20
Jul
H.M.
Save milk bottle tops, old boxes, cardboard tubes, magazines, anything you can think of, then get out the glue and scissors and have great fun making things. Keeps my three year old busy for hours on rainy days.
Monthly Archives: July 2015
20
Jul
LTB, Auckland
To make chocolate ice blocks that turn out exactly like the expensive store-bought ones, at a significant savings. First make a chocolate custard. Place 500ml milk in a saucepan (I use fresh whole milk, but you can use reconstituted powder milk for extra savings) and bring it to the boil. Then add a tablespoon of […]
20
Jul
Stephanie.
Let kids save for their own college fund by encouraging them from a very early age to earn money by getting paid for what they enjoy doing! Our little boy who is now three loves dogs, so we offered to walk the neighbours’ dog for $5 a week. It makes us get out for exercise […]
20
Jul
Plingie, Christchurch.
Cloth nappies save thousands of dollars! Now days you can get a variety of different kinds and they are so effective. My complete set costs less than $500 (could have been less if I made them myself too!) and they have done my daughter who is now toilet trained, and my son now! I have […]
20
Jul
M.H.
We made our children a play area using saw dust instead of sand and an old bath instead of a paddling pool – it’s deeper and elicits louder screams of delight.
20
Jul
Aliza, Dunedin.
Here’s a playdough recipe. You will need: 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of salt, 4 tsp cream of tartar, 2 cup water, 2 tbsp cooking oil, and food colouring of your choice. Mix dry ingredients together. Add water, oil and colouring. Blend until smooth. Stir over heat until mixture comes away from the sides […]
20
Jul
K.C.
Use off-cuts from roof guttering (plastic) for a cool sloping track four your kids cars to go down. My son loves them, and they are free!
20
Jul
Mean Girl, Hastings.
School Holidays… Can’t afford a school holiday programme? Then get together with friends and start your own. If you can only get one day a week off work, then get your mates to do the same thing, (different days), and drop your kids at the appropriate house with their packed lunch. Arrange between yourselves different […]
20
Jul
TwinMum, Christchurch.
Don’t bother buying cot sheets – they look pretty, but your child will outgrow the cot in a year or two. Instead, buy and use single bed sheets, which (if you buy the right ones) will last the child until it leaves home! Simply fold them in half when using them in a cot.
20
Jul
G.B.
Community groups like Parents Centre, Plunket, Council Libraries, Churches and Community Centres run cheap Story Telling, Coffee and Music Groups.