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Latest Tips & Recipes December 2023

Here you'll find the latest tips and recipes added to the Tip Store and Recipe File during August 2023

Square Foot Garden Starter Pack

I gave this to a friend for Christmas.
Small tin with a variety of seeds (tomato, lettuce, cucumber, carrot). Labelled the tin survival seeds.
Made a square foot garden template out of some scrap timber at home.
$4 fabric cube from K-mart to plant into
$2 shop garden fork and, trowel.
Put enough soil for the cube into a bag.
Put it all in the fabric cube and tied a bow around the handles. Merry Christmas.
Contributed by Kylie Drost

Identifying All Those Charging Cords

​If you are anything like us, every electronic gadget comes with a different charging cord. We’ve taken to storing them all in a draw connected to our couch, but after accruing so many it’s become difficult to identify/remember which cord belongs to which gadget. So, I bought a cheap label maker and now type out a very small label, cut it to fit, and stick it onto the plastic/cardboard tag that comes with loaves of bread and then attach the labelled tag to the cord, making for easy identification. The cardboard ones seem to have more of a gap at its top making it easier for the cord to slip out, than the plastic ones, so I pop a bit of tape at that end to make it more secure. Happy labelling. 
Contributed by Margaret Marsden

Taming the Gift Giving Chaos

​I have struggled for years with storing everything that goes with a gift - the tissue, wrapping paper, cellophane, gift bags, gift labels, ribbons and cards. As an avid cheapskate I add to these supplies all year via sales and recycling but have never got on top of the storage. What has been a game changer for me is buying second hand (for next to nothing) a slightly old fashioned entertainment unit. It is long and low, with two drawers on each side (sized for DVD's) and a shelf in the centre. The drawers contain tissue, cellophane, gift bags and gift tags. The centre section holds both rolled and flat wrapping paper and larger gift bags. The whole unit sits at the end of my bed - the only drawback is that the flat surface tends to be a clutter magnet!
Contributed by Melanie Osborne

Budgeting Apps

​I am not trying to detract from what is on Cheapskates, however I have found a free budgeting app from Dave Ramsey, the every dollar. Even for a boomer like myself I have been able to use it to track my income and spending. The spending categories are quite extensive, and there is flexibility to add your own categories. Things like sinking funds, savings and investing will keep track each month.
Similar concepts such as am emergency fund, and debt reduction. Some of the emails are in regards to the financial situation of U.S.A ,SUCH AS 401k. Just ignore them.
Contributed by Ann Green

Christmas Present Bargains

​During this last year I have been buying presents for my family at second hand shops. All items are brand new and include beach toys, clothes, colouring in and art supplies, water guns, cooking gadgets etc. By November I only had a few extras to put in for my partner and five boys. Huge saving and I enjoyed the searching. The best time was after Christmas in January and February.
Contributed by Heather Naoum