Just ask

Jelssie appreciates Leona Edmiston dresses. The other day, we were at a department store trying on a few. There was one I semi-liked and it was already discounted, but I didn't like it enough to purchase it at the discounted price. I asked the sales assistant very nicely if there was any further discount on the dress, even though the discounted price was already marked on the price tag. She checked for me, and there was a further discount! Something as simple as that, yielded a cheaper price. Asking nicely doesn't hurt.

Another time, when I ummed and ahhed over another Leona dress in a department store, the sales assistant offered me a further discount on an already reduced item. Though sometimes, it doesn't matter how discounted a dress is - if you don't love it, don't buy it.

Extreme delayed gratification

Jelssie is into delayed gratification, usually to save money. Is there a more extreme case of delayed gratification than this one?

Buy something from US -> get it sent to a US forwarding address -> every two weeks or so, stuff at this address gets shipped to a friend -> friend passes it onto her husband -> husband passes it onto Jess -> Jess to me. Sometimes this process can take up to six weeks.

'Sup 'sup

Jelssie is into gut health, and I am especially so, after my lovely two week bout of gastritis. As a result, I'm now taking a couple of supplements daily.

I'm taking a probiotic (Nutrition Care Polybac 8). This brand is not as widely available as Inner Health Plus.

Image from http://www.vitalityandwellness.com.au/images/products/Nutritional%20Supplements/Polybac-8-web.jpg

I haven't done my research, but two different supplement sales people recommended this one, so I'll stick with it for the time being. Cheapest I've seen it at so far is at Mr Vitamins in Chatswood.

I'm also eating yoghurt with breakfast during weekdays, because it contains cultures that are beneficial to gut health. My favourite is Gippsland Dairy Organic Natural Yoghurt. It's really tasty, has no sugar and is relatively low in energy compared to other full-fat (or even lite) yoghurts.

Image from http://www.gippslanddairy.com.au/products_yogurt_5.html

As much as I love it, it's quite pricey where I live, so I'm eating ALDI's Just Organic Natural Yoghurt instead. ALDI's one is pretty good and has more energy per 100g than Gippsland Diary.

Image from http://aldi.com.au/au/media/product_range/ALC5020_Dairy_PD_9_Just_Organic_Natural_Yogurt.jpg

Finally, I'm taking liquid chlorophyll, which apparently is great for digestion and your skin. Is it really? I don't really know and I don't know how to judge how effective it is. I'm currently taking Swisse Liquid Chlorophyll, but will try an organic one at my local supplement store next (costs nearly half the price I paid for Swisse!). If you want to buy the Swisse one cheaply, try Priceline when they have a sale. It was nearly half the price I paid for mine -_-.

Taking these supplements makes me feel like a hippy.

(Also, I know yoghurt isn't a supplement, but I included it in here because we are talking about gut health :) )

Jumpers and thermals

So the other day, I was running around, buying jumpers to wear on top of shirts for work when I realised, "Hey, why don't I just buy thermals to wear under my work shirts? Cheaper than jumpers and I don't have to worry about co-coordinating colours on the outside."

Still, good to have both jumpers and thermals: more options and more warmth!

In praise of canned soup

I cannot praise canned soup enough! In the past, I've made my own soups, but if you want a quick and easy dinner, canned soups are tops. The other night, I had a can of chicken noodle soup and I added shredded, poached chicken thigh fillet, steamed asparagus and lots of cracked black pepper. Perfect for a winter's night.

Effecient clothes shopping

I can't believe it's taken me this long to work out such an efficient method of clothes shopping. I guess it's because I've never really needed to build this type of work wardrobe before.

My old method would be to trawl store after store looking for something suitable. I didn't particularly enjoy it, and would avoid going shopping for clothes, unless I really had to.

Eventually, I worked out my go-to brands. My top two are are Saba and Oxford. Both of them do really good work shirts, have very good sales and if I'm pressed for time, I'll just pop into those two.  David Lawrence is a distant third, only because there's nothing really suitable for me this season, but I have picked up some very good sales from them in the past. If those options aren't working for me or I have a bit more time, I'll check out Myer, Cue, Jigsaw and Review.

My new method is to hop online and check out each brand's collection. That way you can see the entire range (not every store will have every item), see what's suitable, prices and what's on sale. So much easier than trawling through each store, and allows for easy comparison of product and price.

I still prefer to try things on and buy instore, so I'll then write down a list of what I want and head to the stores. If things are on sale, I'll ring up ahead and see if they have stock in my size (why waste time going to the shop, only to find out they don't have your size left?). If they do, and I really want it, I ask them to hold it for me. Generally, stores will say they don't hold sale items, but experience has told me they will ;)

Much more efficient!

Retailing in the internet age

A lot of the traditional bricks and mortars retailers in Australia have been finding it tough in the age of online shopping. They've been slow to jump on the online retailing bandwagon (e.g. Harvey Norman) and their profits have suffered as consumers search for better bargains online.

If you're happy to save money and wait a little bit longer to receive your product, why wouldn't you shop online? I was looking at a watch that retailed for $200 at David Jones and I found it on Amazon for around $60.

The truth is, retailers cannot compete on price alone. The internet will win nearly every time. You only need to look at the price of cosmetics in the major department store and compare them to their US prices.

One major way for bricks and mortars retailers to fight back is to offer something the internet can't: a particular kind of service. Benefit Cosmetics is a particularly good example of this (though the example might be somewhat flawed). Why pay inflated Aussie prices for Benefit Cosmetics when you can buy them cheaper online overseas? Instead, in opening a brow bar, they're providing a service for people that the internet cannot. They're also ensuring their income doesn't rest solely on their products alone. I'm pretty sure they do quite well with the brow bar.

Also, David Jones and Myer offer personal shopping. A few months ago, I came across it at DJs and asked about it. The personal shopper explained that it was a free service, you tell them what you're looking for, they find it for you on that floor, and you get to try the outfits they pick out for you in a really nice room (not your typical changeroom) with a glass of champers to boot. The smart thing is that DJs put this service on the floor where the clothes are more expensive than the floor below.

Designer fashion for a small frame

If you're female and of a very small frame, it's worth checking out Leona Edmiston's range for children. There are two labels--I think they are called Miss Leona and Little Leona. The great thing about this is that the children's label is about a third cheaper than the adult label and when department stores have a 30% sale (like at Myer this weekend), it's even cheaper!

Bulk up your salad

Salads are really expensive to purchase. I like to buy a medium tub of tabouli (tabbouleh or however you spell it), bulk it up with cucumber, tomatoes and red onions. I add some protein to it, and then I have lunch for three days! Easy.

D.I.Y. skim milk

Someone once said to me that skim milk was watered down milk. That got me thinking. It's probably a lot cheaper to buy full-cream milk and then water it down so it becomes skim milk. If you could be bothered. If you were that strapped for cash.

Washing powder

I have double standards when it comes to washing powders. For my clothes, towels and sheets, I use the best fragrance-free washing powder for sensitive skin (if I'm being cheap, then the next best option). When it comes to bathmats, handtowels and teatowels, I just get the cheap, but branded, stuff.

My rationale is that clothing, towels and sheets are more likely to affect my skin than bathmats, handtowels and teatowels, which I only touch for a fraction of the time compared with the first lot.

Who knows if it really makes a difference in the end.

Pintastic

I have this ripcurlgirl aqua skirt that I bought years ago (in my very early 20s). I never wore it very much over the years. It's a very stretch-y loose fitting skirt, so I can't wear it just as it is. I'm not handy with sewing, so I was thinking of different ways I could make it wearable for me.


I considered wearing it as a strapless top/dress, but it made for a very short dress and I wasn't convinced about wearing it strapless. So I ruled that out.

Maybe I could wear it higher and hold it up with a pin?


I used a Little Twin Stars pin that Karen gave me a few years ago, while helping her clean out/pack for a move. I really liked the pleat/ruche-ing it created.


Then I thought, why stop at one, when Karen gave me two pins??


Granted, that's a very untidy pinning of my skirt. You can definitely make it look neater and more even.

So here you go: a pencil skirt thanks to two pins. I like the pleats it creates.

I'm so chuffed to have found two wearable, easy solutions to this skirt AND to have put those Little Twin Stars pins to good use.

Win win

I'm catching up with some TAFE friends tonight. There's a running joke about me and steaks, so the plan was to go to Pinnochio's Restaurant. There is a time and place for restaurants and I do enjoy eating out, but once I looked at their menu I realised:

- a healthy option was going to cost me quite a bit

- I've already eaten out four times this week

- I'm meant to be a povo full-time student

- my flatmate is out and

- I probably could whip up a simple meal for five for the less (or the same) cost as would my meal would have been in the restaurant.

First I checked what was in my pantry and fridge (rice, usual spices and condiments, carrots) and realised I could easy do paprika chicken with rice and steamed vegies.

Then I went to the shops and decided on chicken drumsticks because they were on special and picked vegies based on what was on special and colour.

Finally get your friends to take care of drinks, dessert and nibblies and you're set.

And the other great thing about having people over? It forces you to clean the house. Win all round.

Get to know your fruit & veg shop

My local fruit & veg shop sells excellent quality produce. In the past, I used to head straight for the items on my shopping list, but now I've realised the value in knowing the layout of the store well. You see, if you head straight for the red capsicum display, they usually sell for about $8-$10 per kilo. If you go round to the back corner, you can sometimes buy a 1 kg bag of red capsicums for $2-$3.50. That's a substantial saving! Some of the red caps are tinged with green, but they are otherwise fine.

I've also found pockets of the store where they sell marked-down produce. Sometimes it's because they're irregularly shaped, or slightly broken off (e.g. huge field mushroom with a bit broken off), but they're otherwise still good. Sometimes they're slightly bruised or on the verge of going off, so I tend to steer clear of those.

I've noticed they also don't put all the weekly specials out the front of the store, but in various parts.

So if you want to get the most bang out of your fruit & veg buck, other than growing your own vegies, get to know your store's layout well.

Souped up

I'm really chuffed with the state of my freezer. It is full of the following soups:



Here's why I like soups:

Economical
Soups are extremely economical if you make them from vegies that are in season or on special.

Healthy
I make my soups out of non-starchy vegies and I omit cream. That's not to say that starchy vegies or cream will kill you, but when you want to have a lower kJ snack in between meals, this kind of soup is great AND you're on your way to getting in your daily five serves of vegies.

Freezable
There are certain kinds of soups that don't fare so well after you freeze them (i.e. those containing dairy, potato, eggplant or mushroom because they break down on thawing, according to recipes+ magazine). But for those that do freeze well, they are great to have in the freezer. You can always add your dollop of cream to your soup (if desired) just before you serve it.

Versatile
You just want a lower kJ snack in between meals? Have the soup as is. You want a more substantial meal? Add some carbs, protein and fat to make it a meal e.g. avocado on toast plus 1/4 BBQ chicken or add cooked pasta/potato and shredded, cooked chicken to the soup.

Easy
General principles in making soups:
1. Cook the vegies (either by roasting in the oven or simmering in stock/water)
2. Blitz the vegies (with water or stock) to desired consistency

Hospitable
If you have a few soups and dinner rolls in the freezer, they make a great meal on hand if unexpected guests drop by. Reheat the soup, pop the dinner rolls in the oven and you've got yourself a meal. If you've made your soup purely with vegetable-based ingredients, you can even serve it to vegan friends and most people aren't allergic to vegetables, so it's great for people with various intolerances.

Braces friendly
'nuff said!

I'll let you know when I have the recipes up.

Silicone bakeware

I am going to sing the praises of silicone bakeware.

I eat a lot of vegies. At the moment, my favourite thing is to grill them under the grill function in the oven. Nearly every day. I was lining my baking tray with baking paper (to make washing up easier) to grill my vegies. I started going through lots of baking paper and thought, "This is ridiculous."

Well, a roll of baking paper costs about $4 and you can get a silicone mat for $5. You do the math.

I will eventually switch over to silicone bakeware instead of lining my tins with baking paper. It is so worth the money you spend on silicone bakeware because you will save heaps in baking paper, especially if you do a lot of baking.

But now I have a new roll of baking paper, so what do I do with it if I make the switch?

The cost of fruit & veg

I've turned into one of those people who gets really excited by the price of fruit and veg. I know which friends I can have conversations about current prices. I think I must have picked it up from my mum and grandma because they always talk about the price of groceries. I also follow Providore1 on twitter to find out what's happening with fruit and veg prices.

So this week's price excitements are:

- English spinach $3 for 3 bunches

- Beetroot 99c bunch

- Navel oranges 99c/kg

- Packham pears 99c/kg

- Bananas $1.48/kg (reasonable)

- Broccoli 99c/kg

- Small Kensington pride mangoes 5 for $5

- Enoki mushrooms 3 x 300g for $6

Last week carrots were 79c per kilo bag!

I suppose this is what happens when you don't have a car and the price of petrol is irrelevant: you watch the price of fruit and veg instead.

Far out brussels sprouts!

Growing up in Australia, there was a sense that brussels sprouts were a generally disliked vegetable amongst kids. I, however, had a very Asian upbringing when it came to food. I don't think brussels sprouts ever made it into our home. Hence, they became very exotic to me (and quite honestly, I'm not sure I even knew what they looked like for the first twenty-odd years of my life). I may have eaten them once at a restaurant, and that's about the extent of it.

In my quest to be adventurous with vegetables, I decided to pick up a bag of brussels sprouts at the greengrocer since they were so cheap ($1.20 for a bag, 99c at ALDI). I wasn't sure how to cook or eat them, so I peeled the outer layers, chopped the bottom off, quartered them and steamed them on high with some water in the microwave for two minutes.

They are actually quite lovely, like mini cabbages. I wonder if you could make kimchi with it?

I'm thankful I didn't grow up disliking brussels sprouts because they are a very cheap green vegie when they are on special. $1 peoples!! Cheap cheap source of green!

Don't beat yourself up

One thing I've learnt is not to beat myself up over bad decisions. I need to accept that I've made a bad decision, learn what I need to learn from it and MOVE ON.

Case in point: I need to buy a microeconomics and macroeconomics textbook for class. I can buy them together as a bundle, brand-new for about $145 (the macro one alone costs $112 brand new!).

I took a risk and decided to buy them separately second-hand. I bought the micro one for $65, but could not get the macro one at $60. I'm now looking to buy it second-hand for $75.

So effectively, I've only saved $5. For the time and effort put in to source the second-hand textbook, I should have just bought it brand new as a bundle. Part of me is tempted to kick myself for not buying the brand new bundle to begin with, but what does beating yourself up over it achieve? No good.

The lesson I need to learn is, if I can't make a significant saving buying books second-hand, and if the time and effort put into sourcing them isn't worth the monetary saving, just get the bundle brand new. You're making a saving there anyway. You can't always get the best outcome possible. Sometimes good enough is good enough.

Sometimes it helps to take a step back and look at the whole situation. A friend is lending me a textbook for one of my subjects, so I've saved there! Plus this kind of thing isn't worth worrying about in my current situation. Get just the textbooks and get on with the study.

Now to move on.

Self-care on a budget

We are good at giving
I suspect that many of us are good at giving of ourselves. For those of us who are Christians, we do this because we love Jesus, we follow his example and give of ourselves to church, to work, friends and family. We also give because we're highly capable people, and we want to use our God-given abilities to make Jesus known. However, I also suspect some of us aren't very good at self-care. We aren't good at looking after ourselves so that we don't burn out, and so that we can continue giving.

Why aren't we good at self-care?
For me it's either because I find it hard to say no or at the time I agreed to something, I couldn't forsee how much it would cost me (and I don't mean in the financial sense). We feel guilty when we say no because it feels selfish. But we need to remember: we are human. We may be highly capable in our minds, but our capability is limited. We can only give so much before we are drained and unable to give.

So how can we look after ourselves (and on a budget too!)?
Note this is written from a female perspective, so men, apply the principles accordingly. I do make some assumptions about women here, so apologies if these generalisations don't apply to you. This is not a definitive guide, but just some thoughts and suggestions.

Block out time for yourself
Make a time for yourself, non-negotiable. It is a non-moveable appointment in your diary. You've got an appointment with yourself and it is important. I don't care if there's some great Christian event on, you say no (unless that event gives back to you. If you're the type of person who finds lots of people and big events draining, just say no). You say no to everything anyone asks of you during this time. The one good skill I learnt while being a ministry trainee was saying no to Christian things on my day off. Since it was my day off, I felt empowered to say no.

You don't need to make yourself available to people 100% of the time to serve them. That's why you say no to things that clash with your me-time. Even Jesus had alone time, where he sought out desolate places to pray. [There is another incident where Jesus withdraws to a desolate place after hearing the news of John the Baptist's death, presumably to grieve.]

Look good
There's a link between looking good and feeling good. I don't know why, but it's there. There's even a cosmetics industry initiative called Look Good...Feel Better which helps female cancer patients deal with the appearance side of things as they undergo treatment.

But that sounds so shallow...almost anti-Christian!
Firstly, I want to say, I absolutely affirm the following truths:

• Our self-worth is found in Jesus, not in beauty or looking good. God considers us precious enough that he would send his beloved son to die a criminal's death on the cross, so that we might be right with him (and not for us only, but for his own glory).

• Beauty is fleeting and Christian women are to be known for their good deeds, not good looks.

However, I still believe taking care of your appearance has a role in self-care. When you are taking care of your appearance, you are taking care of yourself. Even in Jesus' instructions for fasting involves taking care of one's appearance. I understand in that example it is to counteract against those who make a big obvious show that they are fasting, but the point is there: it is not wrong or sinful to do something about your appearance or to care about your appearance.

Don't misunderstand me. I'm not talking about having plastic surgery or a full on makeover (although in some situations either may be warranted). I'm talking about little things that make a big difference. This is how I want to suggest we take care of ourselves by looking good. It will vary from person to person. The important thing is to enjoy the process as well.

Do your hair
Do whatever makes your hair look and feel great. It might be as simple as washing it, or straightening it or putting curls in it.

I'll be the first to admit I find washing hair, especially long hair, a hassle. It takes time, and you have to collect hair at the end of your shower. But I love the feeling of clean, freshly washed hair. Nothing beats it. And I always receive the most compliments for my hair when it's been freshly washed. Take the time to do your hair, to make it look pretty.

If you're going to wash your hair, you may as well have a shower. Hot water may not be great for your skin (it's too drying), but a warm shower feels great in winter.

If you're going to have a shower you might as well do your whole skin care routine, whether it be shaving, tweezing, waxing, scrubbing, moisturing, whatever it is. Do it. Do your nails as well if that's your thing.

Jess G says,

I realised last year that personal grooming was a discipline. Being a slob isn't actually a symbol of godliness, it just looks like laziness. Presenting yourself well takes effort, and it can be more a matter of discipline than vanity. So I started straightening my hair because it was quick and effective. You're right that hair is a big difference.

Remember, you're doing your hair for you.

Your prettiest outfit
Put your nicest underwear on. Even if you're the only one who sees it. You know you're wearing it, that's the important thing. Put on your most favourite or prettiest outfit. I don't care if it's a little more dressier than usual. Just put it on. Take care as you put it on. Enjoy it.

Brighten up your face
Most women own some form of make up. Put on a bit of lippie or try that new eyeshadow colour you've got sitting there, waiting for a special occasion. That special occasion is now. While you're at it, lightly spray on your favourite perfume. Use it while it still smells good.

If you're on a really tight budget and have no make up, visit a makeup tester counter, such as at The Body Shop, Priceline or even a department store.

Make sure you put some SPF 15+ because you are going to get some...


Sunshine!

Sunshine on my window
Makes me happy
Like I should be

If Spiderbait sang it, it must be true right?

Get out there, with your gorgeous hair and outfit and get some sunshine.

Here's what I might do to get my sunshine: walk to the library, borrow some mags that I will enjoy reading (be it a health and fitness one, or music, or home organisation), find a sunny spot at a nearby cafe and enjoy a hot drink in the winter sun.

This would suit me because I like my own company and sometimes, it's too much effort organising doing something with someone. But if you're organised, you could go on a...


Self-care date
Alternatively, go on a self-care date with a friend. A friend whom you don't find draining, but who re-energises you, and gives back to you. Make a date with a friend where you agree to doll-up and do something fun and nice. Maybe it's going to the movies, or having a picnic in the Botanic Gardens. Perhaps jelssie should organise a girls' day out on town where we do doll up and do something fun, like have high tea at a classy hotel? Or a picnic in the gardens? Visit an art gallery?

Look after yourselves people because you're worth it!