This weeks Insourcing #15....

 

I was very pleased with my insourcing this week. Who needs to go to showy designer stores and posh delicatessens for the good things in life. Not me....no, no, no. And you don't have to either. Don't pay someone else to make your life special, when you can do it yourself!

 

I used my stash of butchers paper to make gift wrap for several upcoming events. Butchers paper, a thick Nikko pen, and big loopy handwriting is so effective for any occasion, and just looks so classy...add some neutral double satin ribbon and a hand glittered card for something extra special..

 



 

When you consider that gift wrap and a beautiful card can be $5 to $30 on it's own, factoring in wrap, ribbon, gift topper, and card, that's a considerable saving! This weekend alone, that saved me about $50! Butchers paper is purchased by weight from party supply warehouses. Mine was about $30 for a stack 15cms thick, and I've been using for two years and it's still going strong. This saves me literally hundreds over a year of gifting, so I'm going to call that saving on future purchases, $100. I'm sure it's more than that, but that will do. All up $150 that I've saved myself there.

 

I sourced two gifts of body wash, shower pouffe`, and rose and lavender potpourri from my stairwell stash...

 

...and slid those inside blank brown paper gift bags, tied with wide lace and embellished with a diamante buckle...saving on bought gifts....possibly $60 or more, but lets call it $60.

 

I made a gluten free crepe stack 'cake' for my girlfriends for an afternoon tea. Crepe stack cakes are brilliant when you don't feel like cake but want something yum to serve to friends. This one was layered with fresh lemon juice and caster sugar, had double cream on the side, and was served with both tea and champagne. The girls loved it muchly. I've also done these layered with jam and cream, nutella, cinnamon and honey greek yoghurt, or banana and drizzled honey with ricotta cheese. They're always a hit, and make something simple, a little more posh. Saving on high tea in the city....gosh....$150 I think!

 

I made some many-fruit jam from the odds and ends of the fruit bowl. Just equal parts (by weight) of fruit and sugar. So yum. This gave me two more gifts, wrapped in boxes, and packed with home made miniature pastry cases and tinned whipped cream (I know...rotten stuff...but Weight Watchers says it's okay, so that's good enough for me and easier to gift than normal cream!!) for my girlfriends to take home to make their 'own' fresh jam tarts to impress their families. Saving on deli made treats for the girls to take home...another $60.

 

The Musician Husband and I ate at home on a rare Saturday night alone, and saved $200 on a proposed excursion to the Gold Class cinema. We bought some movies instead and enjoyed them in our cozy home, feet up, glass of wine close by. Saving after movies and wine were purchased...$100.

 

I replenished my herb garden. I use an astounding amount of basil and coriander and if I had to keep buying it, I'd be looking at $25 a week in herbs alone. My herb pots save me enormously, every single week. Saving this week $15.

 

So this weeks efforts have realistically saved me shelling out $535 to somebody else, to do what I am very capable of doing myself.

 

What did you do this week that kept money in your pocket?

 

 .Mimi...