Electricity Challenge Update

Ok, meter reading today is: 14407 - that's 112 units in 8 days, averaging 14 units a day.

Down 0.6 units, not bad but not great either. I woke up on Saturday and himself had left all the lights on, he was last to bed.

I gave in and dried some clothes in the tumble dryer after using up all the radiators - we have a toddler so go through a lot of clothes each week, that can't have helped.

The biggest positive changes I've made are: I've started to put lids on my pots when cooking, I've cut down on the tumble dryer, unplug everything and as the heat is on we have hot water for washing dishes and are cutting down on the dishwasher....

Edited to note: I'm sitting in bed with everything switched off and unplugged except my laptop. I've even switched off the bedside lamp so everything is spooky and the only light is from this screen. I'm taking my challenge seriously - plan to average 13 units a day this week!

The Great Electricity Saving Challenge

So I had a look at my electricity bills between August 2011 and February 2012 and we use 14.6 units a day on average.

Now the challenge, to cut it down.... what can go, not the TV!

I've decided to tackle the tumble dryer first, so I threw one load of clean clothes on the clothes airer and one load on the radiators - I'm quite proud of myself :-)

Next I'm taking to going around the house like a lunatic turning off lights and unplugging everything.

My meter reading as of Sunday evening is 14295 - I'll keep you updated on my progress...

Shop around

My mum always says "Get at least three quotes for everything" and I hate to admit it but she's right.

My car insurance was up for renewal lately and I shopped about, a few phone calls and half an hour on line and I saved.... €100 on my renewal quote :-)

I put all the car insurance providers in an Excel spreadsheet and get the quote amount, the excess, windscreen option and breakdown assistance in the columns. That way when I get my quotes I can compare them easily.

I'm delighted with myself. I make myself shop around for everything lately and I'm amazed at the difference.

Beep Beep!

Grow your own

So my green fingers are pretty much blue fingers. I'm not fantastic at gardening.

That said, I grow my own Basil. Basil is easy, if I can grow it then anyone can. It's lovely in any tomato based sauce. Once you're growing your own you don't have to buy it and that's the aim these days.

Watercress is another easy peasy one to grow, it's lovely in a sandwich.

My Dad is growing his own potatoes and has his own chicken coop - if you have the room then you have eggs every morning and chicken feed doesn't cost much.

A friend of mine is growing tomatoes and lettuce, she makes it look so easy...

So - mission for this week, grow something, it doesn't have to be as room consuming as potatoes, try basil or watercress to start :-)

Thrifty Cleaning

The cheapest (and most effective - in my opinion) cleaning products are Vinegar and Bicarbonate of Soda.

Vinegar is fantastic as an alternative to dishwasher rinse aid, perfect for streak free windows and if you add a spoon or two to your washing machine it'll kill any bacteria in the clothes (the ones that leave sweat marks).

Bicarbonate of Soda removes tea stains - just soak the cups in bicarb and warm water. It is also the best oven cleaner I have ever come across, just mix with warm water to make a paste and rub all over oven, leave for ten minutes and rub off.

If you have a blocked drain in your sink then my number one tip - pour some bicarbonate of soda down the drain using a funnel and then pour down a cup of vinegar. It will fizz up and unblock your drain.

Almost Slipping Up

Hi everyone,

I was very very tempted to splash out over the weekend. I was in Blanchardstown shopping center and I swear the dresses and shoes were calling out "Buy me, buy me, I'll look great on you".

I'd planned to buy a new pair of jeans (badly needed) and set myself a budget of €40. I spent €35 :-)
I had to practically run past a certain shoe shop that I love and I still managed to spy a sexy pair of heels in the window..... so I've put them on my wish list: http://ie.schuh.co.uk/irregular-choice/womens-white-and-purple-irregular-choice-alphabite-floral-button-ct/1158752870

They may need to stay on there for a while as I've two weddings to go to next month (and nothing to wear yet).

Life will never stop and I always remind myself, pay the bills, don't run up the credit card and don't buy it unless you can afford it :-)

Holidays on a budget

As the plane touched down in Dublin I wasn't surprised to see that it was raining. I had the most fantastic week in the sun but on the bright side, at least I can get a decent cup of tea at home :-)

So, how come I've just been on holidays when I harp on about saving and budgeting? The key is planning in advance!

I've always taken my holidays during the summer months (peak season) but I'm now converted to holidaying off peak. I realise this won't work for everyone - I only have another three and a half years of it until my baby goes to school and I'm restricted to school holidays. However takling a holiday in January really suited me this year. Pros include:
Cheaper flights
Off peak rates on accommodation
Less queues for attractions - the Aquamarina in Lisbon is a must-see
Less people in general (easier for taking the baby swimming, to the park, to restaurants etc)
No sunburn - the weather was lovely and I was in a skirt and short sleeve top most days but I didn't have to worry about getting burnt.

The biggest money saving tip for any holiday is planning in advance. My other half loves researching holiday destinations so this is his job. He will go online and check out attractions, trains, buses, restaurants, accommodation and even beauty spas. This is a life saver as we can avoid anything overpriced and get the best value for money.

Another tip - if you like a particular brand of nappies then bring them with you as the brands we get here tend to be pricey abroad. I brought enough for two days as I knew I'd find a supermarket by then and I bought the local brand, they were great.

The Portugese have happy hour (in some cases this was over two house, 6-8 or 8-10 in some pubs). So if you don't have a baby in tow and fancy a night out then take advantage of this.

Remember, have a savings fund for holidays and try to put a fixed amount in each week or month. Then regardless of whether you plan months in advance or snap up a last minute deal the funds are available.

The weekly shopping

Going grocery shopping without a list is like baking a cake without a recipe, you'll probably forget something. 

I've been known to wander aimlessly down the aisles trying to work out what nights we'll both be home early enough for dinner and which nights we should have a ready-meal. A baby in the house really changes things...

These days I make a meal plan. I need to know what I'm cooking and my evening plans have... let's just say life is pretty different :-)
I wish I had discovered this in my single days or in the pre-baby days because I'm saving a fortune. I do a quick list Monday to Sunday and mark any days we have plans to meet friends or family for dinner (factor it in if I'm hosting). Then I jot down a breakfast, lunch and dinner for each day. Transfer the ingredients to my shopping list, have a quick check to see if I need cleaning products, toiletries, nappies or loo roll and that's my grocery shopping list done. 


I only buy what's on the list and I'm never stuck for a meal. I don't have to throw away gone off food and more importantly I don't end up ringing a take-away in desparation when my tummy is grumbling and there is nothing to eat.

Cashing In

Let's get organised, sort out those unwanted Christmas presents and sell them. January is the best time to do this. Everyone is looking for a bargain and it's so easy to list items on the Internet. Ebay is my favourite site to sell on, make sure to set up a Pay Pal account too for secure payments.

If you don't like the idea of selling your things then try swapping with a friend or family member. I got two copies of a DVD so I swapped one with my sister for a shower gel set she doesn't like but I love :-)

Set up a rainy day fund and put whatever extra cash you earn in there. Trust me, the next time you need a few extra euro it'll come in handy :-)

New Years Resolutions

We’ve all done it. I used to swear blind over my New Year’s Eve vodka that this year I’ll stick to my resolution. They have included:

            “Starting tomorrow – no more chocolate”

            “I’ll go to the gym four times a week and I’m going to drop a dress size by Valentine’s Day”

            “No more buying crap, I’m sick of being broke”

Most years, by the 4^th of January, I was left with about 37cents in my purse because I’d spent the last of my cash on a family sized box of chocolate biscuits and a bottle of wine to wash them down with. That was the old me. Having a baby made me surprisingly money-conscious. I’m slowly but surely weaning myself off my Visa card and I’ve discovered this new thing called Saving that did not exist in my pre-baby vocabulary.

I can’t help anyone drop a dress size, turn down a glass of vino with the girls to hit the gym or stop watching the soaps on the Telly. What I can do is help make sure there is more than a cobweb in your purse the day before payday.

All you need to do is make a small change every week and this time next year you’ll have enough cash to cover the Christmas shopping without panic and maybe even something left over for the January sales…

This week – Write it down.

If Santa didn’t leave a pocket sized diary in your Christmas stocking this year then treat yourself to one in the January sales. Mine lives in my handbag and I write down everything I spend. Yes, everything, even if it’s only a euro. 

Think about it, you pop into town for an hour to grab something for dinner. You park your car in the pay parking car-park, lets estimate parking at €2, go to the supermarket to get groceries, throw in a magazine for lets say €4, at the till pick up a chocolate bar for another €2. If your meal ingredients cost €12 then you’d probably count in your head that you spent €12 on dinner. You actually spent €20.

Before you jump down my throat, there is nothing wrong with treating yourself to a magazine or chocolate and sometimes you have to park in a pay park area if there isn’t any free parking available. Just be honest with yourself, write down everything so you can see exactly how much you spend in a week on treats or non essentials. It might be better to do a big shop once a week and save on the trips to town or buy a multipack of chocolate bars instead of grabbing a bar or two at the till…

Next week – How to make extra cash in January