Tips From the Mailbag

 Read more Oily Rag articles by Frank and Muriel Newman 

Over the summer the oily rag mail bags have been full, so here are some tips we thought you might find useful.
 
Sandra from Dunedin says, “Don’t throw away that old multi-plug board. Chop the cord off it and hang it on the wall. Plug all your phone chargers into it. We tried this after numerous hunts for the right phone charger was becoming a daily event for different members of the family. Now they are labelled and found in one place.”
 
Plingie from Christchurch says, “Making your own baby food can save hundreds. There are a couple of ways of doing it. Easy but not the cheapest: buy tinned fruit and puree it, then freeze in ice-cube trays for use later.  Cheapest but a bit more labour intensive – boil your own veg and puree and freeze as above. You can just simply cook extra when you're making family meals and puree it and freeze. When it's frozen in ice cube trays you can simply pop them out in to a zip lock bag and use one or two at a time. Perfect for little baby sized portions.”
 
Canny Scot from Christchurch says, “If you are retired like me and have the time, sign up for online surveys. I enjoy cashing in the points I earn for $20 Farmers gift cards and some send cheques. Also I hate waste so when my plants grow too big I divide them and pot them up, once established I sell them on Trademe.”
 
Frugalite from Hamilton says, “Found out from a book written by a beautician that the best thing to wash your hair with is soap!…Her recommendation was to put soap scraps (or grated soap) in a mug to about quarter full, then add boiling water and stir to dissolve.  This will produce a gooey soap which is great for washing hair, plus very economical too!”
 
And this: “I found that if I turn on my hot water at night when I  go to bed, and turn it off in the morning when I get up (about 7am) I saved about $80.00 on my power bill each month!”
 
B.W. from Auckland says, “With the exorbitant price of laundry and cleaning products these days (and also because of the toxic nasties that can be in them), I have been making my own cleaners for the past six months. These products last longer, are better for the environment and don't hurt your pocket…they're effective and last for ages.”

Here are B.W.s recipes:
 
• To make a liquid laundry detergent you need hot water, 1 bar Sunlight soap (grated) and 1 cup washing soda. In a large saucepan add grated soap and enough hot water to cover. Heat over medium-low heat and stir until soap is melted. Fill a large bucket with 9.5L of hot water, add hot soap mixture. Stir until well mixed. Then add the washing soda, again stirring until well mixed. Set aside to cool. Use 1/2 cup per full load, stirring well before each use.
 
• For a multi-purpose cleaner use 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup baking soda and 1.8 litres of water. Combine ingredients in a clean container (a 3L milk bottle will do), shake to blend.  Then for ease of use, I pour into a spray bottle. It’s a great all-purpose cleaner for a fraction of the price.

• For a toilet bowl cleaner combine 1/4 cup baking soda and 1 cup white vinegar. Pour into a clean container and let it set for a few minutes. Scrub with brush and rinse.

Share your tips with others by visiting the oily rag website (www.oilyrag.co.nz) or write to Living off the Smell of an Oily Rag, PO Box 984, Whangarei.

* Frank and Muriel Newman are the authors of Living off the Smell of an Oily Rag in NZ. Readers can submit their oily rag tips on-line at www.oilyrag.co.nz. The book is available from bookstores and online at www.oilyrag.co.nz.