New Year saving solutions

Making your money go further this year is probably a prime concern for most South Africans This normally involves some sacrifices, but saving while shopping may be better for your health than you think. For example, eat more (cheap) eggs – they’re a good source of protein, provided you don’t fry them too long in too much oil or fat. Boiling, poaching or frying gently (on top of a layer of fried onion and tomatoes for example) and serving them on whole grain bread is healthy and tasty.
Another light meal option is adding more legumes to stews and bredies. You save on meat while ensuring adequate protein in your diet. Talking of protein, consider SA’s tasty fish – fresh snoek is now available in a mild cure form at all Checkers fish counters at a really reasonable price. Not only is it high in Omega 3 oils, but eaten hot or cold it’s delicious and filling.
Sweeten your white coffee and tea with cheap, unsulphured blackstrap molasses – rich in B vitamins, copper, iron and potassium. But adding it to boiling water destroys the B vitamins. Ask your chemist for the Naturmade brand.
Washing your clothes in cold water helps save electricity. Remember to add bicarbonate of soda to the washing powder in your machine – you use less of the expensive product without sacrificing cleaning power and it’s better for the environment.
Try to cut out or reduce the use of fabric softeners – they can contribute to the allergy load in chemically sensitive people. Another commonly used product that contributes to allergies is air freshener. Rather substitute essential oils extracted from real plants and flowers to fragrance your home.
Bicarbonate of soda is also excellent for removing most smells from carpets or washing, the major exception being cat and dog urine, which is alkaline and can be neutralised with a solution of white spirit vinegar (the vinegar smell evaporates after a while). A potent yet cheap germ-killer in the home, and even outside, is hydrogen peroxide, available at all chemists. – Johanita Louw     |fw