Monthly Archives: December 2017

Forgotten cookies

Maureen has his favourite cookie recipe: My ‘go to’ recipe when I have to take something is Forgotten cookies. Basically tiny meringues 180 degrees Beat 2 egg whites and pinch salt until foamy. Gradually add half a cup castor sugar. 1 tsp vanilla Then whatever eg chopped almonds, chopped dark chocolate etc. But for Christmas […]

A Frugal Christmas

So what does the frugal family do with those well-intentioned gifts that are not really wanted or needed? Here are some suggestions: • Sell them and save the money or use it to buy something you do need. • Give them away as a present to someone else – but be careful not to give […]

Making butter from cream

Geoff Scrase of Lower Hutt writes: Butter can be made from cream more cheaply than a present pack of 500g (about $6) if it is made from a 2-litre bottle of cream (about $8.50 plus GST from Moore Wilson). A 2-litre bottle should yield about 900g of butter and the balance of the mass is […]

Recycling packaging

Dave N of Kamo, Whangarei writes, The current packaging for Nescafe, a nice rectangular plastic bag/box, should recycle into a seedling/potting container, with a couple holes poked in the bottom. Cheers

Sensational seaweed

Seaweed is a sensational source of goodness and is well known to the frugal gardener. Less well known is its use in the frugal kitchen. There are lots of good things about seaweed – the main one being that it’s free! It can be collected while on a family outing to the beach. One lucky […]

Easy truffles for Xmas gifts

A Thompson from Christchurch wites, “Easy truffles for Xmas gifts. Use uncooked slice recipes. Roll mixture into balls, then coconut, or melted chocolate. Leave in fridge overnight. They freeze well. Supermarket deli departments have plastic containers you may be able to buy.”

The renting economy and free stuff

We have heard about AirBNB and the way it is changing the accommodation industry by connecting individuals, but less well known is the growth in what’s called the ‘sharing economy’. TVNZ’s Seven Sharp did a short piece on it recently, which showed how popular and diverse the sharing economy has become. In general terms, the […]