Insourcing...how I'm saving money...

 

These days, everyone wants a Pinterest and Instagram worthy life.

 

I have a feeling that much of todays Café Culture, relies upon this.

 

I cannot believe how many people take a photo of their food when out and about. I don't see the point. If it's 'I made this', then I'm suitable impressed. But if it's 'I went out, ordered this, and someone brought it for me to photograph before I eat it', then it seems a bit pointless. It's like stealing the chefs thunder.

 

So here's how to have an Insta-worthy life without stealing someone elses thunder.

 

Above, dried spray roses. These will be used for embellishing cakes, gifts, and the home. Nobody's thunder being stolen there. And up to $100 saved on swanky gift toppers, cake decorations, and homewares.

 

 

Now I DID make these mason jar coconut yogurt parfaits. I did not make the jars. I did not grow the berries. BUT I made the granola, I made the coconut yoghurt, and I certainly assembled them on my own kitchen bench. Insta-worthy AND money saved in the region of about $150. That includes the savings on the coconut yoghurt ($6 vs $36 for the same quantity of home made vs store bought), home made gluten free vanilla, almond, cinnamon granola for $4 instead of $18, and a pinch of cacao nibs instead of chocolate chips for about .20c.

 

That puts my generous mason jar parfaits at a value of about $1 each overall, as opposed to upwards of $6 each. Savings in a week total 3 parfaits consumed daily for seven days....$21 for mine over $126 for store bought. And yes...Insta-worthy I think...

 

Gimme a home grown manicure over an expensive salon one any day. I understand the need for 'me' time. Boy, do I. But I choose to get me time other ways. I respect your decision to do otherwise. For me? A salon mani, at around $35, pales into no mans land when I can do a Jamberry one for $6.

 

Savings of $58 a month on a $70 salon spend.

 

 

Banana bread? Don't get me started. Why pay $6 a slice for something that takes $2 to make?

 

Three banana breads, each yielding 10 slices this month. That would cost us $180. Just for banana bread. No thanks. Delectable home made means we spent just $6 for three.

 

That saved $174.

 

Cooking ahead? Shepherds Pie, four of them. Cost to me? $10 for 4. Cost to buy 4? $48. Savings of $38.

 

 

Don't talk to me about posh wrapped soaps. They're up to $30 in the high end boutiques.

 

I print my own paper (on pink A4 sheets), and wrap and embellish them with diamante buckles gifted by my friend Annabel from The Bluebirds are Nesting.

 

San Choy Bau anyone? This batch cost just $4 for 4 people thanks to a bargain on the turkey mince AND the gem lettuces.

 

That saved $40 in a restaurant San Choy Bau if we'd been the type.

Anniversaries. Significant ones. They cost.

 

I DIY-ed and saved a bomb.

 

Husband was thrilled.

 



A heartfelt letter rolled into a cylinder tied with baby blue velvet ribbon, and a classy black box filled with beautiful china, as befits a 20th anniversary.

 

I saved around $1000 on what he wanted (Moorcroft china), by scouring the internet and buying wisely.

 



 

A thankyou gift of honeycomb in a recycled pretty box as a thankyou gift, saved us $35 on a similarly packaged confectionery gift.

 

Cost $3.

 

And while we were there, we magic-ed up some fruit and nut clusters for mere cents, saving $10 on bought yummies.

Pinterest worthy campervan restoration coming right up...

 

Daisy print fabric at just $3 a metre for curtains...

 

Oversized cushions with fabric enough for 2 Euro pillow case sized cushion covers for $2 from the remnant bin....

 

 

...A third remnant of rust panne velvet for a throw for another $4....

 

...and yet another remnant, repurposed into a bolster cushion by wrapping it around a spare blanket, sausage style, and tying bon-bon style with chiffon scraps.

 

How utterly fabulous is this Dolce & Gabbana inspired print for those cushions...

 

Hand made tassels take just minutes made from crochet cotton if you please...

 

Snazzy, yes?

And of course, there's plating up a nice Ploughmans Platter at just $4 a piece for six hard working gardener friends, over $24 a piece at the local...

...and Petit Fours, little morsels of yum, and very pretty they are. I made 24 at a total investment of around $10. They are $6.50 a piece to buy.

 

Savings?

 

Well...let's say we're easily looking at around the $1500 mark this month. And that's conservative.

 

Find your own Insta-worthy life.

 

Don't let someone else steal your thunder.