No more shopping lists with free app

We have eliminated paper shopping lists by using a free app called Our Groceries. You can link the app via entering one email address, so everyone who does the shopping at your house has the up to date grocery list at any time. The best thing is, you can customise the list to be very specific about what you want. There is a paid version of the app but we have been successfully using the free version and love it. No more wasted paper and no more forgetting things as the list is always with us!

Going vegetarian has saved all round

Going vegetarian has been a great move for me in every way. For me, it was an ethical decision as I no longer wanted to eat animals but as an added bonus I have found it saves a lot of money. Pasta sauces don't need meat; beans and lentils are just as tasty and filling and cost a fraction of the price of meat. These days I make all kinds of delicious vegetarian dishes such as pasta bakes quickly and easily, for less than $1!

Handy pillowcases make for a tidy linen cupboard!

I have saved myself the frustration of constantly losing items from my sheet sets (and the expense of having to buy replacements) by keeping them all together in a simple but ingenious way! I used to be constantly searching for a full set of sheets and pillowcases in my linen cupboard no matter how many times I tidied it up. It's crazy but, in my frustration, I actually found myself buying new sets! Knowing this wasn't a real solution I finally pulled everything out, put all the sets together and placed all the sheets and extra pillowcases inside one matching pillowcase. Since then I haven't lost a single item! I can easily see my sheets and duvet sets and the kids can now find their sets and make their beds on their own.

Cheap toddler food at the shops

I've found a really cheap and nutritious way of feeding my toddler when we are out shopping. Most of the shopping centres around us have a food hall and most of them have a roast carvery type place (that sells roast meat, chips, vegetables and so on).

At the carvery, I ask for a bowl of peas, beans and carrots for my baby. Some places have given it to me for free, commenting how nice it is to see children eating vegetables. Other places will charge $0.50c and the most I have ever paid is $1.00 for a 'big' baby sized bowl full. Don't forget to ask if you are buying a roast meal there yourself, because they may throw in a baby sized bowl free.

It's great when I run out of food at the shops, if he eats everything I have taken with us, or if I've taken longer shopping than planned - it's really healthy and cheaper than buying baby food in jars (which my toddler refuses to eat anyway). We have been doing this since he was eating finger foods from around 12 months old. When he was small he used to eat one pea at a time, which provided hours of entertainment too!

There are other vegetables available but we avoid any that have been fried or cooked in oils (like roast potato) and those that have sauces (like cauliflower cheese).