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Latest Tips & Recipes November 2023

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

Cool in Summer, Warm in Winter

Although I did this late 2018 after reading someone else tip I thought I would share this. The air-conditioning and the gas heater in the lounge needed to be replaced. So I had it replaced with a heat pump. The cost was $1500, however this is cheaper than replacing both the heater and air conditioner. The cost for running it at 18 degrees in winter is about 6 cents an hour, in summer it is about 12 cents an hour. Ceiling fans in other rooms help keep those rooms bearable. 
Contributed by Ann Green

​Free Trays

​Whenever I get meat, it invariably comes in a clear plastic tray, these are fantastic. You need to give them a proper soak and clean, but once that is done these trays are great for so many things, especially if you’re not sure you will want to keep the tray after using. They are great for:
• holding ingredients before cooking 
• putting preprepared veg in and then the scraps from peeling the veg
• having as a designated tray for dirty cutlery
• using as a craft tray
• growing seedlings
• temporary cat food bowl ( wouldn’t recommend using for dogs, the residual smell from the tray means they might try and eat the tray as well)
• using in laundry or kitchen to organise cleaning supplies.

The good thing is if they get damaged, it doesn’t matter, just pop it in the recycling and pull another clean one out of your stash.
Contributed by Denise Scotford

Pay Day Shop

​We have a pay day shopping list that we get each month when I am paid (monthly pay). It’s all the cleaning & bathroom supplies generally the big ticket items including dishwasher tablets, dishwasher cleaner, clothes detergent, washing machine cleaner, toilet paper, everyone’s deodorant, toothpaste, the list goes on. While it’s not a money saving tip, it’s great to know that the rest of our 4 weeks we don’t need to buy any of these big ticket items and some months, we have excess where we don’t need to buy each one.
Contributed by Julie Turner

Know Your Exact Off-peak Hours and Save on Electricity Bill

​Unless you know your peak hours in your area for sure, don’t rely on what website says and check with your provider. Not knowing that peak hours may vary from area to area, I have been consuming electricity mainly during peak hours in the past. After noticing both peak and off-peak hour consumptions were almost the same, recently I contacted them. They said peak hours given on website didn’t apply to my area. Since then I downloaded the app and managed to save $136.68 on my last bill (than their highest prediction during the billing cycle) only by monitoring my consumption pattern.

How did I know how much I saved? I wrote down their predictions and actual cost to date on a spreadsheet a couple of times a week during the billing cycle. 
Contributed by Mithila Jayaratne