Monday, April 27, 2015

This weeks insourcing #10...my value in the home...

 
Well I had a quieter week on the insourcing front last week.
 
My daughter returned to school after the Easter break, and I granted myself a week of taking things a little more slowly.
 
I was pretty proud of my Loyalty Point haul though, and you can read how I acquired over $300 worth of household essentials for free, here.
 
But even in a so called 'quieter' week, my insourcing efforts saved us on takeaway, fuel, cleaning and ironing, and gift making.
 
We never eat takeaway because I devote two hours every weekend, to peeling, dicing, grating and slicing all of our vegetable requirements for the week. Last night for example, I steamed some rice using my no-fail method here, pan fried some chicken thigh strips I'd cut up earlier in the week, added some sliced cabbage from a ziplock bag which had been prepped the previous weekend, some sliced shallots done at the same time, and some snow peas (mange tout) I'd topped and tailed on Saturday, adding a drizzle of Mirin and some soy sauce, and dinner was ready in less time than it would have taken to place the order and drive to the takeaway! This sort of pre-preparing saves an astounding amount of time, money and parental sanity, and once you get into the groove with it, you'll actually look forward to it. It's kind of mindless and soothing and I always have a bit of Ella Fitzgerald or Sade or something else sort of croon-worthy playing in the background and it's a bit of time for thinking and not talking. Always valuable for we Mums. I estimate this strategy saves us at least $100 a week, and probably more like $250 if you take into consideration all the takeaway and restaurant meals we DON'T eat due to having yummy, fresh, healthy alternatives immediately on hand.
 
Do you plan your car trips? Fuel is such a chunk out of the family budget these days, that hopping into the car without thought for where you're going and in what order, is really a bit foolhardy. I minimise driving, planning trips around where my daughter has to be, and shopping in areas nearby. I estimate that this strategy cuts my fuel bill by 30% or $30 a week.
 
So many people have a cleaning professional clean their homes these days. It's lovely, but what happens on the day that the cleaner doesn't show. This happens more often than you imagine. The stress and chaos that ensues would turn a young man, grey, as full time working parents, try to manage a house clean in addition to their already full schedules. Save yourself the time, money and aggravation, and have a regular cleaning timetable. This saves me $100 a week, minimum!
 
I made my daughter two bed ponchos. She likes to read in bed, but in the chilly weather, needs something around her shoulders to stay warm. A length of soft polar fleece with a hole and a slit at the neckine, does nicely. Saving countless dollars on heating over Winter here. Let's say $10 a week. Plus the price of the ponchos, let's say $50.
 
I made all of my daughters school lunches and after school snacks. I keep saying that this saves an astounding amount of money, at least $100 a week, and I only have the one child still at home. What would it save us if we still had the boys home as well!
 
I ironed. I hate it. But we do have things that must be ironed. I saved $30 on an ironing lady.
 
I think my worth in the home last week was around the $900 mark. Not bad for a 'Mum'.
 
How did you go last week....do tell.
 
 ...Mimi...
 

12 comments:

  1. I love the idea of preparing all your vegetables for the week at one time. What a convenience that would be in addition to being a time saver during meal preparation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Patsy. It really is a relief to just be able to pull out the crisper drawer, and it's all there, lined up in little ziplock bags, ready to go. I can usually have dinner on the table in under 20 minutes. A life, sanity and budget saver for sure. Mimi xxx

      Delete
  2. Hi Mimi that was a nice week. Routine comes back when school goes back!
    We don't get takeaway either... If we hit a day that you would maybe normally go for takeaway I either put in the crockpot early, get out a frozen meal or we have toasted sandwiches or something simple which is always yummy anyway. Cleaning is just part of the routine so no costs there, same with garden and windows etc. Also do not ever pay for dry cleaning or ironing.or gym as I treat housework and gardening as exercise. I can't work out the whole figure... But some days I do work out a component... Like what a present I made would be worth or what my days cooking would cost to buy. Most days I am sure I could not have earned that elsewhere I earned more at home, which is wonderful as there is no place I would rather be!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No place I'd rather be either, Annabel. You give me so many ideas for new projects, and I'm always on the lookout now, where ever I might be, for a new gift idea, a garden idea, or a quick meal idea, just by looking at what's available in the shops, delicatessens and gift stores. I got that from you :) Mimi xxx

      Delete
  3. Not bad a' tall! You're value's a LOT more, girlfriend!

    Hugs,
    Kelley~

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mimi, you have been in my head lately! At the start of the year I began stripping wallpaper in one of our bedrooms, turns out it really doesn't want to come off. So for a while the room has been half done, looking awful. Last week I decided to take 'an hour a day' approach, and I am probably only 3 or 4 days away from finishing! In my head was that the alternative was to get a plasterer in to go over the wallpaper, and pay probably $400 - $500. And I knew that you would not do that! So I didn't. In the weekend I managed to get a couple of hours in and just felt like doing nothing afterwards. But I made a quick dinner, and a chocolate cake for afterwards because the alternative would be expensive takeaways. In the last two weeks I have sewn boxer shorts for a two year old's birthday, knitted some cotton facecloths for a friend, and sewn a felt name garland for a 1 year old's birthday. And today I have settled the mechanics bill. Doing so with a final $300 payment means there will be a lot of baking in the next fortnight to 'get us through', and any leftovers will be stretched to make new meals, but I couldn't be happier. Next pay packet might even have a bit of surplus money! I can honestly tell you that I find myself thinking about alternatives when expenses come up because I have really taken on board your blog posts. Thanks Mimi, I am so glad I found your blog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jen, I'm so pleased my ideas are helping you with your plans. It really is the case that we become most like the 5 people with whom we spend our time, and for me, my blogging friends and the community we share, are right up there in that top 5. I learn so much, and have changed my ideas so radically over the years, that I look back in wonder and can't imagine who that old 'Mimi' was. I hope you find a welcome and inspiration here often. You have done just brilliantly. That's such an impressive list! Annabel at The Bluebirds are Nesting, Wendy at My Abundant Life, Patsy at A Working Pantry and all of my other friends who you see to your right here, inspire me in so many different ways too. My friend Flora at Floras Fascinating Frippery reminds me that getting older doesn't have to mean being frumpy, Faux Fuschia gives me a peek into her somewhat more glamorous life than mine and just puts a smile on my face, Nanna Chel at Going Grey is my inspiration for many little projects and so on. Together we all add to one anothers lives. I hope you'll become a regular here too. Be proud of all you achieved this week. I'm certainly proud of you. Mimi xxx

      Delete
  5. Hmmm, I think my first comment was eaten by the internet?! Or maybe it's just waiting for approval. Not sure, but don't really need 2 posts lol.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've got your back Jen. Your comment was just awaiting approval....Mimi xxx

      Delete
  6. Oh to be so organised....

    Sounds like you have everything under control at your house Mimi. My organisational skills leave a lot to be desired. But the good news is; I am learning so much from blogs like yours, Annabel's and Wendy's, all that needs to happen now is to put all my new found knowledge into action lol.

    xTania

    ReplyDelete
  7. You are so inspiring and I had fun tallying up what my insourcing was for last week. We don't eat out either. My crockpot is my best servant. Our biggest savings last week was on a pair of hiker tennis shoes. At 14, we feel like our daughter can buy her own things now, but still, a $70.00 hiker is a lot. She only had $30.00 in her purse. It was marked down to $55.00 and then when we took them up to the register to pay I asked if they had any more coupons that we could apply and sure enough they scanned another 15% off. She saved $8.25, bringing the cost down to around $42.00. We are learning from another and teaching each other all the time! I recently learned this tip from a store salesman... to ask for any more coupons that we might have missed and they usually have one they can scan up at the desk.

    ReplyDelete

I love hearing from you! I always respond to comments, so don't be shy! Mimi xxx