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June 2012 - Simple Savings Newsletter

"Secrets to Saving Money in Australia" Free Newsletter - June 2012

This issue includes:-

Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: Never Enough Hours in the Day
July is Double Dinners Month!
Hidden Gems Competition Winner: Home and Giving
Best Member's Blog: Why I Re-Subscribed to Simple Savings
Best of the Forum: Make-Ahead Meals
Best of the Vault: Simply Scrumptious Suppers
Cooking with Mimi: Double Dinners... Triple if You're Game!
Fifty Cent Indulgences
Claire's Blog: Little Changes, Big Results
Rob Bob's Gardening Blog: Hello and Welcome!
Homeopathy Corner: Pricey Pets
From Last Month: Gluten-Free Diet
This Month's Help Request: Post Chemo Hair Care
Savings Story: How We Adjusted to Big Income Cuts
Goodbye, Goodbye

Hello,

I hope you are having a great month. We have an exciting newsletter for you with some lovely new folks for you to meet. First, let me introduce Claire, our new Simple Savings blogger. Claire has been working behind the scenes at Simple Savings editing hints and helping out since December. This month you get to meet her for the first time. She is lovely :-)

We have been having trouble thinking up a name for Claire's new blog. If you have any suggestions, we would love to hear them.

Secondly, I'd like to introduce someone you may have met before, the wonderful Rob Bob, our resident garden expert. Rob has been blogging about his garden in the Simple Savings members' area for almost two years and we thought it was about time he got a promotion. Yeah, Rob Bob!

We are very lucky to have you Rob and Mimi, Annabel, Helen and Claire M, and all the fantastic people in the Forum. Can everyone please give them a huge round of applause because they are wonderful and they deserve it.

While we are enjoying the warm fuzzies, I want to thank you for helping and supporting us through the years and share with you some of the lovely compliments we have received this month.

"I stumbled on to Simple Savings just a few days ago in my quest of seriously reducing household expenses. Oh my goodness, what a godsend. While I've always been careful with money, I love the fact that you have organised your website so beautifully to give people like myself focus and direction on how to really save! My deepest thanks and appreciation to you!" (Ilona)

"I would just like to say a huge thank you to the person who provided the tip for cleaning suede. My husband and I are both on a pension, so have a limited income and are so grateful to Simple Savings for saving us so much money on cleaning our suede lounge suite. The arms on the sofa and chairs were quite badly marked, as well as the head rests on the arm chairs. It was getting to the point that I was thinking we may have to purchase a new one which is really not on the budget at this time. I bought a spray can of suede cleaner for shoes as advised which cost $5.99. To my great surprise the arms and head rests look amazing! Now my lounge suite looks as good as new again. What a saving!" (Joan Millen)

Thank you to everyone who has supported us.

Have a great month!
All the best,
Fiona

P.S. Fiona was on Today Tonight with Justine Davies this month. If you would like to watch the segment here is a link

P.P.S. There was also an article about Fiona and The $21 Challenge in the Financial Review this month. Here is a link to the story. If you want a real laugh, check out the comments at the end. Some people will never get it. LOL

1. Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: Never Enough Hours in the Day

"Anyone home?" asked Hanna, poking her head inside the door. Sally smiled, "Good timing! I don't suppose you've got any more of that chocolate?" Hanna laughed, "Of course I brought chocolate! How are you going?" Sally looked really down. "Oh you know how it is - by the time you do a day's work, take the kids to hockey practice and get home, it's dark and you're tired but you still have to cook dinner! Wouldn't it be nice if we could just put our feet up, have a block of chocolate and a glass of red wine instead!"

"I know how you feel," Hanna said peering into Sally's saucepan. "Chocolate every night would be fantastic! What are you cooking?" Sally answered miserably, "It is supposed to be stroganoff. Ugh! And, now this stupid thing is sticking to this stupid pot!" grumbled Sally. "It looked so easy on MasterChef!" Hanna laughed. "Turn the heat down." Sally glared at her. "I know, I just wanted it to cook faster."

"You know, some days I wish I was a polygamous bride." Sally moaned. "That way there'd be five of us to cook dinner and I would only have to do it every fifth night." Hanna started laughing. "Sal, what TV shows have you been watching? I don't think that's the answer. Cooking in bulk and freezing it would be easier." Sally moped, "I guess you're right, Hanna. I mean if I had to share Pete with four other women there would never be enough chocolate!"

2. July is Double Dinners Month!

Isn't it funny how TV can change the way we do things and view the world. Just like the way it tricks us into thinking takeaway is a smart choice and buying frozen meals will make your life easier, when they don't. What will make your life easier is this month's Double Dinner challenge. This is where we ask you to cook double quantities of every meal so you only have to cook 15 nights instead of 30 and you can claw back a big chunk of time and money.

This is the third year we have done the Double Dinner challenge. In past years we have explained how it all began, summarised how it saves you time and money and how to do it. But, the thing we have never done is timed it and added up exactly how much time and money you will save. So that is what I have done this year.

This week I cooked one night's worth of spaghetti bolognaise. The next night I cooked a double quantity of the exact same meal and Miss Jacqueline timed it. These were the results:

One night's
spaghetti bol.

Two night's
spaghetti bol.

Collecting the ingredients

2:15

2:31

Getting out the equipment
(turning on the stove and heating the water)

1:36

1:30

Preparing the vegetables

6:03

8:38

Cooking while standing at the stove

7:32

10:06

Simmering and cleaning up

2:21

2:33

Simmering unattended

1:20

6:46

Draining, serving and/or packaging up

1:41

2:52

Total hands on time

21:28

28:10

Total time

22:48

34:56

Reheating and serving second meal

4:00
(approx. Matt timed it)

When you look at those times you will see that my actual time preparing the second meal was only an extra 6 minutes and 42 seconds. By investing that much extra time in one night's meal I got the second night off cooking. YES! I GOT THE SECOND NIGHT OFF COOKING. The whole second meal was done and dusted in four minutes. And, even better, I didn't have to do it. Matt did the second dinner. He reheated the bolognaise on the stove and poured hot water on the already cooked pasta and nuked it. Heaven!

I was able to do other things, while Matt prepared and served dinner. HEAVEN!

If you would like more information on how you can make your own Double Dinners here are links to some of our past newsletters and scroll down for Mimi's recipes.

June 2010: This one has photos of Naomi's very impressive freezer filled to the brim with meals. I love that photo.

June 2010 Newsletter

May 2010: This one starts out with a cute photo of Elora when she was just ten months old. Ahhhh... She is almost three now.

It explains where the Double Dinner idea came from. May 2010 Newsletter

3. Hidden Gems Competition Winner: Home and Giving

Our Hidden Gems directory is designed to help members source the best deals in their area. Whenever you come across a real gem of a business, enter it in our Hidden Gems directory and you will be in the draw to win our monthly prize of $100 cash! This is our way of saying thank you for sharing your knowledge and helping other members save. The more information you can give us about your special store or business, the better.

This month's winner is Home and Giving as nominated by Rachel Steele.

Well done Rachel on finding this gorgeous shop and sharing it with us.

Home and Giving

Foodland Shopping Centre Shop 3, 2 Victoria Cres, Mt Barker SA 5251, Australia

(08) 8391 6600

Home and Giving is a Hidden Gem in the Foodland Complex of Mount Barker. There is no other store like it! It is full of beautiful and unusual items from all around the world. You can spend hours browsing the store if you have the time - there are just so many interesting things to see! Maggie, the owner, goes out of her way to create beautiful displays, which are always changing.

What I really love about this store though, apart from the wonderful things in the store, is the fantastic customer service. Maggie and the other assistants go out of their way to help you find the perfect gift for someone by finding out the kind of person the gift is for. It's a great help for really hard-to-buy-for people! They also wrap your gift for free with gorgeous paper and ribbons. They truly take the time to get to know their customers and treat them like family.

I cannot rave about this store enough. Those who are lucky enough to have found this store know what I am talking about!

Home and Giving often have incredible sales in which you can grab amazing bargains. Maggie also keeps a VIP list, which anyone can put their name on, and she will send you a letter prior to each sale.

You can always find something special here and give your loved ones meaningful gifts that are just right for them, and not something that everyone else has.

If you know somewhere special you'd like to recommend, please write in and tell us. Send in your Hidden Gem here and you could be the next winner scooping the prize money. Thank you to everyone who entered and good luck for next time!

4. Best Member's Blog: Why I Re-Subscribed to Simple Savings

One of the many benefits of being a Vault member is that you can win a cash prize of $100 each month for your Simple Savings blog! Starting your own blog on the site is easy. All you have to do is log into the Vault, click on 'My Desk' at the top left, then 'Your Blog'. Then get writing! We love reading all your money saving trials and tribulations and really appreciate the effort that goes into each one.

This month's winner is Simply Blessed (Mum of 9), one of our UK based members, for her inspirational savings adventure 'Why I Re-Subscribed to Simple Savings':

Discovering the Simple Savings website on the Internet in early 2011 was very exciting to me! After spending many happy hours trawling through everything I decided to take the plunge and become a fully paid up, aka gold member. This wasn't a typical decision for me as I am a business woman (read 'tight') and will usually only pay for what I believe to be a good investment. In fact this is the only website that I have ever paid to belong to!

After joining Simple Savings I spent even more hours reading all the things that I couldn't access before as a visitor to the site. Looking at the huge amount of hints and tips waiting for me in the Vault was exciting, even if I couldn't read them all at least I could use the search if I needed a specific tip for my current situation. To encourage us to add new hints and tips to the Vault there was the chance to enter the monthly hint competition where the winner gets 12 months free membership or else just send in hints of their choice. I even managed to submit some hints of my own, such as; Cycle your way to free family fun and Nothing to lose and everything to gain! ...here

The Savings Diary was a good reality check for me as just entering the amounts that I spent each day was a reality check in itself. I could feel myself getting uncomfortable and thinking; 'you spent how much?!' Just little bits that we kid ourselves (well, I do anyway) are 'essentials' don't feel quite so essential when you have to tick the essential box at the side of the entry on the day's spending sheet. What do I do, if I tick it as essential and it's not really then I will feel guilty but if I don't then it will look bad in the monthly total spend (go figure!). As those who use the Savings Diary on a regular basis will already know, all the daily figures that you enter get automatically added up by the program (clever thing) so it saves getting the calculator out. The point of this is so that you can see at a glance exactly how much you have spent in total already that month and how much of it was essential spending and how much was non-essential. So on day one it looks very healthy as it only has that day's spending entered, by day fifteen you could be forgiven for thinking; 'but it's only half way through the month and I've spent that much already, how much more am I going to spend?' At this point you can either stick your head in the sand and stop entering the data or get creative about slowing down the spending to get you through the rest of the month in line with your goals. The choice is yours.

For more variety in our family diet there was the Recipes section where everything was neatly categorised for easy access, my online recipe book! Here you can find everything from exciting savouries to mega batches of easy cook biscuits. Here are some examples; Home-made Vogel's bread - no knead, slow rise for breakfast, Divine cauliflower balls as a change for lunch, Anzac slice for a snack, Chicken cacciatore for dinner and 5 minute chocolate mud cake for one as a special, albeit fattening, dessert. There are even Gluten-Free and Lactose-Free recipes for those who cater for special diets, very impressive!

The Simple Savings calendar in the Wealthy Habits section is full of helpful tips and fun challenges with daily squares to tick off as you go along. Fiona (our lovely site owner) has prepared many encouraging tips geared towards saving us all money, time and even the planet. You don't have to use it of course but it is included in the subscription and it is fun to use, so why not!

All the savings that Simple Savers make can be entered into the Save-O-Meter, simply state what you did to save the money and enter the amount saved and it will be added to the amount saved by members as a whole. I don't know how many members actually use this feature but the amount saved would look even more exciting if everyone used it, just a thought. At the time of writing the total amount saved by Simple Savers members as a whole is a whopping; $26,382,847 which figure will obviously go up all the time!

The monthly newsletter was always received eagerly and devoured quickly! One of the main features of the newsletter of course being our very own Penny Wise with her blog posts also found collectively in Penny's Blog. Such an interesting writer with a lovely personal style so that the reader feels that they 'know' her and her family and the real problems that they face. (Of course we all know that she is really called Jackie Gower but that doesn't make any difference, it's the personality that matters, not the name). Sadly, Penny is no longer with us but on a positive note her blog posts are still here to re-read and we can still follow her and her family on her new blog at: http://laughingisfree.blogspot.co.nz/

The Hidden Gems section is a great idea even if it isn't quite so helpful to myself as I live in the UK but I believe that there would be heaps of gems (good stores with reasonable prices) there for people living in Australia or New Zealand, if you haven't looked there yet why not check it out!

The $21 Challenge, this may have started with a joke by Barb's husband but thanks to her undertaking the Challenge and succeeding it is now held up as an amazing way of handling those emergency crisis times! Instead of crying or borrowing cash to spend on groceries and getting into more debt in the long-term, simply eat carefully from your stash and make it last until your next wages comes in. Sounds really simple but actually it is not obvious to most of us, especially when you are in the thick of the situation and panicking! Fore-warned is fore-armed, so read up on it now and you will be prepared if the worst happens. Alternatively you could just do the Challenge for fun now as a trial and use it as an excuse to use up all those foods that you couldn't resist buying when in the shops but seemed boring once you got them home (how do you think I know that one!).

Did you know that in the Downloads section you will find that amongst other helpful tip sheets and tools, the first two chapters of the $21 Challenge book can be downloaded for free and samples pages of the other chapters too. Plus firm favourites like 100+ Things to with a pound of mince beef and the simple menu planner that can be a lifesaver if you choose to use it. There are so many good ideas in this section.

Then of course are the Members' Blogs which is the area that I personally love, here you learn about other people's savings in a deeper and more personal way. You get to know people and how they live, what their priorities are whether it's clearing debt, saving for a house or learning to dress like a goddess but on a budget. It is good that you can leave comments on the posts if you want to simply encourage the blogger, give some friendly advice or even sympathise when appropriate if things aren't going too well for them. You don't have to be female to blog either; we have all enjoyed Rob's garden contributions and Tracey D's husband's humorous family posts too.

What about the Savings Forum I hear you ask? Well of course that is where we start threads or join in with others. This is where the main action takes place, where the community chat to each other and share each other's burdens or joy. This is the place that needs to be a 'safe and happy place' like in a family home or else it could soon turn sour with members being hurt or offended. Fiona rightfully has the role of 'mum' here, as creator of the site, and like it or not, her decisions should be accepted just like in a family. I am sure that we don't all agree with decisions that our mums made or that our boss at work makes but Fiona is 'boss' here and we need to respect her decisions as such. Personally, she has not offended me in any way and admittedly has never pulled any of my posts or threads which I understand has happened to others but even then we still have to respect that action as it is probably for the long-term good of the site. It can't be easy having to make hard decisions which may upset people (as a mum of nine I have been there done that many times over) and I can see it from both sides. I am sad that people have left over past hurts but am glad that I was temporarily offline at the time when this happened as I haven't been emotionally affected by it and can still see the site for what it really is and what it actually offers to its members.

So, in answer to the questioning title of my blog post; why did I re-subscribe to Simple Savings? Well, after reading all of the above I think that you already have a fair idea! Apart from the Simple Savings website being incredibly addictive I still need the encouragement of others towards achieving my goals whether it be money saving, weight loss or decluttering the house. This is a rare group of like-minded people who understand how hard it is to stop spending and save instead. Whereas other people around us just think you are mad if you share your problem with them, it's like; 'why not just spend then?' they just don't get it, sigh. Also I haven't finished reading all the tips in the Vault yet and I still want to use the blog to post my thoughts and the Savings Diary for accountability for my pennies and pounds. Besides, we are a community now, how easy is it to give up friends that you come into contact with on a daily basis, even if it is 'virtual friends'?

As a business woman I also needed to ask myself if it had been a wise investment, I mean paying $17 for a website subscription, really! Well, I got that back many times over from one simple blog post in the August 2011 newsletter called; Celebrating Free Food Month: A month of strawberries! which is basically about our family's strawberry tradition. I actually won 100 Australian dollars for writing about strawberries? I know, I couldn't believe it either at first, it was like pinch me somebody, is this for real! Poor Matt too as he had to work out how to get me the funds in GBP but he got it to me, good old Matt (perhaps less of the old he's probably younger than me ;-). By the way Matt does a grand job keeping the site ticking over doesn't he? Always there to sort out our techno problems, I know that he has helped me get out of a pickle in this area, thank you Matt!

Now all I have to do is go Tell a Friend all about the many benefits of Simple Savings and I could get three months free subscription on top of what I have already purchased, now that's brilliant!

Here's a simple blessing to Simple Savings;

'May you continuously grow in members, may your Vaults be overflowing and peace to all in the Forum'.

All the best, from: Simply Blessed (Mum of 9)

Congratulations Simply Blessed (Mum of 9) for such an awesome and inspiring blog! To read any of our members' blogs, click here

5. Best of the Forum: Make-Ahead Meals

Making meals ahead of time is a fantastic way to make life easier as well as saving time and money. By investing just a few extra minutes and cooking double quantities, you can earn yourself a well-deserved rest on those days when you have no energy left for slaving in the kitchen! It's a great feeling to know you have home-cooked, nutritious meals waiting in your freezer ready to be heated and served whenever you need them. Too easy!

Slow cooker and pre-freezing

Here's a great thread for those of you who love to get the jump on food preparation and save even more time!
read more...

Three consecutive meals in my slow cooker

Our inspirational Mimi strikes again with not Double Dinners, but TRIPLE Treats!
read more...

Once a month (ish) cooking

More of our clever members have been inspired to cook just once and have the rest of the month off (well, almost!). Why not follow their lead with gorgeous recipes such as Honey Mustard Chicken, Mongolian Beef and Italian Meatballs... delish!
read more...

What is in your slow cooker/crockpot today?

Here's all the inspiration you'll ever need to dust off that slow cooker or crockpot and get cracking in the kitchen! Be inspired by the time and energy savings our lovely members are making by cooking beautiful bulk recipes.
read more...

Cooking two meals in crockpot at same time

A true Double Dinners thread explaining the ins and outs of preparing two different recipes at the same time! Now that's what I call smart cooking.
read more...

6. Best of the Vault: Simply Scrumptious Suppers

We all love coming home to a warm and cosy kitchen infused with the delicious aromas of home-cooked comfort food. Soul-soothing soups and stews, rich roast dinners and risottos, piping hot pastas, potatoes and pumpkins... yum! Our Savings Vault is your 'go to' place for stacks of Simple Saving supper ideas like these:

Double Dinners? Why not quadruple, or even more?

I made one medium-sized chicken (costing just $8.79) into 23 adult-sized servings! After reading about Double Dinners in the latest newsletter, I found the inspiration to transform the frozen chicken defrosting on my bench into multiple meals for the family.

First thing in the morning, before I went to work, I roasted the chicken. Then that night I added two small onions, three carrots, two potatoes, two kumara, three celery stalks and a tin each of pineapple, crushed tomatoes and cannellini beans, a cup of peas and a cup of corn. I thickened the casserole with maize cornflour and made a big pot of rice to accompany it. We enjoyed a fantastic meal and hubby even delivered a batch to some poorly friends, which helped them out and didn't cost us any extra time or effort. There was enough casserole left over for one more meal which we froze for another day. But it didn't stop there. The chicken carcass spent the day simmering on the stove with some fresh herbs, and I later turned it into a hearty vegetable soup. I then removed the bones, gave them another simmer and made them into a second batch of stock to make a cream of kumara soup. That super chook literally fed our family for days!

Contributed by: Amy Diffey

Keep one step ahead of dinner

I always cook our family's dinner one day ahead; this simple trick makes cooking dinners stress-free and eliminates the need to dash out for takeaway. For example, I make Monday night's dinner (usually a crockpot dish) while cooking dinner on Sunday. On Monday night I prepare Tuesday's and so on all week. By doing this I am running a day ahead of myself and takeaway dinners are now a thing of the past!

Contributed by: Christina M

Cook two simultaneous meals in one crockpot

As a family of two adults who cook often with a large crockpot, we regularly find ourselves with a heap of leftovers. So, instead of filling it with enough food for one meal several times over, we now take two oven bags and divide our meat between both bags. We add different flavourings to each bag then arrange them both in the slow cooker and cook on low for eight hours. I have just made Chicken Korma in one bag and Mediterranean Chicken with olives in the other bag. The conflicting smells are surprisingly delightful and the final result is two deliciously different meals cooked using the same amount of power to cook one. We freeze any leftovers to use for a later meal.

Contributed by: Linda P

Make multiple meals from your former roast dinner!

I'm making big savings on meat by making it go further and using every single piece productively! Now that our family is smaller, I decided to do without the usual big Sunday night roast. Instead, using a $10 pork roast (at $4.99kg), I was able to make three meals for four people. I cut off all the crackling and fat then cut it into chunks and made twelve two-inch thick pork steaks. I then sliced the rest up into thin strips and crumbed enough to feed four. There was even enough left to make a stir-fry!

I also apply the same principles to chicken in order to get more for my money. A whole two-kilo chicken, which costs about $10, can also be used to make multiple meals. Breasts can be sliced and crumbed or made into mignons, stuffed with ham and cheese, or stir-fried. Small pieces such as wings and off-cuts can be marinated. Legs and thighs make a hearty casserole or taste great oven-baked. I cut the thighs in half so there isn't as much waste. I often use the small pieces of chicken I trim from around the bones to do a chicken risotto as a little bit goes a long way. The carcass can be boiled for stock which makes a great base for soups or casseroles. My family is enjoying our new varied and tasty menu and I'm enjoying the minimal waste and the impressive savings I'm making along the way!

Contributed by: Mumma G

Nine meals from two chooks!

Imagine being able to make nine meals from two plain roast chickens! We buy two size 18 frozen whole chickens for about $5.00 each and roast them. We then divide up the meat and bones to make five main meals and four lunches:

Roast chicken dinner

If you're short of time or don't like to make stuffing, use an orange to stuff the chicken! It adds a lovely flavour. Add a little salt and oil and roast at 150°C. When serving your roast dinner, use the legs and thighs and slice a little breast for smaller children if necessary.

When the remaining chicken has cooled down after dinner, pull the meat off the bones (be sure to turn it over and get the meat off the back too). Chop the meat up and divide it into one-cup portions. Any remainders can be used in sandwiches with salad. Put the bones in a large pot of water with onion, garlic, celery and salt and boil for about 45 minutes. This should give you around 8-10 litres of chicken stock (valued at around $20!). You will need to keep two litres of the stock in the fridge to use in the chicken risotto and three litres for the soup. The rest of the stock can be frozen.

Chicken risotto (about 10 serves)

The risotto is easy to put together in about 20 minutes with a portion of chicken, two litres of stock and rice and vegetables of your choice. Leftovers make tasty lunches, even served cold!

Chicken noodle soup (delicious - serves 8)

Make your chicken noodle soup by bringing three litres of stock to the boil and adding finely chopped root vegetables such as potato, carrot, parsnip and sweet potato. Boil for around five minutes and then add your choice of green vegetables. Next add your cup of chicken and two cakes of rice noodles. Simmer for a few minutes more and serve.

Chicken in white sauce

To make the chicken in white sauce, cook some pasta of your choice in boiling water. Sautee some chopped vegies with garlic and onion for a few minutes. Make the white sauce by melting a tablespoon of butter in a saucepan and adding three tablespoons of flour. Cook, stirring for one minute, then gradually add 1.5-2 cups of milk, stirring continuously. If you want to use less milk you can substitute half with chicken stock. Add the chicken and vegetables and stir and then add to the cooked pasta and mix through - if you make a large batch of pasta this will give you enough for lunches as well.

Chicken pizza

We make our own pizza base although you can use plain ready-made ones or pita bread. Chop up some pumpkin, corn, zucchini, tomato, shallots and garlic and fry together for about five minutes. Top your pizza base with tomato paste, cheese and chicken, followed by your vegetables and another sprinkling of cheese. Grill until cooked through and the cheese has melted.

Contributed by: Sharne Roby

A couple of extras for our valued Vault members:

Freezing food website Contributed by: Keith Blayden

Double duty foods Contributed by: Kellie m

Cook and freeze Contributed by: Margret Mcpharlin

One humble pumpkin makes a myriad of meals Contributed by: Sue M

Freeze containers of stew Contributed by: Barry Gundon

7. Cooking with Mimi: Double Dinners... Triple if You're Game!

I don't know about your family, but my husband, in particular, has an aversion to anything that looks remotely like leftovers. This is possibly a trauma left over (no pun intended!) from his childhood when his dear mum would cook dinner at 9am and leave it warming in the oven until 5pm, which was 'teatime' back in the 60's. Of course in the 60's there were no microwaves and good material on how to cook ahead was probably a bit scarce on the ground, so I'll forgive her on that basis.

Nonetheless, this means that I cannot simply cook one humongous batch of the same thing and serve it up over a fortnight in its original form. It would be eyed most suspiciously as leftovers and pushed to one side, with complaints all round.

So, I've had to get a tad sneaky, and recycle these frozen meals as a completely new dish, to circumnavigate any whines and whinges.

Here's a lamb one I've come up with. I use lamb offcuts on the bone if I can get them, lamb neck chops or diced lamb when it's on special.

This idea gives me a Lamb Curry in round one, Middle Eastern Lamb and Rice in round two and the big KO in round three, Lamb Pilaf.

These quantities will serve four adults for three incarnations.

Round One

Lamb Coconut Curry

Equipment required:

Resealable or freezer bag
Large non-stick frying pan
Slow cooker or large casserole dish
Measuring cups
Sharp knife
Saucer
Microwave-safe dish with lid or cling wrap to cover

Ingredients required:

2 kg lamb offcuts, chops or cubes
2-3 tbsp oil
3 tbsp flour (I use cornflour for gluten-free)
1 large onion, sliced (or you can use three tablespoons of my onion confit if you make it)
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 heaped tsp minced or grated ginger
1 red chilli, finely sliced
1/2 cup any curry paste, I used Massaman
1 cup water
4 stock cubes
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 bay leaves
1/2 cup desiccated coconut (optional)
1 cup coconut milk or see *note* below
- I make a reasonable coconut milk/coconut cream substitute by mixing one cup of milk powder with half a cup of warm water and three teaspoons of coconut essence. It's a little sweeter, but gives a lovely depth of flavour to the curry. Just use this amount to substitute the coconut milk if desired.

Method:

If you're using a casserole dish, preheat your oven to 170C and have your casserole dish ready on the bench. If you're using your slow cooker, plug it in and have it ready to be filled close by.

You're also going to need some steamed rice and vegetables to serve this one within a few hours, so check out what's going on in the fridge and use up some of those limp veg!

Put your meat and flour into your resealable or freezer bag and shake it around until your meat is well coated.

Heat your non-stick pan over a hotplate heated to high and add a tablespoon of your oil. Pan fry your meat in small batches until it's browned well and remove each batch to your casserole dish or slow cooker.

Add your garlic, ginger and onion to the pan and cook, stirring until it's all brown and aromatic. Add the chilli and curry paste and stir the lot until it's fragrant. Add the stock cubes, cinnamon, bay leaves and water and stir until it's bubbling merrily, then tip the whole mixture over your waiting browned meat in your dish or crockpot.

Allow your pan to cool and then wash it up as you're going to need it again in a tic.

Pop your casserole into the oven or the lid onto your slow cooker. Cook until tender. For oven, you're probably looking at around 2-2 1/2 hours. In your slow cooker, an hour on high, then 3-4 hours on low will do the trick.

While that's simmering away to its flavoursome conclusion, heat your cleaned non-stick pan over a hotplate heated to high and toss in your desiccated coconut. Stir it around for a minute or so, until it's nicely browned, then tip it on to a saucer so it doesn't burn. This is going to garnish your Lamb Curry and give it an extra boost of flavour. Yum!

You've got plenty of time to steam your rice and vegies, but don't leave it too late!

When the meat is all tender and soft it's ready to serve, but remember, you're only removing a third of the quantity you've cooked. Remove the right amount to a microwave-safe dish, along with a portion of the cooking liquid, and add your coconut milk or substitute.

That coconut milk will have cooled your curry a little, so while you're serving the rice and piping hot vegies, pop your curry into the microwave and give it a quick zap for 60-90 seconds to restore it to a steaming serving temperature.

Dish up your mouthwatering cubes or pieces of meat with a good ladling of sauce and garnish it all with the toasted coconut.

Resist the urge to go back for seconds or thirds or there goes your double and triple dinner... arrrrrgh!

Round Two

Middle Eastern Lamb with Silverbeet and Spiced Yoghurt

Equipment Required:

Large frying pan, wok or saucepan with lid
Sharp knife
Tin opener
Measuring cups
Spoon
Brightly coloured bowls for serving if you like :)

Ingredients required:

1/3 of your quantity of Lamb Curry including some of the juices
1 large onion sliced or 1/2 cup onion confit if you make it
1 x 800g tin peeled tomatoes
1 cup water
1 beef stock cube
4 leaves of silverbeet, spines removed and sliced, leaves torn into large pieces
Couscous

...for the spiced yoghurt, you'll also need:

1 cup natural yoghurt
1 small onion, finely diced
1 small green chilli, finely sliced (replace with lemon zest if you prefer)
1 tsp mustard
1 medium tomato, finely diced
Pinch of salt

Method:

Prepare your spiced yoghurt first to give the flavours a chance to infuse. The day before is great if you think of it. Just mix the ingredients in a small bowl and leave it covered in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve this one.

Heat your pan or saucepan over a medium-high hotplate and toss in your sliced onion or onion confit. Stir it all until it smells good and add your lamb curry, along with the tinned tomatoes, water and stock cubes.

Turn down the heat and simmer uncovered, until your liquid and juices have reduced by about half. This will take 10-15 minutes, and make your house smell like a Moroccan Kasbah. Toss in the silverbeet in the last few minutes and stir it until it wilts. Let it heat through before you serve.

While that's simmering, prepare your couscous according to the instructions on the packet. I like to prepare mine with chicken stock and toss in a few currants and slivered almonds for authenticity, but plain is fine too.

Get out your mismatched bowls and put on your jangly bangles, fling a colourful sarong or tablecloth on the table and scoop some couscous, a big ladle of Lamb and Silverbeet and a blob of spiced yoghurt into your dishes.

Voila! Well, French is the second most common language spoken in Morocco you know.

Round Three

Lamb Pilaf

Equipment Required:

Microwave-safe dish, large
Large saucepan with lid
Wok or second large saucepan or frying pan
Large flat platter and bowls for serving

Ingredients required:

2 cups long grain rice
2 beef stock cubes
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup dried apricots, cut in half
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, finely diced
2 tsp turmeric
4 cardamom seeds
Final third of your Lamb Curry
Fresh herbs for serving

Method:

If the last of your lamb is on the bone, remove it from its juices and shred the meat, discarding the bones.

Peel and dice your carrots and onion and cut your apricots in half.

Steam your rice in your large saucepan with lid, using your favourite method. I like to add 3 3/4 cups of water to my two cups of rice, along with a pinch of salt. Then it's just a matter of bringing it to the boil, covering it with a firm lid and switching it off to let your stored heat do the rest. If you resist the temptation to peek, you'll have perfect, fluffy rice in about twenty minutes. Fluff it with your fork to loosen the grains.

Spoon your lamb curry and the remaining sauce in to your microwave-safe dish. Add your apricots, cover your dish and microwave on high in two-minute blasts, stirring between each blast, until it's piping hot.

While that's warming, add the oil to your second saucepan, wok or frying pan and get it heated well over a hotplate heated to high. Toss in your carrots and onion and stir them until they're browned, add the turmeric and cardamom seeds. Stir this until it smells good. Add your steamed rice and the hot Lamb and toss it all until it's well combined.

Tip the whole shebang onto your large serving platter and garnish it with your almonds and fresh herbs. Coriander is our favourite, but parsley, mint and chives are all good as well.

Lay it out on the table with big serving spoons and colourful bowls. We love eating this from multi-coloured bowls, rescued from the thrift shop along with our Splayds, also adopted from there. Splayds are a sort of combo fork and spoon with one bevelled edge for cutting softer meat and veg. Perfect for Pilaf!

Thus ends my tale. Thank goodness. My fingers are all typed out!

Enjoy!

Here are links to other blogs in the members area by Mimi this month:-

Mimi's home-made sweet chilli sauce and ways to use it!

Playing nice in the real world or how loyalty and integrity saves me money!

8. Fifty Cent Indulgences

So how did you go with your 50c Indulgences Challenge last month? Did you take time out to spoil yourself each and every day? I made myself a huge container of chocolate syrup. It made the house smell delicious! And it was TASTY! What delights did you indulge in? You know you deserve it, so don't hold back! Feeling good and honouring yourself is essential to a happy and healthy life filled with chocolate syrup.

Last month, Helen and Annabel's 50c thread introduced us to the delights of a 'snuggery'. This is a cosy, comfortable place in your home where you can slow down, recharge your batteries and capture that 20 minutes of 'me' time, anytime. Beautiful places to comfort and nurture your soul.

One of the best snuggeries was made by our marvellous Mimi who snazzed up her bathroom by repurposing an old DVD/CD cabinet into a stunning spot to store her perfumes, toiletries and bathroom goodies. Check out her photos, aren't they gorgeous!

This month, Helen and Annabel's 50c Indulgence thread is encouraging us all to make yummy food and spice up our kitchens. Does this mean I can make even more chocolate syrup? My kids are going to be very happy - yummm! Annabel has gotten the ball rolling with her baker's rack revamp:

How beautiful (and useful) is that!

Make sure you drop into the thread and join in the fun. Come spoil yourselves!

9. Claire's Blog: Little Changes, Big Results

Over the past few days I've been pondering how to launch into this blog - I want it to be inspirational and interesting, honest, humorous and full of fabulous savings titbits and amusing anecdotes that will change your life... or at least make you want to read past the first few sentences! As I was pondering, waiting for inspired brilliance to spring forth from my fingertips, I got to thinking about how I came by Simple Savings, many years ago when debt was a dirty four letter word, even though 'putting it on the plastic' was cool, kinda like how smoking used to be...

I'm sure all you Kiwis will be familiar with Campbell Live, and for you Aussies, picture a goofy Labrador with a touch of determined Chihuahua. John Campbell hosts our daily current affairs show. Personally I love the show, especially when it features real people with real problems. And it was my introduction to Simple Savings. This particular show featured a couple who, like many of us, were struggling to make ends meet and were undertaking the $21 Challenge. I couldn't believe what I was hearing - how on earth could anyone manage on $21 a week? Seriously! I was intrigued. But I was also very relieved - relieved that not only was there someone else out there going through a financial struggle like us, but they were prepared to share their struggles and their plans to get back on track with the nation. Bear in mind, this was pre-GFC, back in the days when being in debt or struggling to make ends meet was not something you admitted to, you just kept clocking up the debt and stayed quiet about it.

Like many of you out there, we're an average family with average incomes. I met hubby (Karl) when I was 17 when we both had decent incomes, no kids and a busy social life. At one stage we both received a redundancy pay-out which would have made a nice deposit on a house. But instead we bought cars and frittered the rest away on goodness-knows-what. We had plenty of opportunity to save, but we didn't. We learnt the hard way that our parents were right and that we should have planned for the future! 20-odd years on, we have three wonderful kids (18, 14 and 10), a whopping Auckland-sized mortgage and our fair share of extra debt! But little-by-little, we're getting back on track and working hard to shed some of that debt.

Just like many of you, Simple Savings quickly became a wonderful source of support, much like Weight Watchers, but for losing debt! Actually I joined WW a few years back, in fact it was about the tenth time I joined, but this time, for some unknown reason something clicked and I managed to lose 25kg. That's not to say it was easy, there wasn't any one dramatic change that did the trick, no magic ingredient or special exercise regime, just lots of little changes and a determination to keep pushing through those inevitable challenges along the way. I left WW as soon as I hit my goal weight, and in the years since I've put about 12kg back on! But in May this year I re-joined and am slowly getting back on track (3.7 kg down over the past seven weeks!). It's much like the SS approach to losing debt... it's the little changes you make that add up to big results over the long term!

I look forward to sharing my little changes with you over the coming weeks and months, the first being how much we'll be saving now that our teenage son (who can eat a size 16 chicken and a loaf of bread for lunch and still be looking for more) has headed away on a six-week military-style camp... watch this space!

10. Rob Bob's Garden Blog: Hello and Welcome!

This month we would love to introduce our brand new gardening blogger, Rob Bob and his fabbytastic yard!

Rob has been playing in the Forum and blogging about his garden for a while now and I confess I am envious of him. I often look at his garden photos and wish they were photos of my own garden. He's doing a brilliant job. So we have promoted him to our official Simple Savings Garden Blogger. YEH!

This is going to be fun :-)

If you have never met Rob here are some links to a few of his blogs in the members' area. :-)

5 seed atta bread

Sour Dough & other Bits

First time ever

11. Homeopathy Corner: Pricey Pets

Nothing can destroy a budget like an unwelcome vet bill. They seem to climb higher than a loose helium balloon, which is why this month's article is really interesting. It shows us how good homeopaths can also treat animals. Here, Fran shares a case study from a pet dog in her clinic who was so ill she was almost bald. To read the article click here:-

http://homeopathyplus.com.au/a-dogs-life-mollys-mange-eczema-and-lack-of-confidence/

12. From Last Month: Gluten-Free Diet

Last month Wendy from Victoria asked:

"My husband has recently been diagnosed with a rare auto-immune condition called 'Relapsing Polychondritis'. I have been told a gluten-free or wheat-free diet would help. Do you have any tips for gluten-free eating on a budget?"

Thanks so much to everyone who wrote in to share their wisdom with Wendy. Here are some of our favourites!

Gluten-free flour and pasta recipes plus tips

Nearly a year ago we had to take my daughter off gluten. My husband had just received a huge pay cut at work, so rushing to the shops to buy everything gluten-free was out of the question. We've learned lots about GF foods and our grocery bill has not gone up at all. So, yes, you can eat gluten-free on a budget. Here are some tips and recipes I've gathered along the way:

Go back to basics. Meat, vegetables and fruit are all gluten-free.
Rethink lunch. Sandwiches can be swapped for soups, baked potatoes, stir-fries and leftovers.
Make your own bread. We found this recipe and it is extremely tasty and cheaper than buying GF bread. You have to use a bread machine, but if you don't have one, ask around. Someone probably has one tucked away in their cupboard.

1 tbsp sugar
1 cup warm water
1 tbsp yeast
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
3 tbsp margarine or oil
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1 tbsp guar gum
1 tsp salt

Dissolve sugar in warm water in the bread machine pan. Sprinkle yeast over the top and let proof for five minutes. Add remaining ingredients in the order listed. Use the basic bread setting with a light crust. You do need to scrape down the sides of the bread pan while the machine is kneading the bread to help mix in all the flour.

Make your own pasta. This is SO much cheaper than buying packet GF pasta, and it's easier than you think!

3/4 cup tapioca starch
3/4 cup cornflour
3 tbsp potato starch
3/4 tsp salt
4 1/2 tsp guar gum
3 eggs
1 1/2 tbsp oil

Mix tapioca starch, cornflour, potato starch, salt and guar gum together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and mix in oil. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until it comes together in a ball. Tip out onto a floured surface (use potato starch) and knead for 1-2 minutes. Roll out into desired pasta shapes, and drop into boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Roll into sheets and use for lasagne (no pre-cooking needed).

Contributed by: Beth W

Bulk buy gluten-free ingredients and share

I'm saving $6.00 per kilo on gluten-free flour by buying it in bulk and dividing it amongst friends and family who are also gluten-free! By buying from places like PFD, Goody's Food Market or organic shops that sell in bulk, I pay just $6.00 instead of the $12 that supermarkets charge!

I am both gluten and dairy-free. I now eat a lot more fruit and vegetables and make my own muffins, cakes and breads. Libraries are a great source of gluten-free recipe books. And for really good savings, there is even a gluten-free '4 Ingredients' cook book. I find I can cook a varied, nutritious diet that is gluten and dairy-free and most people don't even know!

Contributed by: Felicity A

Gluten-free pantry savings

I have coeliac disease and need to be on a totally gluten-free diet. But it can be expensive, so here are my tips to share with fellow gluten-free people:

Gluten-free pasta is expensive and usually tastes awful, so when making pies, try using a potato topping instead, just like a shepherd's pie.
Rice noodles from the Asian section of the supermarket are very easy to cook. They can be a little bland but this makes them ideal for soaking up lovely pasta sauces. In fact, the Asian market is your friend! There are lots of wonderful rice-based products available and you can also get millet, buckwheat (which does not contain gluten) and sometimes quinoa there for half the cost of a health food shop.
Porridge can be made from quinoa or rice flakes as a substitute for rolled oats. It is also quite easy to make GF muesli starting with a base of puffed rice and adding millet or buckwheat (toasted buckwheat give it a crunch) and then adding your favourite dried fruits and nuts.
Lots of recipes use breadcrumbs and I find that often, they aren't really necessary. Have a look at your recipe and decide whether it actually needs them. If so, you can use cornflake crumbs (cheapest to buy cornflakes and put them in the electric whiz. Check they're GF though, some cornflakes contain wheat!). You can also substitute with polenta, both are readily available and not too expensive.

Contributed by: Kate Aplin

Great GF flour recipe, plus breakfast tips

I make as many of my own gluten-free creations as possible. The first book I started with was Everyday Gluten-Free Cooking by Bette Hagman. It's a great place to start. Here's the best flour recipe I've found from a recipe book:

2 cups white rice flour (Asian supermarket varieties are finer than the regular supermarket brand)
2/3 cup potato flour (also called potato starch)
1/3 cup tapioca flour
You need to add xanthum gum to make the product soft and springy like wheat flour:
- For bread 3/4 teaspoon per cup of flour.
- For cakes 1/2 teaspoon per cup of flour.
- For biscuits 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per cup of flour.
For self-raising, add GF baking powder (check the label on the supermarket brand).
Mix thoroughly and store in a sealed container.

For lunch and dinner, I always have rice or potato as the carbohydrate. Occasionally I have quinoa but it is expensive. For breakfast I tried boiled sago for a while but couldn't get it to taste good enough. But it is very cheap and you can add different fruits/honey and such. I now make my own muesli with puffed millet and buckwheat, quinoa and GF cornflakes. Check supermarkets and health stores. I like Coles best for the variety of GF cereals.

Contributed by: Fiona Teudt

Creative gluten-free cooking

I've been making gluten and (mostly) dairy-free meals for over five years as my daughter has coeliac disease and lactose intolerance, and I am gluten intolerant. It took a few months to get into the swing of things but now it is second nature. It opens up a whole new world of cooking as you are forced to look for new and interesting ingredients. Here are a few of my tips:

There are many different flours that can be used, for example rice, tapioca and potato flour. Buckwheat flour is great in savoury dishes. Commercial GF flour, although more expensive than wheat flour can be easily substituted in most recipes. Coconut, seed and nut meal can also be used instead of flour and are more nutritious.
We buy a bread mix at the supermarket which works out at about $2.50 per loaf, is easy and much cheaper than GF bread. Muffins and pancakes are also easy to make.
Rice flake porridge with fruit is yummy for breakfast.
I use thinly sliced potato instead of lasagne sheets.
Try to make extra food for the evening meal that can be used for the next day's lunches. That gives variety and reduces bread consumption.
I have a large vegetable garden so we have fresh vegetables and herbs every day. We have great food on a low budget!

Contributed by: Gail Foster

Get the right gluten-free advice

Before going gluten-free, I suggest getting a definitive recommendation on what diet is the most suitable. That way you and your husband can be confident you are both heading in the right direction. There are many books available from shops and libraries about gluten and wheat-free diets. Thankfully, major supermarkets have a large area for alternative ingredients and eating out is better these days with many restaurants and cafes offering GF meals.

Contributed by: Beverley Bakewell

Going gluten-free great for the budget!

Going gluten-free has more than halved our food budget, from $120 per week to $50, because we are eating so much more 'whole food'! It can be a bit of a shock at first, but it's been great for our budget and our health! The key thing is to become okay with finding new treats instead of replacing pasta, pizza, cookies and other flour goods with expensive store-bought gluten-free versions. For example, most of our food now comes from the green-grocer instead of the convenience aisles (we splurge on interesting fruits instead). I've learned to cook from scratch, which saves money on pre-packaged foods and is better for us than the junk food we used to eat. The butcher is a great source of naturally gluten-free ingredients too. Learn to use starchy vegies for baking (like potato bread or yummy bean-based chocolate cake).

Contributed by: Paula Van Rhyn

Planning the key to being gluten-free

Eating gluten-free on a budget can be done with some forward planning! A good first step is to ask your GP or gastroenterologist if you are entitled to a free session with a dietician from Medicare. The dietician can be a really valuable source of information such as how to get sufficient fibre intake on a GF diet, portion size and how to eat a balanced diet.

Next, I would recommend finding the Coeliac Society in your state, they produce eating-out guides together with a pocket-sized booklet called 'Ingredient List' which is regularly updated. Teach yourself to read and understand product ingredient labels, this is probably the most important skill you will need to learn.

Search online and at your local library for GF recipes. Some good websites include fedup.com.au and taste.com. When eating out with friends, bring a meal you can share. Often people won't know the meal is GF unless you tell them.

To eat and shop GF on a budget, I make my own yoghurt using a yoghurt maker and the EasiYo recipe hints from Simple Savings. For breakfast, I use Lowans Rolled Rice Flakes with a tablespoon each of LSA, chia seeds, sultanas and a chopped unpeeled apple. Just cover in hot water and microwave in a bowl for 2-3 minutes. It is delicious served with milk and keeps me satisfied till lunchtime. This amount makes enough for two serves.

For lunch at work I have a sandwich made from Zehnder GF Multigrain bread with chicken, tuna, salmon or ham and cheese, and a small tub of home-made yoghurt. I alternate this with leftovers from the previous night. Snacks can be as simple as fresh or dried fruit, seeds or nuts or diced cheese.

On the weekends I make a batch of GF muffins (which I freeze) and a crockpot of soup. I often make an extra crockpot casserole to freeze when I have a busy week planned.

Dinners are easy once you know your ingredients are GF! Yummy crockpot casseroles, roasts and stews can all be made into GF versions from your favourite recipes. Use Aldi GF pasta and Aldi stock cubes instead of wheat based products.

Get to know the health food section of Woolworths, Coles, IGA, Bi-Lo and the local health food shop and Asian food stores. They are all a great source of cheap GF flours and rice noodles.

Stock up on GF products when they're on special, but try products first before you stock up. Just because a biscuit or cereal is GF doesn't mean you will like it! If you're fortunate enough to have a neighbour, friend or family member also on a GF diet, use this opportunity to share and trial new recipes and products.

It is a challenge to eat GF on a budget, but with a menu plan and a shopping list it can be done!

Contributed by: Dollar Stretcher

Nine tips for gluten-free families

In our family of seven, four of us are coeliac therefore most of our cooking is gluten-free. Here are a few of my tips:

We joined the Coeliac Association. This costs about $100 a year but membership entitles you to various GF specials including 20% off certain products at Coles. You'll also receive valuable information about product ingredients, free recipes and more.
Check out 'The 4 Ingredient' recipe book for GF cooking.
Aldi has a range of GF ingredients that are reasonably priced compared to other supermarkets. Our local store also said that if people made a point of buying these products regularly and in decent quantities they would expand the range.
We discovered a local baker who would make some GF bread for us loaded with dried apricots, sultanas and other dried fruit. We love it toasted as a snack.
GF baking doesn't last long fresh. We make cookie dough and freeze in pre-rolled balls to make baking quick and easy.
Most foods in their natural state are a great place to start, for example fresh vegetables, fruits and nuts. We love our boiled eggs, or omelettes with capsicum or tomatoes.
We have divided our freezer and pantry to accommodate both gluten and GF food areas.
When making GF muffins and slices I often bulk them up a little with some GF fibre powder or GF psyllium husk. This is also great if you're watching your weight or bowel health.
GF cooking is often not only expensive, but time consuming. Cooking in bulk a few times a month and freezing in portions will save time, money and eliminate the risk of being stuck with nothing suitable to eat.

Contributed by: Tenaya Atanasov

13. This Month's Help Request: Post Chemo Hair Care

Sandra has sent in this request for help. It is one that we hear often but is difficult to solve. Do you have any suggestions?

"Hi Guys. I would love to put in a request to your readers/subscribers...

"I have recently finished 5 months of chemo and my hair is just beginning to grow back. It is only stubble at the moment but as it grows again I'd like to use a natural shampoo with less chemicals etc but I don't want to pay huge amounts for the privilege of going 'organic'. Any suggestions on a cheaper option that will be healthier for me and my hair?

"Any suggestions on skin care etc also very welcome as my skin is extremely dry from the chemo and radiotherapy...

"I did look at using baby shampoo, but aside from the no-more-tears formula (simply the same ph as your eyes) it still had all the chemicals... "

If you have been in this situation and found a solution you'd like to share with Sandra, please send them in to us here.

14. Savings Story: How We Adjusted to Big Income Cuts

Our family of four lives very happily on one very average wage, but it wasn't always this way! Seven years ago we had our first child and it was the first time since I was 15 that I didn't have a job. Our income had halved and I 'contributed' by shopping most days and buying loads of stuff we didn't need! Two and half years later we had our second daughter and hubby started a new job involving a huge pay cut. This meant moving back to Mum's house and renting out ours. It also meant an end to all the unnecessary shopping! I picked up some work packing shelves at night and tried not to fall asleep during the day with the kids. Thank goodness for Mum!

Today we've moved home and the kids are now at school. Although we do get a little from Centrelink, we still live on almost a quarter of what we earned when we had a double income and no kids! Sure times are tough but we get by. Here are some of the things we do to save...

I get a lot of our clothes at op shops and hand-me-downs from friends.
I shop with a list, menu plan, compare prices and don't usually get all of my groceries at the same place.
The kids don't get or expect 'stuff' each time we go to the shops.
We cook all meals from scratch and rarely have takeaways.
We turn off all the lights and appliances when not in use.
I turn the dryer on only at night and it warms the house at the same time.
Once a year I gather all our unwanted or unused 'stuff' and take it to a flea market to sell.

We now have a nice new car, decent furnishings and a good computer so I can work from home while the girls are at school. We all genuinely appreciate the things that we have and look after them accordingly. And guess what?! We are all happy, healthy and rich in ways that money can't ever buy. My husband and I always have a laugh and say we so didn't marry each other for our money so it must be love, and it's true! Mum always says she doesn't know how we get by on what we do. I tell her it helps to keep in mind that you reap what you sow and money is not everything!

Contributed by: Tara Semple

15. Goodbye, Goodbye

Good bye! I hope you have a fantastic month, filled with happiness and loads of chocolate.

Till next time...

All the best,
Fiona

June 2014 - Simple Savings Newsletter

"Secrets to Saving Money in Australia" Free Newsletter - June 2014

This issue includes:-

Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: As Good as New
June: Heritage Month
Penny Wise: Pass the Buck
Best of the Vault: New Life For Old Fashioned Skills
Best of the Forum: Give it a Go!
Best Members' Blog: 'Spaving' and Our Trip
Mimi: Budget Busting Meals - Cauliflower Potato Curry
Rob Bob's Gardening Blog: Home-Grown Vegie Shopping
From Last Month: Ideas For Outdoor Cover and Flooring
This Month's Help Request: I Smell a Rat!

Hello,

How are you going? It has been a couple of strange months in the Lippey household. It started with a car accident and severe whiplash (just me; the kids were not in the car). My first set of scans showed a large carotid tumour as well as a lot of other damage. Eight weeks later the next set of scans showed the tumour had shrunk significantly and things are on the up and up! Everything is looking good.

When running a business, having four kids and managing a household is way too much work for Matt and I, I sneak into our email folders and re-read your emails to remind me that everything is worthwhile and we really are helping people.

Here are some of my favourites this month:

"I have been trying out the hints in the free newsletter from Simple Savings to make some improvements in my home. With five of my own children ranging from two to 14 years old plus raising my now 16-year-old nephew, saving money and time is very important. I love to read them each month after the housework is caught up on and the kids (except one) are at school. I have been able to take on board many tips and I have to say that April's newsletter with the shredded paper has been a great idea. It has helped me by reducing the amount of paper that overflows our recycling bin each fortnight, which in turn will boost our worm fertiliser and hopefully our vegie garden produce. So THANK YOU Simple Savings, you really do make a difference to many people." (Michelle)

"Since receiving your newsletter I have looked carefully at what I do - even the small things. I seemed to be forever buying shower gel until I switched to a pump container and can't believe the difference it has made. Another little thing I do is use hand towels for bath mats as they are less expensive, dry quicker and everyone can have their own. Your newsletters have certainly made me look at what I do!" (Deirdre)

Have a great month!
All the best,
Fiona Lippey

1. Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: As Good as New

'CRACK!' went the chair as Pete took his favourite seat at the table. "Oh, would you look at that!" he said, jumping up. "Well I keep telling you not to sit on it; it's been wobbly for ages!" said Sally. "Why don't you just sit on another one?" "But it's my favourite chair," lamented Pete. "We know, it's got your bum print in the cushion!" giggled the kids. "Enough of your cheek!" he glared at them. "That's that I suppose, we'll just have to get a new one." "We'll do no such thing!" chided Sally. "It's my day off tomorrow, I'll have a go at fixing it," she said firmly, ignoring Pete's sceptical look.

The next day, Sally set to work. She carefully took the chair apart, gave everything a good clean and repaired the broken seat frame. "The kids were right about that cushion!" she giggled to herself. "Hmm, what can I do about that?" She hunted in the cupboard for some odds and ends she could use to re-stuff the cushioned seat and was delighted when she stumbled across some pretty fabric Aunt Edna had given her years ago. "I know just what I can do with this!" She used the fabric to re-cover the cushion, then carefully glued everything back together. "It looks as good as new!" she said, pleased as punch with her handiwork.

Sally settled herself happily in the lounge while she waited for the glue to dry. That afternoon, Pete returned from work and grinned to himself to see the 'new' chair. "I knew you couldn't fix it - but how did you manage to find another one that matches so well?" He did have to admit, the new chair looked very smart. "That chair looks a treat! Looks expensive though. Which shop did you get it from?" he called from the kitchen. "Shop?" Sally asked vaguely from behind her magazine. "Ohh, which SHOP did I get your lovely new chair from? A brilliant little place known as 'Edna's Emporium' - don't worry dear, it was an absolute bargain!"

2. June: Heritage Month

Nice work Sally! She saved money on having to buy a new chair, just as she intended - but in doing so she achieved much more than that. She learned valuable new skills, was resourceful in putting items she already had to great use and was rewarded with a fantastic result. Best of all, she did such a good job, she actually fooled Pete into thinking she must have bought a new one! What a great feeling that must have been.

Even more importantly, however, is that Sally's efforts made her independent. You see unlike the old days of 'make do and mend' which was so second nature to our parents and grandparents; we have a dependence that everything has to be instant. It always seems easier to throw money at the problem, to pay for someone else to fix it, someone else to make it. But in doing this we become dependent and we become trapped; trapped in that we always have to rely on someone else; that getting something fixed always has to cost lots of money; that old or used isn't acceptable or good enough; everything has to be new.

The only way to escape the trap of always needing to spend more and more money is to regain your independence. The 'make do and mend' philosophy of days gone by is still as valuable to us today as it was back then, even if some of the skills have changed. For example, knowing how to clean the contacts on your mobile phone could save you hundreds of dollars on buying a new phone. Instead of rushing off to the shops or picking up the phone when something needs fixing, first have a go at solving the problem yourself.

This month is Heritage Month and we want you to follow Sally's example (wow, whoever thought we would say that!). Instead of letting more money fly out the door, make buying your last resort and have a go at fixing a problem yourself. Make something, mend something - anything! Learn a new skill or brush up on an old one. While we may not always need these skills in modern society, it's still vitally important that we HAVE them. Some day we might just need them, and when we do, just like Sally we can enjoy the satisfaction and many rewards that independence brings.

Here are some easy ways you can have fun using heritage skills this month and save yourself a lot of money in the process:

Heritage Week 1: This week, try cooking something you've never tried before. Instead of cooking out of a jar, learn how to make the same meal yourself from scratch. Or do some baking and fill the tins the way Grandma did. But whatever you make, don't make the same old stuff. Choose something new and skill up!

Heritage Week 2: This week, find something to fix around the house that's been bugging you. Learn how to fix that dripping tap, mend the broken cupboard door, give the computer printer a tune up, darn that holey sock to save you buying a new pair - it can be anything you like, just give it a go! Instead of buying a new bike, Matt recently took his old one apart, cleaned it up, polished it, replaced the tyres and got it back on the road for around $70. Even the handy little carry bag on the back of the bike came from the kids! There is so much information available these days to help us fix countless things ourselves such as online instructional videos that when you think about it, we really have no excuse not to at least TRY and solve the problem ourselves.

Heritage Week 3: This week, work on fixing up yourself! Do your own beauty and hair care for a change rather than paying for someone else to do it. Our parents and grandparents never had anyone to do it for them, yet they were still a generation of beautiful, well-groomed men and women. So this week, give yourself a manicure, pedicure, facial or hair colour for free or at the very least a fraction of the price. Go through your wardrobe and do an inventory of what you have, which goes with what and how you can use the accessories you have to create different looks. The power to look and feel fantastic is in YOUR hands. Not only is it fun, you may well find this exercise saves you a fortune on a new winter wardrobe!

Heritage Week 4: This week, have a go at making something - anything! Think of something which would be of help to you or solve a problem. Knit a beanie, make a hat rack or a hanger for school bags. Be different! Make something unique or beautiful that no one else has. If you have little ones, make them a new toy or activity instead of buying more plastic clutter. Whatever you choose, take pride in making something that you can't buy, or at least didn't have to.

You never know what you can do until you give it a go and as Sally discovered, even repairing something big isn't as hard as you may think. And, the happiness and satisfaction you get from being able to fix something yourself far outweighs any short-term buzz you may feel at purchasing something new from a shop. But don't just take our word for it - try it out for yourself this Heritage Month. We'd love to hear how you go!

3. Penny Wise: Pass the Buck

I hate to say it but my ex-husband was a rather smart man. Just kidding, he and I are still great friends! But I've lost count of the times he said over the past few years, 'One of the biggest problems with the world today is that nobody takes responsibility for anything. Nobody is willing to be held accountable for their own actions'. Being a bit of a cruiser, I never thought about the world's problems too much and always thought this was rather an over dramatic statement. It's only now I'm out in the big wide world all by myself that I realise he was - and still is - absolutely right.

Apologies once again for the delay between posts - it's just all this STUFF has been happening and to be honest every time I tried to write something I sounded like a right old whinge bag! But even if I do sound like a whinge bag (and I apologise heartily if I do) I've decided I will share it after all because let's face it, stuff happens to us all and it just so happens that all this stuff has come about through exactly what I was talking about before; people's failure to take responsibility. Which as I have recently discovered, is not only extremely annoying but it can cost you a lot of money. And one of the other things about STUFF is that it always tends to happen all at once!

Anyway, get on with it Penny. As I type, I'm a bit up the proverbial creek without a paddle. Some of it is my fault - I probably shouldn't have spent a fortune on ingredients to make Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie after seeing it on Facebook. And I probably shouldn't have let the boys convince me to take us all out for dinner on Mother's Day. But the rest I'm pretty comfortable in saying that I really don't believe it was my fault. Now we all know how life has a quaint little habit of sending us two steps forward, then three steps back and it always seems to be the case with finances too. One minute you're full steam ahead; the next, slam on the brakes! Which is exactly what has happened in our household lately. Just as the budgeting ladies had me knowing exactly where I was going and the future was looking bright, my little parade got well and truly rained on! I shall endeavour to explain:

Stuff 1: I check my email one morning to find a letter from my insurance company along the lines of 'Dear Penny. Remember that nice little car you bought back in June 2013? Well whoops-a-daisy, when you rang us up at the time of purchase to change your policy to cover your new vehicle, we didn't charge you enough. We'd like another $518 please'. Right - so what you're saying is, even though I did everything that was required of me as a customer and it was someone at YOUR end who didn't do their job properly, it's still perfectly alright for you to suddenly demand hundreds of dollars out of me almost a year to the day later. Fortunately, being the nice caring people you are, you're allowing me to pay it off at $184 per month over the next four months.

Stuff 2: The same week I open my mail and almost faint to find a bill from the local Council for $2200 in rates arrears. 'That can't be right! I've been paying my rates automatically at $80 a month for as long as I can remember!' I thought, so got on the phone to the credit control officer at the Council. I've dealt with him before and he's a really nice, helpful guy. 'Yes I remember setting that up with you, I've still got the paperwork!' he said. Come to think of it, so did I. However, when he checked the records, he could find no record of payment from July 2013 - the time I bought my house and we switched the rates over from my old property to the new one. 'That can't be right - can you check from your end?' I can't believe I never noticed before but with all the myriad of automatic payments I had constantly coming out, somehow I didn't realise that he was right. Even though we both had the paperwork to prove it, the direct debit had never been actioned and I was now indeed more than $2000 behind in my payments. Which means that my carefully budgeted $80 per month has now rocketed to $328 per month in an attempt to catch up before the year rolls round again! Who should claim responsibility for that one? Marc - even though he drew up the document? Me - even though I sent it to the bank? The postal service - for not delivering it to the bank? Or the bank - for not loading the direct debit? We'll never know but it's a bit blooming inconvenient to say the least and puts a nasty big hole in my budget!

Stuff 3: Bank Tale of Woe #1. With my budget going swiftly down the gurgler and a never ending stream of new bills coming in adding up to thousands (I won't bore you with them, heaven knows we all get them, especially with teenagers!), I went to see my bank manager to take her up on her pre-Christmas 'hopefully we won't have to go there' offer of changing my mortgage agreement to interest only for 12 months. This is a very long story which has been going on for almost two months now and I shall also refrain from boring you to death with but suffice to say I have been well and truly led down the garden path. As it currently stands I am receiving assistance from the banking ombudsman but should the situation be unable to be resolved it will take me a very long time to recover financially. Even the budgeting service has been unable to help for weeks - they have been trying, bless those lovely ladies but as we are constantly waiting for updates from the bank, everyone's hands have been tied. As long as I can hold on to my beloved Nawtypoo I will be happy.

Stuff 4: Bank Tale of Woe #2. Although my bank balance wasn't looking too healthy, at least Liam's was! After a busy summer working his socks off he had made some great savings and was trying his utmost to spend as little as possible. Unfortunately somebody went and spent it for him by hacking his debit card details and spending the whole lot in what we soon discovered to be a global scam. An organisation or individual pretending to be Google systematically withdraws $10 at a time for 'games', then another $10 and another until before you know it, they've cleaned out your whole bank account. As you can imagine Liam was devastated and I was certainly miffed but not panicking too much as the exact same thing had happened to two other people I knew in the last 12 months. Interestingly they were all customers of the same bank, BNZ and they had both had the same amount of money withdrawn by the same organisation. All it took for them to get their money back was a quick email or phone call and the bank replaced the lost funds and issued new cards so I figured the procedure would be the same for us. Not so unfortunately. You see the other two parties were adults. Liam on the other hand is 17 and as far as the bank was concerned he must have been playing games and 'done' something, e.g. signed up for something, therefore it was his fault. Firstly, Liam doesn't and never has played online games. Secondly, he has never given out his bank account number online and although he uses his Eftpos card to make in-store purchases, he has never used his debit card for online purchasing without me being present to make sure everything goes through OK. This has only ever been used for Trade Me and purchasing clothing from Culture Kings in Australia, which all his friends use regularly without any problem. He has never once used his card for purchasing games, yet the bank still insist it must be his fault and told him that he would have to pay to lodge a dispute. 'Seriously, this is a worldwide scam! You only have to Google the transaction reference to see this is happening to thousands of people!' I told them. What's more, they have all been reimbursed by their banks in less than two weeks. In comparison, Liam has been waiting four weeks and has heard nothing whatsoever from the bank with regard to either the dispute claim, who was responsible for taking his money and where they were from, or if and when he can expect his money back in his account.

I think that's quite enough stuff to be going on with for now! The funny thing is, even with all this inner turmoil sloshing round in my brain I feel wonderfully content. The boys are settled and happy, our little house is adorably cosy and all three of us are just enjoying a simple routine and a simple life. My constant challenge to make delicious food from next to nothing has resulted in a huge love of cooking and what I always saw previously as a chore has now become an absolute pleasure. Every day I can't wait to cook something new and fill my boys' tummies with something yummy. Of course they love it too and I had to laugh the other day when Liam was tucking into his dinner and said 'This is absolutely exquisite Mum! Your standards have definitely improved!' Not a bad effort considering much of what we eat comes from food parcels these days! Whenever I open the pantry door I see countless opportunities - how can I use up this cereal? What can I put this can of soup in? Without blowing my trumpet too much I always considered myself a pretty good cook but now I pride myself on being an excellent cook and it has brought me much joy and confidence. The other night a friend of mine was on her own for the weekend so I invited her over for dinner. This is something I haven't done since my marriage ended so it was a little nerve wracking for me, especially as I wanted to make something special. I warned her with a giggle that my challenge was to make her a gourmet cafe style dinner entirely from my garden and my food parcel! Undeterred she agreed to be my guinea pig and I set to work.

With no money in the kitty for meat I took advantage of my lovely crop of silverbeet, parsley and carrots in the garden and together with some of my tomatoes I had frozen from the summer glut, used them to make Garden Cafe Vegetable Lasagne. You can find the recipe for this in my little recipe book 'A Dash of Soy and a Splash of Lemon' in the Downloads area. It really does taste just as good as anything you would find in a cafe and is so full of flavour even the boys can't tell there is no meat in it! I accompanied this with a fresh salad and some little dinner rolls I already had in the freezer. For dessert, with so much fruit in the garden the options were endless but Ali especially requested an amazing and very simple recipe for 'Gooey Little Chocolate Puddings' from my heroine, Chelsea Winter. Once again, these are as good as any restaurant dessert and I made them almost entirely from my food parcel goodies, including the tinned raspberries which accompanied them! It was such a pleasant and relaxed evening and I really enjoyed using my culinary skills to turn everyday foods and basic ingredients into something really quite lovely.

My recent prowess in the kitchen has elevated my status to such that Ali finally felt he could trust me to cook something I had never done before - wild roast pork, provided by the young hunter-gatherer himself. I confess, I do not like wild or 'gamey' tasting foods and before had always managed to get out of it by saying I didn't know how to cook it; instead delegating that job to his dad! However, Ali insisted he had faith in me (well his actual words were 'harden up Mum!') and with it being the only meat we really had in the freezer, last night I relented and attempted my first wild roast. The fire crackled in our cosy home, the candles gave off a comforting glow and as the smell of wild roast pork filled the air it felt so rustic and homely it was hard not to break out into a Beverley Hillbillies style accent at that there dang cotton-picking hog a-cooking! The only challenge was, it was such an enormous roast that even three hours later it still wasn't cooked and I had to squeeze it into the microwave to finish it off. Thank goodness for modern technology, or we'd probably still be waiting! But we got there in the end and although I wasn't game enough to try it myself, the boys scoffed it happily. Ali was proud he'd contributed to dinner and even more happy that his mum had finally taken the bull by the horns (or rather the pig by the leg) and cooked something she always swore she couldn't.

So another new week begins and who knows what STUFF life will throw at us this week! But whatever happens, thanks to the budgeting ladies and my self-sufficient son, we will at least be able to eat. And even though it feels some days as though everyone is out to take from us, as long as we have the support and love of family, the company of good friends and the kindness of strangers, we will always be rich - and nobody can take that away!

You can get updates on Penny's new blogs on the Simple Savings Facebook page.

...or in our Members' Blog section.

4. Best of the Vault: New Life For Old Fashioned Skills

There are some wonderful ways to bring an old skill to life, such as making your own jam or rejuvenating an old chair. Don't be afraid - jump in and learn something new, well, old, today!

$10 lounger transformed into $600 Balinese beauty

I saved $500 on a Balinese-style lounger by making my own. I looked for one in the shops but could find nothing for less than $600, so I started looking in recycle shops and local dumps. I eventually found a wooden lounger for $10, which I sanded back and stained. I then cut an old single bed mattress to fit, covered it with fabric and added lots of colourful cushions. So all in all, my Balinese lounger cost less than $100.

Contributed by: Mary Rae

Quality quilting needn't be a costly craft

I enjoy the traditional craft of quilting for next to nothing by using traditional techniques and principles. I find it rather sad that quilting, a craft which grew from the need to reuse resources whenever possible, is now such an expensive craft to pursue when using purpose-made fabrics. It's much more interesting and satisfying to salvage old garments, curtains and fabrics to use in quilting projects. I'm currently sorting through my stash of various fabrics and pooling resources with friends. We all share ideas, yarn and fabrics and it's amazing what we can produce together. I also visit op shops looking for garments and material to cut up. It takes more skill to find colours and fabric from a range of sources that complement each other rather than buying new colour co-ordinated fabrics, and it also results in an item with more character. Another advantage is that pre-used fabrics have all been washed, so there is no danger of shrinkage which may happen with new fabrics if they are not pre-shrunk. I spend next to nothing on my much-loved hobby, my only investment is time and effort.

Contributed by: Beryl D

Melt and mould new candles

I have a great way to use the unwanted 'stumps' from used candles. I keep all the bits left over in a bag over time and then have a candle melting and moulding day! I have also put aside any suitable moulds for candle making, such as tins with smooth sides and left over pasty containers for individual cakes (the plastic ones).

On 'melting day', I grab my old saucepans (picked up from the local op-shop) and in a double boiler melt all the leftover wax from the candles, add a wick (very cheap to buy from craft shops), pour in the mould, allow to fix and you have a whole set of new candles - ready to go and even good enough to give away for presents!

Contributed by: Marj Tournier

Tip for easier home-made bread

Here's a tip that will make baking your own bread even easier! We buy all of our baking goods in bulk to save money and try to make our own bread as often as possible. We love fresh home-made bread (free from nasties and preservatives) and it's so much cheaper than store-bought 'fancy loaves'. But I have to admit that occasionally I simply can't be bothered making the bread, even with the ingredients and breadmaker sitting there. The prospect of pulling out the huge tub of bulk ingredients and measuring everything out can seem a bit daunting sometimes, meaning that I end up sending hubby to the corner store for a loaf and the ingredients just sit there - which certainly isn't a saving!

So now what I do when I bring my ingredients home is measure them out right away into re-sealable bags.

I add:

4 cups of plain or wholemeal flour
1 tbsp powdered milk
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp gluten flour
Whatever seeds, nuts or oats I want for that loaf

I then write on the front of the bag to add 250ml water and two teaspoons of yeast. The re-sealable bags can be stored in the fridge or freezer, so all you need to do is grab a bag, dump the contents into the breadmaker and add the water and yeast - it's so easy that even the hubby or kids can put a loaf on. Since using this approach I haven't needed to send hubby up to the corner shop!

Contributed by: Minty

5. Best of the Forum: Give it a Go!

Most of us spend huge amounts of money paying for the skills of other people, when perhaps all we need is a bit of confidence to give it a go ourselves.

Please help me build a chicken coop

Almost everyone has room for a few chickens and an easy-to-make cute coop to keep them safe!
read more...

Knitting beanies

Some lovely ideas here to knit beanies for families and friends or for charity. Who can resist a unique, hand-made beanie!
read more...

My handmade/$450 gifts year, 2014 - #2

Join Chatterbox and friends to create unique gifts for family and friends. Some wonderful ideas to try with lots of support and help.
read more...

17 foods to buy once and grow forever

Why not get back into the garden and grow your own food?
read more...

Any knitters/crocheters here? Let's Chat #14

Katie and fellow crafters have the comfiest spot in the Forum! Come in and ask questions, discuss your project and better still - show it off when it's finished! You'll be hooked (teehee!).
read more...

Wanting to be crafty. Any ideas?

If you're stuck for ideas, try some of these suggestions.
read more...

6. Best Members' Blog: 'Spaving' and Our Trip

One of the many benefits of being a Vault member is that you can win a $100 store credit in Ye Olde Shoppe or $100 cash each month for your Simple Savings blog! Starting your own blog on the site is easy. All you have to do is log into the Vault, click on 'My Desk' at the top left, then 'Your Blog'. Then get writing! We love reading all your money saving trials and tribulations and really appreciate the effort that goes into each one.

This month's winner is Deb for her 'spaving' adventures!

I believe I am great at 'Spaving' - making really good savings from spending that I 'have' to do. I love searching out bargains and finding ways to save money on things that I have to buy or had already planned on doing.

Examples of this include always using Entertainment Book vouchers when we 'have' to go out; collecting loyalty cards for things I buy regularly (for example, haircuts), using coupons where I can, checking out all flyers to only purchase items needed on sale, tracking down factory shops and op shops and closing down sales to get items that we buy cheap. I've also just changed to a Kiwibank credit card as they have the best Air NZ Airpoint earning rate available.

I want to use this blog to record the ways I 'spave' while trying to reach my goals of paying for Christmas gifts, summer camping holidays and overseas family holidays. I am excited to start this as I now have a range of short, medium and long term goals that I want to reach (from now to 2022!), spurred on by a conversation my DH and I had on the weekend. We were reflecting on Mother's Day how quickly our girls are growing up when I made a 'startling pronouncement' (as my husband called it). I pointed out that our oldest daughter (now 8) will probably be leaving home at the end of 2022 to start university and we really only have the next nine years to do things together as a family, for example, travelling. While we both realise that starting uni won't be the end of us doing family things, it is the end of an era.

Both DH and I have wanted to travel with our girls and give them a range of experiences while growing up and we had written a list of places we wanted to visit with DD#1 was little. We have covered a few of these including Australia, Hawaii and all around New Zealand but we revisited this list on Mother's Day. We now have a travel plan for every year from 2014 to 2022 and it's my job to put the savings plans in place to meet these goals.

Trips we want to do include Disneyland/Wild West road trip in 2015, China tour 2017, Asian Cruise 2019 and Alaskan Cruise with Canadian Rockie tour in 2020! This blog is going to be a record of all the savings challenges I am a part of as well as all the spaving I do to reach these goals!

Let the spaving begin!

Well done Deb - we are looking forward to following your adventures.

You can read more of our members' blogs here.

7. Mimi: Budget Busting Meals - Cauliflower Potato Curry

A super cheap, super tasty, super satisfying meal that feeds a crowd for next to nothing.

At least eight serves for under $8.00.

You'll need:

6 large potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 cauliflower, cut into florets
1 onion, peeled and diced
2 tbsp oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 tsp each ground cumin, ground coriander, ground ginger and turmeric
Chilli flakes or powder to taste. We like ours hot, so I use 1/2 teaspoon of chilli flakes to this quantity
2-3 cups of water depending upon how much sauce you like
1/2 cup milk
2-3 tbsp cornflour mixed to a paste with a tablespoon of water (1 tablespoon per cup of water added)
Coriander leaves to garnish if desired

Then just:

Steam the potatoes until tender.

Pan fry the diced onion in the oil added to a large saucepan or wok, until it's translucent.

Add the potato, cauliflower and the water and spices. Simmer until the cauliflower is tender.

Add the milk and the cornflour paste and stir until the sauce bubbles and thickens.

Serve immediately, on its own or with steamed rice and/or pappadums.

You can get updates on Mimi's new blogs on the Simple Savings Facebook page

or in our Members' Blog section.

8. Rob Bob's Gardening Blog: Home-Grown Vegie Shopping!

Walk around the autumn vegie garden

I haven't done a blog on how the patch is going as a whole for quite some time so thought I would give you a bit of a look at what's growing in our sub-tropical vegie patch in autumn. We are very lucky in that we get a mild winter here and can grow some things that other folks don't have the luxury of during their winters.

I'll start the walk around at the IBC wicking bed right down the back. This bed is home to a long Asian purple eggplant, Mexican tarragon and two mouse melon/Mexican miniature watermelon (Melothria scabra) vines that were planted out mid-summer.

They are actually a gherkin cucumber and have a crisp sour bite to them. I think they go great in salads but in saying that, only one lot has made it into a lunchtime salad. The majority of the fruit get wolfed down while we are in the patch with the others being snacked on once inside the house. ;) I've found these fellas to be a bit slow out of the gate with the fruit only starting to form at the start of autumn. One thing that's impressed me with these vines is the absence of powdery mildew and cucumber moth caterpillars. This is most definitely one plant I would recommend folks try if you like the sour gherkin style cucumbers. The chap that gave me the seeds (cheers Peter) was still picking fruit from his a few weeks ago down in South Australia so they are a very hardy plant.

Next to this bed we now have a small cabbage butterfly-proof annex off the main hoop house so we can protect a few extra brassicas from the cabbage butterfly caterpillars. To get the bed ready for the cool weather crops, compost and natural fertiliser were turned through the top mulch layer then the bed was left to rest for a few weeks. One thing that took me by surprise while adding the compost was the number of earth worms (not compost worms) in the soil. They came in the original soil a number of years ago and appear to have done very well in these wicking beds.

Last weekend we popped in six Chinese cabbage/Wombok (top right of bed) as well as four cauliflowers where they could be squeezed in. Nothing has been planted along the trellis for now as we might try and use it for a late crop of peas once some of the brassicas are finished.

The first bed in the hoop house is the tomato and amaranth bed.

It may not look like it but we have harvested several meals' worth of amaranth greens from this bed already. This is one plant we are all loving at the moment with it tasting just as good raw as it does cooked. I've been wrapping the last few yellow cherry tomatoes in the leaves along with a small basil leaf for a quick snack in the patch. Goes down very well when chased up with a mouse melon. ;) The best way we have found to cook it is sautéd in butter with a few cloves of crushed garlic as a side dish and find it tastes sort of like a mild chard/silverbeet. It is so easy to grow and the plan is to let a few go to seed so we can collect as many as possible for following crops and to share around.

The next bed is a bit of a mixed bag at the moment. There are turmeric, mustard greens, bush beans, ginger, green onions, perennial leeks, two different celeries and some sugarloaf cabbage.

On the weekend it got a few marigold refugees that have popped up in the lawn. Kira didn't want me to mow them so thought it best to give them a new home. ;) I have also noticed a capsicum/chilli or two that have popped up, so it will be interesting to see what they turn out to be. The bush beans are about done for now so while they are busy with their last few small flushes some 'Giant of Naples' cauliflower seeds we were gifted will be sown in punnets as replacements for them.

The polyculture bed has performed very well indeed and we have been picking a fair amount of greens from there.

Can't wait to make a broccoli and macadamia salad with the first head we get to harvest, just doesn't taste the same when made with store bought I think. :/ The perpetual spinach has been another stand-out in this bed. I was lucky enough to receive some more seed so a whole heap is being sprouted as fodder crops for the chooks. This is one style of bed we will be doing more often as the amount of greens we've picked is quite amazing. I think we could easily have one salad from this bed every second day no problems and I have already made a start on a bed that we can harvest on the other days. ;)

I am really happy with the way the top bed in the hoop house is filling out.

The sweet basil bushes in this bed are still hanging on strong and are being picked regularly for salads and sauces. We have also been eating the beetroot greens for a while now and noticed that a lot of the roots have started to form up nicely too. The cauliflower and fennel that were planted a month or so ago in this bed are coming along nicely as are the newer arrivals like the Tuscan kale, celery and a few left over sugarloaf cabbages from a punnet planted out last weekend. The matriarch of the bed, the three- to four-year-old chilli bush (foreground) will be getting a bit of a prune again to see if she can see it through for another crop next season. I would have done it sooner but there are still a few fruit hanging on and just starting to turn red now. ;)

The honey pod pea and bush bean bed just outside the hoop house is looking very green.

The beans are loaded with pods ready for harvest but the eggplants just don't look that happy in there. I'll leave them go a few more weeks and see if they put on a growth spurt like their sister plant in the bed with the mouse melons. If they don't they can make way for a few more beans or perpetual spinach I think. ;)

The other bed next to the hoop house has had a few different brassica seedlings started off in it as well.

We planted it out with some broccoli, a few cauliflowers and some more marigold refugees from the lawn (thanks Kira). Decided to make this another polyculture bed as hundreds of fallen mustard greens seeds from the last crop have decided to sprout. Various leaf lettuce varieties will be sprinkled around with a few Chinese red shallots being planted in the bed as well.

Shopping in your neighbour's vegie patch using "Ripe Near Me"

I thought I'd mention a great site called Ripe Near Me that has been set up to allow folks to list the produce they have excess of rather than letting them compost or go to waste. Produce is listed as either free or the grower can set a price. It would be a great way to get rid of an excess of lemons, limes or an over-productive rosemary bush and maybe even earn a few dollars on the side, which a few of us would welcome after the recent budget announcement. ;)

I think it's a great idea as it allows people to have access to food grown in their local neighbourhood by folks just like themselves. It's a great flashback to the days when neighbours traded with each other for produce and services. I remember my grandparents doing this all the time with their eggs and home-grown goodies. It was a way for neighbours to connect, trade and build relationships that helped build community spirit. I can really see this idea taking off and think it will be a way to be even more frugal while helping out others in your local community.

On Tuesday night our family had the privilege to attend a public function hosted by "Ripe Near Me" in South Brisbane. One of the founders, Alistair Martin, jumped up and gave a great explanation of how they came up with the idea and ran through the ideas they have to expand the service. One aspect that really interested me was the prospect of having seeds and plants listed on the website. It would be a great way to meet other local gardeners, trade varieties and even pick up some great tips on what works/grows best in your area. After Alistair had given us all a great run down of their future plans for the site the stage was taken by Costa Georgiadis from Gardening Australia. Costa reminded us of the way we used to trade vegies over the back fence instead of nipping down to the supermarket if you were in need of a cucumber or a couple of eggs. He spoke of the great community spirit he had seen through the local community gardens/groups around Australia in his travels and how the movement to get back to eating locally is gaining ground. It was a great talk and I would recommend that if you get a chance you should go hear him speak on the topic.

For folks in Adelaide you will have your chance to hear Costa and Sophie Thompson talk on the local food movement as well as finding all about Ripe Near Me on the 15th of June. Details can be found on the "Edible-izing Adelaide" page. It will be a great day if the other night was anything to go by and even includes a vegie swap if you have some extra produce you want to trade with others. ;)

It was a most enjoyable evening and the girls loved that we got to have a bit of a chat to Costa just before we left (even if it did take a while for their dad to introduce the family **blushes**). This is one man that has an infectious passion for inspiring others to grow not only food but the communities around them. I must say that I left wanting to get home to play with the compost and worms. ;)

Cheers all and shall catch you all next blog...
Rob :)»

You can get updates on Rob Bob's new gardening adventure blogs on the Simple Savings Facebook page

or in our Members' Blog section.

9. From Last Month: Ideas For Outdoor Cover and Flooring

Last month Nayia emailed us about ideas for covering and flooring for an outdoor area:

"I would like to ask if anyone has any ideas to solve this problem. We have a (very) small room out the back which has become our fourth bedroom. The room itself is fine, but it is four metres from the house, with no eaves for protection. If my son wants to go to the toilet or come into the house, he gets wet if it's raining and/or traipses dirt into the house or his room. There is no space outside his room for a mat and very little inside it. The room also gets full sun, so is boiling in the summer. We are renting so we can't drill into the walls or guttering for cover, but we'd love some suggestions for:

"(a) a cheap cover we could use that would reduce or block out the rain and sun. We thought we could buy a big patio umbrella, but it won't cover the whole area and will blow over in wet windy weather.

"(b) a cheaper solution than decking tiles, which are very expensive, for the ground. The area to cover is about 1.5 x 4 metres.

"Thanks for any suggestions."

We got some fantastic ideas - thank you for sharing your wisdom! Here are some of our favourite replies:

Keep the elements at bay with a sunshade

Would the owner of the house permit you to drill a few small holes into the wall to install a sunshade? Bunnings has lots of cheap options and you can ask them how to install it too. For low-cost flooring, I've found it is possible to get deck tiles cheaply if you know where to look. I bought mine for $10 each here in Sydney but they will ship them round Australia, just ask for a quote. For more information check out eBay which gives information with prices here http://bit.ly/1fOagGK or their company website: Green Forest Timber

Contributed by: Joanne Richards

Posh path for a cheap price

You can make a very cheap and attractive looking path by purchasing ordinary concrete squares from the local landscaper and painting them with a dark grey concrete paint. My neighbour did this with great results; he just laid the squares on the ground and put a bag of gravel in between the cracks. They look very upmarket for minimal cost and with no cement needed, if you're renting you can take them away when you go!

Contributed by: Kathy E

Make a jigsaw floor

For a cheap indoor/outdoor flooring solution, visit your local Kmart. They have large plastic blocks that fit together like a jigsaw. These make a super-fast and easy floor covering!

Contributed by: Robyn M

Scour the classifieds for free supplies

Here in Western Australia we have a newspaper that is called the Quokka, which advertises free items. Most areas have something similar, check what is available in your area. Through our local paper a friend of mine managed to find enough cement slabs for my patio AND his, for free!

Contributed by: Vicki D

From portable carport to deck cover

You can make a suitable shelter for around $100 by purchasing a portable carport. The metal frame, plastic fittings and plastic material can be erected and anchored to the ground to cover the required area.

Contributed by: Richard

Make a walkway from pallets

You can create a simple and effective walkway in next to no time by using wooden pallets. You can usually find these for free in any industrial area. Just lay them on the ground to make a path. If the slats are too wide, it is easy to pull other pallets apart and add extra ones. You can even stain them and seal them to make them look a little smarter. The result? A raised walkway that is practically free!

Contributed by: Karan J

Portable toilet solves to-ing and fro-ing

To reduce 'traffic' from your son going from one building to the other to use the bathroom, consider a portable toilet! I bought one from a camping store for $40. It has a seat and lid, which can be removed for easy emptying and cleaning. As for floor covering between the two areas, I would concentrate on purchasing something such as a free-standing car cover for the 1.5 x 4m area and perhaps get some stepping stones for underneath. Freecycle is well worth checking to see if you can pick up some free pavers!

Contributed by: Lesley

AstroTurf is answer to cheap ground cover

If you're looking for a cheap ground cover or outdoor flooring solution, try AstroTurf! Our greyhound tracks a lot of mud about the place and we found AstroTurf (fake grass) works really well at helping to reduce the mess. It lets the rain run through and can be shaken clean as needed. You can purchase it by the metre at hardware stores and is usually in rolls about 1800mm wide. You can even choose how bushy you want it!

Contributed by: Sarah

10. This Month's Help Request: I Smell a Rat!

Susan has emailed asking for some help! She writes:

"I need help getting rid of the smell of a dead rat. My husband has been up in the ceiling twice but cannot find its body. The smell is particularly bad in one of our bedrooms. We heard a rat in the ceiling above the bedroom, but now there is no noise, just an increasingly bad smell. I would appreciate any advice or tips."

If you have any pearls of wisdom you'd like to share with Susan, please send them in to us here.

11. Goodbye for Now

Well, that's your Simple Savings Newsletter for June and we hope you have enjoyed it. We hope you'll find some ways to learn some 'new' heritage skills - please let us know how you go!

Our members are hugely important to us and we love hearing from you all! So next time you're on the website, why don't you get in touch and say 'G'day'! Let us know what you would like to see more of in our newsletter or any suggestions you have for something new to try. We love receiving your clever ideas!

Don't forget to spread the love around to your family and friends too by forwarding them our newsletter or letting them know about our website. Help make their lives easier and save them money too! Or tell them about us on Facebook by clicking the 'like' button on our Simple Savings Facebook page.

Till next time...
All the best,
Fiona

June 2016 - Simple Savings Newsletter

"Secrets to Saving Money" Free Newsletter - June 2016

This issue includes:-

Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: If I Could Turn Back Time
June: Design a Life
COMPETITION: Brainwaves and Forehead Slaps!
Best of the Vault: Out There Doing It
Best of the Forum: Planning For the Future
Best Members' Blog: Mummy Brain vs Consumerism
Best of SS Facebook: Meat Needn't Be Off Limits!
Savings Story: Living the Good Life on a Budget

Hi,

Jackie here again, standing in for Fiona. It was great to receive all your feedback after our last newsletter; thank you to everyone who wrote in to share their experiences with insurance companies. If you haven't dug out and inspected your insurance policies yet, please do!

This month's newsletter has been a lot of fun to write and we have a great new competition which we hope will be as enjoyable as it is thought provoking. So without further ado, read on!

Wishing you a wonderful month
Jackie

1. Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: If I Could Turn Back Time

"Tickets all booked! Bali, here we come!" Hanna waved them in her hand excitedly. "Honestly, Sal, I can't wait, we haven't had an overseas holiday since before the kids were born! We've always been too busy paying off the mortgage, putting money aside for the kids' education - but now it's our turn. Time for some FUN!"

"That's wonderful, you really deserve it." Sally smiled to see her friend so excited. "In a few years you and John won't know yourselves! No kids, no debts - I can't even begin to imagine what that would feel like. When I think of all the money I've frittered away over the years. All those dresses, all those pairs of shoes and expensive dinners. If only I could turn the clock back!" she said wistfully.

"Aw, don't be so hard on yourself," Hanna smiled sympathetically. "John and I still live the designer life, we just do it differently." "You do? But - how?" Sally stared at Hanna in amazement. "Well, we decided years ago that instead of a designer life, we would 'design a life' and work towards the things we really wanted. You get what I mean?" "Design a life - I like the sound of that!" Sally looked thoughtful. "Do you think Pete and I could still do that?" "Of course!" Hanna smiled. "Excellent!" beamed Sally. "I can't wait to get home and tell him he really DOES have a designer wife at last!"

2. June: Design a Life

Almost everyone wishes they could turn the clock back at some point. Whilst we can't undo what is in the past, we CAN change the present and work on the future and our finances are no different. For years, Sally has allowed her priorities to be sabotaged and driven off course, sacrificing the things she really wanted for short term thrills in the form of new dresses, handbags, shoes - anything or anyone that jumped out at her and convinced her that she would be happier, prettier, thinner, more popular or that her life would be better for owning it.

It's no surprise that Sally's scenario is an all too common one. As our April competition 'Impossible Promises' showed, wherever we go, wherever we look there are carrots being dangled in front of us, making the vision of the designer life more desirable. We all want the most out of life but often we spend so much time putting things into it and filling it with stuff that means nothing and only gives us pleasure for a short time, that in the long run we actually deprive ourselves. Imagine how different Sally's life would be now if she had kept all that money instead?

The great news is, it is never too late to change. If you want to design your own life, grab a notebook or piece of paper. Then follow these three simple steps:

Write down the things which are really important to you. What will really make you happy and content? What will really make you comfortable and secure? What are your true priorities for yourself and your family? Hanna and John chose to pay off their home loan but you can choose whatever you like - whatever is important to YOU.
Once you have your list, number the things you have chosen in order of importance. Which do you want to make happen first? Which will give you greater peace of mind? Which ones will make your life easier? Only you have the answers to these questions, remember you are the designer!
This is a very important step. Work out who or what it is that could possibly sabotage your efforts or has done so in the past and write these down too. It could be anything from buying lunch every day to online bargains bombarding your email inbox, high maintenance friends, your partner, even your kids. This process will help you to clarify in your head who and what to look out for from now on and help to keep your mindset strong.

Once you have completed these steps, give yourself a big pat on the back. You should now have a clear idea of the kind of life you want, congratulations! From now on it is up to you as the designer to focus on and implement your goals and to keep those saboteurs at bay. We have many fantastic tips and stories in the Vault to help you, starting with this newsletter!

3. COMPETITION: Brainwaves and Forehead Slaps!

There is an old and often quoted saying which goes "There are no mistakes in life, only lessons". This is true enough, however, I prefer this one - "Once a lesson, twice a mistake, three times a forehead slap!" You see, despite her best intentions, the main reason why Sally isn't yet living the life of her dreams is because she keeps being pulled into the designer trap and making the same mistakes over and over again, without recognising them for what they are - big old forehead slaps!

We all have forehead slap moments - things we have done or bought and later down the track thought, 'What was I THINKING?!' This month we want you to share them - but the fun doesn't stop there! This is a two part competition. As well as sharing your worst financial blunder, we would love for you to share your best financial brainwave too. In other words, "the dumbest thing I ever did with money was..." and "the smartest thing I ever did with money was..."

The best entry wins $100 cash so get your thinking caps on! Competition entries close at midnight on July 16th.

Submit your entries here.

4. Best of the Vault: Out There Doing It

When it comes to planning the life of your dreams, there's nothing more motivating than reading about others who have already got theirs underway. These tips from the Vault will inspire you to get straight on to it!

Where there's a will, there's a way!

Thinking ahead about my family's future is really paying off. After being lucky enough to be a stay at home mum for the last six years I started thinking about the future as both my children will be at school full time next year. I didn't want to have to do the day care thing and we have no family to look after the children, so first I got a job waitressing of an evening until I finally got a position doing night fill at a supermarket. Hubby comes home from work and I go to work three or four nights a week. It's not my dream job, but looking to next year it has many options and I'm hoping to secure a day time position during school hours. Plus, there are great career opportunities if I choose to go down that path in the future. We also move around a lot and companies like this are everywhere and there is the option to transfer.

The best thing is, when I started receiving a wage, instead of spending it I arranged to have it paid into a completely different bank account and simply ignore it. We've lived without that second wage for so long we just kept living that way. As a result, we have just got back from our first ever overseas trip to Bali!

Contributed by: Sally J

11 years of baking helped pay for our cars

I bake every day because I enjoy baking and my family of five enjoy eating. This has saved us thousands over 11 years. We have paid cash for two new cars and we have owned our house outright after only five years of mortgage. To save money, grow a vegetable garden and flowers for enjoyment, shop for specials and buy in bulk - but not so much that it expires before you can use it.

Contributed by: Tracy Gillard

Debt-free and never happier

Over the past four years I have been fighting my way out of debt. I was left with a large amount of debt when my marriage ended and it seemed I would never find a way out, working nights to support myself and five children and trying to reduce the debt in some way. Then, instead of just reading Simple Savings I began implementing as much of it as I could. Along the way I found that things I previously thought were impossible are just every day now!

Two of my children have now left home and are independent and I have three daughters still living with me. I have found new ways to feed them and, where once they would have balked if I offered them home-made soup after school, they now eat it with relish. A home-made frappe was dessert last night and they were happy and satisfied with that. Fruit jellies, home-made scrolls and calzone, along with the batches of muffins, bikkies or cakes I make, are average snacks and lunches. School lunch today was home-made soup with home-made pizza scrolls. It certainly took a while to change their views from believing that everything had to be store-bought and chips were the afternoon snack.

I am now debt-free and have savings - something I never thought I would have! Bulk toilet paper, bulk washing powder, skim milk powder, and bulk meat buys at a discount butcher and fruit from the growers has saved me a small fortune.

I recently moved in with my partner to his home with the girls and together we have been able to make more and more changes which once would have not been thought possible but with small steps we have cut out television unless it is a special documentary or one of the two shows per week we deem suitable. The girls now play outside or they garden, read and do homework after school instead of being glued to the 'box' and they haven't asked to play Nintendo for weeks now. Water or weak cordial is the staple drink, with the occasional juice for a treat.

I am now a stay at home mum and as long as I can feed this family, pay for petrol in my car and keep the girls clothed for under $500 per fortnight it will stay that way. I am working hard to make sure these dreams come true.

In reality there is no sacrifice - you just need to know what you want and aim for it every day.

Contributed by: Mona

Devious savings

Changing circumstances and a growing family all added up to us paying a whole lot less off our mortgage than we would have liked. Pretty soon we would have started to go backwards. It was crunch time!

Using the Simple Savings calendar I identified our most expensive habits, and was astounded to see the amount of money that could have been saved. Our grocery bill was always around $200 or more per week. This amount did not include meat or bread that we get from the butcher and bakery. The trouble was, my husband loved all the expensive name brands for items such as chocolate biscuits, lollies and savoury snacks and was convinced that the cheaper or no name products would be tasteless and boring. Week after week I would just automatically reach for these items, without even glancing at the alternatives. I knew as soon as my husband saw the packaging, the goods would remain in the pantry unopened, and he would then go and buy the brand name items anyway.

One week I kept mentioning to him that I was going to do a big clean-up of the pantry and I was finally going to utilise all those assorted Tupperware containers that I had never used. That week I substituted his expensive brand of snack foods with cheaper versions, emptied them into the assorted airtight containers and threw the plain packaging out before he could see them!

I also applied this technique to several other items; I would fill cheaper dishwashing liquid into Morning Fresh bottles, no-name hand wash into saved Palmolive dispensers - you get the picture. Our grocery bill went down from $200 to $140 per week - a saving of $240 a month!

When I finally fessed up to what I had been doing, my husband admitted that most of the snacks were just as good as the name brands, you just have to try a few out. All it took was a creative (ok, and somewhat deceitful) way to present the changes, but we have never looked back. Why would we, with a saving of $3120 a year? Plus of course, one very neat pantry!

Contributed by: Selda Olmez

Fabulous life on low income

I believe you can have a fabulous life if you use your brain and you carefully plan your money.

We both have a wonderful lifestyle (mostly due to the Vault hints!) and we live on only $910 per fortnight. Our rent is $370 per fortnight which doesn't leave much left over for luxuries, but with some creative spending we always seem to have more than enough.

I have the Internet, make frequent STD calls to family members, my daughter always wears the latest and cutest fashions, I have my hair coloured and styled regularly, my car is fully paid off (and it's only five years old). I always have an abundance of food in my cupboards and we never, ever cannot pay our bills!

We have a good life and all my friends are envious of the amount of time that I am able to spend with my daughter. I have read the entire Vault and I regularly implement the tips to have such a fortunate life.

I shop for specials regularly, I bulk buy what I can and utilise lay-by facilities, I am never afraid to negotiate or fight for a bargain or my rights, I regularly check up with companies like Telstra to see what they can do for me for being a loyal customer. I hunt around in op shops for barely worn designer clothes (which are VERY easy to find). I fill my petrol tank when it's the cheapest, I pay my rego yearly and put money away for servicing every week. I have friends and family members do favours for me like maintenance, in return I watch their children and I make nutritious healthy meals on a budget. Best of all I have the most priceless thing of all, spending quality time with my daughter!

Contributed by: Persephone

Keeping up with the Joneses

By identifying my real needs instead of succumbing to the negative 'keeping up with the Joneses' behaviour, I have saved our family $25,000.

We have a new baby arriving soon and so for the last six months I have been whining about getting a new car - and I have been looking at my friends' cars as examples; all cars worth $29,000 or more!

Our car is worth $6000 and would fit three baby seats if need be and even though it is a little on the small side it has only done 90,000km and is extremely fuel efficient.

After almost getting my husband to agree to a massive new loan, I identified the exact things that annoyed me about our car and realised that I could fix all these things without adding $25,000 to our mortgage. Instead of forking out tens of thousands we paid a total of $3500 for new car mats and seat covers; a CD stereo system, roof racks and container for more storage space when holidaying and some window tinting.

I am more than pleased with the results and even saved money by purchasing the CD system second hand (and almost brand new) from a young guy upgrading to the latest technology.

With a new baby in the family it really wasn't the right time to be putting ourselves into more debt!

Contributed by: Nicole Havelberg

Live smart and have it all

Our wonderful daughter is a saver on the grandest scale. At 29 years old and earning a modest wage, she is building her first mortgage-free home on five acres; as well as flying out to Bali for a holiday! She has had several serious health problems but is amazing in her efforts to follow her plan, thanks to the support of her equally admirable husband. Their two horses and two dogs are greatly loved and their lifestyle is totally free of unnecessary expenditure. They own their block of land, furniture and vehicles as they need them to drive to work.

To save rent while rebuilding they bought a duplex then removed junk, scrubbed, painted and renovated by finding the best way to build fences, roof a pergola and fix the faults. Meanwhile they have fenced their own block of land, installed gates, had a bore sunk, built open stables themselves with salvaged material and negotiated the big expenses of shed, driveway and site costs.

They are not without experience as she purchased her first property at 19, a unit which she and her father gutted and renovated. Her husband joined in and renovated a property, then they renovated a joint property before they purchased five acres, built a house and developed it for resale so that they could buy their current land. Recycling has included rescuing old baths for horse water troughs, finding a kitchen sink for a fish cleaning bench and rebuilding an old horse float. They planted and watered tube stock trees, had family members grow cuttings and even used the horses to mow the lawns. In fact one horse was purchased for the knacker's fee and the other was free.

No, she hasn't benefitted from a first home buyer's grant as she was too young at the time of her first unit, or from family gifts. Just planning, following her dream and sticking to the budget. It works!

Contributed by: Marg. Mansfield

Living on less

I find it hard to believe I am the same girl who, five or six years ago, spent all my income and more, was always in debt, struggling to pay my credit card each month and frittering away my future. Three years ago my partner and I left our jobs and opened our own retail business. We pay ourselves less than we were paid in our old jobs (and we both had 'normal' incomes then, not high at all) yet we are saving more. I have often asked myself how this can be, and friends are amazed to hear that we live on only one of our incomes, completely saving the other for our house deposit. I can only put it down to living frugally by planning ahead and keeping our eyes open for bargains, stocking up and being happy with what we have and valuing the simple things in life (clichéd as it sounds).

We make our lunches most days (having a small kitchen and fridge at work helps, however, I had that in my old job too) and buy our lunch for a treat, not every day as we used to. We also have saved a lot of money by stocking up on items we use when they are on special and meat specials from the supermarket which fill our second hand chest freezer. We always plan our evening meal the day before, take the meat out of the freezer and make sure we have all the ingredients. I often will design the meal with ingredients we have at home to use them up. We like a glass of wine and buy our favourites when they are on special at the supermarket. If it's a really good special we buy a case and put it away. That is another thing that has amazed me about our more frugal lifestyle. We have money building up easily in our savings account, always pay our bills on time and have the pantry, store cupboard and freezer fully stocked. It is thanks to Simple Savings and other inspirational sources like magazine articles, frugal living books (from the library, and I purchase with gift vouchers if they're a 'keeper') and staying focused on what we want (get married, have a baby and be a stay at home mother, buy a house). That girl from just a few years ago is no more!

Contributed by: Fiona Macdonald

5. Best of the Forum: Planning For the Future

There's no getting away from it, our Forum members are one very savvy bunch! Whether planning for a new baby or heading towards retirement, they have their futures well in hand and are happy to share how it's done. Check out some of these enlightening discussions!

Sacrificing now to be better off in the future

'Not your typical Gen Y' is rather peeved at an article she's read which insinuates all people need to do to afford to buy a house is stop buying their work lunch and bring it from home. Surely she's not alone in thinking it's not that easy? Our savvy members are quick to offer their voices of experience.
read more...

Helping kids out financially for their future?

Dollarmite's hubby has just revealed his plans for helping their children out when they leave school - and she's panicking. A car? Uni? House deposit? Where will it all end? - More importantly, how will they ever afford it? Here's hoping the members can help!
read more...

Ideas, please, for aged pensioners to plan future

Mary and her husband are in their senior years and trying their best to plan a secure future. There's just one problem - too much interference from everyone else! Fortunately our clever and savvy members have plenty of good tips and advice to share.
read more...

Planning my retirement... LOL

Lorax doesn't need to plan her retirement - her 11-year-old daughter has been busy doing it all for her! A humorous, yet still very thought provoking discussion!
read more...

Planning for retirement pays off

Thinking about the future can be a daunting prospect, but Bev not only thought about it, she took action and is now reaping the rewards. An interesting and helpful read.
read more...

6. Best Members' Blog: Mummy Brain vs Consumerism

One of the many benefits of being a Vault member is that you can win $100 cash each month for your Simple Savings blog! Starting your own blog on the site is easy. All you have to do is log into the Vault, click on 'My Desk' at the top right, then 'Blog'. Then get writing! We love reading all your money saving trials and tribulations and really appreciate the effort that goes into each one.

This month's Blog winner is Tradies Wife with her post "Mummy brain vs consumerism. Spinning the wheels and getting nowhere in a consumer life."

"Hi There!

I need to get this off my chest so here goes.

I'm back working full time. Three days as a teacher and two days helping out my husband in his business. Both require me to do extra hours outside those days. We also have three children and a mortgage... still!

So... I'm not earning great money. Teaching pays, then the slap of child care expenses comes and chews it up. Yes, down the track, once a year I may actually get some of my money back. But it is a long time between drinks. Figures - Earnings $1300 a fortnight. Child care - kept to a minimum at the moment but we are struggling for after school care for my elder children. $350 per week, for my little one. Then I'm looking at $35 a day per child for after school care... yep, 2x children with after school costs another $350 a week. So per fortnight, ummm... hang head in shame, child care is around $1400 a fortnight. LUCKY that I haven't been able to hook up after school care, so far I've managed the children to be dropped off. The way we are operating doesn't seem sustainable.

It's called the middle class hamster wheel... work harder, work more, work more efficiently... put more effort in so that you can obtain a few spare hours. Time poor some might describe this as.

It comes with a few hidden costs too. Just letting you know. To present yourself for work, although you can turn up in that worn out t-shirt and jeans... yep... a few new pieces of clothing to replace those that have worn out during the mummy days. Some make-up. And a whole lot of, what on earth is for dinner? Do we need to shop again? Pre-packaged food in lunch boxes (well my oven isn't working at the moment, and I don't have time to fix it). As well as buying students' rewards and classroom supplies, oh yeah, 21st century public education.

The other costs of this lifestyle are harder to access. While the kids are learning more independence, I am missing their time and their laughter. They aren't getting to their homework, and reading readers at night is pretty hard when I have four week cycles of report writing to contend with. I can't get to my children's sports practice and I've had to cut out any swimming lessons that they can be involved in. I simply just can't get there.

We are spending more and more in our food budget. It creeps up. Stealthily. Along with everything else no doubt.

I NEED off this hamster wheel for long enough to plan and really assess if it is for me. I can't simply be working for a tax return to put some of my child care money back into my pocket.

While I LOVE teaching it gives me a sense of self-worth and I believe in making a difference to my students and doing the best for them, it's difficult in more ways than one.

More than ever, I need Simple Savings. I've renewed my membership today, hoping that it will lead to a positive direction to take what options we do have, make the most of them and feel like we are working our butts off for something."

Good luck Tradies Wife and thank you for sharing!

You can read more of our members' blogs here.

7. Best of SS Facebook: Meat Needn't Be Off Limits!

Love Facebook or hate it, the Simple Savers Facebook group is a great way to learn even more tips and enjoy reading other members' successes. One of our favourite posts this month comes from Yvonne, who shares some valuable insights to shopping for and cooking meat on a budget, including how she turns $50 worth of meat into 55 meals!

"Meat is expensive. I read many posts about bargains to be had buying marked down meat. I never comment as it does not apply to my situation. Today I want to share my story and show a different way of looking at it. I understand that many people are on very limited incomes and/or feeding large families.

I buy my meat at a local butcher in the small town where we live. Today I bought:

4 free-range chicken breast fillets @ $17.99/kg
1.5kg premium mince @ $13.99/kg
6 rashers of free-range bacon @ $24.99/kg

The total cost was $50. I have calculated that this will make 44 serves (plus 11 x lunch serves using leftovers). This is a total of 55 serves which works out at $0.91c/serve for the meat component of the meals. This is what I will make:

Sweet and sour chicken (2 serves)
Green chicken curry (2 serves)
Chicken tacos (2 serves)
Tumeric chicken (2 serves)
Sweet and sour meatballs (2 serves) plus 1 lunch
Hamburgers (2 serves)
Shepherd's pie (2 serves) plus 2 lunches
Chilli con carne (8 serves) plus 2 lunches
Lasagne (6 serves)
Cauliflower and bacon soup (10 serves) plus 2 lunches
Bacon and broccoli risotto (2 serves)
Fried rice (2 serves)
Bacon, broccoli and mushroom quiche (2 serves) plus 4 lunches

The shepherd's pie, lasagne and chilli con carne are all bulked out with red lentils. The meals will be interspersed with some fish and vegetarian meals.

I am not suggesting that you abandon buying marked down meat if you can get a good deal, however, make sure that it is food that you will be able to use wisely to feed your family. Also, think about adding lentils and/or extra vegetables to some mince dishes to stretch them further as well as some vegetarian meals which can be very cheap and filling.

Just because an item is expensive per kilo, it does not need to be off-limits. Think about how much you use and how many meals it will yield."

Fantastic stuff, Yvonne, thank you for sharing! Joining our busy Facebook community is super easy. Either search up 'Simple Savers' on Facebook or click this link and request to join. Once you're in, let the fun begin!

8. Savings Story: Living the Good Life on a Budget

Living in a remote regional area with only a small supermarket and butcher can be challenging enough without the added challenge of being a one income family on a variable income due to hubby's shift work.

To make every dollar count we are careful with how and where we spend our money. We try to shop locally when we can to save money, petrol and time. We carry cash with us whenever we can, and leave our cards at home to avoid over spending. Placing a dollar value on our travel time and petrol costs to our nearest regional centre (115km away, 230km return) makes us plan ahead for big shopping purchases, generally every two to three months, and challenges us to substitute ingredients and plan carefully, thus avoiding expensive impulse buys.

We buy quality, nutritious food and look for ways to stretch our dollars. I cook all meals from scratch, and try to make each meal stretch. If I roast a chook, leftovers become chicken curry, chicken stir-fry or chicken a la king. Brown rice to accompany makes the meals more filling and nutritious. I make chicken soup using the carcass, juices from the roast pan, salt, two stock cubes, 1/2 cup brown rice and leftover vegies from the crisper. They are cooked on low in the slow cooker for 6-8 hours before removing chicken meat from bones and portioning soup into containers for the freezer for lunches or emergency dinner. Leftover lamb or beef roast becomes stir-fry, curry or shepherd's pie. Lamb bones go into the freezer to make lamb and vegetable soup at a later date. I try to cook extra meals to freeze each week and freeze all leftovers to reduce food wastage. I shop with a list and stick firmly to that list. We generally only buy UHT milk and powdered milk, we drink plain filtered tap water, plain mineral or soda water and home-made cordial. Hubby occasionally drinks low alcohol beer which we try to buy on special.

For cleaning, I use vinegar, bicarb soda, cloudy ammonia, dish detergent, borax, gumption and micro fibre cloths. I make my own marmalade, cordial, lemon butter, jam, spreadable butter, salad dressings, mayonnaise, gravy, white sauce, custard, gluten-free cakes, biscuits, gluten-free bread, desserts and fire starters. I challenge myself to only buy the advertised supermarket catalogue specials I need each fortnight, and to plan my meals around these items whenever possible. Hubby only takes home-made lunches or dinners to work. As we are paid fortnightly, we shop fortnightly, but lately I have been challenging myself to shop monthly at a bigger supermarket 40km away, to get more value and variety as I am both gluten and lactose intolerant.

We walk wherever we can (free exercise and the dog gets a walk too), borrow all our books, DVDs and magazines from the local library and read daily news online. I try to buy chemist items such as sensitive toothpaste, dental floss, psyllium fibre, Panadol, aspirin, Mintec and flea treatment for our dog online from Discount Chemist or eBay after careful price comparison.

Recently we have started a small vegie garden to supplement fresh vegetables; growing silverbeet, bok choy and parsley for salads and stir-fries. I plan to freeze any excess. Many of the plants in our garden have come from cuttings my husband has cleverly propagated, saving lots of money and many neighbours have commented on our garden. We have been careful to grow plants such as succulents, rosemary, lavender and geraniums, which thrive in our harsh, dry climate. All are easy to replant into pots and hanging baskets or to swap with neighbours.

It takes practice and dedication to live on a budget, but by being careful we can make our dollars stretch, helping our disabled son with his living costs, while continuing to pay off our modest mortgage and live the good life in a small country town.

9. Goodbye For Now

We hope you have found this month's newsletter helpful. Don't forget to enter our competition with your favourite brainwaves and forehead slaps! One competition which never changes is our 'Hint of the Week' competition. Simply send in your favourite money saving tip (you can enter as many times as you like) and you could win a 12-month membership to the Vault. We really appreciate each and every tip we receive.

That's all for now, have a fantastic month!

All the best,
Jackie

June 2018 - Simple Savings Newsletter

Simple Savings Newsletter - June 2018

Ultimate Gift Planner
Our Screens Off Month
Getting Unstuck on Gift Ideas
Calendar Challenge Reminder: Gift Planning
Savings Brilliance: Ideas are Free
Hint of the Week Competition: Gift Planning
New Competition: Warming up for Winter
May Competition Winners!

Hi,

We're coming into the halfway mark for 2018 and here is your June Simple Savings Newsletter packed with hints, tips and inspiration.

This month has been really busy. Our new site is almost ready to go. The mammoth task of re-building Simple Savings from the inside out is so close to completion, it is tormenting me. I'm like a little kid harassing their parent, "How much longer?" and "Are we there yet?". The waiting is killing me.

Hopefully, a couple of weeks from now we will have something to show you.

In the meantime, I'm going to help you get ready for Christmas. Yes, Christmas :-)

Enjoy!
Fiona

1. Ultimate Gift Planner

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house,
Mother was swearing and cursing her spouse.
The children were hung from the chimney with care,
As Mother went mental with Christmas despair.

Christmas is supposed to be a happy and relaxed time, but there is so much to do in December that some years I spend Christmas Eve huddled in my room wrapping presents till 1am. Well, not this year. This year I have a plan. This year I am going to be super organised and it starts with a printer and a cup of tea. Would you like to join me?

Before that cup of tea, I'm going to explain to you what I am NOT going to do this year. This year I am not going to buy any Christmas presents in December. Because December is the worst time of year to go shopping for anything. The shops are packed, the queues are huge, everything takes twice as long, the car-parks are torture and the shelves in Kmart are close to empty.

Instead, I made myself the Ultimate Gift Planner. Would you like to have a look at it?

It is free to download until Wednesday, June the 13th. Then it will be a Vault members only treat.

The Ultimate Gift Planner works by showing you the who, when and what of your year ahead. First, you figure out all the people you give gifts to in a year. From this, you can estimate how many gifts you wish to give. Then the fun part; thinking of some great gift ideas. By taking a photo of your completed planner with your phone, any time you are shopping, you will have everything you need to get the perfect gift at the perfect price.

No more Christmas rushes, no more getting caught unprepared, no more Christmas queues. Because you will have everything under control.

Our Ultimate Gift Planner is free for you to download until Wednesday, June the 13th. After this it will be a members only printable.

2. Our Screens Off Month

I love Screens Off Month!! We had the best month!! Homework was completed quickly, the bedrooms were clean (mostly), wardrobes were sorted, weeding happened, presents were made, Tristan baked cookies, fudge and even made his friend a chocolate gun.

Tristan's chocolate gun looked so good, I took a photo.

If you would like to make one for a gift, the box is an old cutlery canteen we found at the op shop. We bought the chocolate gun mould on Etsy. Tristan gave the gift to his 12 year old mate who ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!

3. Getting Unstuck on Gift Ideas

We've all heard the saying, 'If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.' Planning ahead is one of the pillars of strength for Simple Savers. If we know what time and money demands are heading our way, we can plan to meet them without hassle. We can even plan for unexpected things by making sure we factor in a bit of wiggle room.

Birthdays, Anniversaries, Baby Showers, Valentines, Christmas are probably going to roll around this year much like they did last time round. Talk Like a Pirate Day, International Sardine Day, Harmony Day, Book Week, International Women's Day, Winter Solstice will all roll our way too. (By the way, 14 June is International Bath Day.)

You're not alone in this. Thousands of members have reached out for ideas on what to give in the forum. There are many helpful threads tailored to specific people, occasions, and budgets. For example, in the forum, member *~.Liz.~* needed ideas for end of year $10 gifts for teachers. Suggestions included sharing a family recipe, giving home-grown dried herbs & spices, giving a green gift like a pot plant or seed packet, and gathering a gift hamper for all staff to share. Another idea was to write a letter telling an exceptional teacher how grateful you are for their extraordinary teaching. Jump into a forum thread for more, or to share your own present know-how.

Some of the forum discussion about gift ideas for teachers are here:

Teacher Presents?

Ideas needed for teacher Xmas gifts

School teacher gifts

The forum is part of our paid members' area. You can get a membership here.

4. Calendar Challenge Reminder: Gift Planning

Imagine if you could give yourself any gift at all. Any beautiful present, just for you. Would it be a yacht? Cartier diamonds? A stable of thoroughbreds?

Of course not.

Simple Savers know the biggest gift you can give yourself is free-time. This month, by planning all the presents you want to give to people for the next 12 months, you will be giving to yourself too. You will be gifting yourself time by not having to dash to the shops for last minute purchases. You will be gifting yourself tranquillity by knowing, in advance, what, when, who and how. And, you will be gifting yourself cash savings that can really add up. No wrapping required!

There are three levels of challenge. Choose one that you think you can do and have fun by experimenting with gift planning.

Beginner level - Make a list of all the people you need to get gifts for over the next 12 months.
Moderate level - Make a list of people and choose gifts.
Hard core level - Arrange and wrap all gifts for the next 12 months.

Drop us a note! Write in with your plans, discoveries and breakthroughs! Sharing our innovations makes us all stronger savers.

5. Savings Brilliance: Ideas are Free

Sometimes the hardest part of gift giving is thinking up what present to give! We've given you a few starters here with these brilliant member ideas from the Vault.

Give the gift of history for under $5.00

Stuck for a unique gift? Try digging into history at the library!

I was looking for an affordable yet special gift for my grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary. I went to the State Library and used the microfiche to look up the newspaper containing their wedding announcement from all those years ago.

For just $2.00 I printed pages of the newspaper, including the front page. I also printed the top 20 songs, movies and major events of the year, all sourced from the web. I arranged the pages in a display folder. My gift was a great talking point at the anniversary party and it cost less than $5.00.

Contributed by: Annette Comiskey

Grandma's calendar gift that gives year round

For the past few years I have been giving my married children a large wall calendar for Christmas. But it is no ordinary calendar!

First of all, I find an organiser-type calendar with plenty of space on each day to fit lots of information. The ones with half of the space taken up with a picture, or where the date almost fills the whole square are not suitable.

I fill in each calendar with all the important family dates such as birthdays, wedding anniversaries, family holidays, national and school holidays, community events, All Blacks games and so on. My sister (a great doodle artist) makes me a set of personalised labels for all the special occasions. She does this each year as her present to me. The family loves to see their special artwork on their birthday space. So the calendar is a work of art to start with and a great family organising tool.

Then I place coloured dots on spaces where they will receive a gift and what it will be. I have a theme for the year and everyone gets the same gift. Last year everyone got movie tickets for their birthday.

My husband and I also plan a family outing. We pay entry fees and accommodation and the children provide their own spending money. They all race to hunt through the calendar to find out when, where and what it will be. I also add in babysitting days, a Grandchildren's Day each holidays, mother/son and mother/daughter outings, a spring-clean day, the odd grocery voucher and a few other things.

The calendar keeps on giving throughout the year. I can budget for a whole year at a time and the expense is spread throughout the year.

Contributed by: Lynette Cassidy

It's the thought that counts not the $ spent

When purchasing gifts (for Christmas in particular) concentrate on the gift rather than the 'amount' spent. Too often I hear, 'Oh I spent $25 on my mum and I have to spend the same on my mother-in-law'. If you find the 'perfect gift' for your mum, for example, and it cost $5.00 and the next gift for someone else costs $15, don't worry about it. It is the thought that goes into the gift that counts. One Christmas I received two bags of soil from my daughter's friend's family farm. Better than potting mix, and a lovely gift for me to make up some pots of strawberries. It cost her nothing in dollars but it was a gift full of thought.

Contributed by: Anne Hockings

Gift tags from pretty tissue boxes

This tip is a great way to make good use of something pretty instead of throwing it away. Rather than recycling or burning old tissue boxes with decorative patterns, simply cut out a gift tag shape, punch a hole in one corner, thread with recycled twine or ribbon and you have a pretty gift tag to attach to your next home-made gift. It's decorative on one side and blank on the reverse for your message. Simple, effective and free!

Contributed by: Susan A

Handmade gifts for under $2.00

This tip is from my Mum!

We love Christmas and everyone loves giving and receiving presents. When my mum told me that she had to buy a gift for each of the eight women in her craft group I nearly died! I couldn't understand why they didn't each buy one gift and each receive one random gift.

But was I surprised: they have rules. The gift must be kept to $1.00 and under no circumstances is it to exceed $2.00. You would not believe some of the beautiful gifts that my mother received - handmade decorations for the tree and house that would have cost $20 or more if bought at a shop and an inexpensive hand towel trimmed with a strip of delicate, intricate quilting that used up the creator's scraps.

And there was more. My mum was lucky enough to stumble onto a Royal Doulton sale where she picked up eight tiny dishes, all different and delightful for $1.00 each. She made shortbread biscuits in star shapes and tied them together in pairs like buttons. Wrapped in Cellophane, they made another fabulous gift.

It proved to me that gift giving is not about the cost of the gift, but how hard you make the money work that you have worked for. In years gone by I used to do my Christmas shopping for family and friends on a budget of between $2.00 and $5.00 a person, and I never left anyone out and everyone appreciated their gifts because a lot of thought went into them. I think those gifts meant more than an expensive item bought on Christmas Eve as an afterthought.

Contributed by: Michelle Quinsee

There are 1233 hints in the Vault to help you buy cheap, affordable and fantastic presents for your friends. If you are a Vault member, login and have a read through them. If not, get a Vault membership. It is a tiny $21 per year.

6. Hint of the Week Competition: Gift Planning

What gets you motivated to write out your present plan for the year? How do you plan? How do you fulfil your plan? What great things have changed in your life since planning your gifts and presents for the year? Please send your best hints in to our Hint of the Week competition.

Giving presents is an important way to express our thanks and care for those around us. Write in and share how gift planning has given more value to the gifts you give. By sharing our know-how with each other, we all become better Savers.

7. New Competition: Warming up for Winter

As we move into the colder months, one of the most costly day to day expenses can be heating our home. This month we have a new competition for your most savvy winter warming innovations. How do you keep your home warm without a rocketing electric or gas bill? What are your best tips for staying cosy and snug? What is your most proficient know-how for keeping Jack Frost at bay? Your stories really do warm my heart. Please send them to me at competitions@simplesavings.com.au

The winning entry will be judged the most entertaining and informative story. We are giving away a $100 main prize and two $50 prizes for runners up.

To enter, send in your story by 20 June. Email your entries to: competitions@simplesavings.com.au

8. May Competition Winners!

Thanks to everyone who sent in their inventive and useful tips about getting and staying off the screens. There were good entries into the Screen Tantrum competition too. Last month's competition winner, Mary Galea, used her rose-coloured glasses to get in touch with her no-screen habits from the past. Member Nicky Allouche found an app to support her family's need for change. And Moni C. used her screen tantrum to find inspiration in the frustration by inventing iPad Library.

Twenty years ago

Winner Screen Tantrum: Mary Galea

I had an 'Enough is enough' moment when the ball tampering issue was on every single media outlet in Australia every single day. When the moment hit me, it was a bolt from the blue, a strike of lightning, a flash of enlightenment.

Twenty years ago I didn't even know how to type. I wasn't glued to every news outlet waiting to hear more. Twenty years ago I was reading books. Going to the library. Watching television shows. There was sport too. But I was playing sport. Having fun with a club and being out in the fresh air on weekends and at training. I was sewing. Making clothes for myself and the kids. I was writing letters, on paper! And getting lots of pretty envelopes with gorgeous stamps from all round the world. I had penfriends, about 15, and that's now dwindled to 3.

Then screens happened. Years ago we had one TV in the house, for all the family. Then there was a TV in the corner of the bedroom when I was confined to bed for 3 months. Only a little one, but it was a second one. Then we bought a family computer. The kids started leaving home. And we upgraded the bedroom TV. And laptop computers appeared. An iPad, a Kindle, and two mobile phones too.

I needed to say enough is enough. So I did. I switched off the TVs. I switched off my iPad. I switched off my laptop. I deactivated my Facebook account. I read real books before bed. I've been going to the library again. It's fun! And I'm sleeping better.

Needed change supported by Our Pact

Winner Screen Tantrum: Nicky Allouche

I was shocked! My family spends so much time on screens. I realised I needed to do something to change our ways. I discovered the app, Our Pact. It allows parents to set times when linked devices can be used. Outside set times all apps disappear from the screen of the device. At an approved screen time, the apps reappear. With a flick of a button on my phone, I can turn all apps on or off from a particular device outside of the set time schedule. This works for us, as my kids can still have their phones to use them as a phone, but don't have all the other distractions that come with devices these days.

iPad Library

Winner Screen Tantrum: Moni C

You know those moments when you've asked your kids for the fifth time to do their music practice, pick up their socks or feed the cat? And they say nothing, nada, because they're sucked into the Land of Screens? You know what I mean, those days where you've been at work, picked up one kid from karate, helped another with high school maths (was maths always this hard??) and now you're cooking dinner while organising something on the phone for the Saturday soccer game?

When it gets like this, I crack! The first time it happened out of my mouth came, 'Right! That's it! iPad Library!' Of course no one paid any attention. They stayed forehead deep in YouTube, Minecraft, and something with cute cats who have to be fed a lot.

From that tantrum we invented iPad Library. It's just like a regular book library, but with iPads. I take the machines and put them, spine out, on a bookshelf. After they've made their contributions to keeping the house running smooth, they can check out an iPad for a limited amount of time. Who knows, maybe one day they'll pull a book off the shelf by mistake!

Till We Meet Again...

That's all I have for you this month. Good luck with the challenges. See you in July.

All the best,
Fiona

June 2021 - Simple Savings Newsletter

Newsletter for June 2021

Fabulously Frugal June - Winter Wellness

Hi,

How are you going? I hope you have been having a great June. This month's calendar theme is Winter Wellness and this month's newsletter is packed with tricks and tips to keep you healthy through the cold months. Starting with Sandra's tips for a happy and safe winter, then onto some great recipes and our competition winners.

All the best,

Fiona

Sandra's tips for a happy, frugal, safe winter

Sandra has put together a collection of her favourite tips she uses to stay healthy during this time of year. Such as, keeping the germs away, wearing warm clothes, warming her house, finding indoor activities, eating well and caring for her skin.

Keeping the germs away

Protecting yourself and others from germs:

wash your hands and use sanitiser
wear a mask
if you feel ill stay at home
cover your face if you need to sneeze or cough.

Warm clothes

Getting cold makes us vulnerable to flus. So stay warm by:

Wearing layers. Such as, thermals, singlets, tights, scarves, jackets, hats and gloves
Wear a good jacket and boots.

If you are needing more warm clothes. A great place to look is the op shop. There's often plenty of brand new items or barely worn things at good prices and most op shops will give you an extra discount if asked.

Warm Home

There are simple things we can do to keep our house warm without sending your powerbills through the roof. Such as:

sealing up draughts
covering windows
only heating rooms you are using
keeping doors and windows closed
hunting for free firewood
using extra blankets
cooking biscuits and tasty treats in the oven.

Inside activities

Stay healthy by finding ways to entertain yourself inside when going outside is likely to lead to illness. Such as:

snuggling on the lounge with a heat pack, blanket and a good movie
start a knitting or crocheting project
play games
work on a jigsaw
make next year's Christmas gifts
catch up on your reading
listening to podcats
list writing and vision board checking
debt busting, chart checking or budgeting.

Sandra's favourite indoor activity is sitting by the fire drinking hot chocolate and eating Tim Tams.

Eating well

Eating nourishing food helps strengthen your body. Such as:

consuming plenty of vitamin C by eating citrus fruits like oranges, mandarins and lemons
hearty soups and bone broths
drinking lots of water
making hot lemon, honey and cinnamon tea.

A delicious and affordable way to add spice to your drink is to soak a cinnamon stick in your tea while it brews. When done, take out the cinnamon and put it into the fridge to re-use next time.

Feed your skin

Germs and viruses can get through damaged skin. Stop the cracks by:

drinking lots of water
using lip balm
use plenty of moisturiser.

From the Vault

These are some of our favourite Vault tips for this time of year.

Homemade disinfectant spray combats winter ills

Keep colds and flu at bay with this inexpensive disinfectant room spray. In our efforts to stay well, we tend to reach for expensive store-bought sprays, filled with goodness knows what, but there's no need. You can make your own natural version using essential oils. Cheaper to make and no chemical nasties!

Ingredients:

15 drops lavender oil
8 drops orange or lemon oil
2 drops eucalyptus oil
1/4 cup water

Combine all in a spray bottle; shake well before each use. Mixtures can be sprayed into the air.

Contributed by: Kimmie

Becky's "kill anything" chicken soup

Because my mum has an auto-immune disease, she is prone to colds, flu and pneumonia and takes an average of 12-18 tablets a day. As I don't want Mum to get sick or have to take more tablets, I needed to think up a way of boosting her immune system. So I started to make ordinary chicken soup, but it wasn't potent enough. That's when I came up with this recipe. I think that it tastes delicious and has plenty of flavour.

8-9 chicken lovely legs, skinless
8-10 chopped cloves of garlic
1 chopped onion
2-3 small red chillies (Remove the seeds if you don't like it too hot as they're the hottest part, or just use one chilli.)
2 teaspoons grated ginger
Oil
2 litres Continental chicken stock
2 finely chopped carrots
1-2 handfuls corn
1 cup macaroni pasta
2-3 handfuls baby spinach

Heat the oil in a stock pot and brown the chicken, garlic, onion, chilli and ginger.

Add the chicken stock, carrots and corn.

Bring to the boil, and if needed add water. Simmer for 15-30 minutes. Take out the chicken, pull the meat off the bone, break meat into small pieces and put back in the pot. Add macaroni and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until pasta is cooked. Add baby spinach, taste, add salt and pepper if needed, then serve.

Since I've started to make this recipe, my mother has had fewer colds. When she has been sick it has not been for as long and has meant fewer hospital visits - not to mention fewer doctor's visits. Between the savings on medical bills, doctor's bills and hospital visits, I cannot begin to imagine what our savings have been but I don't doubt that it's been in the thousands of dollars.

Contributed by: Becky-lee Taylor

Competition Winners

Last month we held a competition for the five best contributors to the Forum and Facebook group. Our x 5 Competition Winners from May, have each won $20. The winners are:

Claire M

For her ideas to assist Fiona in using up the odd things from her fridge and pantry AND for doing an outstanding decluttering job in our Chuck Out Frenzy Calendar Challenge. Claire truly is a wonderful and amazing person.

Aisha A

For the great ideas sent in to help Fiona with her odd food.

'These Banana chips are meant to be eaten as they are like ordinary banana chips. They sound like they might be spicy.

Buckwheat can be ground and used as a flour for pancakes

I add a tablespoon of Chia seeds to my yogurt the night before and then have it for morning tea. I buy large tubs of yogurt and spoon into a container for individual serves to be eaten at work.

Chia seeds can also be added to oats soaked overnight like a Bircher muesli.

Marinated figs - what are they marinated in? Can they be used as part of a cheese board?

Fish crackers to be eaten like prawn crackers.

Kimchi as part of a poke bowl with a Korean twist or with cheese in a quesadilla or toasted cheese sandwich

Lime pickle as a condiment with poppadoms

Mung beans are used like you would red lentils in dal but soak them first.

Thai crackers eat as they are.'

Majella

For her lovely ideas for using up unusual ingredients.

'Chia seeds are lovely mixed with any type of milk (coconut, almond etc) with the grated rind of a lemon and frozen raspberries.

Mix and leave in the fridge overnight (or longer)

Google chia puddings for more lovely ideas.'

Wendy C

Also had some great suggestions.

'Seasoned Banana Chips: They are chips. Just like potato chips, but made of thinly sliced bananas and fried. Eat them like potato chips. Don't make them into flour. You'll be wasting already good snacks. They are usually savoury, but can be a little bit sweet too depending on the recipe.

Fish Crackers: Well, you got the hardest type of fish crackers. The taste is pretty mild. The way we eat them is just like that as snacks, just like prawn crackers. But Indonesians love chili sauce a lot, so we usually dip them into chili sauce/sambal and eat them.

Kimchi: They're sides when eating a meal. You might be put off by the smell the first time trying it. They taste sour and spicy, refreshing. You can either eat it to cleanse your palate before having a different dish, or eat it with rice. But you eat it when you have your meal. Either rice or noodles, or the famous korean bbq.

Thai Crispy Rolls: They are snacks. Crispy, thin and sweet.'

Karina R

For the best post in our SS Facebook Group.

Best of the forum

Two lovely threads for this time of year are:

Soup, Soup, Glorious Soup

This thread contains delicious tried and tested, true favourites. Perhaps you will find some great ideas there!

/fora/529006

Chuck it out Frenzy

May's decluttering Challenge went really well and members are still clearing and cleaning.

/fora/4379364

Sandra's Recipe Corner

Sandra has shared two of her very tasty soup recipes with us.

Minestrone Soup

This tasty Mediterranean soup is full of flavour and has enough nutritious ingredients to be a whole and hardy meal. Serves at least 6

Ingredients

2 Bay Leaves
1 teaspoon of dried Rosemary
1 teaspoon of dried Oregano
1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
Some freshly chopped parsley
3 rashers of chopped Bacon (OR some chunks of ham if you have some)
1 x 140g can of tomatoes
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
½ cup of pesto or tomato based pasta sauce
1 x 400g tin of kidney beans, or similar, rinsed and drained
2 finely chopped onions
2 cloves of crushed garlic
¼ pumpkin peeled and chopped into cubes
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 potato, peeled and diced
4 cups of water
3 cups of stock (I add 2 teaspoons of Vegeta stock powder to 2 cups of water)
250g macaroni pasta
60g grated cheese

Method

Put the bay leaves, rosemary, oregano, ground black pepper, parsley, bacon, tomatoes, tomato paste, ½ jar of pesto or tomato pasta sauce, kidney beans, onions, garlic, pumpkin, carrots, potato, water and stock into a slow cooker.

Turn the slow cooker on high and put the lid on, and cook for 3 hours and 30 minutes.

(Or you can cook Minestrone in a large saucepan for an hour)

After 3 hours and 30 minutes add in 250 grams of macaroni to the pot and continue to cook for 30 minutes or until the pasta is cooked. If you need to add a little more water, as the pasta cooks and thickens.

Check your seasoning and add salt and pepper if you need to.

Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Serve with Grissini sticks for some crunch, or with the usual fresh bread or rolls.

To reheat Minestrone you may need to add a little more water/or stock if you like, as it will thicken on standing. Don't forget that soup often tastes better the next day as the flavours have time to really develop.

Cauliflower and Leek soup

This would be a great use of a bargain cauliflower or cheap broccoli.

Ingredients

1 leek trimmed and sliced - oil to saute it in
3 generous cups of cauliflower florets (or broccoli)
2 ½ cups of vegetable stock
¾ cup of cream
¾ cup of grated cheese

Saute the sliced leek in a large saucepan until tender.

Add the cauliflower (or broccoli) and stock to the saucepan.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes until tender.

Using a stick blender, carefully process the soup in the saucepan, until it is smooth.

Add the cream and ½ cup of cheese to the soup in the saucepan and stir.

Add a little salt or pepper to taste.

Reheat the soup gently, without boiling it.

Serve in bowls with snipped chives for a bit of colour if you have some.

Note - For a lower fat version use milk instead of cream.

Lactose free milk also works well.

March 2010 - Simple Savings Newsletter

"Secrets to Saving Money in Australia" Free Newsletter - March 2010

This issue includes:-

Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: I Will Survive!
The $21 Challenge Is a Rip Off!
This Month's Competition: Before and After
Best of the Vault: Helping Yourself
Best of the Forum: Challenge Central
Sophie Gray: Stuff Happens
Penny's Blog: A Changed Man
Homeopathy Corner: Preparing for Radiation
From Last Month: Keeping My Chin Up
This Month's Help Request: One Pan Dishes
Savings Story: Debts Paid, $1000 Saved!

Hello,

How are you doing? This month we have discovered that we definitely gave our youngest daughter the right name. Elora rhymes with 'explorer', and that's just what she is! We have no choice but to sit back, watch and laugh as she charges around the house, sticking her nose into everything and getting stuck under furniture. As she eagerly opens drawers and ferrets through cupboards, we encourage her along by singing 'Elora the Explorer'. All she needs is a backpack and a map!

This month is $21 Challenge Month and we want you to follow Elora's lead and do some exploring in your own kitchens. You'll be amazed at what you'll find, just like these members!

"I did a $21 Challenge and didn't even realise it! I renewed my membership to Simple Savings at the end of February, after many months' absence and began reading through the Vault every night. The wonderful hints, old and new, encouraged me to cook more, bake more and use the things in my pantry before handing over my hard-earned cash to buy more food.

"I love the idea of a $21 Challenge, but my family has many food sensitivities and requires special diets, so I assumed I would never be able to stick to a 'mere' $21 in one week. Since I track every cent of money that comes into or out of my hands, I had a startling and dramatic realisation. After just ONE week of reading the Vault, my food expenses for the three of us were just $17.32! The week before I renewed my membership, my weekly food expenditure was $183.85! My membership has more than paid for itself already, and I was hardly even trying!" (Teresa Randall)

"I joined your website yesterday after purchasing and reading the $21 Challenge book from cover to cover. I have just completed my stocktake of the fridge, freezer and pantry. The first two were simple enough and enabled me to give them both a good clean out. The pantry, however, was a mammoth task to say the least! My daughters were writing the stuff down as I cleaned and organised the shelves. To our astonishment and embarrassment we had an overwhelming amount of food in there that quite possibly could feed our family of four several times over. It made us realise we were just shopping for shopping's sake and out of habit. This has been such a major eye opener that I wanted to share my experience with you and to thank you for your book. If I didn't buy it and read it I would have most certainly gone out and bought more groceries 'just because' and spent up to $300 per week without batting an eyelid. I am astounded just how powerful this exercise has been, so thanks again for giving me the tools to stand back and take stock!"

(Kristina Perry, pictured with her three daughters.)

"I borrowed the $21 Challenge book from the library. We have just moved house and while we were in accommodation I found I did exactly what you said - bought things blindly that we already had and didn't know! So, no sooner had we unpacked the pantry, than we took everything back out, and repacked it while doing our stocktake. So many things were doubled up, out of date or USI's (Unidentifiable Smelling Ingredients - soon to become chook food when they arrive next week!). I have now labelled all the containers, along with their 'use by' dates so I know where I'm at with my massive inventory. The way things are at the moment, I think we could probably do a $21 Challenge for a couple of months! Thank you for opening my eyes to myself and my bad habits - my husband is so happy we will be spending less cash!" (Kylie Bonnor)

"I received the $21 Challenge book one week ago and was pretty skeptical. I took notes on what was in the pantry, fridge and freezer and was shocked how much 'stuff' I had in all three. I didn't spend any money for four days and only then to buy potatoes and bread for the other half, as he's not keen on pasta or rice. On the sixth day we had $13 left - enough to be able to splurge out on a few goodies and still stay within our $21 limit! I am now planning for one week a month to be our $21 Challenge week! Thanks for such a great book." (Val Reeves)

"I joined Simple Savings a few months ago. I wasn't in debt myself, but I wanted to see how others dealt with it. What has really delighted me and has prompted me to write, is that in the process of dealing with money issues, so many subscribers have discovered a simpler and happier life that doesn't depend on spending large amounts of money.

"Families are spending more time together, friends have been rediscovered and children and parents have found that there are other more exciting and interesting ways to use their time other than in front of a screen, whatever its size.

"In the light of increasing problems of family stress and breakdown, as well as the issue of climate change, the ideas generated through this website are truly life changing.

"Congratulations and well done. This is most definitely a perfect example of 'the whole being greater than the sum of the parts.' Keep up the good work!" (Lyn Hamilton)

All the best,

Fiona Lippey

P.S. WARNING! Fantastic new site improvements ahead!

We have some major upgrading happening in the Vault over the next day or two. It is possible that you may experience a few hiccups on the site while we get all the new functions live, but we promise it's going to be SO worth it! We have been waiting for the new improved Vault for a long time and are really excited. Keep an eye out for some fantastic new changes. You're going to love it!

1. Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: I Will Survive!

Sally strolled round the supermarket, carefully checking prices and totting them up on her calculator. 'Grand total - $18.90. Yes! I've done it!' she smiled to herself as she headed for the checkout. Thank goodness for the $21 Challenge! She could use her savings to pay off her credit card from last month. Pete, bless him, hadn't said a word about her spending spree. He didn't have to; she had been berating herself enough ever since.

Still, this month she was determined to make up for it. The $21 Challenge would soon get things back on track. She was in control! She was a super saver! She was standing in the supermarket queue with an idiotic grin on her face. 'Hmph! Wish I could find something to be as happy as you about!' remarked the woman in front of her. 'I've just done my whole week's shopping for $18.90!' Sally told her proudly.

'That's a week's worth of food?' the woman questioned, sneering at Sally's basket. 'You must eat like a sparrow!' 'Not at all!' Sally smiled sweetly back. 'This really is all we need to keep the four of us well fed for the week. I won't have to buy another thing!' The woman looked at Sally as if she had gone mad. 'Honestly,' she rolled her eyes at the cashier. 'The lengths some people go to just to stay thin!'

2. The $21 Challenge Is a Rip Off!

It would be lovely if the lady Sally encountered in the supermarket was a one-off. But you would be amazed at how many naysayers there are. The $21 Challenge can't be done, it's impossible, it's too good to be true, Simple Savings are just rip-off merchants, you name it; we've heard it.

But the $21 Challenge is no scam. It's fantastic! It's fun. April is $21 Challenge Month. So join us in proving the sceptics wrong and saving truckloads of money in just one week!

You may be wondering 'why is the Challenge so good?' Put simply, it changes the way you see food. Or, as one lady stood up and said in the middle of Jackie's library talk the other day, "Your book changed my life! It showed me all the mistakes I was making with food."

You see, when you do a $21 Challenge you won't just save yourself as much as $300 in a week. You will learn priceless new skills. You will learn how valuable you are. You will learn just how important cooking is and why you are so needed.

Let's face it - you have to cook every day. While you can't change this, you CAN change the way you feel about cooking. Instead of being the usual daily chore, the Challenge turns cooking into a game. It becomes a fun competition where you are the winner; rather than a ball and chain around your neck.

Most of all, the $21 Challenge book gives you the tools to become a legend in your own kitchen. Once your family experiences the awesome job you do of feeding them and have applauded your culinary skills, why would you ever want to go back to throwing money away on takeaways or cooking out of a packet?

The only way to learn how effective and enjoyable the Challenge truly is, is to give it a go. So this month, take the plunge! Take on the $21 Challenge in your own household. If you need any further encouragement, see this newsletter for details of our brand new 'before and after' competition. If you have already mastered the $21 Challenge and Challenge weeks are easy peasy for you, we have a task for you too! Your challenge for this month is to talk your friends into joining you. Lend them your book and share your favourite survival recipes. See if you can change their life, the way the $21 Challenge has changed yours!

The $21 Challenge has been a much loved and integral part of Simple Savings since 2006. If you would like to know more about what it is and how it works, check out the $21 Challenge section in the Vault. All of the tips and recipes are there to help you and others succeed. There is STACKS of information available!

You can join the Vault here.

To order a copy of the $21 Challenge book click here

3. This Month's Competition: Before and After

The entries from last month's short story competition have been brilliant. We are in the middle of choosing a winner and have been having so much fun that we thought we should keep the fun rolling. This month we want to see your pantry - before and after a $21 Challenge! Keep a diary of your Challenge through the week and take a photo of your pantry, fridge or freezer before and after. We want to know what weird and wonderful things you found on your Challenge. What was the best new meal you came up with. Was the Challenge easy or hard? What obstacles did life throw at you and how did you tackle them? The most entertaining and inspiring entries will win.

The best entry will win $200 and we'll also award four runner up prizes of $50.

Please email your entries

Click here to read the terms and conditions before entering the competition.

4. Best of the Vault: Helping Yourself

One of the best things about the $21 Challenge is that you simply cannot fail! Even if you don't manage to squeeze in under $21, there is absolutely no doubt that you WILL save money compared to your usual food bill. When things get really tough, the $21 Challenge is something positive that you can do to help yourself get back on track and back in control. It's amazing how many new ways you can find to avoid spending money during a Challenge week!

Challenge means change

My husband and I want to purchase our own home but we realise that if our current spending habits continue, we can kiss that dream goodbye. Thankfully, I discovered the $21 Challenge through your website and decided to give it a go.

My son has just turned one and loves the pureed vegetables you can buy from the supermarket. Although convenient, these vegetables are expensive, ranging in price from $1.88 to $2.69 a packet. So, I checked the phone book and found a local fruit and vegetable wholesaler. I bought $15 worth of produce, cooked it up and froze it in portions. We now have weeks of pureed vegetables to go over rice, plus pre-cooked vegetables for our dinners. The fruit I buy is also cooked and we now have lots of apple sauce for pancakes and roast pork, or stewed fruit for dessert and breakfast. I have estimated that I have saved about $100 in packaged fruit and vegetables, and I know that all the food I give my family is home-cooked and locally grown.

Even our dogs have benefited! I use the food processor to chop up all the skins, seeds, stalks and leaves off the fruit and vegetables and combine this mixture with some gravy or leftover meat and a raw egg from our own chickens. This means I am now saving about $20 a week on dog food as well.

Thanks to Simple Savings, we are now well on the way to saving up a deposit for our own home.

Contributed by: Katja Bishop

$21 Challenge helps two families

I took on the $21 Challenge, and won! However, my husband was a rather grumpy participant; he loved the savings but not the lifestyle during Challenge week. As he goes away regularly, I decided that every night he's not home for dinner would become a $21 Challenge night for me and the kids - all meals must be made from ingredients I already have at home, and I can only use ingredients that have not been allocated for other meals. This saves money and gives me a night off cooking, as my Challenge meals are usually simple affairs, sometimes as easy as pancakes or toasted sandwiches.

The true value of the $21 Challenge became apparent when a friend was recently diagnosed with a severe form of leukaemia. She is a married mother of four boys and is embarking on a long therapeutic journey that will hopefully lead to a full recovery. As a way of helping her family, the parents at our school have banded together to make all their meals for the next three to six months. As they are a large family, with an above average food requirement, I was unsure how I could afford to help feed them each week. Thankfully, my husband was away the week my friend was diagnosed, so the kids and I lived off the $21 Challenge that week and all left over money was put into making meals to freeze for my friend's family.

We now do the same thing whenever my husband is away - it's a great gift to know that I can afford to cook and freeze meals for my friend's family, and look after my family at the same time. Thank you.

Contributed by: Thomsmum

A Challenge for life

After reading The $21 Challenge, I thought I would see which other areas of my life I could apply the Challenge to.

First, I opened a separate bank account and now deposit $21 every week before I do anything else with my money. I see this as a type of retirement fund - it will be nice to see the funds in 30 years time!

My next $21 Challenge is to only put $21 worth of petrol in my car each week. I will park my car further away from where I need to go; this will save money and improve my fitness and wellbeing.

When my phone contract ends soon, I am going to challenge myself to spend no more than $21 on pre-paid phone credit each month - now that will be a challenge!

There are so many ways we can implement the $21 Challenge in our lives, thanks to Fiona and Jackie's inspirational book.

Contributed by: Shivaya

Don't be afraid to trade

I have just bought your fantastic book, The $21 Challenge, and am working my way through it.

I wanted to try out a few of the recipes, but discovered I didn't have the tomatoes and corn that a few of them called for. So I rang my good friend and asked if she had any to spare that she might like to swap for a whole heap of eggs - we have 21 chickens!

She was more than happy to swap, so my advice is that you shouldn't be afraid to use this method if you require ingredients. I've found that friends and family are usually quite willing to swap, and we all end up with something we want.

Contributed by: Carissa Craker

Many ways to meet the Challenge

There are so many small things you can do to make your $21 Challenge week a big success. Here are just a few:

Limit shopping trips and make do with what you already have.
Plan your meals so that you don't overspend or waste food.
Give your pantry and freezer a regular clear out and use up what's in there.
Look for recipes that use leftovers.
Google for cheap student recipes, for example, www.bangor.ac.uk/studentlife/cooking.php.en
Learn how to joint a chicken on YouTube instead of buying individual pieces.
Buy a side of lamb, instead of more expensive individual cuts.
Hot water with a drop of detergent and some white vinegar cleans a lot of surfaces.

Just imagine the dollars you'll save by doing these simple things!

Contributed by: Dianne Barling

5. Best of the Forum: Challenge Central

With a whopping 91 threads on the subject, our Savings Forum is $21 Challenge Central! All your Challenge questions are answered, recipes shared and meals saved with the help of our savvy members!

Recipes from $21 Challenges

This thread is an absolute gem! Delve into this treasure trove of recipes shared by members during their $21 Challenges. You need never wonder 'what's for dinner?' again!
read more...

$21 Challenge for January 2010

Once again the super-inspiring Claire M takes the reins and leads members in a monthly $21 Challenge to help them get ahead during times of uncertainty. Feel free to jump on board at any time, the Forum door is always open!
read more...

$21 Challenge increases fitness

Who says the $21 Challenge has to be about food? Kimberley vows to find herself a new exercise regime for no more than $21, which gets the members wondering - how many other ways can they apply the $21 Challenge to their lives?
read more...

6. Sophie Gray: Stuff Happens

A friend once told me there is never a 'right time' to have a baby or buy a house. These things are life and we just get on and do them as best we can. I currently have friends facing bankruptcy, others adjusting to life with an unexpected baby 15 years after the last one! Both families are under real pressure; their advice - man up! Tough it out, get a grip! Going to pieces won't achieve anything. Being able to ride through the difficult stuff is the mark of maturity. Do we buckle? Or just get on with it?

I'm all for buckling myself. I'd happily climb into bed, pull the blankets over my head and pretend I'm somewhere else while the tough stuff goes on. But I have people who depend on me. A daughter, a son, and a husband who, God bless him, will likely starve if I don't hold it together.

The $21 Challenge provides opportunity to practice being resourceful whether you need to or not. It does require fortitude but it's only a week. A week where the simple things become the heroes - nourishing, filling and cheap ingredients and a 'get on with it' attitude. It's a chance to take stock, plan where you can and above all be grateful for what you have got.

Oat cuisine

During the Challenge you may need to find new or different ways to use the ingredients you already have to hand. Oats are a favourite staple in our house, and I try to include them in a variety of ways for their nutritional benefits as well as their economy.

Oat bran differs from rolled oats and oatmeal. Basically, the oat groats are rolled more and sifted in order to separate the oat bran from the flour (or endosperm).

So the resulting oat bran contains more fibrous material than rolled oats: a half cup of oat bran contains 7.6g of fibre, whereas a half cup of rolled oats contains 4.2g. Both oat varieties make a healthy contribution to our daily fibre requirements (men 30g a day, women 25g). Consumption of oat fibre has been linked to lowered total and LDL (or bad) cholesterol levels.

Oat bran, rolled oats and oatmeal also contain some potassium, calcium, iron, zinc and selenium.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand considers evidence linking wholegrain intake to a reduced risk of coronary heart disease inconclusive, but the US Food and Drug Administration has a more optimistic view. The FDA allows health claims on certain oat products, suggesting that the soluble fibre in oats may contribute to a decreased heart disease risk.

Everyday meat loaf

Meatloaf makes great family dining. It's quick to prepare and leftovers slice really well for the lunchbox sandwiches the following day.

500g beef mince
1 onion, chopped
1 cup grated carrot - approximately 1 large carrot
½ cup rolled oats
1 tsp mixed herbs
¼ cup tomato sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking spray to grease loaf tin

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl or food processor and mix thoroughly. Press firmly into a greased loaf tin. Bake in a preheated oven for 35 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before turning out and slicing. Serve with tomato sauce and vegies.

Oaty breakfast pancakes

You can't beat a hot breakfast for kicking off the day. The extra fibre in these oaty pancakes provides sustained energy and will help with concentration. They're also delicious so you can serve them for a morning or afternoon tea.

Serves 4-6

1 cup medium rolled oats
1 cup milk
¾ cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 egg
30g melted butter

Place the rolled oats in a bowl and add the milk so the oats begin to soften. In another bowl sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the egg and sugar to the oat mixture, stirring to combine and then pour it into the flour mix. Add the melted butter and stir well. Add more milk if necessary to make a dropping consistency.

Heat a frying pan and in it melt a knob of butter. Place spoons full of batter into the pan, when bubbles appear, turn the pancake and cook the other side. Serve hot with maple syrup or golden syrup.

Oaty crisps

Home-made biscuits make the house smell wonderful and the cook very popular. These are easy and economical to make and go well with a glass of milk or something more grown up.

Makes quite a lot - depending on how big you make them.

100g butter, melted
2 tbsp golden syrup
1 cup sugar
2 cups medium rolled oats
1 cup flour
2 tbsp water
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 180°C

In a large saucepan melt the butter. Add the syrup, sugar and oats. Dissolve the baking soda in water and add to the pan along with the flour. Stir well. Place teaspoons full on a greased tray and bake 10-15 min or until golden. Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.

Sophie Gray is the author of the range of Destitute Gourmet cookbooks. www.DestituteGourmet.com

7. Penny's Blog: A Changed Man

Mar 25, 2010

No, I'm not talking about my husband in the title! Before I reveal his identity I want to say an enormous, sincere thank you to Barb K and every Simple Savings member who has ever contributed to the $21 Challenge. Together, we have changed a guy's life. You see, when it comes to the $21 Challenge I have always believed there to be two types of men. There's the type who wouldn't touch the Challenge with a bargepole for fear of missing out on their daily dose of meat and vegies and then there's the type who say they would love to be married to a woman who can do a $21 Challenge. But in Caleb I've discovered there's actually a third type! I met Caleb on Friday (though I didn't know who he was then). He and his wife were sitting in the front row at one of my library talks in Thames and I was pleased as punch when he came up afterwards and bought a copy of the book. While my library talk audiences are predominantly women, I've been really pleasantly surprised to see the number of men always in attendance and they always end up purchasing a book, whether they are in their twenties or their eighties. Some are single thirty-somethings, some are married with their first baby on the way and some have been married for 50 years, but as one elderly chap told me recently as he bought his copy 'there's always something new you can learn!'

Anyway, back to Caleb. He took away his copy of the book and I figured that was that. What I didn't know was that Caleb worked for a radio station, until his colleague rang me, requesting an interview. 'I have to get a copy of your book for myself,' he said. 'I can't believe what it's done for Caleb - he's a changed man!' He went on to tell me how Caleb and his wife had just completed their first $21 Challenge and got through the week spending just over $20. 'Fantastic!' I said. 'But it's not just that - it's the food!' his colleague Alan went on. 'He's actually baking! He made these awesome Peanut Butter Biscuits (from the book) and brought them into work. Everyone's raving about how good they are. You've even got him putting Marmite under his eggs on toast for breakfast. He's literally carrying this book everywhere!'

Well, you could have knocked me down with a feather! It made my day I can tell you. Alan and I had a good old chat and he told me that he first heard about the $21 Challenge a while back but hadn't thought much about it, other than it was probably just a gimmick and certainly wasn't possible. 'But you know what?' he said. 'This is no ordinary recipe book. It's something to live your life by'. I couldn't help thinking to myself 'Wow, how cool is that! This bloke, who I've never met, likes our book. He likes our recipes (along with everyone else in the office!). Most importantly of all, he gets the Challenge - but he wouldn't have, if it hadn't been for Caleb. It took a physical book and word of mouth for him to understand what the $21 Challenge was all about. Now both he and Caleb are telling all and sundry how good it is! And that's the absolute best we can wish for, that other people like Caleb are sharing their book with others (not to mention their biscuits!) and helping us to help as many people as we can. We've had Playcentres buy a copy, so that groups of young mums can get together and have a friendly competition. We've had church groups buy copies, so that they can help and encourage some of the struggling families in their congregation. To see people helping each other this way through the $21 Challenge is just the brilliantest thing. I don't know if 'brilliantest' is actually a word but that's how it feels so I'm sticking to it!

I'm actually pretty proud of myself too this week! My 'Would Have Spent' account is going well and after ten days already contains $71.50 that I would have spent needlessly had I not had my SS head on. And do you know what all of that would have been spent on? Food and drink. It's my only vice really, buying food and drink when I'm out, but it's an expensive one and occurs purely because I'm not organised. However, this new bank account is really turning me around. I can't bring myself to make any bad decisions because I want to be able to put it away and say 'see how much I've saved!' Noel thinks it's hilarious and says 'why don't you just leave it in the bank?' but hey, I'm a visual person and I want to be able to SEE the results of my willpower. A whopping $52 was saved yesterday alone! $12 of that was on Noel's lunch, as Wednesday is his early start day and he often buys lunch on that day rather than either of us having to get out of bed earlier to make it! However, I managed to throw his lunchbox together in record time and will endeavour to do so every Wednesday from now on. That small thing alone will mean $600 in my 'Would Have' account over a year! The afternoon had the potential to go horribly awry, as we were set for long hours of travelling, dentist appointments and rugby training. Being the thirsty bunch that we are, the boys and I would have potentially spent up to $3.50 each on drinks BEFORE rugby training, then would have staggered out of rugby starving hours later and thrown an extra $30 at Ronald McDonald on the way home. Not so this week, however! I had the foresight to pack not one but TWO drink bottles each, one for before training and one after, and plenty of snacks, including a packet of rice noodles each and a Thermos of hot water to pour over the noodles when we were ready to eat them. The picture of organisation I was!

So I was rather peeved when the Thermos rolled off the back seat and on to the floor when I set off on my journey. 'It'll be fine, those things are bulletproof,' I told myself. Unfortunately not. 'What the heck is all this glass in here?' Ali asked in alarm when he went to pour water on his noodles. Hmm, that was indeed rather inconvenient but I was unruffled. I had a plan! 'I have to fill up the car with petrol so we'll go to the Mobil station and we'll pour hot water from their coffee machine on your noodles!' I told them. It worked a treat - even though the chap behind the counter insisted on charging me $4.00 for the hot water - the same price as a cup of coffee! 'Make sure you take a cup and lid with you when you go - you've paid for that you know!' he insisted. I would have rather he kept the flaming cup and lid and just gave me the water for free! But still, it could have been worse. Grand total spend for the day was $4.00 and the kids were happy. As long as Mum's organised and they've got food and drink when they're hungry and thirsty, I've learned that they really don't care what it is!

March 2010

1st - Bridget Jones strikes again

3rd - We could be heroes...

12th - $1.00 x 18,000

22nd - No such thing as a free lunch

8. Homeopathy Corner: Preparing for Radiation

Have you ever wondered why it is not safe for pregnant women to be X-rayed? Or why they put lead sheets over your body or the person goes behind a screen and hides before they start up the machine? Well, it is because X-rays and radiation are dangerous.

This month's article from Fran Sheffield makes fascinating reading. We live in a world where radiation in medicine is commonplace, in the form of CT scans, mammograms, X-rays and others. However, are they potentially doing as much harm as good? A worrying new study in the US estimates that CT scans could cause as much as 2% of all cancers in the next 20 to 30 years. Fortunately, homeopathic medicine has been proven to actually prevent and reduce the harmful effects of radiation. You can learn more by reading Fran's article:

http://homeopathyplus.com.au/preparing-for-radiation-homeopathic-remedies-that-protect-against-x-rays-ct-scans-and-other-radiological-procedures/

9. From Last Month: Keeping My Chin Up

Last month Kate C asked:

"I've just been told by my boss that I'll be working 20 hours a week from next month instead of 37. I have no choice - it's either 20 hours or nothing and everyone else has been told the same thing. But I won't be able to make ends meet and my husband cannot work at the moment because of a knee reconstruction. The mortgage is the biggest worry, but if I pay that I am really scared I won't have enough pay the rest of the bills. What should I do? I really don't want to lose our home."

We knew that we could bank on our members to come to the rescue with some helpful suggestions for Kate! A big thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences and advice with great ideas like these:

Been there, survived that

When my husband was made redundant in April 2009, the first thing we did was approach our bank and tell them our situation. They initially offered a mortgage holiday but I was worried about three months of interest mounting up, so we elected to make our mortgage 'interest only' for 12 months. This gobbles up half my wages every week but at least we are meeting the payments and we have the other half of my wages to pay for food and utilities.

For utilities, we pay a small sum every week, for example, if our monthly power bill is around $200, we pay $50 towards it every week.

To help us out in other areas, we've planted extra vegetables in our garden and give away excess produce to friends. It's amazing what they give us back in return. Most of all, we've started looking at this situation for the opportunities it has given us, for example, we lost our second vehicle with my husband's job but we've gained precious journeys made every day as a family, which we never would have made before this catastrophe.

11 months on and we have just sold our house and made changes that we never could have imagined making at the time of this event. It will all work out for you in the end!

Contributed by: Rebecca Pearce

Be open and honest

When the unexpected happens in your working lives, and income is drastically reduced, make it a priority to get in touch with anyone to whom you owe money. In almost every case, the people you speak to will be quite familiar with circumstances such as yours, so swallow your pride and declare your situation before things start to unravel.

Loan repayments can be restructured, and even stopped for a time until you are back on your feet. Most utility companies, such as gas or electricity providers, also have hardship plans. Call sooner rather than later, as it will help you make a plan and follow it through.

Contributed by: Vicki Crampton

Students more than pay their way

When money is short, why not take in an exchange student or two? Your kids might have to share a room for a while, but at up to $250 a week per student, this could be a big help when you need some extra cash.

Contributed by: Elizabeth Bundock

Speaking from experience

My husband and I were in a bad financial situation this time last year. If things are not too good for you, let me say that there are options for you, and I promise things will get better!

In addition to living the 'Simple Savings' life, I suggest you contact your bank and request hardship assistance, as there should be options to temporarily suspend your mortgage payments. When my husband and I did this, our bank required a written statement of our incomes and current debts. I included the emotional impact the stress was having on our lives and also put in writing the circumstances that led to our situation, along with the timeframe we believed we needed the assistance for. We also provided letters from our employers showing our changed employment status and copies of our debts i.e. disconnection notices on power bills, reminder invoices and so on. Our paperwork was submitted to our bank manager, who then processed it and sent it to the mortgage hardship assistance team.

It is in the bank's interest to assist you through this temporary difficulty, as they have nothing to gain if you lose your home. Stay positive by actively seeking out assistance as there is help available for you. You will get through this and come out of it a better person. I'm sure of it!

Contributed by: Andrea Storey

Take it to the bank today

With reduced hours, and a partner unable to work because of illness, there are several steps you should take immediately.

First, get your boss to write the change in your hours and income on company letterhead and sign it. Then, get a letter from your husband's doctor setting out the procedure and the estimated recovery time. If you can, you should also get a letter from your husband's former employer stating his income.

Take all of this plus any relevant information on government benefits you may be receiving and a copy of your loan agreement to your bank. Ask if you can go on an 'interest only' schedule of repayments in the short to medium term.

Your bank would rather keep you as a customer than go through the long and costly process of realising the value of your home. However, you need to do this straight away! It is your number one priority. If you default on any payments, it is unlikely the bank will take you seriously.

Contributed by: Rebecca Talbot

Lots of options

If you're on a reduced income, it is good to know that there is certainty about the number of hours you are working. This will assist you when it comes to making a budget and hopefully ease some stress as well. Of course, there are a number of other things you can do to make life easier:

If money is very tight after each mortgage repayment, consider walking, riding a bike or taking public transport to appointments, instead of taking your car.

If you can't pay off every bill completely, consider part-paying the bill. Ask your creditors if this is possible. Also, prioritise your bills and talk to the companies about options.

Can you do without an expense for a time, for example, the internet? Maybe you could use the library's internet.

Consider buying generic brands at the supermarket.

Contributed by: Talia Steen

Extras for Vault members:

Turn hardship into a challenge Contributed by: Annette Lawson

Plenty of practical advice Contributed by: bikerider

Opportunities within a crisis Contributed by: Lucy

Every budget is flexible Contributed by: Elissa Cox

Make that call Contributed by: Loodle

10. This Month's Help Request: One Pan Dishes

This month Emma asks:

"I need meals that are easy for the nights I'm working, preferably cooked in the one pot or pan. Can anyone share recipes for one pan dishes for the oven? I find dishes like lasagne, scalloped potatoes and shepherds pie easy but would really like more variety."

We're super confident that this is one tasty problem our members are sure to be able to solve! Send in your yummy one pan recipes here.

11. Savings Story: Debts Paid, $1000 Saved!

I just paid off my credit card and saved $1000 in five weeks with three easy changes! My first saving was on keeping fit. A friend and I had been going to a gym at great expense ($119 per month!). After six months, we feel we have learned the tricks of the trade, so we've both quit and are training ourselves in a local park.

My second saving was on my favourite hobby, reading. I love books and was buying at least one every two weeks. When I worked out how much this was costing me - at least $500 a year - I joined the local library.

My third saving was on pampering myself. I go to the beautician at least once a month, which costs about $60 a visit. Instead I found some pots of wax at the warehouse the other day for $2.50 each and now do my own waxing.

These three simple things have saved me at least $2500 a year! I have also started making my own cleaning products, baking muesli bars instead of buying, not buying paper towel (you'd be surprised how much difference this makes), using less washing detergent, adding water to body wash and bulk buying shampoo and conditioner. I spent $50 on five litres of shampoo and conditioner 18 months ago and the two of us are not even halfway through!

Another huge saving was purchasing a little freezer and a vacuum food saver. We now buy all our meat from a fantastic wholesale butcher and vacuum pack it and freeze it. I also do this with vegies and rice, as well as baked goods and pre-made meals. It's a great time and money saver.

Last weekend we had friends over to dinner and the only thing I had to buy was a few potatoes for $1.50, as everything else we needed was already in the freezer or pantry. Dinner for seven for $1.50 - not bad I reckon!

Contributed by: Claire Kelly

March 2012 - Simple Savings Newsletter

"Secrets to Saving Money in Australia" Free Newsletter - March 2012

This issue includes:-

Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: Disappearing Act
April is $21 Challenge Month!
Hidden Gems Competition Winner
Best Member's Blog: This Month's Winner
Best of the Forum: A Helping Hand
Best of the Vault: Ways to Win the Challenge
Cooking with Mimi: Spaghetti Pie and Vanilla Panna Cotta
Penny's Blog: The "Haven't Got $21" Challenge
Lin's Garden Diary: Gardening by the Moon!
Homeopathy Corner: Titanic Explanation
From Last Month: Pets at Home
This Month's Help Request: Kids' Clothes for Grown Ups?
Savings Story: From Tears to Triumph
And Now, the End is Near :-D

Hello,

Penny here! Can you believe the $21 Challenge is now in its SIXTH year? Wow, time really does fly, doesn't it! We have now sold out of copies of the $21 Challenge book in Australia and are also down to the very last few in NZ. We are printing some more but they will be a couple of months away so if you are wanting a copy to assist you with your $21 Challenge this month you might want to head to your library or ring around your friends and neighbours to see if they have one you can borrow. We do have some great news for all Kindle users however. Due to popular demand a Kindle version of the $21 Challenge will be available shortly!

Thank you for all your continued support. It is fantastic to read your letters and know that Simple Savings and the $21 Challenge is still helping people after all these years!

"Thank you for a wonderful book. I received it a couple of weeks ago, but have just started putting it into practise because the town near where I live is experiencing floods and I can't get into town. Instead of jumping in the car and driving the long way around (70km instead of 7km) I looked in my pantry and freezer to see what I had. So far this morning I have made a batch of basic biscuits (three varieties), a chicken casserole, a lasagne and some creamed rice and I haven't even touched the surface. Not only am I saving the petrol money, but I am excited about being in the kitchen again and seeing what I can create. Thanks once again." (Elvie Barnes)

"I recently had to cut down on health insurance premiums, car insurance premiums and road service premiums! All are getting over-ze-top expensive. I'm a widow and pensioner BUT with my 10-10-80 budget, I'm doing well. I now look forward to including the $21 Challenge to my arsenal of weapons to win the war! Love your newsletters, the site and blogs. Keep up the great work - you have made such a difference to our families - as well as given greater self-esteem and empowerment to (former) struggling people. You and the team are tops!" (Merryl Christen)

All the best,
Penny

1. Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: Disappearing Act

"Happy Birthday! Hope you've had a wonderful - oh dear, whatever's the matter?" Sally's broad smile vanished at the sight of Chloe standing in the doorway in floods of tears. "It's Tom - he's GONE!" Chloe wailed. "No he's not! I saw him this morning!" said Pete. "Exactly - and he hasn't been back since! He said he was going to take me out to dinner at 6pm but he's still not here!" Chloe said, wide-eyed with panic.

"Um, are you sure you're not worrying a little prematurely? It's only 6.15 now!" Sally said gently. "But it's my BIRTHDAY! And there's no sign of him anywh-wh-where" Chloe replied, lip trembling. "Tell you what, how about we keep you company until he turns up? I brought you some bubbly, why don't we open it?" Sally said brightly. "Thanks Sal," Chloe gave her a watery smile.

An hour and a half later the wine was all gone and Chloe had broken out into fresh tears when they finally heard a knock at the door. "Chloe - I'm so, so sorry" spluttered an apologetic Tom. "I was shopping for your gift but they had sold out everywhere and..." SLAM! Tom found himself staring at the door, gift still in hand. Pete chuckled "Well that's gone and done it. He's never going to get lai - OUCH! What did I say?!"

2. April is $21 Challenge Month!

If you are a relatively new member or this is the first you have heard of the $21 Challenge you may well be wondering what on earth we are talking about so we shall take this opportunity to explain. Are you sitting comfortably? Then we'll begin:

Once upon a time there was a super savvy Simple Savings member called Barb, who wanted to go shopping to buy food for herself, her husband and their two teenage boys. However Barb's plans were thwarted when her cheeky husband came home with nothing but a $20 note. What on earth was he thinking?! There was no way Barb could feed their family for a whole week with just $20! Or could she? Not to be beaten, Barb rummaged around and found a $1 coin in her pocket and vowed to show her husband just how resourceful she could be.

With a big supermarket shop no longer an option, Barb had no choice but to go back to using basic skills which were second nature to our parents and grandparents but have largely been forgotten in today's society of convenience. Skills such as:

Planning the best way to use what food she already had on hand
Using up the food she had first before allowing herself to buy any more
Making smart shopping choices so she could get the best value from every dollar in her $21 budget
Getting creative with recipes and diversifying where necessary
Cooking from scratch instead of resorting to expensive packets

These skills got Barb through the week with ease. She finished the week under budget and nobody starved, in fact quite the opposite. The first ever $21 Challenge was a resounding success! Pleased with her huge saving, Barb wrote to tell Penny Wise of her triumph over her mischievous hubby. Penny was understandably impressed but what resonated most with her was how easy Barb made it sound - and how much fun! She decided to give it a go herself and challenged other Simple Savings members to do the same. The rest, as they say is history and as the years have gone by, the $21 Challenge has spilled over from the Forum into the big wide world of Australian, NZ and US media and eventually evolved into its very own book. Six years on, Barb's idea is still helping thousands and thousands of families make massive savings on their food bills and teaching them to become better cooks and smarter shoppers - for life.

The moral of the story? The $21 Challenge is FANTASTIC. It will change the way you think. It will change the way you cook. It will change the way you eat. It will change the way you shop. It will save you an absolute fortune. But you won't believe just how much until you try it. So this month, give it a go. There is stacks of information to help you and tons of support and recipes in the Vault and Forum. You can learn all about exactly how the $21 Challenge is done in our newsletter archives:

Or for the most up to date and comprehensive information, including a list of the many benefits, you can read the first two chapters of the $21 Challenge book absolutely free. If they don't inspire you, nothing will!

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Best of luck - and don't forget to let us know how you go!

3. Hidden Gems Competition Winner

Thank you to everyone who entered our Hidden Gems competition last month. We had tons of fantastic entries and picking just six winners was no easy task but here are Fiona's favourites:

Bendigo Woollen Mills, 4 Lansell Street, Bendigo, VIC.
Nominated by Bev, Bendigo Woollen Mills sells top quality wool at the right price. If you don't live in Bendigo no problem, they deliver! Vault members can read more about them here.

Legends on Hansen, 20 Hansen Street, Corryong, VIC.
Nominated by Caroline Casey, Legends is the perfect comfort stop when travelling to and from the Snowy Mountains. Vault members can find out more here.

Temptation Bakeries, 8/213-223 Wells Road, Chelsea Heights, VIC
Nominated by Alice, this is the place to go for top quality baking, including REAL pies with real chunks of meat and vegies! For Vault members, more information is here.

Specially Gifted, Shop 1, 107 Princes Highway, Milton, NSW
Nominated by Morag Oliver, you can't beat Pat for terrific customer service and the best prices gifts and kitchenware. Vault members can find out what makes her shop so special here.

Glenferrie Shoe Repairs, Shop 8, 673 - 681 Troubadour Arcade, Glenferrie, VIC
Nominated by Rachel Bucknall, and with good reason - this Hidden Gem has saved her hundreds of dollars already! Learn how she did it here (Vault members only).

Carmen's A Little Taste of Italy, 142 Bridge St, Muswellbrook, NSW
Nominated by Akelamummy, just reading about this family friendly restaurant will make your mouth water. Vault members can find out what makes Carmen's so popular here.

Congratulations to all our winners, they each win $50 cash. Keep those hidden gems coming, you could be a monthly prize winner too! Tell us about your favourite store here.

4. Best Member's Blog: This Month's Winner

This month's winner is Nicky A for this extract from her blog:

First timer on $21 Challenge

OK, $21 was not my budget, I set a $50 budget (but this was for me, hubby and our six kids). This is the first time I have tried the Challenge and was really wondering if we could do it. Armed with my newly arrived $21 Challenge book, I was excited and enthusiastic to get started. I did not have an overly stocked pantry or freezer before starting and in all honesty, if I wasn't on the Challenge this week, I would have spent over $250 this week on meat, groceries and fruit /vegetables. We only have two days left to go as I started on Sunday and I still have $38.40 left in the kitty. I am so proud of myself. My family are none-the-wiser that they have been "doing without" because they haven't! We had plenty of cereals hidden away at the back of the pantry, so this will take care of our breakfasts for this week, along with tinned fruit and 2kg of fruit yoghurt. We also had a good supply of school snacks of various types to get us through the week, along with the fruit /vegies in the fridge. There was some sliced bread and Lebanese bread in the freezer with simple spreads to get us through the school lunches, so only dinner and after-school snacks to sort out.

Sunday - I had to put petrol in the car (not from my budget) and while I was there, I was able to get a loaf of bread and two litres of milk for free thanks to my fuel discount. We had a late lunch BBQ with meat from the freezer, so the kids only ate a snack later on for dinner (two-minute noodles or tinned spaghetti or baked beans).

Monday - For dinner, I found a bag of chickpeas in the bottom of the pantry. Made fresh falafel (chickpeas; coriander; parsley; onion; garlic and spices - all from our garden or supplies). Put on Lebanese bread and served with tomato slices; pickles (another half-used jar from the corners of my pantry used up and Baba Ghanoush (eggplant spread) - found in my freezer from last time I made falafel). An added bonus was the amount of falafel mix I made was enough to freeze half the batch for another time. Yippee!

Tuesday - I had some frozen pizza bases to make homemade pizza. I would have normally gone out to buy some tinned pineapple but I didn't bother and everything else I had on hand. Frozen grated cheese got used up, as did a half jar of sun-dried tomatoes. Added some ground beef (mince from the freezer); tinned mushroom pieces; slices of capsicum (almost ready to be thrown away, so I'm glad it got used up). Delicious and even have enough for a whole pizza of leftovers. I needed to buy more bread - got five loaves for $5.00, some are going straight in the freezer.

Wednesday - had a frozen cooked chicken in the freezer (bought for $2.49 on sale at the end of the day, it has in the freezer for a few weeks, so again, I am glad to use it up). I de-boned it and used a small portion of it for chicken, vegetables and noodles. I had the dried noodles in the pantry, along with the marinade. I also got to use up a bag of vegies for stirfry (the pre-packed ones - I got it on sale last Friday, so not from this week's budget). I needed more milk for tomorrow morning, so purchased 2 x 3lt milk and spent $6.60. So I have a total of $11.60.

Thursday - Kids sandwiches with more of the chicken from last night. This stretched a long way as I bulked up the sandwiches with lettuce and mayo. Dinner we will have spag bol - I have everything I need.

My girls are heading away camping with Girl Guides over the weekend and need some home-baked goods to share with others. That is fine - I have all the ingredients for brownies and also a cake. So no spend there. However for dinner while they are away, they are cooking up sausages. My girls have special dietary requirements - so I will need to buy them their own sausages - but they only need a few each, and there is still plenty of my original $50 left over. I may treat my boys to hot chips tomorrow night and I will still be within our budget!

Saturday night - I have a roast in the freezer and will serve it with mashed potato and peas. So again, no spend here.

Overall, I am thrilled. My pantry and freezer are slowly emptying of all the bits and pieces. I will never shop the same again... look at what I achieved on such a little budget. I have shown myself that my pantry and freezer do not need to be bulging with food. I can cook great food from what we have and simply make do! I can't wait to see exactly what my weekly spend / saving will be.

And... the verdict!

I got my girls $5.00 worth of sausages (more than enough for the two of them). Will get my boys $8.00 worth of hot chips tonight for dinner as a treat. We will eat these with a loaf of bread from the freezer purchased earlier this week and we ALWAYS have BBQ sauce on hand.

Thought I should buy some more milk while I was at the shops (so we don't fall into the trap of purchasing this over the weekend at the petrol station. Cost $6.60). Also had to get some Panadol Soluble for hubby's sore throat $4.60.

So my total of purchases today was $24.20. I had already spent $11.60 earlier in the week. Taking my total spend to $35.80 from a budget of $50.00. So I still have $14.20 left!

I also forgot to mention about our afternoon tea snacks for the kids for the week - (all from ingredients in my pantry)

Mon - Pikelets and jam

Tues - didn't bother with anything. The kids finished off each other's lunchboxes and I had dinner ready when they got home, so they ate early before the mad dash back out for footy training and Girl Guides... no time to sit around eating!

Wed - Cinnamon Cake

Thur - Kids polished off the left over pizza from Tuesday night.

Fri (today) - I will pick the hot chips up on the way home, so the kids will eat early and finish off any leftovers from the lunchboxes.

Sat - I plan to make a batch of cookies from the freezer (one of the bulk recipes from SS).

All in all, I have loved being on the Challenge and plan to do it again soon. I may even delay shopping next week and just see how long we can "get by" just with bread, milk, fruit and vegie purchases. Will keep you all posted and thanks always for the support and your tips!

Congratulations on a terrific effort Nicky! To read more from her, or any of our other members' blogs, click here

5. Best of the Forum: A Helping Hand

Whether you are a $21 Challenge 'newbie' or a life convert, everyone can benefit from the experience and guidance of others to stretch their dollars further. Take a peek at how savvy members in our Savings Forum are preparing for the Challenge ahead.

$21 Challenge for March 2012

Here is the ultimate 'how to do it' and 'what works' guide for the Challenge from our clever member, Claire M. If you have ever wondered how to get started or wanted to follow the success of other members, Claire has helpfully collated lots of useful threads all in the one place. Are you ready to take the Challenge?
read more...

Whatever is left in the pantry cake

A revamp on a golden oldie. Tradies wife has provided this neat twist on the 5-cup loaf recipe from the $21 Challenge book and shows everyone that substituting ingredients is the key to completing your Challenge with style.
read more...

SS Winter veggie gardens, whats in yours...

No $21 Challenge would be complete without checking out what 'Garden Groceries' are growing in your own backyard. Our greenthumbs are here to inspire you with wonderful winter veggie ideas! This thread includes a bonus summary of previous seasons veggie threads too.
read more...

How I choose to spend my grocery money to get more bang for my buck...

If you are lacking in motivation to attempt the $21 Challenge just spend a few moments reading the aspirational journey of Frogdancer as she saves towards debt free living. Well done Frogdancer, what an outstanding example of how the Challenge can be put to work in improving anyone's life!
read more...

What to do with cans of chickpeas

This thread is straight out of the pages of Part 6 of the $21 Challenge Book- Bonus meals: How to turn Pantry Clutter into Cuisine. Our magnificent members offer advice on making yummy meals from mysterious ingredients.
read more...

6. Best of the Vault: Ways to Win the Challenge

We all want our $21 Challenge month to be easy, fun and above all, to slash our grocery bills! The Vault is an awesome resource just teeming with tips and hints to help you stay focused and on track to making your Challenge a success. Go on, what are you waiting for? Dive in!

$21 Challenge is just the beginning

I paid off my credit card, thanks to the $21 Challenge book! I read it, filled in the sheets for the pantry, fridge and freezer inventory, planned my menu and was so excited to spend only $22.65 during my first Challenge. No wonder people are rapt with the book! I love the recipes in the book, as well as my neat and tidy pantry, fridge and freezer. I adore the curry recipes and the weekly life planner. Sophie's Peanut Chicken and Rice is a real favourite, as are the bulk biscuit recipes. In the first month alone I reduced my food bill from $447 to $276, a saving of $171.

Feeling inspired, I cut up my credit card, paid off what was owing and cancelled it! I have a debit card which I can still use like a credit card, but as it uses the money in my account, I have to think twice before I buy something in case I overdraw the account and have to pay bank fees. Without the use of a credit card, I have a more defined limit which makes saying 'no' easier. It is very exciting and liberating to know that I can have more control over my finances with a bit of forward planning!

Contributed by: Vivian Rudowski

'Nothing' feeds us for weeks

My husband is self-employed and over Christmas and New Year we were waiting on a payment that had been due in November. I had not done any shopping for over a month, and we felt like there was nothing in our pantry, especially my five kids who repeatedly moaned "there's nothing in here!"

Of course, that wasn't the case. It's amazing what you have stashed away in containers or hiding at the back of each shelf. On a closer inspection, we found dried beans and lentils, flour, sugar, cous cous, rice and lots of other bits and pieces.

We managed to feed our family of seven on the 'nothing' in our pantry for another two weeks. We are lucky enough to keep chickens, and have a very basic vegetable garden, so all I really needed to purchase was milk. We made pancakes, pikelets and scones, and even a chocolate cake with the cocoa we found - these snacks kept the kids, and hubby, very happy!

We survived until our very overdue payment finally arrived. We have now decided that we will eat the cupboard clean every month, as this encourages us to save money by using what we already have and by not allowing things to go out of date.

Contributed by: Verity Roser

Challenge-inspired $10 birthday party

I had 20 kids and adults coming over for my seven-year-old's birthday party. As the party was due to take place at the end of our credit card month, I had no money to buy the normal party goodies like chips, dip, biscuits and so on. Thankfully, I had recently read The $21 Challenge and had this book in mind as I planned the party. I started to think about what was already in the pantry and fridge. To my delight I was able to make a sultana cake, chocolate slice and Anzac biscuits. I also had fruit cake left over from Christmas which I sliced up.

Now for the party bags. I didn't have much money to spend on these but I had heaps of plastic bags in the drawer. I went shopping and bought two bags of fun size chocolate bars, a bag of generic brand soft lollies and a carton of single serve chips. These treats went into the plastic bags and everyone was happy!

I couldn't believe how much the whole party cost me. Just $10 instead of my normal $50 spend! I felt very pleased with myself and all the guests were well fed. The other mums were also happy that the kids were fed good home-made food instead of junk.

A huge thank you goes to the people behind The $21 Challenge. Without reading this book, I would have been struggling to cater for this birthday party.

Contributed by: Anon

Pattie-licious

A great standby meal for my large family is 'patties'. They're cheap to make and are a family favourite. Into a large dish I grate whatever vegetables I have available, for example, carrot, potato, pumpkin, sweet potato, broccoli and stem, zucchini and so on. I then add some finely chopped onion, garlic and celery tops, including the leaves. I throw in a very generous amount of mixed herbs for flavour, add salt to taste, eggs to bind, and some flour for the binding as well. I blend up some rolled oats to make oat flour, about 1/2 cup for a small batch of patties. The rolled oats makes the patties firmer. I mix all the ingredients together, adding water if the mix is too dry or flour if the mix is too wet.

I heat a pan and pour in just enough oil to cover the bottom. I use olive oil, and have the oil hot enough to seal the patties as they're being cooked. If the oil is not hot enough to seal, the patties will absorb the oil and make the patties too greasy. I turn the patties after a few minutes to cook the other side until golden brown. I serve with salad or vegetables for a main meal, or use them as a terrific sandwich filling.

NOTE: I use an ice cream scoop to pick up the mixture and put it into the pan. This means the patties are the same size and look really good.

Contributed by: Dawn Thyer

A platter from 'nothing'

This hint was a saviour during our last $21 Challenge.

The girls were looking for lunch and complained there was nothing to eat, so I found a large plastic platter and put the following treats on it:

A leftover BBQ sausage, thinly sliced
Two slices of leftover bread, buttered and cut into quarters
A diced kiwifruit
Four strawberries
A small piece of cheese, diced
1/4 tin corn kernels in a lettuce leaf
A muffin, cut in quarters
Four leftover chicken nuggets, cut in halves
A dob of cream cheese with a little corn relish mixed in
Four cucumber slices
Four cherry tomatoes
One Vita Wheat, halved

I gave the girls and myself a saucer each, plus a cocktail fork and everything was eaten and enjoyed. Now we often have 'platter parties' for meals and snacks. A novel way to serve up a meal when you have 'nothing' to eat!

Contributed by: Mona

Home grown advice

I have been collecting recipes that use the same vegetables I have growing in my garden. This helps me when I have a glut of vegetables all becoming ripe at the same time. I produce a variety of meals using the same type of vegetable, however, the flavou0r is always different and the family doesn't complain. Using my home grown fruit and vegetables as the basis of my meals makes the $21 Challenge easy.

Contributed by: Helen Reilly

Here are some cheeky extras for Vault members only

Imaginative lunch box fillers Contributed by: Elizabeth Walker

Long-term Challenge success Contributed by: Georgie P

Reverse $21 Challenge cuts food bill in half Contributed by: Caroline

Use the Challenge for back to school Contributed by: Lorraine Clark

Many ways to meet the Challenge Contributed by: Dianne Barling

7. Cooking with Mimi: Spaghetti Pie and Vanilla Panna Cotta

Don't you love those impromptu dinners that just sort of 'happen'? The ones where someone drops in for a coffee and the conversation and company is so good you end up inviting them to stay for dinner? I've found these are the ones that are the most fun and the most memorable.

But what if that happens and the budget is a bit tight or you're doing a $21 Challenge? Well, I've got good news for you. This month I've got a recipe for a delicious pie that uses a ridiculously small amount of ingredients and a yummy dessert that will use up some of that gelatine we've all got stashed at the back of the pantry.

Spaghetti Pie (serves 6)

This tasty pie is one my mum used to serve for dinner when our family of seven would suddenly swell to 14 because we were all having friends stay overnight! She had a way of magically turning simple leftovers into a tasty feast and this was one of our favourites!

Equipment:

Large saucepan
Pie dish (or for snacks and lunches, use muffin pans or individual foil pie tins)
Cooking spray or oil to grease the pans
Mixing bowl
Whisk
Grater
Colander or strainer
Tongs

Ingredients:

A fistful of uncooked spaghetti. If you form your thumb and forefinger into a small 'O' shape, and measure your spaghetti in the 'O', that's about the right amount.
8 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
1 cup milk or cream (reconstituted powdered milk or evaporated milk are fine also)
1 cup cheese
Seasoning to taste
Leftovers such as sausage, bacon, roast meat, vegetables (optional)

Method:

Preheat your oven to 180°C. Pour water into the large saucepan with salt and bring to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and allow to cook until al dente. While the spaghetti is bubbling away, prepare your dish by spraying liberally with cooking spray or greasing with oil. If you're using foil tins, you'll need to place them on a baking tray for easier transfer to and from the oven.

Sprinkle the base of the dish or tins with cheese. This is going to bake into a lovely base for your 'pie'. Next it's time to mix the eggs with your choice of milk, cream, evaporated milk or powdered milk, and a little seasoning to taste. Your spaghetti should be ready now, so drain through your colander and allow it to cool slightly.

Using the tongs, pick up a few strands of cooked spaghetti at a time and arrange them neatly in the base of your dish or tins. Add in your odds and ends of deli meat, sausage, roast, vegies or any other leftovers. Finally, pour your egg and milk mixture over the lot, and pop your pie into the oven.

The smaller ones will cook in around 10 minutes, the larger single pie version in around 15 minutes. You only want the egg mixture to 'set'. So just bake them until the middles are firm to touch. Once done, remove your Spaghetti Pies from the oven and serve immediately, or store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for lunches and snacks.

We'd often enjoy our Spaghetti Pie served with a yummy grown-up tasting relish or chutney but a generous crisp salad using leafy lettuce and juicy sun ripened tomatoes straight from the garden works wonderfully too. And of course, for anyone still hungry, there was always dessert'...

Vanilla Panna Cotta (serves 6)

Mum never called these by their posh name of Panna Cotta. She called them Vanilla Puddings. We were lucky to have the luxury of having a mum who knew that with a bit of kitchen magic, and very few ingredients, a restaurant worthy dessert was just a blink of an eye away!

These delectable morsels need a few hours to set. But they're almost as easy as whipping up a packet jelly and taste so much better. Once you realise how simple they really are, you'll want to keep them in the fridge for an anytime snack or replacement for an instant dessert

Equipment:

Medium saucepan
Medium mixing bowl
Small bowls or ramekins
Whisk
Measuring cups
Small plates or saucers for serving
Pointed knife for unmoulding

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups milk or cream (or a combination of both)
1/4 cup extra milk
1 tsp vanilla essence or extract
1 heaped dessertspoon of gelatine
1/2 cup sugar
Cooking spray or oil

Method:

Lightly spray or grease your ramekins or dishes and line them up along the bench. Pour your ¼ cup of milk into the bottom of the medium mixing bowl, and sprinkle the gelatine on the surface. Leave the gelatine to sit and soften.

Put your 2¼ cups of milk or cream into the saucepan along with the sugar and vanilla and stir over a medium heat just until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and pour over the gelatine and milk mixture. Whisk well. Pour into your prepared ramekins and refrigerate for a few hours. When they're set like jellies, they're ready.

Line up your small plates or saucers along your bench. Run a pointed knife around the edges and shake the panna cottas gently onto the plates. If you prefer, you can just serve them in the ramekins.

Homemade chocolate syrup is a great partner for this too. A drizzle of that little bit of heaven over the puds and you'll be a mum of legendary status!

You'll see. Entertaining during a $21 Challenge will be water off a duck's back from now on!

8. Penny's Blog: The "Haven't Got $21" Challenge

Another $21 Challenge Month is almost upon us! One thing that a lot of people get mistaken about is that you have to be pretty much broke to do a $21 Challenge. You have to be on the bare bones of your bum with close to no food and no money in order to 'qualify'. However this couldn't be further than the truth. Obviously it is a brilliant tool to fall back on when times are tough and things go wrong but there is never a right or wrong time. Just because you have money in the bank doesn't make you ineligible.

Take Barb for example, the original founder of the $21 Challenge. When her husband came home waving that $20 note after she had asked him to bring home some money for food shopping she could have given him a swift clip round the ear, hopped in her car and gone and got herself the money she needed for the shop she had originally planned. But being made of tougher stuff she chose not to. She decided she wanted to prove a point and show her cheeky hubby what she was capable of. And that, dear reader is exactly what the $21 Challenge is all about - realising what you are capable of. Showing yourself and others how little you can get away with spending, how little you can waste, how resourceful you can be, how creative you can be, what a smart shopper you really are when you put your mind to it.

Thinking back to all the $21 Challenges we have done as a family I don't think there has been a single one that we have had to do out of necessity. I could be wrong but I'm not going to trawl through the last six years of blogs to check! On the whole it has always been out of choice - the first one back in 2006 was for fun, to see if we could and all the others I can remember have been to brush up our skills or to make sure things get used up, or have been part of the Simple Savings calendar like now. But this year will be a little different for us because when April 1st comes we will be starting our $21 Challenge with nothing. Not even $21. Quite simply, we can't spend anything because we haven't got anything so we're just going to have to make do and apply the same principles as we have with every other $21 Challenge.

I have to admit having no cash is a tad inconvenient. I'd be lying if I said it didn't get me down a little sometimes but immediately after I wrote my last blog 'Paying the price for being too nice' I accidentally stumbled upon a couple of threads in the Forum which changed my perspective. First this one:

How broke have you been?

This thread blew me away and soon had me counting my lucky stars and scolding myself for being a great big girls' blouse. I mean for goodness' sake Penny you have HEAPS! You're not living in your car, you're still living in your cute little beach house, surrounded by tons of possessions and two cars parked outside. You have more food in your pantry, fridge and freezer right now than some people ever have. You have enough toothpaste, shampoo and whatever else you need to keep going for quite a while yet and if you don't, you know perfectly well how to diversify. You may not have anything in the bank right now but you still have a LOT. Reading the stories of other Simple Savings members helped me to define what being broke really is and the fact they were brave enough to share their stories and show how they have moved forward was hugely encouraging and inspiring. Just because a person is broke today doesn't mean they are doomed to being broke forever. It also made me see that if and when the proverbial did hit the fan, there is always something more you can do. If they can claw their way out of genuinely dire situations, I can claw my way out of this

And if you want to be truly motivated to save money, take a look at Granny's thread. I may not be where she is yet but I plan to be! Her story really makes me smile:

People think I've won Tattslotto

Brilliant, just brilliant! And that's one of the things I love best about Simple Savings. Whether you have heaps of money or whether you have zippity, we can all freely talk about it here. If you started with nothing and worked your way up to a position of security, you can help others by providing tips and encouragement. On the other end of the scale if you HAD money and now find yourself with none, there are always people like in the two threads I have mentioned to help you see there is light at the end of the tunnel. As Granny herself says 'It amazes me still to see how SS ways can do so much for you' and there's no better proof than her! So I shall stop whinging about being 'broke' and do my $21 Challenge the same way I've always done it, because it doesn't matter whether you have a $100, $21 or $0 budget, the principles are always the same. Will let you know how I go - good luck everyone!

March 2012

9. Lin's Garden Diary - Gardening by the Moon!

A few weeks ago I was introduced to the idea of 'Gardening by the Moon'. It may sound a little like stumbling out into the garden in your pyjamas in the middle of the night to pick your peas but no! It is actually an ancient agricultural practice that has been used by farmers from all over the world for several thousand years.

Talking amongst keen local gardeners it appears many people follow it and swear by it. I was keen to give it a go too and was very excited to stumble across exactly what I needed in my local Post Office! It's simply called 'Garden Diary' and is a simple, step-by-step guide to gardening by the moon. It has a monthly calendar showing the moon phases as well as a breakdown of the best days to plant, sow or dig!

There is a huge amount of information out there on gardening by the moon. The idea is that there are four phases to the moon, each phase lasting 6-8 days, with the moon passing through a complete cycle every 29 days. Apparently during these stages amazing changes happen to the earth as the moon increases and decreases in light and water is pulled up and down from the earth. The first phase is the strongest and weakens during the second stage, lessens during the third stage and finally rests at the fourth quarter. Farmers noticed that all aspects of farming were affected during this time. I guess it's the same way gravitational forces affect ocean tides, and because the Moon is closer to Earth, its effects are more noticeable.

There are plenty of sites on the Internet, so I suggest spending some time looking for something relevant to the area you live in and ask around, you will be amazed by the knowledge of some people. This week my Garden Diary says 'spend some quiet time in your plot, hoeing and weeding'. I'm up for that! Happy gardening everyone!

10. Homeopathy Corner: Titanic Explanation

As the world gets ready to watch Titanic again, scientists are trying to figure out why. Researchers at Ohio State University in the US have found that we like watching tear-jerker films like Titanic because they make us happy. Homeopaths call this the phenomenon the "Law of Similars" and they take advantage of it regularly.

In this month's article Fran tells us more about the "Law of Similars". Click here to read more.

11. From Last Month: Pets at Home

Last month Leonie asked:

"How can a couple with pets and without children reduce the costs of owning a home - mortgage and associated running costs, bills and so on? Nowhere seems to cater for people like us. We don't need a huge home but we do need a yard for our dog and chickens. How do people like us find affordable housing?"

Thank you to everyone who responded to Leonie's help request. Here are some of our favourites!

No shortage of affordable housing options

Hi Leonie, there is still affordable housing everywhere!

Option 1 - Consider a home 10 - 15 minutes further away. If you drive an extra 15 minutes to work or are on the bus for 15 minutes more it is often substantially cheaper. Always search a suburb and include surrounding suburbs. I have seen some gems pop up.

Option 2 -Two bedroom houses. They exist, sell slow and are often on the market longer because most people do not want two bedrooms. Use that as a search criteria in all suburbs and surrounding areas.

Option 3 - Townhouses are still affordable and you can still have pets. They are often cheaper than houses as you have less land.

Option****4 - Buy a home you could live in but rent it out for a few years to get tax benefits before you move in. It helps reduce the cost of mortgages initially.

Option****5 - If within distance to work consider a kit home on land and see some of the tips here on finishing half the house and once you have more money finish the other half.

Option****6 - Really consider whether the city you are in is right for you. My husband and I moved to Adelaide (without any family or friends) and love it here. Houses are also half the price. Jobs are everywhere. Choosing to stay in the current city may not be best for your long term goals. You can always move back later once you have some equity/savings.

Option****7- In the meantime, look at cheaper ways to save on living costs. An old house in a poor area will save rent money for mortgage money.

Contributed by: Louise Harvey

Keep an open mind

I don't know what age group you are in Leonie, but we are in the "looking forward to retirement" bracket. We live in Queensland but have family in South Australia. We realised we could not afford to stay in our house on retirement so looked around at alternative styles of living. We have settled on a small house in a retirement village in South Australia where we can afford to live freehold with just a weekly maintenance fee. This fee covers the cost of water, maintenance of our small front garden, maintenance of electrical appliances included in the house on occupation, painting inside and out when necessary, secure access, no council rates and a small back yard which we maintain. We can have our dog/cat but chickens - I don't think so. I am still working full-time and by the time I can afford to retire next year will be 68. I am looking forward to not worrying about looking after a big garden during my precious weekends, other than watering a few pot-plants. Retirement housing communities can be accessed if you are 50+. Keep an open mind and look around, it took us 18 months to find what suited us. Good luck.

Contributed by: Ann Hanson

Move to the country

If you have transferrable skills, leave the expensive real estate in the city and move to the country. Houses have huge backyards, there is great community spirit and blocks to build your own home on are dirt cheap. Check out Wudinna in SA for example.

Contributed by: Sue Olsen

Be honest with agents

I had the same problem some years ago. Now when I go to a real estate agent looking for a new rental home the first thing I tell them is that 'I have a problem'. They look concerned and then I tell them what pets I have. Then I tell them what sort of place I am after. That way they know my priorities and what places to not think about showing to me. Most reasonable agent know that if you have a pet you are a caring person and there is a good chance that you will look after their property.

Also, have you thought about sharing a house? There are other folk like you out there. I once rented a large house with a nice yard. I had a cat and two small children. I advertised and subleased the two biggest bedrooms to a young family with a dog. Their dog and kids lived quite happily with my cat and kids! Ground rules were laid at the start e.g. cleaning up after their pet, no alcohol and bed times for kids. I always found that if I was upfront with the agent or the owner there were never any problems.

Contributed by: Patricia Parkin

Isisford has it all!

You could come to live in Isisford as we just have - huge gardens, cheap housing - our rent is $98 a week and we are renting our house elsewhere for $340, dogs and chooks welcome and a tranquil lifestyle by the Barcoo river. We are renting but sales of houses here are in the low $100,000's. You can grow your own vegies, with less water restrictions, go to the craft classes and learn a whole new way of living. We are 50 years young and have just made the move from two high pressure jobs which left us frustrated and exhausted every weekend, to being able to live on one wage, go fishing, walking, camping on the river, and actually have time for a social life!

Contributed by: Chris Coles

Patience is the key

I would really recommend cultivating a relationship with a couple of the property consultants in the areas you are interested in. They will be able to let you know when a bargain comes on the market before it gets advertised. This is how we got our wonderful home. Also, don't rush. Set your budget, and stick to it. Make lower offers, you may well snap up a bargain. But being able to do that relies on the mindset of NOT RUSHING! I speak from the experience of being the type of person who does rush. It's never worth it.

Look in areas that are not as trendy as you'd like - in five years' time when you've paid off a chunk of your mortgage you can look at moving on. Or staying and paying the whole mortgage off.

Finally, while you are taking your time and looking around, start saving like mad. Every cent you can add to your deposit reduces your repayments and lowers the amount you will be paying the bank in interest. Ideally you will save a MINIMUM of 20% of the house value, as this ensures you do not have to pay mortgage insurance, which in no way protects you, but is for the benefit of the bank. Purely wasted money.

Good luck, it is daunting, but it is entirely do-able. Remember, house prices are higher, but so are incomes. We waste more of our money on disposable wants than we do on needs. You can do this if you get your head in the right place. Look back to the 1950s for inspiration!

Contributed by: Hannah Chapman

Work your way up

We started our first home searching many years ago and we too owned a dog, no children. After looking at current pricing of houses, I knew I had to find something my husband liked, at a rock bottom price - not at the top, the bottom. We were shown an old wooden house on stumps, structurally sound in an OK neighbourhood, with a safe large back yard, and easy travel to work. We bought that house, it was as good as our current rental, and with the bank, we were on our way. The house had great potential, and we all lived happily with doggy allowed to come inside, and our own painting on the walls. When the time came to sell our beloved house we made a profit, which then allowed us to build on acreage, and now we have three children, two dogs, and two cats. Forget the champagne taste, go for the practical, and open your life with your own home.

P.S. Older homes in our area have bigger yards - lots of happy hunting to you!

Contributed by: Tanya Rognoni

12. This Month's Help Request: Kids' Clothes for Grown Ups?

This month Sophia asks:

"I have lost a lot of weight over the past year and have gone from a size 14 to a size 6. I should be over the moon but I am really struggling to find clothes to fit me. Even adult size 8 clothing just hangs on me. I am resigned to the fact that I am going to have to look at wearing children's clothes but there is such a small selection of shops where I live and none of them have a children's range except for toddlers! Can anyone recommend any stores which carry a good range of clothing for teen girls?"

If you have any tips which can help Sophia, please send them in to us here.

13. Savings Story: From Tears to Triumph

Last week my eight-year-old son had a complete meltdown. He had just been at school camp then to hospital for a pre-op visit as his tonsils are coming out. On the way home we stopped at the supermarket and as we were leaving my son asked me if we could please go and have a look at some MGP scooters. For those of you as in the dark about MGP's as I was a week ago they are brightly coloured really expensive scooters that 'everybody' has.

I had just purchased ice cream so looking at shops wasn't really an option. Then the tantrum started. He was tired from camp and his coping skills at this time were nil. He cried, he screamed, he had snot pouring, because he was never going to get an MGP. He then suggested that maybe I could buy him one next pay day, to which I responded that the next big item we were going to buy him was a new bike. This brought on the response "I hate being %$#@ poor" along with more tears, more snot, and other self-defeating comments.

As a parent I had two choices here. I could either bite, probably yell and generally make him feel even worse about himself. Or I could do what I did. I stayed calm, gave him a big cuddle when we got home, and sat down using my obviously better developed SS skills than I had previously given myself credit for. We worked out a plan as to how he could purchase the $170 scooter. With the money he had saved from Christmas we went and put a scooter on lay-by. For the next five weeks he now has to earn $20 week in to clear the lay-by in time. He chose the toys he wanted to sell on Trade Me and he has worked out with his aunts and uncles how much he can earn by washing their cars and helping them stack their firewood.

I didn't just want to buy him the scooter as he won't value it as much as he would if he had earned it. My son's financial crisis is over and bliss is restored in my household!

Contributed by: Bubble (from her blog)

14. And Now, the End is Near :-D

Yes, we have reached the end of another newsletter! I hope you really enjoyed it and have been inspired to try something new. Thank you to all the members who have contributed this month too! Your feedback is hugely valuable to us so do drop me a line next time you're on our website to let me know what you enjoy and find helpful, or if there are any areas we can improve. If you have enjoyed this month's newsletter, please spread the word so together we can help others save money too? You can either forward this email to your friends or tell them about us on Facebook by clicking the 'like' button on our Simple Savings Facebook page. Couldn't be easier!

Best of luck with your $21 Challenge. We look forward to seeing you next month!

All the best,
Fiona

March 2014 - Simple Savings Newsletter

"Secrets to Saving Money in Australia" Free Newsletter - March 2014

This issue includes:-

Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: Here's One I Saved Earlier
February: Better Deal Month
Ye Olde Shoppe: Grunge-Free Sponges
Penny Wise: My Right Hand Man
Best of the Vault: It Pays to Ask
Best of the Forum: Simple Savings with a Simple Phone Call
Best Members' Blog: Use, Don't Collect
Cooking with Mimi: Café Avoidance Syndrome - Relief is Here!
Rob Bob's Gardening Blog: Preparing the Patch and a Tasty Sweet Treat
From Last Month: Help with Grime Fighting
This Month's Help Request: Help with 'Cheep' Easter Goodies

Hello,

Hello! How are you going? We had a fantastic No Spend February, but not even our efforts could match No Spend February Fanatic Maria who emailed in to say she had saved $300 by 'shopping at home' and cooking from scratch. Good on you Maria!

Well, it's into Better Deal March and we've got some great ideas to show you how to ask for better deals – good luck!

Here are our favourite emails from this month.

"We have had the most amazing time doing No Spend Month and can't believe how much we've saved. Thank you for making me stop and think about the money we unconsciously spend every day. Well, that has now stopped!" (Tineka)

"My mum gave me a Vault membership for my birthday and I am overwhelmed by how much information there is on your website. I can see we are going to really start saving some money with the help and motivation that is on your website. Thanks, Mum and Simple Savings!" (Sabrina)

Have a great month!
All the best,
Fiona Lippey

P.S. We've added A Current Affair's story about Macadamia Oil to YouTube if you would like to watch it. It is a beautiful story. A Current Affair did a fantastic job.

1. Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: Here's One I Saved Earlier!

Hanna couldn't help but smile as Sally sashayed back into the office after lunch. "Wow, that new coffee in the staff room must have given you quite a kick!" she chuckled. "Nope, been too busy for coffee!" grinned Sally. "Guess what I just did?" "Hmm, let me think," pondered Hanna. "Had lunch with a handsome stranger? Bought the winning lottery ticket? Oh Sal, tell me you didn't go shopping again, not after last time?" she said, glancing quickly at Sally's shoes to make sure she was still wearing the same pair as she had been this morning.

"No, no, no, nothing like that!" Sally brushed her off impatiently. "Quite the opposite. I..." she paused for effect, "...have just made a $240 phone call!" "You did what?!" Hanna's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "You spent $240 in a single phone call? What did you buy " a KARDASHIAN HANDBAG?!" "Oh honestly, Hanna, what sort of fool do you take me for? I didn't SPEND $240, I SAVED it!" explained Sally. "I was checking our insurances rates to see if I could get a better deal and spoke to another company during lunch time. I saved us $240 in a single phone call!"

"Oh I see! Well that's brilliant, Sal, well done!" Hanna replied. "And I haven't finished yet!" Sally went on. "I took all that stuff back to Henry Newman's so it didn't end up costing me a cent and when I get home from work I'm going to sit down with Pete and see if we can get a better deal on our phone and Internet and other bills too." "That's great, Sally, you're really on a roll!" Hanna smiled warmly. "Thanks! Not a bad effort if I do say so myself," Sally agreed. "So tell me," she said, raising a quizzical eyebrow at Hanna, "What have YOU done lately?"

2. February: Better Deal Month

Nice work Sally! And now we’re going to be cheeky and throw out the same question to you – what have YOU done lately? Because when it comes to getting a better deal on your power, insurance, phone and other utilities, it really is up to you. Many of us are content to stick with the providers we’ve always had and let our contracts and policies just roll over from one year to the next but the harsh truth is, if you are letting this happen, there is every chance that you are quite literally throwing money away. Sure you may be happy with the company and receive good and reliable service – but you may well also be paying more than you need to while other people are paying less for the exact same thing! Don’t let that happen to you! This month is Better Deal Month – and that’s exactly what we want everyone to achieve for themselves this month.

The good old days have gone

Years ago we didn’t need to keep tabs on how companies were treating their customers or whether we were still getting the best deal we were six months ago. We used not to have to check every rate or policy because we trusted our service providers – but times have changed and now we know we can’t. The deals change all the time without us even knowing and the companies continue to rake in the extra dollars because so many of us never get around to checking what they’re up to since we last looked. Of course they’re not completely inhuman – if we ring and ask them to do better, more often than not they’ll happily do something about it – but all the time we say nothing, they think we don’t care and just keep getting away with charging us more.

It really isn’t good enough!

Why does our loyalty get taken for granted? Why are new customers getting discounts while customers of 20 years get nothing? Because we let them, that’s why! So this month, we want everyone to ring around all your service providers and check that the deal you are getting is the best they can do for you. Speak up now and show them that you DO care or you will continue to be taken advantage of. It only takes a few minutes of your time and the monetary savings are potentially huge. However, it’s not just about money; it’s about exercising your basic rights as a customer. We know that initial step can be a bit awkward or nerve wracking but don’t let fear or procrastination put you off any longer. You won’t believe how easy and empowering it is until you try!

What do I need to do?

The key to making it as easy as possible (as well as making yourself sound as confident as possible) is to be prepared. Before you pick up the phone or jump online trying to find the best deal, you need to know exactly what the deals are you are currently getting! If you don’t have these details anywhere handy, simply ring the company and ask. Don’t try and wing it as it is the only way you are going to be able to make an accurate comparison.

Some things to make note of are:

Electricity – How much are you paying per month? Is there a prompt payment discount or other discount available?
Landline – How much are you paying per month? What are the different calling rates for various times of day? Is the landline part of a package deal?
Mobile phone – How much are you paying per month? How many minutes calling time do you get for this price? How many texts do you get for this price? How much data do you get for this price? Is there a cap on this price? If on contract, is there an early termination fee?
Internet – How much are you paying per month? How many gigabytes do you receive for that price? How much data do you actually use out of that quota; does it suit your requirements or do you not use anywhere near that amount? Is there a cap on the amount of data you use to stop you from being overcharged? If not, what are the charges?
Insurance – How much are you paying per month? Is there a loyalty discount or any other discount? How much is the excess? How much house contents are you currently insured for? Is it enough? What is your life insurance pay out? Do all your policies still suit your current circumstances?

Check too whether there are any other perks, such as reward points, fuel discounts and so on. Everybody loves something for nothing but many people aren’t even aware what other benefits they are entitled to. For example, you could be paying for your kids’ swimming lessons without knowing that your health insurance will take care of these for free! Whichever company you end up going with, find out what they are and make the most of them. It also pays to check with your union, super fund or any other organisation you belong to, in case they offer discounts with various companies, particularly insurance. Once you have all the information you need, you can check out the competition with confidence!

Go and get those deals!

Comparison shopping is easy and convenient online, however you often find you can only get so far and still need to pick up the phone for more information. Also bear in mind that not all companies are represented through comparison websites so it definitely pays to do further research as well. And when you do make those calls, don’t let nerves get the better of you! Remember you are a valued customer and these companies are there to serve YOU. They owe it to you to provide excellent service and value – but you owe it to yourself to get it too.

Good luck getting a better deal this month!

3. Ye Olde Shoppe: Grunge-Free Sponges

We love our Grunge Free Sponges and they are a great way to save money in the kitchen, and the bathroom, in the shed, well pretty much anywhere! They are on special for this month only. You can learn more about them here.

4. Penny Wise: My Right Hand Man

Wow, almost at the end of No Spend Month! On the whole, it's been a really good month. We spent basically nothing, didn't stuff up buying useless non-essential rubbish and consistently made smart choices, yay for us! And then Penny went and got the flu to end all flus! Today is the first day I've been properly out of bed for 10 days - I was so ill I couldn't even sit and watch TV! Even then, I refused to let it affect my No Spend month by frittering money away on the usual things I would normally rush out and get to make me feel better. (This was largely because I simply couldn't get out of bed but hey, it worked well as a No Spend strategy!) And I even dragged myself out of bed each evening to cook dinner for the boys so we didn't waste money on takeaways - even if it was only bacon and eggs! However, eventually we really did run out of food and as I wasn't up to going to the supermarket I did succumb to getting takeaways twice and oh good grief on both occasions they were so bad! Makes you wonder why you bother! Still, sometimes it's good to remind yourself just how rubbish value they are and why it's so much better to cook from scratch. So technically we had made it almost the whole way through No Spend Month and wasted less than $40, which did annoy me as those takeaways were so not worth it but under the circumstances we hadn't done too bad. In fact, we were doing really, really well! What was I going to do with all my savings? Put them away in a separate account? Pay off some debt? Bit of both? I hadn't decided but I couldn't wait for the end of the month so I could throw some money around in a super duper sensible and grown up manner!

And then came the real clanger. Not content with losing a whole week's work due to illness, I decided in my infinite flu-fogged wisdom to pay a whole bunch of my bills twice. I still don't even really know how it happened! I thought I had cancelled most of my usual automatic payments whilst waiting for Gayle the budgeting lady to get back to me with a different plan, so in the meantime I simply paid them a nominal amount manually to keep everyone happy. However just two days later I was horrified to see the automatic payments had also gone through as well! Somehow through all the fevers, aches and pains, I had managed to literally give away more than $700 too much, which put me slap bang back to square one, used up all my savings before I had even managed to save it and basically went and made the whole of next month a lot harder. I wanted to cry - how could I have been so stupid?! There was nothing I could do about it; I could hardly ring them up and say, "Oh I paid you too much, can I have it back?", when they were already being kind enough to let me pay it off in the first place! There was absolutely nothing I could do except kick myself. The boys couldn't believe it after all my premature celebrating but already aware that their mother is totally bonkers, they took it in their stride. "We should be alright - we just need to be really careful," I told them apologetically. "That's OK Mum," said Ali, "We never spend money any more anyway, it should be easy!"

That's Ali all over though; he just gets on with it. Through this whole turbulent year - and the months leading up to it, Ali has been amazing. Even though his world was falling apart he never missed a day of school and still got up at 6.30 every morning, same as always. He always kept trying, not wanting his education to suffer. The day we moved house, even though he was in tears himself at leaving the family home he loved, he worked for hours doing all the heavy lifting when his brother was overseas and helped me to make a new home for us. Even though things have been just as hard for him as anyone else, he has never let it show. And he has always, always been there for me. He is one of the best No Spenders I've ever met, because he never asks for anything. Material things don't really matter much to Ali. He has his own style, knows what he likes and what he doesn't like and will happily wear every item of clothing he owns to death, until his shirts don't cover his midriff and his trousers are halfway up his legs if I let him! I can't imagine he'll ever be rich bless him, as he's far too generous; always spending his money on his friends rather than on himself, right down to his last dollar.

One thing is for sure though, Ali will never starve - and he'll make sure the rest of us don't either! He can cook pretty much anything and is often experimenting in the kitchen making up recipes. It was HE who taught ME how to cook a BBQ recently! He still loves nothing more than hunting and fishing and has been on several hunting expeditions with his dad, each time bringing home meat he has successfully hunted and carried out of the bush himself. Even though we no longer had a boat when Noel and I split up, Ali didn't let it stop him fishing. When other kids his age are wandering aimlessly around town or hanging out in the local Subway, Ali can be found at the wharf fishing for John Dory, or surf casting off the beach - and as of last week he has his own boat! He suddenly remembered his dad having a little old aluminium dinghy which he bought years ago second hand but never used. When we moved to the beach we took it down to the marina, but again it was never used even once. So off he went to the harbour, unlocked the chain which had held the dinghy safe for more than three years and went for his first sail. The first day he rowed and rowed until his arms almost fell off and whilst he had a wonderful time cruising around in the sunshine, all that rowing took way too long and wasted far too much fishing time! So the next day he dug around in the shed, found an old outboard motor which hadn't been used for 10 years or more and spent the morning getting it fuelled up and running again. He didn't know exactly what to do with it and I certainly didn't but if you make enough of a spectacle of yourself someone will eventually come to your aid and it wasn't long before two fishermen turned up at the boat ramp. Before we knew it they had taught Ali and his friend all the various motor parts and how to work them and they were whizzing off on their way! I was so proud of him for having the drive and initiative and now he takes his little boat fishing every spare moment he gets.

Whatever Ali does, he commits himself to fully and gardening is no exception. He asked recently if he could start his own garden so he could grow some food of his own, which was perfect timing as I had just shifted a whole load of soil into a disused sandpit. So he spent a morning preparing the soil, then trotted off to town to buy some plants with his own money and returned with a raspberry bush, as well as blackberry, blueberry - and a curry plant! Morning and night he tends his little garden and it makes me smile to see him happily popping blackberries into his mouth as he goes about his chores, more often than not accompanied by his cat.

We've always been a good team, Ali and me. No longer the 'little guy', he towers over me and I still can't quite get used to the deep booming laugh that comes out of his mouth these days! I'm the smallest in the household now and there's no one more protective of me than he is. When I had a stalker a few months back, Ali was the one who slept beside me at night with a cricket bat and a hunting knife by the bed. Heaven knows what either of us would have done if we had needed to use them but it made us feel better! The funniest thing happened more recently though, just before No Spend Month, when I was feeling particularly low and vulnerable. The boys had been working hard all summer, it was almost time to go back to school and all holidays I had promised them a big day out in the city to do whatever they liked. They had money and they wanted me to live up to that promise and the last thing I wanted to do was let them down but as we trailed around the malls I'm embarrassed to admit I was being a big ol' party pooper. All I could think of was that I shouldn't be doing this, I shouldn't be doing this. I couldn't get my mind off all the bills I had to pay, the petrol it had cost to drive to the city - I couldn't even bring myself to eat as the boys happily scoffed their burgers, having lost all appetite and not having wanted to buy lunch in the first place. What a bundle of joy I was and saddest of all was that the boys could see it and it was having a real dampener on their special day out.

As I trudged around feeling woebegone, I must have looked it too, as I was suddenly accosted by a beautiful young Israeli woman who told me my eyes looked sad and she wanted to give me a treat. I protested and told her I had no money and couldn't possibly buy her miracle skin products but she brushed me off and told the boys to go and check out the shops for five minutes while she put some cream on me. They rolled their eyes but off they duly went and came back in five minutes. And ten. And 20. And 30 and still she kept going. No matter what I did, I could NOT get away from this woman! She was lovely, she was sweet, and she knew her market PERFECTLY. She knew exactly how to tap into my emotions and in my weakened state I let her. Which was still a big old waste of time as just ONE pot of cream cost more than $200 and she was taking me through the entire range! Even if I had wanted the darned stuff more than anything on the planet, I would not have been able to buy it and I told her time and time again but she would not let up. The boys were getting beyond fed up. They texted me, they rang me and even though I was getting visibly upset, again she just brushed it aside. 'You do something for yourself! All the time you do things for your children, this is for you, you deserve this', she said firmly, rubbing more cream into my face and hands. I wanted to cry. This was the boys special day and as if I hadn't already made it bad enough, our quality time was now being completely ruined by a bulletproof midget. How on earth was I going to get away from this woman? And then suddenly, I spotted a tall, thin young man striding purposefully across the mall. 'Leave her alone!' Ali growled as he reached the display. 'Come on Mum, you don't need this shenanigans!' he said (I think we all know that wasn't the exact word he said!) and he literally grabbed my arm and dragged me off. I can't explain the relief - but why hadn't I been able to find the strength to do that myself in the first place? It made me think of the reason Fiona had started Simple Savings in the first place; because she was so sick and angry at seeing vulnerable mums being targeted by marketers and for the first time I truly realised just how heartless companies could really be.

While I was hugely grateful to Ali for rescuing me, the whole experience had left me feeling drained and even worse than I had before. Mostly I felt just plain awful that I had allowed myself to be overpowered in this way and the boys understood that totally bless them. However we had already wasted a lot of time and they wanted to have fun! The boys all jumped at Liam's suggestion of ten pin bowling so I took them to the heart of Auckland's Queen Street; although at more than $20 each for two short games I couldn't justify the expense and assured the boys I would be fine watching. However Ali wasn't having a bar of that! As soon as he discovered I wasn't going to play, he secretly paid for me. He had less money than anyone else and paying for the both of us used up everything he had but there was no way he was going to let me miss out on the fun! I'll never forget his generosity that day. I was so touched I burst into tears, which was rather embarrassing in the middle of the bowling alley. Luckily before I knew it I was crying again because I was laughing so much at our terrible bowling! Our disastrous day quickly turned into hilarity and I think Ali and I would say it turned out to be $20 very well spent - although I'm not sure Liam would agree, as for the first time ever guess who won? Me!

You can get updates on Penny's new blogs on the Simple Savings Facebook page.

...or in our Members' Blog section.

5. Best of the Vault: It Pays to Ask

So much of our annual budgets are spent on loans, mortgages, credit cards, energy, communication and insurance. Well, it's YOUR hard earned money and we know there are savings to be made if you just pick up the phone and ask. Here are some tips, stories, ideas and motivation to get you going...

Don't ASK the bank, TELL them!

When thinking about consolidating your loan or refinancing, don't ask the bank what you can do. Tell them what you want! We have a $245,000 mortgage and a $45,000 line of credit. Our repayments for both are just over $1000 a fortnight. I decided it wasn't good enough so I sent an email to our local bank manager (a different bank to our own). Instead of asking what my options were, I just told her what I wanted. I wanted lower repayments. I wanted our money to pay off the loan quicker, I wanted a savings account for the kids, I wanted less fees. Basically, just a list of everything I wanted! She worked on it for a few days and came back to me with ALL of these things, PLUS a lower interest rate, a discount on insurance, a free session with a financial planner, a discount in fees for changing banks and application fees waived! This will save me $300 a fortnight in repayments meaning we can put more towards our mortgage to knock it off quicker. The best email I ever sent!

Contributed by: Olivia C

Six steps to big insurance savings

I just saved a healthy $250 on my house, contents and car insurance renewals! With all the price increases happening lately, here is a very timely reminder on how to save on your insurance policies.

Due to bad timing in buying a car and moving house in the same month of different years, our house and car insurance and both car registrations are due in the same month! We decided to see if we could save by reviewing the insurances. It was definitely worth it for us as we saved $250 - here are a few steps to help you do the same:

Check your renewal notice and make sure you're not under or over insured! This is where you end up paying - either by not having enough cover on your claim or by having too much and paying a higher premium.
Get quotes from as many companies as possible - even the bigger ones. My best house insurance quote was RACV due to my gold RACV card.
Reduce your premium by increasing excess levels - the higher the excess, the less the premium. Look out for the level where the premium reduction changes from $30 per $100 extra excess, to $3.00 per $100 excess. Get a quote on each excess level - why have a $2000 excess when it only costs an extra $15 to have a $1000 excess on your car for example?
Call up your insurance company and talk about price matching. Nine times out of ten they will do it and as I have found out today, it helps to stay with the same company a few years (and not claim), to get better bargaining power. They would rather price match than have me move to another company.
If, like me, you have too many bills due in one month, ask about getting your policy dates moved. I was able to change the due date of my house insurance by 14 days at no cost. I'll do the same again at renewal time for the next few years until I've moved it a few months into the gap on the calendar.
If you make a saving, find something else to use it on. We're using ours to save towards the family holiday!

Contributed by: AliG

Check phone plan for savings - often!

I've taken some Simple Savings advice one step further and have saved $396 a year! If you've read any of the tips and hints in the Simple Savings Vault, Forum or Newsletter, you would have come across the tip that tells you to check your plans, policies and accounts for further savings. Well I want to add that you should check them AGAIN and repeat! Regularly!

I made some savings recently with my home phone, mobile and Internet plan. I was very happy at the time. I'd done what I could. So I carried on feeling pretty happy with my savings. Then this week, just for kicks, I decided to repeat the process even though it had only been three months since my last check - I am so glad I did!

I found new savings! This time I am saving a further $33 per month - that's $396 a year. I am also receiving a new iPhone and over $400 more call credits than previously and I get unlimited text messages on top of the other great savings!

I don't think it matters which company you're with, keep giving them a call every few months. Some sales people know more than others so ask lots of questions. One rep at one company told me the 4G network has just been installed in my area. I made notes and got off the phone to think about it. I came up with more questions during this time and when I phoned back another rep answered who advised me that the 4G network ends two kilometres from my house! So I saved money by not signing up for something I can't use right now!

If I place the $396 I'm saving onto my mortgage as a lump sum, I'll save $1612 in interest over the life of the loan!

Contributed by: Clutterhen

Phone call saves $200 a year on power

I just saved $51.42 thanks to a quick phone call! I recently received a phone call from a lady saying she worked for a big electricity provider. She offered me an extra two per cent base discount off my current discount, plus $200 credit off my bill if I signed a new contract today. Not knowing if it was a scam or not, I contacted my provider and explained the deal to them.

I am currently getting 13% base discount, a two per cent pay-on-time discount and a one per cent direct debit discount. They couldn't give me the $200 off, but they did increase my base discount to a huge 19%! So using my last bill, which was nearly $900, a further six per cent off my bill comes to a saving of $51.42, in just one quarter! My yearly bills come to about $3000, so that extra discount saves me an extra $200, just for making a phone call. Coming into winter, this discount surely will come in handy!

Contributed by: Becca7

6. Best of the Forum: Simple Savings with a Simple Phone Call

We spend a lot of time trying to squeeze small savings from our budgets - is that supermarket 'special' really so special, can I get another serve from tonight's dinner, is that the cheapest petrol I will find this week? But with a simple phone call, we may be able to save lots of dollars, perhaps hundreds of dollars, off our communication, insurance and mortgage payments. Here are some examples to get you running for the phone!

2014 - Calendar Challenge - March - Better Deal

We want to know about every cent that you save during Better Deal Month - get motivated and share your wins with Claire and Forum members here.
read more...

Health insurance - yay or nay? Would love advice please

Share your experience and the pros and cons of health insurance here.
read more...

Insurance loyalty brings rewards - but only if you ask

Discuss how you can get loyalty discounts on your insurance with just a phone call.
read more...

Does anyone live off the grid or without electricity? Or want to?

Having trouble with your electricity bills? There might be some ideas here!
read more...

House insurance time again

What exactly is covered in your house insurance?
read more...

7. Best Members' Blog: Use, Don't Collect

This month's Blog winner is Frederica who finally put her money where her mixer was!

I recently went late night shopping with a friend. I wasn't out to spend much money, just have a wander around, a cuppa and a chat. However, I came across the bench-top mixer that has been on my wish list for a long time, on sale and further marked down as it was the last one in 'last season's colours'. With encouragement from my friend, and another 10% off from a helpful sales person, I happily took it home, sat the box on the kitchen counter and went to bed.

I tossed and turned all night and lay awake for a few hours worrying about impulse purchases and the number of appliances I already have which, truth be told, are not used to their full potential. By morning I had all but decided to return the mixer without even taking it out of the box. I had managed for years baking by hand and didn't want to add to my 'collection' of under-utilised kitchen gadgets.

To strengthen my resolve I opened the cupboard that stores my appliances and took inventory: a blender, food processor, multi-cooker (steamer, slow cooker, rice cooker and pressure cooker in one) and sandwich grill. All good brands, most used once a month if that. What a waste!

As I stood there though, I started to recall the reasons for each purchase and the plans I had made for using them. Bulk cooking, reduced reliance on packaged foods and takeaway, saving time and money. The reasons were good and the plans waiting. I could still put them into practice and then my appliances would stop accusing me from the cupboard in the corner. I Blu-Tacked a piece of paper to the pantry door with the list of appliances and kind of things I could use them for and resolved to keep a tally of my usage.

Last weekend was one month since my 'change of attitude' regarding my kitchen appliances. I counted up the tally sheet and discovered that I have made use of my fancy cupboard full of gadgets on 27 of the previous 31 days! Success! And the flow on effect of reduced takeaway and eating out has been obvious. My family has also become involved; reminding me to 'add that to the tally' when we're making after school smoothies or shredding vegies for quiche. We have also thought of other 'use, don't collect' challenges, such as sporting gear, cook books and craft supplies.

And the mixer? Well, my husband came in as I was compiling my list and muttering to myself about cooking ahead and freezer space and I told him my thoughts and intention to return it. His response: 'It's not really an impulse buy, you bake a couple of times a week and have talked about getting a mixer for years. It will save lots of time and is a great price. Looking at all the plans you've made, I think you're going to need it!' So I kept it, of course, added it to my tally sheet and got baking!

Well done Frederica - we hope your freezers stay full!

You can read more of our members' blogs here.

8. Cooking with Mimi: Café Avoidance Syndrome - Relief is Here!

I suffer from Café Avoidance Syndrome.

That's where I get really ticked off when I spend $6-$25 on a café meal or treat and leave wishing I hadn't bothered because the food is so mediocre.

We've all started calling it CAS and decided we need to resurrect all of our favourite recipes for café style treats.

It's generally agreed that we have a new excuse for NOT eating out... as in... 'I'm sorry. I'd love to come to the horrendous, noisy food court for an overpriced morning tea, but I'm suffering from a severe episode of CAS'. Hopefully your friends will be sympathetic enough to come to you for yummy treats instead!

So here's a really quick, easy and impressive idea for little bite-sized treats that needs nothing more than a batch of cake batter, some icing made with water and icing sugar and some pretty decorations, to wow everyone.

Cheat's Petit Fours

Makes 30-40

Petit Fours are little bite-sized cakes, usually decorated with fondant in pastel colours and little embellishments like crystallised flowers, sugar roses or delicate icing outlines. These are my quick version.

You need:

One batch of your favourite cake batter or one bought cake mix made according to directions
2 loaf tins, lined
4 cups icing sugar, sifted
8 tbsp water
1 tsp flavouring, for example, vanilla essence, orange flower water, rosewater, coconut or almond essence
Pink, blue, green or yellow food colouring
Toothpicks
Baking paper
Decorations such as metallic or pearl cachous, edible flowers or flower petals, sugar flowers or a piping bag with a small nozzle

Then just:

Divide the batter equally between the two loaf pans. The idea is to bake two thinner cakes, so if you don't have the loaf pans just use a baking dish or lasagne dish, making sure you line it with paper overhanging at the ends so you can lift your cake out.

Bake until firm to touch in the centre, remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Sift the icing sugar to remove any lumps and mix it with the water and flavouring. Add the water bit by bit to get the icing the texture you need... runny but not watery. Dip in to the colouring of your choice with a toothpick, dunking the toothpick into the icing to impart the colour, to allow you to add the teeniest tiniest bit of colour bit by bit to get a delicate pastel shade. You can always add more, but it's nigh on impossible to make your colour lighter if you add too much colouring. You want it the lightest and palest it can be. Of course you can really tint them any colour you like, but they are more authentic done this way.

The icing should be a little runny, but not watery, as mentioned. If it's a little too runny, either add more sifted icing sugar or alternatively use two coats of icing. If it's a little too stiff, add extra liquid, of course, but do it in drops. It's funny how icing can go from not quite runny enough to far too runny with one or two drops of water!

Remove the cooled cakes from the tins and use a bread knife or serrated edged knife to square up the edges and smooth the top if need be. Usually the tops are nice and flat anyway as you've only barely covered the base of the tins with batter. You need nice neat little cubes of cake for this, so once the edges and top are squared off and neat, cut the cakes up. As a general rule, look at the height of the cakes and try to cut the crosswise slices about that width. My bread knife is the right width on most occasions so I use that as my measuring guide. Usually two cuts lengthwise along the loaf and five or six crosswise gives neat, even cubes.

Spread a long sheet of baking paper on your bench or table and line up all the little cake cubes.

Using a teaspoon, quickly spoon the icing over each little cube. Alternatively, use a small jug to pour the icing over them. The icing will run down the sides adding a bit of colour but won't cover them completely as in 'real' petit fours. But they'll be pretty nonetheless.

Allow the icing to cool and harden whilst the cakes are still on the baking paper.

When the icing is set, decorate each little cake as you wish. I love the little pearlised cachous or even those tiny heart shaped sprinkles, but my favourite is edible rose petals. I buy these from The Tea Centre website and you get the most enormous amount - and I mean thousands and thousands - for about $4.00. I put them in shortbread and iced herbal teas and freeze them in ice cubes; so pretty.

You can use your own rose petals, so long as they aren't sprayed. Just dry them in the microwave first. To dry rose petals for kitchen use, spread the petals on a paper towel in the microwave and microwave them on HIGH for 4 minutes. Leave them out in a cool dry place for three to four days and store them in an airtight container.

The rose petals used with rosewater flavouring and tinted palest pink as I've done them here are a treat worthy of any posh five star hotel high tea, never mind a coffee at home with friends.

If you don't have any of those things on hand, make up another batch of runny icing and leave it white. Then either use a teaspoon dipped in the icing to flick back and forth over the cakes to create artistic squiggles or use a piping bag with a tiny, tiny nozzle to pipe dots, hearts, stripes or flower shapes on to the top of each little cake. A re-sealable bag with a teeny corner snipped off will do in a pinch.

And that's it. Petit Fours, all posh and pastel and pretty and all for the price of a cake mix and a bag of icing sugar.

Nice :)

You can get updates on Mimi's new blogs on the Simple Savings Facebook page

or in our Members' Blog section.

9. Rob Bob's Gardening Blog: Preparing the Patch and a Tasty Sweet Treat

Getting ready for the cooler months

Although I'm sitting here typing this blog in the 37°C heat of our lounge room, I have already started to get the plants and the patch organised for the coming cool weather growing season. As we don't get the freezing temperature folks in the southern states get, I can't really call what we get here in Ipswich 'winter'! Our average winter high is around 22°C/71.6°F and the average low is 6°C/42.8°F. Every year we get a few winter mornings of 0°C/32°F or below, but only for a few hours at a time. We do get it fairly easy here weather-wise in the subtropics in winter so we are able to get away with growing some crops that others can only grow during summer.

Seed selection

After the poor performance of the tomatoes this summer I have decided to try and grow our main crop during the cooler months. The plants were hit fairly badly with a mite outbreak and had to be protected from the fruit fly, both things I hope won't be much of an issue during the cooler months. The varieties I will be trying are Berkeley Tie Dye, Black Russian, Boxcar Willie, Carbon and Brad's Black Heart.

The KY1 tomatoes are being started from cuttings taken from a plant currently growing in the patch. I have popped them into the aquaponic grow bed as I find plants set roots in there very quickly.

Along with the tomatoes, I'll be putting some other fruiting plants like capsicum and eggplant into the patch. We'll be growing some proven varieties that include eggplant, long purple and udumalpet as well as bulls horn capsicum. I think we will have enough warm weather to get the plants up and producing before the weather cools down too much. Even if these plants don't do the best, we will have a head start on the next summer growing season.

The other plants that will be going in will be the typical cool weather varieties including peas, beans, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, onion, celery, fennel and some various leafy greens.

When it comes to working out what and when things can be planted out in the patch, I like to use the free online Gardenate guide to get a rough idea. The site has listings for many different zones for us here in Australia as well as zone listings for NZ, UK, South Africa, USA and Canada. There are also helpful cultural notes which come in handy for a quick reference when planning out a planting layout and schedule.

Prepping the beds

The top bed in the patch has been given a bit of a makeover as some of the soil is looking heavy. I found a bit of a surprise on two of the tomato plants roots.

When the first tomato was removed I noticed that some root knot nematodes had infested the roots. The second wasn't as infected but still showed some signs of damage. I have found the best way to treat root knot nematodes is to dig through some mulched up French marigolds. As they decompose, the gasses they release fumigate the soil and knock off the nematodes.

Next layer to go on top of this will be some screened compost from the chicken pen followed by layer of worm castings and topped off with some mulch. The bed will then be left for a month or so to let the green manure break down before some cauliflowers or broccoli are planted out. I might pop a few beetroot or silverbeet in between the brassicas as well. I think all the nutrients in the compost and castings will be more than enough to feed up the soil and the marigold green manure will make some great tucker for the worms in the bed.

There are two other beds that will get the compost and castings treatment in the main part of the patch before they are planted out later on with some brassicas or greens. I am thinking of planting out one of them full of silverbeet just for the chooks. I figure that they deserve a bit of a thank you for all the eggs and compost they provide us with. ;)

Making up a home-grown treat

I decided to whip up a frozen mango yoghurt treat for the girls the other night using the mango flesh we have in the freezer. This is a very cheap treat for us as we already make our own thick set pro biotic yoghurt and the mangoes are all home grown.

No ice cream machine is needed, just a food processor and freezer.

Just a quick note before we start - about half an hour before making up the frozen yoghurt, pop the bowl you will be whipping the cream in into the freezer. This isn't necessary but will make whipping the cream a lot easier. You could also add the yoghurt in at the same time just to help chill it down a tad further.

Frozen Mango yoghurt

200ml whipping cream
1/3 cup honey
600ml firm yoghurt, Greek style works nicely and has a great tang to it
Flesh of three large mangoes (two to freeze, one to mix through at end)
Flat tray for freezing mix

Two of the mangoes need to be frozen. It is probably best to dice the fruit into 2cm cubes and freeze on a tray. This will make it easier for you and the food processor when it comes to processing it.

Chop one mango worth of flesh in the processor until it is broken up into small chunks. Set aside to mix through later.

Once the fruit is frozen solid, it's time to whip the cream to firm peaks. The aerated cream will help give you a lighter, softer finished product.

Slowly drizzle the honey into the whipped cream. This will help it mix through the yoghurt mix more smoothly later.

Add frozen mango and process until smooth.

Pour in cream and honey mix and combine well.

Taste test at this point and drizzle in more honey to taste if needed.

Once combined, stir through reserved mango then pour into flat tray and freeze until firm.

The first time I did this the mix set a bit too firm so I removed it, sliced it up into small sections and processed it again. This lightened up the consistency and made a much smoother final dessert.

I think the best way to top off this very lush dessert is with some toasted macadamia nuts. The three flavours complement each other very well. This can also be made up with other frozen fruits like berries. Koo has even asked if I think frozen lychee yoghurt would taste great, not too sure about that one myself. ;)

Cheers everyone and I hope you all get to play in the patch.

Rob : )»

You can get updates on Rob Bob's new gardening adventure blogs on the Simple Savings Facebook page

or in our Members' Blog section.

10. From Last Month: Help with Grime Fighting

Last month Jacqueline emailed us asking for ideas on getting rid of grime on clothes:

"I am what might be described as a 'well-endowed' lady. I also love my food, which undoubtedly contributes to my endowments! I am also a grot. Not a wash goes by that I don't have at least three tops that need serious de-staining somewhere down the highly visible front. I find no joy in spending hours examining dirty clothes or undertaking laundry detective work to match the right stain remover to the right stain, particularly as I'm often unsuccessful. I am heartily fed up with forking out money for new clothes unnecessarily.

Any tips out there for quick and cheap multi-purpose, all-in-together stain removal? Or culinary behaviour change, other than tucking the tablecloth under my chin? Breast reduction is too expensive!"

We were completely overwhelmed with ideas for Jacqueline - thank you! Unfortunately we couldn't share every email but here are some of our favourite replies:

Eucalyptus oil all-purpose stain remover

As an all-purpose laundry stain remover, I use eucalyptus oil mixed with water in a spray bottle. I find it is great! Use about 20ml of oil and top up a 500ml spray bottle with water. Shake before use, spray the stain, leave for a minute or so, then wash as usual. I buy my eucalyptus oil from Aldi for about $4.99 for a 100ml bottle. As I'm a wildlife carer, some of the stains I have to deal with are 'very interesting'!

Contributed by: Jenny Beatson

Morning Fresh just not for dishes!

When you're faced with food spots on clothing, you only need two things! First up is just use a basic wipe, any kind, to clean up the spill. The great thing is you can use them anywhere, they dry out quickly and the mark has gone. If you miss catching a dribble at the time, the other thing I use for all stains, including blood, is Morning Fresh (and only Morning Fresh, other brands don't seem to work). Dribble it onto the offending spot, rub it in with your fingers, then throw it into the washing machine and wash as usual. Magic!

Contributed by: Wendy Murphy

Quality laundry powder and Napisan answer to stains

I have saved hundreds of dollars on clothing ruined from spills simply by using a good quality laundry powder and Vanish Napisan Oxyaction. Buy good quality powders (Aldi's Trimat Advance, Coles Ultra Concentrate and so on) and use half and half measure with Vanish Napisan Oxyaction on a delicate cycle. If there is a particularly troubling stain, an overnight soak in a bucket with warm water and Vanish Napisan Oxyaction should do the trick. Time and money well saved not having to have multiple products and I can't remember the last time I found a stain which survived a wash using this method!

Contributed by: Leslie M

Simple soap and nail brush for stains

My best standby stain remover is a bar of soap (household/laundry/cheap toilet soap) and a soft nail brush. If the stain is fresh, immediately apply cold water and a gentle scrub with the nail brush should remove it. Rinse and if the stain is still there, soap and scrub again. If I cannot remove a stain with this method I soak the article in cold water or a laundry/nappy soaker solution (cheapest on special) for 24-48 hours. I then add the article and its soaking solution to the washing machine and do a plain cold wash. I rarely fail to remove a stain with these methods. Tomato-based stains are the worst but if I particularly like the item of clothing I will carry on soaking and scrubbing until the stain is gone.

If I find something nice in an op shop but it has a stain I get it anyway as I'm almost certain I can remove it! I am always surprised when I get a 'new' op shop garment by how much detergent is left in the fabric. It usually froths up the water for at least two washes in plain water (just a hint if you have anyone with delicate skin in the family).

I haven't bought any commercial stain removers or laundry detergent for years - that is a lot of money saved! I usually go through two to three containers of laundry/nappy soaker a year which is my only laundry expense. I should add I don't have a very dirty job or kids or a sweaty husband with a dirty job but I do have three dogs and their blankets are just as clean/fresh as when I washed with detergent.

I should add a word of caution that if you have a stain on fine or delicate fabric - scrubbing, even with a soft nail brush, may damage the fabric.

Contributed by: Jo Bodey

Shampoo stains away!

My favourite stain remover, which I use all the time, is a mix of one half water and one half cheap shampoo in a spray bottle. A short spray and a gentle rub then just into the wash.

Contributed by: Loris Manns

White vinegar great stain solution

Getting stains out on clothes with white vinegar works a treat! Just pour a little white vinegar on the stain and throw it in your normal wash. When it comes to washing, white vinegar also doubles as a softener so throw a cup in during the rinse cycle! It's cheaper and better for your clothes and your wallet!

Contributed by: Leanne S.

Window cleaner clears clothes stain

A good cheap way to get stains from clothes is to spray with window cleaner before washing.

Contributed by: Gweneth Baker

Retro tip for clean clothes!

An apron or 'pinnie' as my mum and nan called them, is the best solution to keeping clothes clean! You can often pick them up cheaply in op shops or make your own if you're handy with a sewing machine. They can be plain and practical, or over-the-top 50's style flowery fabric with frills! With the 'shabby chic' era and revival of afternoon teas, wearing an apron is now trendy. However, make sure you pop it on to cook and keep it on while you eat. You could even go completely 50's style, in which case you can flit around the house all day in it, particularly if you have a feather duster in your hand!

Another retro tip is to 'sponge' your clothes. If you spill something, immediately get a damp cloth and blot then rub the spill. Very often it will come out straight away or will come out easily in the wash. Back when there were no automatic washing machines, it was essential to get more than just one wear out of clothes, hence aprons and sponging were essential. Less washing is also very SS so you win all around!

Contributed by: helendt

'Simple Savings' stain remover

I use the Simple Savings cleaner (vinegar, washing soda etc) for many stains. I'm not sure if I would chance it on silk or delicate fabrics but I've found that there have been no adverse effects on my clothes so far. I've used it on dog footprints, food splashes, tomato stains and even mould stains to good effect. The only other stain remover I have is a generic nappy wash I add a little of into every load.

Contributed by: Sue J

Stain help with cloudy ammonia

To help remove stains from clothing, try soaking clothes in hot water and cloudy ammonia before washing as normal. Alternatively, put some cloudy ammonia in your washing machine.

I do this with teenage boys' white socks and it is amazing how clean they become! Also, a little rub with a bar of Velvet soap or similar costs very little and can remove many stains easily. Cloth nappies washed with soap and a splash of cloudy ammonia will always be snowy white.

Contributed by: Leanne Neist

Dish the dirt on stains with dishwashing detergent

I have found that most food stains that linger on the front of tops can be removed by a simple pre-wash rub with dish washing detergent. I find this only takes me a few seconds and I regard it as an important part of pre-wash preparation. Be careful with delicate fabrics - do this as you put them in the machine and don't leave the load sitting in the machine without washing it. You don't need to keep a range of expensive stain removers.

Contributed by: Susan Herd

Sard works wonders on laundry stains

I use Sard Wonder soap to get rid of stains on clothing. Just wet the stained area and rub with Sard soap, give it a quick scrub together and then pop in the wash. I had a red wine stain on a white lace tablecloth and it disappeared completely after I used Sard soap and soaked it in cold water.

Contributed by: Gloria Cashman

11. This Month's Help Request: Help with 'Cheep' Easter Goodies

Aimee has emailed asking for some help! She writes:

"Now I have stopped working I'm looking at ways to cut expenses. With Easter coming up I need some ideas to give Easter gifts to my four children, their partners and my 13 grandchildren, aged from two to 19. I would normally just go and buy Easter eggs for everyone - last year this cost me over $250! I just can't afford to do that this year so would love to hear some crafty and clever ideas or recipes to cook, to give them this Easter."

If you have any pearls of wisdom you'd like to share with Aimee, please send them in to us here.

12. Goodbye for Now

Well, that's your Simple Savings Newsletter for March 2014 and we hope you have enjoyed it. We can't wait to hear how you have saved money this month and what Better Deals you have managed to find! Please let us know on the Forum or post on our Facebook page.

Till next time...
All the best,
Fiona

March 2016 - Simple Savings Newsletter

"Secrets to Saving Money" Free Newsletter - March 2016

This issue includes:-

Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: Absolutely Fabulous
March: If in Doubt, Go Without
COMPETITION: Impossible Promises
The 100 Million Dollar Challenge
Best of the Vault: Where There's a Will, There's a Way!
Best of the Forum: Celebrations and Commiserations
Best Members' Blog: How to Find Clearance Items
Best of SS Facebook: Yippee, I'm Debt-Free!
Saving Story: House Sitting Has Enriched My Life - and My Wallet!

Thank you,

After last month's newsletter we have been swamped with great hints. Thank you! We've had a great time reading and editing them all. If you can think of any more tricks, please send them in to us here.

We also received some beautiful, heart melting compliments. I've chosen to share this one with you because Linda isn't just thanking me. She is thanking every single person who contributed, shared, helped out and bought the $21 Challenge book. Together we changed Linda's life.

"It all started with a simple little hint in a book called 'The $21 Challenge'; inventory what you have in your pantry first.

"We went from two incomes, debt and struggling to one low income, money in the bank and looking for our first investment property. Today we saw a bank manager to see if we could get a small amount of money to cover the final amount of the cost of the property we want to buy. We will have the property paid off in less than the 10 years we have until retirement and then we will move into it. The bank manager was very impressed and doesn't see an issue and we should have official approval in a few days. We're still spinning from that news!

"We will literally be getting our sea change, from the mountains to the sea side.

"I am writing to you so that you can share this with those just starting out, to let them know it is the simple things that work and if you can get your priorities sorted you can have whatever you want as long as you are willing to wait for it. We have been working through debt and difficult times and we can now see our future with a big banner saying 'CONGRATULATIONS' hanging over our new home to be.

"We live on a strict budget but never feel as if we are missing out on anything; well maybe when one of us has forgotten to buy the ice cream and it's a hot day! I used to allocate $150 per month on groceries for the two of us and $150 per year for gifts (50 required per year) and postage but with the increase in the size of our family and the increased price of meat we decided to up the amount to $200 per month (groceries and gifts). We don't spend all of this so I will probably lower it again in a month or so; it will assist us paying the house off faster. We use public transport and I am getting quite good at finding cheap veg like beetroot and bottling it. I love the market's cheap table. We have money put straight into our savings just like a bill and keep our electricity bill between $200 and $400 per quarter - not bad for the mountains in winter!

"Thanks for that bit of advice in your book.
Linda Stapleton

Have a great month. :-)

All the best,
Fiona

P.S. If you know someone who could benefit from the $21 Challenge book, we only have about 500 left and we will not being doing a reprint. After they are gone, we are switching to electronic only copies. To buy a hard copy of the book, click here.

1. Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: Absolutely Fabulous

It had been a great day, Hanna smiled to herself. She'd enjoyed a lovely dinner and maybe a little too much red wine. But, the kids were in bed and now she had the iPad. Almost immediately a notification flashed up from Facebook. What had Sally tagged her in now? It was an online clothing shop. "This would look fabulous on you!" the message popped up.

Hanna sighed. It was really past her bedtime - but she clicked on the link. Sally was right, it WAS exactly her style, and such a stunning shade of pink! "Hmm," Hanna pondered. She couldn't try it on, but going by the photo it looked a perfect fit. "What the heck," she thought. "Treat yourself, Hanna!" So she bought it, turned off the iPad and went to bed.

...TWO MONTHS LATER

Hanna was surprised to find a parcel from Singapore in the letter box. She had forgotten all about her hot pink purchase but now she couldn't wait to try it on. This was going to look great! She slid the top over her head and was alarmed to find it stuck. Wasn't it supposed to be a slouch fit? She wriggled and squirmed her way into the garment until finally it was on. She turned to admire her reflection in the mirror and... gazed at herself in horror. "Oh Hanna, what on earth were you thinking?" She shook her head. "Red wine and online shopping REALLY do not mix!"

2. March: If in Doubt, Go Without

Who would have thought it? Hanna, of all people, falling victim to a shopping blunder! But, let's face it, most of us have been there at one time or another. When we are feeling low, stressed, sick, fuzzy headed or, dare we say, tipsy, our judgement is impaired and we are at our most vulnerable. And, as Hanna found out the hard way, these days you don't even have to set foot in a shop to get pulled in to the advertisers' stories. I say 'stories' because that's really what they are; they are spinning us a tale.

Think about some of the advertisements we are commonly shown - do any of them actually deliver what they promise?

Do tampons make you feel so free you want to bounce along the beach or do a cartwheel?
Do Happy Meals make your life easier?
Do fizzy drinks bring you friends or guarantee you a good time?
Do credit cards give you financial freedom? Or do they plunge you further into debt?
Does driving a four-wheel drive bring you freedom from the daily commute?
Do flashy new cleaning products make cleaning any more exciting or fun?
Will shampoo give you hair like the girl in the ad?
Does the food in the box ever look like it does in the photo?
Is the beautiful woman in the ad actually using the moisturiser she's selling?
Is the dress on the Photoshopped model going to look the same on you?

When you think about it, it's actually ridiculous. Yet, ads like these are so convincing, even Hanna falls for them from time to time. So what can we do to protect ourselves?

Stop and Think. Ah yes, the old Simple Savings adage! But it works. Hanna did acknowledge that she couldn't try her garment on before buying - but she took the risk anyway because her judgement was impaired. Had she stopped and thought for a moment about the full implications of her purchase - the likely quality of the fabric, where it was being sent from, the possible differences in sizing, not to mention whether she actually NEEDED it - she would probably never have clicked the 'buy' button. Stopping and thinking is the single most effective way of protecting yourself from falling for advertising tricks and throwing good money away.

Wait 24 hours. The majority of the time the mistakes we make are done through impulse. If Hanna had waited 24 hours and then looked at the outfit again with a clear head, she would most likely not have bought it. Our thoughts and priorities change so quickly, even one day can make a huge difference to our purchasing decisions. By then, many 'must-have' items have lost their power over us and are not important any more.

Have a wish list. We all want stuff. But keeping a wish list is a great way to determine how many things are things we really want, or just things we THOUGHT we wanted. There's nothing wrong with adding as much to your wish list as you like! But, as with waiting 24 hours, delaying your purchase gives you powerful protection from needless purchases. You'll be surprised each time you revisit your wish list how many items you have moved on from wanting and can be scratched off.

Remind yourself of your goal. What is it that you REALLY want? A holiday? To be mortgage-free? Every time you fall for an advertiser's ploy and buy something you didn't know you needed five minutes before, you take another step backwards from achieving what is really important.

Nobody is immune from advertising all of the time. But once you open your eyes to some of the impossible promises they make, you are a lot less likely to be fooled. To help you stay strong and to remind you to stop and think, we have made you some Savings Triggers for your wallet. Current members can download them here.

(NB: The Savings Triggers printables are a members only bonus. If you are a current member, log in and then click the link. If you are not a current member you can re-join for $21 here. If you are a first time member you can join for $27 here.)

What other examples of ridiculous advertising can you think of? Read on and enter them in our competition!

3. COMPETITION: Impossible Promises

Many of the things we are sold each day give us the impression we will gain something fabulous or magically improve our lives in some way. But if you stop and really think about what a lot of advertisements and images are saying, a lot of them are downright silly and are never going to happen, just like the examples in the article above.

The list of impossibilities is endless, so this month we thought we would have a little fun seeing how many we can spot together. What advertisements or products can you find which cannot possibly deliver the things they imply? For example, we all know deep down that buying a new convertible will not result in bringing Mr or Miss Right running to your side - but we still want one anyway, just in case.

What other examples can you come across this month? Send them in to us here and you could be a winner! You can enter as many times as you like, the more the merrier. The winning example will receive $100. Competition closes midnight, March 31st. We can't wait to read your entries!

4. The 100 Million Dollar Challenge

This month I have had a ball watching everyone's savings grow on our new 100 Million Dollar Challenge feature. This is a fun and motivational place on the Simple Savings website where you can keep track of every little cent you save, both for your own satisfaction and to inspire others. We started this because we wanted you to be able to see what a fabulous job you're doing and how all those little bits you save each day really do mount up to make a big difference. Once you get started filling it in, it’s a great way to show your family or partners ‘Look how well we’re doing! Look how much we have saved already!’ and encourage those around you to help keep up the good work.

It always blows me away how quickly little savings add up! If you haven’t had a look at it yet, check it out and you’ll see what I mean. Feedback so far has been terrific and members are really enjoying seeing their savings grow:

"I'm so glad I joined this! By putting in my savings, I've already saved over $700 since the start of the year. As I don't have a lot of money to go around, any savings I can get is a bonus; whether it's from savings at the supermarket or savings to my Christmas club. While my Christmas club may only get odd amounts put into it, I do try to put something in each week... after all, every little cent counts! Looking forward to seeing just how much I end up saving over the year - even if it's not physically in my wallet, it's still better than paying full price!" - Gemini67au

"I just found the ‘Your Entries’ section and added up my total for the year - $2110! I am amazed as most of my entries were very small – one, two, three or four dollars - so it is amazing how little savings add up. This means I have had $300 odd more per week above my income than I would have without these changes. No wonder we don't find it hard to manage on a pension with a little supplement." - Anne McGrath

We already knew how well adding up savings this way worked from the Save-O-Meter which we started in 2004. So we created the 100 Million Dollar Challenge to encourage everyone to REALLY crank up their savings this year. If you haven't given it a go yet, it’s never too late to join in! All you do is hop onto the site and spend 30 seconds a day recording your savings. If you would like to look at others’ entries to give you an idea go to: www.simplesavings.com.au/100mc

Once you’ve seen what it’s all about, jump on in and start adding your own! It is a lot of fun and dare we say addictive (but in the best possible way!)

5. Best of the Vault: Where There's a Will, There's a Way!

There are all kinds of ways to make sure you and your household 'stop and think' before getting sucked in by advertising. Whether it's beauty products, online shopping or any one of the countless temptations thrown at us each day, you'll find plenty of tried and true solutions to NOT buying them in the Vault. Try some of these and enjoy more money in your pocket!

$3 girls' night out

My friends and I save heaps on girls' nights out with a special 'pamper' evening we hold at alternate houses every few months. We all bring clothing, accessories and make-up that we own but never use (because they were impulse buys, we changed our minds and so on) and start the evening by doing a clothes swap. We all then do each other's hair, make-up, nail polish and so on and we also invite the local Avon lady to come along and give us beauty tips. Most importantly, we each put in $3.00 that goes towards a couple of bottles of wine from the local supermarket. This usually leads us out for a night of boogying, so we end up getting pampered, feeling beautiful and getting an awesome dance work out for just $3.00 and a few supplies from our homes!

Contributed by: Samantha Cassidy

$40 computer games cure online shopping addiction

Buying two computer games for $40 has stopped me from wasting money on online shopping, saving me so much that I have finally been able to get my teeth fixed! I would turn on the computer first thing in the morning and turn it off last thing at night, avidly checking all the eBay and Trade Me sites, and buying so many things I thought I needed that I never had any money left at the end of the week. Then I bought these games and they have become my new addiction! I no longer have time for online shopping as I have to keep my games up to date and the impulse to shop has disappeared completely.

Contributed by: Rosalie Bennett

'Fish and chip philosophy' curbs spending

Our family lives by my 'fish and chip philosophy' which helps us put our spending priorities into perspective.

Whenever anyone in our family wants to buy something, we check if it's on special and then think about whether or not we really need it. To help us decide, I point out how the money spent on this item could be put toward fish and chips at the beach. We only have fish and chips occasionally, but it puts a concrete thought in our minds about how the money could be spent - on something frivolous now, or saved up and spent on a special treat for the whole family to enjoy.

Also, if someone comes home with something that they could possibly do without, I ask - 'how many fish and chips would that have bought?' This reinforces the point about being careful with money, without having to give a lecture about it!

Contributed by: Tanya O'Neill

'Needs' and 'wants' jar system stops impulse buys

My 'wants' and 'needs' money boxes are saving me heaps of money in frivolous purchases. Every time I feel the urge to buy something I decide whether it is a 'want' or a 'need', write the item on a piece of a paper and put the paper into either my 'want' jar or my 'need' jar. At the end of the month I assess what's in each jar and decide if it really is a want or a need item. If it's a need I research the cheapest place to buy it, and it comes out of my weekly budget. More often than not I decide that I don't need the item, so the money stays in the bank!

Contributed by: Melissa

'Not Buying It' reduced my spending

An inspirational book has helped me to control my spending habits! I love shopping, but would find after about a month that the item I bought wasn't so important after all. Then I heard of a book called 'Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping' by Judith Levine, which I borrowed from the library. It is the author's journal on trying to not waste money for a whole year! It really inspired me to rethink what we spend our money on and what marketing and promoting can do to the average consumer. It also gives tips on how to recycle things when we have to. It's a great read and should curb my old spending habits for quite a while!

Contributed by: Kristy Bennett

'What's meant to be' philosophy stops unnecessary buys

I save money on all kinds of shopping by having a little faith in fate! My philosophy is that if I am meant to have something it will still be there later. Rather than buying something the first time I see it, I go back another time. Many times I have decided I don't want it after all, or it is not available anymore, which means I wasn't meant to have it. If it is there and I still want it, I wait for it to go on sale. If, when the sale is on, it is still there, it means I was meant to have it, so I buy it pleased in the knowledge that I saved myself some money too!

Contributed by: Karyn Toolen

A little imagination can save a lot

Before I let myself buy something it has to pass the 'use it test'. I imagine buying it, taking it home and taking it out of the packaging. I think about where I'm going to put it and what I'm going to do with it. Then I imagine if I'll still be using it in a few weeks, months or years. If you find this hard you probably don't need it as much as you think you do!

Contributed by: Anon

6. Best of the Forum: Celebrations and Commiserations

The Forum has always been a terrific place to share money saving triumphs and blunders and this month is no exception! Join in the celebrations and commiserations with some of these enjoyable and thought provoking discussions.

Shabby chic, pink & pretties

Feeling delightfully girly and feminine doesn't have to mean spending a fortune! In this gorgeous thread, Susan's Perspective shares some of the low-cost treats which make her heart sing.
read more...

NOT buying it!

Abundance Allowed tells how her year of 'not buying it' almost came a cropper when temptation crossed her path at the book store. Did sanity prevail? Find out here!
read more...

Amazing life changing purchases... things worth the money... what are yours?

Minister of War & Finance is over the moon with her latest luxurious acquisition - but her 'splurge' is nothing like you would think! This thread is a brilliant reminder of how the simplest of things can make life so much easier, along with some great examples of genuinely worthwhile investments.
read more...

Things you have bought which are a waste of money

'But wait, there's more!' Nano wash balls, sonic rodent repellers - No Waste Sherrie freely admits to being sucked in by 'miracle' products and other members are quick to follow suit. Can you add to the list of no-no's? Join in the discussion here!
read more...

7. Best Members' Blog: How to Find Clearance Items

This month's Blog winner is leejay with her 'The Urban Hunter Gatherer' blog. In this mega helpful post, she shares some truly valuable secrets on how she saves stacks of money every day. What a star!

How to Find Clearance Items

"Come closer. I'm going to share with you a great secret. So many people display their supermarket bargains while others just shake their heads and wonder how they do it. I'm going to share with you how I do it.

Today at Woolworths I bought $269.02 worth of items but only paid $127.58. Not items on special but genuine clearance items only. Some full price too but in the end I saved more than I spent. No bonus points or vouchers were used.

By knowing how your store works you can do this too. I won't disclose my local store because I guard my hunting grounds closely, but I will share my skills so you can find your own happy hunting ground.

Secret #1

Now understand that EVERY STORE is different.

All stores have a different routine and mark down each department at different times of the day. Be prepared to go back twice in one day or at least shop at different times to catch the best bargains. Go outside your area and visit other stores.

Speak to the staff and ask: When do you mark down the meat, vegies and dairy? Do you ever offer 'fill a bag' veg and fruit and when? When do you reduce your bread?

Knowing this can halve your grocery bill.

Secret #2

Use by dates and best before dates are your very best friend. Without these mandatory expiry dates, supermarkets would have no reason to discount anything. And here's the secret. Buying items close to use by date will save you a huge amount of money.

If the item is long life - shelf stable and only requiring refrigeration after opening, you are safe.

Household chemicals such as shampoos contain preservatives so they aren't going off.

Biscuits, chips, lollies and so on; unless the packaging is damaged, will be safe well past use by. It's the same for dried spices and baking items. If they are dry or sealed in plastic they will all be fine, well out of date.

Packaged fruit and veg is my absolute favourite because it has a use by date on it. Today I bought two 1kg bags of white peaches marked down from $3.78 to $1.74, all perfect but the pack says use by 18/2, so they mark them down! Same for kale, rocket mix and potatoes.

Marked down dairy can usually be frozen. Yoghurt bought close to date is often still good until you have eaten it.

Fresh meat, chicken, fish and so on you can see through the wrapping. If it is discoloured or the bone is dark don't buy it. Smell it. If you can smell it through the package, don't buy it.

Process your mark downs quickly. Freeze it, cook it, eat it, but don't drive it around half the day. Get it home and pack it away.

Secret #3

'I never find any bargains.' Sometimes neither do I. But sometimes I really hit the jackpot. Shop often and be patient. Everything comes down.

For example, Woolworths this past week (18/02/2016) has large Steggles whole chickens on sale for $3.00 per kg. These are huge chickens and they are well stocked. In the next few days, these birds will start to be marked down as their best before date approaches. In December they were reduced by 40%; enormous chickens for $4.50. Clear the freezers because you will want some of these. Defrost and cook for 40 minutes per kg at 180 degrees. Cheaper than ham or mince. Know your prey and watch the dates.

Secret #4

My store has a scratch and dent trolley, right up the back of the store.

Today I bought:

Two 80 pack Finish dishwasher tablets reduced from $27 each to $11 (160 tabs for $22).
Loreal hair dye $3.60.
Sweetadin artificial liquid sweetener $0.20c.
Pack of two Bonds underpants reduced $17.59 to $3.49.

I have bought other items from this trolley like dented tins of tomatoes for $0.09c each.

Find out if your store has a trolley or discount location. Be methodical and patient. It's my first stop every time I enter the store and I will often base my meal plan on spices and items I find in this trolley.

The rule of the scratch and dent trolley is only buy it if you have a use for it or want to try something new. DO NOT buy just because it's cheap."

What a wonderful effort leejay, thank you so much for sharing. You can read more of our members' blogs here.

8. Best of SS Facebook: Yippee, I'm Debt-Free!

Love Facebook or hate it, the Simple Savers Facebook page is a great way to learn even more tips and enjoy reading of other members' successes. This one from Kerryn really put a smile on our faces!

"Just putting it out there - because I am so happy! As of today - we are completely debt-free! It has been a hard slog being so careful with every cent for so long - but has been worth the effort ... I finally feel like we can really get ahead now! Time for new adventures!"

Fantastic stuff Kerryn and a BIG congratulations on achieving your debt-free dream!

Joining our busy Facebook community is super easy. Either search up 'Simple Savers' on Facebook or click this link and request to join. Once you're in, let the fun begin!

9. Saving Story: House Sitting Has Enriched My Life - and My Wallet!

I have recently decided to start house sitting after a relationship breakup. When I had moved in with my now ex-partner I had sold all my furniture, my white goods and all household items as I was moving into his furnished home. When the split occurred I was at a loss on what to do. I have done my fair share of house sharing with horror stories to match. I really wanted to live on my own again although financially it was going to be a burden having to re-purchase all the household items.

All of this came on so suddenly I felt that I hadn't had time to even think about what I should do. As it was the Christmas/New Year period a few friends were going on holidays and I thought that I would ask if I could house and pet sit for them whilst they were away, as this would give me time to assess what I really wanted in life and what my long term goals are.

My long term goals are to get out of debt and then to travel the world, and renting a house would delay this process quite significantly. When I started thinking about the idea of house sitting and doing some number crunching I soon realised that I could easily save $20,000 for the year - this is like having a second wage! I then started to think there must be more people out there looking for house sitters. So I started to do my research, there are two main house sitting websites that I found had a decent response for Adelaide (www.aussiehousesitters.com.au and www.mindahome.com.au).

I searched through the Adelaide house sitters' profiles to see who I was up against and what they had added to their profile and one thing I noticed is that I was the only person in their 20's. The majority of sitters were retired and travelling around Australia and I thought to myself 'this is either going to work for me or against me but there is only one way to find out'.

As I started thinking more about house sitting and the savings that I would have I was getting more excited about the prospect of not only being able to smash out my goals at a far more rapid rate but I would also be able to have animal companionship which is also very important to me. I also LOVE change, my attention span is quite short and I find that I always need to be on the go so this is the perfect thing for me.

I decided THIS is what I'm going to do for 2016 and I signed up to the two websites. I put up a post on Facebook advising that if anyone needed a house sitter in 2016 I was their girl.

Soon enough I was inundated with messages and friends sharing my post. It was becoming a little confusing managing all the messages so I set up my own Facebook Page called: Animal Loving House Sitter. With each house sit I post a photo of the pets with a brief update and keep my calendar updated online. I have had such a positive response, not only from friends, but complete strangers. House sitting has opened up a whole new realm of possibilities. Once I am out of debt and travelling I want to be able to house sit all over Australia and the world.

I have currently completed five house sits, all of which have come with five star reviews on my Facebook page. I am saving hundreds of dollars per week in rent, utilities and standard household items like toilet paper, detergent and so on. I keep all my clients updated with how their pets are doing and send through updates and photos so they know that their home and pets are well looked after.

So far the only downfall I have encountered with house sitting is saying goodbye to my new furry friends! Who would have thought such strong bonds are formed in such a short time frame? I can only hope they enjoyed my company as much as I enjoyed theirs.

House sitting is something that I had never thought about but now that I'm doing it I can't believe I didn't think of it earlier. Every few weeks I get a new house to stay in and new pets to play with!

Contributed by: Elli P

10. Goodbye For Now

We hope you have enjoyed this month's newsletter. Don't forget to keep your eyes peeled this month spotting impossible promises! When you do, be sure to send them in to us. Keep sending all your wonderful hints in too! Not only could your efforts win you a free 12 month membership to the Vault, you'll also be helping to make Simple Savings the very best it can be. We really appreciate each and every tip we receive. That's all for now, have a fantastic month!

All the best,
Fiona

March 2020 - Simple Savings Newsletter

Simple Savings Newsletter - March 2020

How are you doing? Well, I hope. I hope your family hasn't been harmed by the floods, fires or the Coronavirus. So far our family has been lucky. But, our luck could run out. So we are also making sure we are covered in case of an emergency.

This month we want you to make sure you are covered as well, so the challenge for this month is "Emergency Prep." To help you get prepared we have waded through masses of information, created some basic plans and found some wonderful experts to help you.

But before we go any further, I thought you might like an update from our new Leg Up program. The program is going really well and we were able to help some wonderful people this month. Here are some of their stories:

"We are unable to work at the moment due to all that is required to look after a severely disabled child. We live on a tight budget. A free membership would be a big help."

"My six-month-old son is currently going through treatment for high-risk neuroblastoma (cancer) - we're three months into it, and expect he'll be about 18 months old by the time it finishes. We need to be as frugal as possible to allow my husband to take unpaid time off work during the tougher parts of treatment and to look after our 2.5 year old daughter when we can't make other arrangements - so a membership to the Vault would be such a huge help to me in figuring out how to make this all work! Thanks for the opportunity :)"

"I lost my full time job in December. My Centrelink has finally been granted but I am struggling so much to adjust. I've done everything I can think of to cut expenses but would be so grateful for the ideas and wisdom contained in the vault. Hopefully I find employment soon but in the meantime please consider me for your leg up program. Thank you."

"I live on a farm under drought conditions and fire risk. We have been struggling financially for several years and out of the last 5 years I have only been able to afford my vault membership twice. I would love to continue accessing the Vault and all of the members information and experience to try and get back on my feet. Thank you."

Thank you for helping in a way that means I can help others. If you haven't heard of our Leg Up program, it is where we give away a Vault membership for every full price Vault membership sold. If you would like to apply to the Leg Up program, click here.

We had better get back to this month's theme: How to prepare for an emergency...

1. Challenges Emergency Prep

This month we want you to read through the newsletter and get yourself ready for your most likely emergency by setting yourself a challenge or two. You can choose from the calendar challenges below or set your own.

March - Emergency Prep

Easy - Find a waterproof box to store emergency supplies and/or documents.

Moderate - Start filling the your emergency box.

Difficult - Finish filling your emergency box.

My challenge for this month is to do the best I can to prepare in case any of my friends or family contract the Coronavirus.

2. General Emergency Prep

Before we move onto COVID19. There are some things that you should always do and have in your house in case of an emergency. These are:

Do your research - Have a list of all the people you may need to call and websites with important information on them on your fridge.
We have made this list to print out and fill in. You will need to log into download this list.
Insure your house and contents - a modest amount is better than none
Have spare cash - you should have a small, well hidden emergency cash stash in case you need to visit the shops and if internet banking is down. As well as $2000 Emergency Fund.
In case of a blackout - have torches, fairy lights, lightboxes with a supply of batteries handy. Rechargeable batteries are even better
Candles or tealights - in jars will light up a house or unit sufficiently if there is a blackout until power returns. Please use them safely especially if you have children or pets!
Keep matches - for candles etc in a screw top jar to keep them dry and safely tucked away
If your mobile phone is working - you can check your Energy Supplier for outages or to report them if your power is out, or if there are fallen trees or branches. These details will be written on your power bill or your power suppliers website
Bottled water - is always a useful thing to have in any emergency from plumbing to interrupted water supply issues
Especially if during - floods, cyclones or power outages or if you rely on tank water - in which case a generator is useful, but again don't use it indoors or in poorly ventilated areas
Alternative ways to boil water - are to use your BBQ, a Butane Gas Cooker or a bottled gas cooker. Remember that some gas stoves still need electricity to start them. These are also useful - for heating or cooking food without power but again preferably outdoors undercover or somewhere well ventilated
Portable phone chargers - or battery packs are a good option for mobile phones during extended blackouts
Though remember - sometimes during emergency situations communications may be down
Keep some petrol - in the car just in case you need to leave home
Camping items or a caravan - can be useful during emergency situations, so don't forget to look at what you might already have

3. Start a $2,000 Emergency Fund

Everyone needs an emergency fund, but not everyone has one. If you haven't got an Emergency Fund you are going to love our "Save $2000 Emergency Fund" challenge by Freedom.

Long term forum members already know about Freedom and her legendary debt slashing challenges. With the support of the forum, Freedom paid off $140,000 of debt in 2.5 years while raising two small kids on a household income of only $70,000.

Enough from me. I'm going to hand you over to Freedom:

"I am so excited to be leading the Simple Savings March $2000 Emergency Fund challenge! I would love to have you join me on this month-long adventure as we work towards creating a stronger sense of security in your daily finances, help you to form better money habits, which will empower you to make better money decisions and support you in saving a mini money fund that will enable you to cover unexpected expenses in a timely and stress free manner.

Over the month of March, we will be focusing on:

Creating the vision of achieving the $2000 goal.
Tracking your spending to gain awareness in four main expense areas - Mortgage/rent, food/groceries, bills/insurances and fuel/transport.
Creating a vision board, a spreadsheet or journaling in order to give form to the goal.
Brainstorming ways to reduce these expenses.
Brainstorming ways to increase your income.
Deciding on 5 action steps to take each week in these 4 main expense categories, that will have the biggest impact on reducing your expenses and increasing your income.
Reviewing and celebrating your weekly progress.
Keeping you accountable and in alignment with the goal.

To join Freedom's $2000 challenge click here. (You need to be logged into the Vault.)

This a Vault Members challenge. If you don't have a membership it is only $21. If you don't have a spare $21 apply to our Leg Up program.

4. CoronaVirus: What to do?

Some days it feels like the media cry wolf every 30 seconds. It can be really hard to work out whether or not something truly IS an issue. Should we be worried about CoVID19 or is it a pile of hot air?

At this stage, we don't know. The thing we do know is some people have almost no symptoms. This means no one has any idea how many people have already caught COVID19, they can only guess survival rates and they can't stop it from spreading.

There is a real concern that hospitals and our health care system will struggle to cope with the influx of patients and people who would normally have lived, will not, due to a lack of resources and staff.

The best thing we can do is to take care of ourselves, our neighbours and loved ones as best we can. Prepare the best we can and support the front line workers as best we can.

This may mean putting yourself into quarantine and, since this is Emergency Preparedness month, we have made a quarantine supply list. This is free to download. Please read it, share it and do your best to help others.

<a href="/get/file/228" target="_blank"> <img src="/get/image/56930/orig" /></a>

5. Coronavirus and the Homeopaths

When the CoronaVirus first hit the media I got calls from my close friends asking "What are the homeopaths saying about the Coronavirus?" (In case you don't know I'm a closet homeopathy student. I have been studying it for 15 years.) My response was "Not much yet. But, I'll let you know if I find out anything."

You may be wondering why anyone would care what the homeopaths think about a pandemic. To explain this, I need to take a few steps back to the 1918 Bird Flu Pandemic. In this pandemic 30% of people who did not receive homeopathic treatment died. 99% of people who received homeopathic treatment survived.

(Reference <a href="https://drnancymalik.wordpress.com/2013/01/23/epidemics-and-pandemics" target="_blank"

https://drnancymalik.wordpress.com/2013/01/23/epidemics-and-pandemics/)

This is because homeopaths are great at treating viruses. Homeopathy evolved two hundred years ago before antibiotics when large epidemics were common and it was up to the homeopath to save the town or get run out of town.

Luckily for us, homeopaths got really good at saving the town and they wrote everything down so future homeopaths would know what to do during future epidemics.

Sharing information and writing stuff down is something homeopaths are very good at. The latest from the homeopathic world is this 2 and half hour webinar by Dr Robin Murphy ND:

https://www.cheonline.co.uk/Coronavirus

The webinar was created for qualified homeopaths. But I thought others might find it interesting. In it Dr Robin Murphy ND, discusses past epidemics and pneumonia treatments in preparation for treating possible CoVID 19 patients. Dr Robin Murphy ND has over 40 years of clinical experience. He has been working with colleagues in Hong Kong and said he will create another webinar in a week or two if he has any new information.

6. Tips: Preparing for an emergency

Here are some great tips from the Vault to help you get ready for tough times.

Bushfire Box protects your family

Every summer, I create a 'Bushfire Box' as a cheap and simple way to protect our family's irreplaceable items in the event of us having to evacuate. In the occurrence of a bushfire, many people are too panicked when one hits, to concentrate on what they need to get together in a limited time. Thanks to my bushfire box, I know I am always prepared! I have a big plastic box to put all our precious items into - old photos, kids trinkets, jewellery and other special things. I also add any important paperwork, such as birth certificates, insurance paperwork, wills and other documents. I also have several important items scanned on discs which are also included and keep the entire box in a place which is easily accessible. Keep this in an area so that it can be grabbed in a hurry. In the event of a fire I know that all I need to worry about is grabbing the pets and the kids and the box! I compile my bushfire box once a year, then put everything back in winter. It's a simple and low cost tip, which I know will prove priceless should we ever need to use it!

By: Denise Stapleford

How to save your emergency fund for real emergencies

We avoid letting last-minute unexpected expenses eat into our emergency fund by putting a little away in an envelope each week. We have an emergency fund in the bank for real emergencies but found we were using it for the everyday little expenses too. Now we save our emergency fund for real emergencies with an 'expenses' envelope. We put a little bit in the envelope each pay day and dip into it whenever necessary. Even if you can only manage $5.00 per paycheck, it will add up and come in useful!

By: Jessica Rupe

Start a non-perishable 'Emergency Pantry'

This simple tip saves me a fortune when times are lean and I have extra people to feed! With extra family members coming to stay and only my pension to live on, I was worried how on earth I was going to feed five people. So I created an emergency storage cupboard to help ease the financial burden. Every fortnight I put several items in the storage cupboard; tinned tomatoes, pasta, long-life milk, a spare packet of biscuits, lentils - anything that won't 'go off'. I don't notice these few little additions in my usual grocery bill but it's surprising how it all adds up in my cupboard. Lo and behold I soon find that I have enough to make it through the lean days! It's important to remember to rotate and use the old and replace with the new but my storage cupboard is now well stocked and used only in emergencies. I don't worry anymore!

By: Caroline P

Crisis menu planning for others

If you ever need to help a friend or family in crisis with meals, consider drawing up an 'emergency menu plan'. I have one drawn up for both my immediate family and extended family which takes others' dietary needs and preferences into consideration.

I prepared a fortnightly menu plan for both my own immediate family and the extended family in a time of recent crisis. The total grocery cost for an online order less delivery was only $211.57. A huge difference from the money I had been forking out over the last month without a plan!

By: Robyn

There are plenty more emergency tips in the Vault. (You will need to log in.)

7. Claire's Emergency Challenge

Claire has been helping members prepare in the forum by leading the charge and collecting together useful threads. To join Claire's thread, you will need to be logged into the Vault.

EMERGENCY PREP - SS Calendar Challenge

Climate emergency 2016

Emergency Prep and Checklists - Theme of Month Challenge 2019

Emergency Preparedness 2017

What does your emergency bag have in it? 2013

Emergency kits 2014

Emergency food in the Car 2010

Emergency kit for the car? 2012

Emergency Toiletries Bag 2010

Latest news on - climate & survival topics - Mk 2 2010

What are they not telling us about the Corona Virus? 2020

Current Bushfires - Sharing and Caring 2019

How do you get smoke out of the house? 2019

Removing smoke smell 2009

8. Competition Winner: Dinner Pancakes

This month's Cook's Challenge competition was won by Erin Johnson. Erin has won $50. We only have one winner for this month's competition because - OMG! - only one person entered last month's competition!

Here is Erin's very cool recipe for Dinner Pancakes.

Dinner Pancakes

One of my pet hates is food waste; for a number of reasons.

It often goes to landfill, many people go without food and it costs me money!

I was hunting for a solution to use up all of our leftovers and foods that were a bit past their best and came up with a brilliant recipe idea. But to get the kids on board it needed a good name. That's where "dinner pancakes" came in.

Make a basic pancake batter:

1 cup flour (can substitute for gluten free)
one cup of milk (can use dairy free)
1 egg

Then add:

1 cup grated cheese
small diced onion
1 spoon of stock/stock cube
salt / pepper to taste

Finally add any leftovers that need using, such as:

corn, peas, carrots
zucchini
left over mash, potato, pumpkin
meat (corn beef, roast lamb, tinned fish)
capsicum, spinach, the list is endless

Give a really good mix (add another egg / more milk if too thick). Cook in a pan with a little olive oil, the same way you cook pancakes. They will keep for a few days in the fridge, and can be served hot or cold.

We like to serve them with salad :)

9. Win $20: Best money saving tip

We love helping people and we love it when you help us to help people. This month we are giving away five $20 prizes for the best money saving tip sent in by 21st March. Enter the competition here.

Till next month...

That is all for this month. I hope you have a safe, healthy month.

Take care,

Fiona.

June 2013 - Simple Savings Newsletter

"Secrets to Saving Money in Australia" Free Newsletter - June 2013

This issue includes:-

Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: All for a Good Cause!
June: Lend a Hand
Competition: Make a Difference to Someone's Life This Month
Penny Wise: Feelin' Good!
Best of the Vault: We Want YOU!
Best of the Forum: A Friend in Need
Best Members' Blog: The Future Looks Brighter Even if my Wallet Feels Lighter
Hidden Gems: On The House
Cooking with Mimi: Random Acts of Kindness and Volunteering... Comfort Baskets
Claire's Corner: Senior Moments
50c Indulgences: Winter Time Delights
Rob Bob's Gardening Blog: A Trip Away and Some Very Welcome Pickings From the Patch
From Last Month: Funeral Plans
This Month's Help Request: Natural Shampoo
Goodbye For Now

Hello,

How are you going? I can't believe it is June already and winter is here! We are working very hard on our next exciting project and I can't wait to share it with you in the next newsletter! Here's a small hint - imagine being able to cook a week's meals in an hour. Zip! That's all we're going to say! But for this newsletter, we hope you take an opportunity to look beyond yourself and lend a hand. Winter can be very cold for many people - and we don't mean just the temperature. Get out there and make a difference and don't forget to let us know!

We love receiving your emails and Facebook messages. Here are some of this month's favourites:

"I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the macadamia oil, even made my husband use it, and everyone else in the family. Pity I only learnt about this beauty secret recently, could have saved A LOT of money and my skin would have been in MUCH, MUCH better condition. Oh well, better late than never. Thanks again." ('Babyface')

"I'm really looking forward to more tips and information on saving, I can't believe what a difference the budgeting advice from the February newsletter has made to my family's finances already. Keep up the great work." (Bronwyn)

"A great site. Even though I am elderly and been through difficult times I still have learnt a lot. Ye Olde Shoppe is wonderful." (Barbara)

Have a great month!
All the best,
Fiona Lippey

1. Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: All for a Good Cause!

"Brrr, it's freezing!" Sally rubbed her hands together and stomped her feet to keep warm. "What a day to hold a garage sale!" "All for a good cause, Sal!" Tom grinned. "At least the cold weather hasn't stopped people coming out. The sausage sizzle is doing a roaring trade and the last I saw of your kids they were dishing out pumpkin soup left, right and centre!"

"It's delicious too!" Chloe appeared behind Tom, holding a steaming cup. "Must get the recipe off you Sal. Isn't it wonderful to get the whole street together like this? Even the little ones are helping out." "Yes, they're so enthusiastic too - if Sarah had her way she would have donated ALL her toys!" Sally chuckled. "I have to ask though," Tom nudged her, "how on earth did you get Pete to part with his golf clubs?"

"He doesn't know!" giggled Sally. "He won't notice, he never used them anyway - oh hello love!" she said loudly as Pete sauntered up. "How are things going on the lucky dip stand?" "Busy! Just taking a quick break to check out the other stalls," he said. "Hang on - aren't those MY golf clubs? What are they doing there?! And what are you doing with my Hawaiian shirt? I love that shirt!" Tom burst out laughing, "There's only one thing for it mate, you'll have to buy them back!"

2. June: Lend a Hand

Pete may have lost the shirt off his back but at least it was for a good cause! And Sally's heart was in the right place - what a cool street to get together in such a way and make a difference. Of course you don't have to rally around your whole street to do something good; all you need is yourself!

Volunteering to help others doesn't have to take up a huge part of your time or need to be a grand gesture. It can take as little as five minutes to feed your neighbour's cat or drop off a meal to an elderly person or take a bag full of empty ice cream containers and toilet roll tubes to your local kindergarten for their craft projects (yes, I have done that and they love it)! We often THINK about helping out but how often do we get around to DOING it? This month, we're encouraging everyone to turn a 'should' into a 'good'!

Here are some examples of simple things you can do to make someone else's day:

Invite that new mum from school round for a coffee
Pop in and see a neighbour
Volunteer for Meals on Wheels
Spend a day helping out at the tuck shop

The great thing about doing a good deed for someone else is it's not just beneficial for them, it's beneficial for you too! Volunteering your time is a fantastic way to make new friends, learn new skills and fill a gap in your life. Best of all, it just makes you feel GOOD!

3. Competition: Make a Difference to Someone's Life This Month

We'd love to hear how you have made a difference to someone's life this month. It doesn't matter if it was a small, thoughtful gesture, a spur of the moment act of kindness or something BIG! Please let us know and we will choose three stories to each win $50 credit to spend in Ye Olde Shoppe.

The tissues are ready so get writing! You can submit your stories here.

Competition terms and conditions

This competition is being conducted by Simple Savings International Pty Ltd.

Entry into this competition is free. Each entry is required to address the competition conditions as set out above. The judges' decision is final and no further correspondence will be entered into.

The prize is $50 credit to be spent in Ye Olde Shoppe.

This competition closes on 30th June and the winner will be decided by 15th July. Prize winners will be notified by email and published in the next newsletter.

4. Penny Wise: Feelin' Good!

Apologies if this post has little to do with saving money. Maybe it does, in a roundabout way but sometimes I just have to go with what is in my head and today's theme keeps popping up in my thoughts. One thing I have learned recently is that the sudden and unexpected loss of friends which occurs after a marriage break-up can be almost as painful as the loss of a partner. People naturally take sides, even when there were never any sides to take. I don't mind admitting it hurts. At first I thought, 'Stuff ya! I'll go and find me some new friends!' And I'm sure in due course I will, but on the positive side it has made me think long and hard about the kind of friend I have been over the years and shameful as it may be, I confess I haven't always been the best. It's not because I don't care - because I do! But everyone's lives are so busy and sometimes it's so easy to get wrapped up in your own little world that you don't always notice when someone else needs you. And let's face it, how long does it take? Most of the time no more than a couple of minutes, but the difference can be huge.

I've written a lot recently about the kindness of strangers but there is also much to be said for the kindness of friends and there are not too many people I know out there kinder than my friend, Rochelle. Years ago when my blog first started I used to write about her a lot. She is the mother of four gorgeous kids and it was Rochelle who first got me into running. We used to see each other every day and spent most afternoons in hysterical laughter on her lounge floor as we struggled to copy the gorgeous instructor in her Pilates DVDs. Sadly, she moved away several years ago when she achieved her dream of buying her own house and we're only really in touch a couple of times a year. But as she so rightly says, 'Just 'cos I don't see ya doesn't mean I don't think about ya!' and the same goes for me. I lost her number a while back when my phone died but I unexpectedly found it the other day so gave her a call. It was wonderful to catch up and it didn't surprise me at all to hear she was as busy as always. But in addition to looking after her family, she has also been looking after an older neighbour whose husband died 18 months ago and was left with very little money or support. Recognising that there were six members in her own family, but this woman had no one, Rochelle began popping in to visit her when she had a spare minute. They are now firm friends and any time this lady needs driving to an appointment or taken shopping, or just a listening ear over a cuppa, Rochelle is there for her. It didn't surprise me at all to hear what a lovely thing she was doing - but it made me think 'Wow, she is so busy, yet she STILL makes time for others'. And it made me take a good look at myself.

Everybody likes to feel special and appreciated. Everyone likes to feel valued. And I've realised over the last few months that it really doesn't take much to make somebody feel that way. For me, the most cherished support has come from the most unexpected of places. School friends who I haven't seen or heard of for 25 years have dropped me a line. I have received such wonderful words of wisdom and encouragement from Simple Savings members. And I'm enjoying being a good friend back. I wrote to tell a friend on the other side of the world how much her hilarious Facebook posts make my day and how I wish there were more people in the world like her. I wrote to tell another friend how her bravery and happy glow inspired me to make a new start and to thank her for giving me strength and encouragement. If I hadn't done this, neither of those wonderful strong ladies would have known how important they are to me. This morning I gave my neighbour, who has a bad cold, a big bag of mandarins from our tree. And you know what? It made me feel really good.

Best of all, however, was the feeling I got last week from helping a lovely lady who owns one of my favourite shops. Before now our relationship has been nothing but shop-owner to customer, or mutual mothers of teenagers. But a couple of weeks ago I went into her shop for a browse and found her alone. She was crying. She told me she had a lump in her breast and was trying her best to be strong and act like it didn't bother her but she was terrified. Even her husband couldn't get near her - but I could. I was able to tell her that, just like her my family had a dreadful history of breast cancer and that I had the same scare last year. I knew how the moment you know you have a lump, everything just changes. I understood the fear and the horrible waiting game but at the same time I was proof that it could be just nothing. I made her laugh when I told her how embarrassed I was to learn my lump was just a ball of fat! And I made her promise to keep in touch and text me if she needed anything. She did. I thought of her a lot over the next week or so and worried that perhaps I shouldn't have been SO positive or quite so encouraging. But I needn't have worried. I received a text from her last week out of the blue. 'Results just through. I'm going to live. Going to have a bloody big drink tonight.' And me, being the big old sook I am, burst straight into tears. Because, having known what she had been through, I was so, so happy and relieved for her - but not only that, I was so touched that I was one of the first people she thought to contact to share her happy news and so glad that I had been able to be there for her.

And I still don't know what any of this has to do with saving money but I'm going to keep up the effort to be more thoughtful of others. Rather than saving, I seem to be doing nothing but SPENDING money lately, what with builders' reports and the like as I wait in limbo for the next ten days for both the house I'm selling and the one I'm buying to go unconditional. I haven't packed a single thing yet, I don't want to jinx it! Roll on June 25th!

5. Best of the Vault: We Want YOU!

That's right - we want YOU to make a difference! You can make a difference to others' lives by volunteering with an organisation, school or charity or by simply taking the time to chat with a lonely neighbour. You can look after a friend's children so she has some time to herself, or help someone who just needs a hand. There are so many ways to make a difference - here are a few ideas from the Vault:

Give a bag full of happiness

For a super, low-cost, personal and heartfelt gift, why not give someone a Happy Bag? All you need is a plastic 'loot bag' such as those given away at children's birthday parties, and fill with the following:

An eraser - so that you can make your mistakes disappear
Five cents - so you can never say that you're broke
A marble - in case someone says you've lost yours
A rubber band - to stretch yourself beyond your limits
A piece of string - to tie yourself together when things fall apart
A bear hug (cut out teddy bear picture or motif) - to remind you that someone cares

Contributed by: Ann Westerman

Helping women in need to save

Recycle your outgrown baby and children's clothes and help women in need to save. While many diligent Simple Savers already sell their 'good' baby and children's clothes, what do we do with those that are unsaleable? Before you drop them into charity bins (where they are sometimes resold anyway), next time consider donating them directly to a women's refuge. Many women there are in desperate situations and not all are run by large organisations that have access to the charity bin goods. It won't make you any money, but it will bring a smile to another mum who wants the best for her baby too.

Most women's refuges are listed in the White Pages under the emergency help pages at the front. Phone them and they will advise you how to get the goods to them, as obviously security is an issue for these places.

Contributed by: Nicole Saunders

Volunteer and experience events for free

Volunteering to help out at large events means I get to soak up the atmosphere for free! I love huge music festivals, but I don't love the huge prices to attend them, as many of them are now over $60 a time. So, this summer, instead of paying $175 for a three-day camping music festival, I am volunteering my time in two six-hour shifts at the festival. The work is fun, it will cost me nothing to attend the festival and I will save heaps more as I get free meals for each shift, free staff accommodation and even a free 'after event' party!

Contributed by: Trasy Fahle

Grocery package for elderly person

To prepare you for Christmas this year, when you visit an elderly person's home (like a parent or grandparent or family friend) take note of what groceries they have in their cupboards; engage them in conversation about their favourite foods/meals (even if you have to have a sneak look in their pantry while they're in the toilet) and write down some non-perishable items in a notebook. When those items go on special, buy a couple of packets/tins and put them away. It's also best if the items are what you regularly use also, in case something happens to the elderly person (going into a home or whatever other reason) prior to Christmas.

You won't notice the extra $1.00 or $2.00 in your grocery bill and, by the time Christmas has arrived, you'll have their 'grocery package' ready. It'll save the person a lot of time and money going to buy these items, and they are something an elderly person can use. It's better than buying perfume for a grandparent who suffers from allergies or getting some writing paper for a person with bad arthritis or lollies for someone who doesn't eat sweets.

Even if you wanted to, use the mention of favourite meals and also include some frozen meals which you've prepared over the previous month so the elderly person doesn't even have to worry about cooking either.

Contributed by: Lexie Walker

Neighbourly chat strikes saving and friendship

Striking up a friendship with our neighbour is saving us $2100 a year! We are a family of six living on one wage so going on holiday is expensive enough without the $700 cost of putting our dog, cat, chickens and other pets into care while we are away. My husband suggested asking a neighbour if she would watch our pets and house while we were gone and, despite my concerns about asking too much of her, I agreed. It turned out she was more than happy to help and although we offered to pay her all she wanted in return was a dozen eggs from our chickens every few weeks. Since then we have got to know another neighbour who is happy to throw his chemical-free grass clippings over the fence to mulch our chicken coop in return for eggs. Our chickens have given us some wonderful bartering opportunities, but these would have never happened if we hadn't made an effort to get to know our neighbours. So go and speak to your neighbours, invite them in for coffee and see what wonderful deals and friendships you can strike up!

Contributed by: Tracy Bratt

Helping others in need

This saving may not be for your pocket but is useful and could help out others in need if you dig deep enough at no cost to you.

For anyone who has fruit trees and hates seeing all their leftover fruit go to waste, why not donate any leftovers to your local hostel/nursing home? Many places such as these run as a not for profit organisation who rely on donations from the community. This also saves you from cleaning up the mess from the ground as well as making a contribution to your community.

Some of these homes may also run an opportunity shop if you wish to donate items such as clothes, electrical appliances and so on and will usually pick up items for free if you live locally. So next time you think of throwing something out, ask yourself if it's in good enough condition to donate to an aged care facility.

You could also freeze up the fruit and keep it for later or make some lovely jams and spreads.

Contributed by: Heather Davies

Here are a few more ideas for our valued Vault members:

Family lends a hand Contributed by: Netball Nut

Volunteer to walk a dog Contributed by: Mozzie K

Give them your time Contributed by: Lisa D

6. Best of the Forum: A Friend in Need

The Forum is a wonderful place to experience first-hand the joy that lending a hand brings - to both parties. Here are some recent discussions that might give you some ideas about making a difference in someone's life this month.

Volunteering

There are some wonderful ideas in here for helping kids in need.
read more...

Heartsisters 2013 - part 2

Join this delightful group of ladies who have reached out and made a difference to each other's lives.
read more...

Preparing meals ahead and looking after yourself in winter

The marvellous Mimi has been at it again with some great ideas and recipes for warm winter meals. Perhaps there is someone in your life who would appreciate a dish made with love!
read more...

Herman the German friendship cake

Here's a wonderful excuse to knock on a new neighbour's door, call an old friend or make a new one.
read more...

Any knitters/crocheters on here? Let's chat #7

Winter is the perfect time to knit or crochet something special for someone special. Join this clever group of ladies for lots of ideas and even more inspiration!
read more...

7. Best Members' Blog: The Future Looks Brighter Even if my Wallet Feels Lighter

This month's winner is Liz for her blog on 'embracing' the $21 Challenge...and the bulk biscuit recipe!

I have always loved a bargain but for the last few years it's been more about needing the bargain. I worked part time after having my first child and after my second, I never quite made it back to work. Now my children are six and four and it's getting trickier and trickier to make ends meet.

My husband is self-employed and at times work can be sporadic. In an effort to make the leaner times more bearable I made all the cuts I could. I ditched the home phone (the only calls I ever received were from telemarketers and call me crazy, but I don't want to pay for that privilege). I shopped around for the best deal on electricity, insurance and mobile phone plans. I quit smoking for the financial benefit as much as the health benefits (sad, I know).

With all my changes, the numbers just weren't adding up. We were redrawing half our last mortgage payment to make the next mortgage payment and that's just crazy. And then, on a day I'll never forget, I stumbled onto the $21 Challenge book in the library and it completely changed my way of thinking and another Simple Saver joined the flock (I think my hubby would call me a Psycho Saver).

My first challenge week went fairly well but I must admit I mainly just ate cookies (the bulk recipe is nothing short of spectacular when you add golden syrup and white choc chips). I think I missed the point and the fact that I didn't end up with scurvy is a miracle. I should add, my family didn't join me on my cookie odyssey. I resolved to make next challenge week a healthier affair.

I decided to do the challenge one week a month in an effort to get things under control. This last challenge week was amazing. We ate delicious, healthy food all week for just $20.44. My freezer was just as delighted as my family. Both my freezer and I could breathe a bit easier. Pancake night was such a success we have made every Tuesday pancake day.

With two weeks to go till my next challenge, I have started checking out recipes and lunchbox ideas. I can't wait!

Well done Liz - keep up the great work! To read any of our members' blogs, click here

8. Hidden Gem: On The House

Our Hidden Gems directory is designed to help members source the best deals in their area. This month's Hidden Gem is On The House as nominated by Kay Tee.

This is an excellent way to get to see shows in Melbourne at an amazingly cheap price.

'On The House' is a company that gets production tickets (these are the promotional tickets or are sold when a show wants to fill a venue or has a preview) for shows mostly in Melbourne but sometimes for other cities in Australia. Most tickets are between $2.50 and $7 each, often a saving of about $15-20 per ticket and the shows tend to be in smaller venues in and around the CBD.

The website is very easy to use and it is just like buying regular tickets online, but instead of getting a physical ticket, you have to go to the box office on the night and tell them that you have tickets 'on the house'. If you can't attend, you just have to let 'On The House' know ahead of time.

We have been to comedy, cabaret, theatre and music events. The best part is that the more people who know about 'On The House', the more publicity they can get and the more tickets that are available.

Tips - Get in early! 'On The House' sends out emails fairly regularly with their new events. It's worth checking back on their website frequently to see what is new. Some of the tickets sell out really quickly, especially if they have a small allocation, but often new dates/times become available. Sometimes you can plan ahead, but often tickets are available for tonight or the next couple of nights, so if you have a night free it is worth checking back to see what is on.

Where: Melbourne
Website: www.on-the-house.org

**
** Well done Kay Tee on locating such a fantastic hidden gem and thanks so much for sharing.

9. Cooking with Mimi: Random Acts of Kindness and Volunteering... Comfort Baskets

Winter can be truly miserable when you live alone.

No-one to snuggle to at night. No-one to make warming drinks for you when the ills and chills hit.

I have three friends who are single parents, and I'm making up these Comfort Baskets to deliver to them this weekend.

As a mum and wife with my own family, I can't be there to make them warming drinks when they're not well, nor would they want to snuggle up to me at night. But I can give them the gift of not having to dash out to the expensive late night pharmacy when they're not feeling the best.

If you make your own versions of each of the items, this can be a really inexpensive gift. Just about everything can be made at home or sourced frugally from the supermarket or discount stores.

This basket is for my own living room, where I keep one next to each chair. It contains the following items:

Polar fleece throw rug for snuggling under
Woolly bed socks for chilly feet
Massage oil for aches and pains
Chest rub
Lip balm
Throat lozenges
Cold sore cream
Tissues
Hand cream
A favourite book
Heat wheat

It's a small compact basket and takes up very little room and is such a luxurious thing to have sitting nearby on a chilly evening.

For my friends I'll add a jar of my Lemon Ginger Honey to add to tea or hot lemon drinks, and some home-made Lemon Ginger and Chilli Barley Water.

I can't volunteer to rub Euccy Rub on their chests, but I can give them some mummy love with my Comfort Baskets!

Lemon Ginger Honey

Makes one large jar

2 lemons, scrubbed well and cut into thin wedges
4 tsp grated ginger or minced ginger or a thumb-sized knob of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1-1 1/2 cups honey
Recycled or new jar, about 500ml capacity

Then just:

Put the lemon wedges and ginger into the jar. Heat the honey for about 20 seconds in the microwave to warm it and make it runny, and pour over the lemon and ginger. Cover the lemons entirely. Refrigerate immediately and use as required. This can be added to tea or hot water or juiced lemons and boiling water to make a soothing drink any time. It will store well for several months.

Lemon Ginger and Chilli Barley Water

3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed in a sieve until the water runs clear
6 cups water
1 small red chilli, deseeded and sliced
Juice and zest of 3 lemons
3/4 cup honey
2 tsp minced ginger

Then just:

Bring the barley, chilli and water to the boil. Simmer for ten minutes. Strain and pour into a bowl.

Add the other ingredients and stir well.

Pour into recycled and sterilised bottles or jars, and use as a cordial.

This potion is purported to be a great way to boost your immunity. On that I remain uncertain, but it sure does taste good!

You can discover more of Mimi's creations in our Members' Blog section at www.simplesavings.com.au/blog.

10. Claire's Corner: Senior Moments

About three months ago, my 62-year-old mum made the very difficult decision to move to Wanganui (about six hours drive from us in Auckland). It was purely a financial decision, she was made redundant a year earlier. After selling her house she sunk a lot of the money into a health shop. Unfortunately it never really took off and she had to close down within a year. But with house prices (and rent) in Auckland being ridiculously high, she didn't have enough money to buy again in Auckland. So, she bought a house that she could afford in Wanganui (where houses are very affordable), and very bravely moved herself there (and, I'm pleased to say, she now loves it).

Over the year that she was running her health shop she made a lot of friends in the community, many of them folk that needed help with their health or well-being. One of them in particular, Mary, is an elderly lady who lives alone in a retirement unit not far from me. Mum would often take Mary shopping and to doctors' appointments and keep her company. Mary is also legally blind so having Mum around to help her out was great for her. But of course, when Mum moved away Mary felt quite bereft at not having her company.

Mum had made a few subtle suggestions to me that perhaps I could help Mary out and 'keep an eye on her'. But, knowing how much time Mum spent with her (a lot!) I was a bit worried that I just wouldn't have the time - I never seem to have enough hours in the day as it is! But a few weeks ago Mum rang me and asked me to pop in and see Mary as she had some old glassware that needed to go to the charity shop. So Emily and I called in on her later that day. We stayed for a cuppa and a chat - Mary was delighted to be able to show us her garden, her cat and her recent bargains from the hospice shop!

I realised that it wasn't a big ask at all to spend a little time with someone who just needed company, and that in fact, I quite enjoyed it. I also learnt that poor old Mary had been having a rough time in the retirement village. Apparently some of the other residents have been bullying her - turning off her washing machine (which is in a communal laundry), tipping out her rubbish and making silly phone calls. I couldn't believe what I was hearing! It sounded more like a primary school than a retirement village! How utterly awful for someone who is in her 80's and can barely see. I dare say that this sort of thing happens in many retirement homes, and probably often gets dismissed by staff and carers.

Emily and I have made the decision to pop in and see Mary more regularly. She loves our company, even if it's only for an hour or so. I don't have any grandparents still alive, so it's quite nice for us to have her company too. And of course, she has some amazing stories about her childhood and about the war - it's wonderful for Emily to hear them, she is fascinated by how people lived a few generations ago. So I guess it's a win-win - we get just as much from her as she gets from us!

You can read more of Claire's warm and wonderful words in our Members' Blog section at www.simplesavings.com.au/blog

11. 50c Indulgences: Winter Time Delights

Our Indulgences under 50c thread theme 'Winter Time Delights' has started off with so much enthusiasm and has really changed my feelings about winter. There are always different ways of looking at things...instead of cold, dark and gloomy, we have chosen to see winter as snuggly and cozy and warmed by candle, fire or fairy lights! A simple shift in habits makes winter so much nicer. Think of snuggly rugs on the lounge, hot chocolate with marshmallows, a heat pack in bed, the crock pot bubbling away with soup or a stew when you come in the door in the evening.

During winter I can leave the garden watering to nature so I've had a chance to jump into so many indoor projects and am just loving it! In summer we tend to be out swimming or gardening in the evenings but winter is the time to work on hand-made gifts and crafts and get lots done inside the house. Dark evenings become lovely with clusters of candles but a wood fire is even nicer. The soft glow of fairy lights in the house is an alternative. We use solar ones and the solar panel sits in the windowsill and collects the sunlight and we enjoy a free glow of pretty lights in the evenings. They are beautiful and with a few candles provide all the light we need in the evenings. It creates a lovely atmosphere - instead of gloomy, it's soft and romantic! Make winter extra cozy and comfortable in the bedroom by making your beds up with additional warmth, especially an under blanket under the bottom sheet.

Winter is also a beautiful time to teach children to knit. I learned so much knitting with my mum and nan from a young age and so many years later, still remember it all. Working on a rug over winter keeps your knees warm as it grows and makes a lovely heirloom or gift. Knitting a hot water bottle cover is a wonderful smaller project, or even easier, sew one from some woollen fabric. I add a little embroidery to mine and give them as winter gifts.

Come and join us as we continue on through winter and make it warm and happy for our families and ourselves. There is nothing like a cup of tea and friendship to warm our hearts in winter. My day wouldn't be the same without some time on the Forum for some friendship, help and support!

You can drop in and join Annabel, Helen and the Under 50c Army here:
Winter time delights. Under 50 cent indulgences June 2013

12. Rob Bob's Gardening Blog: A Trip Away and Some Very Welcome Pickings From the Patch

A trip away

A bit late with the blog this week as we spent last week away visiting the Port Macquarie region, catching up with family and visiting the old family farms. It was great to take Bianca and the girls to see the two farms they had heard so much about and see the new residents.

We also got to meet up with an online friend, Dave, and have a bit of a swap meet. We dropped off some dragon fruit seedlings and some seeds that we had saved from the patch and in return we got some green mango chutney and some of his home-grown/processed bamboo shoots. These will go great in either a stir-fry or curry methinks. Dave was also kind enough to give us a selection of seeds. We got some root stock citrus seeds, rocket seeds, yellow and red Trinidad Scorpion chilli seeds (some of the hottest chillies in the world :/») as well as a selection of fresh chillies to save seeds from. He also roasts his own coffee and made us up a great cuppa while we were there. It was great to catch up with another keen gardener and hope to make a trip there just to check out his small permaculture farm in greater detail at a later date. It was pouring rain when we were there.

We decided that while we were away we would try and make the trip as 'SS' as possible by taking as much food as we could for our main meals. We took 1½ dozen eggs from the girls, home-made curry paste, some home-grown vegies as well as a few tins of beans and the like. As much as I like going out and having other people cook for me I think the best two meals we had were made in the unit from a cauliflower we had grown :)» The first meal we made was a basic cauliflower and bacon soup but the second was my favourite.

Bianca made up a prawn and cauliflower Thai curry using all our own ingredients except for some locally caught prawns and a small tin of coconut cream. Would have to be the best meal we ate while we were away I think **nods**.

The fish that I mentioned harvesting in the last blog, was cooked up for my parents and some of my uncles and aunts while we were down there. Don, an ace on the BBQ, fried up the fish and they were shared around the family. Everyone said that they were most impressed and thought it was some of the best tasting fresh water fish they had eaten, so I was most chuffed about that. Think we might harvest a few more in a couple of weeks so we can cook them up fresh on the BBQ here with some friends. Makes it all worth the effort when we can share them around with friends & family.

Comfrey tea

I have a load of jobbies on the list to do this week but I think the first one I should get to is giving the beds a good liquid feed. I have been making up comfrey green manure tea over the past month or so using the waste water from the aquaponics solids filter that is full of extra fishy nutrients. Green manure teas can be made up with almost any green leafy materials from the patch. It makes for a very cheap and 'SS' nutrient rich fertiliser. It is probably best not to use leaves from trees like gums due to their volatile oils or others like oleanders that are poisonous. I like to stick to common garden weeds, leaves from plants that have been pruned and comfrey. I have a preference for comfrey and dandelion plants as they are both 'dynamic/bio accumulators'. This means that their long roots bring up extra nutrients from deep in the soil.

To go about making your own all you need to do is shred up some leaves and let them steep in some water for a few weeks. It helps to give the brew a mix every day with a stick just to get some oxygen in there to help feed the aerobic bacteria. I like to stir ours every time I walk by it but once or twice a day is fine I think. After two or so weeks it is ready to use. I like to strain out the organic matter then add one litre of the brew to a 9-10L litre watering can then give the patch a good feed with that.

WARNING: While brewing, keep away from your own house and neighbours' dwellings as the odour can become rather offensive depending on what you add ;)»

Below is a quick look at how I make ours up and then mix it up for application to the garden.

Some I have spoken to also like to add molasses as well as an aquarium air pump with air stones to theirs. This is to add some extra oxygen/sugars that help feed the bacteria that work in the brew. I can really see the change it has made in a few of the plants like the chillies, garlic and brassicas as they all look healthier and put on a bit of a growth spurt a few days after adding this stinky home-made fertiliser..

Well that's it for now; hope you all have a great week.

Rob : )»

You can read more of Rob Bob's gardening adventures in our Members' Blog section at </blog/>

13. From Last Month: Funeral Plans

Last month Helene Griffiths emailed us about ideas to help her with funeral plans:

"I am currently researching funeral plans and I am confused by the price differences and what I should do."

We got some fantastic ideas - thank you for sharing your wisdom! Here are some of our favourite replies:

Plan funeral arrangements ahead

You can help make your funeral arrangements easier on your family by researching and working out what you want, then writing it down and keeping it safe with your will and personal papers. You can then open a bank account and put money into it. This way your money earns interest and your family won't have the problem of the funeral home you chose not accepting the funeral plan that you've paid for.

Contributed by: Merrilyn Canning

Pre-paid funeral better option than insurance

Rather than paying for funeral insurance for the rest of her life, my mother has prepaid and arranged her funeral directly through a funeral company. She was able to choose her casket, whether to have a wreath and which charity she wants donations made to in lieu of flowers. She knew up front the total amount and the company accepted a payment plan over 18 months (she paid it off in five months for peace of mind). They will invest the money to cover rising costs.

Contributed by: Jenni Hammat

Shop around for cremation costs

We recently organised a direct cremation for my mother-in-law and saved $3000 by shopping around. My mother-in-law was 91 when she passed away and had told us she didn't want a funeral service. We rang around and found an enormous difference in price for the same thing. One company quoted us $4600 and another - who we went with - charged $1600 for EXACTLY the same thing!

When I questioned the first company about the difference, they couldn't really explain it, they just said 'that is how it is'! It really does pay to shop around as we saved thousands without compromising on the service we received.

Contributed by: Nannamac

Term deposit better than funeral insurance

Here's a tip to help ensure you have money put aside for funeral costs while also giving you extra cash.

While I was working I opened a separate interest-bearing bank account and had automatic payments made each month from my wages. Once I had saved $10,000, I put the money into a term deposit for six months at a time, with the interest going into my ordinary savings account.

Doing this means you keep $10,000 in your term deposit, but the interest is your 'bonus'. Just before the six months are up, check around in case there is a better deal from your bank (or other banks). Sometimes they have 180 day or perhaps 160 day terms. If another bank has a better deal all you have to do is contact your own bank and let them know you can get a better deal - and they will match it!

I am 70 years old now and being on the pension I look forward to my little 'bonus' each six months. For instance, a few months ago I got $174. Why let the insurance company or funeral plan provider get the interest on your money when you can have it for yourself?

Contributed by: Lorraine Bremner

Get comprehensive quotes when funeral planning

When the difficult time comes to plan for a funeral, it's a good idea to ring around as many providers and get as many quotes as you can. Be sure to ask what the prices include (such as handles, coffin lining and so on). This way you won't have a nasty shock at the end of it all.

Contributed by: Corry Gilbert

Ask about basic service options

When we recently had a death in the family, we were able to keep costs down and still have the farewell we wanted. Because of an illness, we knew that our loved one's death was imminent which meant family and friends were able to say goodbye.

We found that many funeral directors provide a basic service in which they pick up the deceased and use a chipboard or cardboard coffin and cremate without embalming.

Contributed by: Marg

Let estate pay for funeral bill

I believe that funeral insurance/plans are just a gimmick. Why let someone else have the interest from your money when you can keep it earning more interest until necessary?

Both sets of our parents have recently died and both of them had beautiful funerals. Neither sets had funeral plans - the money was available through their estate. For most families, money for funerals will be available to pay the funeral bill through the deceased's estate. In fact, I was growled at by our lawyer because I paid for Mum's funeral up-front at the first meeting after her death (God rest her darling soul). He said, 'Never pay for the funeral until the estate is cleared!'

Contributed by: Melinda Rau-wig

Donating to medical research an option for some

My uncle, who was very careful with his money, recently passed away. He donated his body to a university for medical research. As I understand it, when the university is finished with his remains they are cremated, so there are no funeral costs. He had a private memorial.

Contributed by: Rods

Plan ahead with Funeral Bonds

Instead of a funeral plan, we invested the amount we would need in a funeral account at the bank. They're known as Funeral Bonds and are Centrelink friendly. The bonds are not an asset for us and there are no charges. We get the interest and after use the balance goes into our estate.

Contributed by: Carolyn Chidgey

Understanding funeral payment options

As someone who works in the funeral industry, I feel it is very important for people looking to have their funeral costs covered understand the differences between products.

Pros and cons of insurance

The funeral insurances you see advertised on TV are just that - insurance. Just as you would insure your car by paying a monthly premium, you can cover funeral costs in this way too. However, be mindful that while the monthly cost may be minimal, you may live for another 20 years and will need to pay this for 20 years to make sure you have your expenses covered. So work out whether or not you can keep paying insurance for an extended period.

While small, weekly amounts may suit some people and the products can be worthwhile, just be mindful of the fact that it is insurance and some circumstances may exclude you from receiving funds. For example, if you miss a month's payment and you pass away in that same month, chances are your family may not get the funds (much the same if you were to have an accident in your car and your premium hadn't been paid). Also, as you get older the premiums will increase. Some companies also have a 'cut off age' which means if you live beyond this age, you are no longer eligible for funds when you pass away.

Pre-paid funerals

Pre-paying your funeral means you can choose what you would like to have covered in your funeral and these are charged at today's costs. You can choose to pay it off over a certain time or pay it in a lump sum. If you live for another 20 years, the things paid for in your contract are covered. No further payments will be sought (the disclaimer to this however, is if the family choose to do something outside of the contract, such as ordering more flowers, having some refreshments after the service and so on, then they will be invoiced for these items). The payments, should you pay monthly, will be greater than insurance, but after the contract is paid there are no more debits from your account. You can rest easy knowing your funeral is covered.

Funeral Bonds

A Funeral Bond is a payment of funds towards your funeral. A bit like a savings account. The beauty in a bond is that you can pay a monthly amount of your choosing - from about $25. When it comes time to access the funds they will go towards the funeral costs. If you have more than enough to cover the expenses then the remaining amount goes to the estate. If you don't have quite enough, the family is invoiced for the remaining amount.

The beauty of a pre-paid funeral or bond, is that they are not asset-tested so if you have Centrelink issues, or need to put money away to obtain more pension, one of these options may suit. You can be comfortable in the knowledge that with either option, the money will go towards your expenses.

It is a good idea to sit down with a funeral director and chat to them about your options. You will need to decide if you want a cremation or burial, a church or funeral parlour service as these can change the costs. For a burial, remember to add into your costs the purchase of a plot in a local cemetery. Your director can advise you of possible costs, or guide you on who to contact in your local area in regards to the cemeteries. It will be obligation-free, and will help you know where you stand and which option will suit your budget. You can also contact an insurance company and look at their product.

Contributed by: Danielle C.

14. This Month's Help Request: Natural Shampoo

Victoria has emailed asking for some help! She writes:

"Hoping someone can help me! I am looking for a recipe for shampoo from ordinary cupboard ingredients. I have tried baking soda and water but got a terribly itchy scalp. I also tried a recipe with a small amount of coconut oil in it and my hair was soft but really greasy.

I have a very sensitive scalp and am at a loss as to what I can use and I'm sick of paying supermarket prices!"

If you have any pearls of wisdom you'd like to share with Victoria, please send them in to us here.

15. Goodbye For Now!

Well, that's your Simple Savings Newsletter for June 2013 and we hope you have enjoyed it. Don't forget to think about how you can lend a hand this month and make a difference to someone. Enter the competition and tell us what you did!

Till next time...

All the best,
Fiona

June 2015 - Simple Savings Newsletter

"Secrets to Saving Money" Free Newsletter - June 2015

This issue includes:-

Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: One of Those Days
June: Instant Meals
Best of the Vault: Tea on the Table in Two!
Best of the Forum: Meals in Minutes
Best Members' Blog: Surrender
Cooking with Mimi: Lamb Meatballs and Herbed Quinoa
Rob Bob's Gardening Blog: Some Useful Bugs and An (Almost) Home Grown Soup

Hello,

How are you going? I hope you have had a lovely month. I have been playing in our Facebook group and our Forum this month and I'm blown away by how lovely everyone is. I'm very proud that I get to be a part of Simple Savings.

Some of your comments and emails are beautiful - here are some favourites from this month:

"I've just read your latest newsletter - I love getting them and do EVERY challenge! Thank you for helping us save so much money." (Megan)

"I joined Simple Savings last week, and after a quick look around, can't believe I left it so long to join! I've started to work my way through the hints, there are so many of them. Thank you for a great website." (Jaye)

Have a great month!
All the best,
Fiona Lippey

1. Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: One of Those Days

Hanna had had a really bad day. Normally she loved work but EVERYTHING had gone wrong today! The computers were down, everyone complained and on top of that she was getting the flu. And things hadn't got any better after work. She picked up the kids and then got caught in a traffic jam so they were late getting to netball. As she sat in the freezing cold watching the practice, she'd just had enough.

She grabbed her mobile and rang home. "John, it's me," she whined, "I've had an awful day!" Hanna never, ever whinged but it really was one of those days. "I just can't be bothered cooking. Let's get take away." John comforted his wife, "Of course honey, just get something on your way home." Hanna groaned and hung up on him.

John looked at the phone, stunned! What had he done wrong? Was there some secret woman code he had missed? "Ahhhhhhh," he suddenly remembered. 'Take away' was Hanna's secret code for 'OFFER TO COOK DINNER YOU SOD'! He quickly rang her back and said, "Honey, now don't you worry about dinner. I'll take care of it tonight."

2. June: Instant Meals

We all know how Hanna feels at the end of an exhausting day - dinner is just one more chore. The temptation to get a quick and easy take away is often too great so we waste another $40 or $50 because we just can't be bothered. Well, imagine just cutting one take away out each week by being prepared with your own instant meals! This month we want to show you some great tips and tricks to get that food on the table pronto! Your challenge is to try just one of them - or better still, ALL of them!

Yes, yes, yes... we can hear you sighing... it's bulk cooking all over again. Well, you'd be right in one way, we all know there is no better way of filling your freezer up with instant meals than a huge cook-up! But there are lots of other ways to get quick meals organised, here are a few ideas to try:

Train the Troops

Dinner doesn't have to be a cordon bleu affair every night of the week. Sometimes the best meal is the one you don't have to cook! It's time to train your troops so they each have one 'go to' instant meal they can prepare when needed, or better still, one night a week. Except for younger children, everyone else in the family can cook a meal - your job is to show them how, make sure the ingredients are always on hand and give the order! In the Lippey household, Matt's quick 'go to' favourite is honey soy chicken while 13-year-old Sam's 'instant meal ' is apricot chicken. Miss Jacqueline makes the salad and Tristan and Elora peel and cut vegetables. Teaching your children how to cook (and encouraging older members of the family!) is not only good for giving you a break now and then, it's a necessary life skill. You're actually doing them a favour. ;-)

The Stretcher

The 'Stretcher' is a sanity saver! Just make up a big batch mix of your favourite meat and flavours to use in a variety of different ways. Pre-prepared savoury mince can be used in pasta, tacos, pies, sausage rolls, baked potato filling, curries, chow mein and so on. Stretch a large batch of cubed chicken and spices into casseroles, skewers, stews, stir-fries, burritos and the like. Lentils, beans and vegetable mixtures and sauces make great tasty stretchers as well. The key to 'Stretchers' is to make a huge batch and freeze into appropriate proportions.

Puff the Magic Pastry

Truly your best friend in the freezer! Puff pastry quickly turns ordinary bits and pieces into something hot and tasty! Use it for pies, toppings, rolls, scrolls, pasties, foldovers and so on. Fill with your Stretcher and selection of vegetables for quick and tasty instant meals.

Tea for Tomorrow

This tip is a no-brainer! Think ahead when you're cooking so today's leftovers will be part of tomorrow's meal, saving you even more time.

boil extra potatoes tonight for potato salad tomorrow
make extra rice tonight for fried rice tomorrow
roast extra vegies tonight for tomorrow's roast vegetable salad
steam extra vegies tonight for tomorrow's vegetable bake

Look in the Cupboard!

It's time to get friendlier with those shiny appliances in your cupboards! Take a good look at how they can help you make a healthy and tasty dinner in next to no time. That rice cooker doesn't JUST cook beautiful rice you know - it also cooks quick and easy risottos, quinoa dishes, fried rice and lentil stews. Flat sandwich makers make quick omelets, pizzas, pancakes and crepes. Dust off those instruction booklets, or Google, and we know you'll be amazed!

Microwave

Need we say anymore? Your microwave isn't just a convenient clock in your kitchen - it can do pretty much anything your oven can, only much quicker and cleaner! There's a whole world of microwave magic out there.

Be Clever in the Kitchen

Short-cuts are a great way to get a meal on the table quickly - here are some of our suggestions:

Meat from sausages can be made into meatballs in seconds
Quickly cooked grains such as couscous and quinoa are a good alternative to pasta
Use oven bags to store and freeze your pre-prepared meals in for quick defrosting, cooking and cleaning
You can cook two different meals in oven bags in your crockpot at the one time
Marinate meat before you freeze it - defrost and cook!
For quick cooking, thinly slice meat and chop vegies into matchsticks
Mimi's Poached Chicken - versatile, delicious and it really does cook itself!
In the forum, here

Lastly, we want you to remember that a baked bean toasted sandwich or a cup of soup for dinner every now and then really is OK... and much quicker than getting take away!

3. Best of the Vault: Tea on the Table in Two!

Making dinner every evening can actually be a pleasant experience - yes, really! You just need to know how to get that meal on the table quickly and easily - let us help with some of these great ideas from the Vault.

Coconut chicken

This is a rich dish with added health benefits in the form of vegetables!

Ingredients:

¾ packet of rice
1 cup of vegetables e.g. carrot, zucchini, cauliflower or celery
2 chicken breasts, or you can use a BBQ chicken
Coconut cream
Stock or water
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Place rice on the bottom of a baking tray. Layer vegetables over rice, then place chicken on top. Pour over the coconut cream, then enough water or stock to cover everything - or you can mix the coconut cream and liquids before adding. Cover with foil, shiny side down. Bake at 180-200C for about 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Contributed by: Cheri H

Cook two simultaneous meals in one crockpot

We are a family of only two adults who cook often with a large crockpot. However, we do find ourselves with a heap of leftovers after cooking a pot full of food. So, instead of filling the crockpot with enough food for one meal several times over, we now take two oven bags and divide our meat/chicken/fish between both bags. We add different flavourings to each bag then arrange both bags in the slow cooker and cook on low for eight hours. I have just made Chicken Korma in one bag, using drumsticks that were on special with an extra pinch of cinnamon and some chilli, and Mediterranean Chicken with olives in the other bag. The conflicting smells are surprisingly delightful and the final result is two delicious meals both cooked with the same amount of power I would have used for one. Any extras we don't consume straight away I simply freeze and save for a later date.

Contributed by: Linda P

$13 mince mix makes base for seven meals

This super basic mince recipe saves me up to $100 a month on take away, thanks to the convenience of having meals already 'half made'.

All you need is:

2kg minced beef
2 cups red lentils
2 tbsp vegetable stock powder, or four vegetable stock cubes
1 tsp dried garlic granules
1 dsp dried onion flakes
4 cups water

Place all the ingredients into a crock pot and cook on high for two hours, stirring every 30 minutes. It should be thick, aromatic and an unattractive brown colour (don't let this worry you!).

One batch costs just $13 to make and is enough to serve as a base for seven meals for our family (two children and two adults). This saves heaps of money and time too. I usually freeze the mince in margarine tubs, as that seems to be the right amount for one meal for our family.

The meals I made are:

Piemaker pies.
Allow one heaped tablespoon of basic mince per pie. Pour the mince into a small saucepan and add a large spoonful of gravy powder or a dessertspoon of cornflour and some Vegemite for colour. Heat and stir until thickened. Spoon into pastry cases and cook in the piemaker.
Mexican enchiladas.
I use Mountain Bread or make my own crepes. Lay the bread or crepes in u-shapes in a large baking dish. Mix the mince with an equal amount of tinned or home-made refried beans. Spread the mixture in a sausage shape down the middle of each crepe, fold each side of the crepe over, sprinkle with grated cheese and bake at 180C until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve on a bed of rice, topped with natural yoghurt and some salsa.
Stuffed capsicums.
Halve enough capsicums for half or one per person. Spoon the mince straight into the capsicums, top with some mashed potato, pumpkin or sweet potato. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 40 mins at 180C. Kids love these as the capsicum sweetens when baked.
Baked spuds with topping.
Allow one potato of appropriate size per person. Cook in the microwave according to manufacturer's instructions. Split a cross in the top and pile filling into the opening. Top with natural yoghurt or sour cream and chopped, sauteed bacon. Allow one large tablespoon of filling per potato. Mix the filling with one tin of baked beans and heat in a small saucepan before pouring on to the potatoes.
Spring rolls.
Mix about four tablespoons of mince mixture with a packet of cooked and cooled Two Minute Noodles, some shredded carrot, and 1/2 a teaspoon of Chinese five spice. Using filo pastry sheets or spring roll wrappers, fold a small handful of filling into each spring roll. Spray liberally with cooking spray and bake at 180C for 20-30 mins.
Greek pasta bake (Pastito).
Heat a container of mince mixture with a 400g tin of peeled tomatoes. Cook enough macaroni for your family and drain well. Mix with the meat mixture and spoon into a large baking dish and top with your favourite white sauce or cheese sauce. Sprinkle on some grated cheese and bake for 40 minutes at 200C.
Shepherd's pie.
Add any vegetables of your choice to the mince mixture. Place into a baking dish and top with mashed potato, pumpkin or sweet potato then bake until heated and the potato browns.

Contributed by: Mimi

4. Best of the Forum: Meals in Minutes

Our Forum members always come up with surprising ways to make meals quickly and easily. Here are a few tips to share with you!

Menu Planning #7

This is a great way to keep tabs on your menu planning - plan ahead so you don't get out with tempting take away on a busy day!
read more...

Pumpkin soup recipe help needed please

Nothing beats the winter blues like a warm, tasty pumpkin soup! Quick, easy and tasty - here are some great ideas!
read more...

Vegetarian rice sausage patties

Zellie's vegetarian recipe is sure to become a quick, easy favourite.
read more...

5. Best Members' Blog: Surrender

One of the many benefits of being a Vault member is that you can win $100 cash each month for your Simple Savings blog! Starting your own blog on the site is easy. All you have to do is log into the Vault, click on 'My Desk' at the top left, then 'Your Blog'. Then get writing! We love reading all your money saving trials and tribulations and really appreciate the effort that goes into each one.

This month's Blog winner is Mel K who wrote beautifully about 'surrendering'.

"When I first think of the word 'surrender', I think of giving up a fight. Losing. Quitting. Throwing in the towel. But in thinking that, I have it in my head that life is a fight. Surely it doesn't have to be.

We are so conditioned to pushing through, to having to achieve, to 'get things done'. For me it feels weird and lazy and guilt-inducing to not be constantly working on something and at the same time, thinking about the next. To never having down-time, but rather starting on the next thing on the list. Not living in the now. Not listening to your body and emotions. To pushing aside that tiredness, the moodiness, the permanent sore throat. To never slow down enough to take stock, to enjoy the little things, to even have a proper conversation with your loved ones. All for the sake of 'getting things done'.

But life is not about constant action and busyness. It has its ebbs and flows. The busy times with the quiet in between. The giving and receiving. The cycle of growth and release, action and rest.

I have been in a panicked state lately, with my to-do list overwhelming me, so much to do that I feel paralysed and don't know where to start. So when I pulled the surrender card from a deck of cards that I have, and also noticed the world around, I knew I needed to take notice.

To let go. To stop being such a control freak. To trust that life has my back, even if I do drop one of the 1001 balls I try to constantly juggle.

You don't need to push through all the time. It's ok to rest and recharge when you feel the need. Why buy into the busyness myth? Who said that in order to be a valued human being that you need to be 'busy'. Listen to your body and your moods. Honour and respect that they are trying to tell you something. We are human 'beings' not human 'doings'.

What is coming up for you at the moment? Are you even taking the time to listen to what your body needs? What do you need to surrender? What are you holding on to that is weighing you down? Is it clutter, is it anger and resentment? Is it a toxic friendship? Stop holding on so tight and let what needs to go, go. Surrender.

Release and restore your soul. Surrender your fears and ego. Surrender your need to be in control. Surrender the false belief that only YOU can juggle all those balls with no help. Surrender to actually asking for help and being willing to receive it. Allow your life to unfold. Move more gently.

(And when you finally let go of your tight grip on the reins and decide that yes, tonight I am going to actually have a rest, surrender to the possibility that you will come home from work to a strange smell, crying children and a frustrated husband who has aaahhhhh! found nits in one of the kids' hair, and is starting the treatment process. Surrender to giving up all other plans to focus on an extra four loads of washing, to cajoling and comforting children who hate having their hair brushed at the best of times, and who now have to be tortured by the nit comb. Surrender to a bad night's sleep because the favourite soft toy is suffering the indignity of hanging from its ears on the washing line. Surrender to letting the kids sleep on unmade beds because you are way too tired to remake them...)

Because when you start to muse on something, it has a habit of coming to bang you over the head, just to make sure you are really getting the lesson, lol.

Another new thought has come to me on the word surrender. It's a picture of falling into a big comfortable bed, of snuggling up under the cosy blankets and letting yourself drift into the healing peace of sleep. Surrender. Giving up can be a good thing."

Thank you, Mel for your thoughts - we loved your blog!

You can read more of our members' blogs here.

6. Cooking with Mimi: Lamb Meatballs and Herbed Quinoa

The cooler weather always means comfort food, doesn't it? It's suddenly chilly in our part of the world and that usually means lots of mash or rice, and gravy-laden slow cooker meals. We're trying hard to be healthy this winter so that we don't exit August looking like bears waking from hibernation, so I'm keen to find alternatives to butter soaked mashed potato, steamed white rice, and gravy... sigh... I know. It's not easy. We all love that stuff. I'm finding quinoa is a great alternative, as is polenta. DH has eaten polenta when we've been out and thought it WAS mash... lol. And quinoa is just a great nutty flavoured, grainy choice that's a little healthier than white rice. We'd had this meal three times in the last fortnight, so I guess that makes it a winner. So I thought I'd share it here.

Lamb meatballs and herbed quinoa with home-made Moroccan seasoning

For four servings, you'll need:

Make the Moroccan seasoning first:

2 tsp each ground cumin, ground ginger, turmeric, salt and white pepper
1 tsp each ground coriander, cayenne pepper, allspice and the crushed thorny bits off two clove heads. Don't use the whole clove!
Combine these well in a small container with a lid. You'll have enough for two or three meals.

For the quinoa:

1 cup quinoa
1/4 cup currants (or any dried fruit really)
1/4 cup orange juice or water
1/2 cup each of chopped herbs of your choice... I like mint, coriander and Italian parsley
2 shallots (the long green things), finely sliced
1 Lebanese cucumber, chopped roughly
2 tsp home-made Moroccan seasoning

For the meatballs:

500g lamb mince
1 egg
2 tbsp finely chopped mint
2 shallots, finely sliced
2 tsp home-made Moroccan seasoning

Tzatziki, to serve, if you like it. I make my own by combining Greek yoghurt with finely diced Lebanese cucumber, half a teaspoon of grated onion, a teaspoon of lemon zest and some mint.

Then just:

Put the currants into a small microwave safe bowl or cup, add the orange juice and heat to steaming in the microwave. This just hastens the plumping of the currants. Allow the currants and the OJ to sit while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Combine the meatball ingredients well and roll the mixture into balls, refrigerating them for about ten minutes.

Put one cup of quinoa in a medium saucepan with two cups of water. Bring it to the boil and simmer for about 15 minutes. If you have time you can also cook it using my easy peasy rice method of bringing to the boil, covering it with a tight fitting lid and turning the hotplate off. Leave it sit for about half an hour and it's done. Fluff it with a fork.

Line up the ingredients to add to the quinoa so that you can quickly add them prior to serving.

While the quinoa steams, pan fry the meatballs. I actually squash them flatter so they're like mini burger patties. They cook more quickly.

While they're cooking, drain the currants, reserving the orange juice.

When you're ready to serve, toss the cooked quinoa with the currants, cucumber, shallots and chopped fresh herbs. Add the Moroccan seasoning and as much of the reserved orange juice as you like for flavour.

Scoop the quinoa mixture into bowls, top with the meatballs/patties, and spoon Tzatziki over them

Utterly delicious and so healthy. :)

You can get updates on Mimi's new blogs on the Simple Savings Facebook page

or in our Members' Blog section.

7. Rob Bob's Gardening Blog: Some Useful Bugs and

An (Almost) Home Grown Soup

Beneficial bugs

One of the unavoidable parts of growing your own tasty fruit and vegies is the arrival of free-loading insects that also enjoy our home-grown delights. I've mentioned a few different methods we use to control some of these pests in a previous blog. There is also another less hands-on method I think that some might find useful and that is attracting predator/beneficial insects into the patch. While predatory insects may take a while to build up in number to be an effective weapon against the pests, I do think it is worth encouraging them. One of the easiest ways you can achieve this is by having flowering plants in the patch, a lot of which can be edible.

Some of my favourites are French marigolds, dill, buckwheat, pineapple sage, lavender, coriander/cilantro, Lucerne/alfalfa and the basil family of herbs. Broccoli is another plant that I've noticed brings a lot of bugs into the patch, so I always like to let a few florets go to flower.

Here's a bit of a run down on some of the most common beneficial insects we get in the patch:

The common ladybug is the one beneficial bug we see the most of, and they tend to show up here whenever we have an outbreak of aphids.

The adults will feed on a number of garden pests like aphids, mites, scale and mealybugs. One of the reasons I like these bugs so much is that the larvae are also voracious feeders and can polish off up to a dozen aphids a day. When you consider that a ladybug can lay up to 50 eggs at a time, that's a lot of pests being devoured every day. The parents also do their fair share, consuming up to 60 aphids a day. The adults of some species also like to feed on pollen which is also a bonus for the patch.

Lacewings are another garden helper that like to feast on a number of the smaller pest insects.

This time round it's the larvae that do most of the hard work consuming aphids, whitefly, mites scale and mealybugs. The adults feed on nectar and pollen so are also great workers to have around the patch.

I haven't seen many adult parasitic wasps around the patch but I have seen the handy work of their young. These fellas help out in a slightly more gruesome way by laying the eggs under the skin of caterpillars. One variety we see a lot of belong to the Braconidae family of wasps. These guys like to target the cabbage butterfly.

While they allow the caterpillars to continue to feed on your brassicas for a time, they do kill their host before they mature into butterflies. The young wasps then emerge to mate and then target more cabbage butterflies.

Paper wasps may be considered a pest by some, including myself in the past.

These fellas also perform a beneficial role in the patch by collecting caterpillars and depositing them in the nest for their young to consume. The adults also assist in the pollination of plants around the patch. I first noticed these orange wasps when the pigeon pea was in bloom out the front and there were a number of the wasps hanging around the plants. I must admit that I do prefer these yellow ones over the more aggressive black wasps we get here.

Praying mantis would have to be one of the best hunters we have here in the patch. I've seen them eat anything from an aphid to adult grasshopper and was very pleased when Bianca found the cocoon that was mentioned in my last blog post.

I thought I'd just tag on a clip that shows a few of these insects as well as other beneficial bugs and critters we get around the patch here.

My favourite would have to be the many skinks and other lizards we get around the patch.

Fast food from the patch

Thai cuisine would have to be one of our favourites to cook. As we like Thai so much, a few years ago we decided to plant many of the spices and herbs that form the base of many Thai meals.

I thought I'd share this light Thai-inspired soup that uses a basic blend of home grown spices and herbs. We also use this paste as the base to a lot of our Thai and Indo-style meals. This meal gets served a fair bit here but how it's prepared can vary depending on what we have available in the patch at the time. I have just harvested the water chestnuts from the bathtub so decided to add a decent handful of them this time along with some prawns/shrimp. We have also enjoyed this soup with chicken and I think it would be just as tasty with only the vegies if you ate a vegetarian diet. I find this recipe is quick to prepare as the bulk of the work is making the paste and if you have spare time you can make bulk and put in the freezer for later. The vegies can quickly be prepared while the soup is on the stove.

The recipe below is enough for 2-3 servings.

Galangal and Coconut Soup with Prawns

Spice paste:

2 thumb size pieces of galangal, chopped
4 med cloves garlic, peeled
2 stalks lemongrass, sliced thinly
1-2 chillies (or more depending on your preference)
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp water, if needed

Add paste ingredients into food processor and blitz until it forms a paste. I've found that the small 'Rocket' or 'Bullet' style blenders are better for small amounts like this. You can add a bit of water to help the paste process better.

Set aside to add to saucepan.

Just a note: I find processing these ingredients helps to make it small enough to be consumed with the soup, nothing wrong with a bit of extra fibre. ;-) You could also slice the chillies, garlic, galangal and lemongrass thinly and add them. Just be warned that the galangal and lemongrass may not to be very tender, even after boiling. ;-)

Soup:

½ tbsp cooking oil
Spice paste from above
1L chicken stock (certain tinned chicken stock powders are vegetarian friendly BTW)
400ml tin coconut milk (I used powdered coconut milk and water)
1 kaffir lime leaf
400-500g peeled and deveined prawns (diced chicken also works well)
20-30 leaves Thai basil, shredded
Small tin sliced water chestnuts (I used 11 of our freshly harvested chestnuts)
1-2 tbsp fish sauce. Pays to add a bit then taste test before adding more. (I always add extra after serving as I like the flavour it adds.)

Vegies:

Green onion greens, sliced into 10mm / ¼" sections (thinly sliced onions or shallots could also be used)
Handful of your favourite greens,** sliced thinly
½ small capsicum/red pepper, sliced into thin 40mm / 1½" lengths
Large handful of snow peas, sliced into thin strips
Extra chilli for those who like it hotter, diced finely
Lime juice, to taste

** Asian greens like pak choi, choy sum and Kang kong go well in this dish as do silverbeet/chard, cabbage, amaranth leaves, Warragal greens/NZ spinach, kale or broccoli leaves. I used Okinawan spinach as we have loads of it growing in the patch at the moment.

Heat one tablespoon of cooking oil in a saucepan, then add in the spice paste and stir for a minute to help release the flavours. Pour in stock, coconut milk, toss in the torn lime leaf and bring to a slow boil. Once the soup is at a slow boil you can add in the water chestnuts, prawns and Thai basil. As the soup comes to a slow boil again turn it down to a high simmer for five minutes. Stir through the fish sauce, taste and add more if needed.

While the soup is cooking, prepare the vegetables and add them into the serving bowls. Serve hot soup over the vegies in the bowl, adding lime juice to taste. I also add in extra chilli and fish sauce at this point. ;-)

Hope you enjoy the soup if you get the chance to make up a batch.

That's about it for this month. We have a few harvests I'm looking forward to over the coming weeks so hope to share them with you all next blog.

Cheers all and have fun in the patch,
Rob

You can get updates on Rob Bob's new gardening adventure blogs on the Simple Savings Facebook page

or in our Members' Blog section.

8. Goodbye, Goodbye!

Well, that's your Simple Savings Newsletter for June 2015 and we hope you have enjoyed it. We'd love to hear about your Instant Meals this month so don't forget to share on Facebook or join us in the monthly challenge on the Forum.

Till next time...
All the best,
Fiona

June 2017 - Simple Savings Newsletter

Simple Savings Newsletter - June 2017

Hello,

How are you going? Well, I hope. :-) Can you believe that Simple Savings is going to be 15 years old in October? Incredible! Where has the time gone? It has been a pleasure watching the site grow into the wonderful, warm and supportive community we all enjoy today.

We wanted to do something really special to mark this milestone and have been very busy behind the scenes in Simple Savings land. Over the past decade and a half technology has changed and so have the needs of our members. We want to explore and take on new challenges and today we are excited to announce our first step in that direction.

Long-time members may remember years ago that the Simple Savings team used to broadcast money saving podcasts via US-based World Talk Radio. It was a lot of fun, we had some really interesting guests and covered a wide range of money saving topics - but back then, very few people listened to podcasts. The number of people we could help that way was limited. Fast forward a few years and podcasts are now really easy to listen to. And so, we are excited to be able to bring you our very own series of Simple Savings podcasts which you can access any time and listen to at your convenience. I hope you will enjoy listening to them as much as we enjoy putting them together for you. See below for more information!

All the best,
Fiona

No Cash. Need Help? Simple Savings Podcasts Are Here!

At Simple Savings, we don't mince words. We know that having no money really sucks. So we have developed our very own series of podcasts to help people change this. Our aim is to teach anyone who is struggling to manage their money how they can transform their situation from being permanently broke to being able to create and grow a great big pile of readily available cash. It isn't hard and the best thing is you can listen to the podcasts whenever you like, just by going to our brand new Podcast area on the Simple Savings site.

Our first introductory podcast is ready to go and we would love to know what you think of it! In this segment, Fiona and Jackie begin delving in to some of the many reasons why some people just never seem to be able to get a grip on their finances. It's been a long while since we have done any broadcasting together so please bear with us as we work on polishing our performance!

Can you please listen to our first podcast and tell us what you think of it? To make it easier for you, we have made a podcast feedback page for you to fill in. Thank you - we really appreciate your input in helping us to steer Simple Savings towards another terrific 15 years!

Bonus Podcast Printable - Vault Members Only

Our podcast is free for everyone to listen to but we wanted to add a little something extra special for our loyal paid members. So we have created a printable worksheet to be used in conjunction with our first podcast, to help you identify any of the sinkholes we talk about in the segment and to encourage you to stay on track when it comes to protecting yourself from future hiccups. If you are a paid member, you can access your copy from the Downloads area, here. Enjoy!

Not a paid member? Become one today!

The Simple Savings website has two areas - one for free members and another for members who pay an annual subscription. Being a paid member entitles you to heaps of additional whistles and bells, including printable downloads and resources and thousands more money saving tips, all neatly categorised for ease of browsing, as well as 24/7 access to our Savings Forum, affectionately known as the Savings Super Highway! Membership costs just $27 to join, and $21 for each year thereafter. We also offer a 365 day 'no questions asked' money back guarantee, so you have absolutely nothing to lose by joining and seeing what we're all about! Becoming a paid member is easy, simply click on this link.

Best of the Forum

Where do you go for the most up to date money saving news and thought-provoking discussions? The Simple Savings Forum! Here you will find a warm, friendly and fun community of like-minded people all saving money together the easy way and supporting one another. Here are some favourite topics being talked about right now:

War on Waste

Have you seen Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's War on Waste? Forum member ss lady has, and she was appalled by what she saw. In this thread she, along with other horrified members all go the extra mile to reduce waste, sharing their tips, ideas and findings along the way.
read more...

Living a minimalist lifestyle - the dilemma

Sadie is working her way towards a more minimalist lifestyle - so she's none too chuffed to find herself on the receiving end of a whole shed full of stuff! Her dilemma is, what is the best way to get rid of it without resigning it to landfill? And will she still be a minimalist if she does, or is that cheating? An interesting and enjoyable discussion unfolds here!
read more...

Does inside your house look like the ones on TV?

Deliberate Creator hates the unrealistic expectation the media places on people to have perfect show homes, making the average person feel that they don't measure up and increasing the need to spend money to look like the houses on TV. She wants to know; how many people feel compelled to 'keep up' and splurge accordingly on 'improvements'?
read more...

Simple Savers Facebook Group - 80,000 Members and Growing!

Love Facebook or hate it, the Simple Savers Facebook group is a great way to learn even more tips and enjoy reading other members' successes. It's absolutely free to join and is a terrific source of friendship and knowledge, with over 80,000 members and growing by the day!

Joining our busy Facebook community is super easy. Either search up 'Simple Savers' on Facebook or click this link and request to join. Once you're in, let the fun begin!

Savings Tip: Start a Non-Perishable Emergency Pantry

This simple tip saves me a fortune when times are lean and I have extra people to feed! With extra family members coming to stay and only my pension to live on, I was worried how on earth I was going to feed five people. So, I created an emergency storage cupboard to help ease the financial burden. Every fortnight I put several items in the storage cupboard; tinned tomatoes, pasta, long-life milk, a spare packet of biscuits, lentils - anything that won't 'go off'. I don't notice these few little additions in my usual grocery bill but it's surprising how it all adds up in my cupboard. Lo and behold I soon find that I have enough to make it through the lean days! It's important to remember to rotate and use the old and replace with the new but my storage cupboard is now well stocked and used only in emergencies. I don't worry anymore!

Contributed by: Caroline P

Got a Great Savings Tip? Send It in To Us and You Could Win A 12-Month Membership For FREE!

At Simple Savings, we love to hear of all your favourite ways to save money. Don't be shy, send them in to us and your tip could win a spot in our newsletter! The winner receives a full 12-month membership to all areas of the site, valued at $27 and giving you access to thousands of fantastic money saving tips to help reduce your costs in all areas of life. To be in to win, send your tips to us here.

Saving Story: An Idea Shared is Money Saved

My hint to everyone is to be more open about your savings strategies. You'll be amazed how much money you can save through sharing information and ideas.

Last month a friend and I were talking about money, which is something you don't often discuss outside your family. Money is a little like religion and politics; off-limits in most everyday conversations. However, we started sharing ideas and comparing how much we spend on things like groceries and bills. For once I didn't feel alone in my efforts to save money and get on top of my debts.

My friend and I are in a similar situation: we are working mums with small children and loving, hardworking husbands who are generally disinterested when it comes to household finances. We realised we had a shared interest in saving money so we could pay off our unsecured debts, and then our home loans, sooner.

We have not shared exact figures of how much we owe, or how much we earn, and have maintained and respected each other's privacy on that front. However, we have started to share how much we spend which has been a revelation. We've been able to encourage each other in our efforts and do not feel embarrassed to refuse invitations to cafés or other outings if we are a bit stretched that week.

The best saving so far has come from my friend's suggestion to use a wholesale butcher in the local area that I had never heard of. This butcher does not advertise and so it is only through word-of-mouth that I found out about him. As my dad is a retired butcher, I took him along to check it out. He was very impressed at the quality of the meat and now my parents are shopping there, meaning they are saving money too.

I am saving huge amounts on the price of meat. Where I once paid $8.99 per kilo for premium mince, I now pay $5.99 per kilo. For steak, I now pay from $7.49 to $9.99 per kilo instead of up to $25.99 per kilo. I can buy 17 chicken drumsticks for $5.50! That's enough for two nights for our family, plus my husband's lunch the next day. I have also started buying in bulk for even cheaper deals plus cooking and freezing dinners, so no more takeaway after a long day at work. I have calculated that I am saving at least $30 per week on our meat bill, around $1500 per year.

My point is, I would not have known about this butcher and achieved these savings without the help of my friend. I've told all my friends at work about this butcher and they couldn't believe it either. People were genuinely grateful to hear about a new way to save money. I know how hard we all work, so was happy to pass on the tip. Local knowledge is powerful; where to shop, who has the best prices and when to go there. One way to find this information is to talk to all those domestic experts in your life; your friends, neighbours and family! You can't lose.

Contributed by: Ros Bye

Bye for Now

That's all for this newsletter. Should you have any further questions or need help with any other money saving matter, please drop us a line. We are here to help!

Until next time,
Fiona

June 2020 - Simple Savings Newsletter

June 2020 Simple Savings Newsletter

This Month's Challenge: Know Your Area
Setting Yourself Some Challenges
May Competition Winners: Isolation Tips
Hints: Doing Things For Ourselves During COVID
New Competition: Win $50 Cooks Challenge

Hello

How are you going? I hope you are well. We usually start this newsletter with something perky. But as this year wears on it feels like perkiness is 'inappropriate'. Even though the first wave of Covid has been and Australia's death rate was low, other countries are going through hell. Many people are still in immense pain and I'm finding it hard to know how to react or what to put in this newsletter.

But last weekend we went to a restaurant where the owner chirpily greeted us with an enormous smile, a cheery voice and asked, "How was your Covid holiday?". He was super perky, and he made me realise something very important: Smiles are contagious and now is the time to be perky.

That is why in this newsletter we are going to smile, be grateful and do our best to help others have a great life. For this month that means learning the best suppliers in your area, enjoy some great tips and start a new competition.

It is going to be fun.

Many grins,

Fiona

PS. In case you missed it last month, The $21 Challenge ebook is now on Amazon.

1. This Month's Challenge: Know Your Area

'Knowing the shops' in your area has always been a fantastic way to save time and money. But with the craziness of the last few months, we found it is also a really good way to buy supplies when mainstream shops are bare.

While the places most people shop were running out food and goods there was plenty elsewhere. Here are some examples:-

When the Woollies shelves were empty of rice, the Indian Supermarket shelves were loaded with rice.
When Woolies was running out of fruit and vegetables, the shelves in our local fruit shop were full.
When it was virtually impossible to find toilet paper and there was none at the busy Aldi, the quiet Aldi 10 mins away had toilet paper most mornings.
When Coles were out of eggs, the fruit shop always had eggs.
When Woolies was out of mince, the bulk butcher still had plenty and continued selling in bulk.
When Woolies limited the amount of tomato purchases to two jars, the roadside produce store was selling tomato passata by the crate.

Hopefully, the Covid craziness has been and gone and all the shops will be restocked soon. But, just in case, we have written you a list to help you discover the best places to shop near your home.

2. Setting Yourself Some Challenges

The best way to learn your area is to do so one challenge at a time. Below is a list of challenges to help you learn more about the products in your area. What we would like you to do is to read through the challenges and then choose five challenges to tackle this month.

Your challenges don't have to come from this list. Nor do you have to stop at five. This challenges are just the beginning:-

Fruit and Vegetables

Investigate seasonal boxes delivered from local producers
Check out local farmers markets
Make a list of all the fruit shops near you and visit all of them
Stop at road side stalls
Swap produce and/or services with friends

Meat

List and visit your local butchers
Ask about buying in bulk
Check out the specials patterns of butchers in your area
Investigate chest freezers
Investigate farm gate and/or abattoir sales
Buy shares in a beast

Bread

Find the freshest and best tasting bakery near you
Source a factory outlet where you can buy baked goods
Find the best value bread for your budget

Toiletries

Hunt down all the places that sell toiletries in your area.
Check out the value and range of toiletries sold in your area.
Investigate ingredients to make your own toiletries

Cleaning Products

Track down all the places that sell cleaning products
Compare value of goods

Petrol

Find the cheapest service station in your area
Find the best value service station in your area
Investigate petrol discounts. Are they economical?
Investigate fuel price apps

Clothes

Work out which stores stock which type of clothes. For example, Target for clothes/bras, Big W for shoes, Kmart for basics
Make calendar of clothing sales
Make calendar of product arrivals
Quiet chain stores have the best discounts. Find the quietest stores in your region.

General

Find a source of good local deals.
Find the best places to buy your food.
Scout out the best places to shop.
Evaluate grocery stores in your area. (What sort of goods do they stock? How are they different from other stores? What are their prices like? Are they busy?)
Find a local Facebook group where you can ask about products in your area

Now it is time to write yourself five challenges.

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Once you have chosen your challenges and made your plans it is time to start taking action and knock each challenge off your list one challenge at a time.

As you work your way through your challenges, we would love to hear about your progress. Your successes inspire us to work harder and give more.

3. May Competition Winners: Isolation Tips

Last month Simple Savers sent in some great tips for thriving during Covid19. The best were sent in by Sonja W and Kerry S. Sonja and Kerry each won $50.

Isolation is a great way to get ahead

Over the last few months of avoiding everything except work and grocery shopping, I have smashed through all those things that we always put off until later. Here's some of my favourites:

Get all those little sewing projects done, and save a bunch long term! Unpaper towels, family cloth, hankies, napkins, face wipes, cleaning cloths (I used an old flannelette sheet for most of these, just changed the thread colour so I have a code).
Say goodbye to your mending pile, and do it all now. Darn those socks, sew those buttons, repair those holes (check out visible mending or easy embroidery techniques).
Be a little crafty and organise those drawers and cupboards. You can do all sorts with cereal boxes and ice cream containers.
Got some birthdays coming up? Check out book folding for a personalised, cheap gift.
And of course, do all that spring cleaning. My go to all purpose cleaner is now equal parts vinegar and water, with a tablespoon of dishwashing liquid in a spray bottle. Yeah it smells for a bit, but does the job for a fraction of the price!

Contributed by: Sonja W

Isolation Audit

Besides staying home as much as possible, the best way to cope and thrive with COVID-19 (in the relative comfort of your own home, food etc) is to do an audit of what is actually already in your house. We were surprised at how much soap (of all things) we owned (in pretty shapes etc were under the bathroom sink). Squashing the toilet roll before putting it on the holder is a good visual reminder to use less.

The potential for many meals in the pantry. Thinking laterally - outside the square, all the cliches. Creating a new mindset - we even found some essential oils we got for Christmas that we had put aside - good for cleaning and refreshing the house.

I lent my $21 Challenge book to a friend to help her and her family. Sharing advice and being willing to receive advice can help us all, at any time.

Contributed by: Kerry S

4. Hints: Doing Things For Ourselves During COVID

Sometimes I forget how clever Simple Savers and our lifestyle is. But, then I read your fantastic tips in the Vault and it reminds me that the cheapest way is often the smartest way. Thank you for sharing your tips with us.

Backyard romance

Make a romantic date in the comfort of your own backyard! Set up the area with a canopy or similar, for example, a piece of material tied from tree to tree. Take your coffee table outside and decorate it with candles. Scatter large cushions around or take your lounge cushions out. Make your own food or order it if you don't know how to cook!

Take your date outside, maybe place some flower petals for them to follow to make it more interesting. Pour them their favourite drink and then bring out food and feed it to them!

Contributed by: Howard Cook

Great tips for gluten-free families

Here are a few tips for gluten-free living.

First of all, grow your own food as much as possible. You'll not only be enjoying fresh, tasty produce, but you'll also be saving money which can be used to buy more expensive products that are gluten-free. Even a flat balcony can be used to grow veggies in pots!

Look at shopping online, but remember to factor in postage. Also, see if you can bulk-buy with other families with the same condition. You can even start a support group by posting a notice up at the local clinics, supermarkets and health food shops.

Finally, make your own food if you can. Bake your own bread, cakes and other delights. It's much cheaper! I recently enjoyed chocolate zucchini cupcakes made by a friend of mine with allergies. They were delicious!

Contributed by: Leonie E

Simple solution to keep kids happy

A simple and effective way to keep kids occupied is to drive to another suburb. Ensure it is not more than about 30 minutes away and take a picnic lunch. Find a really nice park with a fence. Have a picnic lunch and a play and then come home. It can take up most of the day and they feel like they have been somewhere fresh and different. A very cheap day out.

Contributed by: Esther Rosen

$21 Challenge style Lebanese feast

I whipped up a beautiful Lebanese feast for my daughter's birthday while barely spending a cent! I wrote up the menu and realised I could use up a lot of ingredients from my pantry, fridge and garden rather than buying everything. A quick stocktake showed I already had yoghurt, lentils, rice, two packets of falafel mix, beetroot, pumpkin, eggplant, Lebanese bread, parsley, silverbeet and mint, filo pastry, mince, lettuce, burghul, chickpeas, pita chips and lemons to make my daughter's favourite Lemon Syrup cake. I was able to create an impressive and delicious meal to remember almost entirely from ingredients I already had on hand! All these years of gathering tips and ideas from Simple Savings has really paid off for me!

Contributed by: Marjmarg

A social way to save money

As a very social person who loves to go out, saving money has meant making some changes to the way I socialise. I've long been a fan of entertaining at home, but I also love to catch up with friends at a restaurant for lunch. This usually costs around $20 each time, but what can you do? A girl's gotta see her friends during the week!

Solution? Picnic lunch! Instead of going to a cafe or restaurant, my friends and I each bring one food item, get together on the waterfront or in the botanical gardens, and have a fantastic lunch date. Same cost as brown bagging it, and you still get great food and socialising.

Contributed by: Jenny Alexander

'Fish and chip philosophy' curbs spending

Our family lives by my 'fish and chip philosophy' which helps us put our spending priorities into perspective.

Contributed by: Tanya O'neill

5. New Competition: Win $50 Cooks Challenge

We think everyone did really well over the past few weeks, discovering that we CAN all cook. What different things did you try to master? Please do write in and tell us or show us!

The two best entries will win $50 each. Submit your entries here by July 2nd.

Till next time...

I hope you enjoyed this newsletter and if you know someone you think could do with a Vault membership, encourage them to apply to our Leg-up Program.

If you have anything you would like to say or ask us please write to info@simplesavings.com.au

All the best,

Fiona

March 1st 2017 - Simple Savings Newsletter

Hello,

In our last newsletter, Hanna was doing her best to reassure Sally that she doesn't need to carry the weight of the world's problems on her shoulders. It's a common scenario, and hardly surprising when you consider how constantly the media bombards us with bad news. Before you know it, everybody's problems become OUR problems when in reality, the only problems we need to concern ourselves with are the ones close to us. The ones in our own little worlds; the ones close to us which affect us directly.

Because, whether it be a new world leader, a natural disaster or a zombie apocalypse, the most any of us can do is control the things you can control. You can take steps to ensure that you always have food and money put by should you ever need it. You can nurture and grow your own little world so that whatever happens, things will be OK. It isn't hard and you can begin right away.

So let's get started!
Fiona

How to Build a Nest Egg, Part 1

In a nutshell, the way to build a nest egg is to spend less than you earn and keep the difference. Which is easy enough to say, but how exactly do you achieve this? The problem for many people is that they don't know how or where to start. Today's newsletter and the ones which follow explain how, one step at a time.

Each step is just as important as the other in its own way, but the one we are going to focus on first is changing your mindset. The major difference between people who are good at saving money and people who are not is just that - mindset. Once you have the right mindset, you can achieve pretty much anything! So, first things first:

Step 1: Take Charge

Nobody can look after your money better than you do. Nobody – not even the bank, because the only person who has any control over how much goes in and how much comes out, is you. So the first step in taking control of your finances is accepting full responsibility for them. This means changing some of the things you may currently say or do. For example:

Stop saying things like:

"I have no money because my parents never taught me how to save"
"I can't save"
"I had a bad day and splurged to make myself feel better"
"YOLO" (You Only Live Once)

Start saying things like:

"I have no money at the moment because I'm still learning to be smarter with money"
"I'm learning how to save"
"I don't need to spend money to make myself feel better"
"I want to have a secure future"

Stop doing things like:

Blaming other people for your lack of money. Putting the blame on someone or something else serves no purpose because at the end of the day, you are the one responsible for parting with it!
Letting your emotions wreak havoc on your spending
Thinking only of the short term reward
Robbing Peter to pay Paul

Start doing things like:

Accepting that YOU are the one in charge of your money
Finding ways to get your emotions under control without spending (e.g. go for a walk, run a bubble bath, go and have a cuppa at a friend's house)
Thinking how the money you spend needlessly today will affect you in the long term
No more borrowing. Save until you have the cash or go without

If you recognise yourself in any of the things you need to stop saying or doing, make a vow to stop sabotaging yourself today. Become your own financial hero! Take charge of your situation and get to work on turning things around; we will show you how.

In the next newsletter we will continue discussing ways to work on changing your mindset. Some of the topics we will be covering include:

Setting yourself a goal
Learning that saving money is freedom
Acquiring new frugal skills

If there are any more you would like us to cover in this series, write in to us and let us know. Also, if you know of anyone who could really benefit from our newsletters and learning how to be financially secure, encourage them to sign up for our free emails.

Savings Tip: Start a Non-Perishable Emergency Pantry

This simple tip saves me a fortune when times are lean and I have extra people to feed! With extra family members coming to stay and only my pension to live on, I was worried how on earth I was going to feed five people. So I created an emergency storage cupboard to help ease the financial burden. Every fortnight I put several items in the storage cupboard. Tinned tomatoes, pasta, long-life milk, a spare packet of biscuits, lentils - anything that won't 'go off'. I don't notice these few little additions in my usual grocery bill but it's surprising how it all adds up in my cupboard. Lo and behold I soon find that I have enough to make it through the lean days! It's important to remember to rotate and use the old and replace with the new but my storage cupboard is now well stocked and used only in emergencies. I don't worry any more!

Contributed by: Caroline Pinkstone

Send us your savings tip and you could win a 12 month paid membership for FREE!

At Simple Savings, we love to hear of all your favourite ways to save money. Don't be shy, send them in to us and you could win the coveted Hint of the Week prize! The winner receives a full 12 month membership to all areas of the site, valued at $27 and giving you access to thousands of fantastic money saving tips to help reduce your costs in all areas of life. To be in to win, send in your tips!

Bye for now

That's all for this newsletter. We hope you have enjoyed it. Should you have any further questions on building your nest egg or any other money saving matter, drop us a line. We are here to help. More to follow in the next newsletter, until then, come and visit us on the Simple Savings website!

All the best,
Fiona

March 2011 - Simple Savings Newsletter

"Secrets to Saving Money in Australia" Free Newsletter - March 2011

This issue includes:-

Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: Challenge on the Bus
April is $21 Challenge Month!
Hidden Gems Competition Winners
New Monthly Hidden Gems Competition!
Best Member's Blog: This Month's Winner
Best of the Forum: New Tricks
Best of the Vault: $21 Challenge? No Sweat!
Cooking with Mimi: $21 Challenge Meals
Penny's Blog: Look Who's Trendy Now! (aka FIGJAM)
Homeopathy Corner: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
From Last Month: Go Away Silverfish!
This Month's Help Request: Which Laptop?
Savings Story: Starting Early

Hello,

Penny here! It's been a hugely busy and exciting month in Simple Savings land. For starters, we now have a brand new site which will last the next 10 years. With this site we will be able to bring you all the features you have been demanding for years but we have been unable to give you until now. Hooray! In particular it has been a very hectic month for poor Matt. Not only was he working hard on the new site but Fiona also decided to give Elora a crash course in weaning and ran away to NZ, leaving Matt to look after the four kidlets. Still, the pain was worth the gain (or so we tell him!).

Whilst Fiona was here in New Zealand, we made the most of the two of us being in the same country by getting photos done for the new $21 Challenge book cover! We've copped a lot of flack in the past about the $21 Challenge and are hopeful that this new cover and text will reduce the confusion. If you would like a sneaky peek at the new cover, click on the images below to see them in more detail.

This new version is at the printers as we speak but you will be able to get your hands on a copy very soon.

We LOVE to hear from our members. Emails such as these ones really inspire us to do better and keep going, particularly during this chaotic month!

"A really big THANK YOU to you for starting this whole Simple Savings Forum, and to you and Matt, and all your staff for keeping it running so well. Simple Savings has kept me sane and helped boost my self-confidence when it was really taking a battering, I've made some wonderful friends and I'll be meeting some other SS'ers at the Canberra get together - and I do believe that soon I will even start saving some much needed money. So thank you so much for everything you've done, and continue to do - all of you." (Eden Harrison)

"I just wanted to say thank you. Recently I had a reduction in wage due to a change of job and I was still able to get by based on the knowledge learned from Simple Savings. Also, I have recently met a nice group of ladies at the Canberra get together where we swapped ideas and goods. Thanks again for a great site." (Ruth M.)

"Because last month was 'Hidden Gems' month, five colleagues and I spent an afternoon 'op shopping' one Saturday. We had a budget of $50 each and had a fabulous time. We looked at our purchases afterwards at a BBQ at my place and reckon we saved around $200 each! Not bad for a couple of hours' FUN! We can't wait to join together for next month's challenge! (Anita Stokes)

All the best,
Penny :-)

P.S. Woohoo! The Australian Government has included a link to Simple Savings on its new website, MoneySmart! It's truly wonderful to receive this kind of recognition from such a wonderful site. If you haven't visited their site, go check it out. There are some great calculators and loads of useful information. Here is the link: http://www.moneysmart.gov.au/managing-my-money/budgeting/simple-ways-to-save-money

1. Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: Challenge on the Bus

Sally was feeling very pleased with herself - and rightly so! She was so proud of the savings she made last month, she decided to go even further and take the bus to work instead of her car. She got out her $21 Challenge book and settled happily into her seat. Time to brush up on her skills for the month ahead! All of a sudden, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"I wouldn't bother with that book dear, I've heard it's rubbish," the lady behind her leaned over and sneered. "It's the two minute noodle book isn't it? I know all about it. Nothing but noodles, cigarettes and water for a whole week." She pursed her lips smugly. "Oh really? Have you read it?" Sally asked the woman innocently. "Of course not! Anyone would know it's impossible - unless you have a deathwish," she told Sally knowingly.

Sally couldn't believe her ears! She was about to give the ignorant woman a piece of her mind - then she had a lightbulb moment. She turned to the lady with a dazzling smile and said "Then I think you should read it. I used to hate the $21 Challenge too. But then it got me out of a very tight squeeze and now I love it! Tell you what, I'll give you my copy in case YOU ever need it."

The lady looked stunned. Sally's kindness had silenced her for half a breath. "But, don't you need it?" "No," Sally replied confidently, "I'll get another copy on the way to work."

Twenty minutes later, Sally walked into the office. "Oh there you are! How was your bus trip?" Hanna asked, looking at her watch. Sally laughed with her new book in her hand. "Expensive."

2. April is $21 Challenge Month!

We know just how Sally feels! Even after five years of the $21 Challenge there are still a lot of misconceptions about it, which is one of the reasons we wrote the book. It is the best way to see exactly what the Challenge is all about, how it works and why everyone should give it a go. Yes, we mean EVERYONE. You see, some of the most common excuses people have for not doing a $21 Challenge are:

I don't need to save money. I HAVE money.
I'm past that stage. I'm already good at saving money.
Woah! That sounds like too much work. Why should I bother?
I couldn't possibly do it. It's too hard.
Only poor people need to do a $21 Challenge.

Wrong, wrong and wrong again. You only have to read the first two chapters of the book to see that the $21 Challenge is relevant to EVERYONE, no matter their income, status or situation. If you have never done a $21 Challenge before, the first two chapters of the book are available free online for you to read. They will tell you all about it and why it is so brilliant.

The first chapter explains the story behind the Challenge and its mystical $21 figure. It also tells you exactly what the Challenge is, how you are going to accomplish it and answers some frequently asked questions, as well as helpful tips for newbies.

You can read Chapter One here

The second chapter gets your brain ticking! What do you want to get out of your $21 Challenge? In this chapter, members share their experiences and the many benefits they found during their Challenges to inspire and motivate you.

You can read Chapter Two here.

As well as shooting the new book cover while Fiona was in NZ, we also spent a couple of days filming segments which answer some of your questions about Simple Savings and the $21 Challenge. Fiona has edited the first two videos so far and there are plenty more to come. The first video answers the question we are most frequently asked, which is 'Is the $21 Challenge for EVERY week?' Watch this video to see our response, mwahahahahaa!

The second video answers another question we are commonly asked - why did Fiona and Matt start Simple Savings? If you have heard the story before, you may think you don't need to watch this video but do take a look. As well as the history behind Simple Savings, Fiona also reveals why we put so much effort into the $21 Challenge and why it is so important to her. Watch her tell the story here.

We had a lot of fun making these videos and hope you find them helpful. Once you have watched them, if you have any questions that you would like us to answer on film, do write and let us know. We are here to help you and your feedback is really important to us. It guides the future of Simple Savings and what we work on next.

So give the $21 Challenge a go this month and let us know how you get on. And if you have done one before, do another one and brush up on your skills! All the help and support you need is right here, in the Vault, Forum and Downloads area.

To become a Vault member and receive instant access to over 14,000 money saving tips (9,000 for NZ), click here.

To order your own copy of the $21 Challenge book in its entirety, click here.

VAULT MEMBER TREAT - Magic Microwave Slice Book!

We also have an extra special treat for Vault members this month to make your $21 Challenge week easier. We've said it before and we'll say it again; we have some very clever members and Antonia Marino has really blown us away with her fantastic effort! Years ago Antonia was given a recipe for microwave chocolate crunch. Over time she has adapted and perfected this recipe into 25 different variations - but it gets better! She has kindly compiled them all into a printable book to share with members. Each home-cooked slice is beautifully photographed. This book will make your mouth water and the recipes are ideal for a $21 Challenge. Each recipe has/is:

Mixed and cooked in one bowl
The same cooking method for every recipe
No creaming, beating or sifting
No milk or eggs
No greasing or lining of baking tins
Cooks in microwave in 5 minutes
Freezes beautifully

What more can you ask for to get your $21 Challenge off to a perfect start? Vault members can download their free copy of this fantastic book here. Enjoy - and a huge thank you Antonia for all your hard work!

3. Hidden Gems Competition Winners

Last month we asked you to write in and tell us who your favourite 'Hidden Gem' stores are and what you love about them. We received some fantastic responses and loved hearing about all your shopping experiences. Thank you to everyone who entered our competition and shared their favourite stores. Ladies and gentlemen, we proudly present the grand winner - Moe Meat Packers, as nominated by Tradie's Wife! Read her entry to see what makes them such a great example of a Hidden Gem.

Moe Meat Packers

330 Moe-Walhalla Road, Dumbleyung, Victoria

A trip to the abattoir doesn't sound like much fun, really does it? Especially to little ones. However, what I was expecting and what I got were completely different things. For a start, the BEST customer service that you could ever ask for! The lady warmly greeted me at the door and allowed me to look through the small cool room at my own pace. That in itself would have been OK customer service. Knowing her product, how to cook it to get the best out of the cuts, and how to slice down larger portions of meat into steak and other cuts also bumps the customer service up another notch.

However, I always have my two little ones with me. My son is almost 2 and daughter almost 4. When Luke was around 15 months old (when I started going to the meat packers) and was in his pram, I didn't want to get him cold in the cool room. So I left the pram just outside the plastic strap door and grabbed what I could quickly. If he started to cry, I'd jump out pronto. However, the lovely lady who runs the store gave him something to play with and chatted to him to keep him at ease. If anyone has been in this situation you would know what a Godsend this is. Again, customer service up another notch!

One day, I turned up and the same lady was using her camera to take a photo of a butterfly and had my little girl enthralled. The kids ended up playing on the grass together while I shopped and she rang up the bill. It was just beautiful to see my two enjoying the trip to the abattoir. It's a very small store, very quiet and no real traffic, and I could see out the window so I felt comfortable enough doing this. The same day, just as I loaded both the kids into the car, Jessica decided she desperately needed to go to the toilet. It was urgent. I almost thought she would have to go on the grass. I quickly asked the shop lady if I could use their toilets and she took me over through her office so Jess could use the toilet there. But that isn't where the customer service ended! She also attended to my son for the time we were in the toilet, who was still in his car seat with the window down and door open. She showed him toys and talked with him again. Honestly, she was an absolutely wonderful business owner and also a wonderful person to be so thoughtful.

I'm not advocating this business be a child minding service by any stretch of the imagination, and I'm sure if I wasn't the only customer at the time the shop owner wouldn't be able to help me out like she had. However, it was the little things that just made this place a real gem. The brilliant combination of customer service, product knowledge, product pricing, and that little bit of extra care that just makes the experience so much more enjoyable.

Price-wise and quality-wise, I just can't do any better. The meat is absolutely beautiful, often having great marbling. The prices, well quite a few cuts were around the $6.50/kg mark and the knowledge was on hand on how to cook them to get the best from them. Even the more expensive cuts of meat like eye fillet can be found for under the $20/kg mark, and then cut up and stored in the freezer for special dinners. Quite a wonderful saving when you consider the cost of going out and ordering this cut of meat or even just buying it from the big chain supermarkets.

I'd really like to thank this business, more than just saying thank you. They have saved me time, money and by showing such wonderful customer service they will keep me coming back. By posting this I'm hoping to help promote a wonderful husband and wife who run this business.

Generally the prices are far lower than anything I've seen in the supermarkets for years. The specials are listed in the local paper which gives an indication of pricing. They also advertise specials on the notice board outside the gates. In addition, they have a pricing list that you can take away. Prices are low, and everyone gets a great deal.

The prices are also listed on their website as a PDF file so you can work out how much you are likely to spend. However, as it is in bulk some pieces need to be cut down and bagged up.

Here is the link to the PDF and times the store is open.

http://www.moemeat.com.au/Shop.html

A big pat on the back to Moe Meat Packers for consistently going beyond the call of duty! Congratulations also to Tradie's Wife, who wins our first prize of $500 cash for her entry! Well done also to our three runners-up, who all win $100 cash for sharing their Hidden Gems:

Lorax for ZK Golden Service Centre, Sydney, NSW

Yummy Mummy for Kapiti Cheese and Ice Cream Shop, Paraparaumu, NZ

Penny L for Home-Herb-Garden, Beerwah, QLD

Keep reading for your chance to win $100 every month with your Hidden Gems!

4. New Monthly Hidden Gems Competition!

Now you know what makes a great Hidden Gem, it's time to share yours in our new monthly competition! Our Hidden Gems directory is designed to help members find it easier to source the best deals in their area. Just like the Vault, it's growing all the time! In case you need a reminder of exactly what a Hidden Gem is, here is a clarification:

What exactly is a 'Hidden Gem'?

For those who haven't heard about them before, Hidden Gems are shops that save you time and money every time you go there but the specials are rarely advertised. They are the best shops in your area - but you have to go looking for them.

How do I find a 'Hidden Gem'?

There are two ways to find the best shops in your area. There is an easy way and a hard way. The easy way is to ask around. So start your quest by asking your frugal friends where they shop. They will know the best places aemail=nd will be happy to help - but they will only share their knowledge if you ask them. Note - it is important to make sure the people you ask are actually frugal. Asking your spendthrift friends to recommend cheap places to shop just doesn't work!

This is the easy way; if this fails, you will have to do it the hard way. Start with the phone directory. Work out all the shops in your area that sell the goods you want, then put on your Simple Savings hat (that's a metaphorical hat, not a real one; we don't sell hats!), get in the car and check out each shop in person. Chat to the staff. Check out the goods, check out the prices and work out which has the best value.

When you find a Hidden Gem, enter it in our Hidden Gems directory and you could be in to win our monthly prize of $100 cash as our way of saying thank you for helping other members save by sharing your knowledge. The more information you can give us, the more likely you have a chance of winning, just as Tradie's Wife has done above.

You can enter your Hidden Gems here. Thank you for helping us create a fabulous directory of the best places to shop - and good luck!

5. Best Member's Blog: This Month's Winner

This month's winner is Alicia for this extract from their blog 'Monster Madhouse' where she puts her long lost scrapbooking skills to great use and saves herself a bundle!

Handmade Cards

Recently it was my mother in law's birthday so we bought her a present and card. After paying $4.50 for the card (and that was nowhere near the most expensive), I decided that we wouldn't buy any more cards this year. We would make them!

I haven't made cards for a few years (or done scrapbooking for ages), but I knew I had plenty of materials stashed away (and I found heaps of envelopes of various sizes too). No going to the shops to buy paper, or stamps, or embellishments or anything else related. So I got to work. After a few days of trying to squeeze in card making, this is what I have done:

Baby cards (I know three people who are pregnant and one is due this week, plus they were fun to make)

Plus some kids' cards and girly cards:

I'm very happy with how they turned out, and even though I was itching to go to the shop (I wanted some ink pads and more 'boy' stuff), I resisted the urge. I've still got more cards to make; some male appropriate cards and some Mother's Day and Father's Day cards. Even though I don't usually send Christmas cards I might make a whole stack as I have so many Christmas embellishments to use up!

TIP: For 9 years (since I first started scrapping/card making, I have never had the special embossing heat wand/tool thingy. Just hold your paper over the toaster. If the piece of paper is quite small, then use tongs or tweezers to hold it.

Congratulations Alicia, your cards are beautiful! To read more from Alicia, or any of our other members' blogs, click here

6. Best of the Forum: New Tricks

There is never a shortage of new ways to save money on food! Our Forum members have been busy trying out new and different ways to feed their families well on a budget.

$21 Challenge for March 2011

We can always rely on the lovely Claire M. to keep members on track with their $21 Challenges! This thread is chock full of helpful information for $21 Challenge newbies and experienced challengers alike. A great place to start!
read more...

Challenge ingredients for $21 Challenge - how do I use...?

This thread is the perfect place to come if you're stuck with a random ingredient in your $21 Challenge that you don't quite know what to do with. Chances are, you'll find the answer here!
read more...

Food swap

Saver In Training just went to her first food swap and says 'If any of you have excess fruit, vegetables, herbs, eggs or even fruit and vegetable seedlings or compost, I'd encourage you to go along and do a swap!' Find out more about what you can expect in this informative thread.
read more...

Preparing now for winter harvest

This thread is a must-read! Packed with tons of tips, smart advice and recommended reading, this thread is a wealth of information for anyone wanting to grow their own food.
read more...

Easter - kids and chocolate eggs

Easter falls during $21 Challenge Month and Hope wants to give some 'no chocolate' gifts to her children. You can always rely on the members to come up trumps with some great ideas!
read more...

Home-made baby food thread

A brilliant thread for parents of little ones. Learn how you can give your baby a wide variety of delicious, home-made meals for next to nothing. These suggestions and recipes will even have Mum and Dad's mouth watering!
read more...

7. Best of the Vault: $21 Challenge? No Sweat!

The $21 Challenge is supposed to be FUN - and the Vault is the perfect place to find tried and true tips to make your Challenge easier and more enjoyable. Check out some of these helpful ideas.

Playing MasterChef at home saves on groceries

Use up what's in your pantry, have fun and entertain the kids with your very own game of 'Junior MasterChef'. Ask your child to prepare a meal using only what's in the house. Get them to look up recipes in books, magazines or on the Internet and encourage them to be creative by adjusting the recipes according to the ingredients they have. Not only do you get a meal that costs you nothing extra, but it's a great way to teach kids about cooking and to nurture your own little MasterChef!

Contributed by: Tanya Gibson

Clean up with the $21 Challenge

Thank you for bringing out the fantastic $21 Challenge book! I recently bought a copy and I am noticing the benefits already. It does say in the $21 Challenge book that you don't need to include cleaning products into the $21 total. However, once I began, I found that I was actually leaving the supermarket with change in my pocket! So I set up a 'spare change' tin in which I put any leftover money from my $21 and soon found I had enough change to buy dishwashing liquid. I am now going to take this a step further and, using SS tips, make my own cleaning products, thus making my spare change go even further. Doing the $21 Challenge has helped with both the small and the large things. I have recently been able to make more payments on my mortgage and buy tickets to a concert for my partner's birthday - an amazing treat and something I never thought we would be able to afford.

Contributed by: Katrina Reeves

Surprise yourself with the taste of casserole leftovers

'Surprise Pie' night is a great way to use up any casserole leftovers in your freezer. We often freeze casserole leftovers but found that we either forgot what was in the container or that our children refused to eat the casserole when it was reheated. Then we came up with 'Surprise Pie' night. We simply pop the contents of the container between two sheets of puff pastry and cook. The children have fun guessing what's inside and everything gets eaten because anything tastes good in a pie!

Contributed by: Mummy Hubbard

Cornflour makes an egg-cellent substitute

Next time you run out of eggs, don't panic! Due to the expense of buying eggs and not having any on hand, I recently decided to try using two tablespoons of cornflour per egg in a biscuit recipe. I then added milk and the biscuits turned out exactly the same!

Contributed by: Dana Grayling

$21 'Surprise Cereal' is a family favourite

I saved nearly $40 over six weeks on cereal after reading the $21 Challenge book. A particularly inspiring idea was the 'Surprise' cereal recipe. After embarking on a very expensive weight loss program and experiencing it going bust during my 'journey' I had been left with a pantry full of surplus ingredients going to waste. However, after doing my pantry 'stock take' I knew exactly what I would do with them all.

Using a combination of ground linseed, pepitas, sunflower seeds, whole sesame seeds, dried fruit, a range of trail mixes, Weet Bix, bran, puffed rice and oats, I made the best cereal ever! Not only was it high in natural omega 3 acids, full of fibre and absolutely delicious, but over the course of six weeks I saved about $35-$40 just on cereal. My husband likes the Sanitarium cereal mixes but he absolutely loves my 'surprise' cereal and enjoys the added savings even more!

Contributed by: Amanda Caporrella

10 cent cooking oats don't break the bank at breakfast

I would often spend between $1.50 and $4.00 for breakfast on things like a muffin or a single serve of muesli, until I discovered quick cooking oats which I can microwave at work. A 750g packet gives me around 25 breakfasts at just $0.10c a serve. What a great way to start the day!

Contributed by: Jenna Axtens

The perfect pot of home-grown pasta sauce

When I can buy tomatoes cheaply I make a big pot of pasta sauce and freeze in containers to use later in spaghetti, stews, with nachos or just over pasta instead of tinned tomatoes. It is much cheaper then pre-made pasta sauce and it uses only home-grown natural ingredients.

PASTA SAUCE

Ingredients:

10-20 tomatoes
2 cloves garlic for every 5 tomatoes
1 onion for every 5 tomatoes
Herbs (optional)
Red wine (optional)

Method:

Crush the garlic and finely dice the onions. Fry in a large pot until soft, then add the diced tomatoes and if applicable, the herbs and red wine. Simmer gently for twenty minutes, adding water if needed. Allow to cool then pour into containers and freeze.

Contributed by: Ali-cat

Transform a formula tin to a biscuit tin

Old formula tins make great biscuit barrel gifts! I recently made one for a friend and filled it with Anzac biscuits that I baked myself. It's as easy as covering the outside of the tin with scrapbook or seasonal paper, sticking on some lettering and decorating the lid with stickers, stencils or whatever you like! You can also line the inside of the tin with a freezer bag to collect crumbs, or stick your favourite biscuit recipe to the back of the tin. You get a cheap, tasty and useful gift for next to nothing!

Contributed by: Rebbecca Gorman

Turn your cheapie cake mix into doughnuts to die for! Contributed by: Ally

Stock up and they won't starve Contributed by: Bronwyn Cartledge

Simple food and plenty of it for happy teens Contributed by: Ruth Barringham

8. Cooking with Mimi: $21 Challenge Meals

The biggest challenge I find in feeding a houseful of carnivores during $21 Challenge week is that they don't see anything without meat in it as a 'meal'. To make meat-free meals satisfying to the meat eaters in your household you need to wake up their taste buds with beautiful smells coming from the kitchen long before the meal arrives at the table. So I have prepared two recipes for you which will have your family begging for more 'meat-less' meals.

Fancy Sesame Crusted Fish Fingers

Serves 4

My mum used to make us the most beautiful fish fingers when I was little to get us through the tough times. And, whenever we eat them we think of Grandma; about how special she was and how she could always feed the hordes with almost nothing. So I have always loved making her fish fingers for my kids. But me being me, I kept improving her recipe till it couldn't be improved any more. Give it a go!

Equipment required

Peeler
Lined tray for keeping finished fish fingers warm
Medium bowl
Flat plate
Sharp bread knife or serrated knife
Normal knife
Cutting board
Pan or wok
Slotted spoon
Paper towels or old tea towels for draining
Foil

Ingredients:

2 medium cucumbers
2 medium carrots
100g tinned salmon (or tuna, minced prawns or crab meat), drained well
2-3 tbsp mayonnaise
Chopped fresh herbs (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
12 slices of bread (any type)
1 egg
1 cup milk
½ cup sesame seeds (or crushed nuts, polenta, desiccated coconut)
1-2 cups oil for frying

Method:

This is one of those lovely dishes that taste best when served hot! So, before you make the actual dish, you need to prepare your garnishes so everything is ready at the same time. These are made easily by using a vegetable peeler to slice lengthwise down the carrot or cucumber. Then put them in a bowl of water to soak while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Preheat the oven to 150C.

Mash the fish with the mayonnaise and herbs if using any. Taste and season if necessary.

Cut the crusts from the sliced bread and reserve for another use. Crusts make great fresh breadcrumbs when whizzed up in the food processor and freeze well for months.

Spread half the bread slices with the prepared fish mixture. Top with the other half of the sliced bread. Cut each sandwich in half to form finger shapes.

Beat the egg with the milk in a medium bowl.

Pour the sesame seeds on to the flat plate.

Heat the oil over a medium-high hotplate. Spread out the paper towels or clean tea towels in preparation for draining the fried fish fingers. Have the lined tray ready to transfer the cooked fish fingers onto.

Working quickly with clean hands, dip each finger sandwich into the egg and milk mixture, then press quickly into the sesame seeds. Only one flat surface needs to be coated in the seeds.

Drop each coated finger into the hot oil and allow to cook until golden. Turn if you are shallow frying, but deep frying is quicker and more effective. Once a nice golden brown colour is achieved (this only takes 30-60 seconds) remove promptly and allow to drain on the paper towels or clean tea towels.

Once drained well, transfer to the lined tray and pop into the oven to keep warm. Cover with foil to maintain the colour.

Continue with the rest of the fingers.

Now your meal is ready to serve. Garnish each plate with your cucumber and carrot ribbons and tuck in. Remember you are not just creating meals, you are creating memories. I hope you enjoy this meal as much as my family have!

Ole` Eggs with Red Hot Rice

Serves 4

Some days I dream of travelling to sunny Spain but this week I can't. Well, not during a $21 Challenge week anyway! So instead my taste buds are going to do the travelling for me.

Equipment required:

Large saucepan
Large frypan or wok with a tight fitting lid
Large serving platter
Sharp knife
Small bowl
Teaspoon
Large cooking spoons, plastic or wooden
Slotted spoon
Cutting board
Stereo system
Maracas
High heels

For the Ole` Eggs:

Ingredients:

For best results and super tasty eggs, make them ahead of time and chill them for several hours in the fridge.

6 eggs, kept at room temperature so they don't crack in the boiling water
2 tbsp mayonnaise, sour cream or plain yoghurt
¼ tsp mustard or mustard powder
½ tsp smoky paprika

Method:

For this recipe to work, your eggs need well-centred yolks. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the eggs, lowering them gently into the simmering water. Stir gently for about 20 seconds, to keep the eggs moving and centre the yolks.

Simmer for 10 minutes and immediately tip out the hot water, then refill the saucepan with cold tap water. Let your eggs chill out in the cold water while you do something else. (Maybe check out the Forum, as long as you have already turned all the stove elements off!)

When the eggs are cool, peel them and slice them in half length-wise with a sharp knife. Scoop out the hard boiled yolks carefully with a teaspoon, and mash them with the mayonnaise and mustard. Arrange the empty egg halves on a plate and, using a teaspoon or piping bag, scoop or pipe small rounds of the egg mixture back into the white halves. Cover with cling wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill.

Just before serving, sprinkle with the Smokey Paprika, and arrange on top of the Red Hot Rice. You could also serve these on an egg platter which has little hollows around the edges to sit the egg halves in. These have largely disappeared from kitchen shops, but can be found on eBay and at garage sales for anyone keen enough to look.

For the Red Hot Rice:

Ingredients:

1 onion
2 tbsp oil
2 cups uncooked rice
1 400g tin peeled tomatoes, chopped
3 1/2 cups chicken stock (any other flavour is fine too)
1-2 cups diced vegetables; aim for lots of colour if you can
½ cup crushed nuts, can be cashew, peanuts, almonds; it's flexible
½-1 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)
Spanish music (optional)

Writing this recipe makes my mouth water. Not to mention my eyes - but that is because the first step is to peel and chop up an onion!

Once your onion is prepared and your eyes have recovered, start heating the wok. Brown your nuts in the wok for about twenty seconds. Then put them in a bowl and save them till later.

Pour the oil into the wok and turn the heat up to high. When the oil starts smoking it is time to get your revenge on that onion by throwing both it and the rice in the oil and giving them a good stir.

Add the peeled and diced tomatoes with their liquid and the flavoured stock. Stir well until boiling, then put on the lid and switch off. Leave the wok or pan on the hotplate and do not disturb. Check the rice after 20 minutes. It should have cooked perfectly, so long as you haven't peeked or lifted the lid.

While you are waiting for the rice to cook start chopping your vegetables. You will need about two cups of chopped vegetables. Some vegetables that would be nice in this recipe are:- capsicum (any colour), diced carrot, chopped celery, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, peas and beans. Don't use potatoes, pumpkins, leafy vegetables or any slow to cook vegetables as they won't work.

After 20 minutes your rice should be perfect, but all rice cooks slightly differently so you will need to check. If your rice is chewy or dry, add ½ cup of boiling water. Stir well, turn the heat on to medium, stir the rice to combine it with the additional water, bring to a simmer, turn the element off again, cover with the lid and leave for five minutes.

Once the rice is perfect, add all your vegetables along with the chilli and stir well. Replace the lid and allow to sit for five more minutes. This allows the vegetables to heat through, but not cook, giving a great crunch to the dish.

Tip the rice onto a large serving platter, then make some little hollows in the rice for your eggs to sit in. Now get your Ole` eggs from the fridge and pop them in. Lastly, sprinkle some more paprika and green herbs on top and serve immediately.

Now's the time to put on your Flamenco heels, crank up the stereo and serve your authentic Spanish dish. OLE`!

9. Penny's Blog: Look Who's Trendy Now! (aka FIGJAM)

Can you believe the $21 Challenge is going into its FIFTH year? So much has happened in that time! One thing's for sure, an awful lot of people have heard of it; even if they don't know exactly what it is. Gone are the days of having to stand there for half an hour explaining what the $21 Challenge is when people ask me 'so what's your book about?' Instead, I get 'Oh wow! The $21 Challenge! I've heard of that!' Exciting progress indeed!

I love how saving money has become trendy. The frugal bashing has gone and now people are actually boasting about their fantastic saving prowess! However, when it comes to saving money you can never know too much. You only have to look at all the new tips going in the Simple Savings Vault each week to realise there is always more you can learn. The other day I had the pleasure of meeting two lovely ladies for the first time. Straight away we got along like a house on fire and had a great old time sharing money saving tips and I thought 'Cool! I love meeting people who are on the same wavelength as me!' I didn't let on who I was or what I did for a job and we chatted away merrily for an hour or two, with plenty of 'I can't believe people spend money on this!' or 'I would NEVER waste money on that' thrown into the conversation until the inevitable question came up, 'So what is it you do?'

To which I told them and once again received the response 'Ooh! The $21 Challenge! I've heard of that!' which always makes me smile. I then went on to tell them that we were writing a second book and the type of things it was going to cover, 'Because while it might seem like common sense to people like you and me, there are an awful lot of people who have never been taught these skills,' I confided. 'Oh absolutely!' they agreed wholeheartedly. 'I mean, you wouldn't believe how many people still don't know you can freeze milk!' I chuckled.

And was promptly met with a stunned silence. 'What? You mean you can freeze milk?' one of them eventually said. 'Yes, of course!' I smiled. 'Ewww - but why would anyone want to do that?' came the reply. 'Well, all sorts of reasons! You can buy it in bulk when it's cheaper and freeze it so you save that way. And if you always keep milk in the freezer you don't have to rush off to the shops in a panic every few days when you run out and inevitably end up buying all sorts of other stuff at the same time...' I tried to explain. 'But wouldn't it taste all... frozen?' came the wrinkled-nose response. 'No, not at all!' I insisted. 'Ooh no, I still couldn't do that. Besides, I've only got a tiny freezer' she said dismissively. At this point I gave up!

Fortunately I had more luck when discussing the $21 Challenge. We all agreed that there are far too many people in the world who don't know how to cook, waste too much good food and rely too heavily on processed rubbish. However, I received the same feedback we usually get, this time from the other lady. 'Hmm, it's a great idea. I couldn't do it though,' she said. 'I don't have anything in my pantry. I clear it out every single week. Tins of spaghetti, pasta sauce, there's nothing left by the end of the week, I always have to go out and buy them again.' 'But what about all your basic ingredients? Your flour, sugar, rice, spices? You can use all those to make all kinds of things,' I told her. 'Nope. Couldn't do it,' came the firm response. In the end I had no choice but to pull out my trump card. 'You know - I should really just give you both a copy of the book so you can give it a go!' I offered. 'Ooh yes, that would be great!' they both said. So I did - I hope they enjoy it!

March 2011

10. Homeopathy Corner: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

In her article Fran details the different ways some people are effected by Post Traumatic Stress and explains which remedies will help in each situation, such as:- Erica who is anxious and having panic attacks after losing her home in a bush fire, Michael who is constantly thinking about death after being in a terrible accident, Wei after suffering a terrible injustice has become angry and very intolerant, Carmen who after living through a home invasion is so depressed she can barely get out of bed in the morning and Chris who after spending years as a disaster aid worker is becoming increasingly withdrawn and troubled.

To read Fran's article go to:-
http://homeopathyplus.com.au/first-response-homeopathy-%E2%80%93-remedies-to-use-in-a-disaster-part-3/

11. From Last Month: Go Away Silverfish!

Last month Merrilyn asked:

"I am looking for a non-toxic way to eradicate and deter silverfish from my house. Has anyone got a solution for me?"

Silverfish may be pesky little blighters but the good news is there are heaps of easy peasy ways to get rid of them! Try some of these suggestions from our clever members. Thanks to everyone who wrote in!

Silverfish hate the sweet smell of soap

I've found an effective and pleasant smelling repellent for silverfish that is totally environmentally friendly. Soap. It may smell good to us but silverfish will NOT be impressed! I just place cakes of soap in clothing drawers, wardrobes, the linen press and so on and before long those little pests are nowhere to be seen. Not only are the silverfish kept at bay, but my clothes and linen smell fresh and clean!

Contributed by: Andrea Bullen

Pyrethrum gives silverfish the push

We have managed to get our silverfish problem under control by using Pyrethrum. This is non-toxic and is derived from plants. We buy the aerosol varieties which we spray around our skirtings and throughout the ceiling. (The ceiling spraying makes the biggest difference and we repeat the process a couple of times a year.) Our silverfish population has diminished to a huge degree, although it is very hard to completely eradicate them as they can live for long periods without eating. Another option is to have a professional put Pyrethrum dust in your ceiling, however, we have found doing the spray has worked very well for us.

Please note: Pyrethrum should not be used around aquatic life.

Contributed by: Tanya O'Neill

The humble clove will make silverfish scatter!

I have found whole cloves to be a very effective way to eradicate silverfish. They are available in any supermarket and can be scattered throughout affected areas such as drawers, wardrobes and linen cupboards at home. Also, camphor wood (which can be bought as little wooden balls) works well and is a great help in controlling a range of pests.

Contributed by: Averil Kentsch

Citronella oil will send silverfish packing

Silverfish can't abide citronella oil and I find it's fantastic for getting rid of them in an environmentally friendly way. I put two drops of it onto an old face cloth, which I then put into a resealable bag. I puncture the bag in several places to allow the aroma out and place it in the affected area. Those silverfish soon pack their bags and leave! Lavender is also a good oil to use, however, I find citronella more refreshing and more effective.

Contributed by: Fiona Nelson

Cinnamon sticks are effective silverfish deterrent

Cinnamon sticks are a cheap and non-toxic way to deter pesky silverfish. When we moved into our house I noticed a number of silverfish were already resident! I had heard cinnamon sticks had other uses (other than adding flavour to my curries) so I left a few sticks in my wardrobe and drawers and I am delighted to say that I have not seen a silverfish since! We have been living in our house for four years now and I have only needed to replace the cinnamon sticks two or three times during that period.

Contributed by: Shaz McArthur

'Posh teabag' will stop you stewing over silverfish!

My most exciting silverfish 'assault weapon of choice' is the 'posh teabag'! These are basically sewn-up large muslin 'tea bags' which we fill with dried lavender heads, cedar wood balls, bay leaves, cloves and a little tea tree oil. We then pop them into drawers, cupboards, the linen press and wherever else those little blighters hang out! As an artist I need to ensure the longevity of my paper products and have found a few bay leaves scattered in each drawer or cupboard where the paper is stored repels silverfish too.

Contributed by: Liz Vercoe

Extra tips for Vault members:

Scrub your shelves with Sunlight soap Contributed by: Gillian Vance

Diatomaceous earth deals with silverfish Contributed by: Les Lever

Perfect pillows repel pesky pests Contributed by: Carol Kemister

Basil keeps silverfish at bay Contributed by: Gale Grey

Cucumber peelings - a cool silverfish repellent Contributed by: Sue F

12. This Month's Help Request: Which Laptop?

This month Crystal asks:

"I want to buy a laptop computer but there are so many around I'm finding it all a bit confusing. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can find the best value laptop? I would really appreciate any help! Many thanks."

If you have any tips which can help Crystal, please send them in to us here.

13. Savings Story: Starting Early

This month's Savings Story is taken from a member's blog extract. Thank you to 'Not your typical Gen Y' for letting us reproduce it in our newsletter for everyone to enjoy.

"I feel incredibly blessed that in my family SS is ingrained through the generations. My mum has always been pretty open about talking about money with us. Encouraging us to save through her actions as well as her words. My grandpa is constantly telling us about his bargains - in our family it's impressive to get things on sale rather than being seen as cheap!

The first thing I remember saving for was a pair of denim overalls; they were $50 and I was 12. I saved the pocket money I earned from doing extra jobs around the house (vacumming and car washing were the most lucrative).

Next I remember a pair of Colorado shoes; I was about 13. I desperately wanted a pair of these shoes but at $60 Mum couldn't justify the cost. She'd pay for a pair of leather, unbranded shoes or she'd go me halves in the Colorados. So again I saved my pocket money for months and months to save $30. I wore those shoes for years as I appreciated the value of them!

When I was 15 I really wanted a TV in my bedroom - I wanted to be able to watch Dawson's Creek. I remember looking around in the shops and finding the cheapest I could, a little 34cm from Kmart for $179. I remember working out how many jobs I would need to do to buy that TV and working out a plan that allowed me to buy one magazine per month, have a small amount of money to go to the movies etc with friends and save the rest of my money for the TV.

I had a little money box with three fabric bags in it and when I got paid for my jobs or was given any birthday or Christmas money and so on, I would divide up the money as per my plan into the little bags. I saved for a year to get that TV and when I finally had enough money it was on sale for $139! (Sadly I can't remember what I did with the remaining money!). I was so proud to take that TV home, I still remember setting it up in my room and it is still going as a spare 12 years later.

I didn't get a job until I was 17 and, to be honest, I didn't manage to save much for the first year. I earned about $80 per week working on weekends as a checkout chick and spent that money on phone credit, getting my licence, petrol, phone credit and clothes. But even with this small amount I had a budget of sorts and would save a little each week in my money box for future weeks (like when my car rego / insurance was due).

I paid my way through uni to get the 25% discount and avoid going into debt. It was tough as I was earning about $200 per week and my fees were around $5000 per year - basically I saved half my wage every week for uni. I was very lucky to be able to stay living at home and used the other half of my pay to clothe, transport and entertain myself. Luckily my friends were more into BBQs, cooking each other dinner and going out for coffee than partying most of the time. We did manage to go on a couple of small holidays and I saved all birthday and Christmas money to go to Europe on a shoestring as well.

So where did these skills leave me once I got into the big bad world?

I scored a great job after uni about an hour from home. I moved out of home and set up a flat using money I saved in my last months at uni. For the last two years before I left home I would mostly get household items for birthdays and Christmas, so when I moved out all I bought was a fridge and a washing machine. Everything else (couch and so on was second hand).

As soon as I started working full time I committed to saving 50% of my pay - something I continued to do as my salary increased each year / promotions etc. Now that I'm married, we aim to live off just one income most months and are saving the rest for a house deposit.

In five years our house deposit has reached six figures, something I'm incredibly proud of as it has been through hard work and sacrifice but something we both want - to buy with as little debt as possible. Because it is something we both want, we rarely feel like we are missing out or going without. We've still been overseas twice together and contributed towards our wedding (although my parents did help us out), paid for a honeymoon and upgraded the second hand furniture.

Different goals and strategies work for different people but I think learning to set goals, whatever they may be, and to plan ahead are two of the greatest gifts my family has given me

March 2013 - Simple Savings Newsletter

"Secrets to Saving Money in Australia" Free Newsletter - March 2013

This issue includes:-

Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: Debt Diet
March: War on Debt - The $91,000 Sandwich
Competition: Get the Good Oil!
How to Make a BETTER Budget by David Wright
Best of the Vault: Win the War in Your Wallet!
Best Members' Blog: One Small Item
Best of the Forum: Demolish Debt
Hidden Gems: Renu Fashion
Cooking with Mimi: Make Your Own Lush-Style Scented Lotion Bars
Claire's Corner: $188,846 Off the Mortgage? A Good Day's Work!
50c Indulgences: Heaven Scent
Rob Rob's Gardening Blog: Using up a Bumper Harvest
From Last Month: Outdoor Makeover
This Month's Help Request: Lose Weight, Not Dollars
Savings Story: I Hear Being Poor is No Fun!
Goodbye for Now!

Happy Easter!

How are you going? I hope you are having an Egg-cellent month! This month Simple Savings made its first App. It is Egg-citing and we are very Appy about it.

It is called "Beauty Queen on a Budget" and it is COMPLETELY FREE. It contains tips on how to look stunning with very little money. Here is a link to the App in the Google Play store. It should be appearing in the iTunes store very soon.

And, we also love your emails and Facebook messages. Here are some of our favourites:

"I was thinking about not renewing my membership this year as we have started cutting out all the 'little extras' we buy and pay for. So, of course the membership renewal came under scrutiny, however, after calculating how much the Savings Vault has saved me this year on just one hint, (the washing machine put rust on four of my son's brand new white school shirts and at $38 each, the hint of lemon juice and sunshine saved me $152), I stopped calculating the savings and paid my renewal fee... Thank you Simple Savings!" (Jane Bottyan)

"Simple Savings has been an eye-opening, awesome blessing for me and has helped me manage in one of the most difficult situations of my life. It has also made me aware that I'm certainly not the only one doing things differently! Before becoming a member I wouldn't have dreamt of talking about money with others - it was just not done in my generation! (I'm just going onto the pension so am over 29!) However, I have just finished talking to my Internet/phone provider and telling them about my situation and how I needed to cut costs. I now have had over $90 cut from my monthly account! I would never have done this without you gals and your wonderful saving tips. Bless you." (Trish)

Have a great month!
All the best,
Fiona Lippey

1. Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: Debt Diet

"What are you doing tomorrow lunchtime?" Sally asked Hanna from across her desk. "Umm, eating my lunch?" Hanna grinned. "Tut, honestly!" giggled Sally. "There's a group of us going to check out that new Italian restaurant, want to come? It's going to be bellissimo!"

"Thanks, Sal, but I'm on a diet at the moment," smiled Hanna. "What on earth for? You don't need to diet, look at you!" Sally scoffed. "For goodness' sake, one plate of pasta's not going to kill you!"

"Not that kind of diet - John and I are on a DEBT diet," Hanna explained. "Every spare dollar we have is going on the mortgage so we can pay it off faster and get rid of the stupid thing!"

"Debt diet? Sounds more like a starvation diet to me!" Sally rolled her eyes. "Why would anyone want to do that? I don't even think about my mortgage! I mean, it's just there, it's not going anywhere is it? What difference is $20 or $30 going to make?"

2. March: War on Debt - The $91,000 Sandwich

Sally is right about one thing - mortgages ARE boring. Debt is boring. It's tedious, horrible and a right royal pain in the bum. But she's wrong if she believes that the money Hanna is saving by not buying lunch won't make a difference. You see unlike Sally, Hanna isn't thinking of pasta carbonara - she's thinking of her retirement. She wants to pay off her home loan, retire early and enjoy the good life while she's still young enough to be able make the most of it. When Sally reaches retirement age, however, she may not be able to afford to give up work because all those restaurant lunches she enjoyed 15 years earlier means she is still plugging away at her home loan.

Whether it's a mortgage, credit card, store card, hire purchase - every extra dollar you can put into that debt can make a BIG difference. Let's use Hanna's 'debt diet' as an example:

If Hanna spends an extra five minutes just one morning each week taking a sandwich and a drink from home rather than buying it, she gets to save $9.00 a pop. That might not sound like much but if Hanna has a $300,000 mortgage at 6% interest over 30 years and puts those savings onto her mortgage each month, she can save herself a whopping $23,828 in interest and take a whole year and eight months off the life of the loan. That's worth sacrificing a few bought lunches for, wouldn't you say?

But let's not stop there. That's just the difference Hanna could make to her home loan by bringing lunch from home one day per week. What about if she chose to bring in her lunch five days per week? She saves around $45 per week - $200 a month on bought lunches for starters. But if she puts that money into her mortgage, she could actually save a staggering $91,173 in interest and reduce the term of her loan by six years and nine months. Who would have thought that something as simple as making a sandwich every morning could save you $91,000? Whether you can pay a little extra off your debt each week or only when you have a few dollars to spare, it all makes a huge difference as you can see.

You might be thinking 'where on earth have they got those figures from?' It's easy, you can do it too. If you want to work out the figures for your own debt or home loan and are a Vault member, you already have access to the best mortgage repayment calculator we have ever come across. It's one of Fiona's very favourite things on the site. It's in the Downloads Area here (You'll need to log in).

Your goal this month is to find one habit you can change like Hanna and put that money into your mortgage or other debt. Do it now so you CAN retire early.

3. Competition: Get the Good Oil!

If you've never tried making your own beauty products before, now is the time! We want to show you that a few basic ingredients can make a fantastic and inexpensive product that actually works. You could even win a cash prize at the same time! We'd love to know about your special macadamia oil beauty recipe and any special tips you'd like to share. The winner will receive a cash prize of $100 or $100 credit in Ye Olde Shoppe. There will be four runner-up prizes of $50 cash or $50 credit in Ye Olde Shoppe. Happy mixing - you can enter the competition here!

Good luck - get mixing!

4. How to Make a BETTER Budget by David Wright

Hello everyone!

In February's newsletter, we talked about making a basic budget. Now I want to show you how to make a BETTER budget! It was this budget that finally saved us from continual financial frustration.

A basic budget lists your expenses and income and lets you know how much you have left over - hopefully! That is a great first step. However, although you know how much your bills are, do you know if the money will actually be in your account when you need it? Perhaps you'll need to pay your electricity bill and registration in the same week. This is where a BETTER budget helps you - it tells you YES, the money is there, or NO, you'll need to find a bit extra from somewhere for that week. So you will know how much is due, when it is due and most importantly, how you are going to pay it. And that is the beginning of financial freedom.

So how does this work? You'll remember in February's Newsletter we talked about 'Regular Expenses' such as electricity, groceries etc. To keep things simple we'll use Regular Expenses as an example which you can then apply to all other expenses. Regular Expenses are easy to work with because you usually know how much they cost, when they are due and how often they occur. Because of this predictability, you can look at any day in the next year and know exactly how much money you will need - and that is your secret weapon!

Very simply, to plan for Regular Expenses you need to make sure you will have enough money in your account to pay for them when they happen during the year. Ideally you want to end up with exactly the same money at the end of the year that you started with. If you have money left over, it means you have wasted an opportunity to do something else with that surplus. If you end up with less money than you started with, you are going backwards and there will be trouble ahead! So you need to work out your cash flow plan for the entire year and make sure you don't 'crash' anywhere in between.

And this is how you do it:

Add all of your year's Regular Expense type bills and divide by the number of pay days (52 for weekly, 26 for fortnightly etc.). Let's say you got $654 for your answer.
On a calendar, mark all of your pay days with a +$654 (answer from above).
Mark all of your regular expenses on the calendar for the whole year with a minus sign, for example, Groceries -$200 every Saturday, Christmas Shopping -$800 on December 12th, Telephone Bill -$120 on the 5th of each month, Electricity -$250 on the 21st of every third month starting next month and so on.
Start from Zero and for every day, add all of the plus numbers and subtract all of the minus numbers, working your way through the year day by day. Write each day's closing balance on the calendar in pencil (Don't worry about blank days as they have the same balance as the previous day so you can ignore them.) Don't worry if you have some negative numbers at this stage. The idea is to have a running total of where you are at any particular day during the year.
After you've done the whole year, look for the largest negative number (e.g. -$500) and add the positive of that number (e.g. +$500) to every day's total for the year. This means that -$500 figure now becomes $0 so the money will now be there on the 'worst' day of the year. If you do not have any negative numbers you can leave this step out. You are extremely lucky!
Celebrate! You now have the perfect bank statement in advance for the next year. The only obstacle now is this - do you actually have the amount of money your plan shows for today's 'opening balance'? If not you will need to work out a way to catch up on any shortfall that might be evident at the start. You won't need to change the plan - just because you are not where you need to be does not change the fact that you should be there. Do whatever it takes to catch up with that plan as quickly as possible and your stress levels around money will fall away very quickly! For me, this took a little while, but I knew the daily targets that would get us on-track. Once we caught-up, we just followed the numbers until something changed. Then it was out with a new calendar and start again.

See, I told you it was simple, I just didn't tell you it was tedious! The good news is that you can take an easy short-cut by purchasing a copy of the Simply Budgets software. It is very good value when you consider what it can do! The difference it makes to your life, knowing where you need to be financially every day is amazing. You don't actually need to check every day. You can check on payday, or once a month if you are getting good. It's as simple as - What is the date? What does my budget tell me I need to have in my account today? Am I behind, or am I in front? If I am in front I could probably go and spend the surplus without having to worry. If I'm behind I know before it is too late to do something about it. It certainly takes away a lot of the stress, having your very own financial road map.

A little tip in closing - Make sure you also include some of the things you previously have been missing out on. (Let's face it you don't just want to budget to pay your bills!) Put in some sweeteners by following the numbers, and on the chosen date, have the weekend away or the night out on the town and so on. No need to feel guilty or worry if you can or can't afford it because you KNOW you are on target! And that is a pretty great feeling.

You can trial Simply Budgets for 30 days for only $1.00 or purchase the full version of Simply Budgets in Ye Olde Shoppe:

If you would like to trial my budgeting software, Fiona has harassed me into letting her give you a 30 day trial for free. Here is a link to the software:

simplesavings.com.au/simplybudgets/download

(If you want the trial for free, hang on to this link. If you try to get the trial from David's site or from our Ye Olde Shoppe both will try to charge you.)

5. Best of the Vault: Win the War In Your Wallet!

That's right - there is a war going on every day in your wallet and we want to give you some extra artillery to fight back! There is plenty of ammunition in the Vault and we've rolled out some of the big guns:

From Spendaholic to Debt-Free

I am currently still paying the price for my old spending habits but I have turned my habits around and it is paying off. When I turned 25, I decided to become debt-free as soon as possible.

To do this, I have had to forego my previous love of designer clothes, perfumes, shoes, dining out - expensive everything! Instead, I sat down and worked out my income vs my expenses - the 'needs' rather than the 'wants'. Whatever is left over is made as extra repayments into my credit cards - a substantial saving in interest payments.

Next, I made up a simple spreadsheet. It details what I owe less the repayments that I make, as well as major annual items like insurance, car registration, professional memberships and car services. I've even broken this down into months, which allows me to physically see that I am making a (small) dent in my debts. By doing this, I can see that with a lot of discipline, I can knock off one debt a year. Whenever I feel as though I'm slipping in my determination, I take another look at the spreadsheet to remind myself that by sticking to my plan, I can be completely debt-free in two and a half years. It's a long and slow process, but I'm on track!

Also, I've always found that an effective way to save was through tax, so I ask the payroll to not claim the 'tax free threshold' for my salary. My pay is a little less a month, but because I don't see what's being taken out as tax, I don't budget for it and don't miss it. So now, the end of financial year income tax time is always a great time for me because I know that I will get a minimum of $1000 as a tax refund - to go towards paying off my debts, of course!

By making small regular extra repayments and using my tax return, I estimate that I can pay out my debts a whopping three years earlier. Even at a generously low interest rate of 10% on what I owe, this equates to a saving of $4330 for me per year OR $12,990 over the three years!

So, not only will I be debt-free and own my new car in two and a half years, I'll have saved myself nearly $13,000 - not bad for a former spendaholic!

Contributed by: Xiau Fan

Card triggers mortgage savings

I made myself a memory trigger and it is saving me truckloads on my mortgage. We have just bought a house and want to pay it off fast. So to inspire us I did some simple mortgage calculations using Excel and worked out how long it would take us to pay out our loan and how much money we would save if we paid an additional $20, $40, $60, $80 and $100 per week. Then I put it all on a card.

I printed off heaps of these cards and put them in our wallets (to stop impulsive shopping), in the car (to stop takeaways), near the phone (to reduce bills), on the fridge and next to our shopping list (to reduce luxury items). It has been great!

These cards have inspired us to pay off an extra $60 per week which will save us over 11 years and $124,000!

These are the details from my card:

$20 extra saves 5 years 3 months / $60,000
$40 extra saves 8 years 9 months / $97,500
$60 extra saves 11 years 3 months / $124,000
$80 extra saves 13 years 2 months / $144,000
$100 extra saves 14 years 9 months / $160,000

Contributed by: Michelle Pearce

Pie-charts let everyone have a say on debt deduction

I paid off a personal loan of $6000 by creating a pie chart to track my progress and keep motivated. When it comes to debt reduction I have always found the visual incentive of a pie chart to be very motivating. Paying off a debt can be overwhelming as there are things we have to 'go without' in order to achieve our goal so I find the act of colouring in a new section of my pie to mark my progress helps me see how far I've come and pushes me to achieve more. It's a daily reminder of where I need to put my focus! I also like to write a list of all my pay days and the amounts I plan to either pay off my debt or add to my savings account. Ticking items off the list each week helps me stay motivated and on track.

Pie charts also allow children to be involved in the plan. They can see there is a goal and they can colour in the sections as the debt is paid off. It gives them a reward for the part they play in going without things they may like. And it shows them ways to both face debt and win and how to avoid debt where possible in their future.

Contributed by: Saving Life energy by Saving $s

Measure your savings

I have discovered how important it is to measure everything! From the dishwashing liquid to the oil and sugar in cooking, by taking the time to measure we're now getting the most out of our money!

We had developed a bad habit of just guessing how much we needed of things - for example, I'd splosh out what looked like about a capful of softener, and was then amazed when I'd run out well before the recommended 32 washes! Or I'd discover I was using about two tablespoons of oil for frying when all I needed was a teaspoon to achieve the same results! We now measure - and save!

Contributed by: Giselle Delosa

Here are a few more ideas for our valued Vault members:

Avoid doing the Twenty Dollar Tango! Contributed by: Eve

Thwart spending habits with forward planning Contributed by: Nerida Stocks

Switch your mindset and save Contributed by: Sharon Windolf

6. Best Members' Blog: One Small Item

This month's winner is Pumpkin Patch for this very moving blog that manages to marry frugality with beautiful family memories.

A couple of weeks ago we had friends come to stay and as I got ready to serve lunch, I reached into the drawer for a tablecloth. On spreading it out, I noticed it was an old one that had belonged to my mother and was past its use-by date so I put it aside for future consideration and grabbed another to use.

In the back of my mind, I had thought to cut it down for the small table in the caravan, using the better parts of it and discarding the rest. This morning I found myself with a few spare hours and set to work - I measured the table, cut the undamaged part of the cloth and prepared to hem it on the sewing machine. I also had enough of the borders left to make a mat to throw on the top of the fridge in the van. Rather than waste the remaining parts, I fashioned four good sized tea towels from what was left - this is beautiful soft old-fashioned damask, which lasts for years and years so what do a couple of light stains or a few tiny holes matter. In all, I didn't waste a bit of it, and I'm very happy with my re-purposing.

As I sewed, my memories came flooding back. This lovely cloth was used during my growing up years when we sat down at the dining room table, the cloth protecting the lovely polished oak surface. Many a Saturday evening roast was shared around this table, and many a Sunday lunch. My siblings and I all remember this tablecloth with affection - but for over thirty years it has sat neglected in my linen cupboard. We rarely used the dining room table after my father went to the islands for work, bringing it out only when he got home for the weekend every six weeks or so.

I recalled the joyous occasions when we would collect him from the harbour on a Saturday afternoon when he was due for leave. I remember the excited chatter on the way home and the way he rushed into the house to find my mum in the warm fragrant kitchen preparing the evening meal to welcome him home. Never an emotional or demonstrative man, he would pick up my tiny mum and crush her in a bear hug before kissing her lovingly - much to our teenage embarrassment. He always called her 'Toots'. Then the table would be set with this very tablecloth and we would sit down as a family again and share all our news.

This in turn brought back the memory of her death at the age of seventy-six and Dad's frantic rush to the hospital that night when he got the phone call telling him of the massive heart attack. I remember the devastation that he didn't get there in time to say goodbye and that he sat up all night making lists and keeping his mind occupied. The morning after her funeral - New Year's Eve - when I heard him out in the garden and found him savagely ripping out weeds, between cursing and sobbing - he simply said what was the point of going on. His grief was so great. That garden was weeded within an inch of its life!

Who would think that one item of linen could stir up so many memories, most of which I had forgotten or buried. It was a happy morning recalling the many joyous and sad occasions of times gone by. I will now use these items all the time as they were meant to be used - with love.

Thank you Pumpkin Patch for sharing your special memories.

To read any of our members' blogs, click here

7. Best of the Forum: Demolish Debt

We know how easy it is to spend money - and just how very hard it is to save. Every dollar DOES make a difference to demolishing your debt or to growing your savings. Here are some great ways to find an extra few in your budget every day!

Trying to buy your first home

There is some great advice and ideas here for probably the most expensive and exciting adventure of your life!
read more...

Financial priorities - do you have a list?

What financial priorities are most important to you - you might be surprised!
read more...

What do you use as your money box/coin bank?

It isn't just kids who get a kick out of shaking their money boxes! Did you know a coke tin full of $2 coins will add up to over $500? What a great way to save money you won't even miss.
read more...

Increasing our net worth - challenge

How much are you really worth? Take the challenge!
read more...

The great wardrobe diet

If you struggle to say no to those gorgeous shoes or perfect little black dress, this may just be the thread for you!
read more...

How are you saving for retirement?

This thread is an interesting discussion on various options for retirement savings. It's never too early to start thinking about your future.
read more...

8. Hidden Gems: Renu Fashion

Our Hidden Gems directory is designed to help members source the best deals in their area. This month's Hidden Gem is Renu Fashion as nominated by Erica Eldridge.

My daughters and I found this wonderful little shop that recycles clothes for $5.00 apiece. Whilst it's only small they have a wonderful variety of clothes, shoes, handbags, jewellery and even hats. The best part about this shop is, unlike other second hand shops where you drop your clothes off and that's it, when you drop your clothes here, anything they decide to keep they give you a $2 credit per item. This means that anytime we decide we need a change of wardrobe, we pop down to the shop and choose something else. Great when you have teenagers who like something one week, wear it and then tell you they can't be seen in the same outfit again or just don't like it anymore.

The people who work there are great and the best thing, there are three stores close by to choose from. As a single mum and a full time student, being able to clothe myself and my girls in new clothing frequently without the huge outlay is wonderful.

Where: 10 Hornibrook Esplanade, Clontarf, QLD
75 Bailey Road, Deception Bay, QLD
141 Suttonn Street, Redcliffe, QLD
Phone: 0402 433 441

Well done, Erica, on locating such a fantastic hidden gem and thanks so much for sharing.

9. Cooking with Mimi: Make Your Own Lush-Style Scented Lotion Bars

Lotion bars are just a lovely and rather more portable way of applying body moisturiser. They are similar in texture and feel to a cake of soap and, like soap, you run them over your limbs to dispense the lovely oils. The warmth of your skin does the rest and voila! Moisture, fragrance and sheen, all in one!

These truly are lush, unlike that overperfumed purveyor of body products, where some of us just get woozy. However, thanks to places like that particular store, these little cuties are somewhat more trendy and desirable than they may have otherwise been. But, oh my. The price of these for something so simple is crazy!

This is one I made with my macadamia oil from Ye Olde Shoppe and just two other ingredients. I added essential and fragranced oil to scent mine, but they're divine unscented as well, should that be your preference.

I also like to add this little ribbon handle to mine. It allows you to slip a hand or a couple of fingers beneath the bow, to use as grip to apply the body butter. It looks pretty for gift giving as well, and makes the lotion bar look less like a bar of soap.

So here's what you need to make two little lotion bars. Multiply quantities appropriately for more lovely bars.

1/4 cup macadamia oil
1/4 cup cocoa butter pellets
1/4 cup beeswax pellets
2-3 drops per bar of your desired fragrance
A toothpick

I used silicone muffin pans to shape and mould my bars, but as for soap making, you can use just about anything. Larger chocolate moulds, patty pans or cake tins are all a good idea, as are empty milk cartons (cleaned of course), ramekins and those little Bento Box style sushi moulds. Sit those on your bench, cleaned and ready to be filled.

Cut some lengths of ribbon, lace or even kitchen string if you like a really organic look. These need to be long enough to sit in the base of your mould, with excess strands long enough to tie into a bow. Longer is better, as you can always trim it to look pretty, but you can't remove it and add more once the lotion bar has hardened.

You'll also need to set up a double boiler arrangement on your stove top. That's just a pot of simmering water, with a bowl large enough on top of it, for the bowl to sit over the simmering water, without actually touching the water.

Add your macadamia oil, cocoa butter, and beeswax pellets to the bowl and sit it over the water in the pot. Stir this with a spoon until it melts. This should take no more than a few minutes.

As soon as it's melted, divide it between your moulds. Reseat the ribbon to anchor it into the desired position if you need to. A little of the lotion liquid should anchor it to the edges of your mould very effectively as it will harden within seconds.

Before the lotion starts to cool and harden, add a drop or two of your fragrant or essential oils to each bar. I used two drops of lemon essential oil and two drops of vanilla fragrance oil and mine smell like a lemon cake...truly delish! Give it a stir with your toothpick to distribute the fragrance evenly.

Leave to cool and harden undisturbed, and when they've gone milky looking, pop them into the fridge. Chilling them just makes them easier to release from your mould.

After about 15 minutes, remove your lotion bars from the fridge and ease them from their moulds. Tie the tails of ribbon into a neat bow, and you're done!

These cost less than $2.00 each to make and make the most gorgeous gift. Your friends will think you've spent more than that on them, for certain!

Enjoy!

NOTE: Check online for bargain priced beeswax and cocoa butter pellets. I've had mine for ages and made so many products from one small amount, it's incredible.

You can discover more of Mimi's creations in our Members' Blog section. Take a look at her fantastic recipes for beauty products using macadamia oil.

10. Claire's Corner: $188,846 Off the Mortgage? A Good Day's Work!

Yesterday was a very good day... I saved $94,126. Today was even better... I saved another $94,720! Yep, I was so thrilled, I had to stop myself from telling complete strangers on the street! So here's how I did it...

A few weeks ago we decided to get an updated valuation on our house. We were pretty pleased to find the market value had risen a whopping 10 per cent in just over a year (Auckland house prices for you!). The new valuation meant our equity had risen quite a bit, so I rang the bank and asked if we could have our interest rate reviewed. The bank agreed to drop our floating rate by .5% but kept our payments the same. I did a quick check of the numbers using the calculator on www.sorted.org.nz figuring we'd probably save a few thousand over the life of the term. But $94,126? Fair to say I nearly fell off my chair when I saw the difference this small drop in interest made.

Today, I noticed the bank is offering an even lower rate... another .5% lower on a fixed term. But before fixing, I decided to see what difference it would make if I increased the payments to boot...

Over the past few months I've developed a very naughty habit of buying an espresso coffee every day. The coffee lady in my local café practically has it ready before I walk through the door! At $4.50 a day, that's $22.50 a week. Not a big deal really (or so I keep telling myself). But according to my handy-dandy mortgage calculator, by adding my cup of coffee to my mortgage payment instead, I'll save another $22,292 in interest and shave another year off my mortgage.

Obviously, everyone's mortgage calculations will differ, but one thing's for sure... a little extra payment saves a heaping helping of hard earned dosh! And it makes you feel pretty good about yourself for being so savvy. And if you can negotiate your interest rate down and keep your payments the same, then you're super savvy! Combine the two... and you're on to a real winner!

So in total... (let me double check my facts and calculations!) In the past 24 hours I've reduced my mortgage interest by $188,846 and slashed eight years off the term! Seriously, can you believe that? WOW!

It's really got me thinking about how easy it is to get into the habit of just plodding along, paying the minimum because that's just what's easiest. I just couldn't believe that it was possible to save that sort of money without really doing anything!

Oh and this will make you laugh... upon telling hubby he suggested that we could go buy a Ferrari! My reply? "Ummmm, nooooo... But once the mortgage is all paid off, I'll shout you a coffee... I'm sure my café lady will be missing me by then! *wink*"

If you're keen to do your sums too, the website I used is https://www.sorted.org.nz/calculators/mortgage-manager

You can read more of Claire's warm and wonderful words in our Members' Blog section.

11. 50c Indulgence: Heaven Scent

Hi everyone! Over at 50 Cent Indulgences we have been having a delightful time cleaning our homes, saving money and getting a little healthier. We call it 'Heaven Scent' as so many of the products that we make at home not only work well, they smell just divine! If you, like me, have ever hesitated to dive into the home-made cleaners, let me encourage you that they really do work! The basics are very affordable and can be found easily at your supermarket and online. Once you have them, it often takes only a minute or two to mix up a beautiful cleaner.

Borax is an environmentally-friendly, naturally occurring mineral salt. It can be used as a disinfectant in all-purpose cleaners as well as a brightener in laundry soaps. Baking soda removes stains and neutralises odours as well as serving as a mild abrasive. Washing soda is a natural mineral and has unmatched grease cutting ability. It is a great heavy duty scourer, but wear gloves using it. White vinegar is a stain and odour remover, and literally pulls the dirt out of surfaces when applied during cleaning. Use only white vinegar with cleaning as other vinegars may stain. Castile soap (my favourite I think!) is an alternative to harsh detergents and chemicals. You can wash yourself, your pets, your dishes, your clothes, your hair, and clean anything safely with it. Dr. Bronners has the most beautiful fragrances available.

Here are a couple of my favourite recipes that I use around home.

Orange Dusting Spray

1 cup water
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp liquid castile soap (I use orange but you can use any smell)
1 cup white vinegar
15 drops of sweet orange essential oil

Mix all ingredients in a glass bottle or a spray bottle. Apply with a lint free cloth. If mixed in a spray bottle, shake it before use. Keeps indefinitely.

Home-made Heavenly Laundry Powder

1 bar of soap (I used Palmolive Naturals Pomegranate as I love the smell and the colour. Cost $1.00)
1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda

Grate your soap of choice with a hand grater. Mix with borax and washing soda. To get it to combine better, rather than settling in layers, whiz for a few seconds in a food processor. Wash utensils well after making. This is suitable for a front loader or a top loader machine. Use two tablespoons per load.

I am now on my second batch of powder and it works a treat. I will not be buying powder again as this takes less than five minutes from start to finish and is suitable for babies and sensitive skin as well.

Enjoy yourself making beautiful scents for a cleaning indulgence!

You can drop in and join Helen, Annabel and the Under 50c Army here: March...a season of fresh discovery. Under 50 cent indulgences March 2012

12. Rob Bob's Gardening Blog: Using up a Bumper Harvest

Mimi asked a couple of great questions on the last blog and as they relate to all who have vegie gardens I thought it was worthy of a longer response. Mimi asked:

"Rob, maybe you can help me get my head around this. It seems to be a problem for many of we novice gardeners. How do you know to estimate the quantity of each thing you plant? The biggest issues I face are either insufficient yield or over supply. Is it just common sense over a long period of experience or do you just deal with these issues as part and parcel of the exercise?"

The short answer I gave on the blog:

How many of each plant just comes with experience I think. We have only been gardening for four or so years so we are still learning as we grow go ;)». I have learned that variety is better than volume. While we are nowhere near to being self-sufficient in vegie production we are very lucky that we can make many different types of meals from the varieties of vegies we grow.

The long answer I thought was worth sharing:

I know it can be rather daunting when the kitchen bench is covered in one type of vegie and all inspiration has flown the coup. It has gotten to the point where Bianca and the kids cringe when they ask what's for dinner, knowing it will involve yet another helping of zucchini, eggplant, chard or a combination of all three for the fifth or sixth meal in a row. The challenge for me over the past few years is trying to find new ways to prepare the food and keep everyone happy with the meals that are cooked.

As an example, for our family of four we will plant three to four zucchini, realising that there will be an excess if the yield is good. I can usually serve three or four meals a week using them in different ways without boredom setting in. Zucchini makes a great raw pasta that you can top with traditional sauces, which is also great if you are watching your carbohydrate intake. We are lucky enough to have a spiralizer that will cut zucchini and other vegies into spaghetti-like threads but the same can be achieved with a potato peeler or mandolin to make thin fettuccine-style strips. When grated it can be used in baked vegetable slice, added to rissoles and tastes great in a raw broccoli salad.

Variety, rather than volume, can also come into play, when it comes to growing a productive garden. One example of this is the types of greens we have started to grow such as Egyptian spinach, orach & kang kong.

While I have only planted out a few plants of each there are more than enough to give us a constant diverse range of greens for our salads. We are never really concerned with excess greens as the worms, fish and chooks will always look after any excess and they always appreciate it.

As I learn more about gardening, I have started to progressively sow out certain crops, like beetroot and carrot, every four weeks or so. I have also started to do this with our winter broccoli and cauliflower crops. This way we will (in theory) end up with a constant supply of these crops without any excess occurring. It also saves storage space in fridges, freezers and pantries as the vegies are stored fresh in the garden **: )»**

Swapping with others is a great way to make use of excess vegies as well. Other gardeners may have better yields with other crops and be very grateful for some diversity in their diet as well. Much of our excess produce has been given away to very grateful family and friends. The upside to this is that it has inspired a few of them to start planning and planting out their own vegie patches. We are looking forward to swapping with them in the near future. :D»

Storing excess produce

Freezing, drying and bottling (canning) are the best ways to make a bumper harvest stretch out longer. A favourite way to use up excess here is a vegie sauce made with zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant, onions, mushrooms and garlic. It can then be canned or frozen for later use. Once thawed it is as easy as adding the desired spice/herb blend when reheating and letting it simmer for a while to let the flavours infuse through the sauce. I like to leave it chunky when I freeze it, then if the recipe calls for it, I can process it into a thin sauce. We use it in Mexican, Italian, Middle Eastern or any dish that calls for a vegetable sauce.

Drying is also a great way to save produce for later use.

We have recently purchased a dehydrator and have used it to preserve some of our large zucchini for later use in stews and curries. I think it will get a great workout once the tomatoes are ready to come off.

Bottling is a skill that I am only just starting to explore a lot more recently.

We have been making up a LOT of Thai-style curry and chilli pastes from all the chillies we have been lucky enough to harvest this season. Most of the jars are being given away as we already have a year's worth in the pantry from earlier batches. We were also forced to harvest some capsicums early on in the summer due to fly strike. Once any hitch hikers were removed, the capsicums were quickly processed with some vinegar, honey and dill to make some very tasty pickles that taste fantastic in fresh salsa.

I hope this gives you a few ideas on how to use up any excess that you may get from your patch.

Harvesting castings

After much procrastination I finally got around to harvesting the castings from the bath tub worm farm.

It is a very easy job that only takes a few minutes so not quite sure why I kept putting it off! Most of these castings will be used to fertilise the coming season's seedlings as they are planted out. I might also make up a few batches of casting 'tea' fertiliser if there are any left over.

As shown in the clip, our worm farms are all based on having a well-draining bedding (broken up horse manure/coconut fibre) that can be consumed by the worms. When it comes to feeding the worms kitchen scraps, I like to run them through the food processor and then I add them to the top of the worms' bedding. Water is never added to the farm because the pureed food tends to make the farm moist enough. In nature you will find compost worms living just under leaf litter where the ground is only slightly damp so I try to mimic that in our farms. We find this system works very well and since adopting this method we haven't had any problems with the farms turning manky like many of our earlier farms used to. By processing the vegie scraps, it helps the worms consume it faster. This means we will have healthier, faster breeding worms that can, in turn, provide us with a nutrient rich fertiliser faster. **: )»**

Our first pineapple

I posted about having to harvest our first pineapple prematurely as we were concerned about ants and other creepy crawlies trying to eat the soft sunburnt patch on the top side. Well, I am very happy to report that it ripened up nicely and was chopped up yesterday morning for our breakfast.

While it was not as sweet as some we have had, it was home grown, so that more than made up for any short comings. I have been given a few pointers by someone who has a lot more experience on how to fertilise this very tasty member of the bromeliad family. Peter (from the Share the Seed Group on Facebook) recommended lime and potash as great additives to both pineapples and paw paws. This should help sweeten the fruit, so I shall be adding a small handful to all.

The plant this fruit came from has also produced two 'pups' which shall be removed from the plant and planted out into pots. Pups are said to fruit a lot faster than plants grown from the crown or seeds so hopefully we might get some fruit from these plants next year.

That's about it for this week - hope you all have a great week in the garden. **: )»**

Read more of Rob Bob's garden blogs in our Members' Blog area.

13. From Last Month: Outdoor Makeover

Last month N. Carson emailed us about ideas to help with her outdoor makeover. She said:

"After six years of indoor renovation, we are finally ready to begin on the outdoors! The prospect of ripping up 4x32m of concrete driveway and replacing it with bitumen, digging out 35sqm of unwanted dirt in the backyard, erecting a front brick fence, building a deck and also general landscaping is extremely daunting - and costly! Any advice regarding cost-effective concrete demolition, skip hire, dirt removal or waste disposal - and also outdoor renovation advice would be incredibly appreciated!"

We got some fantastic ideas - thank you for sharing your wisdom! Here are some of our favourite replies:

Take the time to get quotes

Before you tackle a large outdoor renovation project, it's a good idea to get quotes from various tradespeople to do individual jobs and also quotes for the whole package. It may be cheaper to get the jobs done individually. Also work out what you may be able to easily do yourselves so you know exactly what you need others to do and quote for.

Contributed by: Neo Neo

Advertise broken concrete as free fill

We have a farm with many dirt tracks to negotiate. During rainy weather pot holes, ruts and washouts can be a problem. Broken concrete in these areas would be very useful - perhaps you could advertise it locally for 'free fill'? You never know who in your area could make use of it so you don't have to pay to get it taken away.

Contributed by: Megan McMahon

Free garden landscaping with Permablitz

If you're looking for a helping hand to landscape your gardens with minimal cost, I'd recommend contacting the Permablitz office in your state. Permablitz is a not-for-profit organisation that runs a program where their trained permaculturists come to your backyard and design a landscape plan so you can grow your own fruit and vegetables. A few weeks' later volunteers spend a day on the weekend helping you implement the design free of charge! To qualify, you need to have previously volunteered at two other people's gardens with Permablitz. You also need to provide tea and coffee but each volunteer brings a dish to share. It is a lot of fun and great to see your backyard transform into a productive space in about six hours! Plus, you get to meet local volunteers that you can later swap any excess fruit and vegies with. Permablitz also offer some educational sessions about what they're doing on the day so the volunteers can learn some handy info.

Contributed by: Edwina J.

Get it done with a Kanga

Here's how we tackled our backyard renovations and saved on the cost of plants. One of the best things we did was to hire a Kanga for the weekend. It cost $260 but we were able to efficiently remove the dirt and rip up the existing garden beds. We then used pine sleepers for the garden edging ($19.95 each) and grabbed dirt from the local garden supplier at $30 per ute load. We then raided friends' gardens for plant cuttings which saved us heaps on the cost of plants!

Contributed by: Tania Coutts

14. This Month's Help Request: Lose Weight, not Dollars

Jen Aitken has emailed asking for some help! She writes:

"I am looking to lose weight but I often find dieting can be expensive. Ironically, when you eat healthily with lean protein and fresh fruit and vegetables, it can be more expensive than filling up on cheap carbohydrates. Does anyone have any economic suggestions that they have tried and succeeded with (apart from the obvious of just eating less!)?"

If you have any pearls of wisdom you'd like to share, please send them in to us here.

15. Savings Story: I Hear Being Poor is No Fun...

Kathy Lowry emailed us and we just had to share this inspiring lady's saving story! Well done Kathy - we love your zest for life!

I hear being poor is no fun but I beg to differ! It can be a mind-set and creative saving can be great fun and healthy! As our major food items are fresh, organic raw food, the garden is vitally important to our health and budget. Our garden is just one example of our $10,000 annual saving (although it is way more) as we only buy $100 worth of groceries per month.

What else we do and how much we save per annum:

Save $10 each month by buying and planting seeds instead of seedlings - $120 per annum.
Save $10 each month by making compost from our scraps and lawn-clippings - $120 per annum.
Save $10 each month by making our own potting mix - $120 per annum.
Transplant self-sown seed from compost and propagate own cuttings - $120 per annum.
Place bricks in toilet cistern to reduce water use and re-route good grey water to use in the garden - $40 per annum.
Trade 'haves' with 'have-nots' (trade excess organic fruit and vegies, babysitting, sewing, helping with homework and so on for carpooling, coffee/lunch/movie outings, gifts and so on) - $200 per annum.
Dry or preserve excess fruit and vegies to present as beautiful gifts to working friends - $300 per annum. (They also love herbs, edible plants and flowers like strawberries, mixed lettuces, tomatoes, chilli, pansies and calendula. We put them in pots for convenience and they return pots when finished so we can reuse pot, ribbon and name tag!)
Use gum leaves as labels and flax as string/ribbon on gifts - $10 per annum.
Dig garden and save on gym fees - $200 per annum.
Never visit doctors or pharmacy as we don't get ill thanks to healthy lifestyle - $200 per annum.
Get gardening advice from library or Google instead of buying books - $100 per annum.
Cut our own hair (I took a course 45 years ago) and colour my hair - $1000 per annum.
Make own cleaning, air freshener and polish products very cheaply using lavender, cloves, eucalyptus oils, citric acid, white vinegar, borax, baking soda, Epsom salts, washing soda, bleach and Nilodour - $120 per annum.
Buy macadamia oil for food and cosmetic use (for cosmetic use we buy from Simple Savings) - $100 per annum.
One-off item - Dug own sewer drain and filled own tanks. (Quoted $6000 as we have solid limestone in our area but five days of labour saved us a budget blowing, whopping $5000.
Visit recycling boutiques for clothing and sew to make clothes, change buttons, shorten sleeves and so on - $1000 per annum.
Buy petrol on cheap days only, using maximum docket discount - $120 per annum.
Have DVD evening get-togethers with friends and hire new release - $100 per annum.
Being a volunteer usher at the performing arts centre gets us into shows free - $100 per annum.
Bet on radio races with friends using 10c for $1 coins. Money stays between you!
Go 'garage saling' 6 to 8am some Saturdays for fun and for items we need (ladder, garden furniture, free pots, kids' toy treats. We often get opened/almost full packet of fertiliser, car products, paint and spray perfume and so on.)

My husband and I have a car, caravan, bicycles and small freehold house (a big bonus of course, as rates, insurance, maintenance and so on equals $5000 per annum) on ¼ acre peninsula block that is a five minute walk in three directions to the ocean or estuary. We use our location for beach bumming, romantic sunrise and sunset walks, picnics, swimming and star gazing. We are very active, travel domestically and internationally (China, NZ and Queensland last year for three months, and USA and Europe this year for four months.) We live on $1800 per month ($21,600 per annum) including travel and the occasional $100 cash withdrawal from our savings when necessary. Our families are happy to give us spending money for wherever we are going for birthday gifts and we send postcards showing where and how it was spent. Sometimes we house-sit.

Three weeks after an extended holiday, our garden is ready for salad picking again. Various friends 'vegie-sit' our potted tomato, strawberry, cucumber, zucchini, capsicum, parsnip and assorted herbs and have even enjoyed the fruit for a while. Other kind souls water and harvest our garden if they have time. We reciprocate when they need us.

Absolutely everything goes onto our credit card, and we pay it on the due date religiously thereby avoiding any fees. I make sprouts, yoghurt and soft cheeses although we eat very little dairy products. We make our own fabulous sorbet from own fruit, and our own bread so we know what we are eating. We begin the day with a green organic smoothie which gives us energy and takes us through to 2pm, even when physically working. (Still can't believe how good they are!) We do not eat any processed food or animals if we can avoid it. I do, however, have a weakness for smoked salmon which I buy frozen for $10 per kg and cut into ten chunks while frozen and thaw as necessary ($1 per 100g).

Due to our advanced years we enjoy free local travel between 9am and 3.30pm weekdays and all weekend. This is when I visit friends 110km away or we go to a free concert, gallery visit or just go to the city for coffee with friends. We occasionally take the one hour bus trip to the casino and back. For a total of $10 (I'm not a gambler!) we meet with friends from other areas, get $2 cash, $1 Kino voucher and a full buffet meal with limitless food and drink. No-one ever suspects how frugally we live as we are always having fun, still enjoy a tipple, look amazingly healthy and fit, and travel abroad staying with friends and relations who also enjoy holidaying with us in turn.

Life is to be lived and not having much money can just make it more interesting!

16. Goodbye for Now!

Well, that's your Simple Savings Newsletter for March 2013 and we hope you have enjoyed it and have been inspired by all the money saving tips. Our members are hugely important to us and we love hearing from you all! So next time you're on the website, why don't you get in touch and say 'G'day'! Let us know what you would like to see more of in our newsletter or any suggestions you have for something new to try. We love receiving your clever ideas!

Till next time...
All the best,
Fiona

March 2015 - Simple Savings Newsletter

"Secrets to Saving Money" Free Newsletter - March 2015

This issue includes:-

Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: Revenge is a Dish Best Served in a Takeaway Container!
March: Create-away
Best of the Vault: Takeaway Temptation
Best of the Forum: I CAN Cook THAT!
Best Members' Blog: Onwards and Upwards
Mimi: Frugal Fridays and Fillet-o-Fish... What Did You Do To Save Money This Week?
Rob Bob's Gardening Blog: Planting Out the Cool Weather Plants
From Last Month: Secret Linen Business
This Month's Help Request: Keeping Our Seniors Safe

Hello!

We hope you had a fantastic February getting nude in your kitchen - carefully of course! Thank you to everyone who had a great time taking part in the quiz, we loved hearing your results! We'd like to welcome all our new Simple Savers Facebook group members as well; it's really worth popping along to see all the fantastic hints and ideas everyone has come up with. You can join in the fun here.

I always love hearing your savings ideas and stories and tips! Here are some of my favourites this month:

"I joined Simple Savings after finding your new Facebook page, and I just wished I'd known about this website before! I can't believe the 'wealth' of information and support." (Annie)

"Hi Fiona, I had to write to you and let you know how Simple Savings has helped my husband and I in retirement. We've made so many small changes that don't really change the way we live, but boy they make a difference to our bottom line!" (Carmella)

Have a great month!
All the best,
Fiona Lippey

1. Sad Sally, Happy Hanna: Revenge Is a Dish Best Served in a Takeaway Container!

"Ahh, time for lunch," Hanna said, sitting down next to Sal in the lunchroom. Sal looked over and did a double take, "Chinese takeaway, Hanna! You NEVER fork out money for a takeaway! What's going on?!"

Hanna smiled, "Well you know, Sal, sometimes you just have to lash out and today I really felt like Mr Wong's Mongolian lamb." Sal looked perplexed. Hanna NEVER wasted money on takeaway. Something must be wrong. Really, REALLY wrong! Maybe Pete had an affair?! "Hanna," Sally put her hand gently on her arm, "You know you can tell me anything don't you. Is there a problem?"

Hanna sighed, thinking back to how Sally tricked her last week with her silly 'nude' email. "Problem, Sally? No, no problem," she said breezily. "Would you like some of my lunch?" she offered. Sally was still frowning but had a taste, and then another, and kept going, "Yum, I love Mr Wong's. When did you pop out and get this?" Hanna laughed and decided to come clean. "I didn't buy it, it's a copycat recipe." Sally was relieved, "Thank goodness, I thought something was wrong!" Hanna frowned, "Well, there IS something wrong, Sal - you've eaten all my lunch!"

2. March: Create-away

Whether it's Mr Wong's Chinese or a tasty curry, it's easy to fall into the takeaway trap when we are busy and overwhelmed. And while a quick, hot meal on the table is great, we know it puts a big dent in our wallets. And it can be a VERY BIG dent - we worked out Fiona's favourite takeaway curry costs $60 for eight serves but she can make it at home for $20. That is a $40 saving for just one takeaway meal! So this month, we have a challenge that will help you say 'NO' to takeaway - we like to call it your 'Takeaway Insurance Policy'!

Your challenge is to pick one of your favourite takeaways each week and recreate it at home. We want you to find the most delicious recipe, get the ingredients and cook up a storm. As part of your Takeaway Insurance Policy, make sure you make enough to freeze at least one serve. This means at the end of four weeks, you'll have four different takeaways to choose from.

We have a yummy Beef Massaman Curry recipe to start you off, and there are other fantastic recipes on the PowerCooking site.

Beef Massaman Curry

This is the recipe for 8 serves.

Ingredients

1-1.2kg casserole beef, gravy beef, chuck or skirt steak, cut into 2cm pieces
2 large onions, cut into thin wedges
4-8 tbsp massaman paste (we use Valcom)
4 medium potato or sweet potato, peeled, cut into 2cm cubes
1½ tbsp lemon or lime juice
1 tbsp fish sauce or salt
2 tbsp sugar, brown or palm
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup coconut milk or cream
Sauce thickener: mix 1 tbsp flour in 2 tbsp cold water
1½ cups peas or green beans, fresh or frozen (optional)

Prepare and cook:

Set oven to 180C (160C fan forced) to preheat.

Chop onion into wedges and set half aside for later. Chop beef and potatoes and place in casserole dish with all remaining ingredients. Mix well to combine.

Cover and cook for 1½ hours (4 serves) or 2 hours (6-8 serves) Uncover, add remaining onion wedges, stir and cook a further 30-40 minutes.

To finish off:

Add sauce thickener, a little at a time, stirring well until thickened to your liking.

Taste and correct seasonings if needed.

Remove from heat and stir through peas or beans.

Skim fat from surface if needed.

Create-away Tip: Don't forget to include extras such as pappadums, naan bread and relishes for the whole Create-away experience!

We can't wait to hear how you go and would love to hear your Create-away experiences and favourite recipes on the Forum or on the Simple Savers Group Facebook page. What are you waiting for - get creating!

3. Best of the Vault: Takeaway Temptation

Here are some delicious ideas from the Vault for the next time you are tempted to get takeaway! A few simple items in your kitchen will have a meal on the table in no time!

Sushi ingredients from Asian warehouse

We bought our sushi ingredients from an Asian warehouse and saved $63! We love sushi, it is my daughter's favourite takeaway meal but it can be expensive. Even the pre-packaged sushi kits in the supermarket can be costly and often contains preservatives. We found an Asian store that sells all the ingredients we need and then used leftovers from the fridge for the fillings.

Here's what we bought:

10 sheets of Nori $2.50
Small straw mat to roll the sushi $4.00
Enough sushi short grain rice for our Nori $2.00
Sushi seasoning - a mixture of rice vinegar, water, sugar and salt $2.50

We already had soy sauce at home and chose not to purchase Wasabi and sushi-ginger. Making the sushi is lots of fun and we fill it with left over chicken, avocado, a slice of capsicum and cucumber and add sesame seeds on top.

We spent $11 on the sushi ingredients and as there are 10 Nori sheets in a packet, we could make 10 sushi meals from it, add to that about $1.00 worth of leftover food. Buying those meals as takeaway would cost $75 but we can be sure we are eating a preservative free meal!

Contributed by: Marietjie Swart

DIY Nepalese spices

My husband is Nepalese and we cook with spices a lot. To keep the cost down we buy straight from Indian shops and with just a few staple spice ingredients, we create a variety of yummy dishes.

Staple Spices:
The main staple spices we buy are turmeric, cumin seeds and coriander seeds. Once every couple of weeks we grind one and a half parts coriander seeds with one part cumin seeds in our coffee grinder and use for lamb, beef, pork or chicken curry, or for marinating lamb chops or other meat.

For Curry:
For one kilogram of meat, fry one onion until a little brown and then add 1/5 teaspoon of turmeric. Fry for 30 seconds and add four cloves of garlic and an equal amount of fresh ginger (can be kept in freezer if you don't use much) and fry for 30 seconds. Add two to three teaspoons of ground spice, fry for another 30 seconds and then add meat and brown well. Add half a tin of tomatoes and equal part water and simmer for 30 minutes to one hour. If necessary add more water. You can top with fresh coriander or eat as is. I have estimated all ingredients, but there is no right or wrong here! It just depends on your taste, I would say more rather than less though. You can also add a little bit of cinnamon stick, star aniseed and cardamom pod to your curry for a really lovely flavour.

Meat marinade:
Mix two tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil, one to two teaspoons of mixed spice, half teaspoon of turmeric, two garlic cloves and a pinch of salt. Marinate meat overnight.

Dahl:
Fry one teaspoon of cumin seeds until brown (30 seconds or so) in hot canola or vegetable oil before adding washed lentils (we use red lentils a lot or any other kind of Dahl would be fine) and water - this will add a lovely nutty flavour to your Dahl. You can also fry cumin seeds or cumin/coriander mix with onion and add to Dahl after Dahl has cooked.

Chai:
Crack a couple of cardamom pods, a little cinnamon, a pinch of fresh ginger and simmer with a teabag or tea leaves in half milk and half water ratio for about five minutes until flavour has infused. You could use soy milk or no milk if you prefer.

Hot Milk:
If you run out of Milo or hot chocolate, use a couple of cardamom pods and a pinch of ground cinnamon in milk and simmer for five minutes. It tastes lovely.

Contributed by: Steph M

Bake, don't buy rule saves $88 a month

I am $88 better off this month thanks to my new rule about buying bakery treats. The rule is if I can bake it I can't buy it. Having a baby made me determined to save and my main spending vice was buying snacks while out. Now I dig out recipes and make my own. In the past month I've made banana and passionfruit muffins (with passionfruit from our own vine), cup cake cheesecakes and pizza scrolls. These would have cost me $114 to buy but cost just $26 to make!

Contributed by: Kochanski

4. Best of the Forum: I CAN Cook THAT!

We buy takeaway because it is quick and easy and solves a big problem at the end of a busy day. But many of us don't attempt to cook takeaway-type meals at home because, well, we're a bit scared! It isn't difficult - you CAN do it, and here are some ideas from our clever Forum members that might help.

Go-to meals... instead of takeaway

Financially Fit Mum is on a mission to avoid expensive takeaway - and she wants to be prepared!
read more...

Shredded chicken - how many ways?

Claire asks for ideas on what she can do with shredded chicken - some great Create-away ideas here!
read more...

Cooking questions and help - #1

If there's something you don't know how to do - ask away!
read more...

5. Best Members' Blog: Onwards and Upwards

One of the many benefits of being a Vault member is that you can win $100 cash each month for your Simple Savings blog! Starting your own blog on the site is easy. All you have to do is log into the Vault, click on 'My Desk' at the top left, then 'Your Blog'. Then get writing! We love reading all your money saving trials and tribulations and really appreciate the effort that goes into each one.

This month's winner is Amy (and the cheeky monkey) for sharing her blog about saving money. Good on you, Amy, we certainly think you are going 'Onwards and Upwards'!

"Being financially responsible is addictive. Once you get your first taste it hits you, 'Why haven't I done this sooner?'. The thrill of even an extra dollar saved would confound your pre-frugal self. Anything more than that feels too good to be true. You gain a totally different perspective on your life and find yourself wanting to do more, save more, be more.

This week, between my first post and now I have managed to stash $618 into my emergency savings account. An absolute feat! This was achieved through a combination of selling unwanted furniture, chasing down a refund on my registration as I'm now on a single parent payment, and sticking to my new budget. I am ecstatic and feel like giving myself a big pat on the back, but now is not the time to lose track of the end goal because I'm feeling flush over a small victory. Because of this, I've decided to write down all the tips, hints and advice I am implementing to ensure this good fortune continues into the future.

Money tin
52 week savings challenge
Rounding my bank account down to the nearest $5.00 each night and transferring the change to my credit card
Sticking to $0.50c indulgences
Packed lunches for playgroup
No takeaway food
Keep track of No Spend days
Implement No Car days
No pre-packaged snacks, all home-made
Savings Diary to keep me motivated

I've also been successful in curbing my spending this week. I went to a friend's Body Shop party on the weekend, and enjoyed the pampering, but walked out without buying a single thing. I even managed to score a free gift by playing one of the games. I've also put off shopping. I got paid on Thursday but decided to hold off on food shopping until I absolutely had to. I still haven't gone yet and DS and I have been eating great, lots of home cooked dinners and snacks. I've been using up all my leftovers and odds and ends. I did have to stock up on milk on Saturday, but that's it. Feeling pretty good about my progress.

This is just the beginning...

Well done, Amy!

You can read more of our members' blogs here.

6. Mimi: Frugal Fridays and Fillet-o-Fish... What Did You Do To Save Money This Week?

Friday is a great day to reflect upon the week we've had.

I find that if I list all that I've done to save money, and how much I've saved, it helps me to remain inspired and motivated.

So each Friday, I'm going to post my list here, and it would help me if some of you would join in with your own lists.

The other great thing is the things that we find most simple and obvious in our routines and lives are often not obvious in other people's lives, so it's a great way to share new ideas.

So here's my first list...

I keep hearing from friends in other states about their free harvests of stone fruit. Unfortunately, no free produce here, but I did have a big saving by defrosting my refrigerator. I know that sounds odd, but we were told a year ago that we would have to buy a new fridge as ours was on its last legs. Well here we are, it's still going, and all I have to do is defrost it about every eight weeks and it keeps kickin' along! It's great discipline too as it forces me to deal with all those unidentifiable containers with murky contents, most of which turn out to be something really yummy like my home-made refried beans or pumpkin soup, which we then get to enjoy totally unexpectedly. Savings on new fridge purchase of $2000 over the last year, plus savings of $20 on unexpected meal findings.

I've made McDonald's-style fish burgers with home battered fish, which meant that one single fish fillet fed three of us generously. Savings of $20 on takeaway. They are really easy.

You need:

1 large fillet of white fish, cut into three
1/2 cup flour
1 egg
Sufficient water to make a thick batter... 1/4-3/4 cup
Rolls halved or 2 slices bread per person
1-2 large iceberg lettuce leaves
Mayonnaise or tartare sauce
1 cup vegetable, canola or sunflower oil
Paper towels

Then all you do is:

Toast or grill your rolls or bread if you wish. I used gluten-free bread, so I toasted ours and trimmed the crusts just to make it look and taste more authentic. Spread the rolls or butter with mayo or tartare sauce and set them out on plates.

Trim or fold the lettuce so it fits the rolls or bread slices neatly. Set them aside.

Mix the flour, egg and water, and mix to a gluggy batter. You want it about the consistency of thick soup. Lumps are fine. Season it with salt and pepper.

Put the oil into a medium saucepan and allow it to heat to medium hot. I found that my fish fillets took a while to cook all the way through, so don't make it smoking hot. Bring it up to heat, then turn it down to about one third full power.

Carefully dip the fish into the batter, coating well on both sides and lower gently into the hot oil. Don't overcrowd the pan. I fitted all three small pieces into my pan, but any more would have lowered the temperature of the oil and made the fish batter greasy.

Turn the fish regularly to ensure it cooks evenly. Give it 3-6 minutes each side depending upon how thick the fillets are. The first time you do this, you might have to sacrifice one and cut into it to check for done-ness, but after that you'll get a bit of a feel for how long your fish fillets take.

Drain the fillets well on paper towels and season with salt and pepper.

To each roll or slice of bread, add a fish fillet and top with a lettuce leaf. You could add cheese slices too if you wanted.

Serve immediately.

We had ours with oven baked potato gems and my daughter had a home-made smoothie. Very yummy and, although it sounds fiddly, it took no more than 15 minutes. It would have taken us longer to drive to McDonald's and back!

I made my own Greek yoghurt which provides us with breakfasts and desserts for several days for just pennies. Savings of $9.00 on DH's favourite bought Greek-style yoghurt.

I planted some coriander, parsley, basil and sage. Savings of up to $70 on buying herbs for the next three months.

I made some gluten-free gnocchi which we ate with fried sage leaves and brown butter for dinner last night. I served it with exotic multi-coloured tomatoes on the side and it looked fabulous and tasted even better. Savings on a bistro meal at Coffee Club or the local sporting club of around $60. It's ridiculous what they charge for a simple pasta-style meal!

Overall, a very productive week with potential savings of around $100, plus the ongoing saving of not having to purchase a new fridge at $2000.

I hope you all have some ideas to share too. :)

You can get updates on Mimi's new blogs on the Simple Savings Facebook page

or in our Members' Blog section.

7. Rob Bob's Gardening Blog: Planting Out The Cool Weather Plants

Seeds for the Patch

It's time to get cracking on planning the winter/cool weather crops for the patch and I thought I'd run through a few of the seeds, as well as how they will be started off. One of the reasons I like this time of year so much is that it's brassica time. :-) Over the past few years I've tried to get least three progressive sowings of brassicas (cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage and kohlrabi) through the patch. This is called 'succession sowing' and is basically a way to stagger the sowing of your seeds so the crops won't all be ready to harvest at once. While some folks I know, due to climate restrictions, do like to harvest a crop all at once and preserve their pickings, like Wendy at 'Grow Your Own Food', I find that, as we have a year-round growing season, succession sowing works best for us here.

The first brassica seeds to be sown out were broccoli, cauliflower, sugar loaf cabbage, kale, collards and wombok cabbage. I am also looking at sowing out some Tuscan Kale and collards as continual cropping brassica greens. I'm going to be more diligent with starting off new batches of cauliflower, sugar loaf and wombok cabbage seeds with a couple of seeds sown out every week or so. This way I hope to be able to successively sow out enough of these plants to see us picking some every few days. A quick tip I learnt for planting out brassica seedlings is to firm down the soil at their base. I heard about this method a while back from a fellow YouTube gardener and have found that it does help form larger firmer cauliflower and broccoli heads. I've run through this process in a clip a while ago, for those interested at a closer look.

A few of the other plants that were sown out at the same time were okra, acorn squash, perpetual spinach, angled luffa, miners lettuce and land cress (Barbarea verma). I am also looking at sowing out Rosella seeds after we received some as a gift. They will hopefully be a part of a garden bed I will be expanding soon.

To start the seeds I've decided to make up a fairly basic seed raising mix from some ingredients I had on hand. This lot was made up of four parts home-made compost, two parts coarse river sand and one part coconut coir. The resulting mix is fairly loose yet will retain a decent amount of moisture. I am thinking that next time I might only add half the sand to see how the mix turns out.

The plants were placed into a tray in a warm position down the side of the house and a little bit of water was added to the tray so it can wick up through the base of the plants, keeping the mix and seeds well hydrated.

I am happy to say that after four days of being in the tray we have a few punnets that are showing signs of life.

Some saved and purchased carrot seeds have been sown into a purpose-made wicking barrel. Carrots like a nice loose soil texture so this barrel had some course sand added to it.

Into this went around the same amount of seeds saved from Kira's carrot plant (left) and some seeds a mate sent me (cheers Nathan). After they were scattered on the surface I covered them lightly with some more coir, gave it a light misting and laid some shade cloth over the top to help prevent the soil from drying out. I'm not 100% certain that Kira's seeds will produce the greatest carrots as there was only one flower blooming at the time and they normally require a lot more to prevent inbreeding depression. I suppose there is only one way to find out through. ;-) Something folks may not know is that carrot greens are edible so when it comes time to thin the seedlings out, the green tops will be used in salads and not go to waste at all.

For those folks that find thinning out carrots a chore you could always have a crack at making up some carrot seed tape.

It's a great project to do with the kids and makes a great gift for folks who have issues working with small seeds.

Here's a couple of planting guides that might help folks work out what seeds you can start to get ready for the coming season.

For Aussies, the Gardening Australia planting guide is also a valuable resource as it covers all climates and a load of plants.

The Gardenate guide is an international guide that covers all the climatic zones in Australia, New Zealand, North America, the UK and South Africa. I have found this to be a very helpful guide as it covers a few vegies other guides don't.

Both guides also provide you with cultivation details to help you with specific plants which I've found quite useful too.

Aquaponic update

The aquaponic system is going really well at the moment.

The Okinawan spinach and Kang Kong (water spinach) have been harvested quite regularly to be used mainly in salads. The growth in the ginger and jalapeno chilli has been quite noticeable. I was very happy to see a few fruit already set on the jalapeno so will need to bag them up soon to keep the Queensland fruit fly from them. A fair amount of my spare time over the past three weeks has been spent cleaning out beds and modifying the plant growing side of the aquaponic system. Two new beds have replaced some that I wasn't very pleased with and I have also moved a few others around to make room for a small expansion. One bed has been planted out with a few tomatoes and herbs with the second bed yet to be sorted out. I have included the latest update clip of the system for those who are interested in a closer look at how the system has changed.

That's about it for this blog methinks. Hope everyone is prepared for the coming season and has their seeds organised and ready to go.

Cheers and have a great one.

You can get updates on Rob Bob's new gardening adventure blogs on the Simple Savings Facebook page

or in our Members' Blog section.

8. From Last Month: Secret Linen Business

Last month Siobhan emailed us about ideas for the perfect linen closet:

"I need some help with linen! I cleaned out my linen cupboard recently and sadly realised everything was mis-matched, poor quality and bought without much thought. For example, the fluffy white towels for our family of mechanics were probably a bit silly, as were the brightly coloured (cheap!) sheet sets that feel awful and don't wear well. It's time to do some shopping to buy replacements that will last, look and feel good and, well, spoil us just a bit! So I need your BEST ideas for linen - what brands to buy, what to look for, tips, storage, washing and so on. Please let me know your 'secret linen business'!"

Thank you for your wonderful ideas for Siobhan. Here are some of our favourites!

Love your linen!

Good quality linen should last you a long time and will end up saving you money because it won't pill or wear quickly.

I find bed linen from Harris Scarfe is some of the best quality for price value. It is worth spending a bit more on bed linen which will last you up to ten years and which you enjoy sleeping in. For me, bed linen is one of my luxuries in life I am not prepared to compromise on and in the past have spent almost $1000 on just one set of bed linen ($1000 on sale!). However, I have found that spending around $300 at Harris Scarfe on 300-800 thread count linen to be a worthwhile investment. Lots of other cheaper shops, such as Target, sell high count linen but not all are created equal. You absolutely need to open the packets and feel each linen to gauge the strength and texture and trust your instincts when choosing.

Look after your sheets and they will last for many years. When washing linen do not use harsh chemicals or bleaches. Always use less than the recommended detergent and wash in warm water (not hot) as sheets absorb a lot of body oils, so warm water cleans better in this case. Wash sheets separately as heavy items such as towels will tangle and pull them. Line dry sheets, don't put them in the dryer.

The other thing that will help your sheets last longer is having a mattress protector underneath your sheets.

You also may find that you end up with more top/flat sheets over the years as the fitted sheet tends to wear out first. If you do not sew, take your flat sheets to an alteration shop and ask them to put elastic in the corners to turn them into fitted sheets. This is also a great way to convert quality sheets from op shops to make single fitted sheets for your kids' beds. Here's a tutorial from online.

Contributed by: Simone

I love my Aldi towels!

I cannot sing the praises of Aldi's towels highly enough! We prefer the bath sheets but at approximately $25 a pair they are excellent value and thick and fluffy.

Contributed by: Larraine

Spotlight members get great member discounts

Becoming a Spotlight member is a good way to get great linen deals. There are also monthly draws for each member and catalogues are posted out, which is great if you are outside the 'junkmail zone'. A few times a year there are 40% off vouchers or 15% off scratchies.

They also have plenty of in-store offers and you can often buy good quality sheets at about half price. It is also one of the few places where you can get individual sheets so if you have some good top sheets you can just get fitted sheets or vice versa. I don't worry too much about matching, as you can use dark blue and light blue items together and they look fine. For quality, look for the thread count - this is the number of threads per inch or cm and the higher the number the better the quality.

With towels, again don't bother about an actual colour match. For example, if you've got some good cream coloured towels, just mix and match with a pale green or lilac - they'll still look nice together and will save you buying so many.

Contributed by: Helen H

Canningvale for good quality linen

For good quality linen and towels at very good prices try Canningvale. It is a local WA company which specialises in mail order.

Contributed by: Judith

Tips on buying and storing sheets

I am a great believer in buying plain cream or white sheets with a thread count of 1000 or more. A new set of these sheets can cost around $170, but Target and Spotlight often have half price specials, so look out for them.

When you first get the sheets, they feel almost like canvas, but they wash up soft and silky against your skin and improve with age, so they are a real investment. If you stick to only white sheets you can bleach out any discolouration if necessary, but always stick to the same colour if you can. If you want bright colour, then a $50 doona cover set goes a long way, as it doesn't get as much hard wear as the sheets.

When you wash your sheets, put them on the line to dry, then bring them in and fold them up immediately (this way you won't get as many creases, so no ironing). Some lighter, coloured quilt covers benefit from a 'delicate wash' as this doesn't crease them so much.

For storage, fold up a fitted sheet, a flat sheet and one or two pillow cases in one bundle, and the same for your quilt covers and matching pillow cases. Use any 'orphan' pillow cases and sheets to make cushions or laundry bags using fabric paints or dyes (if you have any children, get them gainfully employed!). Keep single and queen size sheets in separate sections of your linen cupboard or a separate section in each bedroom cupboard.

Contributed by: Norma

Target for good quality linen

I have bought queen sized 1000 thread count Egyptian cotton sheet sets on special from Target for $80 and nine years later they are still going strong and feel so lovely. On the other hand I have bought cheaper Target towels and they have lasted and feel good too.

Contributed by: Jackie

Buy Egyptian cotton towels and sheets for that 'good feel'

I try to purchase sheets and towels when stores are reducing prices by at least 30%. I purchase pure cotton sheets for that 'good feel' but make sure that they are a generous size and that the fitted sheet has a 40cm side wall. As I always wash in cold water this allows for any shrinkage that may occur.

I also find that Egyptian cotton towels stay beautifully soft and fluffy and mainly buy them at Target when they are on special at half price.

Use your tape measure before going shopping and think carefully about colour co-ordination and practicality for your individual household - I try to enjoy the feeling of being smart with our money and getting the best value possible.

Contributed by: Helen

Plastic shoe boxes make perfect linen storage

I used to get frustrated matching and storing different sized fitted and flat sheets. I bought some plastic shoes boxes to store each sheet set in. I named each box Queen/King/Single and now my linen cupboard looks lovely and organised and it saves me a lot of time searching for the right matching pair!

Contributed by: Gail J

Old fashioned flat sheets save money

I always buy good quality bed linen as I think it needs to stand up to a fair bit of wear and tear, however, I am increasingly frustrated by the elastic in the fitted sheets. After only a few launderings, the sheets never fit as well and I have spent hours at the sewing machine trying to improve them.

I am going to go back to the 'old fashioned' way and just buy plain flat sheets. It's really not that hard to tuck them in, especially if you buy the next size up, which are often a similar price. This also means you can alternate which goes on top and bottom so one doesn't get worn through before the other.

Contributed by: Judith

Christmas sales ideal for good quality linen

The best time to buy linen is in the massive sales after Christmas. David Jones, Myer and all the specialist manchester chains all have some remarkable bargains. Do some preliminary scouting first so that you know a bargain when you see it. Another good place to buy linen is at the group factory outlets like DFO and BrandSmart, although there is a much smaller range.

Tip - With sheets, thread count is important and the higher the thread count the better. Also percale (a type of fabric finish) is very good.

Contributed by: Jill

Don't short-sheet your linen cupboard!

I always look for sheets and pillowcase sets which have a 240 thread count or higher. I allow three sets per bed; one on, one off and one in the wash. For towels, I gravitate towards browns, dark blues or greens. I find that one per person is plenty as they usually wash and dry in a day and I keep a couple of spares for visitors.

Contributed by: Lesley

Clever linen storage

I have two pairs of sheets for each bed; one set on the bed and a spare which I fold and place in one of the pillow cases and store in each room. This saves sorting different size sheets.

I do the same with towels, allowing two towels per person in colours that match each room and they are kept in the bedrooms with the sheets. Wet towels are returned to the rooms as well, to be hung up and dried overnight.

Contributed by: Colleen

Don't forget garage sales and op shops for linen!

Don't go past op shops or garage sales for 'new' linen. Recently I bought a beautiful new, mint set of queen size bedlinen at an op shop for $6.00. They are an excellent heavy quality with a slight sheen.

I also found a gorgeous thick fluffy bathmat at a garage sale for $3.00 as the family had got tired of the colour!

Contributed by: Leith

Lorraine Lea Linen parties for beautiful linen

I won't go back to buying cheap linen ever again! No matter how tight my budget is (and believe me, it is TIGHT!), it is no saving to scrimp on horrible, scratchy bed linen or towels. I will always save up and host a Lorraine Lea Linen party. Yes, when you look at the prices you have a bit of a heart attack but the quality is second to NONE!

I bought minky blankets for the family 21 years ago. I've washed them in my washing machine, hung them on the line to dry several times a year and they are STILL going strong.

When it comes to sheets, Lorraine Lea Linen has 'deep wall' fitted sheets which stay fitted to the bed and don't roll up. The quality of the sheets is fantastic - even after 20+ years of washing and line-drying, there are no threads unravelling, no fluff balls and the elastics are still going strong.

Contributed by: Muirin

Try bamboo sheets for a comfortable sleep

The best sheets I have purchased are bamboo sheets from the Morgan & Finch Home Collection (from Bed Bath n' Table). They feel heavier than normal sheets but are so lightweight when they are on top of you. My husband also sleeps a lot better in them in the middle of hot Queensland summers. I paid $160 for a queen set on sale but I feel that they are so worth it.

Contributed by: Jodie

KAS and Designers Guild linen the best!

When it comes to linen, I only buy the brands KAS or Designers Guild, and only on sale. I buy cotton sheets as polyester is very hot. Spotlight often has great KAS sales.

Contributed by: Liz

Look for luxurious linen

When you are looking for linen, buy all-white and pure cotton. You then have pillow cases which can be used on all beds and there's no problem deciding which sheet goes with which. Buy as high a thread count as you can afford - a minimum of 350. You can buy better at sales and often the higher thread counts (for example, 1200) will have a bigger discount. There's nothing more luxurious than slipping into bed between fresh, fine-weave cotton sheets!

For your bathroom, choose a main colour and buy to mix and match with this. Always choose plain and not patterned (unless it's in the weave) and the best you can afford, preferably made from Egyptian cotton. Price usually indicates quality, but you can also tell by generosity of size and thickness.

Pure cotton anything always launders well, although it will probably take a wash or two to get rid of all the dressing in the material. Hang outside on the clothesline to dry and fold and put away immediately on bringing back inside. I iron pillow cases and occasionally, when new, the wide hem at the top of the sheet.

Contributed by: Lyn

9. This Month's Help Request: Keeping Our Seniors Safe

Jilly has emailed asking for some help! She writes:

"Can I please ask your subscribers for help? I am trying to help my elderly parents stay at home as long as possible and wondered if people had ideas and tips to make their home 'safer' for them. I'm also looking for ideas so we can make life easier for them as well."

If you have any pearls of wisdom you'd like to share with Jilly, please send them in to us here.

10. Goodbye for Now

Well, that's your Simple Savings Newsletter for March and we'd love to hear all about the Create-aways you made this month!

Till next time...

All the best,
Fiona

March 2018 - Simple Savings Newsletter

Simple Savings Newsletter - March 2018

$21 Challenge Mystery Recipe
Free $21 Challenge Tools
Elora's Favourite Bits
New Competitions!
No-Spend Challenge Competition Winners!!
The $21 Challenge Book - Get One Before They're All Gone

Hi,

How are you going? I hope you are having a great Easter. Our newsletter for this month is dedicated to the powerful $21 Challenge. In March 2009, nine years ago, I wrote the $21 Challenge book while pregnant with my youngest child, Elora. This March, in 2018, Elora found a copy of the $21 Challenge book on the shelf. She glanced at the title, opened to the first page then devoured the whole book. She loved it, reading and commenting all the way to the very last page, "Mum, this book is really good", "Mum, this is heaps funny!", "Mum, have you heard of ingredient blindness?", "Can we make 'Fiona's banana thickshake' but make Tristan do all the work?" and "Mum, can we do a $21 Challenge?".

It was incredible. I can't believe something that we all built together, could travel so far and for so long.

This month, I would really like to hear your $21 Challenge stories.

How has the Challenge affected your life?
What was your best Challenge moment?
And, what is the strangest thing you have ever eaten on a $21 Challenge?

To encourage you to send us your story we are giving away 6 x $50 prizes. (More info below.)

I look forward to reading your stories and sharing them with Elora.

Happy Easter :-)
Fiona

P.S. We have about 200 copies of The $21 Challenge book left in stock. If you would like one, click here.

1. $21 Challenge Mystery Recipe

Q. What do you get if you cross a tin of asparagus with a cup of rolled oats?

A. $300.00 safely saved in your pocket.

(This is not a random joke, it's a consequence of doing the $21 Challenge.)

Have you made it this far into the newsletter but are cursing, "WTF is a $21 Challenge!"? Read on!

The $21 Challenge is a fad diet for your wallet. You limit your food spending for one week to $21. The average weekly grocery bill for a family of four is around $320.00. That's how you safely save $300.00 in your pocket.

The simplest way to do the Challenge is to plan your meals and snacks using the food you already have in your fridge, freezer, garden and pantry. At the start of the week, this is easy. But, as your week progresses, your ingredients will start to run out and you will need to get creative. By the end of the week you may be asking yourself, "What can I do with a can of asparagus and a cup of rolled oats?".

It is funny you should ask that because I've got a great recipe for Asparagus Oatcakes. (And they are delicious.)

Asparagus Oatcakes

Ingredients:

60g melted butter
1½ cups self-raising flour
½ tsp bi-carb soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup of quick cook oats
1 tin asparagus
2 eggs
1 ¼ cups milk
2 tsp crushed garlic
1 tbspn sweet chilli sauce
Dash of olive oil

Method:

Sift flour, bi-carb and salt into a large bowl. Add oats to the bowl and stir them through. (Dry bowl)
Drain tin of asparagus. Mash asparagus in a medium sized bowl. Add eggs, milk, garlic, sweet chilli sauce and melted butter. Stir them together. (Wet bowl)
Add ingredients from wet bowl to dry bowl. Stir them together.
Heat a large frypan to a medium heat. When warm, add a small drizzle of olive oil. Dollop spoonfuls of mixture into the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes on one side, then turn the oatcakes. Cook for another 2 minutes or until golden brown.

Serving suggestion: The oatcakes taste delicious with a Thai dipping sauce.

2. Free $21 Challenge Tools

We have loads of free printables to help you on your Challenge. Click on the image to download the printable.

Jackie's menu planner

Fiona's life planner

$21 Challenge shopping list

3. Elora's Favourite Bits

Elora reminded me that when I wrote the $21 Challenge book I wanted it to be inspiring as well as useful. Sometimes it can be hard to see the forest for the trees so, when writing this month's newsletter, I asked her; "Elora, what are your favourite parts of the Challenge book?"

"I bookmarked them Mum," she said, "I'll grab the book and read them to you."

And, off she ran.

Elora read her favourite parts of the $21 Challenge book to me. Here they are:-

Husband 'training'

I decided this week was going to be a $21 Challenge week in our house. You should have heard my hubby!

Elora: "It says hubby, but I'm pretty sure it means husband."

First, he asked when I was going shopping because there was no peanut-butter, although we had vegemite and three types of jam. Then he complained there were no apples - I told him there were fresh pears and tinned peaches. Next I got told there was no cheese. Which really meant there was no sliced cheese as there were two blocks he could slice himself. Finally, he tried to tell me there was no bread, so I directed him to the 36 burger buns, 36 hot dog rolls, 6 bread rolls and 12 pizza scrolls in the freezer. But, let's not forget, "The cupboards are empty"! (Page 25)

Fiona's Banana Thickshake

When it comes to making banana thickshakes for breakfast in Fiona's house, two year old Tristan has declared he is in charge of the morning ritual. He gets the milk from the fridge, hands his mum the eggs, then puts the sugar, bananas and ice in the blender jug. Then he puts it all away again and heaven help anyone else who tries to do any of this without his permission. The rest of the family are allowed to help by opening the fridge door because he can't do it himself and Fiona does all the dangerous bits, such as attaching the jug to the blender and switching it on. The hardest part is keeping a straight face! (Page 111)

Fiona's life planner (Page 100-101)

If you would like to see the full size version of this life planner, click on the image.

4. New Competitions!

This month we are running three competitions. Each competition has 2 prizes of $50.

To enter, send in your story by April 20th. Email your entries to: competitions@simplesavings.com.au

Competition 1: How has the $21 Challenge affected your life?
Competition 2: What was your best $21 Challenge moment?
Competition 3: What is the strangest thing you have ever eaten on a $21 Challenge?

We are really looking forward to hearing your best, worst, funniest and most creative results from doing the $21 Challenge.

5. No-Spend Challenge Competition Winners!!

Here are the winners from our No-Spend Challenge competitions. We had so many fantastic entries. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and tips. We hope you'll agree that this month's winners are well-deserving of their prize and title.

Category 1 Winner: Bargain Hunter

Our winner for "How I avoided 20 non-essential purchases" is forum regular, Bargain Hunter. Here is how she did it. Amazing!

Emailed friends rather than phoning or texting.
Made a cake for a special occasion instead of buying one.
Offered labour (helping friend to paint) rather than buying a present. Knew this was a much more practical gift for her.
Borrowed party platters instead of buying new or disposable ones.
Made homemade Baileys rather than buying a bottle. It is surprising how little alcohol is actually in homemade Baileys. There are loads of recipes for this on the internet.
Borrowed chairs instead of hiring.
Used proper cutlery I already had rather than buying disposable ones.
Used cloth napkins and tablecloths rather than buying disposable ones.
Decorated with fresh flowers and greenery from the garden rather than buying balloons or fresh flowers.
Used our Christmas fairy lights rather than buying party lights.
Have made a plan with friends to babysit for each other instead of buying presents.
Have made a plan with friends to borrow and lend my gardening tools (lawn-mower, chainsaw, lopper etc. in exchange for borrowing their pressure washer, whipper snipper etc.).
Poured boiling water on weeds instead of buying weed spray. So much nicer than the smell of all those chemicals and the weeds died instantly too. Will never go back to using weed spray.
Used wasted shower water in the garden (saved the water usually wasted while waiting for the shower to heat up).
My garden tap was leaking. I bought a new washer and replaced it myself using YouTube videos rather than calling a plumber. So easy.
Planted some Cosmos flower seeds that will flower in time for my daughter's birthday so that her party surroundings will look beautiful. I won't have to buy expensive plants for her party.
Two free second-hand ceiling fans with lights from Gumtree. Saved me buying fans for our bedrooms.
Washed my doona in my washing machine and dried it on the line rather than taking it to the launderette or having it dry-cleaned.
Carefully washed my daughter's debutante dress in the bath, with wool wash, instead of dry-cleaning it.
No buying café coffee/tea.

Category 2 Winner: Di Mill

Our winner for "How did you avoid 50 non-essential purchases?" is Di Mill.

Well done Di!!

Frugal February was perfect timing for our family. It is a quiet time of the year for us financially (sales rep) so a great month to both watch what we spend and focus on not spending on non-essential items. Watching and focusing turned out to be what we needed because a family member ended up quite ill and in hospital at month's end. As he is intellectually impaired we made daily hospital visits. We have another family member staying with us until the illness and hospital stay is resolved. If we hadn't been doing a 'no-spend' month, I think we would have been under financial stress. It is a stressful time anyway, without worrying about paying bills and the like. Here is what we did to avoid spending money on non-essential items:

Skin care/beauty

I ran out of organic face moisturiser. To replace it was $60. I found a recipe online and made my own instead. I love it!
I used up my favourite face cleanser but after cleaning out my bathroom cabinet I found another that works just as well.
I needed to buy foundation. I had previously tried mineral powder but didn't like it. After some research, I read that you could add serum or moisturiser to the mineral powder to make it like liquid foundation. It worked perfectly and I'm happily using it every day.
I was out of blush - I used cocoa powder - it works!
My favourite facial scrub was depleted but at $65 to buy another, I found a recipe online and made my own.
I ran out of facial serum ($80 to replace) but I found an online recipe using essential oils I already have so I made my own.
I was overdue for a pedicure but I made a foot-soak from a recipe on Pinterest and did my own pedicure.
I was due for an eyebrow wax, but I plucked them myself.
I had booked a facial but I cancelled the appointment - a luxury I could not afford.

Food

Kombucha - I usually buy a bottle every few days ($6.80); I made my own instead.
Bliss balls - I love to buy them from the health-food shop as a treat - I made my own using ingredients I already had - I like mine more than the store-bought ones.
I have an early ballet class once a week followed by breakfast with a friend. I prepared a green smoothie and took with me to the café instead of ordering food.
Menu planning has stopped random take-away nights (due to not having food in the house or the time to organise a meal).
Instead of buying Gravox, I made gravy from scratch.
I love ice-cream. I made ice-cream using frozen banana, cacao powder and peanut butter. It was delicious.
Instead of buying cauliflower rice, I made it using fresh cauliflowers and froze it in packets - ready for future meals.
I dragged out my yoghurt-maker and made yoghurt instead of buying it.
A recipe called for tomato sauce but I substituted tomato paste.
We usually buy a few bottles of soda water each week. I remembered we have a soda stream - I bought a new gas bottle. Now we have a never-ending stream of sparkling water.
Instead of buying bottled water while I am out, I take my water bottle with me each day.
I often grab lunch at a café while working. Instead, I made lunch each day and took it with me.
We ran out of hand-wash. I found a recipe to make my own and used the same 'foaming' dispenser.
We used the last dishwasher tablet, so I made my own dishwasher powder (not as good as the tablets but it worked well enough to see the month out).
Instead of taking my car to the carwash, I washed and cleaned it myself, outside and in.

Entertainment

My husband had booked a restaurant for Valentine's Day. We decided to stay home and I cooked a lovely meal and made dessert instead.
For my daughter's birthday I bought gifts using a gift card I had received as a Christmas work bonus.
For my daughter's birthday instead of the tradition of going out and spending up to $300, I cooked her favourite dinner at home and made her cake.
I love 'table scaping' my tables for any special event. For my daughter's birthday I looked on Pinterest for ideas on using what I already had. Using lots of small bottles and jars with tea-lights and simple greenery I found in our yard and herb garden, the table looked beautiful and didn't cost me anything.
I am an avid book-lover and often do not have the patience to wait to receive them for birthdays etc, so I used my library extensively this month including the library's eBooks.
My husband and I go for a bushwalk every second Sunday and it became a habit to stop at a café or pub for lunch. This month I packed picnics and we have really enjoyed sitting in the outdoors and enjoying healthy hearty food.
I enquired about learning French at a local language school but downloaded a free language app instead and have been practicing every day.
I wanted to learn a particular piano piece and found free sheet music and YouTube tutorials.
Our city council prints a monthly "what's on" at local libraries. I enjoyed a very interesting lecture by an author as well as learning how to make cheese - all for free.
I started jogging instead of buying a gym membership. It is much more enjoyable as it's outside, early in the morning. For toning I found YouTube videos that don't require equipment.
I found a great yoga channel on YouTube that I follow a few times a week.

Miscellaneous

A client gave me two peace lilies (Spathiphyllum). Using a perfect sized white ceramic pot I now have a lovely table centrepiece.
I made my own new business cards instead of getting them professionally printed.
I cancelled an online business subscription ($50/month).
For new clothes I searched Pinterest for stylish looks that use similar clothes to mine - just layered and combined in different ways.
Instead of buying market flowers I used greenery and flowers from my garden. And took my secateurs on walks around the neighbourhood to find flowers along the footpath or the side of the road that I clip and take home.
I unsubscribed from numerous email lists which has stopped many temptations. If I don't see it - I don't want to buy it.
The ATM at the Saturday morning farmer's market costs $3.00 per transaction. I've used a 'friendly' ATM each Friday and avoided extra fees.
I wanted to buy a particular cookbook but found it at our library. I test and write down recipes we have enjoyed.
I made my own household cleaner (I had the ingredients at home) and I love it; won't ever go back to a store bought one!
One of my cloth shopping bags needed a handle repaired. Normally I would have thrown it out and bought a new one, but I dragged out the sewing machine and restitched it.
Instead of buying expensive new fabric for a patchwork class I rummaged through my fabric stash and used the class for practicing technique with my 'free' fabric instead of making a quilt from expensive new fabric.

Hospital visits

Street parking is half the price of the hospital car-park. I drive around to find a street park. On weekends street parking is free.
I take snacks to the hospital so I'm not tempted to use the snack machine or café.
The hospital offers free tea and coffee in the visitor's lounge.
I take work or a library book to pass the time on visits rather than buy new magazines or books.

Category 3 Winner: Chelsea Leech

Our third winner for No-Spend February is Chelsea Leech. Inspirational work Chelsea!

I love a good No-Spend month to get the bank balance looking a bit healthier after the holiday season. I'm 31 years old, have a 10 month old baby, I own my own home (mortgage paid off in 7 years) and have no debts. My husband and I recently started a small plumbing business with our own cash and I'm planning to be a stay-at-home mum for the next few years. I'm a teacher by trade and have even paid off my HECS debt. I have been reading this newsletter for years and have used many tips to live well and reduce my spending. My husband and I love the freedom that debt-free living has given us. I also love the blog 'Down to Earth' and the Barefoot Investor. Here are a few things that have helped me:

Mantra: use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without
Principle: less is more
Make a game out of it: even with money in the bank choose not to use it
Adopt a 'cradle to grave' mind-set: make sure you can afford to care for a product, and its upkeep, and its repair or disposal
Say no: no to junk-mail, avoid temptation
Reframe 'fun': see shopping as necessary not a 'recreation' activity
Buy the best quality you can afford then look after it well
Prepare a list of 'needs' for the month before buying
Be organised and know what you have to avoid double-ups
Make food from scratch: avoid chemicals
Invest in reusable items

Kitchen

Reuse items e.g snap lock bags (Source: Litterfreeliving)
Use old enamel plates (very fashionable) and retro cutlery for bbqs and picnics instead of disposables (Source: Op shops)
Use cloth napkins (Source: Op shops, old fabric overlocked)
Reuse baking paper or use compostable paper
Use bowl covers instead of plastic wrap (Source: 4myearth)
Carry a drink bottle instead of buying bottled water (Try: Onya, Kleen Kanteen)
Use reusable bags instead of 15c bags at supermarket (Try: sew old fabric into bags)
Cook two things at a time (Try: boiling eggs with a steamer on top)
Make butter from cream (Try: a Thermomix) (Source: 'TM31' on Gumtree, FB)
Microwave a 1 minute mug cake to hit sweet cravings
$21 shop every week (Try: cleaning out the freezer and pantry)
Swap ingredients with others doing the $21 Challenge (Tip: I swapped with my mum)
Get chooks = eggs
Make milk powder in the milk carton (Tip: Hubby didn't notice)
Prepare bread/pizza dough (Tip: I use a Thermomix)
Mix Mexican/Italian/Greek spices to replace packet mixes (Source: FB skinnymixers)
Process own sauces to replace store bought sauces (Source: sistermixin, thermobexta)
Peanut paste in thermomix (Source: cookbook)
Veggies from local co-op (Tip: we swap our eggs and soap for veggies)
Start a culture of swapping with friends
Homemade muesli from the pantry (Source: Well Nourished recipe)
Preserve strawberry jam with $1 a punnet strawberries
Empty the herbal tea 'drawer' before buying new tea
Ferment home-made kombucha, flavour with fruit (Tip: Find scoby on Gumtree)
Substitute ingredients, change the dish, make do
Only grocery shop once a week
Crochet dish-cloths (Source: Down to Earth blog 'crochet dish cloths')
Bamboo cloths instead of wipes
Ban rubbish bags: instead compost, chook scraps, recycle

Cleaning

Use essential oils, vinegar, salt, bicarbonate, reusable spray bottles (Source: Doterra)
Make foaming hand-wash (Source: 'foaming hand wash' on Pinterest)
Old rags are cleaning cloths - wash and reuse

Bathroom

Buy bamboo toothbrushes in bulk (Source: Environmental Toothbrush)
Swap needed toiletries with a friend for your home-made ones
Reusable make-up remover wipes (Source: Enjo)
Buy makeup on special once a year (Tip: Try the Priceline sales)
Reusable safety razor instead of disposable (Source: Shaver Shop)
Have low a maintenance hair-style and no hair colour
Try multi-use beauty products (Tip: bulk coconut or macadamia oil)
Render home-made soap (Source: Down to Earth)

Leisure

Use an online library to read magazines (Tip: rbdigital app with my local library)
Borrow books from friends
Go for pram walks instead of gym classes (Tip: find a pram rain-cover on Gumtree)
Walk everywhere, forget the car
Use TV catch-up apps instead of Netflix (Tip: SBS/ABC/Ten play)

Clothing

Borrow items from friends for special events
Freshen up old items with funky accessories

Baby

Modern cloth nappies (Tip: 'baby beehinds' Gumtree)
Cloth wipes (Tip: fold so they pop out like in the wipes boxes, YouTube)
Make nappy balm (Source: Pinterest, Doterra)
Dress with hand-me-down clothes from friend's babies
Borrow and swap toys (Tip: find a toy library)
Ask for baby shower gifts that are second-hand or reusable
Reusable pads and menstrual cup (Source: Lunette, Cloth Pad shop)

Business

Trade skills (Tip: we swapped website design for plumbing)
Use online accounting software instead of paying accountant to do BAS
Search 'small business grant' for free business advisor meetings
Buy work clothes from Op shops
Make do to create a small home office area
Reuse old folders, recycle paper/pens instead of buying new
Gather freebies (e.g. pens) from trade stores

6. The $21 Challenge Book - Get One Before They're All Gone

Some people call it their 'second bible' but unlike the proper Bible we won't be printing any more copies of The $21 Challenge when this lot has sold out. There are about 200 copies left so get in quick.

You only have to read the first two chapters of the book (you can read them for free; see below) to see that the $21 Challenge is relevant to EVERYONE, no matter their income, status or situation. These two chapters will tell you all about the Challenge and why it is so brilliant.

The $21 Challenge book gives you the tools to become a legend in your own kitchen. Once your family experiences the awesome job you do of feeding them and have applauded your culinary skills, why would you ever want to go back to throwing money away on takeaway or cooking out of a packet?

Own your piece of the $21 Challenge legend and change your life; order your copy, or buy a copy for a friend, by clicking here.

Till next time...

I'm excited to hear from you about your culinary inventions and imaginative solutions to creating your brand of success in the $21 Challenge. Remember, there is no failure: your $21 Challenge victory is only the sum of your dedication and short-term sacrifice. Go forth and not shop!

March 2021 - Simple Savings Newsletter

March 2021 Simple Savings Newsletter

Hi,

Hello and welcome to our March newsletter. How are you going? I hope you had a great February. This month we are going to focus on saving the planet and fattening our wallets by reducing the packaging in our lives. But, before we go there we would like to send out huge congratulations to our Simple Savers Facebook moderator Josh Wood and his wife, for being such brilliant SSers, doing all of the Simple Savings things and purchasing their very own first home, as a young newly wedded couple. They are off to a great start!

You can see the post here in our Simple Savings FaceBook group

March Packaging Challenge

Let's reduce the amount of money we spend on packaging

Our March calendar challenge is to reduce, reuse and recycle our packaging. This will help you save money, save the planet and help your home to be a beautiful place.

Gifts

One area people often waste money on is buying supplies to wrap gifts. A way around that is to create your own gift wrapping stash by rounding up all of your gift giving bits and pieces and storing them in one place. Some things that could go in your stash are:

Paper bags
Ribbons
Fabric scraps
Cardboard
Tags
Bows
Glitter
Paint
Pencils
Paper
Stamps

Stop buying cling wrap

Fiona used to think cling wrap was essential. Something everyone used and every kitchen needed. But, since the Simple Savings first Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Challenge. She almost never uses cling wrap. She has learned there are loads of things you can use instead. These are:

Easy to stack reusable containers
Upside down lid on a bowl
Upside down bowl on a plate
Washable zip lock bags
Glass jars

Sandra used to use plastic wrap in the microwave till she bought two plastic microwave plate covers, from IGA for half price. They're also great for covering meals when eating and entertaining outside.

Sandra also bought herself some reusable snack bags. They can be taken out of the house and snacks can easily fit into a handbag or backpack without being too bulky and they'll flatten when they are empty. They can be easily wiped out, and reused and it saves throwing plastic wrap away.

Improving Sandra's tea station

When Sandra thought about the 'reduce the packaging challenge' she decided she could stop using plastic bags to line the bin on her tea.

For many years Sandra kept a 'little itty bitty' lined bin, at her tea and coffee station, to put any used Tea Bags, and foil from milk tops and so on, in. She used to line the bin with small freezer bags. But, decided the bin liner was wasteful and wanted to stop using it. She found a pair of unused white 'easy to wash' Latte Mugs in the cupboard and started using them as 'linerless' bins.

Sandra's Mr likes to reuse his teabags because sometimes some tea bags can be a bit too strong. He puts them into the little dish.

Sandra doesn't have a fancy tea and coffee station because her Mr likes to cling and clang things. So she uses Mason Jars with screw top lids (as pictured).

What do you use for storing your tea, coffee and so on? Do you have a fancy setup on your benchtop or do you have a special other place to keep them out of sight?

Sandras is simple, cheap and effective. They don't have a very big kitchen, so often there's not a lot of room for two people to stand in it and open cupboard doors, so this is very convenient.

If you would like to chat about your tea station or how you're cutting excess packaging from your life. Come and join us in the Forum.

Tips from the Vault

We're sure that many of us are counting down the days until we can go on holidays or that we can travel again sometime in the future. This one will be most useful for then…

Drying clothes while on holiday.

'Glenda says she packs 6 wire coat hangers, plastic pegs and a bar of Sunlight Soap.

Glenda says that she takes the bar of Sunlight Soap as normal soap suds up too much.

Wash clothes each night and peg/hang the clothes onto the hangers. It's amazing where you can 'stick' a thin coat hanger. She's placed them on the air/con slats, up under lamp shades, off curtain rails. Are you getting the picture? Yes, and even on pictures.'

What a great hint! We're sure it will help us all to pack less, because we can wash things. It will help to use up some of those hangers because they seem to like to breed.

Contributed by Glenda H

Protecting iPhone accessories

I'm sure us girls like to pack a lot into our handbags, especially if we are going somewhere.

One thing I don't want to be caught without these days, are the accessories needed for my iphone. I never know when I might need them.

So keeping in line with our packaging challenge, and always thinking about reusing, reducing and recycling. I had a good look to see what I could find at home to put in my handbag, to keep things together so I don't lose these things. Face it, they're too expensive to lose or to have just floating around in a handbag.

I had tried to find a pencil case at the shops for my iPencil but none were long enough or small enough width wise to carry with me. So after a good look around at home I found this, clear plastic case with a zip, which was the packaging for something else. It does the trick perfectly and I can see what I need easily without having to dig around.

Tips from the Forum

Here is a great example of re using some packaging, by Suzy Caddy from over on the Simple Savings Forum. Suzy writes…

Here's a tip for making placemats from toy packaging boxes. Instead of throwing away the boxes that your kids favourite characters come in.

Carefully cut out each character or section.

Then using a laminator, and a glue stick, glue a spot on the back of the cardboard cut out and place it on the inside bottom of the laminator sheet, to keep the characters in place.

Then laminate.

Looks great with the clear plastic around the characters and kids love having them.

It only does A4 size, but that's a great size for toddlers.

Suzy writes that she just made these for grandson using Marvel Characters from the box their Christmas present came in. As she had to split the characters up between each boy.

Packaging Challenge

Claire is running this month's packaging challenge in the forum. If you are a Simple Savings VAULT member and you would like to join in. Here is the link

Recipe: Sandra's Super Speedy Shortbread

Here is a super easy Shortbread Recipe that you might like to try.

Ingredients

230 grams of cold butter, cut into cubes
60 grams of caster sugar
60 grams (½ a cup) of pure icing sugar
1 ½ level tablespoons of cornflour
300 grams (2 cups) plain flour
Pinch of salt.
100 grams cooking chocolate

Equipment

2 x Loaf tins or baking tray
Grease proof paper

Method

Preheat the oven to 170⁰C - 180⁰C.

Line your loaf tins with greaseproof paper.

Put the butter, caster sugar, pure icing sugar, cornflour and plain flour into the bowl of a food processor. Add in a pinch of salt.

Secure the lid. Push start and process until it forms a dough ball.

Scrape out of the bowl straight into the loaf tin. Push the unbaked shortbread mixture into the tin and mould with your fingers, flatten and then bake for 20-40 minutes until golden brown.

While the shortbread is cooling, very carefully melt 100 grams of cooking chocolate by breaking up the chocolate and placing it in a bowl. Then zap in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir gently.

Then zap again at 10 second intervals, making sure you don't seize the chocolate, until it's all melted.

Then carefully pour the melted chocolate over the cooked, slightly cooled shortbread.

Lift the chocolate coated shortbread out of the tin when the chocolate has set.

The messy chocolate edges will come off with the paper.

Cut the shortbread into slices, very carefully, using a sharp knife.

PS - if you like more chocolate then double the amount of chocolate.

Bye for now

Thank you for joining us for another newsletter.

Sending out another really big thank you to all of those people who take the time to write to us!

We hope that you have a jam 'packed' month full of great Simple Savings thoughts and ideas to help get you where you financially want to be.