In the pipeline...

dh (bizarrely) had muesli and yoghurt for dessert last night, and Princess discovered she loves it!

I don't know how long I have tried to get her to try it...it's homemade, and very delicious. So, now I will work out a way to make it a bit more healthy (soaked grains).

I made it with organic rolled oats, banana chips, organic raisins, organic dried apricots, dried mango, dried pineapple, dried apple...toasted (slightly) with butter, and probably brown sugar- though I'm sure that is not necessary with sweet yoghurt and so much fruit it was magic.

I made yoghurt yesterday with raw milk, and a spoonful of plain greek-style yoghurt. I mixed it with strawberry conserve for Princess, but she said it was gross- tastes lie milk. I didn't really want to try it, but did, and it's really nice! Next time, I might just put it on her muesli, because the nasty yoghurt is now all gone anyway.

We're using up bits and pieces of things we don't plan to eat any more...and giving away some more.

I am going to cook the boiling chicken today and see what that is like. I am also going to make some ice cream without sugar...not sure if dh will be keen, but we'll see. Also not sure if I want to use stevia (so nasty!) or maybe try honey...oh, i think xylitol will probably work. Also, raw milk, raw cream and free range eggs straight from the farm...bliss.

I also want to get started on making sourdough soon...first of all I need to get the chlorine out of the tap water...

I've ordered Nourishing Traditions so I can read more about soaking grains, and have recipes for such.

I'm also looking in to buying Tooth Mousse to try to remineralise Princess' (and J-Man's) teeth. I'm sure I've looked at he ingredients before and am not happy with them, but I think it's necessary now.

I'm also going to make my own sugar-free tomato sauce...for those that like it. I prefer chips without sauce, just with salt- or maybe some vinegar :0)

Shopping (payday!)

Today is the first day trying not to get sugar and refined grains. I decided to go to the shop when it opened, without the children, so that we can have the evening free...I thought I'd be OK because we still have 5kg (and some) spuds at home, and plenty of trolls (toilet paper rolls)...I was wrong.

I'm still all wobbly from carrying this lot home! I had 2 giant bags in one arm, 3 in the other and a backpack with around 12 cans of food in!

I do like the photo of all the food layed out, but it takes too long- and requires the table to be cleared, lol...so I'm going to write what I got, with the price beside it.

I also mucked it up, and forgot to keep aside cash for the farm...doh...so we will go over budget this fortnight. I'll try to make that work a bit by buying some bulk stuff for next pay.

Tuesday 31st March (17 years today since I moved to Auckland)

$1.19 Sesame Seeds, 100g
$1.49 Ground Almonds 70g
$1.99 Hazel Nuts, 70g (going to make dukkah...mmm)
$1.18 2x Chopped Nuts 70g
$1.49 Slivered Almonds 70g
$2.19 Dried Apricots 200g
$3.59 Cranberries 170g (really annoyed- didn't see they are sweetened!)
$1.98 2x Baking Soda 400g (on sale for 99c woot...I've got tonnes of it now)
$2.29 Gelatin 50g (will try to make healthy, lol, jelly iceblocks)
$4.89 Ground Linseed, 500g (to add to baking and bread)
$5.92 2x Corn Cruskits 125g (Princess' favourite- only maize and salt)
$5.29 Tabasco Sauce (Red) 60ml (we like it hot!)
$3.99 Rolled Oats 1.5kg (on sale)
$2.19 Red Lentils 500g
$2.98 2x Canned Chopped Tomatoes (these were *meant* to be on sale...grrr!)
$1.49 Canned Chopped Tomatoes with chilli and herbs
$1.29 Canned Chopped tomatoes in naturally thick sauce
$1.89 Tomato Paste 310g
$1.25 Canned Beetroot
$2.38 2x Canned Creamed Corn (contains sugar!)
$3.18 2x Canned Kidney Beans
$1.59 Canned Canneloni Beans
$0.79 Marshmallow Easter Egg (for me on the way home)
$5.69 Pure Olive Oil 500ml...amazingly we used nearly @450ml in a fortnight!
$6.58 2x Youth (Shrek) toothbrushes
$3.99 Floss 50m
$2.99 Fluoride child toothpaste 110g
$2.59 Natural toothpaste 110g
$1.69 Paprika 40g
$2.38 2x Coconut Cream 400ml
$3.69 Brown Rice 1kg
$2.84 2x Potato Chips
$4.38 2x Peanut Butter 375g
$4.95 St Dalfour Apricot Conserve (sweetened with juice) 284g
$4.95 St Dalfour Strawberry Conserve
$2.49 Wholemeal Flour 1.5kg (on sale)
$4.17 Energy Booster 262g (nuts seeds and fruit mix)
$19.80 Beef Mince 500g, Pork Mince 500g, Chicken Nibbles (corn fed), Rump Steak
$3.99 Braeburn Apples 2kg
$3.94 Bananas 1.5kg (some green)
$1.41 2x Lemon
$3.23 Nashi Pears 1.08kg
$3.99 Bosc Pears 1.5kg
$4.98 2x Lettuce
$1.98 2x Bok Choy
$2.49 Celery
$0.24 Garlic
$0.90 Red Onion
$3.99 Kumara 1kg
$4.58 2x Carrots 1.5kg
$2.75 Vivid Marker (for writing on boxes, or making puzzles for kids)
$7.49 800g Colby Cheese
$3.29 Butter 500g
$3.99 Verkerks Sweet Chilli Kransky Sausages 280g (no msg)
$2.59 Verkerks Hot Beef 100g
$2.99 Blue Brie 125g
$3.99 Frozen Boysenberries 500g
$6.69 Frozen Blueberries 500g
-----
200.08

How cool am I???

I also got a voucher for $180 for next week, and $20 cash is for dh to buy some non-msg corn chips, carob, and a bit more for the farm. $400 total, but will end up spending more next week probably, unless we don;t go to the far at Easter.

Monday (Day 7), Week 2

Breakfast: Porridge with brown sugar...got to change the topping soon!
Lunch: Corn Fritters...turns out only J-Man and I like them. Princess ate a
tomato sandwich and some canned peaches; Tombliboo asked for a jam sandwich
and (as usual) didn't eat it- he ate our last banana.
Dinner: Family Chow Mein, boiled spuds and salad for dh, Tombliboo and I, Princess
only ate potatoes, J-Man had creamed corn and salad.
Snacks: Canned peaches, corn fritters, apples, toast with peanut butter and jam,
homemade potato chips (crisps)

Family Chow Mein

This is one I do when I need to feed a crowd unexpectedly...you don't need much mince.

250g Mince (or more, whatever you like)
Onion
Carrots
2-3T Rice
Cabbage (lots)
Apple
Sultanas (or not)
Frozen peas (if you have them)
Curry Powder
Salt & Pepper, and a touch of sugar/xylitol/stevia if you like- but not really necessary with the fruit

Brown the mince with the onion- I don;t add oil, it's fatty enough.

Add the rice, and the curry powder. Cook for 30 seconds or so, then add some water to simmer. Throw in the veges and fruit, and seasonings, a bit more water, and simmer to get rid of the juice. Very easy, very yummy...however, our kids won;t normally eat it because of the curry. I'm pretty sure if they woudl just try it, they'd love it- but they won;t yet.

I'm sort of hoping that with our new regime, when it all comes together, they might become a bit more adventurous. Tombliboo eats it, but it was around 2 that the others stopped having anything with spices (taste!), so we'll see how that goes.

Homemade Chips (crisps)

This is from Schuyler's Blog, but I'm still tweaking it.

I got the potatoes ready for dinner, and then peeled extra bits and put them on an oven tray with some oil. Baked at 220 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes or so...there's a bit of a knack to it, but as long as they're cooked, and not burned, they're yummy (seasoned with seas salt). Next time I will try bigger peelings, wiped first (less starch), and layed out individually instead of in heaps. The kids loved them, and it was an easy hot snack to make since we're out of popcorn.

Sunday (Day 6), Week 2

Breakfast: Porridge, toast for J-Man
Lunch: Hot Chips and Bread, apples
Dinner: Domino's Pizza (so nearly bought 3...but 2 is the budget, and it is
still too many calories!)
Snacks: Apples, pears, choc-chip cookies, tinned fruit

We are doing really well at using what we have, and not popping to the shop for this or that :0)

Saturday, week 2

Breakfast: Porridge with brown sugar (soon to be honey or fruit..and cream!),
Spaghetti for J-Man
Lunch: Spaghetti cheese and onion on toast for dh and Princess, salad for J-Man,
Curried egg sandwiches for me, and boiled eggs for Tombliboo (plus cookies
and fruit)
Dinner: Homemade Burgers- oh, these are good. I normally cut Tombliboo's bun
really small for him, but didn't tonight and boy did he think it was
funny! "Look Dad! Look my burger! Dat bunny! See dat Daddy? Dat a
BIG one!"
Snacks: Homemade choc-chip cookies, banans, cucumber, carrot, tomato (Tombliboo
eats whole tomatoes), cheese

I planned to bake burger buns today, but realised the house was a tip and I can buy them for $2 at the shop...eeek...I told you I was hopeless at sticking to anything.

But seriously, there was no room on the bench to make anything. I had to do the dishes in two sittings. I swept and mopped the filthy floor, tidied the table so we could actually eat there, did lots of washing, tidied the whole (hideously messy) lounge, and vacuumed it as well. I also went to the shops once to buy a container for cream, and to the library another time to quickly swap our books on tape before it closed.

Also, I had been up-and-doing from 5:30am (awake since 4:15am), so I was a bit jaded.

It was $2 well spent imo...but what to do when we are not eating refined grains? I think it will be a long way off, needs to be a bit of a journey...making changes slowly (not too slowly) so they stick. I think we can get some nice wholemeal (cape seed) bread rolls at a specialty bakery.

Or maybe I'll be more organised and make my own healthy ones...or maybe we will just have the burger middle, and no buns...we shall see, lol.

New Shopping List

$7 Bacon or Baking Supplies (this is mainly to add to Princess' lunch)
$7 Non-MSG corn chips and carob (dh to pick up from a different shop)
$25 Farm...3L milk, 1L cream (produce the next), 12 free range eggs, an
organic Boiling chicken, produce ($9 or $4 when having cream)
$5 Lunch meat for Saturday...a special request from dh
$43 Fruit and vege
$27 Meat...steak (2, one for a casserole), mince (2), boneless chicken breasts
$1 Ham Steak
$8 Cheese
$5 Sour Cream/Cream Cheese/Other cheese
$5 Canned Beans (hopefully these will make meals more filling)
$5 Canned tomatoes (also want to make my own sugar-free sauce)
$8 Cleaning/Personal Care
$3 Butter (this is a bit light, since it's normally $5, but has been on special
the last 2 weeks)
$6 Cruskits (2) This is Princess' special request. They are made with corn
(probably gm...wail) and sea salt
$3 One lot of Pasta, preferably wholemeal...just so we don't completely cut it yet
Will Probably need dh to pick that up too, since there is none at our local shop
$2 Herb/Spice
$2 Tomato Paste
$4 Honey/Marmite/P. Butter
$4 Weetbix/Rolled Oats (no more cornflakes or rice bubbles)
$3 Coconut Cream (2) or Mayonnaise (will probably attempt my own)
$3 Baking Soda
$3 Potato Chips (2)
$10 Frozen berries and vegetables
$7 Olive Oil or Stationery
$4 Nuts
____
$200

Now we'll see if I can make a menu plan for 3 meals (plus snacks) a day for 5 people with that...how exciting.

Maybe my problem is not sticking to stuff, rather it is making ordinary stuff more exciting...oh dear.

Another Learning Curve

I've found a hole in one of Princess' baby teeth. She won;t let me look at it, but it is there- very grey in deed. I'm not sure how deep it is, she'll let me in another time. This is actually number 3 for her. She has two (now very large) holes that we are opting not to fill. We didn't opt not to treat them at all- but sadly, that is what we have done.

Nothing can assuage my guilt on that, but at least this new piece of horrible news has propelled me forward.

Luckily too, I have at least 4 friends who have already moved in that direction so I won't have to slog it out as much as they probably did. Yes, I'm stubborn. Yes, I have good friends that have given me good information before, but I chose to think about it later. Silly, silly me.

I was already starting to cut sugar a bit, but not in any real way. A bit here and there, but nowhere near enough, and not particularly quickly either.

I had started to think of other ways to get "sweet", and was making a lot of headway there...until, a good friend said there was little point eliminating/minimising sugar if we were still eating refined grains. Oh dear.

So, now I need to work out how to stick to my budget, avoid sugar, and avoid refined grains. I didn't like how much wheat we were eating, or sugar for that matter...but I am struggling just at the moment to get my head around feeding us all for a week on $200 with no pasta or bread to fill us up. And what about lunch? Princess doesn't like salad, or eggs. She's intolerant to potato, not that you would guess with the amount I feed her...oh, I am a bad mother :0(

Looks like her body new best- she loves meat. She doesn't want all these other things in place of meat- she wants meat...and it's one thing that won;t upset her body (because of intolerance) or hurt her teeth.

I've worked out a new shopping list, and it looks pretty good...and I think I can do this. I need to work out a new menu plan, but already ideas are forming about how it will all pan out.

I probably need a big sign up in the kitchen to remind me (and my little girl) about what we are doing and why. She has been wonderful, we've talked things over and she is happy to make big changes to try to heal her teeth, or at least not make them any worse.

As for me, I will miss sugar in my tea...I have tried and tired to have it without- and while it is drinkable, I don't enjoy it, and usually just stop drinking it altogether. I still haven't discussed things with J-Man, and this will all affect him, for the better too, but he probably won't like to hear it.

dh is inclined to think a toothbrushing after sugar will suffice, but I don't think so. A more gradual move to a new regime makes sense too, but it's not my style. Still, I normally begin things with a hiss and a roar, then fizzle. As you have probably already seen.

I've packaged up the sugar to give away...why not just throw it? Can't, too Scottish. I forgot I'm getting organic raw sugar (5kg...doh!) this week, but will find it a new home.

I'll post my new shopping list shortly.

Oh, that's not the most exciting part...

We finally got our own raw milk! dh, Princess and Tombliboo drove to a farm to pick up raw milk, raw cream, free range eggs and an organic boiling chicken.

We will go each week...raw milk is supposed to be fine for lactose intolerant people. We'll know shortly...or probably not, since we've all been eating a lot of dairy lately anyway...but I'm pretending all is well.

Princess wants us to never run out of blueberries and cruskits and she will be happy, lol...and she loves frozen mixed berries and raw (thick) cream.

Friday, Week 2

Breakfast: Omelette (Plain) for J-Man, Tombliboo and I; Jam and Peanut Butter on
frozen bread for Princess (yes, that's what she asked for)
Lunch: Hot (homemade)Chips...Princess told me chips are terribly bad for you
because of all the fat. I explained I bake them with only 2T oil so they
are not like the ones fried in oil at the shop :0)
Dinner: Noodles with Steak...or just noodles for J-Man, noodles without greens for
Princess, noodles with chilli powder for dh and I, and no steak in mine :0)
Snacks: Pear, banana, apple, carrots, homemade choc-chip cookies...I keep
forgetting to say Tombliboo has a mini cucumber from our garden each
day...I guess they are probably the kind you grow to make gherkins- he gets
really excited looking for them, and loves to eat them- I must remember to
find more seeds for next year!

The noodles were delicious. I had far too many. I only used one small steak- put the other in the freezer. I cut the fat off both first, and put them in a pot with the "stock vegetable scraps" I had been saving all week (carrot peelings, onion tops and bottoms, brocolli stalk, celery), added salt, pepper and parsley and made stock.

I've never made my own beef stock before. It smelled nice. It's in the freezer waiting for a recipe that needs it. I have since read that if you want to get all the goodness out of bones (which I didn't use remember, lol, but for future) you must boil them for 6 hours. Who knew? (Besides Johanna, Nola, and Natalie and Karen, lol). Sigh...I'm on another learning curve.

Thursday, Week 2

Breakfast: Porridge with brown sugar (and cream...mmmm...cream)
Lunch: Sandwiches...salad for J-Man, tomato sammies for Princess, salad and
cambozola sammies for me, jam sammies for Tombliboo- which he licked the
jam off, and the rest went to the birds).
Dinner: BBQ Chicken kebabs, rice and green salad (with tomato, cucumber, carrot,
and feta (with homemade balsamic viniagrette)
Snacks: Choc chip cookies, pears, bananas, apples, cucumber, ice cream and sorbet

I'm getting a bit bored with this...lol...I'm hopeless at sticking with anything beyond a week. I'm thinking the other big concern about this eating plan is the consumption of sugar (as well as wheat). I'm also thinking I should be baking our bread. We're not really eating any, and I would like to cut those plastic bags..but not sure if I will keep it up- since (as I said) I'm not much good at sticking at things. I'm planning to have burgers (homeburgers) on Saturday night, but if we are out all day and then I have to bake bread rolls, it just won;t be fun.

OK, it's probably time to recognise it's nearly that time of the month- so everything gets so much harder for a bit. Deep breath.

We used some of the bus money we haven't spent on more groceries...boo hiss, I stuffed it...but not really. I bought honey, because i plan to use more in baking, and in place of sugar. I bought more lettuce, because I really didn't think we had enough left to last until Tuesday. We bought more apples because they looked so nice. We bought chips and wheatmeal bread for J-Man because I forgot them on Tuesday. We bought chocolate because it felt essential...sigh.

The chicken kebabs were yummy. I marinated them in soy sauce, tomato sauce, chilli sauce, a bit of sugar and 2 cloves of garlic. The kids loved them- they wanted more, but there wasn't any. I had set aside some chicken for another meal, there were 3 for dh, 2 for his lunch tomorrow, 2 for me and 1 each for the kiddos.

If I do them again (And I probably will- just on a day I already have a spare lunch for dh organised so the big kids can have 2 each)...I won;t tip out the marinade, but will boil it instead to pour over the rice...or maybe just make a satay or lemon sauce.

Wednesday, Day 2 (week 2)

Breakfast: Toast with Raspberry Jam and Butter
Lunch: Homemade Pizza, Golden Apple slices
Dinner: Bean Nachoes, with friends
Snacks: Choc-chip Cookies, apple, banana, Fruit Strings

I normally make pizza base with yeast that is delicious- but the pizza we made today was still delicious, and super-quick.

QUICK PIZZA

2C Flour
2t Baking Powder (I don't measure it properly, I may have used closer to 3t- it was really fluffy)
1/2t Salt
1t Mixed Herbs (I used parsley)
2T Olive OIl
up to 1C Warm Water (get a cup ready, but you don;t have to use it all)

Add the dry ingredients, then the oil, then add water and mix. Add more if necessary. Knead the dough for 5 minutes, and roll out on a floured board.

I only added tomato paste and cheese, with onion on one half (for Tombliboo and I), and I put chilli powder on top at he end...yum!

Bake on 180 degrees for around 25 minutes, or until it's done.

I had some choc-chip cookies to put in the oven after the pizza was out. I made a double batch, cooked one lot (yum!) and made the rest in to flattened balls on a cookie tray, and froze them....that way I will just need ot cook them for 5 minutes longer, and we can have nice hot biscuits on another day without any effort.

I use half the suggested sugar amount in the recipe, and they still taste delicious. Also, the kids don't seem to notice- they are still a sweet treat.

BEAN NACHOES

These were superb. I don't even think dh noticed there was no meat. I sauteed a red onion, a brown onion and some chopped garlic. Added 2 tins of chopped tomatoes and 1/4C of tomato paste. Let it simmer and reduce. I added salt, peper, ground cumin, cinnamon, coriander and a touch of chilli powder (I add more once the kids have their meals dished up). Next I added a can of rinsed kidney beans (hate brine), and a tin of Craig's Mexican (Hot) chilli Beans (these are the only ones that don't contain wheat).

I dish it up on to a bed of corn chips, and then the kids (and our guests) can choose what they want around it...lettuce, tomato, cucumber, grated carrot, with cheese and sour cream on top.

It was nice to have a wheat-free meal...one thing with this new regime, it seems like we have wheat all over the place. I can't see how to get shopping this cheap without lots of wheat though :0(

Saving Money on Cleaning Products

There is more than just the frugal aspect to saving money on cleaning products...there is the planet to consider, and our own bodies. We are not meant to be inhaling the fumes most supermarket cleaning products give off.

Some people are more sensitive than others, for sure, but everyone would be better off not being around potent chemicals.

There is plenty of money to be saved by avoiding these items. There has even been a whole niche market opened for non-toxic, healthy-for-the-planet cleaners...these are a better alternative, but the fact remains- most of it is completely unnecessary!

There is very little that baking soda and vinegar (and some elbow grease) can't clean :0)

KITCHEN:

Washing Dishes...I use ecostore dishwash. I read recently you can use citric acid in dishwashers, so I presume the same is true of sink dishes. I'm keen to try it, but haven't got there yet.

I wash the sink surround (which gets impossibly groady) with an old tooth brush. Whenever we have lemons I use a half lemon to scrub around that area, and the inside of the sink...it makes it smell nice, and shine. I use a spray bottle with half and half water and vinegar, and baking soda when I think it is warranted.

Floors: I use boiling hot water, and dishwash.

Cupboards and surfaces: I have used vinegar (and will again), but currently am using an ecostore cleaner I bought when Tombliboo was a baby!

Other surfaces: Vinegar does nicely- it stinks a bit, but only for a short amount of time. You can add essential oils to the mix. You can also use plain old hot water and elbow grease.

I use flannels I have specially set aside for cleaning. I no longer buy products to do these jobs. I use a scrubbing brush, scourer and flannels in the kitchen. This way the flannels can get washed every day, and there is nothing sitting around attracting, or breeding germs.

TOILET: I have some ecostore toilet cleaner I'm using up. It's the second one I've bought since Tombliboo was born (28 months ago). Mostly I use vinegar on the floor around the toilet, and the cleaner on the seat. Inside I just scrub hard, and add some vinegar. I've never used baking soda, but I'm sure it would work a treat. When I have it, I add bleach, but that seems to go against everything else have said!

BATHROOM: You know what I'm going to say already...I use vinegar and water, and baking soda. I also use a microfibre cleaning cloth on the mirror. That is- I wipe it down with a flannel and water, scrubbing where necessary. Then I wipe it dry with the cleaning cloth...works beautifully.

In the bath/shower, I use baking soda and vinegar, and I scrub wit ha scourer- I usually do this when I'm having a shower so it is easily rinsed away.

CARPETS: I f I had my way, I wouldn't have any. They're germ-filled no matter how good you are at vacuuming...and I am not a clean-freak. Our new hose will have cork floors...I have been wishing for no carpets for years!

If having a carpet is inescapable, I think a Bissel Spot Cleaner (or some other such thing) is essential...it might cost around $250 initially, but the benefits will be well worthwhile. It is like steamcleaning the carpets yourself, but without much extra effort.

I vaccuum fairly often, and use a dustbuster for small spillages...or the dustpan and brush then throw it out to the birds. Once a month or so, I sprinkle a mixture of baking soda and essential oil all over the carpets, and vacuum that up. Notice the carpet cleaners in the shop introduced a Magic, Wonderful New product- baking soda...lol...all for only $6 or so. Too funny. As I said with the shopping last night- I got 800g of baking soda for $2. I havne't seen it that cheap before, but even at full price ($2.50/500g) it is still an insanely cheap (and super-effective) cleaning product. What else can you use in place of shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, and as a carpet cleaner, in your washing, and on nearly every surface of the house?

LAUNDRY:

I mostly use soapnuts and tea-tree oil, but they don't really clean anything well. That's when you ask yourself if it is important...I mean, they are clean, in the technical sense, but they don't necessarily look clean.

Whites don't stay white...they go greyish. There is supposed to be a (natural) product available that will fix that, but I haven't used it yet. Stains don't really come out. Our clothes aren't too badly off, but Princess' clothes are diabolical. She is my messiest child by far. Well, Tombliboo is close, but since he so rarely wears clothes it is not as much of an issue.

I've got a "down to earth" cleaner at the moment, hoping to restore a bit of cleanliness to our clothes...I don't think it's working, but there it is.

Saving money on Rubbish Bags

I was thinking about how we minimise our rubbish, and thinking that saved the planet (just a bit), but it does save money too...on rubbish bags.

We have got our rubbish down to a supermarket-sized bag each week- I'm sure we can do better as well.

When J-Man was a toddler, our council provided 240L bins for our rubbish...we never filled it, but it sickens me now to think how much garbage we tossed out each week. I only recycled obvious things, and wasn't bothered about it. We had a long driveway, and if I only had a few things in the recycling bin (about 20L)- I threw them in the rubbish bin instead of taking both bins to the roadside, or leaving them until next week. So lazy :0(

When they changed the bin size to 120L, and gave us a 240L wheelie bin for recycling (instead of a @20L tub), I thought it was crazy...I wasn't sure we could get all our rubbish in a 120L bin.

Now we have 3 children, and in a different part of Auckland- we can put out as much rubbish as we like. We have a 240L recycling wheelie-bin, which is collected fortnightly- our's is nearly always full (but this week only 3/4...hooray!).

Our neighbour's on each side will put out as many as 5 black rubbish bags (around 5 supermarket bags full) every week (and rarely a recycling bin)! Princess is horrified every time she sees it. One of these families have a couple and a baby. There will be a tonne of "disposable" nappies in their big black bags...but it is astonishing to me just how much rubbish these people can produce in one week.

Today I haven't put any rubbish out. I have less than a supermarket bag full, and none of it is smelly. I have been putting this sort of amount out each week without thought. Luckily my good friend N, made me think about that...why does it need to go out every week? It doesn't smell, why waste a bag?

So, we are recycling as much as we can, reducing a bit (and can work on that still), composting a lot, and burying any leftovers/meat scraps.

BURYING When I first heard there were people who buried their foodscraps, I wasn't sure how it could work. We have a number of stray cats around here, and the odd dog that visits our property too. We have never had a problem (we've maybe been doing this 8-12 months).

I wait until we have an icecream container (2L) full of rubbish, then take it outside. I dig a spade full of a small patch where we just have grass...it's always completely shaded. I get out as much dirt as possible, but it is maybe the size of a container in width, and about 3 containers deep. I squash the rubbish down with the spade, and refill the dirt. I put the last slab of dirt and grass neatly back in place, and step (jump) on it to make the ground look even.

I've been fairly random about where I dig in the little spot, but have still not run in to anything. I doubt that is because it has all broken down, but it seems that way.

Lastly, I rinse and scrub the container, and leave it in the sun to kill bugs, then use it again. If it starts to stink, I put some vinegar in, or ecostore dishwash.

I throw extra crusts, uneaten bread or toast, biscuits cereal to the birds- it always goes really fast, and if we are quiet- we get to see them arrive. For a few months last year we even had 3-4 ducks who came to visit each morning!

Once I stopped getting plastic bags, I didn't know what to put in our kitchen bin as a liner...but just stopped using one. Occasionally I need to scrub the bin (usually because one of the kiddos forget where to put food rubbish), but generally it is only filled with plastic packaging, so no effort is required.

I also wash any ziploc or plain plastic, or bread bags we get. The frugal mum I used to board with did this, and pegged them on the line...I thought she was silly back when I was 18- I thought she could buy them for far less time and effort. Now I do the same, and it takes no particular effort at all actually. I wash them with he dishes, rinse them and hang them out. They may take a day or two to dry, but they're not essential items, so it doesn't matter in the least.

So, our kitchen set-up is...a 1.7L container for fruit compost scraps (emptied at least every day) on top of a 2L container for meat and cooked food scraps; a kitchen bin for stuff that is definitely rubbish (I check, lol), and a bucket for stuff to go to the recycling bin outside.

Tuesday, Day one (week 2)

Breakfast: Toast with butter and marmite (Tombliboo didn't want anything but bananas-
which we were out of, so we needed to go early to the shop twice)
Lunch: Potato Nuggets and Chicken Kebabs from the shop ($4)
Dinner: Our favourite paste...pasta, with bacon and mushrooms, onions sauteed in
butter, cream and fresh parsley (and slat and pepper), with green salad &
homemade dressing
Snacks: Nacho popcorn, bananas, apples, the kids bought lollies with their own money

NACHO POPCORN

I thought this was delicious, noone else did.

Popcorn cooked as usual, then add cumin and paprika (I used chilli powder which is possibly the problem) to melted butter- toss through the popcorn and add grated parmesan and salt (if desired).

We've got no baking left, but I really couldn't be bothered baking again today...tomorrow I will :0)

Shopping (take two)

Tombliboo woke up desperate for bananas, so we bought some things this morning, and I went back with J-Man to get the rest tonight. having the kids with me meant I bought all sorts of extras I wouldn't have bought had I been alone- but I didn't feel too bad about it since there is still plenty of food at home, and I didn't think we honestly needed $200 for the second week prior to being paid again...I sense a possible cut in the budget already- yay!

One step at a time :0)

So, first off we spent $69.70 and purchase nothing in particular...sigh.

10 bananas, some ready to eat now, some more green. I looked up (just now) how to make them last a bit longer. I wondered about the "Green Bananas" in our shop, but assumed they were some sort of specialty fruit...doh...turns out I already have a solution.

OK, so I got 10 bananas, some fruit strings (sigh....natural, but still sugar-laden, and not particularly kind on the budget though they were on sale), mini potato biggest...well these were not on the budget, and I could make potato chips for less- but they were on sale for $2, and with some ready-made chicken kebabs- I did an easy lunch for the 4 of us for $4- so no real complaints, 500g baking soda, hoisin sauce (for making delicious noodles, or using as a marinade), kikkoman soy sauce (naturally brewed, without added msg, and not as insipid as tamari), pkt of 10 mini easter eggs (Tombliboo just had to have them and the whole wide world would have known about it if I wasn't quick), 3 slices of streaky bacon from the deli (it only cost $1.80!), a ham steak, some nice coloured (dried) pasta, some flat mushrooms (6 for $1.35!), 1,5kg carrots, 750g tomatoes, 1.5kg sugar, 250ml balsamic vinegar (for less than the price I normally pay for cheap balsamic viniagrette already made up- it's time I went back to making my own, and I'm wondering why I stopped?), Anathoths Raspberry jam (only raspberries and sugar- so yummy- tastes like Nan's!), pkt of chilli powder, pkt of lollies, Oyster sauce (again fr the noodles, mmm), 250g Cocoa and a acket of corn cruskits...these weren't on the list, but they are Princess's favourite snack, and they only contain corn and sea salt.

The second round came to $131.77, for a total of $200.47...but $6 (actually more) of that was for celebrating J-Man's month day.

I'll send dh off to a different shop to get corn chips without msg for our nachoes tomorrow night...also a lemon, and a bottle of cream (about $10 worth in total).

The bummer of tonight's shopping was that I found 400g packs of baking soda on sale for 99c- I got 2...in other words, I got 800g for $1.98 tonight, and 500g for $2.48 this morning! I would have been far more easily distracted this morning trying to get through as quickly as possible since my toddler does not enjoy shopping.

As well as more baking soda, I got some packets of sultanas, a loaf of multigrain bread, 1kg Weetbix, a tin of apricots and one of tropical fruit salad, tins of mexican beans, kidney beas and 4 bean mix, 2 tins of chopped tomatoes, a 750g jar of pasta sauce (I don;t normally buy this- but it wasn;t much more than 2 tins of tomatoes, and I lie kteh size of the jar- it was also giving 2 free flybuys points, which otherwise cost me $50), a natural laundry powder, 2L bleach (I also don;t normally buy bleach- but the kiddos have had some fun in mud, and their whites are brown), macaroni, dried spahetti, dried lasagne sheets, 375g plain dried noodles, 2 toothbrushes (colgate budget ones for less than the price of one fairly standard brush- yay), 375g crunchy peanut butter, 1kg brown sugar, 500g icing sugar, 750ml blackcurrant concentrate (the kids and dh love this as a hot drink), special reserve feta (to make salads more interesting), sour cream, 500g cheese, 2L organic milk, 1.5kg plain flour, a red onion, a bulb of garlic, a piece of root ginger, 1.5kg onions, a lettuce, a large cucumber, a bunch of pak choy, @ 1kg each of golden apples, royal galas, pears, 8 more flat mushrooms, 6 free range eggs, 500g butter and 2L ice cream.

Monday, Day 7

Breakfast: (Leftover) Pancakes, Apples
Lunch: (Leftover) Potato Salad, cupcakes, tinned fruit salad
Dinner: Shepherds Pie (had a tray of mince left for last week's shopping)
Snacks: We went out and I had $4 to spend...the kids chose non-msg chips, and
hashbrown nuggets for us to cook when we got home....we also ate homemade
raspberry sorbet.

Time to shop again tomorrow, and we have plenty still to eat. Only cabbage, a bit of lettuce and cucumber for vege though, and 2 apples. I really feel like some chocolate, and maybe even some Coke :0( I asked if anyone else feels like they're missing anything and noone is. Well, Tombliboo would like more bananas. I don't know how to make them last a week...will try to buy one lot of green ones. An old (and frugal) friend of mine used to put bananas in a brown paper bag in the hot water cupboard...but that may have been to ripen them.

Make Money doing Surveys

Most of these are a have, but some are for real...

Smile City takes quite a long time to get points, but it is very easy to do so. For a start you can make it your home page, then just remember to do the 10 second survey (one question) once a day when you log on. That earns 3 points, and when you ave 3300 points you can have a $30 voucher or cheque (cash) sent out. It takes up to 6 weeks to have it sent, bizarrely, but it is money for jam. You can also get extra points for clicking on silly banners, going there first before you shop online (to see if the place you want to shop at is a Smile City "Reward Partner",sign up for e-mails (5 points each), and do surveys when they are sent to you- you can earn as many as 200 points for one 20 minute survey.

The beauty of these surveys is that you can do them when it suits you (they do have time limits occasional), and it is ok to leave it to deal with something else and come back later.
___________________________________________________________________________________

AC Nielsen

These are very sporadic, but you earn good numbers of points for doing surveys, and they add up quickly to $20 petrol or Warehouse (or various other places) vouchers. I managed to get 3 before Christmas without even realising I was owed any.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Places like Colmar Brunton also do focus groups- you need to go to their office for around 2 hours, and answer questions in a small group. It's fun, and you get fed and watered, and then you get paid :0) The pay is usually around $70-80. You can also do online surveys for flybuys points with Colmar Brunton.

This works for Auckland people, but there are likely similar set-ups in other main centres, and possibly smaller towns as well.

Saving money on Personal Care

HAIR: I just cut my own hair. It needs a bit of touching up, but dh won't do it in case I get cross...just quietly, I'm more cross at the possibility of leaving it all uneven at the back, or going to a hairdresser to tidy it up...but he is convinced he won't do it right (even though I cut the back myself by bringing the hair round the front! Can anyone do worse??).

Technically I didn't save any money, because I don;t spend any. I went to a hairdresser the last time I butchered my own hair (2 years ago), and once when J-Man was 2 (8 years ago). Both times I spent $15-20 which is the going rate for a cheap (no washing, no style) haircut.

I save money on hair products by not buying any. I have not used shampoo for around 6 months. My basic hair routine is that I wash my hair 5-7 times a week. One of those times I wash with baking soda, another time I wash with apple cider vinegar and essential oil, the other times I wash with plain water.

I have no idea how much this saves, it doesn't matter to me. It is just one of those things where I think if hair is meant to be self-cleaning, and oil-regulating then I should do it.

I think it looks ok, no worse than when I used products. I occasionally get an itchy scalp, and this worries me- but ultimately, I have always had this, so I'm not about to go back to buying products.

If you want to attempt this, it can look a little groady (is that a word?) for the first 3+ weeks. This is my third foray in to "No Poo", and it got better much faster. I think the key that has kept me going this time, is that I didn't wash with Baking Soda and ACV, and I have days when I use nothing but water.

I'm not sure how people can do this while they are working. I felt embarrassed enough just with ordinary life...still, I knew my hair was cleaned every day, and it wasn't as though I wasn't showering. It just take a little time for the hair to work out how much oil it needs (since I'm not stripping the oils with shampoo and replacing them with conditioner).

Tombliboo has never had hair products on him. Princess, who has skin just as sensitive as mine, has had a variety of "natural" , "organic" and "Baby" products- all of which upset the balance of her skin and hair terribly. Her hair never looks (and feels better) than when she washes with baking soda. She doesn't like the smell of vinegar, even when I water it down, but will consent to it's use on occasion.

DEODORANT: There are huge links between breast cancer and aluminium containing deodorants. We stopped using them years ago, but replaced them with natural products which sometimes worked, sometimes didn't. They cost a bomb usually, so there are no savings in that regard.

A few months ago, dh and I started using baking soda as a deodorant. Not only does it work- it is cheap (@$2.50 for a 500g box) and friendly to the environment.

DH thought I was a bit dotty until he tried it- and discovered he could work all day and mow the lawns and not smell a bit! It sounds too good to be true, and it is really.

I have one issue- my sensitive skin. If I use the baking soda every day, I get a bit f a rash. I'm not sure of the reason, and it is possibly unique to me, but it is an issue. However, after using this for several months now, I have noticed that I do not need it every day- this is incredible news for me, because I used to put deodorant on after my shower, before I went out, before bed...several times a day basically, and still stunk!

FEMININE HYGIENE: A moon or diva cup will save $$$ each month, and last for many years. It also has zero impact on the environment, as opposed to disposable products which I can only imagine the cost to our planet. Reusable pads are a wonderful option too, and you can buy them in organic cotton or bamboo (which uses less chemicals to grow, and renews speedily). If you can sew, you can make your own- if not, there are a few people making them to sell on Trade Me. There are loads of different options. Don't get the patterned ones if you have sensitive skin :0)

TOOTHPASTE: I have an objection to mass-medicating in the form of fluoride (or anything really). Most people get enough fluoride from ordinary water-drinking, and do not need it applied directly to the teeth. Too much fluoride can result in fluorosis of the teeth, which is irreversible. This is particularly pertinent for children, because their bodies are so much smaller than our's. Also, because of the tendency of young children to eat the paste.

Natural toothpastes that don't contain fluoride are readily available in health shops and some supermarkets. But guess what? You can also use baking soda! Well, my kids aren't particularly keen, apart from J-Man who likes the feel of his teeth after brushing with bs. The cool thing about bs is that it makes your teeth really white! After 3 days use, I noticed a dramatic difference with my teeth. Now I don;t use it that often. I usually brush only with water, because after all it is the brushing that removes plaque, not what is on the brush.

You can mix the baking soda with stevia or xylitol to make it a bit more palatable- I don't like it, but it could be an option.

SOAP: I need a cheaper alternative to mainstream soaps. We've been buying our soaps from Blue Earth for the last 2 or 3 years. They make gorgeous natural soaps, but they are not cheap. I usually spend $45 (to get free postage) about every 3 months. This also includes an essential oil. They also tend to send offcuts as samples which are much appreciated too. When you consider the supermarket sometimes sells 5-packs of soap for $2, lol, it is not a good choice...but this is the problem really. I could go waaaay cheaper, but it wouldn't be good for the environment, or my health. In fact, I kind of resent the whole idea of doing things on the cheap because of the inference that I don't give a stuff about the world I live in or my body. Take eggs for instance- Free-range (non-organic...there are no organic eggs at my local shop) eggs are $3.50 for 6 at my supermarket. However, cage eggs are $6 for 30! For an additional $2.50, I could get 24 more eggs. Or, out another way, free range eggs cost approximately 5 times more than than those produced by battery-hens. But I don't consider the other eggs as an option, as much as it is nice to save money.

Sunday, Day 6

Breakfast: Homemade Pancakes with Maple-Flavoured Syrup
Lunch: Noodles
Dinner: Bought Pizza, Potato Salad, and green salad
Snacks: Cupcakes, apples, potato chips

Noodles are a yummy lunch that everyone here lieks- but we all like different flavorings. I made a sauce with oil, onion, garlic, grated ginger, cabbage, carrots, tamari, peanut butter and chicken stock (I normally don't bother with stock, just that dh likes it). It was really yummy, and I topped it off with some chopped nuts.

alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316124787427404226" />

We only bought 2 pizzas, which is actually plenty calorie-wise for a family of 2 adults and 3 children...but not as much as we normally buy. I figure it is best to buy 2 twice, than 3 once. With the other dinner food, we all had plenty (too much probably) to eat. We took it up to a park to eat, and play as well.

I bought a packet of 10 mini caramel eggs for $3, and we all had 2 each. I hid the kids' ones in the playground, and they enjoyed looking for them.

We had a very cool evening out, for $15.

Saving Money on Compost

Make your own :0)

It's really easy. You don't even need to buy a composting bin...you just need some way to contain it, then the fun is in filling it up and making wonderful compost for your garden.

Basically you need 2 parts green: 1 part brown. Green is vege waste, lawn clippings, eggshells, tealeaves (actually those two might fall under brown, I don't know- I put them in with my vege scraps). You're not meant to put in much citrus or dairy products. I haven't got any dairy in mine, but i have a tonne of orange and grapefruit peel...it turns in to an orangey sludge, still with a citrus smell. Brown is leaves, pizza boxes, newspaper, and egg cartons. It will all break down quicker if you cut the pieces in to smallish bits.

When we move, I will have two compost bins/areas...one for use now, another that is in the making.

The real bonus about composting though, is that all that waste is not going in the landfill.

Saving Money on Nappies

I personally don't think disposables should be considered...they have an incredible impact on our planet. There are, as far as I know only one type of biodegradable disposable nappy on sale in New Zealand. However, this still requires you to a) remove the contents , and b) dissect the nappy in to parts for composting. I am almost certain the instructions are not followed by many of the people who have at least bothered to avoid ordinary "disposable" nappies.

My first two babies had cloth nappies, and we used disposables at night and when we were out. I didn't plan to do that second time round, but was dismayed when someone at a playgroup held my dd and pronounced her "wet"...which she was not, but a cloth nappy has a way of feeling wet, when you are used to holding babies in slim-fitting disposables.

There are huge numbers of cloth nappies now beyond the square piece of cotton flanellette I used to use. We had those for Tombliboo and later bought some Peapods reusuable nappies, which were fabulous. Further, their resale value is very good should you decide to discontinue their use. I think I got at least 2/3 my money back.

It is nearly always possible to use cloth or reusable nappies when out or on holiday.


Cleaning Nappies

Nappies become beautifully white with only the following treatment.

Soak them overnight in a bucket of water with baking soda, apple cider vinegar and tea tree oil. Rinse and spin in the machine, and line dry. I used hot water to kill stuff, and figured it was a good option since I was using the lowest water-depth setting.

This is a gigantic saving on products, is more natural and better for your baby's skin, and is far more friendly on our waterways.

Natural Infant Hygiene or Elimination Communication

Did you know babies don't actually want to pee/poop on themselves? NIH or EC simply means you are giving your child the opportunity to pee somewhere other than on themselves.

Just like any other mammal, human babies don't want to soil themselves or their clothing (since that means sitting in their waste). They also see no distinction between themselves and their primary caregiver(s), so they do not want to pee/poop on you either. This is a wonderful bonus as fr as saving nappies (and therefore money) goes.

By observing your child's signals (what they do immediately before they pee/poop) you will soon begin to anticipate when they need to go. You can buy a small potty designed for infants, which you place between your legs and sit baby on. Or you can use any container at all (including a bucket), or the garden, or the laundry tub or the toilet.

When you see your baby urinating, if you like, you can make a cue sound- before long, you will be able to make this sound, and have your baby eliminate (if he needs to).

Please note: All babies are different, but mine did not care about peeing/pooping on the carpet once he got mobile. He wasn't peeing on him or I, and he knew he could move away from it. This tied in with him not wanting to use the potty at all, and we persevered too long, imagining it would all be back to normal in a day or so. If I did this again, I would put baby in nappies when he was starting to crawl...if I had carpet. I think if I had wood floors, I would keep him nappy-free.

I'm happy to answer questions.

Saving money on Babycare

Warning: This post could get long.

Babies don't need much. You wouldn't believe that is true if you have noticed the glut of baby items for sale in every direction at a mall or large warehouse-type store.

I assume it is natural when pregnant to want to buy everything you will need for the baby's arrival. If it is your first baby, you will be thinking ahead to a time when you have only one income, and the possibility of buying large-ticket items becomes more difficult.

Think carefully about what a baby really needs. Think about what your baby would have needed had he or she been born 200 years ago, or in the middle of Africa.

Then when you have a fairly good idea what a baby might need, consider how much of those items might be purchased 2nd hand, or given by those who have gone before.

The only things a baby needs when he or she arrives are milk and warmth. Breastmilk is best for a million reasons, but particularly when trying to save money. Blankets don't need to be pink, or blue, or say "Baby" , etc. Any blanket will do. I'm almost 100% certain someone will give you one. My midwife gave me two when Tombliboo was born, every new mum in our city that year got one, I believe.

BED: Baby should sleep with you. He will feed more, but this is necessary for his survival. Try not to get sucked in to the idea that babies who sleep more are "good" babies. You will sleep better for having that baby close by to check on him. I know this because I have done both...my first two babies slept in their own rooms, and my last didn't. The first two, I would be awake for hours each night after feeds, because the time it took to walk to their rooms, pick them up, feed them, settle them, and go back to bed meant that I was wide awake.

Tombliboo, otoh, has always woken more, but for shorter periods, and I fall back to sleep almost instantly. He has not had anywhere near the number of colds the first two had, despite being naked nearly every day.

TRAVEL: You do need a carseat if you have a car. You can get baby capsules new for $110 on Trade Me. We bought one and sold it for $55 1 year later. The better way to go, imo, is to buy a carseat designed for ages 0-4 years.

The capsule is handy if you want to be able to take a sleeping baby out of the car and in to the place you are going with him still asleep. We intended to carry Tombliboo more, and have him close to us, so we did not actually require that sort of seat. If he was asleep, and woke up when moved, he soon went back to sleep in the sling, or efd to sleep.

SLINGS: Slings are amazing. There are many different types, and some are better than others for different occasions. There is noting like a pouch sling for popping baby in to go somewhere in a hurry. A mei-tai type sling is wonderful for when your baby will be in the sling for long periods.

The beauty of slings is that your hands are free. This is wonderful if you need to hold the hands of other children, or shopping bags, etc. Actually, that's not the best thing- the best thing is the closeness, it's where babies are happiest. I don't know how many times someone stopped me to ask about my sling...or how many times a shop-person would comment how easy it looked, and how contented he seemed compared to children in strollers.

Tombliboo didn't go in a stroller until he was 2- it was his choice, he likes the novelty of it. He still goes in a sling periodically if he wants to, but mostly he prefers to run.

Nappies: This will need another post...there is more to the Great Nappy Debate than cloth vs disposables.

TOYS: Baby does not need any toys. Mine all have plenty, and your's probably will too- but nothing is more interesting to a young baby than you. They will stare at your face, and mimic your expressions for as long as you are interested. Older babies love to hold things- spoons work fine, as do pegs and bunches of keys.

When you do buy toys, they are very cheap on trade me (how often do I mention that?), but watch for the postage.

Books can be borrowed from the library, and the other places I suggested in my post on saving money on books.

FOOD: Baby doesn't need special food. Baby-Led Weaning is a way of feeding your baby that is more natural, and not to do with weaning so much as introducing solid food (which is the first stage in weaning, but weaning could be years away).

CLOTHING: You probably will want to buy clothing for your child :0)

Remember the first size your baby is in (newborn) will only fit for at the most 4 months, possibly only 2 weeks if he is large, and the garment is on the small side. Most of my newborn clothing items were outgrown by all my babies by 6 weeks.

This means that any second-hand clothing you buy for this size will look like brand new.

My advice would be to buy white singlets and one or two neutral (unisex) outfits. If buying new, you could get one for a girl, one for a boy, and the one you don't use will make a nice gift. Once you know what sex your baby is, you will be able to buy the clothing he or she needs.

More about the Phone

We have some decisions to make...turns out we can save a truckload on our phone bill...but do we want to? Hmmm.

Ultimately, hen we move we have to make savings all over the place, so now would be a good time to start. At the same time, we will be saying goodbye to a lot of friends we will still want to keep in touch with...it doesn't seem to make sense to not be able to ring people, or have enough bandwidth to read or reply to e-mails.

Right now our phone bill is between $100 and $160 a month...that includes broadband (about 20gb I think), callminder (and answering machine), line rental, my cellphone usage, and toll calls.

We can save money immediately by ditching callminder, dropping to 10gb broadband (which is still a truckload), and having unlimited national tollcalls and cheaper rates on international calls- by switching to a new Telecom...Total Home.

On the other hand. We could keep the ordinary line rental ($40), and switch to dial-up internet. Telecom offers 150 hours for $18...that gives each of us an hour a day for a month.

Kiwi Online offers unlimited dial-up access for $10.

So, we could have unlimited dial-up and a phone line (without answering machine) for $60. Quite a difference. Of course, there are still toll calls, and my cellphone costs to add on top of that.

The only thing I'm really worried about with going to dial-up is that I thought we might use Skype or Jajah for toll calls when we move (J-Man has a hankering to call his best friend every day), but I think it will only work if we have broadband.

Decisions, decisions...and dh whispering in my ear with every web search- that will take 30 times as long if we have dial-up. Hmmmm.

Day 5- Saturday

Breakfast: Porridge
Lunch: I took leftovers (red curry and rice) for lunch at my scrapbook class.
DH and the children took a loaf of bread, pottle of marmite and peanut
butter, apples, bananas, cupcakes, cucumber, potato chips, and naturally-
coloured lollipops to last for their day out together
Dinner: Steak, homemade chips, coleslaw and green salad (and half a ham steak for
dh as well, since it's favourite)
Snacks: As above, plus ice cream for dessert. J-Man finished the rest of the
coleslaw for a snack late at night

I don't know when it has happened that Princess and I haven't trotted off to the supermarket on Saturday to pick up fresh bread rolls, and various lunch supplies. I'm really doing this, and it is quite easy actually...I thought I would be desperate or fresh fruit, but we are ok- there are a few apples left, and we haven't touched any of our canned fruit so far.

We are doing very well. I'm toying with the idea idea of splitting up the next $200 to make it easier to walk home, so I can go by myself when the shop opens...but feel like it would be a bit soon to finish my experiment, or make adjustments- so will go ahead as plane. I'll writ my list, and see if perhaps a car is needed for the shopping trip.

Pancakes for Breakfast

We nearly always have pancakes for breakfast on Sunday morning. We also have them on birthdays and public holidays, or if we have friends staying. We got a wafflemaker with our flybuys points recently, and sometimes have them instead.

I have the best pancake recipe and I will share it today because it is sooo good! I found it on the back of a Cottee's Maple Flavored Syrup bottle when J-Man was a toddler. We've been eating them each week since then. We double the mixture now, and we could probably eat a few more, but this works for the 5 of us...

BEST EVER PANCAKES
2C Flour
1.5C Milk
4 eggs, separated

That's all! I know, crazy isn't it! The original recipe had 1t of sugar, but I didn't think that would make any difference, so I don't add it.

You need 2 bowls...the first one is for the flour, then add the egg yolks. The 2nd is for the egg whites. Beat them first, until really thick/stiff. That way you don't have to wash the beaters in the middle. Next add the milk slowly, while beating the yolks and flour. Fold the egg whites in and away you go.

These are really fluffy, and they don;t need to be yummy alone- that's what toppings are for :0)

I sued to spend a lot of money on Maple Syrup, making sure we had the very best stuff available (about $8 fora 250 or 300ml bottle). The I noticed one day in the Nasty Food awards (lol- I didn't check the bottle) that it contained water and sugar. maple Syrup doesn't need an ingredient list, it's maple syrup fro ma maple tree. So I stopped buying that, and started making my own (courtesy of The Destitute Gourmet).

Btw, if you don;t have a Destitute Gourmet cookbook- you should! You can get them cheap on Trade Me, lol.

Maple-Flavoured Syrup

1/2C Brown Sugar
1/4C Water
1t Vanilla Essence

Boil for 3 minutes. That's all. Very yummy...I make it at the same time as I make the first pancake, so it is fresh each morning.

Saving Money on Magazines (and Books)

Don't buy any :0)

Most public libraries have huge selections of magazines available. For the more specialised magazines, often they are available online either right away, or you can read backdated issues.

Give your magazines a second life by passing them on to someone else who is interested in the same things.

Books are different- I love to buy books. Books are really cheap on trade me. Back when The Da Vinci code was $25 new (paperback), I managed to get that book and three other Dan Brown books (all read only once by one person) for $12. It cost me $6 for the postage- but $18 was still cheap for one book, and I got four! Bliss.

Whitcoulls has a special once or twice a year where you can get 50% off any children's book. I always seem to miss that sale, since I don't often go in to the shop any more...but we got 6 out of the 7 Narnia books (coloured picture editions) that way.

If you live in Auckland, or can visit- there is a Scholastic factory shop in East Tamaki where you can get really cheap books. At the end of each school term, they also have a few days where you can get 50% off every book in their warehouse.

We get a tonne of library books, but when there is a book the children particularly want, I buy it. Especially for J-Man, who learned to read when he was 3, but stopped reading when he was around 6. If he asks for a book now, I get it. Even when it is full price.

Borders sometimes has a special- Buy two, get one free...this works great when you have three children(though I'm sure I'd do it even if I only had one child).

I buy books from Fishpond sometimes, but my last order is still on it's way...nearly 3 weeks alter. Quite disappointed- but at least they had (or said they had) all the books I wanted, and didn't have to leave the house to get them...or more to the point, take Tombliboo to a bookstore.

Amazon is loads cheaper for the books, but the postage is horrific- and I haven't bought anything since the $NZ dropped.

We used to have a great second-hand bookshop near us when J-Man was a toddler. I got loads of books for under $3 each, really neat (old) titles. Garage sales could be good places to get books as well, though I don't know anything about it. When I was little my Nan used ot go to garage sales every Saturday morning. Sometimes I got to go with her. Sometimes, I would go to visit her and she would say, "I have a surprise for you"...and I'd have to go and look in "my" bedroom- it was usually Beano or Whizzer and Chips comics. A whole pile of them and she usually only paid 5c each! :0)

Day Four- Friday

We've made it to Day 4 without going back to the shop! Well, technically we went last night, but I only spent my own money buying treats for the kids.

Breakfast: *cough* Chocolate...well, did you see how many posts I did yesterday?
Lunch: Salad for J-Man, Tomato sandwiches for Princess (she loved them),
leftovers on toast for Tombliboo and I (he didn't touch his).
Dinner: Red Thai Chicken Curry on rice

Dinner was fabulous. DH commented that he had a lot of rice, but he got more after that lot. He said later though that he felt bloated, and had eaten far too much rice. The trouble was- the dinner was delicious! He didn't even complain about the mungbeans.

I cooked (lots of) onions in oil, then added chopped carrots, brocolli (about half the one we bought) and whole baby beans (thawed). I added some brown sugar and a 1/3 (little) jar of red curry paste (I don't normally buy that stuff, but they were selling 2 for $4, or not much more than the price of one, a while ago at our supermarket), and 2 cans of coconut cream. I added the rest of my bag of mung beans and the leftover uncooked chicken from the other night (about 100g). The chicken was because the last time I made this vegetarian everyone complained, it was a bit boring, but I still liked it. After a while I realised it was a bit light, so threw in a whole lot of sliced cabbage.

It really was delicious. A bit spicy, not that the kids knew seeing as they wouldn't touch it. (The first time I made one of these curries they loved it, but never have since). J-Man had rice, salad and a few bits of chicken (which he said tasted "Amazing!"). Princess ate rice and a few bits of chicken. Tombliboo didn't eat much at all, since he had fallen asleep late in the day, and just wasn't bothered with food when he woke up.

We also made cupcakes- we seem to be baking every day, and it's all getting eaten. I made pink icing, by using the juice from raspberries, and added a bit of natural-coloured lolly on to each one.

Tombliboo likes to hold the beater, and Princess likes to put the patty tins in, and measure stuff. Tombliboo also likes to crack the eggs, which can be a teensy bit disastrous, but wasn't this time :0)



Here's a recipe you might like from Fed Up by Sue Dengate

We made it often when we did her elimination diet 4 years ago. The kids loved it then, hate it now, but dh still likes it. Also, I have been making it with xylitol rather than sugar which could be the difference- or the kids are so used to drinking water now, they don't see a need fora sweet drink.

MAGIC CORDIAL

1/2C Sugar
1/C Water
1/2t Citric Acid

Dissolve the citric acid and sugar in hot water, add more cold water to taste.

Once again this is a case of me thinking the kids are missing out, when they don't think so at all.

Saving money on the Phone Bill

Our phone bill has three parts...the line rental and toll calls, my cellphone and broadband.

It is a very big bill.

Ways we already save money on our phone bill are by me rarely using my cellphone, and thinking twice about making toll calls.

I only use my cellphone in an emergency. If I need to talk to dh, I ring his cellphone and hang up after three rings. If he is at the office, he calls me back- this saves me time talking to his (grumpy) receptionist. If he is on the road or at a customer's site, he calls me back on his work cell phone. We don;t take advantage of it- I call him quite rarely, and it is a perk he is allowed. He never uses anywhere near the number of minutes he is allowed each month.

Toll calls are an area we can cut down on...but not by much. We get the lowest available rate, and we make very few toll calls. My mother complains about this, but it is how things are. I don't really like talking on the phone (I'd get rid of it completely if I could have the internet without it), and I can contact her on e-mail, and I have a blog detailing what we are up to.

We can also e-mail dh's parents. The only people I can't contact by e-mail are my grandparents, but he phone is not ideal there anyway. It is hard for young people to hear me speak with all the noise in our house, nearly impossible for older folk. I try to write to them, but am pretty slack. I would like to contact them more often. I think there is room there for more, but shorter phone calls.

And then there is broadband...my beloved broadband. We all love broadband. Even the 2 year old enjoys broadband (he likes to watch crocodile videos on You Tube). But, if there is anything we can save money on immediately- it's the broadband.

Now I just need to work out what will suit best. We all want to spend less time on the computer in an effort to consume less electricity. But it isn't going to be easy.

We only save $10 by opting for a lower gb allowance. It hardly seems worth it. But we save over $30 by going to dial-up.

Dial-up means no more turning on the computer and instantly working on what we like. It means no more You Tube (not a big consideration, but the biggest for Tombliboo). It means no more World of Warcraft, but the accounts had run out anyway. I don't think we can even consider getting WoW when we move, but dh doesn't see that yet (or maybe I have missed something). It means taking a lot longer to do anything at all, or does it?

Maybe it doesn't. Only time will tell...I'm off to make the switch.

Making Savings Fast

Right now my in-laws are building us a house to rent in a small town, on their property.

This will mean a gigantic lifestyle change for us, dh we are looking forward to the move very much (well not the actual move- who looks forward to that?).

But it comes at a price. The wages there are very low compared to here. Dh cannot get a job like he has now because there simply aren't enough people in the town. His best prospect is probably in retail, since he is not keen to become an apprentice.

We may juggle things so we both work part-time, and always have at least one of us with the children. We have always meant to have both of us with the kiddos, and that is not about to change.

So, realistically, when we move we will be earning at least $25,000 (about a third) less than now. This is going to happen with the next 3-4 months, or less.

Now is not the time to panic!

Now is the time to make changes, to find new ways of living because the way we live now will not be possible when we move.

The other drawback about moving is that we will no longer have a company car. I won't spell out all that this means, but to say- we need to a) buy a car, b) start paying for petrol, insurance (probably 3rd party), registration (which did you know is nearly doubling on July 1st?), warrants and maintenance. Currently we pay for none of those things. We budget $50/fortnight for public transport, but rarely use it all (that's been one of the Peter's I've been robbing to pay for the groceries/Paul)...and we occasionally pay for petrol to go out of town.

So, to sum it up...our income will be going down (dramatically), and our expenses will be going up...doesn't sound good, does it. There are many variables, so we don't know what it will be like until get there.

We will get more government assistance, but I am not sure how long that will carry on at the rate we have right now. I am nervous about relying on assistance that could be whisked away at any stage.

I'm having trouble articulating my fears about the situation to my husband, or maybe the problem is more that he is having trouble understanding. He is more inclined to worry about what life will bring when it brings it...and I guess I like that easy-going attitude..but when it comes to drastically cutting spending, I think it's best to start before we don't have a choice.

Next stop- considering our phone bill.

Saving money on Entertainment

The easy way to save money on entertainment is to not spend any. However, we are trying to have as much fun as possible with our children, and introduce them to as many sights and sounds as possible. Sometimes that means spending money, and we don't begrudge it.

There are beaches and parks galore in New Zealand to enjoy for no cost.

Local councils organise various activities for little or no money.

Libraries often have free activities for children. Our own local library has a pre-school Storytime each week, and a club for children over 5 years old as well. They tend to have one night twice a year or so where they welcome families in for some sort of themed evening. In the school holidays they have something on for children 3-5 days during the week, with free crafts to make, and fun things like treasure hints as well.

A family can visit Motat for around $30, or even better- for around $60 you can buy a pass that lets your whole family (2 adults and up to 4 children) go as often as you like for a whole year. This cost includes a ride on the tram, a ride on the 4D spaceship, entrance to the tactile Dome, and entrance to at least 4 different displays they have on through the year. It is fantastic value, and a very fun place to go for all ages.

There are passes for the zoo and Kelly Tarlton's which are good value too, but nowhere near as economical as Motat.

In South Auckland, there are free swimming pools to enjoy...yes free. You don't have to live in South Auckland to use them either. We live near to a swimming pool which is indoor, has a splash pool for toddlers with various fountains to play with, and completely free. Even as I write this I am wondering why we don't go there more often!

Taking dinner to a beach (even when it's cold) is fun for kids and parents alike. Taking breakfast to the beach is even more fun, and we still haven't done it!

We look for specials on the backs of supermarket receipts, and in local papers- I read them sometimes at the library rather than having them delivered. We used to get 3 local papers delivered each week, and one Auckland-wide one as well, not to mention the multitude of sales flyers. I've enjoyed a year of not putting these items straight in the recycling bin since writing "No Junk Mail or Newspapers" on our letterbox.

We like to take advantage of special offers to get us in to places we would like to go. Recently the local cinema was offering a special where you bought a combo and received a free ticket. For $10, dh and J-Man were able to see a movie together and get a drink and popcorn each.

Once a year Auckland cinemas have a "Cansfest" where you can buy a ticket to a (usually a bit older) film with a can of food. There are also Baby on Board sessions where you can take your children under 5 for free to see a different movie each week. Tickets for adults and children over5 are only $6.50, and after 3 movies you can see one for free. This used to mean (before Princess turned 6- they let her go free for an extra year!) I could take my 3 children to 4 movies for $39 (under $10/movie).

Video shops usually have a half-price night. Our video shop now had Monday Madness where all non-new or recent release movies are $1 to hire for a week. If you watch a lot of movies, you could consider getting them from Fatso. They also have masses of documentaries, and even a section for eco-films. $20 gives you unlimited dvd's for a month, 2 dvd's at a time. If you're quick, you can end up seeing 6 movies a week for less than $5.

Of course there are loads of things you can do that don't cost anything,or much money, but they might need to go in another post.

Saving money on clothes

Wherever possible, I buy the children's clothes from Trade Me.

When buying in bulk, it pays to buy from someone local, since the postage costs can now be quite horrendous. I usually look at what is available in my area first- it's easy to do, change "Region" to your town/city...it's located in the yellow bar above the listings in the Browse section...clear as mud?

By the same token, I sell their last year's clothes on Trade Me or pass them on to family or friends with younger children. Previously I have kept all the children's clothes up to age 3 when I figure they probably want to have a say in choosing their own clothes.

This winter I probably don't need to buy anything more, apart from some PJ's for J-Man (who tends to spend most of his days in pyjamas), and some more socks for Tombliboo- I haven't checked if last year's socks still fit, and besides that- the child likes to be naked nearly all year round, so we don't need many :0)

I bought a pair of jeans, some leggings, 2 long-sleeve tops, a t-shirt and a pair of winter pyjamas for Princess for $8. The postage was $6, but it still came in less than one (Strawberry Shortcake) pair of PJ's. I've bought similar quantities for Tombliboo for much the same price. J-Man will fit most of his last year's clothes, and I have bought him two new (2nd hand) tops off trade me for $3 each.

At the end of the season last year, I bought each of them one outfit from Pumpkin Patch for this year. I also managed to pick up a new (awesome) wind and rain proof jacket for J-Man for $19, down from $45.

I get mine and dh's clothes from a place called SaveMart- all second hand, and all very nicely priced. Last winter dh got a pair of brand-new looking red tab Levi's Jeans for $28. The sad bit is that it looks a bit deserted atm, so it may have closed down.

If I lived in Wellington, and had fashionable clothes (lol)I would go here.

I used to have a great op shop near home, and hope to again one day. Apart from the smell, op shops are wonderful places to find new (used) clothing. No need to worry about the formaldehyde in clothes, or be concerned about still-more resources being used.

We've cut up last year's ripped to bits (irreparable) pyjamas to use as tissues or rags this year.

Dh has another way to save money n clothes- he still has t-shirts from when he was a teenager. I have plenty of clothes I've had for years and years too, but not quite the same fetish for old t-shirts. I saw recently an article about space-saving, and it said that a photo of you wearing the t-shirt you bought on holiday was a far better use of space than the actual t-shirt. Hard to convince hubby though.

Menu Plans

I've never been one for menu plans, though I could see how they might be useful.

But I've started, and they are useful! I don't have to think in the morning what we will eat- it's already written down :0)

The best bit of it is having it done before the shopping expedition. There is no point deciding to only buy three packages of meat, if you can't see how you will make 7 dinners.

I've pinned mine up by the stove...I've also added ideas for snacks (it's not overly descriptive), because that is important for our family with kids home all day. I also like having an idea of what to have for lunch, because too often I can't think of anything.

I have a second menu on the back...I don;t feel compelled to follow it at all costs- if someone fancies something different, or I don;t feel like cooking the suggested meal- there's no big deal, there is flexibility there...but it is helpful, I reckon.

Thursday (Day 3)

Breakfast: Porridge, with brown sugar (and cream)...the first time in my life I have
eaten porridge 3 days in a row (and still loving it!)
Lunch: Homemade Fried Rice, which I liked and the kids hated (and wouldn't eat).
To be fair, it was not at all like Chinese Takeaway Fried Rice- it was more
gluggy (not sure why...if you know, please say!)
Dinner: Spahetti Bolognaise
Snacks: Watermelon, mousetraps, homemade face biscuits, celery (J-Man), apples

Spag bol is a great money-saver I think. I often make it with just lentils, though noone but me particularly likes it. Tonight I made it with half and half lentils and beef mince (I don't think anyone noticed). I put half the packet of mince in the freezer for another day.

I added some mashed kumara I had leftover in to the mix. Sometimes I put in mashed pumpkin, or grated carrot or courgette, or cooked silverbeet or spinach. That makes it go further, and also ups the vege-content of the meal.

Tonight's concoction contained 300g mince, 1C red lentils, 2 tins chopped tomatoes, 1/4C tomato paste (frozen from another day), kumara, onion and garlic, parsley from our garden and dried basil, salt and pepper, lemon juice. Actually, I wash the (half) lemon, and put it in the pot to make it extra lemony. I also added some flour when the mince and onion was cooked, to thicken it (and the water from rinsing out the cans of tomatoes). It was very nice, and gave one hungry husband a huge dinner, plus fed the rest of us, gave him a snack for after we went out, a big lunch for tomorrow, and another 2 cups or so to use on another day.


Photo note: I make face biscuits with ordinary biscuit recipe, thick enough to be rolled out. I made the shape with the top of a large glass. I added the "eyes" (choc chips) before cooking, leaving enough room for hair. The noses are the ends of TNCC sour worms, and they have been glued on with icing. I put icing on st the top, then sprinkled chocolate hail (I've done it before with 100's & 1000's, but was making these colour-free). I drew the mouths on with the icing, using a teaspoon.