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...
