All About Townsville August Edition 2018 by The Townsville 'Zine

ALL ABOUT TOWNSVILLE

AUGUST 2018 1

Table of contents HEALTHY HABITS

THE BENEFITS OF KNOWING YOUR LITERATURE

ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS ON A BUDGET

BASICS: COMPARE THE PAIR

RECIPES: GENERIC VS BRAND NAMES

CHEAP AND FREE THINGS TO DO

FLOURISH IN TOWNSVILLE

COCONUT CHOC RICE PUDDING

CHERRY NUTELLA ICE-CREAM

GARLIC BREAD, PESTO & CHEESE TOASTIES

ENERGY RATING LABELS

ELECTRICITY

RECIPES ON A BUDGET

BEGINNERS HYDROPONICS

HYDROPHONICS VS GARDENS

WHO SAYS YOU CANâ&#x20AC;&#x;T HAVE FUN

ENTERTAINING CHILDREN ON A BUDGET

5 WAYS TO SAVE MONEY SHOPPING ONLINE

SMART DRUG MODAFINIL

D.I.Y. SOLAR POWERED CHARGER

Produced by the participants of the Workways Australia, Work for the Dole Community ZINE project. AUGUST 2018

HEALTHY HABITS GROW YOUR SAVINGS A regularly asked question for people trying to save money on fruits, vegetables and herbs is „Is doing it yourself, cheaper OR nah? Well, the answer to this question (in my opinion) is not as easy as a simple YES OR NO. Depending on your commitment level, location and area weather, will be deciding factors of what you can put in your garden. Initially setting up a garden patch will cost around $200.00 which seems like a lot, however, the savings you can make over 12 months when putting effort into your garden will save you the cost of the garden set up twice over. Even if you are busy having a small garden and fruit trees growing will compliment your existing budget with fruits, veg and herbs to cut the cost of your overall monthly food cost. The table below shows the initial cost of seeds/starter plants VS singular costs.

„Our savings in herbs alone over the last 11 months are at least $350.‟ -

Rochelle Stone, Barefoot Basics -

Woolworths Macro Organic Produce

Plant Cost

Garlic Cloves Organic 150g Tomato Gourmet Organic 400g Zucchini Green Organic 500g

$9.00 $5.00

Organic Herb Parsley Bunch Basil Green Fresh Herb 15g Mint Fresh Herb bunch

$3.50 $3.00 $3.00

Woolworths 10 Bulbs 100mm Diggers Tomato 'Heirloom‟ Greenskin Zucchini Vegetable Seeds 4mm Assorted Herbs 'Zoom Flavour Range' - 4 Cell 3 Pk Mint, Basil & Parsley Total

Total

$6.50

$30.00

Author: A.T.T.C 2018

$9.00 $4.39

How Long To Grow 9 Months 22 Weeks

$3.62

9 Weeks

$4.99

1 Week

$22.00

THE BENEFITS OF KNOWING YOUR LITERATURE BOOKS, BOOKS AND MORE BOOKS. Who doesn‟t love a good book, I know I do and can spend hours losing myself in a great story. There is no better feeling than opening a new book and not knowing what kind of an adventure you are about to partake in and being pulled into the story from the first page till the last. Book loves are always facing the dilema of what to read next or what book to buy. Sometimes you just can‟t make up your mind, sometimes you lack motivation to read or don‟t have time, sometimes you forget to grab your book on the way out in the moring. The worst feeling of all is when you want a new book or when your favouite author released a new book and you just can‟t afford to buy it. If you are anything like me and have a never ending reading list and the pile of books next to your bed seems to grow every week rather than decrease, or you are constantly receving recommondations from friends, family, collegues, or from emails from websites you are subscribed to. Sometimes you are just browsing the shelves of the local book shop or library and there is a book you are automatically drawn to immediately and everything else becomes unimportant.

„A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies…The man who never reads lives only one‟ George R R Martin Depending on what format you enjoy reading there are many ways to read a book rather cheaply or for free. It can be Ebooks, paperbacks/hardcovers, audiobooks or online. + You can join your local libaray for free and can spend hours browsing their shelves choosing any book your heart desires. Most librarys have gone digital and have an online browsing system for Ebooks, audiobooks, comics and magazines in which you can borrow out books. Some libraries also have an online reading room (Townsville libraries reading room is called Storybox). You can search the online library and borrow out books from the comfort of your home.

Depending on what your personal budget is and how much you are willing to spend on books will be a major factor when choosing which option is better for you, if you have an Ipad or tablet there is no need to buy a kindle as there is apps. Most Ereaders start around $99 for basic and can be priced up to $350.00. Most Ebooks can range from $0.99 to $9.99, but can be either free or more expensive. Paperback varey in cost and there are many factors to include, most paperbacks range from $10.00 to $25.00 depending on where you buy from, if the book is a new release or not, special edition with more content. If you are buying from a second hand store most books start at $2.00 and go up in price. Just like any product there are pros and cons of each. Many people enjoy Kindles because you can carry thousands of books around in your bag and if you are ever stuck on public transport, a waiting room you can easily just pull out your kindle and start reading. Kindles are also great for travelling, you don‟t have to pick and choose which books to pack into your suitcase. Kindles are also a great way to hide whatever book you may be reading (that‟s if you don‟t want people knowing what your reading). The price of Ebooks can be cheaper than paperback and if you have subscribed to site like (Bookbub) they will send you daily recommandations. Kindles also have many inbuilt features including a background light which makes reading at night and in bed so much easier, Inbuilt dictonary and you can increase or decrease the size of the font. Just like your phone your kindle is prone to damage, theft and if you forget to charge the kindle before leaving the house it can and may go flat. There are no repair shops that can fix a broken screen or damaged kindles, so once its broken, its gone for good and you have to buy a new one. Just like kindles there are many pros and cons of paperbacks. Firstly there is nothing better than feeling the weight of the book in your hands, and the sounds the pages make when you turn the page. Being able to physically browse the shelves of you local libaray or bookshops. Another great advantage is if you are reading in public the cover of you book can be a great conversation starter with people who may have already read that book or are interested in reading the book. Studies have also shown that most people tend to retain more of what they read in print, than audiobooks or Ebooks. You can also swap books between friends, family or take them to second hand shops or chairty. There are also many disadvantages to owning a large amount of paperbacks including moving house with a large collection is a total nightmare, another problem most people have is unless you have prepared yourself for a large collection you can run out room very quickly and have no where to put your books, sometimes you just cant get into comfortable postiton while reading, reading in the bath is a 50/50, theres a chance if your not careful you book may get wet and there is nothing worse than a book that has gotten wet. Bugs can also ruin paperback and if there is a fire or natural distaster then you may not be able to save them all.

„In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you‟ Mortimer J Adler 6

If your prefer Ebooks to paperbacks but cant afford to buy a Kindle or Ebook reader, there are many apps avaliable on the App store or Playstore for Ipad, Iphones or Tablets than you can download and use such as KOBO and Amazon Kindle. If you prefer paperbacks or physical copies of books, the library is a great place to start if you cannot afford to buy books. If you can afford to spend the money on books there are many places around Townsville in which you can buy books. There are a number of bookstores around that you can buy from and if you are chasing a certain book most bookshops can order the book for you. Many bookshops also have a loyaitly program that you can join and every time you buy a book you build points/money in which you can use once you have enough. Many bookshops also offer promotions and discounts if you are a member and on the mailing list. QBD, Angus And Roberston, Mary Who? Bookshop, Belgian Gardens Book Exchange, A Colourful Read and Aitkenvale Mango Tree Books are just a few of the speciality books stores around town. You can also get a great range of books from Kmart, Target and Big W, also a great place to check out is Lifeline or Salvation Army. Most of the shops listed above also have a online shop in which you can browse and purchase, but along with those there are sites in which you can visit including ABC shop, Book Depository, Booktopia. In my expericce I have always found that it is better to shop around for any books that I am chasing then to go and buy straight away. If I am chasing a new release I always check the price of the book at all the major retailers online and choose where I will buy it, sometimes a book can be cheaper at Kmart or Big W than QBD, even with older books its better to look around. Most of these places also offer a layby service, so you can always layby the books you want and just pay it off than buying immediately. Big W also offer afterpay.

„You know you‟ve read a good book when you turn the last page a feel a like as if you have lost a friend‟ Paul Sweeny There are also online sites in which you can read full books in PFD format or even just a sample of any book that you might be interested in without thecommitment of having to spend large amounts of money or any money at all. Also available to readers is the Fan fiction websites, for those who are unfamiliar with Fan fiction, well the name says it all. It‟s a community for people to share stories they have written based of books, TV shows, movies and other forms of entertainment that they have enjoyed, continuing on the stories that they have enjoyed but putting their own spin on the story. Some of these are extremely enjoyable and can make you feel all the emotion you feel when reading, some are in my opinion not worth reading (please keep in mind that the people who are writing these are not professional authors and this is something that they do for fun, and may be not up the standard we are used to). ACKOWLEGMENTS: Pixabay

Author: MNR JULY 2018

ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS ON A BUDGET INEXPENSIVE OPTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM Everyone loves too kick back and watch a movie whether if it‟s the newest release or a hard to find classic from their childhood but most don‟t want too spend a lot of money on it. Back in the days where you could go to the good old video store and choose a selction of choices which would keep the whole family entertained especially on the weekends and school holidays . But with the demise of the video stores these days that‟s a thing of the past. there‟s still a wide variety of options too choose from streaming services online such as Netflix, Stan and Pronto for a small fee every month. DVD‟s have been the mainstay of home entertainment for over 20 years even with the rise in popularity of streaming services. These days DVD‟s are still a good option with new releases starting at $20 or less. But if that‟s not afforable you could find cheaper options at second hand stores such as Cash Converters who sell theirs at $2 (quite cheap for someone on a budget). Ebay is also a good place too check out especially a hard to find movie to find with most sellers offering free or cheap of postage and handling costs. There are plenty of online stores and websites which also sell DVD‟s at reasonable prices. DVD players have become less expensive since they were first released you can pick one up for under $50, Portable dvd players have great value for about $90, they make a good choice especially if you have kids and go on a long roadtrip (that will keep them entertained for hours and makes for a peaceful trip for all). Blu-ray is also an option but they are a bit more expensive both with the disc and player.The benefit is they do provide for better viewing and sound but also require the player to be connected to the internet for software upgrades otherwise the discs may not work. If you‟re not really fussed DVD would work out to be the cheaper option. Another option with DVD‟s is to back them up onto a portable hard drive you can pick one up for under $90 (depending on the storage capacity). Iit‟s a good idea especially if you want to the keep the original copy from getting scratched and in good conditon saving you from having too replace it if it gets damage it also provides a good way of saving space if you have limited storage space.

Streaming Services have become popular these days with the internet being more accesable then back in the early 90‟s. Services such as Netflix, Stan and Pronto offer a wide selection of both Movies and TV Shows for a low monthly fee (ranging from $6 to $18). The good thing about these services is that you‟re not limited to only watching it on the TV. They can be used on tablets computers and phones which mean others can watch those without having to fight over the remote control. Other than those options there‟s also the option for free entertainment depending on what‟s available from either hiring out movies from the local public library to the council puts on a free movie night with the kids this provides both a free movies and a good night out with the whole family. Most people still enjoy heading to the cinemas whether it‟s with the family or by yourself checking out the newest releases. Even people on a tight budget do like to splurge and treat themselves to a good night out To be able to just sit back and forget everything while being immersed for 2 hours.

To see a movie for a family it costs $70 including the snacks and tickets for everyone to enjoy a rare night out. For yourself it may only cost around $25 dollars which isn‟t too expensive for a night out watching the latest blockbuster from Hollywood.

Even on a budget there is quite a few different options too choose from (that won‟t break the bank). To enjoy some entertainment by yourself or with the family.

ACKOWLEGMENTS: Wikipedia, dailycal.org , hilltoptoyota.net Author:MR. August2018

BASICS: COMPARE THE PAIR GENERIC VS BRAND

$1.50

save

$2.00

$5.00

save

$6.70

$1.40

$1.30

save

$5.00

$3.60

$2.80 $2.50

$3.20

$1.20

$3.50

$5.50

save

$5.00

$2.20

$5.50

$3.00

$1.40

save

$4.50 $1.70

$3.10

save

$2.30 ACKOWLEGMENTS: Coles Supermarket

$4.00

RECIPES: GENERIC VS BRAND NAMES HOW MUCH ARE YOU PAYING FOR A BRAND? You can save roughly 30% by choosing generic products over the name brand option Coles prices July 2018 Recipe #1: Creamy Chicken & Rice Casserole Generic Price

Brand Price

Chicken Breast (1)

$4.50

White Rice (2 cups)

$1.50

$2.50

Cream of Chicken Soup (1 can)

$1.20

$1.80

Cream of Celery Soup (1 can)

$0.79

$1.50

Cream of Mushroom Soup (1 can)

$1.80

Butter (1 tbs)

$2.70

$3.75

Frozen Mixed Veggies (500g)

$3.00

$4.00

Total: $15.50

Total: $19.85

Ingredients

Step 1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees Step 2. In a large bowl mix the rice, soups and butter and vegetables. Step 3. Place the chicken pieces in a 9x13 inch baking dish and pour the soup mixture over the chicken. Cover and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes.

SAVINGS: $4.40

Recipe #2: Spaghetti Generic Price

Brand Price

Beef Mince (500g)

$4.00

Spaghetti (1 packet)

$0.65

$1.95

Onion (1)

$0.52

Pasta Sauce (1 jar)

$1.70

$3.75

Parmesan Cheese (100g)

$1.60

$3.29

Total: $8.50

Total: $13.50

Ingredients

Step 1. heat oil in a large sauce pan. SautĂŠ onions and garlic until soft. Add bacon and sautĂŠ for 1 minute. Step 2. Add beef and brown over high heat, stirring constantly to break lumps. Step 3. Add tomatoes and their juices, tomato paste, herbs, seasonings and water or stock. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 40-60 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated and sauce is thick. Step 4. Boil and drain spaghetti and toss with a little butter. Pile onto serving bowl. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Spoon sauce over the spaghetti and serve with the remainder of the cheese.

SAVINGS: $5.00

Recipe #3: Stir-fry Generic Price

Brand Price

Â˝ a bunch of fresh coriander

$2.80

$3.50 (organic)

Garlic (3 cloves)

$1.20

Ginger (1 small piece)

$3.00

Spring onions (1 bunch)

$2.50

$5.50 (organic)

Red chilli (1)

$1.10

Lime (1)

$0.70

Frozen stir-fry veggies (500g packet)

$2.20

$3.70

Chicken Breast (1)

$4.50

Egg noodles (400g)

$2.65

$3.05

Cashews (50g)

$1.50

Vegetable oil

$2.25

$3.25

Soy sauce (1â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2 tbs)

$1.90

$3.35

Fish sauce (1 tbs)

$2.10

$3.20

Total: $28.40

Total: $37.55

Ingredients

Step 1.Pick the coriander leaves and finely slice the stalks, then keep aside for later. Peel and finely slice the garlic and ginger. Trim and finely slice the spring onions, deseed and finely slice the chilli and cut the lime into wedges. Trim, peel and thinly slice the carrots at an angle. Step 2. Cut the chicken into 1cm strips. Cook the noodles according to packet instructions, then drain and refresh under cold water. Lightly toast the cashew nuts in a non-stick frying pan until golden, then top onto a plate to cool. Step 3. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large frying pan or wok. Season the chicken with a pinch of pepper, then add to the pan and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden. Add the coriander stalks, garlic and ginger and cook for a further minute. Step 4. Next, add the spring onions, frozen vegetables and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes, then add the cooked noodles. Keep stir-frying until the noodles are warm and the chicken is cooked through. Stir through the soy and fish sauces, then remove from the heat. Step 5. Divide between bowls, sprinkle over the nuts, sliced chilli and the reserved coriander leaves, then serve with the lime wedges for squeezing over.

SAVINGS: $9.15 Recipe #4: Butter Chicken Generic Price

Brand Price

Chicken Breast (1)

$4.50

Butternut pumpkin

$3.50

Butter chicken sauce

$2.40

$4.50

Basmati rice (2 cups)

$3.00 (1kg)

$8.00 (1kg)

Natural yoghurt (260g)

$3.90

$5.00

Lebanese cucumber

$1.19

Total: $18.50

Total: $26.70

Ingredients

Step 1. Heat a deep non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Step 2. Add pumpkin and simmer sauce, and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Step 3. Meanwhile, cook the rice in a large saucepan of salted boiling water, following packet directions, until tender. Drain. Step 4. Combine yoghurt, cucumber in a bowl. Step 5. Serve chicken on rice and top with a dollop of yoghurt mixture.

SAVINGS: $8.20

CHEAP AND FREE THINGS TO DO CHEAP THINGS TO DO IN TOWNSVILLE Looking for something to do in Townsville but don‟t have a lot of money? Here are some ideas and suggestions to keep you entertained. Museum of Tropical Queensland. The museum has a lot to offer, multiple exhibits, a café and a gift shop. Some of the exhibits are even interactive. Exhibits include: THE HMS PANDORA, learn the story of the HMS Pandora and its task of capturing the Bounty and its mutineer crew. TONKA THE BARE-NOSED WOMBAT, a heartfelt story of a wombat that was rescued when he was baby and raised by the rangers at Billabong Sanctuary and came to be its star. DINOSAUR REVOLUTION, Discover the world of Dinosaurs, with 3D models, animatronics and fossil casts. DISCOVER TROPICAL QUEENSLAND, Learn all about the Queensland environment and animals. There are more exhibits but you should discover them yourself in person or on their website http://www.mtq.qm.qld.gov.au/ . The museum is open daily from 9:30am – 5pm Prices: General Admission prices: Adult $15, Children aged 3-15 $8.80 (kids under 3 are free) and a family pass (2 adults and 3 children) $38. For locals Adults $7.50, Children aged 3-15 $4.40 (children under 3 are free) and a family pass (2 adults and 3 children) $19. Locals also get free entrance on the second Tuesday of each month. Townsville Markets. You could spend some time at one of the few markets Townsville has to offer. NIGHT MARKETS AT THE STRAND Every month on the first Friday, the strand is host to The Night Markets. The entry is free, has lots of stalls and entertainment, Starts at 5pm until 9:30pm. WILLOWS SUNDAY MARKETS The Willows Sunday Markets open 7:30am to 11:30am Sundays at Willows Shopping Centre carpark and currently has 140 stalls. HORSESHOE BAY MARKETS The Horseshoe Bay markets on Magnetic Island are held on the second and last Sunday of each month and start 9am until 2pm. The Markets are a nice cheap way to spend some time and have fun.

Paluma and Crystal Creek If you‟re into nature and hiking, try the Paluma Range National Park. There are lots to see and do here, from swimming in Crystal Creek, hiking through the rainforest, experiencing the view from McClellands Lookout or even visiting Paluma Village. SWIMMING If you wanted to go swimming you could go to Little Crystal Creek and see Queensland‟s first ever Roman Arch Bridge or you could go to Big Crystal Creek with its larger swimming holes, picnic and camping areas. Finally you could go to Lake Paluma where you can swim, camp, canoe, bushwalk and have a picnic. WALKING TRAILS If you like hiking, there are a number of walking trails you can varying in difficulty. If you‟re a bird watcher, there are several rare birds to find. ACCOMMODATION If camping isn‟t your thing, there are a few places you can stay in like the Rainforest Inn, Paluma Rainforest Cottages or Rainforest Mist B&B. You should also visit the Ivy Cottage Tea Rooms to sit and relax after you‟ve been hiking and swimming all day. Though some of this will cost money and might be expensive but you don‟t need to spend money here to have a great time. The Strand The Strand is Townsville‟s main beach front attraction, with playgrounds for kids, a big park to play sports, a water park for hot days and a 2 and half kilometre walkway for joggers, walkers and runners alike to exercise and take in the view of magnetic island. There are BBQ areas along The Strand to enjoy lunch and play at the beach or one of the parks, or you can get some fish and chips and enjoy it while sitting on the beach. There is a stinger net for those who want to swim in the ocean or you can swim in the rock pool if the ocean isn‟t for you. As previously mentioned you can also go to the Night Markets here, The Strand plays host too many events and attractions throughout the year. A great day out for the whole family and won‟t cost you much at all.

Acknowledgements: Image1 rowesbayholidaypark.com.au Image2 blog.queensland.com Mark Bulley Image3 www.the-ville.com.au Image4 townsvilleseaside.com.au Joe Monti

Author: NB July 2018

FLOURISH IN TOWNSVILLE PLANTING 101 Starting a garden patch can be daunting, maybe you buy all your fruit & veggies because you think you‟re not suited to being a gardener? WELL, I‟m here to tell you that everyone can GROW to love gardening and maybe all it takes is a tiny bit of education on the subject. So, slip, slop, slap and get outside after reading because, I‟m going to give you a plant seasonal guide for tropical North Queensland.

WINTER (June, July and August) - Yes, we do ACTUALLY have a winter season - It’s just not as cold as the North Pole Herbs - dill, garlic, mint, thyme, sage and parsley.

Fruit and vegetables - broccoli, carrot, capsicum, cabbage, lettuce, pumpkin, radish, spinach and rhubarb.

SPRING (September, October and November) Herbs - chilli, chives, ginger, mint, parsley and basil.

Fruit and vegetables - beetroot, capsicum, corn, cucumber, eggplant, spinach, sweet potato, pumpkin, watermelon and zucchini.

SUMMER (December, January and February) Contrary to popular belief, summer isn’t actually all year long. Herbs - basil, coriander, mint and tarragon.

Fruit and vegetables - beetroot, capsicum, spring onion, tomato, pumpkin, lettuce, cucumber, celery, cauliflower.

AUTUMN ( March, April and May) Herbs - basil, coriander, garlic, parsley and chives.

Fruit and vegetables - beans, beetroot, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, melons, lettuce, potato, pumpkin, tomato and zucchini.

COCONUT CHOC RICE PUDDING CHEAP. EASY. FANCY.

Ingredients 400ml coconut milk, plus extra to serve 100ml water 60g risotto or white short-grain rice 2 heaped tsp cacao powder 2 tbsp. maple syrup or honey, plus another drizzle to serve 125g summer berries, washed, to serve 1 tbsp. dried rose petal (optional), to serve Method 1. Place the coconut milk in a small saucepan and add the water, rice, cacao and maple syrup. Stir well to combine.

2. Cook over a medium heat until the mixture starts to simmer, and turn heat down to low. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or until the rice is cooked but has a small amount of bite, and the whole mixture is rich and creamy. If required, add a little extra water or milk to reach the desired consistency.

3. Divide between small bowls and top with berries and an extra drizzle of coconut milk and maple syrup. Sprinkle with a few dried rose petals to serve. Author: A.T.T.C July 2018

CHERRY NUTELLA ICE-CREAM CHEAP. EASY. FANCY. Ingredients 1 Cup of Cherries, pitted and diced 1 Cup of Nutella 3 Eggs 1 1/2 Cup of Whole Milk 2 Cups of Heavy Cream 1 Cup of Sugar Needed: 1 Ice cream Maker Method: 1. In a saucepan, add your milk and sugar and simmer over medium heat until sugar has dissolved, stirring occasionally. You want the milk to get hot but not come to a boil. 2. Separate egg yolks into a small bowl and whisk well. (You can save the whites for a healthy egg scramble.) 3. Once sugar has dissolved into the milk, add a ladle full of the warm sugar milk to the egg yolks, stirring constantly. This is tempering the egg yolks so that they won't curdle when you add them into the milk. 4. Repeat this step about 3 times and then slowly whisk the eggs into the remaining milk mixture in the saucepan. 5. Stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon. (Test this by running your finger down the back of the spoon, if the line stays, you are good to go!) 6. After mixture thickens, pour heavy cream into a freezer safe container. Strain the thickened milk into the heavy cream and stir well to combine. You want to make sure you strain the mixture to ensure a smooth ice cream base. There will be little bits of curdling that you will see in the strainer and this is normal. 7. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight. 8. When ready to make your ice cream, pour ice cream base into the maker and follow manufacturer's instructions. 9. After about 25-30 minutes when your ice cream is thickened and almost done, add in your cherries and nutella a little at a time until well combined. 10. Transfer back to the same freezer safe container. Place a layer of parchment over top to prevent freezer burn and freeze for at least an hour before serving.

https://www.mydiaryofus.com/blog/2015/7/14/homemade-cherry-nutella-ice-cream Author: A.T.T.C July 2018

GARLIC BREAD, PESTO & CHEESE TOASTIES CHEAP. EASY. FANCY

Ingredients: 8 slices garlic bread 1/3 cup Basil with Cashew & Parmesan Dip 1 cup grated four cheese blend METHOD 1. Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. 2. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Place bread slices, buttered-side down, onto a board. Spread with dip. Place cheese on half of the bread slices. Place in prepared pan, buttered-side down. Top with remaining bread slices, buttered-side up. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden. 3. Carefully turn toasties. Press with a spatula to flatten slightly.

4. Cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes or until golden. 5. Transfer to a baking tray. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/3-ingredient-molten-four-cheese-pestotoasties/884q02gg?utm_source=youmightlike Author: A.T.T.C July 2018

ENERGY RATING LABELS HOW TO SAVE MONEY WHEN BUYING APPLIANCES An Energy Rating Label is a sticker attached to appliances prior to retail sale, which allows consumers to compare the energy efficiency of products and allows consumers to know how much power a particular model will use to run. This information is intended to help customers understand the energy requirements and running costs of different appliances and help them to choose an appliance which best meets their needs. The star rating is about energy efficiency – that is how much electricity a model uses compared to other models of the same size. More stars means more efficient. When buying a new television, fridge, freezer, washing machine or clothes dryer, check the energy rating label. These labels provide a comparison of the appliance's energy efficiency and typical annual energy usage. Most products are given between 1 and 6 stars. However, as technology keeps getting better, so does energy efficiency. This is why you‟ll see some super-efficient models in shops and online with an extra row of stars, as they can have up to 10. For more information on energy labelling visit the Energy Rating Labelling Scheme website www.energyrating.gov.au/label. Here you‟ll also find an Energy Rating Calculator where you can compare the consumption and running costs of various appliances by brand, star rating or energy consumption. Calculating Running Costs Use the Energy Rating Label to work out rough running costs with some simple maths. Just take the energy consumption figure – and divide it by 4. For example, if the Energy Rating Label on a washing machine says it uses 400 kWh, it means it will roughly cost you $100 per year to run. This is because across Australia, energy rates range from just under 20 cents to just over 30 cents per kWh – so using 25 cents (or ¼ of a dollar) is somewhere in the middle. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: https:// http://www.energyrating.gov.au/label http://www.yourenergysavings.gov.au/information/energy-rating-labels

Author: CB. July 2018

ELECTRICITY HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON ELECTRICITY

LIGHTING 1. Switch to energy efficient lighting like compact fluorescent or LED bulbs as an alternative to incandescent or halogen lighting. 2. Turn lights off in areas of your home that are not being used. 3. Install task lighting in areas like reading chairs, kitchen benches, dining table and the bathroom vanity, so you don't waste general space lighting. 4. Use light coloured paint on interior walls, ceilings and other surfaces in your home to help you get the most out of natural lighting. 5. Add well-designed windows or skylights to incorporate the use of natural light. When these are properly designed, they won't make your home too hot in summer and can help to warm your home in winter.

HOME ENTERTAINMENT 1. Look for a TV unit with an LCD screen. Plasma screen units can use double the electricity of an LCD unit. 2. Turn it off at the wall. Large screen TVs and gaming systems need lots of energy to run and will keep drawing power when on standby. 3. Use multi-point power boards to power your home entertainment devices, which makes it easier to turn them all off when 4. 5. 6. 7.

you're not using them. Change your desktop computer to a laptop - a laptop computer uses up to $50 a year less electricity. Turn your computer screen off when youâ&#x20AC;&#x;re not using it. Screen savers don't save energy unless they turn the monitor off. Switch your mobile charger off at the wall once your phone is fully charged. This could save you up to $50 a year. Look for a high energy star rating when replacing appliances.

FRIDGES & FREEZERS 1. Set the temperature in your fridge to between 3°C and 4°C. Set your freezer to between minus 15°C and minus 18°C. 2. Position your fridge and freezer away from direct sunlight to keep them as cool as possible. 3. Leave a gap around your fridge to let air circulate around the condenser and remove the hot air produced. 4. Keep the fridge and freezer doors closed as much as possible to keep the cold air in. 5. Defrost your freezer regularly if required, to keep it running as efficiently as possible. 6. Don‟t overstock shelves or put hot food in your refrigerator. Leave about 20% space for the air to circulate. 7. Check the door seals are clean and tight. Loose seals means you're losing cold air (and money) through gaps. 8. Upgrade your fridge or freezer. Old models can be really inefficient, costing you hundreds of dollars to run each year. Purchase an energy efficient model with a high energy star rating. For example, a fridge with 3.5 stars instead of 1.5 could save you $150 a year.

AIR CONDITIONING 1. Select the right temperature. Try stick to 25oC in summer. Every one degree cooler adds around 10% to the amount of electricity the air conditioner uses. 2. Install the right sized model for the space you need. 3. Choose an air conditioner with a high energy star rating - for every extra star your unit has, you‟ll save around 15% in running costs. 4. Maintain your air conditioner regularly - clean the air filters and coils. 5. Turn your air conditioner off when you‟re out and wait until you‟re back to turn it on again. 6. Select the air recirculate setting when running your air conditioner. Otherwise you'll be drawing in warmer air from the outside and using a lot of electricity to cool it down. 7. Close doors and windows in areas you want to cool to help keep the cool air in and the hot air out. 8. Use a fan instead. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: https://www.ergon.com.au/retail/residential/home-energy-tips https://www.energyaustralia.com.au/blog/better-energy https://www.cnet.com/how-to/rules-for-paying-less-on-ac-this-summer

Author: CB. July 2018

RECIPES ON A BUDGET EASY MEAL IDEAS THAT WON‟T BREAK THE BANK

Quick sausage, lentil and tomato stew Ingredients  1 red onion, halved, thinly sliced  1 red capsicum, finely chopped  500g beef sausages, cut into 1cm pieces  2 x 400g cans brown lentils, drained, rinsed  2 cups diced or crushed tomatoes  1 ½ cups chicken liquid stock

Method 1. Heat oil in a large deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and capsicum. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion is softened. Add sausages. Cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, for 8 minutes or until browned. 2. Add lentils, tomato, stock, salt and pepper. Stir. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until mixture thickens. Serve.

Creamy chicken and mushroom fettuccine Ingredients  450g fettuccine  500g chicken tenderloins  100g rindless bacon, diced  1 brown onion, diced  250g small cup mushrooms, sliced  420g can condensed cream of chicken soup  ½ cup light thickened cream  1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Method 1. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water, following packet directions, until tender. Drain pasta. 2. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove to a plate. Cut chicken diagonally into 3 pieces. Cover to keep warm. 3. Add bacon to frying pan. Cook for 2 minutes. Add onion and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes or until mushrooms are golden. Add soup, cream and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until well combined. Add chicken and pasta. Season with salt and cracked black pepper. Toss to combine. Serve.

Vegetarian curry Ingredients  2 tablespoons red curry paste  1 cup vegetable stock  400ml can coconut cream  1 red capsicum, cut into 2cm pieces  1 small carrot  I small potato  1 small cauliflower, cut into florets  3 tomatoes, roughly chopped  300g green beans, trimmed, halved  400g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed Method 1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add curry paste. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add stock. Bring to a simmer. 2. Add coconut cream, capsicum, potato and carrot. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cover for 90 minutes. 3. Add cauliflower, tomato, beans and chickpeas. Cover, cook for a further 30 minutes. 4. Serve with rice.

Vegetarian chilli Ingredients  1 corn cob, kernels removed  1 red capsicum, finely chopped  2 carrots, chopped  1 cup celery, finely chopped  2 garlic cloves, crushed  1 long fresh green chilli, chopped  1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin  1 teaspoon smoked paprika  ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper  400g can chopped tomato  400g can kidney beans, rinsed  125ml (½ cup) water Method 1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the vegetables, garlic and chilli. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until soft. 2. Add the cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until aromatic. 3. Add the tomato, beans and water. Add salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. 4. Serve with rice. Top with sour cream. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: https://www.taste.com.au

Author: CB. July 2018

BEGINNERS HYDROPONICS GET TO KNOW YOUR HYDROPONICS! Hydroponics gardening can be as simple as a windowsill system or as complex as a greenhouse system. The versatility and uniqueness it brings can allow anyone from a beginner to a professional to utilise their space wisely. Especially those with very limited space, cashflow and want to supplement their diets with fresh vegetables or herbs. What is Hydroponics? Wikipedia explains that “Hydroponics is a subset of hydroculture and is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral solution only, or in an inert medium, such as perlite or gravel. The nutrients in hydroponics can be from fish waste, normal nutrients, or duck manure.” Meaning that you can grow plants indoors and outdoors without messing around with fertilisers, compostes and dirt. The best way to get started is to talk with your local Hydroponic Retailer to find the right system for you. After you know what system type you want to use - you can choose to rig your own or buy the premade systems from the supplier. They both have their advantages and disadvantages - it all depends on your preferences and desires. Large and small complete systems can be costly although they are ready for immediate use. While homemade rigs can be relatively inexpensive and time consuming to create (depending on scale). Different kinds of hydroponic systems require different care, there are 6 systems - Deep Water Culture (DWC), Ebb and Flow (Flood and Drain), Wicking, Drip, Aeroponic and Nutrient Film Technique (NFT). Their main difference is their delivery systems, how they feed the nutrient rich water solution to the plants. Highly recommended for beginners is the Deep Water Culture technique, which is simplest and least maintenance heavy system. For a Deep Water Culture system, you need a reservoir, nutrient solution, water and an air pump. Suspend the plant‟s roots into the reservoir filled with the nutrient solution. Then set up the air pump - preferrably with an airstone - to keep the plant roots from drowning due to oxygen deprivation. The plants need this as they will suck the oxygen they need from the water. Deep Water Culture systems can be utilised indoors and outdoors and can be designed to suit your needs. With easy maintenance, almost anyone can use, grow and have a healthy veggie garden anywhere in their home. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: http://www.thehydroponicum.com https://www.advancednutrients.com/articles/easy-hydroponics-beginners-guide/

Author: AD. July 2018

HYDROPHONICS VS GARDENS WHICH IS BETTER? To start, we will compare two costs for two systems, a raised garden bed and a ready-made Deep Water Culture Hydroponic system with a 3 month schedule on yielding crops. RAISED GARDEN BED Below is a basic list of items from Bunnings: Total cost $786.91 120x120x31cm - raised wooden garden bed. $44.97 Soil/Manure - 446.4m3 Brunnings 25L Potting Mix x 15 - $2.97/bag - $44.55 Osmocote Plus Organic 25L Vegetable and Herb Mix x 3 - $9.98/bag - $29.94 Coolaroo 1.83 x 5m Prepacked Weed Control Mat - $9.97 Water - free, water by hand Plants - Tomato seedlings x 4 - $4.39 per seedling - $17.56 Time to set up and plant - ~4hours (average time and labour at $20/hour) - $80.00 Upkeep - 20 minutes per day - 1 week (2.33hrs) = $46.66 x 3months - $559.92 DEEP WATER CULTURE HYDROPONICS Below is a basic list of items from www.hydrocentre.com.au: Total Cost $913.76 63.5 x 38.1 x 91.44cm - hydroponic system. $625.00 Nutrient 1 - FloraGro 946ml 3 part General Hydroponics Flora Gro - $25.00 Nutrient 2 - FloraBloom 3.79L 3 part General Hydroponics Flora - $60.00 Hy Gen pH control kit - up and down with liquid tester - $27.00 Water - free - refill by hand Plants - Tomato seedlings x 4 - $4.39 per seedling - $17.56 Time to set up and plant - ~1hour (average time and labour at $20/hour) - $20.00 Upkeep - 5 minutes per day - 1 week = 35mins @ average time - $11.60 x 3months - $139.20 First you can see the difference in personal time spent with upkeep and set up. Where a raised garden bed will take longer to set up and need daily maintenance, it is heavy on time demands in comparison to the Deep Water Culture Hydroponics. However, Deep Water Culture is more expensive to set up than setting up a raised garden bed. It comes down to which will provide a better yeild of produce - tomatoes.

HYDROPHONICS VS GARDENS WHICH IS MOST COST EFFECTIVE?

Which does yield the most cost effective crop? Remembering that Tomato plants take 90-95 days to mature. At about 30-45 days, they will begin growing fruit and be ready to start harvesting. According to various resources - see acknowledgements.

In soil the Tomato plant can yield from 4.5 to 6.8 kilograms of fruits throughout its lifetime. Hydroponically the Tomato plant can yield 4.5 to 5.6 kilograms of fruits throughout its lifetime. The average medium Tomato fruit weighs ~ 123grams. Working with the common 4.5kg average, and individual weight of a medium Tomato, a calculation for the basic cost effectiveness of producing the different crops can be produced.

Investment / (average yield / average weight) = cost per Tomato produced. Soil based Tomato Plants: 786.91 / (4.5 / 0.123) = 786.91 / 36 = $21.85 per Tomato. Hydroponic DWC Tomato Plants: 913.76 / (4.5 / 0.123) = 913.76 / 36 = $25.38 per Tomato. Overall itâ&#x20AC;&#x;s more expensive to invest and harvest Hydroponically, however the benefits of less time consumption can outweigh the initial investment for people who are time poor or are working with a small space within a confined area. While Soil based harvests are cheaper to invest and harvest, they can be very time consuming and need more maintenance (weeding, watering, fertiliser, etc.) in the long run. There are many benefits to growing your own vegetables, even though it is more cost effective to buy from a farmers market or supermarket, however you are not guaranteed the freshness of a home grown, home picked vegetable. Which is better? That is for you to experiment and decide!

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: https://www.sites.google.com/site/hydroponicandsoiltomatogrowth http://www.penandpepperfarm.com/2012/12/lessons-of-a-first-year-farmer-tomatoes/ https://www.wired.com/2011/06/garden-math-how-many-tomatoes-to-plant/ http://homeguides.sfgate.com/average-yield-hydroponic-yearround-tomatoes-100617.html https://hannaone.com/Recipe/weighttomato.html

Author: AD. July 2018

WHO SAYS YOU CAN‟T HAVE FUN CHEAP AND FRUGAL HOBBIES EVERYONE CAN ENJOY

If your thinking you don‟t have the time or the money to undertake a hobbies, than I am here to tell you that is not the case. Most hobbies can be done frugally and many can fit in with the any spare time you may have throughout the week. Hobbies can be extremely rewarding and some may even lead to extra income if you decided to sell any of your work, anything you make can also be gifted to friends and family and in my experience most people prefer something that you have taken the time to make than something bought. You don‟t need to be the best at whatever you decide to do as with everything in life you‟ll be learning along the way. I‟ve done some research and complied a list of the most common and rewarding hobbies. Many of these I enjoy and find them rewarding. I have found that most hobbies can be broken up into different categories with some overlapping and most hobbies can be enjoyed indoors or outdoors, alone or with friends and family, its just deciding what hobbies best suits the individual and budget.

„It is better to develop hobbies and interests than to have ideas about things‟ Marty Rubin The first category is Intellectual hobbies and by far my favourite. Intellectual hobbies are a great way to focus you mind and keep your mind sharp. There are so many activities you can do to focus your mind from word searches, crosswords and sudukos either online or you can easily go and buy a book from your newsagency (just remember to use pencil in case you make a mistake). Reading in my opion is the main intellectual hobbies and is something you can do for next to nothing, all you need is library membership and your set. Writing and Journaling are also great and go hand in hand as it‟s a great way to get whatever your feeling/thinking out of you head and onto paper and all you need is a pen and a notepad (If you want to give bullet journaling a go there are plenty of ideas and layouts on Pintest). Along with writing you can always start a blog about anything you may in interested in from house hold tips, living frugally. Drawing is an extremely cheap way to express yourself, weather its by painting, sketching, even if your not very good it doesn‟t matter. Adult colouring in books are great for relaxing and something I enjoy. Educating yourself is all about improving yourself and what you know, you can do this by reading information from the internet (Just make sure what your reading is truthful), listening to Podcast (can also be use just for general listening) or by watching documentaries and expand your horizons, Along

with educating yourself you can also learn a new language through podcast, structured coursed or by meeting up with people who speak the language you want to learn, If you choose to there are plenty of things to do on your tablet or computer that can be fun and enjoyable and also rewarding. Surfing the internet is a great way to waste time if you have nothing better to do and there are plenty of sites you can check out from Reddit, you can spend hours watching videos on YouTube (Guilty here) read forums about things you enjoy or are interested in. Keeping up to date with local news is something you can do online if you don‟t have the time to sit and watch the news every night, you can also check out what's going on in the wide with the simple swipe of your finger. Playing free games online is something many people enjoy, playing online poker can be played for free, However it‟s addictive and you can lose large amounts of money if your not careful. Everyone in the worlds needs and sometimes craves social interaction and I have found some great ideas that can be made into a group activity and if you and family or friends enjoyed whatever you choose do it can be a weekly or monthly get together. Hosting a game night with friends or family is something that can be enjoyed by everyone and can be extremely cheap. Game nights can be anything from board games, cards, trivia or quiz night, even playing chess is a great hobbies to have, with the endless possibilities of an ending and you can spend you whole life improving your skills. Hosting a regular dinner party is a great to enjoy company with friends and also try new foods, once a month organise a get together and ask everyone to bring a dish. Listening to music is something you can do on your own or with a group and you don‟t need to go out anywhere to do it, most people have smart phones or tablets now and you can easily blue tooth your device to a speaker and away you go ( A game we always play is where we try to guess the song and artist). Dancing is a great activity you can do alone or again with a group and is great exercise and fun, Exercising is something that everyone should do and many people use the excuse that the gym is too expensive or that they have no motivation, well there are a few hobbies that focus around exercise that are cheap or will cost you next to nothing and again can be done alone or with friends in a group setting. Running is the king of frugal exercise hobbies, all you need is a good pair of running shoes and your off and somewhere to run. Cycling is another great frugal pastime you can do, all you need is a bike (If you don‟t have one you should get one) you don‟t need a super expensive bike, the best thing about cycling is that you are killing two birds with one stone you can travel to and from your destination and get fit at the same time. Swimming is the final exercise hobbies I‟ll list, now be aware this one may cost a bit more than the others if you don‟t own a pool or live close to the ocean and have to use the local swimming pool. These go great if you‟re an outdoor person and can be worked in with the hobbies that can be done outdoors. If you are an outdoor person there are plenty of great hobbies that you can partake in and many of these can be done alone or in a group setting. Fishing is a great activity that you can do either alone or with friends, weather its from the shore or on a boat fishing is something everyone can have a go at and you never know you may end up catching dinner for that night. Gardening is a great outdoor hobbies and a also a great way to reduce your food bill. You can start by just growing herbs on your window sill or a small garden in your yard, you can always buy seed packets all year round and can change what you have growing, Along with gardening there is Guerrilla Gardening its basically where you

plant vegetables or fruit in public places in your community and people can take what they want or need and can see the benefits of home grown and teaches them to be less reliant on the supermarket this goes hand in hand with urban fruit picking. Bush Walking is a great activity and in the local area there are many places where you can hike and go for walks and explore the natural environment. Camping is the final activity I‟ll list and can be an amazing experience, get a group of friends together and set off to your destination. There are many hobbies that can and will get you more involved within your local community and these can be extremely rewarding not only to you but also your local community or organisation. Volunteering you time is something that most charities will find more valuable than your money. Following a local sport team or getting involved is a great way to get involved within your community, weather It‟s watching, helping or coaching, playing in a local team is also very rewarding. There are many different hobbies that you can learn that won‟t only occupy tour time by also you will learn new skills, Cooking is something everyone should be able to do but if you can‟t there is nothing stopping you from learning and the recipes and methods you teach yourself don‟t have to be super fancy just something that suits your budget and your lifestyle. Leaning how to live as self sufficient as possible is a great way to learn new things and also live off the land, by having your own animals to care for (Chickens which provide eggs and meat), a vegetable garden in which you can grow your own produce and then canning the fruits and vegetable when you have an over supply. Restoration is something many people do already and it‟s a great to repurpose old furniture that was headed to the dump and can also improve your carpentry skill (Which if you get good enough you can sell the items you repurpose). For the more creative people out there Scrapbooking is a great way to organise photo‟s and items from major events in your life and can make great presents that can be passed down through the generation. Crafting is also a another great hobbies that not only is rewarding when you complete a project but also can have financial rewards if you choose to sell what you create, Sewing, knitting, crocheting are skills that many people aren't interested in or have been lost through the generation.

„A hobby a day keeps the doldrums away‟ Phyllis McGinley It doesn‟t matter if you are after something to help you relax at the end of the day or if you are unemployed or retired and are looking for ways to fill your days and enjoy yourself. There are plenty of actives you can do frugally and in a way that fits your lifestyle. Just because I have listed these hobbies doesn‟t mean there aren't more that I have forgotten, a simple search on the internet will give you more options and more information on each. Pintrest is also a great place to browse and get ideas from. ACKOWLEGMENTS: freeintenyears.com MRN July 2018

Author:

ENTERTAINING CHILDREN ON A BUDGET Homemade Playdough No Cook Ingredients 2 Cups of plain flour 1 Cup of salt 1 tbs oil 1 Cup cold water 2 Drops of liquid food colouring

Method 1) Combine plain flour and salt. 2) Add water, food colouring and oil mix until ingredients are combined. 3) Kneed really well. 4) If consistency is too wet add a little more plain flour until right. Fluffy slime

Ingredients 1 Bottle of elmer‟s white glue Shaving cream (only foam kind) Borax solution (1 cup warm water with one teaspoon of borax, mix until dissolved Eye contact solution Food colouring of your choice (optional) Essential oils (optional) Method 1) Squeeze out bottle of white glue into a medium bowl. 2) Stir in ½ cup to 1 cup of shaving foam depending on how fluffy you want your slime. 3) Add 3 to 4 drops of food colouring depending on how dark or light you want the colour to be. 4) Mix in a teaspoon of eye contact solution (this makes it less sticky).

5) Add a teaspoon at a time of the borax solution until the mixture forms a clump in the bowl. 6) Kneed the fluffy slime, if its stil to sticky add more eye contact solution, if it seems to need more glue and shaving foam then u can kneed abit more of them into it aswell. 7) If you would like it to be scented just add a couple of drops of the essential oils. 8) Store in a covered container or a zip lock plastic bag to keep it from drying out. If you would like to you can also kneed in foam balls for it to make a crunchy sound, beads for a bumpy feel, little diamonds or even glitter to make it look pretty.

Glowing bouncy egg

You will need 1) One raw egg 2) A glass 3) White vinegar 4) Vitamin B-50 Method 1) Open the vitamin B-50 capsules or crush them if needed into powder, I used two capsules. 2) Add a cup of white vinegar to the vitamin B-50 powder and then the raw egg, aswell as the colour of food colouring (only 3 drops). 3) Wait 24-48 hrs or until the shell has completely dissolved off of the egg leaving just the outer membrane. 4) Once the shell is dissolved wash the egg off, It should be a orange colour because some of the vitamin B-50 solution permeated the membrane. 5) Hold the egg under a blacklight for 10 mins or until it starts to glow. The egg should be squishy and it should bounce, Don‟t bounce from a high height as it will break. If you don‟t want to make a glowing bouncy egg you can use a hard boiled egg and follow the same steps without the vitamin B-50, This one shouldn‟t be as bad from a higher height to bounce.

Fart putty

Materials Borax Water White glue Food colouring Glass cup Method Solution A 1) In a bowl empty out whole glue bottle, then fill bottle with water and pour it into the bowl. 2) Mix well, Once mixed add food colouring of your choice. Solution B 1) In another bowl fill your glue bottle up with boiling hot water and pour into a different bowl, Then add two teaspoons of borax, (the more borax you add the louder the fart noises will be) mix until borax has dissolved. 2) Combine solution B with solution A and mix until the some ( clumb) Starts to form, it should start to form straight away. 3) When you feel it has formed into slime, pick the slime up and drain out the water, put mixture in a bowl and let it rest for 10 mins. After 10 mins the slime should not stretch, it should break. And thatâ&#x20AC;&#x;s a good sign. 4) Put the slime into a glass cup,and start poking your finger into it or even your hand, the slime should make fart noises.

5 WAYS TO SAVE MONEY SHOPPING ONLINE TIPS TO SAVE YOU MONEY SHOPPING ONLINE Australians spent almost $22 billion buying goods online in 2017, according to new research from Australia Post. Online purchases were up 19.2% in 2017. There are several reasons why people shop online. Its convenient, time saving and the variety of online shopping makes it appealing to most shoppers. Despite the advantages that online shopping has to offer some people still believe that shopping in physical stores is still the best way to save money. But this simply not true, armed with the right tools you can make significant savings shopping online. Here are 5 tools to help you save online. 1. ONLINE COUPONS. You should never purchase anything online without first searching for an online coupon. There are many online coupon websites such as retailmenot.com.au. If you can‟t find a code to use on Retail Me Not, doing a google search for the store name and coupons will generally find a coupon. Some stores may even accept multiple coupons giving you even more savings. 2. COMPARISON WEBSITES. Use comparison websites such as myshopping.com.au and google product search. Before you start searching you should have a clear idea of what you want and what things you want to campare. 3. NEWSLETTERS/MEMBERSHIPS. Most retailers will reward you with discounts for signing up to their newsletters or joining their membership clubs. Signing up is usually free and will only require a valid email, it‟s best to create a separate email for online shopping to avoid your regular email filling up with deals and promotions. 4. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES. Subscription services aren‟t just for streaming services like Netflix and Spotify- they can also help with saving money shopping online. Shipster.com is an online subscription service that waves shipping costs from selected stores for as little as $10 per year. 5. ABANDON YOUR SHOPPING CART. Most online stores will offer discounts if you leave items in your cart for a period of time. Some retailers will offer discounts after just a few hours of leaving items in your cart. ACKOWLEGMENTS: https://www.pexels.com Author: WH. July 2018

SMART DRUG MODAFINIL BASIC INFO Modafinil (Modalert) is a wake-fulness agent. Used to stay awake, be better focused, and to work better, modafinil has also been found to be a very effective cognitive enhancer that improves the power of decision-making. It is thought to work by affecting certain brain chemicals that control the sleep/wake cycle and has been shown to enhance wakefulness, attention capacity and vigilance. First approved for excessive sleepiness caused by narcolepsy in 1998, the drug is now frequently prescribed off-label for a host of conditions from depression to multiple sclerosis. Some researchers say it might also be used successfully to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Although this has not been proven yet. Approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating narcolepsy, it is sold under various brand names, and is classified as a Schedule IV substance. This means it has a relatively low potential for abuse (as opposed to Schedule I, II and III drugs.) Even though researchers are still not certain how modafinil affects the brain, it appears that more and more people are asking their doctors to prescribe the drug to enhance and improve their cognitive performance. This places it firmly in the realm of a contemporary “smart drug,” and its popularity as such is increasing. In fact in August this year (2015) British researchers published the first overview of the effect of modafinil on non-sleep-deprived people in seven years. They concluded that modafinil could be “the first well-validated pharmaceutical nootropic agent” – making it the first “real example” of a smart drug that can genuinely help with exam preparation and similar tasks. EFFECTS OF MODAFINIL Nicknamed “moda,” modafinil has become a smart drug of choice for students who take it to stay awake and focused, and to be able to work better – even though it is not licensed for this use, and is often obtained illegally, without a prescription. While it is still not totally clear how the drug works in the brain, users and researchers report that it improves attention, executive function, memory and learning, and also creativity. It is often compared to stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall that are both schedule II amphetamines for treating ADHD. Both generally produce a sense of euphoria and are often used by healthy individuals to improve concentration and focus when studying or working on large projects. However, while Ritalin and Adderall are stimulants that increase norepinephrine and dopamine levels in the brain, modafinil seems to slow the brain down by decreasing gamma-aminobutyric acid. Ironically this produces a stimulant effect, but it doesn‟t produce any sense of euphoria.

The recent British study mentioned above and below states that modafinil is a “eugeroic” (a drug that improves wakefulness and makes one more alert) that directly increases the cortical levels of catecholamine in the brain and other internal organs. It also indirectly: (1) has the effect of “up regulating” cerebral serotonin, orexin, glutamate, and also histamine levels, and (2) decreases levels of cerebral gamma-amino-butrytic acid. Titled Modafinil for cognitive neuronhancement in healthy non-sleep-deprived subjects: A systematic review, the study was undertaken by Dr Ruairidh McLennan Battleday and Dr Anna-Katharine Brem of the Department of Experimental Psychology at the British University of Oxford. Recognizing that it is used widely “off-prescription” for the purpose of cognitive enhancement, the two researchers state that the desire to improve executive function is the primary aim of many users. More specifically, they state that users find they are able to select and manipulate information and use it to exclude irrelevant information and focus on what is required, initiating and constructing complex plans of action. RESEARCH INTO THE EFFECTS OF MODAFINIL Since its emergence on the medical market, modafinil has been recognized as a drug that will increase “cognitive performance” in normal, young and healthy people who have been deprived of sleep. This has lead to a substantial number of research studies aiming to learn more about its effects on learning, the acquisition of knowledge, and understanding in general. While findings vary, generally studies do back up the claims that modafinil improves cognitive and meta-cognitive performance. Early studies showed that modafinil had a similar clinical profile to several conventional stimulants, including methylphenidate, a synthetic drug used to improve mental activity in people suffering from ADHD. This lead to the school of thought that modafinil could also be used to treat ADHD. An early British study, published in 2002 evaluated this idea using a number of neuropsychological tests on 60 young, healthy men. Participants were required to take 100 mg or 200 mg doses of modafinil before they carried out specific tests aimed at testing memory and attention. The results confirmed earlier study results. Another early British study had quite different results, and showed that when quite large (300 mg) single doses were given to healthy adults deprived of sleep, they tended to overestimate their cognitive abilities and become over confident. A Canadian research study published in 2004 focused on this finding in their own study, and found that the tendency was not significant. Rather, modafinil improved, not just fatigue levels, but also reaction time, vigilance, and motivation. A British study published in 2003 reported different findings, stating that rather than affecting cognitive function, modafinil had more impact on mood. Like the Canadian study, these researchers looked at adults who weren‟t sleep-deprived, but gave much lower doses of modafinil (100 mg and 200 mg) and also found that

mood (including anxiety and aggression) was affected, particularly when smaller doses were given. Another study also published in 2004 involved middleaged people (aged 50 to 67 years) who were not sleep-deprived. Interestingly there was not much evidence of increased cognitive performance, suggesting that this is a smart drug that is most effective at a much younger age. Yet another British study published in 2005 found that the cognitive effects of modafinil could be dependent on the IQ of the user. Researchers did a battery of tests on healthy university student volunteers two to three hours after they had taken the drug, and found that generally sustained attention was improved in terms of both speed and vigilance. However they found that some responses were slower in students who had tested for a “lower” IQ, and that the brighter students benefited most. They also concluded that the fact modafinil prevented sleepiness was an important factor. Another published the same year (2005) was inconclusive, with results displayed by the 60 healthy students aged between 19 and 22 years ranging from insignificantly effective to performance enabling. US researchers studying a smaller group of healthy adults administered modafinil to some participants and d-amphetamine to others. They assessed subjective effects and cognitive performance before and 30 minutes after the drugs had been administered, and then every hour for five hours. In the study report published in 2007, both drugs had a similar effect and were found to increase performance in healthy adults who were not deprived of sleep. The 2015 Battleday and Brem study specifically reviewed the use of modafinil for “cognitive neuroenhancement” in people who were healthy and not deprived of sleep. Researchers considered as many studies as they could locate (24 in total) stretching over a 15-year period (January 1990 until December 2014). They found that of the studies that used basic testing models (which most of the older studies did):  Most indicated that modafinil enhances “executive function.”  Half showed improvements in attention, learning and memory.  A few reported impaired “divergent creative thinking.” In recent years studies have been using more complex tests, and when these were used, they found that modafinil consistently produced an improvement in attention, executive function, and learning. Additionally, these later studies did not indicate any significant evidence of side effects

WHY MODAFINIL IS GAINING IN POPULARITY Nootropics (smart drugs) in general are gaining popularity, particular among younger people who need to focus, concentrate and improve their knowledge as quickly as possible. There are many different types, from nootropic peptides then there is modafinil, recently labeled the first real example of a genuine smart drug! One of the benefits of modafinil is that it isn‟t a conventional stimulant, and reported side effects are minimal. According to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, about 137,000 US college students abuse prescription stimulants every year. Ultimately, modafinil is a better bet than taking these, even though none of them is intended for use as a smart drug. SIDE EFFECTS It is still not reliably known whether Modafinil has any side effects. A common argument is that since it has been used since the 1970s, and no serious side effects have been reported, that there probably aren‟t any to be concerned about. The recent University of Oxford study indicates that there are minimal side effects or changes in mood. Of the 24 studies Drs Battleday and Brem reviewed, 70 percent assessed the effect of modafinil on mood, and most reported that there was zero change. One of the studies reported the possibility of increased anxiety and another one reported decreased contentedness. Only nine (37.5 percent) of the 24 studies reported on the possibility of side effects. Of these, only two of the studies found that participants had experienced any form of side effect. These were in the form of insomnia, headaches, nausea, stomach aches, and a dry mouth, but they were also reported in the placebo group! Only one of the studies assessed the potential for modafinil to be abused, finding that the possibility was very low. Ultimately Battleday and Brem concluded that, “It appears that modafinil exerts minimal effects on mood – if anything improving it – and only rarely causes minor adverse effects.” However, of course, consult a doctor immediately if any of these rare but serious side effects occur: mental/mood changes (e.g., agitation, confusion, depression, abnormal thoughts, hallucinations). Seek immediate medical attention if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: chest pain, fast/pounding/irregular heartbeat, signs of infection (e.g., fever, persistent sore throat). A very serious allergic reaction to this cognitive enhancing drug are rare. However, stop taking this medication and seek immediate medical attention if you notice any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction: rash, itching/swelling (especially of face/tongue/throat), skin blisters/peeling, severe dizziness, trouble breathing.

D.I.Y SOLAR-POWERED CHARGER CREATE YOUR VERY OWN EXCURSION-APPLICABLE PHONE CHARGER

Why? The average modern day first-world household is home to quite an extensive list of electricityreliant appliances; And with the high-tech, ever evolving household---come bills. In this case, electricity bills. Let‟s say, however, that the bills are negligible. Maybe you‟re good with money, maybe you‟ve jumped on the solar-panel bandwagon, perhaps both? Even so, there‟s only so much physical space to go around, and electric appliances mean cables. Lots and lots of cables. Now, what if we could alleviate at least a little bit of the burden that is the great age of modern technology, by using even more modern technology? “But how? And---Why?” I hear you ask. Well, by revisiting something we mentioned a little earlier, solar panels, attached directly to your phone. Using a solar-powered charger for your phone will save you a little bit of electricity and on top of that it won‟t ever have to take up a slot in any of your wall sockets again. It‟ll only cost you around $60 component-wise. There are cheaper variants out there, but their output, durability and overall solar-panel quality is lower. With the open source style we‟re going with here, it will always be easy to upgrade and/or repair, unlike pre-made chargers.

What you’ll need Tools: - Wire stripper/side cutter - Soldering iron (with solder) - Hairdryer (just trust me) Optional: - Powerdrill I‟ve listed this as optional since you will only need this to create an entry/exit way for the wiring of the lithium ion polymer battery on the front of a small (roughly 3” x 3”) container (The container itself also being optional). Components: (For the sake of simplicity, the components I have selected can all be found at one place, Adafruit.com, which sell some great high-quality bits and pieces.) -

Solar panel with a 3.5mm x 1.1mm DC jack connector: I suggest Voltaic Systems‟ “medium 6V 2W solar panel”. It‟s better quality than the solar panels that are tacked on to the affordable selection of solarpowered phone chargers on the net. The panel itself is scratch resistant and waterproof. It‟s strong and lightweight and can stand up to typical outdoor use. It has a 6V output (better than the inexpensive market selections variety) at 330 mA via a 3.5mm x 1.1mm DC jack connector.

Lithium ion polymer battery (at least 3.7v/1200mAh):

For the purposes of added safety and compatability, I have chosen the lithium ion polymer battery from Adafruit.com. It includes protection circuitry which keeps the battery voltage from going too high (over-charging) or low (over-use) which means that the battery will cut-out when completely dead at 3.0V. It will also protect against output shorts. (SAFETY NOTICE: PLEASE TAKE LOGICAL ACTION AND CARE WHEN USING A LITHIUM ION POLYMER BATTERY. DO NOT BEND/CRUSH ETC. IT IS, AFTER ALL, A POWER SOURCE/BATTERY.) -

USB lilon/li-poly charger with a USB mini-B connection: For this recommendation I picked a safe bet with the USB lilon/li-poly charger from adafruit.com which is designed to integrate into various projects alongside the lithium ion polymer battery that we‟re using this time around.

Mini-B USB cable (that you‟re willing to strip and modify): Most people will have these laying around from old phones and such, but if not, have no fear, they‟re very inexpensive (around $2 - $5 online).

A “MintyBoost” kit: So this little thing is the world‟s first and only open-source hardware charger at the time of writing this article. This very simple-to-use little kit is what will ultimately connect to your phone. It‟s a small little enclosure containing two rechargeable batteries that will safely house the charge gained from the solar panel (via the lithium ion polymer battery) until you‟re phone eventually needs recharging. It can be, like the rest of this project‟s components, found at Adafruit.com.

Optional: - Heatshrink: This could be used to cover/insulate your spliced wires before applying the electrical tape. It is of course optional; However, this will allow for a sturdier overall design. Side note, if you have a family member who considers themselves somewhat of a handyman, there‟s a good chance they‟ll have some of this laying around. -

A small enclosure: (around 3” x 3”) of your choice: I suggest the “Altoids mints sized tin” from Adafruit.com. However, if you have anything of similar dimensions lying around. Feel free to use that instead. It‟s only going to be used to house the lithium ion polymer battery. This is optional however, since the battery is capable of existing within the design without an enclosure.

Once all the components are assembled and successfully integrated with one another you will be left with a durable, light-weight, solar-powered phone charger that won‟t take up a spot in your home‟s power outlet line-up ever again.

It‟s also a perfectly viable option for outdoor excursions, camping for example, where there may not be ample access to any sort of power outlets. Just keep in mind that the lithium ion polymer battery isn‟t designed for outdoor use per se

How? As difficult as this all might seem, it‟s relatively simple stuff that you can pick up in a day. The most complex task we will be undertaking is the splicing and soldering of wires. Therefore, before we begin, if you do not already know how to strip and tin wires (or are perhaps a little rusty, like myself), I‟ve put together the following little tutorial on the basics. Wire stripping and tinning mini-tutorial: Since we plan on splicing these wires, we‟ll be stripping them a bit before the end of the wire, rather than the whole end of it. You‟ll see why in a moment. Let‟s begin. Place the cutters about 10cm below the end of the wire. Position your thumb on the under-side of the side cutters (as shown). Apply slight pressure to the insulation of the wires with the side cutters whilst simultaneously using your thumb on the under-side of the side cutters to push up. Do not, however, strip all the way to the end of the wire. Leave some of the insulation at the end intact for use as a handle. The stripping of the insulation is probably the trickiest bit of this tutorial; But once you‟ve figured out how much pressure to apply, it‟s a piece of cake. Now we can use the remaining insulation as a handle. Twist both ends of the insulation on either side of the stripped part of the wire to twist the cores of the wires together. Now we‟re at the stage where we‟re ready to tin the wire. This will require the soldering iron and solder. Before we start, make sure your soldering iron is clean. We don‟t want to contaminate the tinning process, especially with wire cores. Now then, let‟s continue with the tutorial; We‟re halfway there.

The tinning process whilst only having two hands available is a bit quirky, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x;s perfectly feasible once you get the hang of it. Hold the wire between your thumb and first finger and the solder between your second and third fingers. Your second and third fingers have plenty enough dexterity to feed the solder onto the heated wire. Try it, itâ&#x20AC;&#x;s a neat little trick that will help you out time and time again.

Heat the wire core with a clean soldering iron then slowly apply the solder to the wire core. Be sure to heat the wire core first, the wire core will wick up the solder, tinning it.

Once youâ&#x20AC;&#x;re happy with the tinning. Trim the excess length of wire that we initially left on as a handle.

Preparing the wires for soldering (and then soldering them, go figure):

First, cut off the connector.

Remove the outer casing, be careful not to nick the inner wires. Now that the wires are exposed, strip and tin them (as shown in the tutorial of this article).

Time to retrieve the sacrificial mini-B USB cord. Just remember, we want to keep the mini-B end; So, with that in mind, pick a preferable length, cut off the excess length of wire and gently remove the outer sheathe. Once done, there‟s a good chance your USB wires will have a protective EMI sheath of aluminum (as shown: bottom/right). If it doesn‟t, however, don‟t worry, that‟s perfectly normal too.

(If your wires do have the protective aluminum sheathe, just peel it back with your hand; It‟s a very thin layer, so it shouldn‟t give you much trouble. Once you‟ve done that (or if you didn‟t have the sheathe in the first place)

For this occasion, we‟ll only need two of the four wires (red and black); The blue and white wires are the data wires, which in this case, makes them useless to us. Cut the the visible portion of the data wires away. Once that‟s done, tin the wire cores. (Footnote: I felt it was necessary to explain why I didn‟t advise to use the “handle” method that we used in the mini-tutorial. The wires in the tutorial are multi-core wires, whereas these wires are not. So fortunately, we can skip the “handle” step. I felt it was an important step to include in the tutorial however, since it‟s an essential method for those who may have opted for a different wire setup for this design.)

Almost done. Our next step will be adding the heatshrink, but not actually heating/shrinking it yet. Cut out three sections of heatshrink, one larger in length and circumference than the other two, which will both be identical for the most part (example: top/right).

Now to solder the connection of the mini-B USB cord and the solar-panel cord itself. This is the most important part of the design. If you‟re not confident with the soldering by this point, maybe get some help with this small section from a friend or family member. You could also watch a more extensive tutorial about soldering online if needed. Before we begin, remember to keep the heatshrinks pushed away from the soldering iron whilst soldering to avoid them shrinking prematurely.

Now, solder the red wire of the mini-B USB cord to the red wire of the solar-panel (positive charge) and do the same for the black wires (ground charge). Once the soldering has had some time to sit (give it about a minute), slip the two smaller pieces of heatshrink over the soldered areas (as shown in top/right). Now we finally arrive to the tool you may have been a bit confused about on the first page, the ever-reliable hairdryer. Ah yes, truly the apex of modern day tools. Aim the hairdryer at the two small heatshrinks until they shrink (make sure that they‟re over the soldered joints!). Be sure to keep the larger heatshrink out of the heated area of the hairdryer, just slide it down the cable away from the soldered joints for now. Once the two small heatshrinks have shrunk. Slide the larger heatshrink over the top of them, completely covering the exposed wires, then shrink it too. Optional: Feel free to wrap the modified area of the wires with electrical tape for added security. This isn‟t necessary however, the wires are quite secured as is, so don‟t feel obligated to add the tape.

Finishing touches: All that‟s left is to add the lithium ion polymer battery to it‟s enclosure. Simply place the battery into the enclosure and visually line-up where you‟d like to create the exit/entry of the wires on the enclosure with the powerdrill. Make the exit/entry and pull the JST-PH connector through, then close the enclosure. Done! Do keep in mind however, to open it back up when you first attempt to use the charger, just to check for any irregular swelling of the pack. Once the enclosure is done, plug the USB solar-panel cable into the USB Lilon/LiPoly charger. It has multiple LED‟s on which will let you know if it‟s charging, charged and working in general.

Congratulations! You did it! You might be wondering “but author, what about this „MintyBoost‟ thing?”, well friend (I‟ve decided we‟re friends now, since you made it all the way to the end. It‟s not a voluntary thing, sorry) the MintyBoost is working as intended right from the get go. Just plug the other end of the JST-PH cable into the MintyBoost and ta-da, ready to go.

The MintyBoost part of the charger is the, well, charger. It has a 5V output for your phone to dock into and charge (once the solar-panel has received a charge, of course). That‟s everything. All done. Remember to keep an eye on the Lilon/LiPoly charger LED‟s, they‟ll tell you everything you need to know about the charging process of the panel and your phone.

ACKOWLEGMENT Adafruit.com, Ladyada.net, Hackaday.com, instructables.com (Jayefuu). Author: J.V. July 2018