Planning Your Boxing Day Shopping

I'm a planner,  thinker and list writer.  Most of all,  I LOVE to get a bargain. Getting the most out of your budget requires a little forward thinking to get the best deals.

I've been Boxing Day shopping for at least 18 years when Jessica was a toddler in a trolley while I scoured the half empty shelves in department stores on Boxing day.

I'm getting better at grabbing the best deals without mindlessly buying rubbish or going over budget. So before you get ridiculously busy with present wrapping,  parties and food prep for the big day, take a few moments to plan how you'll tackle the Boxing Day sales ( or stay at home ).

Here are a few handy hints I use to get lots of bargains -

*  Write a list of everyone you'd like to give a present to next year ( and further into the future ).  Don't forget to include anniversaries,  Valentine's Day ( if you celebrate ),  Mother's / Father's Day and Easter.

*  Write a $$$ amount beside each name making sure you can afford to buy for all the people on your list.

*  Are there any gifts you can make ?  If so,  do you need supplies to make these gifts.  Make sure you add the supplies to your Boxing Day list.

*  Start looking in the shops now as you do this year's Christmas shopping.  Are there items that you just know won't sell out before Christmas because the stores are over stocked ?  These items will be on sale on Boxing Day so make sure you add them to your shopping list with the store name and original price.

*  Christmas decorations are at rock bottom prices leading up to Christmas and on Boxing Day.  Do you need to replace old decos ?  Are you needing to build up your stocks ?  Are you wanting to try a new color next year ?  If so,  write the color on your list.  I've rarely paid full price for decorations. Most I've made or have been bought on clearance.

*  Serviettes, paper plates,  bon bons,  tea towels and hand towels should be planned for in advance to avoid paying ridiculous prices for something red and green.

*  Christmas material will go on sale with up to 75% off after Christmas.  Do you need new Christmas stockings,  table cloths,  table runners,  aprons,  place mats or bunting ?

*  Perfume will be cheaper after Christmas and the best deals can be found at chemists.  Who needs perfume and aftershave on next year's present list ?  Do you need to buy for general use as well ?

*  The discount,  cheap, $2 shops are great for Christmas craft ribbons,  decos and anything Christmas.  While most people are hunting out bargains in the big department stores,  you could be buying the best bargains ever.  Have a look now at what the cheap shops are stocking.

*  Keep an eye out for Boxing Day trading hours.  This can be a very important piece of information.  Plan which store you'll visit first depending on who is open first.

*  Gift tags,  wrapping paper and Christmas cards should only be bought on Boxing Day and the days after.  Are your stocks getting low ?

*  How many Christmas hams can you fit in your freezer after Christmas ?

As you get closer to Christmas,  your list should be forming quite nicely.  Just remember,  only buy what you can afford and what you can use in a reasonable time.  Don't forget to wear comfy shoes and take a water bottle and something to eat.

HAPPY SHOPPING  !!!

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Egg Custard

Egg custard has been a family favourite in my family since I was a little girl.  Mum loved to make it when we were recovering from an illness.  Wind the clock forward a few decades and I've continued to make this delicious custard for Darren,  our girls and myself.  We don't wait until someone is sick though.  If we have too many eggs or milk that needs using in a hurry then egg custard is our dessert of choice.

2 eggs
600 mls of milk
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 tablespoons of cornflour

Extra 100mls of milk


Add the eggs,  milk and  sugar to a medium saucepan and whisk well to combine over a low / medium heat.

Using the extra milk in a cup,  add the cornflour and blend well until there are no lumps.  Add this mixture to the saucepan and whisk in well.

Continue whisking the ingredients and bring to a slow simmer.

Turn off the heat when the custard thickens.

NOTES -

*  Be careful that the heat isn't too high as the milk will catch on the bottom of the saucepan and burn.  That's why I like to whisk continually while it heats.

*  This recipe can be doubled if you need to use up more milk or eggs.

*  Great eaten hot or cold by itself or with fruit.

Christmas Presents On A Budget

With Christmas fast approaching,  I'm sure most of you have made plans or bought a few presents.  For those who struggle to find the money to spend on presents,  here are a few frugal ideas

*  Biscuits ( cookies ) in a jar made a delightful teacher's gift,  Kris Kringle,  office party present or a present for a friend.  If you have elderly family and friends this would be ideal.  Many elderly can't or wouldn't bake for themselves.  You could give the biscuits ( or other baking ) in a cellophane bag bought from the discount stores.  Tie the top up with recycled ribbon and add a gift tags.  For a larger batch of biscuits,  use a glass coffee jar ( Moccona comes to mind ),  decorated baby formula tin or an icecream container with a ribbon tied around for presentation.  Here are two suggested biscuit recipes on my blog

Peanut Butter Choc Chip Biscuits

Cranberry Hootycreek Biscuits

Biscuits in a jar

*  Teenage boys can be hard to buy for.  They want expensive branded gadgets / clothes and shoes.  A budget gift could be deodorant and shower gel bought at half price.  Lynx toiletries come on sale quite a few times during the year and cost about $3 each at half price.  Team this up with a couple of giant biscuits wrapped in cellophane bags tied with a tartan ribbon.  They'll devour those biscuits before you know it.

Always buy on sale

*  Make a set of handmade cards.  Kmart sells packs of white blank cards 25 per pack for $3.  Using a glue stick,  recycled ribbon and bits and pieces from around the house you could make an elegant set of card that are unique.  Present them in a handmade box,  a decorated recycled one or maybe buy a suitable size from the $2 shops.  Add a few postage stamps and a novelty pen for the receiver to use.

Using scraps of wrapping paper

*  Not crafty ?  Then maybe the garden is where you'll find a few presents.  Take cuttings from your plants and re pot them into saved garden pots,  containers,  planter boxes or fruit boxes.  Clean the outside of the pot and add a ribbon or saved colored plastic from bunches of flowers etc.

A raspberry cutting we grew

*  Now is the time to plant a mix of lettuce seeds in a pot for a beautiful display to give at Christmas. Both useful and very frugal.

Grow different varieties of lettuce

*  Make handmade soap.  If you make the soap in the next week or so you'll have just enough time for it to cure ready for Christmas giving.  The ingredients only cost a few dollars but produces $30 - $40 worth of presents.  You might even have some of the ingredients in your pantry.  Soap making is not as hard as it seems.  Just follow the instructions carefully and you'll be fine.  Wrap the bars of soap in cellophane and add a ribbon.  This soap could be added to a decorated hand towel or set of face washers.  Here's one of the recipes I use Soap making
  

Handmade soap

Gift wrapped ready to give

*  Men can be hard to buy for.  If they have a bbq then make up a few jars of spice rubs for meat.  Save your baby food or mustard jars to use and add a hand made or printed label.  If you'd like to bulk up the present,  make it into a gift pack buy adding paper towel,  tongs,  canola spray,  foil and cling wrap.  Men who bbq always need these items and it's saves them digging around in the kitchen. I know from first hand experience.  Darren has a tub of his " own " things next to the bbq.


* Google,  Pinterest and Youtube could be your best friend when searching for frugal or free gift ideas.  With a little planning now,  you don't need to spend a fortune on gifts.  Remember,  it's your budget.  You know what you can afford.

Cutting The Electricity Bill.

Lately I've been thinking about the rising cost of electricity for all households. I was alarmed at the cost of our last bill of $251 for the quarter ( including discounts and solar panels ). According to those online comparison websites, we are not high energy users yet it doesn't feel like it's being reflected in our bills. So I'm on a mission to cut our electricity usage and slash our bills.

There's what I'm going to do -

* Not using the clothes dryer until April next year. Even then only for urgent use.
* Get the electric fans out of the shed at the end of November. Evap cooling will only be used when really hot.
* Not using the lights in the bathroom when having a shower unless it's dark. This means getting my girls to have a shower before tea when the sun is still up.
* Limiting use of the tv.
* Reminding everyone to turn standby lights off.
* Turning the outside light on 10 minutes before Darren is due home from work, not when he rings ( he's 1/2 an hour away ).
* Charging my laptop every few days when I'm using it.
* Having tea a little earlier so that we don't have to turn a light on.
* Double use of the oven when possible.
* Getting the girls to go to bed earlier, therefore the lights, tv and laptops will be turned off.
* Doing some online research for more handy tips.
* Making use of our curtains and keeping them closed on hot days. ( when they finally arrive )
* Getting Darren to turn the hot water temp down a little.
*  Using the thermos to store boiled water.

If I think of anything else I'll keep adding to the list.

Will anyone join me in reducing their electricity bill ?

When I get my next bill,  I'll post any changes - good or bad .  I keep my bills from the same time last year, so I'll be able to compare costs.

Card Making Ideas September 2016

Although I love making female cards,  I know I need to learn how to make men's cards as well.  After all,  they do celebrate birthdays, Father's Day,  anniversaries and Valentines Day too.

Recently I was given a handful of motoring booklets and magazines that had suitable pictures to use in card making.

Here's what I've made lately -

These cards were made on a cream colored card.  I found packets of 10 sheets of cardboard colored cardstock in the $2 shops.  Each sheet was cut into four giving me enough for 40 card fronts.  I edged the cardboard with a black ink pad to give it an aged / vintage look.

The red background for the car is a paint sample card from Bunnings hardware store.

This image is from a Kaisercraft 12 x 12 inch sheet that had multiple images to cut out.  This makes a quick and easy card.

This one was made on a silver card.  It gives it a sporty look.  I try to keep most of the cards blank and add a sentiment when the card to being given.

An Extra 5 Ways To Use Bread Bags

Here are some great ways to recycle bread bags around the home -

*  Use bread bags as extra packing material when sending parcels in the mail.  Just make sure they are clean and reasonably new.

* Bread bags are great for greasing baking tins.  Turn a bag inside out and put your hand in it.  Then dip it into a butter dish or margarine container.  Grease your baking tin then turn the bag back the right way and throw in the bin. No greasy paper and no greasy hands

*  Use a bread bag to crush up biscuits for a recipe.  This keeps the crumbs within the bag.  No mess.

*  Bread bags make great ice packs for injuries.  Make sure you wrap a tea towel around the bag to prevent damaging the skin.

* Keep one on the kitchen bench for collecting food scraps for the compost bin.  Roll the top down a little then collect your scraps.  If you use the bag a few times during the day,  fold it over to prevent smells escaping.

 

Pumpkin Soup

With the weather turning slightly cooler,  Winter will be here before you know it.  In my house,  Winter means comfort food and soup falls into that category.  There's nothing like a big bowl of homemade soup and some crusty bread to fill an empty tummy and warm the soul.  Pumpkin will be coming into season shortly and prices will get cheaper.  Here's my pumpkin soup recipe for you to enjoy -


I smallish butternut or jap pumpkin
1 to 1 1/2 litres of boiling water
1 medium onion finely diced ( dried onion flakes can be used )
1 - 2 tablespoons of chicken stock powder
1 tablespoon of chives  fresh or dried
Pepper to taste

Scoop out the pumpkin seeds and cut off the skin. Cut into large chunks
Add the pumpkin to a large saucepan and pour in boiling water until the pumpkin is almost covered.
Add the diced onion.
Cover the saucepan and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft.
Add the chives.  Stir in well.
Using a stick blender,  blend the soup until smooth.
Add the chicken stock powder one tablespoon at a time and stir in well.

Serve with a dash of sour cream and chives.

Serves 4 - 6

NOTES -

*  This soup freezes well.

*  Butternut pumpkin can be bland in flavour.  If you use this pumpkin,  more stock powder may be needed.

*  This soup can be cooked in a vegetable steamer in the microwave.

Change Of Season Bargains

I was having a look around the shops last Friday and noticed quite a few sales on seasonal stock.  As the Southern Hemisphere moves into Autumn you'll find lots of camping equipment and outdoor furniture coming on clearance.  For those of you who live in the Northern Hemisphere you'll find lots of Spring Cleaning products coming on sale to entice you to do more cleaning.

Here's a list of items either on sale now or likely to come on sale shortly -

*  Big W has most of their outdoor furniture and bbqs on clearance.

*  Big W has Easiyo yoghurt makers on sale for $11.75 which is half price.  Well worth buying a few for Mother's Day or Christmas presents.  On sale until Wednesday 9th March 2016. From memory,  they don't usually come on sale during Winter as most people are eating warm comfort food.

*  Supermarkets will start reducing prices on marsh mellows,  lollies and choc bits used in Easter baking.  If you see a good bargain on these items,  stock up for another year.

*  The last of the back to school stationery,  drink bottles and lunch boxes come on clearance sales.  Think ahead to your children's needs over the next year or two.  Well worth looking in the supermarkets as well as department stores.

*  Camping gear will be on sale shortly in readiness for Easter holidays and long weekends.  Get your list ready.

*  Easter wrapping paper,  gift baskets,  bags, toy baby chicks and eggs will come on sale leading up to Easter.  After Easter you'll get the best bargains.  Lindt bunnies are usually half price starting Easter Sunday.  Buy up for next year.  Last Easter Sunday I bought enough bunnies for Mother's Day,  birthdays for the four of us,  Father's Day,  Anniversary, our Christmas stockings. and Easter this year.  Yes I bought quite a few but at $2.25 each I couldn't resist the bargain.

*  Perfumes will come on sale leading up to Mother's Day.  Also keep a look out for beauty products,  gift baskets, pjs,  slippers and dressing gowns. 

*  You'll find the last of Summer clothing and shoes on sale right now.  Think ahead to next Summer and buy up now. Spendless Shoes has bins on Summer sandals on sale.

*  Now is the time to check out op shops for last minute Summer clothing.  If you need a particular item for your wardrobe start looking now as they won't be getting the same quantity of stock coming in.   By the same token,  get your Winter wardrobe list ready.  As the weather cools,  people will be cleaning out their wardrobes and donating unwanted items.

*  Keep a look out for Summer sporting equipment.  You might be able to pick up some bargains for next Christmas.

*  Northern Hemisphere residents should check their cleaning supplies.  Dusters,  cloths,  mops,  buckets and cleaning chemicals will be coming on sale. You'll also find Winter clothing and shoes being reduced shortly.

Planning A Christmas Menu On A Budget

With Christmas just around the corner, I'm sure you have all been very busy decorating your home and Christmas tree with special ornaments. Table runners, candles and Christmas lights can also bring the festive feeling to your home.   A couple of months ago I  started planning my Christmas Day menu too. Although I want this special day to be perfect, it is so easy to go overboard with the food.

Providing two meats, a couple of salads or roast veggies and two or three desserts is all that is needed to satisfy the hungry souls at your table. The more you have to choose from, the harder it is for the eaters to choose. How to fit it all on the plate ? There is only so much you can eat at one meal and many people travel from table to table ( family home to family home ) in one day.

Also, the more you provide, the more likely you are to be left with leftovers for a week. To avoid gastro,  food should be refridgerated between courses and consumed within 2 - 3 days of cooking. You are less likely to forget what is left in the fridge if it is consumed within a small time frame.

I've cooked traditional and casual Christmas lunches in the past. Here's what I've provided for my guests

TRADITIONAL

roast lamb served in gravy
roast chicken
roast potatoes, pumpkin and carrots
cauliflower and broccoli with white sauce and cheese on top
mint sauce
sticky date puddings in muffin size with caramel sauce, cream and icecream

CASUAL ( BBQ )

rissoles
bbq steaks ( cut into smaller pieces )
sausages
mushrooms and onions
bread stick
green tossed salad
potato salad
pasta salad
plum pudding ( no name ) with home made custard, cream and icecream
mini pavlovas ( home made ) with cream and berries


Both have been hugely successful and everyone is full and satisfied. The casual meal had a lot more leftovers. We just ate salads and sausages for the next two days. The best thing about these meals is that I have most of the ingredients on hand already so there are no grocery blowouts. The only extra expense is the meat and a few veggies / salad things.

Here are some handy hints for cutting costs

*  Grow your own lettuce and salad things.  Lettuce grows all year round in pots or the ground.

*  Buy your leg of lamb in Spring when it's about $6.99 a kilo.

*  Keep a look out for bbq meats on sale at the butcher.  Freeze ahead of time in smaller portions.  It's so easy to pull out the exact amount of meat needed from the freezer.  Less waste and quite often dinner guest numbers are not known until a couple of days before.

*  Spread the workload around and ask guests to bring a plate / dish.  Most people are happy to help.

*  Not everyone likes plum pudding.  Single serve puddings might be your answer to reducing costs and left overs.  I've found no name/ generic brands to be mild in flavour and well received by guests. Making your own could be another option.

*  Buy your bon bons on  Boxing Day at half price.  I always buy enough for a couple of years.  A cheaper option is to make your own from wrapping paper tubes,  wrapping paper,  ribbon,  your own printed jokes and a trinket / lolly.  Making your own costs next to nothing.

*  Snacks like nuts,  dried fruit,  chocolates,  chips,  soft drinks and lollies should be bought ahead of time.  Most of these items are on sale from week to week.  Just check out my grocery specials post every Wednesday.

With some forward planning you can have a fabulous Christmas Day full of delicious food without blowing your budget.

Have you started planning your Christmas Day menu ?

Honey Soy Chicken

Once upon a time I was one of those people who bought sauces to pour over chicken to make a tasty meal.  This recipe was one of the first I attempted to make from scratch so I could save a little money and reduce our consumption of preservatives.  Once cooked,  the chicken is tasty,  sticky and worthy of licking your fingers.  

3 tablespoon of plain flour 

2 tablespoons of honey

2 tablespoons of soy sauce

Dried onion flakes

Dried chives

Pepper to taste

Garlic powder or granules

Chicken pieces – any piece will do.

Aprox. 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Coat the chicken pieces in flour.

Brown the chicken in a fry pan with the olive oil.  Transfer to an oven dish.

Melt the honey in the microwave for 20 seconds until runny.  

Add the soy sauce and stir.  

Using a pastry brush,  brush the sauce over the chicken pieces 

Sprinkle the seasonings over the chicken.

Cook covered in the oven for 20 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius   
Turn the chicken over,  baste with the juices and cook for another 20 minutes uncovered. . 

Serve with rice or mash and vegetables.

Ready to eat

Browned and seasoned

Half way through cooking in the oven.

 

Whole Orange Cake

This cake uses the whole orange - yes,  rind and all.  To save costs,  buy oranges in Winter when they are cheap,  whiz in the food processor and freeze in containers.   The fragrance of this cake is just lovely and the texture is rustic.  There's nothing artificial and the flavour is real.

1 whole orange cut into eighths
1  cup of  sugar
3 eggs
1 cup of Canola oil or 1/2 and 1/2 with olive oil
2 cups SR flour

In a food processor whiz one whole orange.  Make sure there are no pips.

Add the eggs,  sugar and oil and whiz until well combined

.

Add the flour and whiz again.

Pour into a large greased fluted ring cake tin or two medium loaf tins

Bake in a 180 degrees Celsius oven for about 40 minutes until  the middle springs back

.

Turn onto a cake rack when cool

This cake can be iced with lemon icing and dusted with coconut.

Notes -

*  This cake freezes well without the icing.

* The batter can be made into cupcakes.

My Menu Plan 16th August - 15th September 2015.

After a few months of not having a menu plan,  it's wonderful to get back into the routine.  My mind is a ease and the family just loves to see what's on the menu for tea each night.

Here's the long awaited menu plan for the Gower's -

Sun 16th   -  lunch at Cath's place after arriving home from the workshop.  Get Your Own that night.

Mon 17th  -  KFC drumsticks with tomato relish,  wedges and salad
Tues 18th  -  Tuna Pasta Bake with greens
Wed 19th  -  Meals out of the freezer
Thurs 20th  -  Fish in foil,  rice and steamed veg
Fri 21st  -  Homemade hamburgers and wedges
Sat 22nd  -  Veggie soup and toast
Sun 23rd  -  Get your own but feed me 

Mon 24th  -  KFC drumsticks ( we have lots in the freezer ), mash and steamed veg
Tues 25th  -  Homemade meat pie with steamed veg
Wed 26th  -  Meat pie leftovers and anything from the freezer
Thurs 27th  -  Roast chicken with roast veg and cauliflower and white cheese sauce
Fri 28th -  Spag bol with garlic and herb toast
Sat 29th  -  Chicken curry with rice
Sun 30th  -  Get your own but feed me.

Mon 31st  -  Honey soy drumsticks with mash and steamed veg
Tues 1st  -  Beef stew and mash
Wed 2nd  -  Wedding Anniversary so maybe out for tea
Thurs 3rd  -  Fish in foil,  wedges and steamed veg
Fri 4th  -  Rissole casserole with mash
Sat 5th  -  Chops,  mash and steamed veg
Sun 6th  -  Father's Day.  Might cook something special at home

Mon 7th  -  Saucy chicken drumsticks with rice and steamed veg
Tues 8th  -  Chop suey and mash
Wed 9th  -  Roast leg of lamb with roast veg and steamed veg
Thurs  10th  -  Tuna casserole and greens
Fri 11th  -  Shepherds pie made with left over lamb
Sat 12th  -  Homemade meat pie with steamed veg
Sun 13th  -  Get your own but feed me

Mon 14th  -  KFC drumsticks with mash and steamed veg
Tues 15th  -  Homemade lasagne with steamed veg

NOTES

*  I don't cook on Sundays.  We are generally busy with church or family get togethers.  I cook six nights a week for my family so Sunday night is their turn to serve me.  It also gives them a chance to learn new skills in the kitchen.

*  The menu plan is not set in stone.  If something comes up I just swap it around.

*  I always defrost the meat in the fridge as it's the safest way I know.  If something comes up and we can't eat it that night,  it's safe for another day.

*   The veggies we eat are the cheapest in season I can find.  We also have lots of blanched veggies in the freezer.  Someone commented on an earlier menu saying we eat a lot of potato.  As I said,  the menu isn't set in stone.  Some nights I look at the menu and might change the mash to rice.

*  We don't have any special dietary requirement in my family.

* We rarely have dessert as the main meals are enough.

*  Left overs are frozen that night and written into the menu plan as a free / freezer meal.

lasagne and streamed veg

chicken curry in the slow cooker

Family meat pie

Hamburgers and wedges at home

fish in foil