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Latest Tips & Recipes October 2021

Here you'll find the latest tips and recipes added to the Tip Store and Recipe File during October 2021

Maximise Your Harvest

​After spending money on seeds and vegetables it is good to get the most out of those plants. I have found by harvesting leaves from lettuces and kale and pea pods from the peas the plants last longer.
It is also a good idea to observe where the sun is on your garden and what areas have shade. Root vegetables such as beetroot, carrots and potatoes and leafy vegetables such as silver beet, spinach and lettuce can be grown in shade. Tomatoes and corn grow best in sunny areas. Check the micro climate of your property e.g. my front gets the morning sun, and the back gets the afternoon sun. I have found that any vegetables that I have tried to grow in the front are eaten by snails, yet vegetables grown in the backyard are not touched so I keep the front for fruit trees and herbs. There is no such thing at my place as unusable.
Contributed by Ann Green

MOO Cup of Vegie Soup Mix

​Ingredients:
1 cup rice puffs
2 tbsp rolled aats
2 tbsp diced chives
1 tbsp onion flakes
1 tbsp veggie stock powder
1 tsp dried sage flakes 
1/2 tsp pepper 
1/2 cup nutritional yeast 

Method:
Blend too a Powder 

To use:
Stir 1 tablespoon of powder into 1 large cup of boiling water.
Contributed by Verna Van Nugteren

Great Meals and No Food Waste

​Our household consists of my husband, myself, our adult daughter and my sister. I bought a small magnetic whiteboard and drew up a table on the bottom half of the whiteboard with eight spaces. This represents seven nights of dinners and Saturday brunch. Everyone has their name allocated to two spaces; this is worked out based on everyone’s schedules. I cook our Saturday brunch every week and one dinner. The rest of the family cooks two nights a week. We work out the menu prior to grocery shopping. The top half of the white board is used to write down what leftovers are in the fridge and the date it must be eaten by. We have great meals and variety every day, and everyone only has to think about what to cook twice a week, meaning a little more leisure time. Our food waste has gone down to almost 0, resulting in saving money and less landfill.
Contributed by Eleanor Prouting

Keeping Track of Rental Income

​I have at times been asked how do I keep track of rental income. On the first day of every month I write on the monthly planner in the Cheapskates diary when each property is due for rent. As the rent is paid it is ticked off. This also helps me to plan the weekly budget, especially those weeks when there is only one income due. The diary has also been great to keep track of those bills, such as water rates, council rates, Body Corporate fees and insurances. My Christmas present to myself is the Cheapskates planner. Best thing I ever purchased.
Contributed by Ann Green

​Self-tanner Saving

​Self-tanning moisturiser loses effiectiveness when stored for months over winter, when it isn't used. I got tired of storing an unused 1/2 bottle at the end of the short sleeves season, to find it didn't work the following spring. To save it for next summer, just pop the bottle of unused lotion into the back of the fridge. Next spring, it works perfectly!
Contributed by Jenny Marshall

Plan the Planting of Seedlings

​The most labour intensive time after planting seedlings is the first 7-10 days when to ensure their survival they need to be watered every day. By checking the weather forecast and planting a day to two before expected rain it saves water and time. I have found the survival rate is better with rain than watering by hand. Here in Melbourne there is 90% chance of rain from Wednesday to Saturday so I will be planting as many seedlings as I can.
Contributed by Ann Green

Saving on Water for Washing

​In the laundry trough I have a bucket for my hand washing. This water after washing the items is put straight into the washing machine. This is about a third of the water needed for a load of washing. Also after being in the garden I wash my hands in the bucket and then pour this over my vegetables.
Contributed by Ann Green

Onion Flavour Without Harvesting the Onions

​I have found to add onion flavour I cut the onion leaves, this way the onions can continue to grow until they are much bigger. I spend $1.50 twice a year on a bag of small onions, plant these and I have onions all year for $3.
Contributed by Ann Green

Simple, Recycled Drink Covers

​Save some of the clear plastic lids that top containers of sour cream, cottage cheese etc, and use them to cover your drink, especially if sitting outside where flies and other insects are likely to be bothersome. The small ones fit over narrow cups or tumblers nicely and of course the larger ones can cover wider ones and also adequately cover bowls or plates of leftovers in the fridge - quicker and cheaper than using clingwrap. I wish i’d thought to do this sooner. 
Contributed by Dianne Kelly

Easing Arthritic Hands

​This may sound weird, but give it a try for a few days, or weeks to see if it helps. I have arthritis as many do, in their hands, and have found a simple way to help my hands not hurt. At night, when you go to bed, get comfortable, then flatten out your hands as much as possible, and keep them flat while you go to sleep.do this every time you go to bed. Most people ball up their hands when they go to sleep, and this just adds to the contraction of your finger muscles, so trying to keep them flat will help stop this happening so much. Good luck and be gentle, even if it helps a little I think it’s worth it.
Contributed by Denise Scotford