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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 4/1/2009 2:37:55 PM
Posts: 1,
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| Hi, My tip is to clean your room/house/office. When you realise how much stuff you have just sitting there gathering dust, it totally deters you from wanting to buy more! Cleaning my hourse is always a reality check. When did I get so many handbags! And what was I thinking when I bought THOSE pants etc etc My other tip - don't buy things because they are on sale. A bargain is only a bargain is you actually use it and love it. Better to buy one full price item that you adore than three half price that you never wear.  Hope these tips help someone. By the way, totally agree about Affluenza- its a real eye opener
K
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Forum Newbie
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Last Login: 4/8/2009 11:54:35 AM
Posts: 3,
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| I recently had a group of friends over for Earth Hour. To compliment the evening, I asked if everyone would bring vegetarian food, though I'm not vegetarian myself. I wanted to see and remind others just how delicious and affordable vegetarian food is! My budget is tight given the current situation we are all facing, and this was another reason for opting to have a dinner party without meat! The vegetables I bought were all used for nibbles, main course and dessert so no huge expense for each item I prepared! If this all sounds 'too hard', really it isn't, and turned out to be quite fun! I have never made vegetarian pikelets or pumpkin rock cakes nor Vietnamese Curry before...all yummmm! I would invite you to try a potluck Vegetarian evening, I'm sure you'll be as pleasantly surprised as I was! Social gatherings don't need to be expensive, and with a little creativity are a fantastic alternative from what can be a more expensive restaurant option. Our vegetarian candlelight dinner under the stars was very successful!
Judes
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Forum Newbie
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Last Login: 4/1/2009 3:08:51 PM
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| i have often read the first rule of being a millionaire is to pay yourself first, ive tried to take this advise onboard and every year i cash in my christmas club account and dont have the worry of finding extra $ for gifts, also the philosophy of reduce reuse recycle seems more applicable these days
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 5/4/2009 10:23:48 AM
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| A few tips: For school lunchboxes, don't buy mini prepackaged biscuits and crackers as they are so expensive! Buy large packets and make little packs yourself - you can tailor the amount your children eat, and you can add other things such as dried fruit for extra variety. For drinks, instead of buying soft drinks or fruit juice which are sugar-laden and expensive, buy fruit cordial instead. It will go a long way and you can control the amount of sugar being consumed. Fruit and vegetables can be pricey as their production is affected by weather conditions. Shop around as sometimes it is cheaper to buy canned or frozen fruit/vegetables as these are picked and packed when in season.
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Forum Newbie
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Last Login: 4/1/2009 4:10:58 PM
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I few years ago I used to spend all my income and more, was always in debt and struggling to pay my credit card each month. I met my husband 5 years ago and since then we have managed to save for 2 overseas trips, pay for a wedding with 300 guests and have a luxury honeymoon. From planning ahead and keeping our eyes open for bargains, stocking up and being happy with what we have and valuing the simple things in life.
We make our lunches most days and buy our lunch for a treat, not every day as we used to. We also have saved a lot of money by stocking up on items we use when they are on special and meat specials from the supermarket which fill our chest freezer. We always plan our evening meal the day before, take the meat out of the freezer and make sure we have all the ingredients. I often will design the meal with ingredients we have at home to use them up. We like a glass of wine and buy our favourites when they are on special at the supermarket. If it's a really good special we buy a case and put it away. We always pay our bills on time and have the pantry and freezer fully stocked. It is thanks to inspirational sources like internet sites, magazine articles, frugal living books (from the library) and staying focused on what we want (having a baby and to be a stay at home mother, buy a house). We are now happy and living within our means…
alanak
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Forum Newbie
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Last Login: 4/17/2009 4:41:59 PM
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| A great way to spend smart is to buy the products that are on special at the supermarkets. That way you can save lots and still get great products!
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Forum Newbie
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Last Login: 4/4/2009 10:25:38 AM
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| I find that by substituting natural home remedies for expensive chemical items is not only good for your budget BUT good for your family's health, great for beauty and leaves home smelling fantastic. I wipe down the benches with an old lemon cut in half. The lemon juice also whitens discoloured/stains fingernails, and leaves the bench top and your hands smelling delicious- especially if you have been cutting onions or garlic and it is impossible with soapy detergents to get rid of the odour clinging to your hands. Lemons contain citric acid which is wonderful for restoring tarnished metal or removing lime scale. Simply use the juice in water for a gentle removing action or add some salt for a more abrasive cleaner. I also take off the rind of the lemon first and put it in the freezer, it keeps perfectly and lemon cakes are fantastic. It is a bit like the native americans using all parts of the buffalo and not letting any go to waste! To save on cleaning up mess i put down yesterdays paper over a big area and when you want to clean up you can bundle it all up. Also, entering competitions is a great way to live well on a budget  as you never know what you might win! Loved reading everyone's posts especially about buying cheaper cuts of meat and putting them in the slow cooker- it really does make it taste great!
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Forum Newbie
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Last Login: 4/6/2009 9:13:05 AM
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It's easy to waste money in the supermarket aisles.
The trick is not to save a few pennies on hamburger or find a bargain on chicken breasts. To save money on groceries cut out prepared food and instead cook yourself.
Cook something every day
The less you cook at home, the more you pay someone else in order to eat. Focus on healthful dishes for meals. Once your fridge is stocked with a few days of meals, celebrate by cooking something special like brownies or muffins.
Recycle
Left over soup - use it for lunches during the week and some for the freezer. Roast - great for sandwiches and a casserole later in the week.
Extract all the value
When you roast a chicken, after dinner put the carcass into a pot with sliced onion, chopped celery and a bay leaf to make chicken stock.
Plan "egg night" once a week
Set aside one night a week for eggs for supper. Although eggs are way up in price, they're still great value, try pancakes, omelettes, scrambled eggs, fried eggs, frittatas...
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 4/6/2009 3:04:32 PM
Posts: 1,
Visits: 2
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| My tip for saving money has saved me hundreds of dollars over the last year. I am an avid reader and buying books was costing me a fortune and it was the one item I just couldn't resist. Now, I have signed up to a few booksellers' email lists (e.g. Readings, Dymocks etc. ) and receive their updates on books. They usually preview the books and often staff will also list their all time favourites etc. In the past, I would have rushed out to buy the books that I couldn't resist (often adding up to $60 - $70 for a couple of latest releases). Now, I log onto my local library and search for the titles that I want to read and add my name to the reserve list. If the book is new, I may have to wait 3-4 weeks, but if not, often it is immediately available. If I am not sure if I will like a book, I search for it on Amazon.com and read the extensive reviews about the book as well as often being able to read an excerpt from it. Not only have I saved myself, probably conservatively $2-300 the past year (as well as saving space at home) but this approach also allows me to 'sample' authors that I am not sure I will like. The beauty of this is that it can all be done over the internet so no more walking aimlessly around libraries. This has been a major saving for a bookworm like myself.
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