Recent Hints
Make every cake of soap last twice as long
To make a cake of soap last twice as long, simply paint the top or bottom with some PVA wood glue and let dry. Doing this means only one side of the soap dissolves, enabling the cake to last double the time. I paint the top side of the cakes of soap when we bring them home. Sometimes my granddaughter even glues a pretty picture to the side!
By: Mick Watterson 3 responses in the members' forumKeep nail bitten hands busy doing good
I have found an easy way to stop biting my nails and do a good turn for others at the same time! I have bitten my nails all my life, and especially do so when I sit down to do something like watching TV, when my hands are idle. A couple of years ago however, I began crocheting for charity and gift giving during these times. While being more conscious about what my hands are doing, I am also creating things to bring happiness to others. My nails grow and are stronger than they were, my hands are away from my mouth and I don't have the same urge to bite my nails!
By: Ann EarleHottest Hints
Careful planning feeds large family for $115 a week
I feed my family of six on a little over $230 a fortnight with a bit of planning and a lot of baking! I buy a bulk 2kg pack of beef mince from Aldi ($11) and a 2kg pack of chicken ($20) as well as jars or packs of sauces. I separate the mince into four 500g lots and make rissoles with one lot (adding grated carrot and zucchini), then I put the rest away for spaghetti, pasta bake and burrito/taco night. This makes four main meals and we often have leftovers for lunch the next day.
I take three or four of the chicken breasts and slice them in half or into thirds, tenderise them with a mallet and cook them for sandwiches. I slice and dice the rest of the chicken for stir fries, casseroles, wraps and burritos. This gives me another four or five main meals plus leftovers. This way I spend around $230 on my main shop a fortnight, including nappies. I bake a lot which cuts back on the cost of expensive snacks for the children and I always have a pack of jelly on hand to 'treat' them when the cupboards are really bare
I also plan my meals around what fresh veggies I have in the fridge and leave the frozen ones until after I have run out of fresh ones, and I alternate rice and pasta with couscous and potatoes or cauliflower bake.
It just goes to show that frugal and planning don't have to mean boring!
Make your own liquid handwash soap
I can make four litres of handwashing gel soap for under $1.00! To make your own liquid gel soap, grate a bar of Sunlight or generic laundry soap into a two litre ice cream container. Pour boiling water to half fill the container and mix to dissolve the soap. Carefully fill to the top with boiling water and mix well. Pour half the mixture into another two litre container and top up both with boiling water again. The gel is very thick once it sets, but a good consistency for its purpose. Store in the two litre containers and refill pump bottles as needed. One pump is all it needs to clean your hands and can even wash dirty dishes if you squirt into the sink!
By: Latisha Waterman 165 responses in the members' forumReceive a Free Newsletter
