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Latest Tips & Recipes March 2022

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

How to Fix a Hole in Your Cars' Petrol Tank

​With the price of fuel going up and up, more people worldwide are experiencing theft of petrol from their vehicles. In the old day, thieves siphoned a lot of petrol/gasoline from cars. Some thieves are drilling holes in the tank to collect the fuel. A hole in your fuel tank becomes a massive problem because the cost of replacing the tank can be prohibitive. Here is a way of fixing your fuel tank for next to nothing! 

Take one bar of pure soap and keep pushing the bar of soap against the hole in the tank so that small amounts are scraped into the hole to fill it with the soap. You might think this doesn't make sense, but the soap causes a chemical reaction with the fuel and sets hard like a rock to prevent the tank from leaking. 

I had a dear old friend who was travelling on an unsealed road in a remote part of Australia when a boulder put a hole in his car's fuel tank. He used the exact method I have described to fix the tank, and he never had to replace that fuel tank. He lived into his eighties, and he still had that beautiful car with the same tank. He even showed me that he had kept that same bar of soap in the boot/trunk of his car. I do believe that knowing this frugal tip saved his life. 
Contributed by Kathleen Burke

Shop Savings at the Deli Counter

​We all know about the roast chook markdowns at the supermarket deli counter. Did you know that you can also snag ‘managers specials’? These are items that are significantly marked down because the manager wants to clear them for new stock. Today I got Blue Grenadier fillets for $9.50/kg, Marinara Mix for $6/kg plus a kilo of diced chicken breast for $9.  All were much less expensive than the pre packaged equivalent in the meat section. Shopping these Manager Specials and rethinking this weeks menu saved me $13.50 today. Over a year, doing this can easily save you $1,000.
Contributed by Theresa Jones

Money Saving McDonald's Treat 

​When I want to treat me and my daughter a McDonald's ice cream is a great option. I have since learnt that rather than getting the sundae for $3.00, getting the 75c cone and when at the pick up window asking for a sundae cup and spoon works wonderfully. The cone normally fills the sundae cup and I just keep some topping in the car and I get a sundae for less than $1. Enjoy your cheap treat.
Contributed by Claire Nelson

Wipe Stickers Off

​Remove Stickers from glasses, crockery, containers really any sticker at all with a wipe. Huggies or any brand will do the job. 
Contributed by Kathleen Matthes 

Bring in the Bees and Increase the Harvest

​I like to grow some nice fresh veggies both to eat and share. To attract the bees to my garden, particularly for veggies such as pumpkins, zucchinis etc., I plant lavender plants in each garden bed. I also have a large rosemary bush which also keeps the bees coming back for more. At the same time they visit my veggie flowers and pollinate them too, giving me more veggies to harvest. 
Contributed by Edith Wilson

Hidden Bargains in Chemists Stores

​Next time you are in your chemist, especially larger ones like Chemist Warehouse, wander through the tucked away sections usually at the back or in a tucked away corner. I have found amazing specials such as Morning Fresh detergent $1.00 cheaper than supermarkets. I have had bargains on bath soap, hand soaps, fabric softener, air freshener and the list goes on. All top brands. Even my small local chemist has a few bargain buys. They are not advertised usually but you can save several dollars on popular items.
Contributed by Jenny Adams

The Beauty of Half

I read with great interest, the option of trying half an item i.e. shampoo etc. to save money. Unsure if this has been suggested before, but I have recently been doing it with great success. Savings depend on the quality of the product you purchase but I have bought both cheap and expensive brands. If it is doable, I cut the product into half but if my operation requires a full bodied product I use the whole one. So I am saving most of the time. Do I have your interest? Well it is DISHWASHER TABLETS… Yay, I don’t use loose powder, but that may be an option as well. GOOD HALVING. 
Contributed by Anna

Editor's note: Yes, it's been suggested before. I call it The Rule of Half.  Cath. 

Save on Eating Take-Away

​Unfortunately the son Samuel had a nasty fall a week ago and the doctors have said it will be 6 weeks in hospital and months of rehabilitation. I knew there would be the temptation after visiting him to buy take away, so instead I made up 4 evening meals and put them in the fridge. I will do this a couple of times a week. Just microwave when I arrive home. For lunch I make a salad with cheese and take this with me to have lunch with him. Even at $5 a take away meal, over a week this would have been $70 a week.
Contributed by Ann Green

How to Make and Use a Haybox

​Haybox cooking is insulation cooking. It has simple principles and is easy to use if you're just a little bit prepared! It's like a slow cooker but without ongoing electricity usage.

To make the haybox:

- Take a large wooden box or an esky. Line the base with newspapers or junk mail (whole and flat).
- Take more newspapers or junk mail and tear them into strips (or use hay, or shredded paper, sometimes available free from companies that have to securely dispose of files).
- Pile the paper strips thickly around the base and sides of your box/esky - the thicker the layer, the more heat it will retain - leaving enough room for one or more pots in the middle.
- Take a pillowcase and stuff it thickly with the hay or paper strips. This will be your top layer of insulation.

To use the haybox:

- Choose a dish with a liquid-based cooking, e.g., stew, pasta, boiled vegetables. Prepare the dish as normal.
- Bring the dish to the boil on your regular stove.
- As soon as you have a good rolling boil, put the lid on the pot and transfer it into the haybox. Put the pillowcase of hay/paper on top and close the box snugly.
- Allow roughly twice the time in the haybox as you would simmering the dish on the stove.
- If you leave the dish for longer than required cooking time, check its temperature. If within the temperature danger zone (below 60*C), bring back to the boil on your regular stove.

The haybox is also handy for keeping a teapot warm.

Any regular cookware can be used, including multiple pots.
Contributed by Gabrielle Castle

Date Spread - Sugar Free

​This recipe is easy to make, tastes great and best of all is sugar free. 

Ingredients:
1 cup dates (I used dried)
Boiling water

Method:
Chop the dates and place into a bowl. Add sufficient water to just cover the dates. Leave for several hours or overnight. Puree with a stick blender and pour into a clean jar. That's it! No cooking required. This spread needs to be refrigerated.

As you might imagine, date spread is versatile and can be used instead of jam or as a savoury spread with cheese or sliced meats etc. I've also added it to recipes instead of chutney etc. I like it spread on wraps, sandwiches, scones or under sliced banana on my toast. A dollop or two is delicious in yoghurt. It can also be added to cake batter, curries etc.

I prefer to make mine with water as I find that more versatile. For a sweeter palate try adding vanilla essence to taste or make it with juice. You might also like to experiment with spices such as ginger, cinnamon, cardamon etc.

Best made in small batches as it only keeps for about a week in the fridge.
Contributed by Delaney Avenel

Long Lasting Fresh Avocado

​Place fresh, whole avocados in a large jar or container and cover completely with water. Seal and store in the fridge until you're ready to use them and when you take them out, even after 2 weeks they will still be perfect. 

Saving: at the time of writing avocados are $2 or $4 for organic each, so savings will depend on which avo you normally buy and how many you use.
Contributed by Joanne Sangwell