4 simple and effective tips to stop nail biting

For some low cost and effective nail biting solutions which just might work, I can recommend trying the following:

1. For those who have a UV light for gel polishes, get 'IBX Strengthen'. This is a product you can put on underneath the gel (still using the lamp to set) to also help strengthen the nail. It won't get rid of the habit, but may allow for better results when they get any kind of length to them.

2. Carry a nail file. I would bite mine to 'neaten them up' so if there was a sharp bit or a daggy bit I would even them up. This was a never-ending cycle that led to very sore quicks! By carrying a nail file, you can make sure there is nothing that can snag or anything.

3. I actually think that a few months of artificial nails (I like 'Prescription Nails' by GO30 as they don't damage your natural nails as much) while you are breaking the habit is helpful, as they are very hard and you can't really bite them. I do find I still put them in my mouth or tap my teeth with them so I really need to break that habit too! But after that, refer to tip1.

4. This article is also a good one to read! https://hellogiggles.com/beauty/how-to-stop-nail-biting-10-steps/

Full strength DIY 'Dettol' spray for just 2c a bottle!

A little supermarket research led me to making a huge saving on keeping germs at bay! When my two young children had a gastro bug, I needed anti-bacterial spray to clean up and stop the spread of germs, which vinegar didn't touch. The cheapest anti-bacterial spray I could find was Dettol anti-bacterial spray which cost $4.20 for 500ml. On reading the active ingredients it said it contained Benzalkonium Chloride 0.095%. Then, I saw that a bottle of Coles brand disinfectant was $1.40 for two litres. I read the ingredients and saw Benzalkonium Chloride 1%. The instructions said to dilute it in a ratio of 1:20, or 30ml to 600ml water. So I bought that one, made up the solution and put it in an old spray bottle I already had. It worked just as well and cost just over 2c per spray bottle of prepared solution, compared to $4.20 for the Dettol spray! While Coles brand disinfectant says it can only be used on “floors, walls, bathroom and toilet areas”, not in kitchen areas like the Dettol spray, for me these were the only areas that I needed to disinfect and worked a treat!

The secret to great scones

I love making scones, and my Mum passed on this wee hint which makes my scones even better.

When the scone recipe calls for milk, use half milk and half water. For some reason, the water makes the scones extra light with the added bonus that it drastically cuts down on your milk usage.

Home mixed household cleaner

My mother is chronically ill and disabled. She suffers from a rare type of auto-immune disease, called lupus, and is therefore allergic to most chemicals. This made cleaning difficult because she was allergic to most cleaning products, or those she wasn't allergic to were too expensive to buy on my carer's pension. Because Mum's disease is an auto-immune disease, I have to keep our house hospital-grade clean.

So I have come up with a fantastic recipe, and my house is spotless, smells great and is fresh and clean. The solution cleans and polishes everything, including windows. I have never seen glass and stainless steel taps look so clean.

This solution also lasts forever. Household cleaner used to cost me $80 per month, but now I buy detergent every three months, vinegar once a year at $1.50, washing soda every 18 months at $0.98c and eucalyptus oil once every eight months at $3.50 - a saving of $880 a year minus $20 for the few items I do buy. In total I've saved around $2640 over three years.

Household Cleaner

1 litre water
200ml vinegar
40ml detergent
40ml eucalyptus oil
2 dessertspoons of washing soda

Mix all ingredients together, and it's ready to use. Use 60ml of solution in warm water to wash your floors. Fill a spray bottle and use it to clean your table, benches and bathroom.