Jill Owens

I'm a lot like you –I try hard every day to make a little extra to live the life I want to live and do more of the things I really want to do.

microwave it!

 ELECTRICITY, FOOD AND DRINK, GENERAL, SUBSTITUTES  No Responses »
Jul 262012
 

Do you own a microwave? Most of us do these days – and that is a good thing.

There are so many myths associated with them. Heating from the inside out for example. Not true.

A source of radioactivity? There is NONE. Your body is more radioactive than the microwave. What? Well, it depends what we mean by radioactive. Microwave Radiation is not the the same as radioactive radiation.

Are they dangerous?

Some say yes: http://www.relfe.com/microwave.html

Most say no: http://elgringosalsero.hubpages.com/hub/The-Myths-About-The-Dangers-Of-Microwave-Ovens

I think the case for danger is extremely weak. Of course, it’s your choice.

Microwaves are 70% more efficient than an oven. True.

So my tip here is to remember to use the microwave.

Rather than immediately – and unthinkingly – using the gas or electric range and oven in your kitchen, give your microwave more work to do.

Did it come with a manual? Read it. Learn how to cook with it. Or google “microwave recipes” and find sites like this one:

http://allrecipes.com/recipes/everyday-cooking/campus-cooking/microwave/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

winter heating costs

 ELECTRICITY, GENERAL  No Responses »
Jul 252012
 

Just over half of household costs are  taken up with heating. Water, of course, for showers and baths, but also winter heating of rooms.

Which are cheapest? Electric heaters, reverse cycle air conditioner heaters, oil heaters, gas heaters, wood fires?

It’s quite a complex question with many kinds of electricity heaters (including air conditioners) to choose from. And not all heaters provide the same efficiency. The initial cost of the heater itself must initially be taken into account.

I believe the cheapest way to heat a room or house (unless you have a ducted or under floor system) is with a gas convection heater.

Those Dimplex oil heaters give off a good clean heat, but are slow to get a room warm and are not cheap to run.

Air conditioners – being run by electricity – are expensive, but the least cost efficient are those electric bar heaters.

Wood heaters – if enclosed – are also quite efficient and give probably the best heat of all, but nothing compares costwise to gas.

But here’s a tip: if you buy a gas convection heater, make sure it has an economy button and USE IT! (It will then not overheat a room.)

And lastly, spend $10 or so at a $2 dollar shop and buy a few draught excluders this winter. Those little snakes of wool placed at the bottom of doors around the house will save heaps! Why heat empty rooms?

use less of what’s in the bottle

 GENERAL  No Responses »
Jul 242012
 

It is quite noticeable how much waste we contribute to each day: cardboard packaging; uneaten food etc.

But we sometimes forget how wasteful we are of the stuff that comes in bottles. Absolutely anything that is sold in a bottle can be overdosed – and I don’t mean medicines (but those too, of course).

Take shampoo. Almost everyone pours out too much goo to do the job.

And that goes for just about every substance sold in a bottle.

My advice is to always check on the bottle to see how much of anything you are supposed to be using. If it doesn’t say (on a shampoo bottle for example), keep a teaspoon handy and measure out a level spoonful.

Do this for all bottled substances.

You may be surprised at how much further the bottles will go. And you’ll save in the long run – and help save the planet too!

 

ballpoint pens

 GENERAL  No Responses »
Jul 202012
 

I don’t know about you, but I used to have dozens of pens lying around in drawers, standing up in mugs, some working, most not.

AND THEN I WOKE UP AND DID MYSELF A FAVOUR!

I realised that I wasted more time on pens that didn’t work, wrote badly, hurt my hands when I wrote etc., than I saved buying cheap.

I threw every single pen out – even the working ones – and changed my life in a small but significant way.

I took the advice of a friend and bought a packet of 10 of the best – and relatively inexpensive – pens ever made.

They work so well, they write so well, they feel so good, the ink is viscous and beautiful on the paper…

Just do it. The Schneider Slider Memo Ballpoint Pen.

German technology. ‘Nuff said.

solid state drive

 COMPUTERS, SUBSTITUTES  No Responses »
Jul 202012
 

This is just about the best thing you can do these days to speed up your old – or new – computer.

Solid state drives are around 5 times faster than ordinary hard drives.

But they are expensive (at the time of writing).

The trick is, you don’t need a large one. A 60 GB SSD drive is around $120.00 (here in Australia) and you only need to put the Operating System and installed programs on it. Data can be stored on an external drive and plugged in when you need it (or for quick access to often used data – saved online on a site like Dropbox).

So SSDs are the way to go. Just don’t spend money on a large one.

One thing – NEVER defrag an SSD. Shortens their life, which is longer than a platter drive by the way.

braces not belts

 APPEARANCE, FASHION, SUBSTITUTES  No Responses »
Jul 202012
 

Belts, my husband says, are useless things. As you get older – and wider – it gets harder for a leather belt to do its thing and stay in place.

And therefore he wears braces, and so does our son. In fact, braces are so-oooooo comfortable, and my husband swears they give you a real emotional lift all day. You kinds feel lifted up all day.

Son says it’s always fashionable too.

Did I mention braces can be picked up  for less than $10.00?

Try it guys. You might never go back.

lottery tickets

 FINANCE, GENERAL, RIP-OFFS  No Responses »
Jul 202012
 

It’s your choice, but really, all you are doing is paying other people’s tax for them (think about it).

You have LESS chance of being hit by lightning. How often is that going to happen IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE let alone this Thursday?

In fact, you ARE being hit by “lightening” your wallet!

OK. If it gives you a little lift in life, go ahead. But you are better off betting on the horses.

You’ll still lose in the long run, but you’ll have plenty of laughs and wins with your losses. And lots of things to try.

Don’t bet what you can’t afford to lose, because like my husband, you WILL lose at the races over time. If that wasn’t the case, bookmakers would have become extinct centuries ago.

Poker machines? You’re kidding right? Put good money in – take less money out. Over and over and over again. Not for me.

One lottery thing I do, though, is buy scratch tickets for friends in hospital. Better than grapes. Every morning for a week or so after your visit they have another scratch. Keeps them looking forward to another day in hospital, which can get quite boring.

 

 

loose-leaf tea

 FOOD AND DRINK, SUBSTITUTES  1 Response »
Jul 182012
 

Are you a tea-drinker? I believe it is better for you than coffee, and caffeine is one of the most over-“prescribed” drugs in use (tea contains less of it – unless you eat the tea-leaves!)

But we are trying to save money, not discuss health issues.

Which is cheaper? Tea-bags or loose-leaf tea?

Loose tea is less expensive AND tastes better (and allows you to brew the stuff properly!).

All you have to do is use a tea infuser. A single level teaspoon for a single cup.

My preferred tea infuser is: http://www.swissgold.com/e/tea.php

You might be able to pick one up on Amazon. After a while, it will save money if you drink a lot of tea.

Tea-bags are really not necessary and the tea is so tasteless in comparison with loose-leaf tea.

dog’s and cat’s vaccinations

 PETS, RIP-OFFS  No Responses »
Jul 172012
 

Do you vaccinate your dog or cat regularly? How regularly? Once a year?

It might not be necessary. In fact, the Australian Veterinary Association now advises vaccinations once every three years, but many (most?) vets are ignoring the guidelines.

It’s pretty obvious why. But don’t take my word for it, check it out here:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-08-18/vets-accused-of-over-vaccinating-pets/949038

You might even be harming your lovely pet by thinking you are doing the right thing.

 

 Older Entries  Newer Entries