Sentry Page Protection
Latest Tips & Recipes - July 2020
Here you'll find the latest tips added to the Tip Store during June.
Reasonable Prices from Ink Station
I deal with Ink Station. I find their prices reasonable. They often have specials too if you join their website you will receive this info. Always use genuine cartridges as I found generic often fail. Ask which cartridges are longer lasting as I do for my printer
Elaine Fay
Elaine Fay
Save Up 75% on Ink
We use Ink Station (inkstation.com.au) and save LOTS on printer cartridges...up to 75% on prices elsewhere. Fast service and free shipping over $50 so stock up when you order. The cartridges are excellent and last ages. They have most printer brands in stock including Epson.
Susan Lobegeiger
Susan Lobegeiger
Order Online for Speedy Delivery
Inkstation.com.au They have cheaper cartridges also genuine cartridges and if you order and pay online they will deliver within 36hrs. I have been using them for several years and changed printers several times. Excellent company
Marie Seddon
Marie Seddon
Calidad From Big W for Good Value
I have been using Calidad generic printer cartridges for the last 20 years. I was a medical typist and used these all the time for my Epson printers and never had any problems with them damaging my printer. You can buy them online, Big W or I get them from my local stationers.
Toni Meunier
Toni Meunier
Slicing Block Cheese Thinly
Just read your cheese cutting tip for block cheese using a vegetable peeler. The Dutch make a proper cheese slicer especially to slice cheese into even slices which works a treat. I have been using it for over 60 years as my Mum is Dutch!
Contributed by Jeanne Dennis
Contributed by Jeanne Dennis
The Lazy Cheapskates Way to $300 Month Groceries
Each week I receive an email from Coles, Woolworths and Aldi so I know what the half price specials are. I then plan which ones that I am going to purchase. So, each week I purchase half price specials like coffee, toiletries, toilet paper, any bread, milk, meat or vegetables needed and things that don't change in price such as home brand flour. My pantry is always well stocked, I can meal prep if I want and it saves me a lot of time. Although I think the ideal is to shop like Cath, not everyone can do this and I find the "lazy" way very effective and it saves me hundreds of dollars. Really, I am just spending the ""slush money" each week. The hardest part is starting off, if you haven't got a lot of money. Once you start off, there is a snowball effect!
Contributed by Lee English
Contributed by Lee English
Label Maker Saver
I use label makers at work and I find the gap between the writing and the cut off point to be quite big and I waste nearly 2 inches of label maker tape, and the tapes aren't cheap! What I have come across is rather than printing and cutting each thing, type up everything you want at once with one space between them. Then just cut each piece. There is a lot less waste at the end.
Contributed by Chloe Matthews
Contributed by Chloe Matthews
Excellent Cream Moisturiser Leaves Skin Smooth as a Baby's Bottom
My skin does feel extra dry in this cold weather and I heard a suggestion that Nappy Rash Cream is an excellent moisturiser! So I bought a tube of Am-o-Lin Baby Nappy Rash Cream ($5.80 for a 100g tube at Woollies) and have been very pleased with it. It sinks into the skin nicely and feels very soothing. The almond oil it contains gives it a pleasant fragrance and feel.
Contributed by Judith Lowe
Contributed by Judith Lowe
Double the Dishwashing Tablets
Break in half those dishwasher tablet and use only half tablet per load. The dishes come out just as good and you get to remove the plastic. Keep the other half in a sealed plastic container for next load.
Contributed by Peter Amabile
Contributed by Peter Amabile
Perfect Poached Eggs
On the weekends I love nothing more than Eggs Benedict but cooking the perfect egg is a real challenge. A friend shared her tip which not only saves cooking time, failed eggs, electricity and frustration but I don't need to go out and enjoy this at a café anymore saving me $10. You simply get a mug or cup, half fill it with cold water, gently crack the egg and place in the cup whole and put in microwave with a saucer on top. Cook for 1 minute exactly. Remove with a slotted spoon. Done.
Contributed by Connie Kell
Contributed by Connie Kell
Happy Garden Cost Nothing
With a large tree needing to be taken down in our neighbours yard for safety reasons it didn’t hurt to ask the contractors that where doing the job if the wood shavings were available. They were only too happy to give us as much as we wanted, kindly delivering it into our drive way and for a couple of days work or exercise the garden is now saying thank you and it cost us nothing and it is well coated and slick and span for another 6 to 12 months. Buying mulch costs a fortune and isn’t as good a quality. Using what nature provided free of charge
Contributed by Jenny Ariansen
Contributed by Jenny Ariansen
Free Firewood
When I had a wood burning heater in our last home I contacted a local fencer. He was happy to drop off old timber fences he had removed. It saved him tip fees and it saved me the cost of firewood. I didn't buy firewood for several years. Just be sure that you specify that you only want hard wood timber so as not to get anything that has been treated.
Contributed by Margaret Needham
Contributed by Margaret Needham
Creamy Honey Mustard Dressing
This is so good on salads and on paninis.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tbsp dry mustard
3 tbsp honey
1 tsp garlic powder
Method:
Combine everything and mix well. If you like a thinner dressing for salads, use a little milk to thin to yur taste.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tbsp dry mustard
3 tbsp honey
1 tsp garlic powder
Method:
Combine everything and mix well. If you like a thinner dressing for salads, use a little milk to thin to yur taste.
Reusable Scourers
I was out shopping and was looking in a kitchen shop (I like to see what is new) and I came across a reusable scourer; it was $6 so I bought one to try and to my surprise they are good. I have a red one to clean the bathroom and two in blue and all colours for the kitchen, I just put them in a laundry bag and wash and they come up like new. Now I don't have to add scourers to my shopping list so that is another saving.
Contributed by Karen Witek
Contributed by Karen Witek
Turning a Turntable into a Lazy Susan
I was recently throwing out an old microwave and decided to keep the glass plate and round plastic bits from underneath only to discover that it makes a perfect lazy susan that holds all the essentials in my pantry and rotates perfectly !
Contributed by Jane Edwards
Contributed by Jane Edwards
Make Money Whilst Saving The Environment
I have been recycling my bottles and cans through a scheme in NSW called Return & Earn. I get 10c for every container. Although this might not seem much it is surprising how quickly it adds up. I get paid cash from an over the counter return store and am putting it away for my Christmas Fund. I take a plastic bag with me on my daily walk and am still surprised by how many I find. A great way to earn extra money and save our environment.
Contributed by Cathy Parker
Contributed by Cathy Parker
Easy Chicken Soup
I buy a couple of chicken carcasses at the butcher 50c each, a pack of frozen veggies at Aldi for $1.59. Boil up the carcasses with an onion and carrot. Take carcasses out, get all meat off them. Add frozen veggies and if you have any old veggies in your crisper chop them up and add them to your soup. Sometimes I add a couple of potatoes if I have heaps of them. Cook for a few hours. Add shredded chicken from carcass and you have a meal for 8 people without spending much money. I also Bamix any herbs that I haven't used and pop them in the freezer and often add those to the soup.
Contributed by Margret Rea
Contributed by Margret Rea
Still Spending and Saving Cash
I get $1,100 on the first of the month for groceries and all other spending for the household and i would spend all of it. On groceries of course, but also on potting mix, on op shops etc.. Recently I decided to put all of it into another account called Hideaway and only transfer $200 to spend when I needed it. It is not about the amount of cash I am allocated, it is mine to do whatever I want with it. It is the change of mindset that seems to work, when I bank the money and forget the initial amount.
Contributed by Lynnette Dingley
Contributed by Lynnette Dingley
Give the Garden a Cheaper Boost
Since Monsanto took over Yates the price of Dynamic Lifter has gone through the roof, so much so I do not buy it any longer. My sister put me onto Rooster Booster, cheap and EXACTLY the same as Dynamic Lifter and more than half the price. Buy it at the same place, Bunnings, so no biggie
Contributed by Robyn MacKellar
Contributed by Robyn MacKellar
Rodent Control
For those who live in an older house and think they've found and filled every hole in which rodents can enter our homes but we still see evidence of them inside, this tip has worked for me. Rodents detest the smell of mothballs which these days come in what is best described as a cage, making them child-proof so they can be easily put around your home. But it is better to have a two pronged attack. Raccumin is a safe rodent bait that if a bird, lizard or any other creature eats the dead rodent they DO NOT DIE. I have mothballs inside and whilst wearing gloves I throw Raccumin around outside - especially near our compost heap - having been startled on the odd occasion by 'harvest' mice.
Contributed by Julie Buxton
Contributed by Julie Buxton
MOO Tandoori mix
Ingredients:
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp coriander seeds, ground
1 tbsp cumin seeds, ground
3 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp turmeric
Method:
Mix all ingredients together and use as required.
Makes approximately 1/3 cup.
Contributed by Samantha Masters
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp coriander seeds, ground
1 tbsp cumin seeds, ground
3 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp turmeric
Method:
Mix all ingredients together and use as required.
Makes approximately 1/3 cup.
Contributed by Samantha Masters
Empty Tubes Completely
Have found it difficult to squeeze the contents from tubes of facewash foot creams etc. particularly when almost empty. Cut tube across about half way down, slip tube end over other cut end to cover when storing. This creates easy access to the cream and no waste. The tube can be shortened further as it gets used up.
Contributed by Karen McPherson
Contributed by Karen McPherson
Free Cardmaking Papers
Papers for cardmaking can be quite expensive, and it's nice to have a range of different papers so the card can be made to suit the occasion. I have started cutting up the business envelopes that come in the mail. They usually have a pattern on the inside, generally blue, black or grey and are quite handy for that extra layer on your card. Not a huge saving, but every little bit helps.
Contributed by Narelle Williams
Contributed by Narelle Williams
Keep Your Green Bin Clean
To keep your green bin easier to stay clean after using and cleaning if necessary scatter a few sheets of newspaper to cover the base. This means next time it’s emptied there won’t be any food or compost to be cleaned out. Of course this can be used with any colour bins.
Contributed by Barbara Aldwell
Contributed by Barbara Aldwell
Three Simple Ways to Save on Printer Ink
I was using a lot of ink for my family so found 3 solutions that saved me a lot of money. My printer was a coloured inkjet and it certainly chewed up the ink especially for the children.
Firstly I set the printer to default to back and white only. That meant that unless I changed it to colour, it saved a lot of ink for non necessary printing.
Secondly, I ordered replacement ink online from inkstation.com.au this site have reduced price inks that are compatible with most printers. There is often an introductory offer as well which can save you more. This was a saving of over 60% on the usual cost.
While these things helped, I then did a cost analysis and realised that it would be be cheaper in the long run to buy a black and white laser printer to use for all but necessary coloured printing.
This did mean an initial outlay for the new printer however the ink is much more cost effective, it only needs replacing after 5000 pages and the cost of the replacement ink is a fraction of the cost of the inkjet ones.
This means that everyone prints on the laser printer and I have the inkjet printer and scanner for only when needed, reducing my ink purchases drastically.
By doing all these things, I do not feel I need to restrict the family from printing and this has been particularly helpful during schooling from home.
Contributed by Margaret Wicks
Firstly I set the printer to default to back and white only. That meant that unless I changed it to colour, it saved a lot of ink for non necessary printing.
Secondly, I ordered replacement ink online from inkstation.com.au this site have reduced price inks that are compatible with most printers. There is often an introductory offer as well which can save you more. This was a saving of over 60% on the usual cost.
While these things helped, I then did a cost analysis and realised that it would be be cheaper in the long run to buy a black and white laser printer to use for all but necessary coloured printing.
This did mean an initial outlay for the new printer however the ink is much more cost effective, it only needs replacing after 5000 pages and the cost of the replacement ink is a fraction of the cost of the inkjet ones.
This means that everyone prints on the laser printer and I have the inkjet printer and scanner for only when needed, reducing my ink purchases drastically.
By doing all these things, I do not feel I need to restrict the family from printing and this has been particularly helpful during schooling from home.
Contributed by Margaret Wicks
Shop Local for Best Buy
I always buy my Epson ink cartridges from LT Trading at 4/1 Bungalen Ct Dandenong South. 97682818. I always buy their generic brand and each cartridge (my printer takes 4) costs $5.00 each. Never had a problem with them.
Contributed by Bill Garlick
Contributed by Bill Garlick
Buy Online, but Not too Far Ahead
You can usually buy generic ink cartridges online that will fit your printer.
Don't be tempted to buy too much to avoid the delivery fee unless you will use it all within 12 months -- ink cartridges can dry out and you'll have wasted your money -- instead, see if your friends and family want some too!
Lastly, I will add that often you can buy whole new printers for as cheap as $30, but these are poor value as the ink for these printers is very expensive! Read reviews online before you buy a printer and invest in a good one that will last longer and has reasonably priced cartridges that you can buy from many places for a long time.
Contributed by Jess Vozzo
Don't be tempted to buy too much to avoid the delivery fee unless you will use it all within 12 months -- ink cartridges can dry out and you'll have wasted your money -- instead, see if your friends and family want some too!
Lastly, I will add that often you can buy whole new printers for as cheap as $30, but these are poor value as the ink for these printers is very expensive! Read reviews online before you buy a printer and invest in a good one that will last longer and has reasonably priced cartridges that you can buy from many places for a long time.
Contributed by Jess Vozzo
Inkspot Online for Compatible Inks
For many years I have bought ink cartridges from inkstation.com.au. They have the branded products also the much cheaper generic "compatible" versions which I always buy and have never had any problem with. From time to time they have specials on with a decent discount (15 to 20%). Order one day and they usually arrive the next day, (day after at the latest) beautifully packed and secure. I would definitely recommend checking them out next time you need ink.
Contributed by Judith Lowe
Contributed by Judith Lowe
Check eBay for Lowest Prices on Ink
The best prices for any ink cartridges is on Ebay - usually free post and are less than $1 each. If you have a colour printer be sure to get packs that include extra black cartridges as these will be the first to run out. Cartridges have chips. Home refilling of cartridges is not worthwhile. You can continue to print even if printer indicates to replace and get every drop of ink - an option if you don't require high quality print. Claims by manufacturers that only their brand inks should be used is dubious! When empty take cartridges to Post Office for recycling.
Contributed by Fay Herrmann
Contributed by Fay Herrmann
Refill Empty Cartridges
I have an Epson Workforce printer; Cartridge world sells generic brand cartridges and will take my empty cartridges and refill them, they sometime even give me a discount. Much cheaper than office supply stores.
Contributed by Fran Green
Contributed by Fran Green
Discounts on Bulk Ink Packs
I have an Epson Photo RX430 and I buy my ink cartridges from Ink Station (Ph 1300655943 or Inkstation.com.au). There are discounts when you buy packs and free postage when you spend a certain amount. I generally get them within a couple of days after ordering. I've been very hapth them.
Contributed by Denise Phillips
Contributed by Denise Phillips