We hear all the time about how much money we can save. We see it in shops – save $15, save 30% or we read about people cutting $25 a week off their groceries.

But are these really savings ? and if they are where does the money go ? I am quickly realising that most so called ‘ savings’ should really be called ‘ not spending’, in that unless you were actually intending to spend, for example, $100 on an item and you only had to spend $80 and invested the $20 – then that is a true ’saving’.

Lets look at it this way.

When doing our budgets we go through and ‘reduce’ our outgoings – $5 a month here, $2 a month there etc etc. – adding up to $400 saving a month and a whopping $5000 saving a year. But do we actually invest that saving and earn interest off it and add to it and make it grow ? Or is it simply money that we could have spent but didn’t!

I am going to make sure that I ’scoop off’ all the little ’savings’ I find. For example, when I budget $150 for the weekly groceries but only spend $125 I will put some aside for weeks when I need to spend more to stock up and I will scoop off some and put in my ‘never to be touched’ savings account. I think in this category a 50/50 split with the leftovers will be good.

Are you frugal, do you work hard to save money …. do you channel that money into savings or into debt reduction ? Post your ideas here.

Get it for Less- Find a cheaper source for things you already buy.

Make it last longer- Look after the things you do buy.

Use it less- Driver less, use your dryer less, use your air conditioner less…… you get the idea.

Use it up Shop from home first. Look at what you already have and make do. Make meals from leftovers, re-vamp some clothing, use things that you would through out for another purpose.
Wear it Out – Get the most from everything that you use before you throw it out.

Make it do Substitute things where you can or be prepared to settle for things that are less than perfect.

Do without - Stop and think! … Do you really need it ? Can you do without ? Can you wait until the ‘trend’ of the item passes and you can pick it up cheaper ? Can you borrow or share with someone else ?

Make it yourself - What can you make yourself. Bread ? Clothing ? Restaurant style meals ?

Grow it yourself- Can you grow even a few small things ? Can you trade with someone who grows things that you can’t ? Can you at least have a herb garden or grow sprouts on your windowsill ?

Trade it- Revive the forgotten art of bartering. Barter your goods or your time.

Put the word out- When you do need/ want something – tell others and then wait. You will be surprised what can come to you once you put the word out and are prepared to wait. Experiment with this idea.

I am currently preparing to do the $21 challenge at Simple Savings ( see my link at the right hand side). The reason that I am preparing this is that I have to really think about how I will tackle it. The idea is to be able to feed your family for a week for $21. You don’t have to do this all the time, but doing it from time to time means that once a month or so you have a considerable chunk of your budget not spent.
You are allowed to use things from the pantry that you already have, so the $21 doesn’t have to buy every little ingredient.
Is anyone keen to have a go or at least swap some recipe ideas ? There are two adults and two children aged 6 and 9 in my family.

Do you remember these ? These are called ” air pots”. They were around in the 70’s/ 80’s. They are a giant thermos with a pump top that holds about 2 litres of boiling water or icy drinks.
I AM OBSESSED WITH THEM !!!!
My obsession began quite a few years ago, BC actually ( BC = before children). As we were sitting somewhere eating take away that starts with a big 13th letter of the alphabet I spied an older couple with their basket and their thermos having morning tea/lunch. It really struck me that what they were doing was not only healthy it was extremely frugal and they didn’t have any rubbish. We, on the other hand had spent 20 bucks to clog our arteries and pollute the earth.
So, ever since, I have christened these folks ” thermos people” to the point that when we drive places we point them out. “look honey, thermos people”.
All the thermos people I ever saw were older folks. Even folks with huge 4 wheel drives and caravans bigger than my home who certainly didn’t look like they needed to save money were using their thermos! So why aren’t young couples and families applying the thermos principle ? We need it the most. We need to still pay off house educate our children etc. We can’t afford to be pulling into takeaway shops !
So….. the tradition began. We became thermos people and encouraged others in our age group to become thermos people as well.
I remember travelling around western New South Wales and pulling into the park at Dubbo and making coffee for hubbie and I and snacks and drinks for the children, with home baked biscuits and cake and felt the greatest sense of joy – which I call ” joy of joys”. I even have the vintage table cloth ! Oh !!!!!

The air pot obsession was simply an extension of the thermos principle. When I saw my very first one I couldn’t believe that they still existed. I remembered them from my childhood. I just had to have it. IT WAS THE ULTIMATE THERMOS !
Since then I have taken it everywhere and showed it off so very proudly! Then a N Friend’s husband found one in amongst second hand items that was brand new in a box with original paperwork ! – We were soooooo excited and couldn’t believe our luck. I ended up finding another one for K Friend last week for her birthday. The funniest thing was that her other friend had also got her one so now she has two – one hot and one cold !
They are sooooooo brilliant. We waterski and picnic most weekends so we always have byo coffee and food. The savings are extraordinary ! Do the maths. Even if we only bought one coffee each Sunday theres a $300 saving.
We laughed so hard today because down on our river a vintage car club turned up for their morning tea stop. They all got out of their old cars and got their thermos’ out and that’s when I spotted it – on a table further up the park – an air pot ! I had to hold myself back from going up to bond with them, and ask them if it is an original still in use and discuss the longevity.
I held back…. after all…. I didn’t want them to think I had some sort of air pot obsession !!! LOL
Anyway, my challenge to you all is this. Firstly, if you did grow up with an air pot or if you were/ are ‘thermos people’ I want to hear ALL about it.
Secondly, if you are not currently thermos people, then make a start ! Next time you travel anywhere pack a picnic lunch and pocket the savings! Do the maths and work out what you can save.
Thirdly, as you drive around this great country of ours ( our yours) take note of the ‘ thermos people’ and think about how they save their health, their hip pocket and the planet.
Fourthly, spread the word ! Help me in my individual quest to revive the air pot world wide !

may recall the challenges that I am having with the 100 mile diet – scroll down to categories at the bottom of the page if you have missed the posts.

Tortilla Recipe

2 cups self raising flour

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp vegetable oil

3/4 cup warm milk.

I just mixed it all together and let it all sit for a while. Then I broke it up into balls and rolled them out really thinly on a floured bench. I them ’scooped’ them up with an egg lifter and put them in the frying pan. I only used a tiny spray of cooking oil and had the pan as hot as it would go. It only took a about 20 seconds to cook each side. Number two son said they taste better than the packet ( God love him ! ) and as he is only six I am sure if they weren’t he would have soon let me know.

I used to buy the packet of ready made wraps. We often have them in the summer time. I marinate some chicken breasts cut into strips in ginger, coriander and lemongrass with a little soy sauce and then cook the strips on the barbecue. They are great for guests because you can lay out a smorgasbord of salad and everyone can make their own wraps. I have one friend from Sydney who loves them, but she is particularly sensitive to food chemicals and comes out in an itchy rash when we have them. I guess if you can stick a food product in a plastic bag and have it sit on the shelf for 3 or 4 months it must have something in it to preserve it.

I can’t wait until she tries these wraps. I hope she loves them.