Hi

I really liked your article - timing yourself to do tasks is a great idea - I never thought about it quite in that way.

However, I have done something similar - for example, if I am waiting for something to heat up in the microwave (my coffee) - I think to myself that I have “found” 1 minute to do something - so I clean the front of the microwave, or take the rubbish out - some little chore rather than standing there watching the coursel go round.  It almost becomes a little game - gee - it only took me x seconds to do that.

Also, I use ad breaks - another slot of “found” time.  When I have stuff to do, I will watch a TV program, and the start of the ads is my signal to get up and do a little chore.  For example, I might have the washing up to do (I don’t own a dishwasher).  So in the first ad break, I run the water and put the glasses in to soak.  In the next break, I wash the glasses and put the plates in to soak and so on.  It’s amazing how much gets done.  Or, you can do a little bit of dusting or vacuuming in the break.

Cheers for now

Kate in Cleveland, Queensland, Australia

Hello Australia, I love to hear from our readers from down under. As a matter of fact I am reading yet another book that is set in Australia. I just love to read about your country.

I did the same type of thing you mentioned when I was really sick. I couldn’t clean the whole bathroom but I would make myself get up and clean the sink during the first 5 minute TV commercial and then the toilet during the next. That way I didn’t over do but at the same time I manage to get huge amounts done.

I totally agree with what you said. Thanks.

Jill

I am a big fan of saving money in any way possible!  We conserve water at our house.  If we are just rinsing something out we save the water to put on our garden.  If we do not finish a glass of water we put it into a special pitcher and it is given to our cats and dogs.  If we find a bottle of water we pour it on an outdoor plant.
Sheri D.

Some families couldn’t handle this but we always drank after each other so I kept a small light weight jug of water in the fridge. The kids would take a drink out of it and pop it back in to stay cold. I never had a pile of dirty glasses and at an earlier age the kids were able to open the fridge and get a drink so I didn’t have to get it out of the sink for them each time. I guess now most people have fridges with the water on the door but I sure did love my jug because it saved not only water but washing glasses and finding glasses sitting all over the house.

Jill

I had unthawed a package of pita bread and when they unthaw they get wet so….
i searched the web to see what i could do….
Take a pita bread cut in 6 and then seperate,brush both sides with any oil (but olive is better )sprinkle with sea salt and paprika add herbs you prefer put on a baking sheet and bake at 300F for about 10-12 minutes makes the best chips.
From: Chantal

I bet these are good. I not to long ago tasted my first boughten pita chips and they were super good. I can only imagine how good homemade ones could be. Thanks for the tip.

Jill

Tired of changing the entire bed every time the baby has a ‘leak’?  Just put a small waterproof pad on top of the crib sheet and then cover it with a small (home made) fleece blanket.  Fleece is easy to use since it wicks away moisture and can be cut easily without needing to be sewn.

Make sure the fleece is wide enough to tuck tightly into the sides of the crib.  The next time the baby needs a dry diaper and PJ’s, you don’t have to change the entire bed - just pull of the fleece and waterproof pad and put a clean one down and your done!  Also, you do not have to spend money on expensive crib bedding!!
From: Linda P.

We did this with all three kids and it was a LIFESAVER!!!  It helped cut down on the laundry so much that it was really worth it!

Just a side note I thought you might like to hear. When I was talking to my great-grandmother who raised 2 kids during the dust bowl (they were right in the middle of it in Baca County Colorado) I asked her how did she wash diapers with so much dust around?

She said “I didn’t. I just let the wet ones dry over the chairs or on a rope in the house and put them back on when they were dry. I only washed out the pooped ones”  We think we have it so bad now! LOL  Tawra

After reading your “How it adds up” I added up how much I spend on one dinner, one breakfast, and one pizza per week.  What made the big impression on me was using a mortgage calculator to figure out that those savings in one year amount to taking over 32 months off my mortgage!  Retirement just moved closer!

From: Becki D.

Way to go Becki. It is mind boggling how certain things add up. One of my latest things that I discovered and I talk about in my Grocery Savings e course is how much the groceries we throw out add up to. For example if you have 2 children and you give them an apple twice a day. If they only eat 1/2 of each apple you are throwing out 1 -3lb bag of apples every 10 days. At $3.50 a bag that is about $125 a year you throw out on apples alone.

Do the figuring on other foods like peanut butter. If 2 children leave 1/2 a sandwich a uneaten a day you throw out almost a whole jar of peanut butter every other week and over a year that is 26 jars. It can really blow your mind once you start figuring these things.

That is why I say I can cut your grocery bill by 50% before you ever go to the grocery store.

Jill

If you need a small notebook to keep track of notes, lists, expenses, or whatever, you do not need to buy an expensive spiral bound one.

Take several sheets of plain copy paper, cut them in half, and staple them together in the middle to form a binding.

You will have a small notepad to carry in your purse or keep on your kitchen counter for next to nothing.

From: Kathryn A

Here are the winners for our Freezer Cooking Made Simple giveaway!
Lysithea

Eileen

Meme

Eva

Cindy

In case you missed it it is a step-by-step guide to making your very own freezer meals at a fraction of the cost frozen meals from the grocery store. You can still buy it here for only $5 until March 2.

To get the discount, you must enter the coupon code FREEZE5 at checkout.

Tawra

If you have a giveaway that you would like to share, please enter it below. The link MUST go directly to the giveaway and be family friendly.

I just wanted to let everyone know that I made a mistake in the bread recipe below.  I have now corrected it.
The recipe said to use 3 cups of water or milk and it is supposed to only be 2 cups.

Sorrry!!! It is a great recipe so try it out.

Tawra

Hi. Instead of leftover night, we call it a buffet! The kids get to pick out whatever they want and serve themselves. They think it is just as cool as going to the restaurant and I get to use up the leftovers without a fuss!
From: Clare P

Freezer Cooking Made Simple is a step-by-step guide to making your very own freezer meals at a fraction of the cost frozen meals from the grocery store.

Contest expires Thursday February 26th at midnight! One entry per person. If you have already purchased Freezer Cooking Made Simple, we will give you a refund on your purchase if you win! Your email address is only used to notify you if you win.

Good Luck! Tawra