Saving money can make you very smug. While going about my shop in the supermarket today, I couldn't believe what some people were buying - especially mothers with small children. I stood at the checkout, watching the huge array of expensive items meander past along the various conveyor belts and shook my head inwardly, thinking 'you poor things, you have no idea how much money you're wasting.' I hadn't set foot in a supermarket for a month and yet my huge shop for a family of four came to $380. Granted, this didn't include bread, milk, fruit or vegetables, but my trolley was overflowing. I worked out when I arrived home that my savvy shopping had saved me $29.57. Doing the supermarket rounds may take me longer than it used to, while I stand there comparing prices, but the savings are worth it.
It's amazing how often little snippets of information I have gained from the Vault come in to use. Take today for example. I had run out of liquid soap and bought a refill, technically enough to fill two standard bottles. I remembered half way through refilling that I had read about watering the soap down to make it go further. Easy peasy! I filled the pump bottle with 50/50 soap and water and it works exactly the same - now I get four refills for the same price!
After the last $60-odd I spent on the dogs' worm tablets, I remembered what a friend told me (he is a vet, so he should know); the supermarket brand of worm tablets work just as well and are the same as the vet brands. A pack of six tablets for my six cats in the supermarket today cost me just over $4.00. With prices like that, I'm not complaining!
I bought Noel a new packet of four disposable razors too, and this time remembered to take a little dish of olive oil into the bathroom. I have no doubt he will think I'm mad leaving his razors sitting in it, but if the results are as good as those described in the Vault, I'm all for it. Finally, I have to tell you about the amazing Hint of the Week from a couple of weeks back. Whilst I was fortunate enough to escape the usual skin problems as a teenager, it seems that I was a late bloomer, as my thirties have brought havoc upon my complexion. No amount of flashy or 'new improved' products have been any help. After suffering the onset of the latest breakout, I remembered one of the latest emails I had received about using baking soda to clear up pimples, dug it out and followed the instructions. The merciless teasing I got from Noel about my bicarb encrusted face was worth the results. I shall not go into the gory details of Penny's Pimples, but trust me; this particular one was a humdinger. The results were amazing - and I mean immediately! My chin had been sporting an eruption the size of Mount Vesuvius and within 24 hours it was GONE. Needless to say, I left the Clearasil on the shelf in the supermarket and bought an extra pot of baking soda instead.
