ikea deal - eat your discount

Next week from the 1st November to the 7th November 2010 Ikea is having a deal that what ever dollar amount you eat in their cafeteria, you get to spend for free in the store. Check their website for more details but its afun way to have meal out with friends and family and then you go shopping. We did it last year and got some fun things. My mate shouted her family because they had plans to buy a bookcase they wanted. I think its one docket though so buy your meal in one hit. A tip dont eat too late and leave yourself with no time to shop. Be prepared for lots of people. Another tip get your family discount card and hot drinks including hot chocolate are free for up to 6 people. My kids love it.

Aldi yoghurt part 2

So here's some feedback. My neighbour who also makes EasiYo tried the Aldi Yoghurt Sachet in her EasiYo maker and it turned out beautifully. She gave me a taste of the ALDI Greek Yoghurt she made and it was thick and creamy. I asked if she knew if it was going to be a product they sell all the time. She said it looks more like its just in the special section and probably wont be permanent. So we are both gonna stock up on packets that's if I get to it in time amongst my packing. Oh and the ALDI sachet makes up one litre of yoghurt just like EasiYo. Its a Brookdale product and apparently comes from New Zealand as does EasiYo. NZ have always been good for dairy products.

ALDI yoghurt maker to rival EasiYo

Hiya Readers, for those following my yoghurt posts... we just seen in the ALDI catalogue that they have a cheaper yoghurt maker with cheaper yoghurt sachets. Here's the thing, I haven't had a chance to go and buy some to road test them. But I wonder if I can use those sachets in my EasiYo maker. Also at the surface they seem cheaper but there will be 4 things I will be looking out for:

1. How much a sachet makes ie 1 Litre of yoghurt?
2. Do I like the taste?
3. How does it compare nutritionally? sugars, fats and salts?
4. Is this a product line they will keep permanently (you don't want a yoghurt maker and discontinued sachets).
   

see below links:
Yoghurt Maker Starter Kit

ALDI yoghurt mix sachets 140g - 185g for $2.49 each, flavours available are Greek, Lite Natural, Strawberry and Vanilla.

I'm keen to see the results and if anyone beats me to the post let me know because I am concentrating on moving house.

AWESOME - National Rental Affordability Scheme for low to middle income earners.

This is a great opportunity for low to middle income families to get brand new rental properties for about 20% under the market rent. Check it out. This is an Australian national scheme but the link I have posted below is for the QLD market and all my brissy mates who want better rent opportunities. I can answer lots of questions.

NRAS Scheme QLD and INFO on NRAS

Saving Money in Australia: Cheap goods, bargains and budgets - Simple Savings

My mum referred me to this site. She has subscribed to the free email newsletter and tries out the recipes. So check it out if you like.
Saving Money in Australia: Cheap goods, bargains and budgets - Simple Savings

EasiYo - From scratch or not from scratch that is the question?

The other day I dropped by my Mum's house (as I often do) and she started to give me a few taste tests of the things she had recently cooked most of which from scratch. My mum is a fabulous and talented lady and has a knack for cooking things from scratch. What I like most about this is that most times she can provide a cheaper alternative foods with no yucky preservatives, additives and colourings found in store bought foods.

I am not a Master Chef in fact I am a Minor Cook. So I am kinda a in the middle of the road food preparer. One thing I am loving right now is making Easi Yo Yoghurt its from a packet but i believe it works out cheaper and healthier than store bought yoghurts. It's also a very good food storage item to have because it doesn't require a culture starter to make. Here's the low down:

• You buy the yoghurt maker kit from a supermarket in the dessert section.
  
• You also buy your yoghurt packs in the same section.
  
• Price comparisons - DONT BUY FROM IGA they are the most expensive.
• Coles and Woolies are comparative so I usually stock up on a couple when they are on special.
• Woolies has Greek Easi Yo on special for $2.99 this week and it is beautiful.
  
• Big W sell the packets too, I think at the cheapest price, especially if you like to use Natural yoghurt. I think you get a pack of three for about $7 dollars something (will check out).
• Each pack makes a litre container the same as your standard Yoplait size yoghurt.
• There are great HEALTH benefits because they are post set etc. Google for more info.
• Standard everyday woolies prices are about $2.90 for Natural; $3.60-$3.90 for flavoured yoghurts.
  
• They do taste a little tarter then the Yoplait etc. But our children still eat it like mad.
• Of course there's no fruit in the packets so we add our own when we want.
  
• It takes about 8 hours to make one packet but you can safely leave it for 24 hours I believe to cook. Then allow for chill time.
  
• You only add water to the sachet and sugar if you want to sweeten the plain flavours.
• You only need boiling water to pour into the cooking thermos.
• It is not an electric based yoghurt maker.

Hopefully I've answered all possible questions. If not ask away.

Incidentally Mum made home-made soft cheese from sour milk. The result was about 250 grams of cheese from 2 litres of milk. She promptly said that she can now understand why cheese is so expensive when you look at the costs and efforts involved. We shared a laugh as she agreed to continue to buy cheese rather than make cheese from scratch.

CHEAP TEXT BOOKS - The Book Depository

Thanks to Kaili who mentioned on Facebook about the Book Depository company in UK. They have excellent prices on all kinds of books.

Incidentally my husband the University student came home one day and told me about this same book company. He found a few of his text books considerably cheaper than his on campus book store. Funny guy when he was in the Uni book store comparing prices, upon seeing that the Uni store was more expensive he said out loud rather loudly for all to hear 'I can't believe how expensive these books are!'

For example he saved $40 on a text book with The Book Depository, even with his discount as a member of the co-op at uni.