A Blogging Break

Wishing you all a very lovely Christmas and a relaxing break.
See you back in the New Year, refreshed and relaxed.
Stay Safe.

XXooXX
BusyWoman

New Floors Down

The floors are down and the furniture is slowly going back to where it should be. The floors need to be polished a little as they are a bit flat and have a powdery coating.

The next step is to complete my 'VISION SPLENDID'. My vision is of a well maintained, organised house with a place for everything and everything in it's place. Clear of clutter and unused items. A place where our children can grow and learn in a simple environment free from the distractions that the world puts in our way (read consumerism!) I believe that when children have too much and are never bored, they don't ever develop their imagination. It is the child who is allowed to become 'bored' from time to time who builds a cubby house, creates a 'shop' or sits down to sketch and design.

So the task of decluttering, simplifying and creating peace continues.

Not A Vision Splendid

Last night we had to move everything so that the timber floors can go down. FINALLY !

We have done a lot of work to this little house over the past few years. It has grown as our needs have grown. The latest project involved closing in a back cement veranda and reclaiming an over sized laundry for living area. We then updated the bathroom and combined the laundry with the bathroom because the bathroom is a good size and we use a front loading washing machine that doesn't take up much space.

Now it's time to put timber flooring down - all the way through the house except the bedrooms. Hopefully it will cut down on dust and will be easier to keep clean.

I am looking forward to putting things back and minimising all the clutter. I will create my Vision Splendid, that is, I will design it exactly the way I would like it to be !

$21 challenge Meals

As regular readers will know, we have been gathering meal ideas to be able to carry out the $21 challenge from Simple Savings ( see the link below right).

Here is last nights dinner. - Home made wraps which I have posted the recipe of before. ( see recipes section)

As you can see from the picture - the wraps are not perfectly shaped like the ones you buy in the packet, but believe me they are much tastier and they roll without breaking. They are also very filling. You would be pushing it to eat more than one. You can fill them with whatever you have. Last night we marinated some chicken strips and had some salad with them.

....And the costs ? Well....... difficult to calculate -flour, salt, warm milk, vegetable oil. Hmmmm probably about 75 cents for the four wraps. The extra cost comes in the filling, so about $2.50 for the chicken strips (250g) and the salad is difficult to estimate because you use the same items for many meals.

It is certainly a meal to add to the list for the challenge. It's also a very healthy one.

An Entrepreneurial Spirit

As you would have ready earlier in my blog I am fascinated by the ways of my Grandmother who is now a healthy 100 year old. I believe that we have lost many of the good things about this style of living.

 I am not saying that it would be nice to go back to having no electricity and no running water but I think we can implement many of the ideas and philosophies from that time to benefit our modern lives.

One thing about the old ways that I love is the entrepreneurial spirit.

That is, the ability of people to create their own incomes. I am certain that it wold not have been viewed in such a romantic light back then, it was more a case of survival.

 If you wanted to eat then you needed to either grow it yourself or make some money doing something in order to buy your food.

There were no credit cards. If you didn't have the money then you didn't buy the goods. I often think that if it wasn't for credit cards and redrawing on mortgages we would be living almost like the Great Depression days.

How would you go if you got your weekly income out of the bank, held it in cash and new that it was all you had to sustain you for the week, or new that you had to actually save some of it to buy more expensive things?

In times gone by people created their own money without a job as such. Lots of people worked for themselves - the old idea of the butcher, baker, candlestick maker. My Grandmother worked hard to save money when it came in from selling wheat and wool. She also made money through extra things like selling eggs and turkeys.

Have we lost our Entrepreneurial Spirit ? Would we be brave enough to sell our services or goods for money ?
Would we be brave enough to know that if we worked hard we would make more money but if we were lazy we would make less?

Something worth thinking about.

The Declutter Has Begun

As mentioned earlier today, I am on a mission. A mission to revamp, simplify, declutter and reduce.

I have started with one of the bookshelves. I asked myself - what do I no longer need ? What would someone else now benefit from ?

Here are the results of the first purge. I have listed a couple of the items on my ebay site http://search.ebay.com.au/_W0QQsassZvisionsplendidQQfrppZ50QQfsopZ1QQfsooZ1QQrdZ0

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A Facelift and A New Mindset

You have all seen this picture before. I snapped it one morning when I felt that Spring was trying to break it's way through the cold winter mornings.

This is the main hallway in our home.

You will notice that we have cream coloured carpet.

It was a good idea at the time. Number one son was a newborn baby and we had no idea what life would be like in the future with cream coloured carpet and two young sons. My father-in-law suggested that we get black carpet and paint the walls black up to a height of four feet until the children are about 12 years old. LOL

Next week we are having the carpet replaced with timber. This is something we have been saving up for, for a while now.

We are really looking forward to a total clean sweep of the house. Since renovating the bathroom and building a back room onto our house many of the normal spring cleaning jobs have gone out the window, so we a really looking forward to a re-vamp.

Part of the re-vamp involves a massive clear out. We are going to reduce our belongings dramatically. We have so many things in this house that we never use and the freedom that comes from decluttering is long overdue.

I was reading an article recently about setting up home for the first time. It listed things that are required for each room. As I was reading it dawned on me that we really don't need too much else than what was listed.
For example, under laundry it said:

___ Iron
___ Ironing board
___ Detergent
___ Bleach
___ Fabric softener
___ Laundry Basket
___ Stain Remover
___ Sewing kit
___ Hangers

What else do you have in the laundry that may not be necessary ?

When we go away each year to our holiday unit we always comment on the simplicity of it. You open the cupboard and there are only 8 matching glasses, plates, bowls etc.

The cutlery is all matching, the second drawer only has a few important utensils. All so simple, so peaceful and so easy to maintain.

So...... a change of mindset...... simplify...... differentiate between needs and wants.......declutter and reduce belongings drastically.

Are you interested in a clear out ? Would you like to follow along and revamp your own rooms one by one with me ? Send me an email or a comment and jump on board!

P.S. One woman's trash in another women's treasure. I will post a link to my ebay site when the process begins. LOL

Busy Busy Busy........What's Been Happening ?

Christmas: Organising, shopping, making.

We take turns each year of going to my husbands family or having them come to us. This year it is our turn to head West to a little town on the North West Slopes and Plains of NSW, population 3050, soon to be 3054 for a couple of days. Santa, therefore, needs to be completely organised beforehand so that presents are there on Christmas Eve without little eyes spotting them. Santa says..... God Bless Australia Post.


Family Fun: We have been having terrific fun down on our fabulous local river. Early in the morning the water is like glass and perfect for skiing.


Local Entertainment: We went to a play night in a little country hall up in the mountains. The local "players" put on a play a couple of times a year and different community groups do the catering as a fund raiser. 

On the night we went the local Rotary group catered and the food was delicious. Serving 130 people is a big job !




And to my readers....Thank you for all your emails. I love the feedback.

STOP THINK DO: Are You Ready For A Merry Christmas

Most people start complaining about Christmas in October. It often coincides with the appearance of decorations in the shopping centres.

Instead of complaining about how quickly it is sneaking up, be proactive and get yourself organised. Aim to finish all your shopping and preparing by the end of November so that December is stress free and you can really sit back and enjoy this social time.

1. Make a list and check it twice. Never wander around the shops thinking 'what can I buy for my mother-in-law'. I keep a list throughout the year in my diary. I write things down as they come to mind.

2. Can you DO instead of BUY. Are there things that you can make from the heart ? Can you sew, cook or craft. Can you make a scrapbook album or write a poem. Can you give someone vouchers for your time e.g. 10 free lawn mows or foot massages. Be creative - it will make a memorable gift.

3. Less in More As I have said before, we buy 'gifts' from the worlds' most useful gift catalogue. You can buy a goat for a village, sink a well, buy school books or medicine.

4. Create Strong Family Traditions Traditions give us a framework to pin our memories to. We always put the tree up on 1 December and wear Santa hats and play old fashioned Christmas music like Jingle Bell Rock ! The kids always look forward to it ( and funnily enough, so do I)

5. Plan Plan Plan Get out your notebook and make your list. What are you eating, where are you going. What can you do now to make things run smoother for busy times.

Christmas is a season of joy, not stress. Remember.... don't fall into the habit of busyness.

STOP. THINK. DO. Take this time to celebrate the joy in your life.

Frugal Strategies

Get it for Less- Find a cheaper source for things you already buy.

Make it last longer- Look after the things you do buy.

Use it less- Driver less, use your dryer less, use your air conditioner less...... you get the idea.

Use it up Shop from home first. Look at what you already have and make do. Make meals from leftovers, re-vamp some clothing, use things that you would through out for another purpose.

Wear it Out - Get the most from everything that you use before you throw it out.

Make it do Substitute things where you can or be prepared to settle for things that are less than perfect.

Do without - Stop and think! ... Do you really need it ? Can you do without ? Can you wait until the 'trend' of the item passes and you can pick it up cheaper ? Can you borrow or share with someone else ?

Make it yourself - What can you make yourself. Bread ? Clothing ? Restaurant style meals ?

Grow it yourself- Can you grow even a few small things ? Can you trade with someone who grows things that you can't ? Can you at least have a herb garden or grow sprouts on your windowsill ?

Trade it- Revive the forgotten art of bartering. Barter your goods or your time.

Put the word out- When you do need/ want something - tell others and then wait. You will be surprised what can come to you once you put the word out and are prepared to wait. Experiment with this idea.

BusyWoman has been......um....busy !

My online name has been an accurate reflection of my life recently. I have been busy.

As a result my computer time took a back seat. So.... you're probably wondering what I have been up to ?
Well.... I have been trying to balance family, fun, friends and work. I have been water skiing quite a bit and have been able to get up on one ski ( with great difficulty), we have had friends come from Sydney to stay with their two children, I have been scrapbooking in my family journal ( must record all these great times) I have been to Sydney for work, I have had a pampering facial ( hubby gave me vouchers for my birthday) and even had a beautiful hand soak and massage at a Bodyshop party.

So...... this weekend we will relax and have some family time.

The funny thing is that because I have had a lot on I have been able to achieve a lot. Sometimes I think because I am so busy I don't procrastinate when I have to get something done.

For those of you that are following my blog ( and thanks for the emails) I am still doing my homework for the $21 Challenge. I have been gathering my recipes. It's amazing what comes to you when you put the word out there !

So... if you have any ideas for meals that may be useful, please let me know.

STOP THINK DO - Part Four

Step Four is: PLAN PLAN PLAN

Planning stops things from sneaking up on you. Planning reduces your stress. Planning gives you time to save money or time to do something little by little.

Plan what you will eat for the week.
Plan what you will where and lay everyone's clothes out the night before
Plan what is coming up in your next week or next month
Plan for big events many months out
Plan you errands to make better use of time

Good Order Is The Foundation Of All Good Things - Edmund Burke

$21 challenge

I am currently preparing to do the $21 challenge at Simple Savings ( see my link at the right hand side).

 The reason that I am preparing this is that I have to really think about how I will tackle it.

The idea is to be able to feed your family for a week for $21. You don't have to do this all the time, but doing it from time to time means that once a month or so you have a considerable chunk of your budget not spent.

You are allowed to use things from the pantry that you already have, so the $21 doesn't have to buy every little ingredient.

Is anyone keen to have a go or at least swap some recipe ideas ? There are two adults and two children aged 6 and 9 in my family.

Eating Local - A Successful shopping trip

I went to the local farmers market yesterday.

 It's only one once a month at this stage, although there were quite a few people there yesterday so, here's hoping it will become more frequent.

Yesterday I got some great stuff including the usuals like tomatoes, cucumbers, eggs, bananas etc. I also got some lemon myrtle soaps and essential oil and a ginger herbal drink.

The prices were really good. These products come from the Colonial Herbal Company, makers of Norfolk Punch. They are located at Kendall, a small community just up the road. http://www.norfolkpunch.com.au/

The picture is of some local oysters I got for Hubby. He made "oysters kilpatrick' for his dinner last night - that's where you add worstershire sauce and bacon and then grill them.

I am not an oyster fan, but he loves them! ( The kids and I had spaghetti bolognaise LOL)

365 Ways to Simplify Your Life

In our last swap, my partner Dee sent me a little calendar with a simple hint on each page. Here are a few of my favourites:

1. When you're finished with something, put it back where it belongs.

2. Work out what cards you need throughout the year and make them, or buy them, in advance

3. Keep receipts in one place

4. Walk away from gossip

5. Buy clothing you can mix and match

6. Keep a list of odd jobs to be done

7. Lay your clothes out the night before

8. Have everyone have their own bath towel and beach towel

9. Shop for Christmas all year round

10. Keep your car clean and full of fuel

11. Sort your groceries as you put them in your trolley and as you put them through the checkout to make unpacking easier

12. It's easier to stay healthy than to try and reclaim your health once you are ill

13. Buy extra when things are on sale

14. Plan ahead

15. Use a family calendar

16. Establish a plan for emergencies

17. Re- wear your clothes if they are not dirty

18. Teach your children to manage their own money

19. Have a gift wrap box

20. Have an annual retreat to renew your soul

STOP THINK DO - Part Three

Develop a Plan and Organise a System For Paying Your Bills

If you have bills arriving in the mail that you didn't know were coming or you suddenly can't afford to pay for something else because you have to pay this bill, you are allowing your bills to control YOU, instead of you controlling them.

To prevent this, you must have a plan and you must work your plan into a system.
Firstly, list your big expenses throughout the year. These may include electricity, water, school fees, registrations, insurances etc. If you are unsure when these bills fall, then mark them on a summary sheet which is divided into 12 boxes, one for each month, as they come in through the year. Knowing what is on your horizon will enable you to plan for the larger expenses rather than dreading them when the bill arrives in the mail.

To control the bills I have a system whereby I tally up every bill that I expect to come in throughout the year.

 I look back through old calendars and bank statements to get an accurate list. I then add the total of all the bills for the year. After I get up off the floor and recover from the shock I divide this amount by 52 or 26 if you work on a fortnightly budget and then know that this is the amount that I have to put aside.

My version of "put aside" is to transfer it into an account that is only for bills. I don't touch this money, except for bills. Depending on how much control you need over your finances, you may choose to have a plastic bag for each bill, whereby you put $20 a week into the electricity bill bag etc. Some people choose to do a bpay electronic transfer to each company so by the time the bill comes in, the amount is in credit or close to zero.

The choice is yours.

The only rule is that it has to be "a system" that is, something that is not too complicated and works for you. If you are the type of person that simply can't have cash on hand because you are impulsive then don't choose the method where you hang onto the cash. You would be better of paying each company a small amount each fortnight.

When a bill comes in I write the due date on the calendar and the amount. I then have an "unpaid bills" clip that stand on my desk. One of my jobs on Mondays is to look at my budget and pay any bills. I pay the ones that are due in the upcoming week. I also write a list of bills that I have paid so I can see at a glance how much variance in, for example, mobile bills over the past few months.

As you know from my previous posts we work on a cash only basis for our day to day expenses and for our savings. See my previous post for how I actually do this.
http://avisionsplendid.blogspot.com/2007/07/working-with-cash-budget.html

To take away financial stress you have to be in control. Otherwise your money management is like a giant wave that keeps knocking you down every time you try to stand up. Removing financial stress will allow you to concentrate on more important things, like building quality family relationships and having a more peaceful, simplified family life.

Let me know how you are going via email or comments. If you have any helpful hints on how you reduce financial stress in your family, please let us all know.

Best Patty Cake Recipe

This is my sister-in-laws recipe and it is the best that I have come across for patty cakes ( also known as cup cakes). The cakes are light and yellow in colour because of the custard powder and they are delicious!

125g butter

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup castor sugar ( although I used normal sugar)

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups Self Raising flour

1/2 cup custard powder

1/4 cup milk

Cream the sugar vanilla and butter.

Beat in the eggs one at a time

add sifted flour, custard powder then milk

bake in a moderate oven for 15 minutes.

Decorate with icing ( if they last that long )

STOP THINK DO - Part Two

STEP TWO: KNOW WHERE YOU ARE FINANCIALLY AT ALL TIMES.

We have embarked on a journey to take control and create a better and simpler life for ourselves and our families. Before we get into the nitty gritty we are doing some preliminary steps which are financial. Money is not the most important thing in our lives, but it plays a big role in our stress levels and can even cause relationship breakdown. We will therefore attempt to remove that stress by managing what we have and this will enable us to focus on things that truly matter.

So, in your notebook make a 'starting point' page.
1. Head it with today's date.
2. List ALL the money you have – every bank account, every wallet, every purse, every money box. Don’t list what you owe here, there will be a separate table for that.
3. Now list all the money you owe. This includes mortgages, credit cards, personal loans, loans to friends or family, lay-bys etc
4. Now, make a summary :

TOTAL WE HAVE: ___________________________

TOTAL WE OWE:_____________________________

Now that you have faced your financial truth you can start taking some steps to improve your situation. It is also helpful to mark a date on your calendar for 3 months down the track to do this again and look at how you have improved. If you want to keep a tighter reign on things you might re-do this sheet monthly. If you are really taking this seriously, you may even graph your progress so that what you have is in one colour and you can see that line going up, and what you owe is in another colour and you can see that line going down.

Don't be too frightened by the results. It is important to know where you are so that you can map out where you are heading. Burying your head in the sand will only make your situation worse. Take control !

Don't forget to give me some feedback. Email me with your results or let me know how it feels to face the truth!

STOP/THINK/DO Part One

Are you ready to start a series of steps to move forward and simplify your family life ? Grab a notebook ( one you already have - don't go buying anything!) and write out each step and your thoughts along the way.

Step One: STOP ALL UNNECESSARY SPENDING

When we first started thinking about simplifying our lives 'unnecessary spending' meant the second can of coke when we had meat pies for lunch. Slowly but surely, unnecessary spending became frequent take away food, pay TV, coffees, magazines, alcohol and then over time it moved to include packaged foods etc etc My point is that "unnecessary spending" depends on your personal definition. It is important that you do your maths - rather than say 'it's only $4 for a coffee - no need to be a miser", you realise that $4 a week day is over $1000 a year. I am sure if someone handed you $1000 for a family holiday you wouldn't reject it.

So, have a look at what you are currently spending money on and ask " is this necessary?"


Next we will look deeply into our financial position and face the scary truth of where we are so we can map out where we are heading.

Silly Silly Mistake

I have taken a week's holiday but instead of going away I have been at home catching up and relaxing.

We spent a couple of days picnicking at the river and swimming and skiing.

We had been teaching my nephew how to water ski when hubby suggested that I jump in and ski back to our base, which I did.

When I arrived back at the shore and went to dry myself off I suddenly realised that deep in my pocket ( I happened to be wearing hubby's board shorts) was my mobile phone.... and it was dead!

We pulled it apart to dry it, but......... it's dead.

It was a very old phone, did nothing special but it did the job.

So ..... now I am left with a dilemma. The SIM card works fine so I have been hunting around for an old phone. I went to the dealer and asked if I could buy an old phone that someone has traded but the woman said they go to charity. I would have paid for it and then she could give the money to charity !

So... herein lies the problem.

My options are:

- go without a mobile phone - could be problematic with work, emergencies etc ( although how did I manage prior to 1999 ?)

- buy a new one - don't want to change the deal I have because it gives me great broadband and can't justify hundreds of $$ for features that I won't even use.

- find a hand-me-down and insert my SIM card. Originally someone gave me an old phone but it was 'locked' to another provider.

My first instinct was to just buy a new phone and then I thought, NO. I will apply my frugal principles. I will STOP/THINK/DO. I will put the word out there into the universe and see what happens. Let's just hope the law of attraction works !!!

I will keep you posted.

The Best Birthday Present

I had a lovely birthday on Friday. I turned 35.

Hubby sent flowers to my office. I nearly cried because I would NEVER have expected that.

He also gave me the book 'Choosing Eden' by Adrienne Langman which, if you've had a chance to listen to the podcast from the ABC in my previous post, is about the couple that left Sydney and moved to the country to prepare themselves and their children for the price hike and lifestyle changes that may be associated with the peak oil dilemma. I finished reading it this morning and found it to be an easy ready and very motivating.

The second item in the picture is the DVD of the series that recently aired on the ABC called "Not All Tea and Scones". It is a series about the CWA ( Country Women's Association) in Australia. On the surface it is about women cooking and entering cake baking competitions and serving scones at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney each year.

 The true message, I believe, is about the strength of country women in being the glue that binds families and communities especially in times of drought and economic hardship. It has many recipes featured throughout it and I will let you all know how they go.

The flowers pictured are from my girlfriend. She was out of town for Friday and couldn't join me for dinner that night. When they arrived at my office I sent her a text message that said " they are beautiful and so are you" and she replied " your friendship's worth every petal". ( sigh! )

In the evening I went out for dinner with some friends. These are my " air pot" friends so it was a very rare occurrence to go to a restaurant. We had a great night. N friend even made a home baked white mud cake and I nearly died when the waitress came out singing.

I am so lucky to have such great friends. They are indeed a very precious resource.

Thank you for all the emails I have been receiving. I will do my best to answer as many as I can over the next few days.

Canvas Bags by Tim Minchin

When Disaster Strikes..... It may not be what you think !

I have always loved the idea of 'being prepared' as you know, but I have a certain amount of complacency.

 After all, I tell myself, we don' t live in a hurricane area, nor a flood area and I often think that I should probably be ready in case the small airport we are close to ever has a terrorist attack or we are evacuated because of an explosive threat, but then I get side tracked and it goes back on the ' must do one day ' list.

Now my thinking has changed, and no, I am not burying weapons in the backyard or building bomb shelters. I don't know what the disaster is that I am preparing for which greatly changes the way I prepare.

The biggest disaster we all face is personal. It could be that the breadwinner becomes ill and is no longer able to support the family, it could be a dramatic change is your small business, it could be that family member becomes ill and requires a full time carer. Sometimes you could never have seen the 'disaster' coming.

Hubby and I were talking about this recently with the horse flu virus that has invaded our state.

 It has meant that all racing has been shut down and no horses are to be transported.

I didn't think too much of it at first, but it had now stretched on and the flow on affects must be terrible. What if you were the man who worked behind the bar at racing events, what if you bake bread for the canteen, what if your charity group runs the coffee stand at the local pony club. The flow on effects are enormous.

My point is..... we never know when disaster will strike, so we always need to be ready. Disaster may be on a large scale like a flood, hurricane, power outage or it could be on a personal level, like losing your job. It may be an instantaneous event or it may be a slow steady change.

Rhonda from Down to Earth recently wrote about the ABC interview she heard on the subject of peak oil http://www.abc.net.au/rn/lifematters/stories/2007/2028694.htm If you tune in, the story starts about half way through this audio programme.

We may not notice the changes too much at first. As they say, drop a frog into boiling water and it will jump out. Drop a frog into cold water and slowly increase the temperature and it stays there, oblivious to the danger, until it is cooked. The moral is be responsive to gradual change.

But wait...... what if I'm wrong ! What if peak oil is a myth, what if climate change is a myth.... what if I make all these positive changes for nothing ? LOL If I'm wrong, we have made our selves healthier wealthier and wiser for nothing ! ( read sarcasm) The reality is that you are a winner, whichever way it goes.

So, on a practical level, how do we make these changes. After all, not all of us are lucky enough to retire to the coast on acreage with just ourselves and our partner (like the lady in the ABC story). Some of us have to still educate our children, pay off houses, work to put food on the table and build a future. So we need practical advice.

Stay tuned.... and send this site address to your friends and family so that we can create a network of support, for simple ideas that families can implement easily.

TV Free

As I have said before we don't watch commercial TV at all. Never. We are ABC watchers and occasionally we will watch SBS if there is something special on.

Since last Friday we have switched the TV off once the kids have watched the ABC kids shows after school. I don't mind them watching these, especially the science show and BTN ( Behind the News). Our 9 year old loves this.

When you switch off the TV your shoulders drop and you breath a sigh of relief - try it and see. Then the calmness sets in. The Tranquility. Ahhhh Serenity !

When you have the TV off the time goes really slowly, maybe because it's not broken down into half hour segments. We read, the kids colour in and build lego, and surprise surprise ....we talk !

Try it. You may just like the serenity. I am up to night number seven - I think I am hooked on the peace and the early nights. I will watch it again, most likely, but as a treat and planned relaxation and enjoyment, not as a mindless exercise. I like having the extra time too much

RE-CAP Eco - Challenge

It's now around three months since we had our family meeting and set down our ideas for our own family eco-challenge. Here is a summary of what we originally wrote down and how we are going.

1. Energy

a) Turn off lights when not in use DOING
b) turn off appliances at the wall - SOME - could improve here
c) Have shorter showers - DOING
d) install energy efficient light bulbs DONE THROUGH WHOLE HOUSE
e) use re-chargeable batteries - not doing this - but minimised use of battery operated things

2. Water

a) shorter showers and water saving showerheads - got flow inhibitors
b) catch cold water when waiting for hot to come through – use this to fill water bottle and kettle - DOING
c) wash up in the small sink DOING
d) flush when necessary DOING ( giggle)
e) install water tanks - not done yet - on list after current reno finished

3. Transport

a) Ride bikes to school and work - H and kids ride to school - I haven't started riding to work yet as still too dark on way home
b) Limit trips to town – by planning and grouping trips DOING
c) Get Dad to ride motorbike to town for smaller items/ errands DOING
d) Walk DOING
e) Find cheaper fuel, drive more economically DOING

4. Garbage

a) Compost Food Scraps DOING
b) Stop Getting Plastic Bags DOING ( although still have trouble with smaller bags from time to time)
c) Buy items with less packaging TRYING - this one is REALLY hard

5. Consumption

a) Don’t buy unnecessary things DOING - we have cut right back !
b) Work on a cash budget LOVE DOING THIS
c) Use things sparingly- DOING - e.g. less toothpaste on the brush etc
d) Do instead of buy – make it yourself. DOING - lots of cooking.

Overall I think that we are really progressing well as a family. The considerable drop in water usage reflects the changes we are making.

There is always room for improvement. I would still LOVE to be able to ride to work. I will have to do a test run to see if I can make the 7.5 km and how long it will take me.

Enviro Saver Programme

We have just had an energy assessment through the Enviro Saver programme.

This is a free assessment of energy and water usage.

 During the assessment they change all your light globes over to energy efficient ones and fit water saving shower heads or flow restrictors.

They can also give advice about rain water tanks and solar water heaters etc. We already had a few energy efficient bulbs in, but they changed an extra 11 lights for us.


This programme is free because it generated carbon credits which companies then buy. I am looking forward to the savings and will keep you posted.

Check out the site to see if they are working in your area yet ( aussies only sorry).
www.envirosaver.com.au

Changing The World - one air pot at a time.

Do you remember these ? These are called " air pots". They were around in the 70's/ 80's. They are a giant thermos with a pump top that holds about 2 litres of boiling water or icy drinks.
I AM OBSESSED WITH THEM !!!!
My obsession began quite a few years ago, BC actually ( BC = before children). As we were sitting somewhere eating take away that starts with a big 13th letter of the alphabet I spied an older couple with their basket and their thermos having morning tea/lunch. It really struck me that what they were doing was not only healthy it was extremely frugal and they didn't have any rubbish. We, on the other hand had spent 20 bucks to clog our arteries and pollute the earth.
So, ever since, I have christened these folks " thermos people" to the point that when we drive places we point them out. "look honey, thermos people".
All the thermos people I ever saw were older folks. Even folks with huge 4 wheel drives and caravans bigger than my home who certainly didn't look like they needed to save money were using their thermos! So why aren't young couples and families applying the thermos principle ? We need it the most. We need to still pay off house educate our children etc. We can't afford to be pulling into takeaway shops !
So..... the tradition began. We became thermos people and encouraged others in our age group to become thermos people as well.
I remember travelling around western New South Wales and pulling into the park at Dubbo and making coffee for hubbie and I and snacks and drinks for the children, with home baked biscuits and cake and felt the greatest sense of joy - which I call " joy of joys". I even have the vintage table cloth ! Oh !!!!!

The air pot obsession was simply an extension of the thermos principle. When I saw my very first one I couldn't believe that they still existed. I remembered them from my childhood. I just had to have it. IT WAS THE ULTIMATE THERMOS !
Since then I have taken it everywhere and showed it off so very proudly! Then a N Friend's husband found one in amongst second hand items that was brand new in a box with original paperwork ! - We were soooooo excited and couldn't believe our luck. I ended up finding another one for K Friend last week for her birthday. The funniest thing was that her other friend had also got her one so now she has two - one hot and one cold !
They are sooooooo brilliant. We waterski and picnic most weekends so we always have byo coffee and food. The savings are extraordinary ! Do the maths. Even if we only bought one coffee each Sunday theres a $300 saving.
We laughed so hard today because down on our river a vintage car club turned up for their morning tea stop. They all got out of their old cars and got their thermos' out and that's when I spotted it - on a table further up the park - an air pot ! I had to hold myself back from going up to bond with them, and ask them if it is an original still in use and discuss the longevity.
I held back.... after all.... I didn't want them to think I had some sort of air pot obsession !!! LOL
Anyway, my challenge to you all is this. Firstly, if you did grow up with an air pot or if you were/ are 'thermos people' I want to hear ALL about it.
Secondly, if you are not currently thermos people, then make a start ! Next time you travel anywhere pack a picnic lunch and pocket the savings! Do the maths and work out what you can save.
Thirdly, as you drive around this great country of ours ( our yours) take note of the ' thermos people' and think about how they save their health, their hip pocket and the planet.
Fourthly, spread the word ! Help me in my individual quest to revive the air pot world wide !

Water Usage

You may recall that our family undertook an eco-challenge ( scroll down to the categories of posts at the bottom to read) and were focusing on a number of areas.

Well, it looks like we are beginning to see the results. The water bill came in yesterday and it is 16 Kl less than for the same period last year. It is also 5 Kl less than the last bill.

There is still room for improvement as it really hasn't been that difficult to get the usage down.

Home Made Wraps

This is the first time I have tried to make a tortilla or wrap as we call them. It was surprisingly easy! This wrap is for number 2 son's after school snack. It has home grown lettuce and tomato that I bought at the local Farmer's Market on Saturday, so it definitely fits within the 100 mile radius. You

may recall the challenges that I am having with the 100 mile diet - scroll down to categories at the bottom of the page if you have missed the posts.

Tortilla Recipe
2 cups self raising flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 cup warm milk.

I just mixed it all together and let it all sit for a while.

 Then I broke it up into balls and rolled them out really thinly on a floured bench.

I them 'scooped' them up with an egg lifter and put them in the frying pan. I only used a tiny spray of cooking oil and had the pan as hot as it would go

. It only took a about 20 seconds to cook each side. Number two son said they taste better than the packet ( God love him ! ) and as he is only six I am sure if they weren't he would have soon let me know.

I used to buy the packet of ready made wraps.

We often have them in the summer time. I marinate some chicken breasts cut into strips in ginger, coriander and lemongrass with a little soy sauce and then cook the strips on the barbecue.

They are great for guests because you can lay out a smorgasbord of salad and everyone can make their own wraps. I have one friend from Sydney who loves them, but she is particularly sensitive to food chemicals and comes out in an itchy rash when we have them. I guess if you can stick a food product in a plastic bag and have it sit on the shelf for 3 or 4 months it must have something in it to preserve it.

I can't wait until she tries these wraps. I hope she loves them.

Raspberry Coconut Slice

This is the slice to make when you think you have nothing in the cupboard!

You Need: ( the base)

3/4 cup plain flour

1/4 cup SR flour

90g butter

2tbsp sugar

1 egg

jam ( I used strawberry because I had it - the original recipe used raspberry, but you could use anything you have ! )

Mix together and press into a baking tray. Then spread with the jam.

Then to make the top you need

1 1/4 cups coconut

2tbsp sugar

1 egg

mix this all together and spread on the top of the jam base. Then bake for about 30 mins at 180 degrees or until the top is a lovely golden brown colour.

The one in the picture is a double mixture. The amounts above only make a small tray. Make the small on first and see whether your family likes it.

Where Did The Name Come From ?

" A Vision Splendid" .

Long before I started blogging I had a computer journal. I used to collect ideas, pictures etc and write my plans and thoughts.

One day, in the middle of renovations, sick children and an absolute mess throughout every room in my home, I walked around and took some photographs of our place in it's " raw state". When I uploaded them onto my computer I named the folder " Not A Vision Splendid". I then proceeded to open a new computer journal called " A Vision Splendid" and began writing in great detail how I was going to 'take control' of all aspects of my life. I now believe that this is an ongoing process and that I will never 'have' control, but when I look back, I think I have really come a long way.

Australian readers will also know that poem ' Clancy of the Overflow' in which Banjo Patterson uses the line:

" And he sees the vision splendid of the sunlit plain extended,
And at night the wondrous glory of the everlasting stars."

This also, has influenced me in not only the name of the blog, but in the idea of picturing your ideal and then moving towards it.

Visit this link for the whole poem

http://www.the-rathouse.com/ClancyoftheOverflow.html

Often when you read people's blogs you think they must have a perfect life as it all looks so lovely. I think that you only see what they want you to see. No-one ever shows their kitchen during cooking or what their loungeroom looks like after a rainy weekend when the kids decide to build a pirateship out of boxes !

One day, when I am feeling game, I will show you the 'not a vision splendid' photographs ( cringe ).

My challenge for you today though is, in an attempt at keeping it real, post a photograph of something that you know is currently not perfect that you would like to choose as your 'Vision Splendid' project, that is.... imagine how you would like it to be and slowly move towards it.

Feeling Personally Organised

Do you ever feel that you can’t keep up with life and that it just happens while you run to keep up with the pace.

The idea is to take control so that you become proactive instead of reactive. This means that you will be prepared for events beforehand rather than reacting to them when they become urgent or important.

The tools you will need to feel personally organized are:

1. A diary
2. A calendar
3. Menu Planner
4. Shopping List
5. Budget Book

The calendar needs to go on the wall at home and the diary needs to be big enough to write in yet small enough to carry around.

In order to get ahead you need to set up your diary. Remember, you start where you are. Don’t think you can only start doing this at the beginning of the year.

Firstly, birthdays. Fill out a list of all the birthdays for the year. Then go through and mark them in your calendar. When you go to mark them in your calendar/diary you will need to firstly mark the date and then secondly put a note in the week before that says “send off card” or “ buy present” or whatever you do for that person. It may just be that you send a special email on the day.

Mark in any other dates. I, for example, mark in all the school holidays and try and plan when I will take leave throughout the year.

Now whenever you receive notification of any events you need to not only put them in the diary but put a reminder a week or two out from the event depending on what sort of preparation is needed for.

I have discussed the concepts of menu planning, budgeting and shopping before on the website and you can scroll down to the category searches if you need further information.

The idea is to be dealing with things before they become urgent. The more ' ahead' you are the less stressed you are.

What can you do today to be prepared for something that is on you horizon ? If you deal with things on the horizon they are the size of ants. If you leave them until they get closer and closer those ants become elephants and you will be trampled.

Please let me know different ways that you do things in advance. It could be as simple as making lunches the night before, buying Christmas presents in January or once a month cooking, I would love to hear from you.Please also let me know if you require more detail. Would you like to see the charts and forms I use in my home management binder or mu budget books/ menu planner etc. Do you need a copy ? Please email me. My address is in my profile.

Wash on Mondays, Iron on Tuesdays

Well, maybe not that programmed, but Monday is my stay at home day so I always have "Monday Jobs".

These usually include:

Paying Bills
Doing the Budget
Menu Planning
Calendar Updating
Cooking
Organising my clothes for the rest of the week
organising sports clothes for the children

Rhythm and routine are important parts of life.

If you can spread your tasks over the week you won't have one day where there is an impossible number of tasks to be done.

Doing things little by little brings peace to your day.

The Family That Plays Together Stays Together.

We have just had another wonderful day down at the river.

Whenever the weather is good we pack up our picnic things and our skiing things and head of. We usually have another two families that meet us there so between us there are 7 children.

The good thing about these days are that we all play together. We have learnt to water ski and tube, the kids fish, swim, run around etc. We all ‘play’.

The grown ups all comment about how much fun it is to come together for days of complete relaxation. The good thing is that our kids are with us. They are not wandering the streets or hanging out with other kids or families that may have different values to ours, they are with US. We all hope that if we are an active family that does activities that all ages enjoy, then we will keep our kids from wandering off the path !

Tips For Building a Strong Family

1. Build a Family Identify – give kids a strong sense of who they are. Treat you family as your team. Use positive language such as “ we are the Jones family…” “ The Jones family always…..” make up funny and memorable things about your family.

2. Establish your family values by defining them through the above e.g. “ In the Jones family we treat each other with respect”

3. Develop a strong family history. Children love hearing stories about when you were young, or when they were babies etc. In days gone by oral traditions were very important. We talk so much less now that we all glue ourselves to the TV. So tell your stories to keep the history alive.

4. Develop Family Celebrations. Kids love predictability and rhythm. Celebrate the little things with special dinners or treats. Build up to bigger celebrations such as birthdays and Christmas by preparing weeks in advance. Kids love the suspense and the countdown. Develop Family Traditions by repeating key components of celebrations, for example, 1st December is always the night that we play Christmas carols and unpack the decorations and tree. The children are SO excited by knowing that this is the way it always is.

5. Play together as a family. There is no better way to develop a sense of belonging, than to actually spend time together.

My challenge to you if you still have your children at home, is to simplify things. Don’t be tricked into thinking that if your children aren’t doing 3 after school activities a week that they are ‘missing out’.

What kids are missing out on today is the chance of being kids in a family that is calm and well rounded and most of all loving ! So, slow down. Create routines and rhythms by which you run your house in a smooth manner rather than a frantic timetable of trying to keep up with everyone.

Just stop. Think. And Play.

Stock Up

Today I went to ALDI ( about a 40 minute drive from home) and did my stock up with a friend of mine who is also looking at saving money through smart buying.

Sometimes it is good to pair up because you can go halves in larger quantities so that you get the bulk discount without the storage problems, or having the product go off before you use it all.

So far we have shared rice and peeled garlic cloves ( we got a big bag when we were at the Sydney markets together). Soon we plan on sharing potatoes and a large quantity of meat.

It's nice to have like minded friends. I had to laugh tonight because I got a text message from her which said " cat food a hit", meaning that her previously fussy cat had taken to the cheaper ALDI cat food. It's great having someone who enjoys extreme shopping as much as I do !

Happy Snaps

Extreme Shopping

You've heard of extreme sports, well I am into Extreme Shopping. Now don't misunderstand me, I don't spend hours clothes shopping and wandering the malls. In fact I hate that sort of shopping. I am into extreme shopping for things I have to buy - and let me tell you I LOVE it!

It started quite a few years ago when I was expecting number one son. I spent a lot of time obsessing over our budget working out how I could afford to not go back to work once the baby was born. I soon worked out that saving 20 cents here or there could really make a difference and I have been totally obsessed with the concept ever since.

Now I am sure many of you are thinking that you can't be bothered shopping around, or that the extra time involved is not worth it, but take a look at this little equation.

Lemonade: I usually buy two bottles for a week. It comes on sale and I can save $1.25. Multiply this by two and then by 52 weeks for the year and the saving is $130. Not much you reckon ? Do this across your grocery list and you 'make' enough savings to take your family to a resort for 10 days every Christmas. (well that's what I choose to do - you may choose something else like pay your credit card off or use it for birthdays etc )

So.... the question remains. Is it worth the time and hassle ? Only you can answer that question. The actual question is.... how much time are you willing to invest to have a holiday/ pay off credit card etc ? ... one hour..... three hours ......5 hours......

Here's how I do it.

Firstly I went to the supermarket I usually frequent. As I did my normal round I took a calculator and worked out the best buy by using the unit price method. I divide the price grams/ litres etc and multiply by a common unit to get the price into a usable quantity. Clear as Mud ? Let's do an example. In the supermarket you see two bags of sugar.

The first is 2kg for 2.49 and the second is 3kg for 3.79. Here are the steps

2.49 divide by 2 = 1.245 per kg

3.79 divide by 3 = 1.263 per kg

so the 2kg is the better buy. Don't be fooled though, the answer is not always the biggest quantity and this example doesn't really show a clear saving.

Here's another: Toothpaste 110g for 1.29 or 175g for 1.89

1.29 divide by 110 X 1000 = 11.72 per kg

1.89 divide by 175g x 1000 = 10.80 per kg

I convert the smaller numbers to kilos or litres to make it easier.

It tool me about an extra 40 minutes to do the shopping that day and I recorded the prices in my price book. The next week I shopped at the other supermarket and did the same. Then when I came home I compared it with a docket I had from a trip to ALDI.

I then made a master list of what to buy from which shop. All up I think it would have taken me about 3 hours to do the whole thing over a number of days. Now when it comes to shopping day I don't run around to every shop and waste my time. Because I used the stockpiling principle, that is I buy enough of something when it is on sale to not buy it again until it comes on sale again , that I simply buy what I need depending on which shop I go to.

The extreme shopping starts (oh I crack myself up - this is so sad ! ) when I see catalogues and can do a quick calculation as to whether or not the shampoo is a good buy and how much I will save.

Every time I laugh at myself and think I have REALLY become obsessive compulsive about my grocery shopping I just think of that holiday.

We have been going there for 9 years now. Who'd a thought it ! Most people can't be bothered. But I'm sure if you stood on the street corner and handed out $2000 they'd jump at the opportunity.

Well, people, your opportunity is already under your nose. You just have to ask yourself whether you are willing to invest the time. After all, in this world we either spend money or we spend time.

Are you an extreme shopper ? I'd love to hear your story !

Warning: Soap Box Moment

Tomorrow is number one son's 9th birthday and tonight I dropped by our locally owned independent toy store 'Mal's'.

 Mal showed me the Lego catalogue and told me that anything with a star next to it means that he is unable to order it in because they only supply it to the two large department stores in my area.

Well............. I was horrified.

Those Goliaths are going to put my little  David out of business if they keep going this way.

 All I can say and I shout it from the roof tops, is SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.

 I have seen it in a town I used to live in where the only fuel is distributed by those companies who are associated with a food store.

Once the independents are gone, the market is owned by the Goliaths and there is no competition and they set the prices.

Fuel in this town was 12 c a litre more expensive than the nearest town.


So... I am even more passionate now about keeping local people in business, whether you buy your eggs off the lady down the road, or attend your local farmers market or barter with friends.

THINK BEFORE YOU BUY !!!!!

It May Not Look Like Much........

Finished !

This is my dishcloth wish I have to put in the post by Friday. For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, refer to Down to Earth on the link bar at right. Rhonda had such an interest in her use of home made cotton dishcloths rather than disposable wipes that she put up a swap for anyone that was interested. The idea is that you pair up and make a dishcloth then swap it. Sounds great in theory and I signed up without too much thought. After she posted the due date it suddenly occurred to me that I can't knit !!! Well, actually, I can knit but only whilst chanting " in around through off". I let Rhonda know that I was a little worried but she assured me

that if we wanted something that was perfect we would go and buy it from a store. Tonight I wanted to finish but didn't know how to so I had to Google " knitting- casting off". All I can say is 'Thank you Google, where would I be without you. ' Google sat me down on his lap and gave me a photograph tutorial of how to cast off and DAH DAH ( said with expression) FINISHED ! ( after many hours of chanting) The most hilarious thing is that my swap buddy is Chris from the US who has a website called " crafty angels". This woman is obviously VERY talented and will probably laugh at my effort, but to me, it is beautiful and is the first knitting project I have ever finished.

Eating Local - Farmers Market.

I finally made it to the local Farmer's Market. It is not on every weekend yet as it is a relatively new idea for the town.

It was terrific to see local producers and growers selling their own wares. There was everything from eggs to moisturising creams.

I was really impressed by a local group who are doing whiting fillets in the form of rissoles and sausages.

They had some cooking to try and they were beautiful!

What a brilliant idea to help families eat more fish. The fish are caught locally and they even handle the manufacturing about 30 minutes from my home.

Considering the aversion my husband has to imported seafoods, I think he will be impressed not only by the taste but by the fact that it is all local.

So, looks like there are more local foods that what I first thought. It's just a matter of doing your homework.

The 6P Principle

6Ps = Prior Preparation and Planning Prevents Poor Performance.

I have written before about my Grandmother's ' one up' principle, that is, you have a spare of everything in the cupboard and as you finish one off you get another one to replace the spare so that you never run out of anything. 

This week I have made a list to fully prepare my stores cupboard.

I have worked out my usage, for example, I know that at all times I want a container ( 3kg) full of flour as well as 4 1kg bags in the cupboard.
This will take me some time to finish because I will only stock up when the products are on sale. The overall aim is to never pay full price for anything again.
If you watch the sales you will see, for example, that Vegemite may come on sale every 6 weeks and you may know that you go through 3 jars in that time, so I would buy 3 when they are on special.

If you let your items run out or run low, you will have to buy them when you need them rather than when they are on sale.

If you use the store cupboard idea of stockpiling, you will eventually get to the position where you only buy sale items each week.

This will cut your grocery bill dramatically. If anything unforeseen happens you always have your insurance policy.
 We all think that a ' disaster' will not happen to us, but sometimes it is the simplest thing that can cause problems, like blackouts from storms or floods.

 If there is no power, the doors of Coles can't open ! I wonder how many people were caught by the flooding around Newcastle - not caught by flood waters but caught by the shut down of services.

 The moral of the story always comes back to the 6P's.

The 6 P principles is the answer to how can you get ahead and work towards never paying full price for anything ?

A Frugal Subversive Award

Kez http://kezs-blog.blogspot.com/ has nominated me for an award ! - Thank you very much, I am honoured. As she has stated on her blog it was started by Rhonda to recognise "bloggers who consistently turn their backs on consumerism to live frugally in a creative and authentic way. These bloggers have made me think in innovative ways about my own life and how I can make a difference making, reusing, and just saying "no" to mindless spending."

So, my nominations ( an apologies for any double ups ) are to:

Cindy's Porch ( http://www.cindysporch.com/)

Hillbilly housewife ( http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/ )

Natalija ( http://sarahsdaughter.lifewithchrist.org/index.html )

I particularly like Natalija's website because she is a mother to five children in Serbia who really makes the most of what some of us may call adversity. She documents her every day living which I find to be inspiring because of her skills - sewing, cooking etc. She has a very simple way of life.

MEME RULES

1. When you are tagged, write a post with links to three blogs who have inspired you with their frugal creativity or innovation.
2. In your post, please link back to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme and save the award graphic.
3. Leave a comment or message for the bloggers you’re tagging, so they they know they're received the award.
4. Display the Frugal Subversive Award badge to identify your blog as part of the movement that is turning its back on consumerism at any cost.

Vintage Kitchen

These kitchen items are from my Grandmothers kitchen - dirty because I am in the middle of using them !

 I LOVE the old things that she used.

They are far more sturdier than what I can buy today and the fact that they are still in existence after up to 80 years shows that they are well made.

The spoon that I use to cook with is completely worn down on one side from my Great Grandmother and my Grandmother using it.

When I cook with it I always think of these women doing it so hard, yet not knowing any different. It makes me want to work that little bit harder.