Low cost fake nails stop me biting real ones

I have found fake nails are the best solution to stop me from biting my real ones. You don't have to spend a fortune on salon acrylics every four weeks either. There are DIY kits on AliExpress such as Belle Fille which look easy and are affordable. Making sure to use a cuticle oil or cream regularly during the day also helps to stop picking of said cuticles too!

You can heal your life - and your nails!

A book by Louise Hay helped me to put an end to 45 long years of nail biting! According to her book, 'You Can Heal Your Life', biting your nails may represent 'frustration, eating away at oneself, or spite of a parent.' It wasn't until I made the conscious connection to my unresolved feelings and nail biting that I stopped. What I found really helped me was downloading some free meditations from YouTube. These cost absolutely nothing to help relax and unwind. I also repeated some daily affirmations such as 'I enjoy having beautiful, long and strong nails'. I have also used homeopathic remedies such as Brauer's Nerve Tonic, which in my opinion is the best thing since sliced bread to calm a stressed nervous system!

Home-made muesli bars

I have a family of five children and I like them to eat healthy food that is inexpensive. I often try healthy recipes, and have found one for muesli bars that the kids (and Dad) and their school friends love. It's quick, easy, healthy (you know exactly what's in it) and economical.

Muesli bars

1 1/2 cups toasted muesli

(we use the apricot and almond variety; it doesn't have to be an expensive type)

2 1/2 cups of Rice Bubbles

1/2 cup coconut

1/4 cup crushed nuts

125 g butter (salt-reduced butter is good)

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup raw sugar

1/2 cup choc chips

(I also add a tablespoon of linseed for extra fibre and omega-3 vitamins; they don't even taste this healthy addition.)

Mix the dry muesli, rice bubbles, coconut and nuts in a bowl. Place butter, honey, peanut butter and sugar into a small pan. Stir over low heat until melted. Allow to come to the boil then reduce the heat to simmer without stirring for five minutes. Pour this into the dry ingredients and stir well. Allow to cool to room temperature (about 20 minutes). Add choc chips and mix again. Line a scone tray with aluminium foil and press the mix into the tray until it is flat (you can use a glass to do this). Refrigerate until firm. Slice and serve. Store in the fridge for up to three weeks (if it lasts that long).

These save a fortune. This mix makes just over a kilo of muesli bars (I use a tray that is approx 28 cm x 36 cm and this will slice up to 30 standard size muesli bars). It costs around $3.50 to make (which can be less if you shop around and use generic or Aldi brands of butter, Rice Bubbles and muesli). Home Brand muesli bars are about $1.69 for six ($0.28c each) compared to around $0.11c each for these home-made ones. Uncle Toby's muesli bars cost between $0.40c and $0.49c per muesli bar.

$410 compost tumbler for only $5

I grow most of our vegetables to eat healthy and save money. I save all scraps to compost and I wanted a tumble composter. They turn lawn clippings and scraps into compost in 14 to 21 days. The composter is priced at $410. I bought a 240 litre plastic drum (cherry bin) from the local trash and treasure market for $5.00. My husband drilled holes in the lid. It doesn't have a frame but I roll it on the lawn for five rotations once a day and I make compost in 21 days. It isn't hard to roll but I can't empty it into a wheel barrow (I'm only five feet tall) so I spread a sheet of plastic on the lawn and tip it out onto that. The compost is fantastic.