Awe. The flu is not good.

Strangely, I love the winter.. Sorry, you don't.

Oh too bad that you aren't feeling well. I hope things will go well with the spaza. Always a good thing to try something new and challenging.

Good advice - Hope you get well soon

To date, you have told us the following tips:

Tip 1 - Do I need this today?

I ask myself before buying anything - Do I need this today?  Its amazing the things we buy for the future. I found six cakes of soap, two tubes of toothpaste, umpteen sauces (about R100 worth - enough to buy groceries for a week).  The temptation is to buy on a sale - I have found that some shop will have the same sale next month and quite often what you have already will last.  I buy vegetables and then land up throwing them away because they have gone off before I had a chance to cook them.  Buying in bulk does not always save you money. 

Tip 2 - Five Minutes

I have found that having a tidy home has been key to saving money.  Like finding those soap bars.  The thing is we never get around to cleaning or like me just do the bare minimum.  I was given a really good idea and it really works.  I have been doing it now for about six months.  Every day commit five minutes to cleaning (not your normal stuff but the things you never do).  I go further and break it up.  As an avid tea drinker I spend about fifteen minutes a day boiling water for tea.  I use those minutes to clean - I also used to use the ten minutes when the sport is on the news (you have to sit through it to get to the weather).  Start with your grocery cupboard and bathroom cupboard - this is where you can see where you have doubles of things.  After six months my house is much more manageable and I know where things are. I save money because its easy to see of I really need things.

Tip No 3:  Alternative Pet Food

After cleaning out my cupboards I realised that I had many packets of prepared sauces and soups.  From Spaghetti Bolagnaise to Ghoulash to Honey and Mustard Chicken.  I always inetend to make these dishes but never get around to it. 

It is not ideal but its not forever.  The recession will end eventually. These make good dog food mixers. I sprinkle a table spoon of dried sauce over her biscuits with whatever scraps I have left from the day, I add a quarter cup of warm water and mix it all up.  She loves it.  I have saved money and it has helped me declutter by using what I already have in my home. 

Mini Tip - if you are going to buy a dog during the recession buy a Jack Russel.  Big dogs eat lots of food. 

Tip No 4 - Marriage is expensive - learn to share

One of the most expensive things is joining your appetites.  My husband likes hot food like curry and fried food and I like vegetables, potatos and grilled cheese sandwhiches. Neither of us likes what the other one eats.  He Likes Top Deck chocolate and I like Nougat.  He likes Ginger Beer - I like Coke. This is not such a problem normally - you just buy whatever you need and we would often make two meals.  But in a recession its not practical or affordable. 

We still don't really like what the other one eats so now we each cook one night and make double.  Freeze half for the next nights meal.  The next night the other one cooks and freezes half.  That way we don't waste and we both get to eat what we want and there are not loads of dishes.  We reserve treats for special occasions.  Like Monday night which is Survivor Night and Saturday nights. Instead of each getting our favourite we alternate. It takes sharing and opening yourselves up to trying new things but it works. Would also probably work with a room mate.

Tip No 5 - Swap Everything

I saw this on Oprah a couple of weeks ago.  Have a clothes swap.  Get your friends to go through their clothes and take out everything they don't wear.  Especially the things that they will never fit into again.  This can include accessories as well CD's, books and even furniture.  There are a number of sites that deal with exactly how you want to run it (google clothes swap).  Tell everyone to bring a cake or box of biscuits (great way of stocking up fridge or pantry as you will have too much stuff  ), supply tea and coffee and start swapping.  So far I have been doing it on a more one on one basis and have now got some new things for my wardrobe - not new - but new to me.  Planning on doing the big one in September.

Tip No 6 - check your insurance

Insurance is a necessary evil but be cafeful you are not being ripped off.  Phone around for a few quotes and tell the people that you are currently insured but looking for a better deal.  I got a quote with a company for three hundred less than I am already paying.  Thank you Outsurance. When I phoned my insurance company to say that I was leaving them they still dropped a hundred rand off the new company's price.  I left them as they could have done that for me anyway.  So phone around and see if you can get a better deal. 

Thank you for the tips!

That is a LONG time to have the flu!  Can you get a shot next year??  We have garage sales in the summer in our town as part of a community pride event.  You are allowed to have 2 and must get a permit for them but some people break the rules and have more than 2.  Hope you get to sell a lot!

Our car insurance is a good price due to our being older, 58 and 57, having older used cars that are paid for and no bad driving history.  I have liability and collision on my so if someone hits me I can get some money to buy another used car.  I pay mine every 6 months, $163 dollars each time.  It is much cheaper in Ohio than in NJ where I used to live.  It dropped by half when I moved here the end of 1986.