal is reached.  If the emergency account is dipped into, it should be topped up as soon as possible.  Having that safety net at all times is so important.  It eliminates the need to use the credit card.

My family doesn't always understand my hard approach to saving, but they support me and certainly appreciate it when they see the fruits of our labour.  Then I remind them of why we saved.  My kitchen is a fine example.  The kitchen took almost two years of hard saving and 20 years of dreaming. Sure, I could have bought a cheap kitchen or taken out a loan. But it wouldn't have lasted the distance and I wouldn't have liked it.

Are you prepared for financial storms ?

How do you cope with the unexpected ?

Starting A Stockpile

Anyone who knows me  knows that stockpiling is one of my favourite topics to talk about.   I LOVE stockpiling. It gives me a sense of security knowing that if anything happened and I couldn't get to the shops, OR if all the supermarkets closed down without notice ( I'd better start praying against that one ), then my family would be fed well for many, many weeks, maybe even 4 - 6 months. Ok, if I was feeding them for 4 - 6 months, we'd be on rations but I think I could do it.

I know of people who shop every day for that night's meal. I also know of people who only keep a couple of week's worth of groceries and they always seem to be running out of the basics. This is no way to live your life.  Think of all the stress and extra trips to the supermarket.  Think of all the petrol being used.  Here are some scenarios to think about -

What if you got sick ?
What if the car breaks down ?
What if family drops in unexpectedly for a holiday ?
What if your teenagers bring home a bunch of friends and expect a meal for all ?
What if your spouse invites some friends home for a meal without a prior arrangement ?
What if a natural disaster happens and it wipes out crops ?
What if you are stranded in your home due to floods ?

How would you cope if any of these things happened ? Yes they could easily happen although I really hope they don't. Do you go into a panic and order takeaway ? That would be so easy but then your food budget would blow out.  A better way is to have a good supply of basic ingredients.

Stockpiling is as easy as 1 2 3 .

1. Write out a list of basic ingredients that you would like to stockpile. Toiletries such as toilet paper, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, soap, shower gel, shavers, makeup all keep well for many years. In the pantry - flour, sugar, pasta, rice,  tinned veggies and fruit, herbs and spices, baking ingredients, spreads, powdered milk, sauces etc all keep well.
In the fridge - cheese and butter can be stockpiled as well as frozen. Even eggs keep well in the fridge for a few months.  In the freezer you can stockpile veggies, meat, leftovers, ready made meals ( homemade of course ) berries and other fruits.

2. Work out the quantities of these items you use per month. Then multiply it by the amount of months you want to have as a stockpile.

3 . Add some of these EXTRA items and quantities to your shopping list each week / fortnight / month you go shopping.  Remember,  these are extra quantities on top of what you usually buy.   Once you have finished stockpiling all you need to do is just replace the items you use. Also, do not forget to rotate your stock by putting new items to the back of the pantry,  fridge and freezer and the older items get pushed to the front.

Finding extra grocery money for stockpiling can be a challenge if you are on a tight budget.  Please keep in mind that basic groceries like flour,  sugar and pasta etc don't cost that much.  Here are some ideas for finding extra grocery money -

*  Use leftover holiday spending money.  This is how I started my food slush fund.

*  Make your own takeaway and the money saved could start your stockpile.

*  Revise your shopping list and cross off ready made / processed food.

*  Cook cheaper meals to stretch your $$$

*  Save your spare coins in a tin.  At the end of the month that money can be used to buy a few extra basics.

Do you have a stockpile and if so,  how long would it feed your family ?

If you haven't started a stockpile,  is this something you'll do shortly ?   

My spare tins of food.

An organised pantry

My spares.  I love things stacked neatly

Running Out Of Groceries Or Grocery Money

Running out of food can be a scary situation to be faced with. What to do ? What to do ? I guess the first question you need to ask yourself is " Have I really run out of food or do I have food but don't know what to cook ? " If you have run out of food just because you didn't buy enough,  then it's time for a new plan of attack. Writing a menu plan for the week might be a good place to start. Then write your shopping list from the menu plan. Don't forget to include breakfasts, lunches and snacks as well as the main meal.    Once you've mastered shopping for a week then you could try fortnightly or monthly shopping.

You might be in the situation where you haven't run out of food but feel like the food you do have isn't going to make great meals. This is the perfect time for experimentation. Grab your cookbooks or use the internet to try something different. There are websites where you can search for recipes with certain ingredients. This could be the making of a new family favourite recipe.

If you have run out of grocery money for whatever reason, you have a few options. Can you make meals out of the food you DO have ? Can you find some extra money from another area of your budget ? I'm not talking about hundreds of dollars. $20 or $30 could last a week or two with a carefully planned shopping list if you have basic ingredients on hand like herbs, spices and a few baking ingredients like flour and sugar

Once again a menu plan will help you through a tough time until money becomes available again. A packet of quick oats will give you a filling breakfast for a week. Two loaves of bread will be enough for lunches. Buying one piece of the cheapest fruit available per person could be a snack. In Winter apples, pears and citrus fruits are very cheap. In Summer it could be stone fruit or grapes.

Dinner doesn't have to be fancy if money is tight. Here are some cheap meal ideas -

* Boiled potato with steamed veggies, seasonings and a little grated cheese on top is very yummy and cheap.
* 300 grams of mince can be bulked out with rice, rolled oats and cheaper vegetables like beans, cabbage or carrots.
* Eggs, baked beans or spaghetti on toast
* Pasta with tomato sauce and cheese
* Pasta with a tin of tomatoes and grated vegetables
* Fried rice without any meat.
* Pancakes

Remember,  water is free ( or almost free ) so drink lots of it.  If you are after a hot drink,  then tea is cheaper than coffee.

Have you ever run out of grocery money or groceries ?  What did you do in this situation ?

Cutting The Budget When There's Nothing Left To Cut - Part 3

Making ends meet can be a challenge when you don't have a lot of money in the first place.  Here are eight ideas that might put some money back into your purse -

*  Mend your clothes instead of buying new ones.   Buttons are easy to sew on and only takes a couple of minutes.  Many tops and cardigans have spare buttons sewn inside the item of clothing.  Torn seams are easy to sew up.  Just turn the clothing inside out and sew a few stitches.  It really is true that a stitch in time saves nine ( and it saves some money too ).

*  Throw out all the junk mail before the family sees it.  Having junk mail lying around the house fuels the urge to spend money.  Of course,  take the time to have a quick look yourself in case there are some grocery or clothing bargains.

*  To avoid all the unnecessary spending give yourself and your spouse a little bit of pocket money each week / fortnight or month.   Up until about four months ago I'd never had pocket money in the 20 years I've been married.  I'd never really needed it as I was just happy to spend money on groceries and household items when needed.  When our family budget had to be slashed late last year, we switched to a cash budget which meant we couldn't afford to put anything on the credit card except petrol ( too hard to carry that money around ).  To avoid denying ourselves completely Darren and I now get $15 a month each to spend any way we choose.  It might not sound like much but it's enough to buy a food treat / cuppa or in my case,  a small craft item.

*  Cancel magazine and newspaper subscriptions.  Many of these are available for free at your local library.  Maybe ask for a subscription as a birthday present instead.

*  Clean and declutter your home.  When your hands are busy you'll forget about the need to spend.  Having your home in order will give you peace and a longing to enjoy time relaxing in your nest.

*  Avoid overpriced restaurant meals. Instead,  invite your friends and family over for a meal where everyone brings a plate.

*  Read a book instead of turning the tv or computer on.  Reading doesn't cost anything and can be quite relaxing.  If you need something new to read,  go to your local library for inspiration.

*  Buy fruit and veggies in season to save lots of money.   Buying in season is when the food is at it's nutritional  best too.

Bulk Cooking

Bulk cooking is a great way to save time in the kitchen. For those of you who are new to this concept, it pretty much means exactly that. You cook multiple meals at the same time to store in the freezer. The benefits of bulk cooking are -

* It saves time in the kitchen at meal times.
* Saves on electricity / gas.
* Emergency meals on hand in the freezer
* Helps avoid the takeaway temptation.
* Meal preparation is simplified
* Older children can get tea ready for you if you are sick or faced with an emergency.
* Great for taking on holidays
* Unexpected visitors can be fed.
* Peace of mind
* Great for portion controlling the meat.
* Being prepared for sickness in the house
* Being ready for financial hardship.

The benefits I listed above really are wonderful.  Most importantly,  bulk cooking is about getting your house in order.  I cannot stress enough how important this is for you,  your family and your friends.  Here's a question for you to think about.  If an emergency came to your home,  would your family and friends have to feed you ?  Yes it's wonderful to have a meal offered to you,  but would you be relying on others to get you through a crisis or emergency ?

I've lost track of the amount of times I've been asked to provide meals for others.  I try to help when I can but often these requests come at a time when I'm away on holidays,  having a very busy week or I'm sick.  Also, to be honest my budget doesn't stretch to feed other families.  Then I feel a little guilty that I can't help. Then I worry that the person or family doesn't have food to eat.

We've had a few emergencies visit our family over the years.  Five years ago I was hospitalised for a kidney stone.  Thankfully my sister in law and her mother were able to take care of our girls at short notice.  Darren took food out of the freezer to bring into the hospital for him to eat while he sat at my bedside.  After I'd been home for a few days,  we remembered we had a visitor coming for lunch. This had been organised a week earlier.  Thankfully I had lots of soup and chocolate brownies in the freezer to serve.  The visitor didn't know I'd been in hospital a few days earlier.  She guessed something was up when I had to sit down while Darren and the girls organised lunch.

Both Darren and my Mum have been hospitalised right on Christmas a few years running.  During those times, I had to drop what I was doing to be with them.  Thankfully I had a menu plan and plenty of meals in the freezer to defrost and eat.  It was one less thing to worry about.

Most of the meals I bulk cook are made with beef mince or chicken.   I buy a couple of two kilo trays of mince at a time. I try to plan this when I have a couple of days off from work. I then weigh out the amount of raw meat I need for the multiple meals I plan to cook.  The other option is to cook a double amount of food when you are preparing dinner each night.

For spag bol I use 300g for the four of us. If I want to make four meals for us then I weigh out 300g x four meals = 1200g. I cook the mince in a large electric fry pan and add four tins of tomatoes, four serves of tomato paste and four times the amount of seasonings. Once cooled it is spooned into four containers and frozen.

I use 400g of mince to make pie meat. This is eventually made into a family sized pie that serves the four of us. If I want to make pie meat for four pies I weigh out 400g x four meals = 1600g. It is cooked, seasoned, thickened with gravy powder and corn flour. When cooled it is divided into four containers and frozen. When frozen I empty it out of the container and double wrap it, label and date it and pop it back in the freezer. When I want to make a pie, it's defrosted in the fridge overnight then spooned onto a pastry lined pie plate and topped with cubed potato. A pastry lid is placed on top then cooked in the oven.

I use 400g of mince to make a meatloaf. To make four meatloaves I weigh out 400g x four meals = 1600g. I need 3 tablespoons of uncooked rice x four meatloaves = 12 tablespoons. This is cooked and added to the raw mince with salt, pepper, onion, parsley, four eggs and large squirts of tomato sauce. Mix well and divide into four meatloaf / baking tins and cook at the same time in the oven. When cooled double wrap and place in the freezer.

I hope these recipe ideas give you inspiration to give bulk cooking a go. It only takes a few hours to have 15 - 20 family sized meals ready for the freezer.  It's a small sacrifice to make for your family's peace of mind in a crisis.

Chocolate brownies from the freezer

Single serves for the freezer

Hamburger patties in bulk

Trays of zucchini slice ready to portion and freeze

Soup for the soul and freezer.

Do you bulk cook for your family ?  How has bulk cooking helped you in a crisis ?

Cutting The Budget When There's Nothing Left To Cut - Part 2

Cutting the family budget can be a challenge.  Sometimes there's just nothing more to cut - or is there ????  Here are some budget busting tips that can save you small or large amounts of money.  Combined,  they could really make a difference to your hip pocket.  I personally use all these tips in my everyday living.

*  Dry your clothes on the line or clotheshorse.  This might seem obvious but so many people tell me they still use the dryer for everything.  I also know lots of people who dry their towels in the dryer to make them soft.  An alternative is to partially dry the towels on the line and finish them in the dryer.

*  Avoid buying bin liners.  Use grocery bags,  fruit bags and bread bags to line your bins. These bags are free and can save you a few dollars each month.

*  Cut your gift giving budget.   Do you need to give presents to your great aunts,  aunties and uncles and other friends and family you don't see too often ?  It's wonderful to bless others but not if you can't make ends meet.  Maybe send a card instead.

*  Put a timer in the shower and set it for 5 minutes.  Play a game and see if you can beat the timer.

*  Revise your grocery shopping list before you leave home.  You might be amazed at how many items can wait for another week / fortnight or month.

*  Make your own fish and chips at home for under $2 a serve. Crumbed fish can be bought quite cheaply and making chips is as simple as cutting potatoes into desired shapes and sprinkling with a little seasoning or olive oil.  This could save a family of four $10 - $30 a meal.

*  Give up renting dvds and dig into your own collection at home.  Cook up some popcorn using the stove, microwave or popcorn maker and you'll  have a wonderfully frugal night for about 50 cents.

*  Instead of buying plants for your garden,  take your own cuttings from what you have or ask family,  friends and neighbours to take cuttings for you.

Stay tuned for more budget savings tips throughout the year.

Cutting The Budget When There's Nothing Left To Cut - Part 1

Towards the end of last year,  we saw our family income drop significantly.  I started losing some of my cleaning jobs due to clients selling their homes or not needing me any more.  I always think our budget is tight and well planned but somehow we always find ways to trim the budget.  For the last year we've been saving to get a new kitchen and flooring for our home.  To maintain these savings on our lower income we've juggled a few things around in our budget and cut our spending.  Not everyone has the luxury of monthly savings to play with so I thought I'd give you some ideas to cut your costs.

Please keep in mind that not all these budget cuts will suit your family.  You might already be doing these things.  By reading my tips it might remind you of something similar you can change or do.

*  Revise your mobile,  home phone and internet packages.  Do you really need unlimited everything ?  Are you paying for services you don't need or use ?  Phone providers are always changing their packages but don't necessarily advertise better deals.  Make the call to get the best deal you can.

*  Cut pay tv.  Yes I'm sure it's great to have and some cost as low as $10 a month.  Could you use that extra money to feed your family or pay a few bills?  Save pay tv for when you are debt free and still really, really need it.

*  Start making your own presents.  By doing this you are keeping more of your money within the budget.  See this post about creating your own mini economy..

*  Pay your bills on time to get the discounts and avoid late fees.

*  Ring your utility providers to make sure you are getting the best discount available.

*  Cook a couple of meatless meals a week.  Fried rice,  chunky veggie soup,  pasta and sauce,  toasted sandwiches,  eggs on toast  and  baked / stuffed potatoes are all very tasty and super budget friendly.

*  When the weather gets warm,  use an electric fan to cool down the room you are using instead of turning on the cooling / air conditioning.  If it gets too hot,  turn your cooling on low and keep your electric fan on.  Electric fans cost about 2 cents an hour to run.

*  Grow your own lettuce.  You can grow it in a pot or in the ground all through the year.  By purchasing a packet of seeds for about $3 you'll have enough seeds for the next couple of years. This can save you up to $100 a year based on buying one lettuce per week at $1.99 each. I like to grow the salad mix variety and pick as many leaves as we need per meal.

Stayed tuned for more budget busting posts throughout the year.