https://www.moneytalks.co.nz/ for budgeting advice.

msd.govt.nz for benefit entitlements.

Now that I’m unemployed I’ve become the queen of mean. I spend lightly over $10 p.a. on cleaning products plus dishwashing liquid (single use). This is how I do it:

Cleaning Products p.a.
$3.00 2L bleach
$2.40 homemade laundry liquid (@ .04c per wash x 60 washes p.a.)
$2.00 2 x bars Sunlight laundry soap
$1.70 Earthwise fabric softener (1/3rd of a bottle p.a.)
$1.00 Select 1.25L disinfectant (1/3rd bottle)
Total $10.10 p.a.
This is how I use the products:
Bleach – laundry, shower cubicle, toilet bowl, kitchen
Homemade laundry liquid – laundry, floor and window washing
Sunlight soap – 1 bar for homemade laundry liquid, 1 bar as a laundry pre-treater for stains and handwashing
Fabric softener – tiny amounts as per usual
Disinfectant – toilet seat, toilet floor, handbasin

Notes on use:
I try to cycle through my cleaning products as much as possible. For example, with the bleach I will use 1/2 bucket water with bleach and detergent added to whiten fabrics or remove stubborn stains on tea towels, clothing towels (this product works for colourfast items only so colour test first or risk ruining if you haven’t used bleach before). From the laundry I’ll take my bucket into the shower, then when I’ve finished cleaning the shower I will empty the bucket down the loo and clean that too!

Homemade laundry liquid has washing soda, borax and Sunlight soap in it. Sunlight soap can be used in the kitchen sink so fine with glass. As my washing machine drains I grab a half bucket of the laundry liquid water and use that to wash my floor or windows. I also grab a half bucket of this water for any handwashing I have except whites.

Fabric softener – I only use on static prone fabric/clothing. I don’t have a problem with hard water or hard towels. I’m lucky in that my washing machine has a drip-dry or ‘hold’ feature that stops it just before the final spin. I pull out the items I want to use fabric softener on and dunk them in half a bucket of water with a tiny amount of fabric softener added. Then I drain and lower the water level in the washing machine and throw the polyester items back in and spin them dry with the rest of my washing.

In the kitchen, because there’s only me and it doesn’t get very dirty I just wipe marks off with a damp cloth. Stubborn spots I use undiluted dishwashing liquid on. I don’t use the oven because I don’t like cleaning it!

That’s it.

I was dismayed to see that Pics peanut butter was $6 at the local supermarket so I decided to buy blanched peanuts and I cooked them in the oven with a little oil until lightly brown then popped them into the small bowl that came with my blender stick and a very sharp blade and I whizzed the peanuts up. I added oil until it was the consistency of peanut butter and added a little salt and it worked out that I could refill the peanut butter jar for a cost of $2. You could buy peanut oil if you wanted but I just used sunflower and it tasted really good. Just be careful not to overdo it with the oil when mixing it.

I was given a battery charger with rechargeable batteries as a gift recently and thought how convenient I don’t have to buy batteries each month anymore. Then I did the sums – $5.59 spent on 2 AAA batteries per month x 12 months = $67.08 ($65 is a week of food money to me). The rechargeable batteries will last up to 5 years – a total saving of $335.40 on just 2 batteries. The savings will probably be greater actually when you take into account that what I used to buy will probably increase in price over a 5 year period.

Hair Washing. I wash my hair with Trade Aid soap. It’s $3 at New World and other places. It lasts for 2-3 months.

Hot Water – I save hot water in a thermos pump for jobs like cleaning teeth, warm water for bread making, boiling the jug quickly etc. When I do boil the jug I put the leftovers in my pump. Also always have at least 2 kettles on the wood burner. Especially helpful in cold weather when the water is freezing.

I used the internet recently and just by googling ‘compare electricity plans NZ’ found out there are cheaper options available to me. I also phoned Vodafone to see if they could do me a better deal on my mobile plan and came away $20 per month better off with no downgrade in service. They had a plan that wasn’t advertised online and was “only available to existing customers”.

Recipe 1

1 tbsp dishwashing liquid
2 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp baking soda
11/2 cups warm water

In a largish bowl add baking soda and vinegar (it will foam up ). Add warm water then dishwashing liquid. Store in an old dishwashing liquid bottle. Squeeze a little on your sponge and away you go. You don’t get a lot of bubbles in the sink with this recipe but it does work.

Recipe 2

1 tbsp washing soda
11/2 cups very hot water
1 cup dishwashing liquid

Dissolve washing soda in hot water. Gently stir in dishwashing liquid. Store in a dishwashing liquid bottle and shake before use for a grease-free sparkling wash up.

How environmentally friendly these recipes depend on your choice of dishwashing liquid.

When I open a large tin of baked beans I transfer any leftovers into a recycled jam jar and keep it in the fridge to add to my lunchtime soup. It adds protein without too many calories.

Countdown have a lockdown price in their in-store bakery on bread called ‘wholemeal and grain sandwich loaf’. Don’t be put off buying it if you like the thicker toast slice. It’s 90% wholemeal and just as filling per slice as toast bread. Good value I think for fresh bread at $2.00 per loaf.