'Gentle reminder' can lead to a lifetime of saving

Often all it takes is the smallest reminder to make a huge difference. Having just turned 65 and now "eligible" to retire, I am not ready to do so either physically, emotionally or socially. I'm also frequently with younger people, who don't necessarily have the same basic foundation of budgeting that I was brought up with. With that in mind, I have taken to carrying around a subtle reminder of the cost of living which not only works for me, but will hopefully rub off on those around me.

My card wallet has a 'sticker' reminder, which says "$20? Is it worth one hour of work?" It's small and discreet, but effective! It also serves as a talking point when I am out and about with some of the younger ones and buying coffee or lunch. It's simple to make the label on the computer or by hand, then clear tape to the card wallet. Here's to some improved lifestyle options as I age further!

Treating nails in a positive way keeps biting at bay

I have found the trick to keeping nail biting and picking at bay is to 'fiddle' with them in a positive way. I am 67 and have bitten my nails since I was about three years old. My parents tried bribes, threats, nasty brown stuff painted on my nails - all sorts. I grew my nails when I got married, when my daughter got married - and indeed have grown them since for various special occasions - so determination can help! I now have nails on my fingers, but still bite/pick at my thumbs. My dad said my fingers would become misshapen, and he was right. What helps me is to 'fiddle' with my nails in a positive way - emery boards, manicure tools, nail polish, the nail treatments to stop biting - the taste does stop automatic, thoughtless nibbling. I am not a chewing gum lover, but that can also help. I crochet too, which keeps my hands too busy to nibble at!

Better food, less vet trips

We have found that changing our brand of dog food from a 'cheap' supermarket brand to a vet-only brand has effectively saved us $5,000.

We used to feed our pets a good quality but cheap brand of food, costing around $20 per week in two kilo bag lots. We decided to experiment and switched to an ultra premium brand that is only available from veterinary hospitals and some pet shops. At $35 for a two kilo bag, it was quite a shock and we thought this was a mistake! However, we stuck it out for a month as planned and came to the following conclusions:

1. They gained condition, coats were shinier, softer and thicker and whiskers grew longer and stronger.
2. They had more energy but lost their tendency to behave like children at a five year old's birthday party!
3. They 'pooped' less and the odour of their urine and faeces was reduced by at least 75%.

The biggest realisation was that they only ate their way through half a bag every week, meaning we were now saving $10 a month just on food alone. Plus, we no longer had to feed supplements and we saved money on litter and both time and money on litter tray cleaning.

In the long term, we have found that their odour has decreased so much that they only need a shampoo bath every six months, not every two weeks as previously.

We have also had less trips to the vet and some chronic conditions have disappeared or become easier to manage without medication. A saving of close to $5,000 per year for us. We love our local vet and so do our pets, so we still visit regularly - but only for a cuppa and a chat!

Greener household cleaners

Making our own cleaners has saved us a fortune over the years and we have saved the environment a little too. '1001 Greener Household Hints' by John Schluter is full of simple household cleaning ideas and we went straight out and bought some five litre bottles, spray bottles and some of the suggested basic cleaning ingredients. The following instructions are from the book:

Air freshener: Mix one teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda with one tablespoon of white vinegar. Add two cups of water. Store the mixture in a pump spray bottle. Add scented oils for fragrance.

Spray and wipe cleaner: Mix two tablespoons of cloudy ammonia, a half cup of white vinegar, two tablespoons of washing-up detergent and four litres of warm water. We stored this in large labelled bottles and used in spray bottles as needed.

Bathroom disinfectant liquid: Dissolve 12 drops of eucalyptus oil in 1ml of methylated spirits and then add eight cups of warm water. We used this in spray bottles also.

We paid $5.00 for the book but have saved hundreds in the years since we began making our own cleaning products.