I use straight washing soda or soda ash in my washing machine – it works really well and is very reasonably priced. For my dishwasher I use washing soda and baking soda and citric acid with a white vinegar rinse aid. They both work really well.
To make the most delicious sun-dried tomatoes you’ve ever tasted, you need firm, ripe tomatoes, salt, dried basil, a metal oven tray with a lip, and a cake rack that fits inside the oven tray. Cut tomatoes in half from the stem to the bottom. If large, cut in half again. Remove any tough bits […]
When your soap is too small to use don’t throw it out. Save it in a dish and when you have what you think is enough, finely chop up the pieces, place into an old saucepan, add water and bring to a boil. Stir and simmer, then pour into blocks and let it cool. There […]
Here’s a tip to prevent the wires coming out of your bras in the washing machine: wash them in a pillow case! Tie the top and wash on a gentle setting. I wash all our underwear on a gentle wash setting. Here’s a recipe for a cheap laundry powder. Use 1 kilo of washing soda, […]
This is a good and cheap flea remedy for cats and dogs that works. Mix 225 ml cider vinegar with 112 ml of warm water. Add 1/2 a teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. Shake well, put into a spray bottle and apply.
I have had more than one washing machine repairman tell me that commercial fabric softener is their ‘dream product’ as it stuffs your machine and pipes! I now mix half water with half white vinegar in a 1 litre bottle, add 1 teaspoon of eucalyptus oil and few drops of your favourite essential oil. Shake […]
Some may have noticed recent publicity about a supermarket price war over nappies. The bottom line is they are discounting the price of disposables to lure mums down their isles so while they are buying up large on the discounted product they are also filling their shopping carts with the everyday priced goodies (the same […]
Fair Go ran an interesting segment about a couple (Mike and Kirsten) who were having money worries, despite being a +$100k income household – the sort of household that some politicians call “rich”. Trouble was, Mike and Kirsten were not rich, and like many, were working hard but not getting ahead. They had a $410k mortgage which at the current repayment rate was going to take 25 years to repay.
Some say that solar power is the way of the future, but the high upfront cost of solar panels has been a stumbling block. So there was a ripple of excitement within the oily rag community recently when a media headline exclaimed, “Free panels place solar power within reach for kiwis”. However, on further reading, it is apparent that while there are lots of free things for the frugally minded, solar power is not yet one of them.