Category Archives: Shopping

Return to Sender

2 Comments

I am on a never-ending quest to minimise the waste created by our purchases.  However, I regard the ‘zero-waste’ trumpeted by some as a somewhat false achievement.  Even if your purchase is transported home in your own bag, jar or basket it is almost certain that there was packaging, most likely plastic involved in getting the product to you.

Think about any product and trace it back to the source.  A good example is our free range eggs from our chickens.  At first glance they may seem to be ‘zero waste’ but, no, the grain for the chickens comes in a 20kg plastic bag.

So, one of the best things we can do is to try to buy things where the packaging can be re-used.  Remember, that re-use is far better than recycling.  I was reminded of a couple of examples where I can literally close the loop.

My ideal would be to grow food from seed but I am sufficiently honest with myself to realise that this is not often possible whilst holding down a full-time job.  So, I end up with plastic seedling trays but I was delighted to recently discover that these can be returned to the seller at the market for re-use.

2016-12-05-01

On another note, I buy my laundry and dishwashing liquid from a local manufacturer at a market stall.  The product is sold through retail outlets in 1 litre bottles, however, if pre-ordered from the market stall it is presented in re-used 2 and 3 litre juice bottles and I am even able to return those bottles when emptied.

2016-12-05-02

It is worth thinking critically about the source and packaging of your purchases to ensure that you have the opportunity to make informed choices.

A New Chair

2 Comments

Last week in this post I mentioned that I had moved the chair from the office desk.  I addition to the arms banging the desk I did not mention that the finish of the upholstery was all cracking a flaking.  The wear on the front edge of the seat was so bad that I had previously made an elasticised fabric cover for the seat and I noticed that the back was showing the same tendencies.

It was definitely time for the chair to go.  I was not hopeful of finding a new home for it but placed an ad on the local Facebook Buy, Swap, Sell page give it away.  Happily, it was just what someone wanted so it has gone.

The dining chair was not a suitable long-term replacement so yesterday we looked for a replacement at Officeworks.

2016-10-16-01

We were a bit like Goldilocks trying out all of the various options which ranged from very lightweight and uncomfortable to positively luxurious and everything in between.  In the end this is what we chose.  It is sturdy, comfortable and relatively compact.

It fits neatly under the desk and I am very happy with our new chair.

2016-10-16-02

Four Fabulous Days

2 Comments

I have had the most glorious 4 days at home.  Friday was a well-earned day off followed by a long weekend.  Most weekends I am left with the feeling of wanting a couple more days to try to catch my tail.  I would not say I have done everything but I do have a degree of satisfaction that I have made some progress beyond the basics of washing and meal preparation.  The best part is that I have worked steadily but not frantically for some of the time as well as simply doing nothing at other times.

Here is a snapshot of what I achieved:

Washing and ironing – the first 3 days were brilliantly sunny with a breeze so all of the washing was done and dried which left me with a pile of ironing.  I tackled this with enthusiasm since I was armed with a new iron as well as the ironing board cover that I made on Friday.

2016-09-30-02

Shopping – most weekends I buy enough fruit and vegetables for the week as well as a few things from Aldi and Saturday was no exception.  However, I also drove a bit further to go to Morayfield so that I could stock up at Simply Good, where I buy all of the flours, dried fruit, seeds, nuts and legumes that I use.  I do this every 4months or so.  Spotlight is nearby so I took the opportunity to have a look and found the fabric to recover the mattress for the day bed.

2016-10-01-01

Decluttering/recycling – as we change and re-arrange furniture there is often some to move along to someone else who can use it.  This weekend I listed 4 outdoor chairs and a large pine chest of drawers on our local Buy, Swap, Sell Facebook page and they have now gone to new homes.  I also tidied and sorted the shelves in the wardrobe in the sewing/spare room and put a few things in a bag to go to the op shop.

Gardening – when I was at the market buying fruit and vegetables, I noticed a neighbouring stall selling seedlings.  I bought and planted out basil, beetroot and capsicum seedlings.  GMan mulched the shrub we cut down a few weeks ago and planted out several native trees and shrubs.

Outdoors – we have taken a few more steps towards finishing our outdoor living area on the verandah.  The newly painted table is back in position as is the day bed, albeit without the mattress yet.  I spent a good portion of today cleaning up the large concreted area under the house.  This is a lovely cool area in summer and I am trying to make it more useable.  I sorted and stacked various building materials so that they are in a logical order and easily accessible.

2016-09-07 01

What a shame that I have to go to work tomorrow – there is so much more that I could do here at home.

I will some more details of some of the things I have mentioned tonight in upcoming posts this week.

A Parcel

Leave a comment

Have you been waiting for another blog post?

I have been waiting for a parcel and today there was a card in the mailbox advising that it was ready to be collected from the Post Office.

Here is the box.

2016-09-22-01

And the contents.

2016-09-22-02

A new bag.  I am not a great fan of online shopping and I debated long and hard before ordering this bag.

I had a clear idea of what I was looking for but finding it proved to be a challenge.  I was not prepared to spend $300USD and then add freight on top of the purchase price.  I eventually found this online shop which is based in Adelaide.  I was able to ring the shop and speak directly to the staff who were able to answer my questions.

2016-09-22-03

I needed a wheeled bag to transport my laptop and assorted files for work along with my lunch and umbrella etc.  but wanted something a bit more stylish than a plain small suitcase.  This Florence Broadhurst bag fits the bill perfectly and also meets cabin baggage size requirements and so will be a great weekend bag or hand luggage when travelling.

A Frugal Mindset – 5

1 Comment

This post has been half written for a few days as life has a tendency to get in the way.

Here is the next instalment.

5. Frugal people use items until they break, and then fix them. Marketers are always coming out with the biggest and the best thing, and urging you to upgrade now. But frugal people don’t worry about that. Instead, they’ll continue to use the perfectly good, whatever (you fill in the blank) until they just can’t get it to work anymore. No need to buy something new when what they have works perfectly well!

Question to ask yourself: Do I really need a new ________ (fill in the blank)? Or does what I have already do what I really need it to already?

This just commonsense as far as I am concerned.  Whilst it may be tempting to buy something in the latest colour/style or bigger and better there really is no need.

We are all seduced from time to time by shiny new things but if you can limit your purchases of things that will replace ones you already have you will be well on the way to making some substantial savings.

Try thinking of the oldest item you have in regular use and share it in the comments.

Mine would be the mixing bowl that belonged to my grandmother followed by the woollen blankets on the single beds – they are almost as old as me.  The blankets on the guest bed were a wedding gift as were much of the crockery, glassware and kitchen paraphenalia that I use regularly.

A Frugal Mindset – 4

Leave a comment

Number 4 in the frugal series appears to be at odds with frugality until you think it through.  It is all about quality and this is something I regularly take into account.  I find that in many instances, paying a bit more for a quality item does reap rewards in the long-term.  This applies to appliances, equipment, clothing and a range of other things.

4. Frugal people are not afraid to spend more on big expenses if it saves them money in the long run. This one may seem counterintuitive  to the point I just made above, about how frugal people are known as penny pinchers. But truly frugal people, as opposed to just tightwads, know when it is the time to pinch your pennies and the time you need to pull out your wallet and spend a bit more upfront to save money in the long run. An example of this is choosing a more reliable, slightly more expensive brand of lawn equipment. Ultimately this machinery will, statistically speaking, last longer and cost less in repair costs, making it better to plunk down a few extra dollars up front to reap the savings long-term.

Question to ask yourself: Don’t just ask yourself, when making a purchase, how much does this cost me now? Instead, also have follow up questions which include how long do I want or need this to last, and how much can I afford in repairs or maintenance?

It is all about quality and this is something I regularly take into account.  I find that in many instances, paying a bit more for a quality item does reap rewards in the long-term.  This applies to appliances, equipment, clothing and a range of other things.

Here is an example:  This Canterbury rugby top was bought in 1999 and has been worn every year since.  It is a favourite and gets plenty of wear.  I noticed today that the collar is beginning to show signs of wear so I will either turn the collar or replace it.  The colour has faded somewhat and the is a small area which I mended many years ago just below the logo.  None of that stops me wearing this top which has lasted much longer (and will continue for years yet) than cheaper ones.

I am also aware of the environmental cost of constantly replacing cheap items and would prefer to buy something that is going to have a longer useful life and consequently a smaller environmental footprint.

A Frugal Mindset – 3

2 Comments

Well, I actually had 2 rest days but here I am, back again with number 3.

3. Frugal people know small expenses add up to big ones. I think we’ve all thrown something extra into the shopping cart because it was only a buck, or grabbed up the clearance item because it was just such a great deal despite having no idea how we’d use it. While getting a great deal for items you need is worth it, frugal people also realize something else — those small expenses add up to real money, so they can distinguish between impulse purchases and those that are necessary. There’s a reason frugal people are known as penny pinchers, they grasp the concept of a little bit adds up to a lot.

Question to ask yourself: Do I want to buy this because it’s a great deal, or because it’s just a small amount of money, or because I really need it and have a plan for how I’ll use it? 

2016-06-30 01

I feel that I have a pretty good grasp on this one.  I can honestly say that I very rarely buy anything that is not on my list or a planned spend.

I do not chase sale items for groceries or other household goods.  I shop intentionally and generally pay full-price for items but I believe it is still wiser than buying random stuff simply because it is on sale.  This works for me. I never have food that I do not know what to do with it because I only buy what we eat and what I need for the meals I have planned.  There are no clothes in my cupboard that have never been worn or piles of unused household goods.

What about you?

Somewhere Different

1 Comment

We have been to Melbourne for a couple of days.  The reason was to visit our daughter and celebrate her birthday.  However, I managed to sneak in a spot of shopping.

Last year I got rid of my knee-high black boots as the heel was simply higher than what I was comfortable wearing.  I had been debating for some time about replacing them and I finally found a pair that I was happy would suit my needs.

2016-06-12 01

I wore them for most of the past two days, including quite a bit of walking and they are very comfortable.  I am really pleased with my purchase and expect they will last me quite a few years.

My other purchase was at a small, independent fabric shop in the northern suburb of Ivanhoe.  There were lots of beautiful winter fabrics but I bought a piece of linen to make something for myself next summer – probably a blouse of some description.

2016-06-12 02

I fell in love with the colour and pattern of this piece and am sure it will make a gorgeous garment.

 

Accessories

3 Comments

Last week in this post I showed you my ‘new’ formal dress.  I decided against black accessories and was tossing up on what to wear with it.

I decided to go with silver and here are my new sandals I bought yesterday.

2016-04-25 01

I bought them at our local independent shoe shop.  They are really comfortable and as well as being able to be worn with my long frock they will be great for next summer with a variety of outfits.

This is what they look like on me.

2016-04-25 02

The next step is to find or make a suitable bag or clutch and finally, something to keep me warm as the event is at night in June.  At least (as far as I can ascertain) it is indoors this year unlike the past couple of years.

A Replacement

Leave a comment

A couple of weeks ago we suddenly lost power in one section of the house.  After a bit of investigation, we discovered that one circuit had been tripped and it did not take long to locate the culprit – the sandwich maker.  Each time we plugged it in it tripped the circuit so we decided that after many years of faithful service it needed to go in the bin.

When an appliance ceases to work, it is a good time to review whether or not you really need to replace it.  Although we eat very little bread we decided that a replacement was necessary as we use this handy little appliance frequently.

Buckwheat pancakes

The thing I cook most on it are these gluten-free buckwheat pancakes.  I find they cook much better on this surface than in a frying pan.  I also use it for tuna patties, vegie burgers and meat patties.

I did my research and decided on another Sunbeam Cafe Grill.  I like the floating handle which is hinged in the centre and allows the top to apply even pressure across the whole plate rather than being hinged at the back.

2016-04-22 01

The new one is smaller than our previous one but that suits us.

2016-04-22 02

I am looking forward to making some pancakes this weekend.