http://www.pennypinching-grandma.com/house.html

Thought it might be fun to get posters ideas on how you save with the rise in household items in these days.
If you have a special little trick to save $in home or office you might like to tell others.

Do you grow your own veggies on the balcony- wash your clothes once a year? Take the bike instead of the car. Buy second hand clothes for growing kids.
What are your best money saving tips?

turn off your elect-trick hot/water heater

[only switch it on for an hour before using]

also downsize the thing
[what you heating water for 4 for..if theres only one]

why run basic power..at double price
when off peak runs 22 hours a day

why pay a dollar a day for web acces
[dodo has got a year acces..for $50 bucks]

ok you only get a quater gig a month..
so watch your movies on free to air..not you tube

a car can run arround 5 to 10 bucks a day
even buss/trains cost arround the same
[add in..*insurance petrol rego licence]...why not share
or learn to ride a bike...[get an electrick bicycle]

if bying books...search for secondhand..by google search
go to garage sales not shops...shop out of the scrap's bin to buy the not so perfect fruit/veg..buy meat in bulk when its on special...or learn to fish

mostly learn to grow your own
get chickens

and dont become penny wise
but pound foolish

look at the per kilo price
lollies are double and tripple the price of healthy fruit

never pay top price
for poor product..its faulse economy
pay off an extra 10 bucks on your loans
its the intrest that kills you

lastly
dont sign nothing
especially dont sign anything that takes too long to read
or that you dont understand...all them words are to get your money

dont get lazey...pay each bill
by your own decision/choice..

auto-debit keeps debiting
till they got your last cent
long after your dead

Wow under one God- u have been doing your homework& probably for a long time- well done!

*turn off your elect-trick hot/water heater
[only switch it on for an hour before using]*

If u dont have solar hot water its best to hook a time switch to your off peak if its a bigger system from midnight to 4am. That way you have plenty of hot water 24hr at hand.

If u dont have off peak - get it. If they tell u that u cant have it because there is asbestos in the old box & its 2k for a new one= tell them to mount the switch on the side next to the box just a few$.

Dodo also have a $1.oo per month dial up plan

[*get an electric bicycle*] Yep!& a horse

or grow fish if u have room for tank.

*get chickens* Yep more healthy & humane gets a big tick from me & pets if u have kids-- or not.

Buy bulk only only whats on your list.I have a regional & city property & when I am not at the farm I get the company to switch the power off. Before u go back u make them re- connect. Thats free but if u leave it on u cop a 120$ bill. So if away disconnect.

Put solar panels up ( away from cattle) Have friends come & each bring a plate. Lots of fun picking on some of the guys cooking & saves heaps on dinners parties & BBQs

Put a combustion stove in the back yard & use it even if u are in the city.

Dear Kerryanne,

We've invested in solar panels on our roof - which has made a huge difference to our electricity bills. We've also bought cost-efficient light bulbs. We turn off all unnecessary appliances until required. The same goes for lights. We make a list prior to going shopping and
we buy what we consider the best value. I plan the meals ahead of time - our freezer is always full - we don't eat "fast foods." We've become far more selective with where we spend, on what we spend, and how much we spend. It's not perfect - but it has made a difference.

Lexi,

<< We have invested in solar panels on our roof>>

No, “WE” have invested in solar panels on “YOUR” roof. “WE” have subsidized your capital costs and “WE” have and continue to subsidize “YOUR” energy use by feed in tariffs paid for out of increased energy costs.

Congratulations. What will you do when “WE” get tired of paying for “YOUR” dreaming

Do be careful of keeping that freezer full Lexi.

When that carbon dioxide tax closes your brown coal power plants down there, you'll be having blackouts very regularly. Those panels won't keep a freezer cold at night.

I suppose you could buy a petrol generator, as most of us did around here, after food losses due to line failures, when Beattie ripped too much money out of the distribution system.

Pedal power could be a win/win, generating your power. The pedalling should keep you slim, & if you can't pedal up enough power, the loss of frozen food will do the same job.

Wow, spindoc. The anger!

I've implemented a few strategies quite recently.

The first is homemade yoghurt. I used to have a $20 a week yoghurt habit, but now that I make my own it costs me a bottle of milk, a tin of evaporated milk powder now and again and that's about it. The bonus is that I control exactly what goes into my yoghurt, too.

The second is paying myself for exercise. I have cut discretionary spending from my budget altogether - what I used to spend goes into savings. From there, I pay myself 50c for every kilometre I run and 20c for every kilometre on the bike. There are a few benefits here:
1) A chocolate bar costs me about 4km by foot, or 10km by bike. If I spend that money, it's gone and it's back to the road before I can spend it again. I have to really want that chocolate!
2) There's an incentive to exercise which, apart from equipment costs, gives hours of free entertainment.
3) When I REALLY want something, I have to work doubly hard for it. I earn my fun money twice - once at work and once on the road. There's generally a bit of a delay between the desire and the acquisition, which gives me more time to back out.
4) It's good for me!

It probably won't work for everyone, but it works for me ... so far.

Dear spindoc,

What a nasty personal attack - and why?
My husband and I invested in solar panels before it was "fashionable" to do so, we paid heaps for them - and what this has to do with you
I can't fathom. BTW - We're both still working and paying taxes -
are you?

Dear Hasbeen,

No worries. My freezer is full - but the food gets eaten up -pretty quickly on a weekly basis what with family and friends
to cater for. As for my staying slim? My daily evening runs around the park - plus the fact that my job entails my being on my feet all day, and walking a great deal. - Inter-acting with members of the public, school groups, mothers and children, students, all help keep me fairly fit.

Spindoc and hasbeen are different.
I invested heavily on solar in 2009, and glad of it. With solar hot water, and 2kw of pannels, the power co now owes me $ 980 in credit.
You have done the right thing Lexi. If there more of it around we would not need coal fired boilers to fuel generators to make power for power hungry Mc mansions.

Dear a597,

Thanks for that.
We don't regret having done it for a second. And now even our neighbours have started to invest in solar panels. The difference in
our electricity bills has been huge. I would seriously recommed them
to any one interested in renewable energy and in cutting their electricity bills big time.

Its funny, if I go back to the farm I find that I slip back into old ways (everyone uses the same bath water - cleanest goes first), keep the bread bags to use to wrap sandwiches, rarely use lights, put another jumper on, what is tv?, home-made everything. In my normal everyday life though, I am after speed and convenience.

We have our chooks, which are the best garbage disposal units ever. They eat almost everything animal or vegetable (don't like citrus skins or pineapple tops and have trouble with advocardo seeds)

Let pony in house yard occasionally which saves mower fuel.She is a great little whipper snipper.Slow combustion wood heater

The bigee is that I brew my own beer which costs only 20c a stubby and it is good. If anyone takes home more than $10 a week in beer they should brew their own. Simple to do and takes about 1 hour a week. For some reason the wife does not believe me when I tell her that the more I drink, the more I save. Bought stuff cost about $1.50 a stubby and mine is better!

A while ago, I was paying so much off my power bills from each fortnight's pay that, when the bills eventually arrived, Ergon owed me money. Had I continued to pay at such a rate, and had the cost of power not increased so dramatically, that company would owe me a small fortune by now.

For those who have solar power and are now accumulating credit from power companies, are you able to access that money? That's something that has confused me. Do they ever pay you back, or would you have to cancel your connection and wait for a cheque in the mail?

Just interested - obviously, if the power supplier owes you money, you're saving by not having to pay them anything. But could you actually EARN money out of this?

Wow, Banjo! I would have considered $1.50 a stubbie to be a bargain. I've purchased one six pack this year (I'm quite serious about penny pinching, but had some celebrating to do) and got it on special for $15.00. It tasted like pigswill, too.

I'm guessing that, at my rate of drinking, I couldn't make brewing economically viable for me, but it sounds like you're onto a winner. At $1.20 a six pack, you're saving $13.80 (or 92%) off the special price, and you have the satisfaction of having made it yourself. Even better, your savings come in the form of a hobby, with a sweet reward at the end ... nice!

Otokonoko,
I was going on the lower retail price for a slab,some maybe cheaper and some a lot dearer.

But I am adament it only costs me 20c a stubby to brew my own.

Best to price the beer you drink and then compare. Best savings i can find and easy, no pain.

Depends on your power provider if they send a cheque or accumulate credit, they have varying systems. I am happy to accumulate credit, as i expect to live for a while yet. You get GST credited as well. It,s a good deal and locked in for 15 years at .60c/kwh.

Otokonoko/quote...""Just interested - obviously,if the power supplier owes you money,you're saving by not having to pay them anything...But could you actually EARN money out of this?"'

yeah i agree with that point
how does that work...can you buy a plasma or shares with the 'credit'
[indeed are you collecting intrest..ior can you add it to your super?]

but thats only an academic intrest to know
[i cant do it to the poor people having to pay for it all]

like this new mob going to build solar farms
[with the solar subsidy?]..

so are we bying their acces to the system
[ie putting in their infastructure,..too?]
as well as SUPPLYING their 'off line power..at night?

those not paying for their night time power
are getting a free ride...if they get more
they also should be required to pay more

[ONE SET RATE..[@ peak/off peak]
wether it goes in...*or out]

the greenies are syill using coal at night
thats why the green scam is all wind

but we digress
how to save $$$ and sense
i like the idea of a timer..on the hotwater heater

[but how about two timers...one that uses off peak..
the other that switches basic power on..ONLY..when the off peak goes off]

i note that when communism went bust
the people got a share of the industry
but when capitalism went bust..we got their debt

they get ten%..of our wages with compulsory super
with which they gamble..but realise

its only OUR EXTRA cash..
that has inflated the value

[the stock market is a pyramid sceme..that works just fine
as long as there is more cash comming in than going out]

but just like when we lost 25%..of our value
at the last bust[2008]..the next bust only delayed..not diverted
will see many go bust

invest in YOUR OWN..self sustainability

plan for when the power/water/gas...goes bust*
grow your own beer/tobacco/dope..

anything the govt gets too greedy with..
learn skills...not after the fact lessons

Grow your vegetables from seed. Invest in a cheap greenhouse stand so you can get spring/summer veg growing early. It is really easy and a packet of seeds only costs about $2-$3. Better yet save your own seed. This year I grew French leeks from self sown seed and tomato bushes came up in the compost, garlic from a few bulbs of last years crop. Lettuce are great self sowers as is parsley. Just let them hang out where they grow. Perennial veg like asparagus, jerusalem artichoke, herbs, strawberries/berries and fruit trees give up their bounty every year.

Chooks are cheap to keep and provide free manure and dig up the old beds for the following year. (Although hubby says he is not sure if the investment is working when they get tidbits of expensive food like tuna and salmon.)

>> Invest in a cheap greenhouse <<

Must do so soon, have too much shade AND the local possum species cover all the major food groups - they will even eat peel off the lemons.

Recently bought refurbished PC nice little compact - basic Windows added Linux for free. Will recycle old processor - too big and clunky to reburbish, but deconstructing and selling off drives, case to be recycled.

Scored cheap LED monitor from Ebay - old monitor costs more to run and was starting to fail.

Use both sides of recycled copy paper. Shred paper and use in garden mulch.

Wrap meat scraps in newspaper, just like mum used to do. Do not add to compost as meat encourages snakes, foxes etc.

Trade fruit for neighbour's eggs. Go to second hand shops - amazing what you can find. Some people throw out anything.

I find it extremely sad that we've come down to this in our society. Penny pinching.
On one hand we spend God only knows how many millions on people who aren't citizens of this country & our citizens have to resort to penny pinching.
Public servants can't spend their taxpayer funded super quick enough yet Pensioners who to a large extent worked all their life now have to save on the money they saved.
It's just getting better all the time.

So many excellent ideas provided above.

Has anyone tried solar-ovens? If so, how effective are they?

Another idea ... apparently, one can cook casseroles by bringing the temperature up to maximum and placing the cassserole dish in straw in a box and leaving several hours. Yoghurt can be made this way.

Hot water bottles instead of heating in the bedroom.

Making one's own preserves, wines and cheeses. The sap from the end of a grape stalk is recommended as a great coagulant. Have been told (although personally untried), solar ovens can be used when preserving in bottles.

Making your own interior wall paints.

And of course ... making children's paints, toys, dollhouses, etc.

Handmade crafts are welcome gifts. Many art/craft experts make their own charcoal, paints, dyes, etc.

Also ... the obvious ...

Make one's own bread, cake, pizzas, dried pasta etc. Use dried pulses instead of tinned.

All very time-consuming, of course ...

Become very familiar with nutritional needs, and keep to these when preparing food.

Make household cleaning aids ... much cheaper and healthier.

For women, make one's own beauty products ... most of the ingredients are easy to source and purer. The saving is enormous. Ingredients listed on beauty products are generally in % and many are not necessary ... Additionally, there are places teaching how to make beauty products, as well as recipe sites online.

Make paper briquettes for the open fireplace.

Get a goat is you have large enough space (and council permitting) ... wonderful for keeping blackberries, gorse etc. at bay. And great company. Ducks (and geese) are also great company ... ducks get rid of snails and slugs; geese are great weeders ... Of course, one can never eat goat, duck or goose again ...

Danielle

Loving your suggestions. Love the idea of a goat - would save much work on my steep property. We have permission for goats and many similar stock here do you recommend a Nanny or Billy? A nanny would provide milk. Would have to screen off fruit trees.

Also have wanted to make my own yogurt for some time - just haven't gotten around to it, ditto for ricotta (one of my fave cheeses and so useful for many dishes).

I invested in a pressure cooker, and with practice have made anything from braised meats, through to curries as well as swiftly made rich and hearty stocks. I think that the pressure cooker has paid for itself by now with savings on gas.

Ammonite your post reminded me of my mother's great camp oven. It was a dark black metal pot with tight fitting lid (can't remember what it was made of - maybe iron). Mum or Dad would build a fire in a hole and let it burn to hot coals and then bury the whole pot with roast and veg within. I don't remember how long it took to cook but the result was beautiful succulent meat and veg. No power needed at all. Dad eventually built an outdoor oven - huge thing which doesn't take long to get hot with a good fire, and has baked meat and bread in it many times all with good results.

With careful planning it would not be difficult to go off-grid completely with some solar panels and maybe a roof wind turbine, using wood fired stove etc. Would love to try it one day.

Grass Roots and Earth Garden magazines have published a few stories on solar ovens Danielle. Might be worth hunting up relevant ones from their offices or through the library.

It isn't only about penny pinching but about reducing waste and using less energy. Not really a hardship at all, much depends on attitudes and mindsets.

Pelican

>> It isn't only about penny pinching but about reducing waste and using less energy. Not really a hardship at all, much depends on attitudes and mindsets. <<

Exactly. While there will always be those who bolster their egos with purchasing the latest gizmo, most of us can manage very well, keeping up with technology but by using our imagination rather than just be suckered in by some salesperson.

My last computer worked adequately for 10 years, the last three I used Linux Ubuntu. My latest configuration cost me under $300 being a combination of recycled and free software. I don't how long this will last, but I know I have not contributed to as much waste as I could've and saved a packet.

We also have to keep in mind need; if I was to spend some time in hospital, an Ipad would be my link to the outside world and keeping a check on my sanity. If manufacturers would make items to be literally upgraded with easily replaceable parts rather than built in obsolescence, we would be a long way towards a more sustainable society. Another thing would be for manufacturers to pick up broken or obsolete equipment and strip down the components for re-use. A win/win. And a procedure that we may well be forced into if we do not start now.

Ammonite,

At certain times of the year, a billy, unless neutered, has a VERY strong musky smell, which can travel quite a distance.

A nanny is great for milk.

Goats are highly intellligent and can unlock gates - so ensure you have a goat-proof lock; and they do have to be fenced off from fruit trees or other plants you value. They can be very patient just waiting for the right time after eyeing odd a particular tree you have planted.

I have found the Saanen goat, one of the biggest, extremely gentle. The British alpine tends to like to debate things with you. Then again, all goats are individual. But, I have never found a goat that wasn't affectionate.

A steep slope is ideal, having no problems for goats. And again ... they are very effective at ridding properties of gorse or blackberries, etc. I have seen a huge bank of both these weeds, which if poisoned would have remained a fire hazard (so dense, high and wide), so demolished by one goat, that not the smallest stalk remained. And a happy goat was she!

This was also a great object lesson for the children. By going steadily, just one leaf at a time, this apparently insurmountable problem was eradicated.

Goats also like companionship - whether another goat or other livestock - even the feathered variety, or a dog/cat. If you are able to be around a goat for some time of the day, they will settle for that.

Also, if you have a horse, a goat makes a great companion.

Good Luck.

Pelican and Ammonite,

I agree with everything you say. It is also about being independent. I have heard that some children are unaware where peas come from (other than in packets).

A confession. I am quite lazy. The skills of a goat/s, a goose and duck (Heloise and Abelard, respectively) did all the necessary for me. Only after this small battalion had gone was I aware of just how extremely labour saving they were. I had even forgotten about snails and slugs, and other assorted ...

We did build a pond for H & A as part of the deal; at night they needed a fox-proof pen. Negotiation is always important when considering animals.

During the day, H & A wandered freely

The only problem I had with Heloise is that she took great offence at the bus passing by, and screeching loudly, would chase it. Abelard - they were inseparable - would waddle as fast as he could after her. However, it only required stamping my foot and yelling, and they would do a 180 degree turn and come back.

Danielle

A couple of my neighbours regularly go walking with a German Shepherd, Labrador and the cutest goat which will stop to eat a tasty branch, but is obviously keeping a sharp goaty look-out should her companions get out of range and race off to catch up with them. Goats are very friendly, often greet them when out walking.

Keeping one will require some thought with fencing, however. And you're right about companionship. My long term plan is to buy a rescue Greyhound, German Shepherd puppy (doesn't have to be pure-bred), some chickens (bantams are supposed to be easy going), put in a pond to catch the natural run-off. So many dreams. Who needs the latest 3D flatscreen TV, when one can simply lie in the grass and watch an echidna snuffle through leaf litter for tasty treats.

Pelican

You can buy cast iron pots from places like army disposal stores.

Slow cooking, a glass of wine (or in my case lemon water), the sky above and wind rattling through heads of banksia..

Ammonite,

Sounds wonderful! I love the idea of a rescue greyhound - they certainly need adopting. Despite past reputation of being 'savage' they are extremely gentle ... and I am told, rather lazy, preferring to loll about rather than rush around.

Have you read Bill Mollison's "Introduction to Permaculture" (Tagari Publications). From what you have mentioned, you appear to be going that route. He takes into consideration energy efficient site analysis, self-sufficient energy sources, water management, establishment of soil fertility, septic tank run off conversion to fertilizer, microclimates, and, of course, maximum use of land for produce, animals, aquaculture, etc. etc. Extremely comprehensive.

My daughter has a giant Flemish rabbit, which from photographs looks the size of a womat. They have a few acres, but the rabbit has its own bed and lives in the house, was house-trained in one evening, is extremely affectionate following her around all day; when she sits on the lounge, jumps up beside her and rests its head on her lap. Apparently they can be taken for walks on a halter. However, the frisson of it meeting an aggressive dog and taking off leaves much to the imagination.

Pelican,

Thank you for the references. I know Earth Garden has been around for a very long time. In one of its earlier issues, a clever person described how he created solar power from a bank of bottles. This was long, long before solar power was the "buzz."

Some groups which may/may not be of interest to readers here:

Landshare (connects people who like to grow their own food with those with land to share)
www.landshareaustralia.com.au

Freecycle Australia. Items no longer wanted, are offered at no cost to members.
www.freecycle.org/group/AU/

Barter groups. These groups use points system which are exchanged for produce, products, services and skills.

Many groups such as My Savings (http://www.mysavings.com) offer freebies, samples, discount coupons etc.

There are also home exchange/swaps for holidays - both in Australia and for those travelling overseas ... Google 'home exchange + australia' As I know nothing of these, I can’t ‘recommend’ them, but others here might be able to.

For cooks ...

Saffron is hellishly expensive to buy, but very easy to grow.

Truffle spores can be purchased and grown in Australia.