Yei! I´m trying to convince myself that it is a 100 % positive experience. Mostly it is, especially when you reach the point when all your stuff has found its place in the new apartment. Transition phase may be a bit controversial. Since this is a familyblog, I will not use all the expressions that come to my mind to describe my feelings ;)
There is still plenty of time, but I have already started packing and making plans to smooth and cost effective project management. The cornerstones are our helpful family and friends and Pampers diaper boxes. We will not hire help and can transport our stuff there in a couple of months timeframe. My Spouse´s family has also recently moved, so hopefully we receive some decently sized (XL) moving boxes from them. A friend has promised to lend his trailer, so we need not rent one. (In Helsinki it is also possible to lend a trailer for free from the county recycling center. Maybe such a service is available also in your community? It is worth checking, if you are in need of one!)
I´ve been hoarding diaper boxes for quite a while now. Pampers-boxes are sturdy, with handle holes and if you pack them full of heavy stuff, like books, even the small and ethereal ladies are still able to carry them. (Ehem, I´m not "ethereal" by any means, but I still like to carry them.) Stairs are not a problem. After the move you can store many kinds of things in them, clothes, toys, shoes, china, etc... They can be closed on top, which also makes them decent storage units. My warmest recommendations to these boxes!
When you move without hired help, you will definitely need helpful others. There is so much to do! People always seem to think only about the heaviest items. Sofas, washing machines, bookshelves, you know. Sure they are critical, since everyone is not able to carry them, but there is much much more to do besides that! 99% of the time goes to all kind of preparing, smaller stuff and cleaning. So lets be thankful for all kinds of help offered! If you have a third cousin with scoliosis he/she can still pack kitchenware, take the dog out or watch the kids play, while you pack. Cleaning, taking off and hanging up lamps and curtains, dissembling and assebling furniture, laying books on the shelves (by alphabet, by theme or by colour) - at least these tasks come to mind when considering suitable jobs for helpers.
It is also important to be of help to others when needed. Either when moving or otherwise. One can help in so many ways. Cooperation can reduce costs from all parties.
I will return to this subject many times, either with moving updates or organizing and decorating our new home. Have a nice week!
Best wishes,
Mrs.Frugal Mover
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
SodaStream cost-effectively
We received SodaStream Jet machine as a wedding gift from my employer. It was a nice gift and we have used it weekly ever since. I like especially orange and cola, and soda water with lemon. My husband´s favourite is apple-pear. But the price of the brand flavours - I am horrified! You have to pay for the bubbles, and when you add the price of the flavours... isnogood. I want to win this challenge!
The brand flavours don´t usually go on sale in our shops. And if there are sales, they don´t include our favourites. The price is mostly 7,95 €/bottle. In a discount store the price may be 6,95 €. Luckily there is a competing product "MySoda" on the market. We have tried them and at least orange and cola are ok. In our local discount store they are often on sale 1,95€/bottle, which makes 8 litres of soda. I admit I´m hoarding it :) My Spouses favourite - apple-pear- is my pet peeve, so it is better for me not to evaluate it. But he thinks that MySoda is ok also in that flavour option.
How about lemon water? It would be healthy and cheap to add fresh lemon to carbonated water. Or a drop or two of lemon juice concentrate. But I´m not quite sure how the SodaStream plastic bottle would endure it. Lemon is a strong acidic substance. If you drop lemon straight to the drinking glass, you have to prepare each portion separately. That is too much work, which I don´t need right now ;) It is not that good.
I bought lemon essence. A tiny bottle in a baking supplies section costs about 2,50 €. It has proved to be extremely sufficient. I have made many many bottles of fizzy lemon water and the bottle still looks as full as it was to start with. It is challenging however to dose a suitably small drop. Each time it has been a bit too strong for my taste. Perhaps a pipette would be useful. The essence is also somewhat oily, so the bottle needs to be washed and flushed thoroughly. Yet this is the best option that I have come up so far.
With these options you can prepare fresh bubbling drinks much cheaper than with brand flavours. In our family, we consume fizzy drinks about 2 liters in a week (2 liters is about half a gallon, if you prefer that measure). SodaStream -brand flavour costs about 0,66 €/litre. The cheaper MySoda costs on sale 1,95 € / 8 litres = 0,25 €/litre. The difference 0,43 €/litre. In one year that will total in our household 44 €. A bottle of essence drops will make up to 100 litres I guess, so 1 litre will cost about 2,5 cents. With 2 litres per week, that will save us about 66 € / year, compared to SodaStream brand flavour! I think I will check the baking section again, to find more essence drops! Strawberry would be nice.
Please note! The above mentioned prices are not the total prices of the drinks. This is a comparison between flavouring options. If you want to calculate the total cost of the drinks, please include the price of the bubbles and purchasing the SodaStream machine.
Have nice day!
Best wishes,
Nina
The brand flavours don´t usually go on sale in our shops. And if there are sales, they don´t include our favourites. The price is mostly 7,95 €/bottle. In a discount store the price may be 6,95 €. Luckily there is a competing product "MySoda" on the market. We have tried them and at least orange and cola are ok. In our local discount store they are often on sale 1,95€/bottle, which makes 8 litres of soda. I admit I´m hoarding it :) My Spouses favourite - apple-pear- is my pet peeve, so it is better for me not to evaluate it. But he thinks that MySoda is ok also in that flavour option.
How about lemon water? It would be healthy and cheap to add fresh lemon to carbonated water. Or a drop or two of lemon juice concentrate. But I´m not quite sure how the SodaStream plastic bottle would endure it. Lemon is a strong acidic substance. If you drop lemon straight to the drinking glass, you have to prepare each portion separately. That is too much work, which I don´t need right now ;) It is not that good.
I bought lemon essence. A tiny bottle in a baking supplies section costs about 2,50 €. It has proved to be extremely sufficient. I have made many many bottles of fizzy lemon water and the bottle still looks as full as it was to start with. It is challenging however to dose a suitably small drop. Each time it has been a bit too strong for my taste. Perhaps a pipette would be useful. The essence is also somewhat oily, so the bottle needs to be washed and flushed thoroughly. Yet this is the best option that I have come up so far.
With these options you can prepare fresh bubbling drinks much cheaper than with brand flavours. In our family, we consume fizzy drinks about 2 liters in a week (2 liters is about half a gallon, if you prefer that measure). SodaStream -brand flavour costs about 0,66 €/litre. The cheaper MySoda costs on sale 1,95 € / 8 litres = 0,25 €/litre. The difference 0,43 €/litre. In one year that will total in our household 44 €. A bottle of essence drops will make up to 100 litres I guess, so 1 litre will cost about 2,5 cents. With 2 litres per week, that will save us about 66 € / year, compared to SodaStream brand flavour! I think I will check the baking section again, to find more essence drops! Strawberry would be nice.
Please note! The above mentioned prices are not the total prices of the drinks. This is a comparison between flavouring options. If you want to calculate the total cost of the drinks, please include the price of the bubbles and purchasing the SodaStream machine.
Have nice day!
Best wishes,
Nina
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Little bottle of vitamin D
Little One is given vitamin D drops every day (the national recommendation is 10 micrograms / day). Each time the tiny bottle is about to finish, I get annoyed. There is always remains on the bottom of the bottle, that doesn´t come out, no matter how vigorously I shake it. The stuff costs at least 1476 € / liter, so there is a price tag for each drop!
This product includes lactic acid bacteria, and one bottle lasts about 4 weeks. Somebody might say, that it would be cheaper to care ones stomach by eating oatmeal instead. And buy cheaper vitamins. But Little One has used these drops since he was two weeks old and never any stomach problems. So we are not going to change it.
Could there be a way to tackle this problem? I tried to remove the plastic pieces: the ring around the neck and the piece that aids the liquid out of the bottle neatly drop by drop. First I tried with a sturdy kitchen knife. Way too heavy and sharp equipment for this operation - please don´t try! But an ordinary table knife (not sharp) did the trick. And it was possible to trickle more liquid out, for about a week´s use.
How much do I save by doing this? I get one more week in addition to the original four weeks. One bottle bought in a two-bottle package costs 11,07 € / 4 weeks. Price of a week is thus about 2,75 €. This operation gives me 10 weeks more in a year, so the annual savings will be 27,50 €. I think this makes sense, especially when the time needed was less than a minute :)
Best wishes,
Nina
This product includes lactic acid bacteria, and one bottle lasts about 4 weeks. Somebody might say, that it would be cheaper to care ones stomach by eating oatmeal instead. And buy cheaper vitamins. But Little One has used these drops since he was two weeks old and never any stomach problems. So we are not going to change it.
Could there be a way to tackle this problem? I tried to remove the plastic pieces: the ring around the neck and the piece that aids the liquid out of the bottle neatly drop by drop. First I tried with a sturdy kitchen knife. Way too heavy and sharp equipment for this operation - please don´t try! But an ordinary table knife (not sharp) did the trick. And it was possible to trickle more liquid out, for about a week´s use.
How much do I save by doing this? I get one more week in addition to the original four weeks. One bottle bought in a two-bottle package costs 11,07 € / 4 weeks. Price of a week is thus about 2,75 €. This operation gives me 10 weeks more in a year, so the annual savings will be 27,50 €. I think this makes sense, especially when the time needed was less than a minute :)
Best wishes,
Nina
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