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Member Wins & Money Smiles May 2026

Use a Free Calendar to Track Your Preserving and Pantry Preparedness​

​I was recently given a free calendar at Kaisercraft. With the year almost half over and new stock likely due soon, they were giving the older calendars away. At first, I had no idea what to do with it. My planner is already my diary, so I didn’t need another calendar for appointments. Then I realised it could be exactly what I had been wanting: a simple way to track everything I was preserving and putting away as part of my pantry preparedness. I have been using it for a fortnight now, and most of the daily squares have something written in them, even on the days I work. It might be a batch of preserves, something added to the freezer, pantry staples put away, or another small task that helps build food security at home. The best part is that this simple tracker has changed my mindset. Instead of thinking I’m not doing enough, I can look back over the calendar and see a completely different story. All those small efforts add up, and the tracker is a lovely reminder of just how much progress I am really making. A free calendar, a pen and a few seconds each day have become an encouraging and practical tool for building my prepared pantry.
Contributed by Sharon

​Check Your Direct Debit Fees — A Five-Minute Bill Review Saved Me Hundreds

​I recently received an email from my electricity provider outlining my new bill plan, and one small detail jumped out at me straight away. They were going to charge me $5 a month for direct debit. That might not sound like much, but it adds up to $60 a year for just one bill. When I looked at my other regular direct debits, I realised that with five bills on direct debit, those little fees could cost me at least $300 a year. That is money I simply don’t need to hand over for the sake of convenience. So, from now on, I’ll be paying my bills myself online each month when they arrive. It takes a little extra effort, but that effort saves real money. This has become even more important for us because my husband’s salary has been greatly reduced after his heart bypass surgery. Every dollar counts, and checking bills carefully really does make a difference. While I was reviewing the electricity bill, I also rang the company and asked if they could do better. The result? I received a further 23% yearly saving on my electricity bill, with no change to my current plan. It is always worth reading the fine print, questioning fees, and making a quick phone call. Those small actions can turn into big yearly savings.
Contributed by Faye

​Turning Vegetable Peels into Meals: No-Waste Cooking That Saves Money

Usually my vegetable peels either go into the compost or into the freezer to make homemade stock, but recently I found another way to use them up. While pressure canning potatoes, I ended up with a large pile of potato peels. They had already been washed, so instead of wasting them, I turned them into soup. I sautéed some onions and carrots, added the potato peels, homemade chicken broth and a few herbs, then let it all cook until tender. Once it was done, I blitzed it into a smooth, creamy, warming soup. It was delicious, and made from something that could so easily have been thrown away. My next bottling project was carrots, so I saved those peels too. This time I dehydrated them in the oven, then blitzed them into powder and added it to my jar of homemade green vegetable powder. It’s such a good feeling to make every bit of our food count. Less waste, more meals, and money saved in the process.
Contributed by Jennifer

​Free Banana Peel Plant Food: A No-Cost Garden Booster

Stop buying expensive liquid plant food or seaweed fertilisers. I’ve been making my own Banana Skin Booster for absolutely nothing, and my plants love it. Instead of throwing banana peels in the bin, I chop them up and place them in a clean glass jar. Then I cover them with cold tap water and leave the jar on the kitchen bench for three to five days so the goodness can leach into the water.
Once it’s ready, I strain the liquid straight into my watering can and use it to feed my indoor plants and garden veggies. It gives them a lovely little boost from the potassium and magnesium in the banana skins, helping to keep them lush and green. The best part is there’s no waste. After straining, the soggy banana peels go straight into the compost. A bottle of commercial liquid fertiliser can cost around $15, but this homemade banana peel plant food costs nothing at all.
Contributed by Mary

​My Daily News — Half the Cost

Along with one of our neighbours, we share the weekend newspapers. On Saturdays, we receive the Saturday paper, read through it, and then pass it on to our neighbour when we’re finished. They do the same with their Sunday paper, passing it on to us once they’ve read it. That way, we both get to enjoy the weekend papers while halving the cost. This could easily be done with a daily newspaper too. You still get to keep up with all the news, but for half the price. We also do this when we’re on holidays or camping with friends. It’s such a simple idea, but it works beautifully. A win-win!
Contributed by Anna

​How to Stop Tomato Paste Going Mouldy and Save Money

Tomato paste is one of those handy pantry staples that adds lovely rich flavour to casseroles, soups, sauces, pizza bases and slow cooker meals. The problem is, most recipes only call for two or three tablespoons at a time, and once the jar is opened, it can easily grow mould before the rest is used.  A simple way to stop that waste is to freeze the tomato paste in recipe-sized portions.
After opening a jar of tomato paste, spoon the leftovers into small containers, measuring out two or three tablespoons at a time. Label the lids with the amount inside, then pop them into the freezer. Small recycled dip containers are perfect for this. Wash them well after use, let them dry, and they become free, reusable freezer containers. Next time a recipe calls for tomato paste, just grab one portion from the freezer. No waste, no mould, no throwing money in the bin.
It’s a tiny habit, but it saves food, saves money, and keeps a useful pantry staple ready to go. Waste not, want not .
Contributed by Carolyn 

The Supermarket Photo Trick That Stops Duplicate Grocery Spending

​One simple habit has helped me spend less at the supermarket — especially on busy days when I don’t have time to sit down and write a proper shopping list. Before I leave home, I quickly take photos of the inside of my refrigerator, freezer, pantry and storeroom. It only takes seconds, but it saves money every single week. When I’m at the supermarket, I can zoom in on the photos and clearly see exactly what I already have at home. It stops me buying duplicates, helps me avoid overstocking items I don’t need, and makes it much easier to spot the real gaps that need filling. It’s like carrying a visual pantry list in my pocket. This little trick works especially well during busy seasons, rising grocery prices, or when you’re trying to stick to a tighter food budget because it helps you shop with awareness instead of guessing.
Contributed by Deborah Murthwaite