If you didn't do this at Chanuka time, or want to do this
with your Shabbos glass oil candle holders -- pay
attention:
Soak overnight in ammonia and they should wipe clean. Keep
out of reach of children and leave in a closed container.
NEVER MIX AMMONIA WITH ANY OTHER CHEMICAL SUCH AS BLEACH OR
OVEN CLEANER! THE FUMES ARE ASPHIXIATING!
The same ammonia is an excellent window cleaner and does
wonders with grimy frying pans and pots. Pour some on the pot
and keep in a plastic bag sealed tightly overnight,
preferably on an open porch. In the morning, the grime will
slide off.
SIFTING FLOUR: I have been living in Israel over ten years
and taking an average of six minutes to sift a kilo of flour
in the usual fine mesh sifters. My rebbetzin's seven-year-old
asked why I don't do as his mother and put in a heavy, dry
tablespoon. Now it takes me 1 1/2 minutes. [Even better is
the round stovetop burner, clean and dry. Use your sifter in
a circular motion and slide it around or bang against the
side of your hand for greater effectiveness.]
SOCKS: It is now or never. The time to rid yourself of those
odd socks. Well, not to get rid of them, because they are
good for dusting, furniture polishing and small wipe jobs. A
clean sock makes an excellent washrag: put in those odd ends
of soap and lather away. THEN we will let you throw them
away!
So you're left with a minimum of socks in the drawer and it's
time to replenish. Don't be tempted to get a variety of
design or color! Get at least half a dozen of the EXACT SAME
DESIGN. You will not believe how much time you save pairing
socks. You will also be saving money, since at worst, you
will always be left with the one odd sock at the end of the
road and not accumulating the mismatches.
Also -- if Moishe has the green plaid and Dovid has the plain
navy blue etc., they can pick out their socks and put them
away! Splurge now and bless me!
WET DRYER -- Is your dryer taking twice as long to dry the
clothes? Check your filter, to begin with. Then check the
EXHAUST to make sure it is not blocked (with the missing
sock) or kinked out of shape.
And thinking ahead to AFIKOMON PRIZES. When my friend was a
little girl, her father would take her to a big department
store and say, "Here, pick out whatever you want!" Of course,
he was wise enough to lead her to the inexpensive aisle of
writing supplies etc. and she would end up walking out with
crayons and a coloring book. Today we have dollar and 2
shekel stores, which are just as good.
[Ed. We often come up with mothers taking their children
along with them shopping to our clothing gemachs and saying:
You can pick out whatever you like, here, sweetie. We can
afford it. And at this time of year, there are usually
very nice things from the baalebustas who began their
cleaning early and are passing on nice yomtov clothing and
even toys!]
FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS -- the in thing today for the
chosson to give his kalla is extravaganza
flower arrangements that wilt within the week or gather dust
forevermore, while taking up a huge amount of space. Be
original [though it is not so original anymore, Boruch
Hashem] and give something that lasts, like a good toaster
oven etc. and decorate that with a few nice flowers
yourself.
Some more Budget-Cutting Tips and Insights in view of
recent government allowance cuts
FEEL RICH and APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO HAVE
Our current situation can be viewed as a test -- how strong
are our convictions and how intimidated are we by these new
decrees. Each family's financial situation is unique, each
has its financial priorities, and a rov should be consulted
for guidance in critical issues.
Our generation is not, in general, one of "starving for the
sake of Torah." We have to provide our children with a
feeling of `having' and not being deprived. It is the
challenge of balancing out: keeping costs low and morale
high.
One example of this is chessed. If you find yourself
with a surplus of anything, share it with your neighbors.
This will make your children feel rich, on the giving end.
Send your children with cans and bottles to deposit in the
local tzedoka fund for refunds.
Don't go overboard with saving. When you read that my husband
tells the family that we don't have to support the electric
company singlehandedly, it doesn't mean that you have to sit
in the dark. That's depressing. It DOES mean turning off a
light in a room that is not occupied, and checking
periodically that this rule is enforced.
Encourage family to make their calls after 7:00 p.m. when
rates are lower. Look into the best deal for overseas calls.
Eliminate cell calls as much as possible. A stamp still costs
less than an hour call, and letters are for keeps. You say
what you want -- once. Let your relatives call YOU.
[Raizel says this, not only your editor:] Frequent second
hand shops. Occasionally you can even get new things with
price tags, like the dress I found for my daughter and later
priced at a department store for 137 shekel! Frequently, the
quality is also better, with top brand overseas names, and a
wide selection.
If your teenagers refuse to go, or to wear what you get for
them, buy for the rest of the family, including yourself!
[How about buying for her friend, or buying something she
will surely like and putting it in her closet?]
A HAIR CLIPPER pays for itself after a few uses, and saves
time, too. Fans are cheaper to run than air conditioners. And
hubby says: instead of heating up a house/room, go put on a
sweater and an extra pair of socks!
BECOME HANDY -- learn to make repairs, including simple
sewing jobs, yourself. As they say, "A good baalebusta is
half a parnossa." Barter your skills with others, like
electric work or drilling for shelving or babysitting,
etc.
ENJOY THE SIMPLE LIFE. Take the children to the park, weather
permitting. When you go out, don't take money with you. What
you don't have, you don't spend. Invest in simple arts and
crafts supplies like crayons, scissors, paints, and spend
rainy days at home. Or bake simply, like yeast cakes.
DISPOSE OF THE DISPOSABLES. A neighbor told me she stopped
using disposable plates etc. recently and found that she is
saving 250 shekel per month. This also includes garbage bags!
You will find you can get by with the bigger bags you get at
the supermarket. They are not too heavy when full for
children to carry down and don't sit around long enough to
begin smelling.
POWDERED DETERGENT is cheaper than liquid, up to a quarter of
the price. Stock up at sales and don't overuse, which is bad
for your machine, in any case.
WIPE YOUR BABY with a wet washcloth! No chemicals!
Fancy preparations are sometimes simple components in
disguise. A mildew remover, I once discovered, was no more
than plain bleach, and I paid many times the price. Spray can
products are more expensive than liquid cleaners. Windows
clean beautifully with a wet piece of newsprint, dried with a
dry one.
DON'T CUT DOWN ON NUTRITIONAL FOOD. Your children need
vitamins and proteins and not junk food. Invest in food and
not in doctor consultations, ch'vsh.
BAGGED CEREAL can be 20% cheaper than boxed. But try it out
on the family before going overboard. CUT DOWN ON BOUGHT
SNACK FOOD. Make your own popcorn, less additives, more
nutritional, cheaper.
Check price differences on products. You may be paying much
more for a national brand of noodles than another one with
same supervision. You will find significant differences on
canned goods: tuna, tomato paste, soup mixes. Take pickles,
for example. If you have ever bought the small ones, 18-25 in
a can, by mistake, you will note having paid almost double
than the regular ones of 7-9 per can.
MAKE YOUR OWN PIZZA for a fraction of the pizza store price
and even of the ready-made frozen ones. You can do this on
frozen pastry dough or on challa dough, frozen to plate size
in advance. Or for a special treat for a child, you can take
him/her one at a time to the pizza parlor. (You can bring
your own drinks and straw along in a small bottle, even cola
filled from a large bottle from home...)
Keep in mind that growing children need protein, but this can
be obtained from eggs, white cheese, beans and chickpeas,
dried pea / lentil soups etc. To stretch your budget even
further, a two digit family can manage on one chicken or half
a kilo of chopped meat by adding extra potatoes, rice or
another package of noodles to fill up. You can also add the
small size nuggets of raw soy, soaking in advance according
to instructions, and hardly taste the difference. Nutrious as
well.
SOUPS are chock full of goodness and health. Use beans,
lentils, green veggies, corn, barley, oatmeal for thickening
etc. Very filling, delicious. Mashed potatoes with lots of
milk or white cheese and a salad equals an inexpensive
meal.
CHEAP DRINKS. How many cups of tea can you squeeze from one
tea bag? Two? Wrong! Rebbes in cheder can get as much
as 10, even fifteen! The trick is to put the tea bag into the
electric kettle and boil it up with the water. Let sit for a
minute. [Our English readers may shudder in horror.] If you
add the sugar as it boils, you will have a very inexpensive
drink, and if you are using herbal tea, perhaps raspberry or
something else tasty, you can go a very long way and forget
all about expensive syrups. Excellent hot, excellent cold.
With a touch of lemon juice... Rinse kettle after use.
SOME SEGULAS FOR PARNOSSA: To recite birkas hamozon
from a written text, with intense meaning that He give bread
to every living creature [or, humorously, bread -- a
commodity that has become more dear -- with meat-
bossor]. To be careful about not stepping on crumbs or
throwing away bread and/or crumbs that is not wrapped up in
something.
Stay within your socio-economic group. Have your children
pick friends in your same boat so as not to feel social
pressure.
I was beginning to feel frantic about our reduced income due
to government child allowance etc. cuts until I saw a poster
on my friend's refrigerator reminding me that 1) Hashem loves
us, 2) He knows and wants what's best for us, 3) He is in
charge.
Relax. Keep optimistic. Be openminded about trying new things
and methods. Do what you can to economize and to help
yourself and others, and pray for better times.
Live and enjoy this wonderful life, this wonderful world
Hashem has given us!
