Treating nails in a positive way keeps biting at bay

I have found the trick to keeping nail biting and picking at bay is to 'fiddle' with them in a positive way. I am 67 and have bitten my nails since I was about three years old. My parents tried bribes, threats, nasty brown stuff painted on my nails - all sorts. I grew my nails when I got married, when my daughter got married - and indeed have grown them since for various special occasions - so determination can help! I now have nails on my fingers, but still bite/pick at my thumbs. My dad said my fingers would become misshapen, and he was right. What helps me is to 'fiddle' with my nails in a positive way - emery boards, manicure tools, nail polish, the nail treatments to stop biting - the taste does stop automatic, thoughtless nibbling. I am not a chewing gum lover, but that can also help. I crochet too, which keeps my hands too busy to nibble at!

My health insurer saved me hundreds on travel cover

I have saved $400 on my travel insurance, thanks to my health insurer! I’m going to Europe for six weeks and know the importance of travel insurance. I have a credit card that offers complimentary health insurance, but the underwriter has changed and now NO pre-existing condition is covered. I’ve had a few accidents and illnesses that their previous underwriter covered previously; but the new underwriter said No to ANY pre-existing injury, even if it was healed and needed no further treatment or medication. So I had to independently take out cover for $620 for the six weeks I’m away. In an attempt to offset the cost, I phoned my existing HEALTH insurance. After talking with them, I have suspended my insurance for the time I’m away, and a few weeks when I’m back in Australia, which is two months in total. This has saved me $400 for two months, therefore reducing the cost of my travel insurance to only $220. My annual credit card fee is $150, so I will be cancelling that as well, as it no longer is worth the money if I am not eligible for cover with their travel insurance. So all up, a saving of $150 plus $400 adds up to $550 in total. No small amount and will certainly help fund my travels!

'Bench-top notes' keep families on the same page

Here is a hint that has saved our family time, money and arguments, not to mention countless wasted scraps of paper. This year we purchased a large diary for family use, labelled it 'Bench-top Notes' and sat it on our bench. In this diary we write notes to each other that in the past, would have been on scrap pieces of paper that would often be missed or mislaid. Anything from appointment reminders, details of missed phone calls, housework or instructions for our teenage boys, or just simple but personal notes to each other such as 'Hi sweetie, have a great day, I love you, see you at 5.30!' and so on! It has tidied up our bench-top, kept us all organised and an added bonus is that we can look back on our entries for confirmation of bills being paid, appointments kept or cancelled with the reason why and smile at the little love notes to and from each other. This diary cost about $12 but it now contains the priceless and lifetime memories of our 'Bench-top Notes'.

Add light and warmth with 'magic' mirrors

We have saved hundreds of dollars on making our daughters' room cosier! We are living in a rental property which we really like. However, our daughters are in the front bedroom and although it has a window, the room itself it doesn't get a lot of sunshine. This makes the room rather gloomy and feels damp in winter. We have a small heater which we use to try and take the chill off the bedroom before they go to bed but using it makes us feel we're watching money disappear before our eyes!

The perfect alternative would be spend hundreds of dollars on installing a skylight but since we're only renting, this really isn't an option.

A couple of weeks ago, I bought a couple of mirrors for $4 each to stick on the inside of a wardrobe. While I was preparing the area, I put the mirrors on the windowsill and to my astonishment, noticed how much brighter the room was when the sun hit the mirrors and bounced off the ceiling. It was as though I'd switched on a light!

By using those two mirrors and angling them slightly, I was able to bring sunshine and some warmth into the room. I have since purchased two more mirrors to make sure I take full advantage of the entire time that the sun hits the windowsill. The room is heaps brighter and feels more cheerful and warmer. It only cost $16 and it was all done with mirrors!