Its summer, which means oily rag orchards are about to get into full swing. Here are some ideas for summer treats using in-season and plentiful fruits. Fruit popsicles are wonderful for those hot summer days and can be made with any ripe fruit. Blend a cup of chopped fruit, a cup of yoghurt, and some […]
Many thanks to those who responded to last week’s article about emergency supplies. C. E .P. from Hamilton, but previously Christchurch, has some advice about preparing for an emergency. “When stocking your emergency food supplies, where possible, include the types of foods the household would normally eat. Obviously any food is better than no food, […]
There were times gone by (usually during periods of world famine and severe deprivation!) that animal offal was a common nourishment. Nowadays, at least in New Zealand, it’s generally thought that offal is food more likely to be served to pets, than people – but not so. Lill from Whangarei considers it a special treat […]
Radio NZ’s Nine to Noon program had an interesting segment last week about making cheese. What will surprise many people is that it’s so simple, and you don’t have to wait a generation for it to mature – it’s one of those situations where good things don’t need to take time! The interview was with Jean […]
Spring has sprung which means its time to clean! Here are some cheap and easy cleaning tips from readers. Sue from Kaitaia recommends sugar soap. “I use it for cleaning walls, ceilings, floors and to wash the car. It is really good at getting road grime off the car and does not leave waxy marks […]
While chatting to a fellow oily ragger at our local supermarket the other day, they mentioned how well their banana plants were doing after giving them good coverage of coffee grounds. They have an arrangement with a local café to take away the grinds, which works well for both parties. That got us searching the […]
We have received a great letter from Karen in Northland who has worms, well, we mean keeps worms, in her garden, to make compost and liquid fertiliser for the vege patch. Karen says it’s much better than putting kitchen scraps into the compost bin because the worms do the work and the by-product is much […]
A reader from Whangarei writes, “I am pleased some major retailers are going to eliminate the expiry date on gift cards. In August 2014 I was given a Palmers gift card. I have used it occasionally but when I tried to use it last week they said it had expired and my remaining credit was […]
Frugal Kiwi from Whakatane has asked for suggestions for finger food. Angela from Whanganui responded with these suggestions, “When I have a big crowd to feed I make burritos. A bit of mince can go a long way if you pad it out with beans and canned tomatoes. I make tortillas myself (they are ridiculously […]
Thanks to the readers who responded to the Housing goes up in smoke column. Many expressed the view that cutting down on things like alcohol and cigarettes should be the very first thing to do when money is tight. We agree – it’s the responsible thing for parents to do if the family is struggling […]