Browsing Category

Freebies

Budgeting Freebies

Zero-Based Budget Worksheet

Posted on February 19, 2018
This Zero Based Budget will help you to take stock of your income and expenses and help you spend and save more intentionally.

Zero-Based Budget Worksheet

If you’re unsure of where to start on your budget I am going to share mine with you! I’ve tweaked it a little to try and add some extra expenses that may be relevant to you, but it is completely flexible so you can add categories that apply to you and delete ones that don’t.

Keep in mind those expenses that you know will come up but might forget in your everyday budgeting like home repairs and maintenance, school fees, and those irregular bills.

How to use the Zero-Based Budget Worksheet

Simply sign up below and you will be emailed a link to the Zero-Based Budget Worksheet in view-only mode. Save a copy and use in Excel or upload to use in Google Sheets and get started on your very own budget!

Keep or change the categories to suit your personal circumstances.

Add in your Budgeted and Actual spending amounts each month into the respective columns and their category.

You can grab an Expense Tracker Printable or Worksheet to help you track your month’s expenses or simply note them in a notebook each month.

The formulas in the unchanged columns will populate automatically so don’t change these (it will warn you if you try to change them :)).

This is a zero-based budget which is a fancy way of saying that you should allocate every dollar of your income whether that be to expenses, debt, savings or investing. And the final surplus should be $0.00.

Grab your free copy of the Zero-Based Budget Worksheet here.

And that’s it! happy budgeting, Minimisers!

Don’t forget to sign up for your free copy of my eBook “101 Ways to Save Money Whilst Still Living Awesomely” for 101 tips on how you can reduce your budget expenditure whilst still having fun and enjoying life!

Freebies

Your Freezer Inventory Worksheet

Posted on February 6, 2018

Do you ever really know what is in your freezer? If you are anything like me, you are short of space and sometimes would rather just avoid going into your freezer altogether. But don’t fret there is an easier way to know what is in your freezer without having to pull everything out each meal planning day.

Check out my Freezer Inventory Worksheet.

Reduce food waste with this Freezer Inventory Worksheeet!

Simply print out your own copy, write down the items in your freezer by category, note when they were frozen, how many days you have to use them (e.g. if you freeze chicken breast on the 8th and the use by date is the 12th I write +4 days so I know once it is) and then mark in the quantity as a weight or number. Then stick it on the front of your fridge or in your planner.

If you do your freezer inventory worksheet once every month or so you will be able to see what you have in your freezer at a glance, plan meals around it and reduce food waste. Not to mention you will avoid having an overstocked freezer where things start falling out or your door doesn’t close!

Don’t forget to check this blog post for tips on how to reduce food waste in your home and save money on your shopping budget!

Thanks Minimisers,

Jess

 

 

 

 

 

 

Freebies

Your Wedding Budget Worksheet

Posted on February 6, 2018
Going into debt for your wedding shouldnt't be on the table. Check out how we planned a debt free wedding and how you can too.

Hi Minimisers!

Are you planning your wedding and are not quite sure where to start with your wedding budget?

I’m here to help 🙂

Grab your free copy of my Wedding Budget Worksheet for ideas on the kind of expenses you will need to budget for by filling in the form below.

Make a copy for yourself and as you lock in your suppliers, take note of the invoice amount and deposit paid and final due dates. By the end of your engagement you are going to thank yourself that you have all those deposits, balances and due dates recorded so you can focus on your wedding and save yourself some stress!

Before you lock in any suppliers, be sure to get three quotes minimum, this will help you get an idea of what is affordable, in the middle and very expensive. Of course don’t forget to weight up quality versus price, sometimes the cheapest supplier might not be the one that is going to be as reliable or helpful!

Helpful Instructions!

Here’s how the worksheet works 🙂

Column A: List all the expenses for your wedding, try and be as thorough as possible. Incidentals like stationery and decor can add up.

Column B: Here I have categorised the expenses items, nothing to do here 🙂

Column C: fill in the budget for the item in column corresponding to the expense (inclusive of tax). Of course if there is a row missing add it in!

Column D: fill in the actual cost for the expense

Column  E: Enter any deposit paid at the time of booking into column D

Column F: Enter the Final Balance Due Date noted on the invoice

Column G: These fields will self-populate based on what you entered in the total and deposit fields for columns D and E

Column H: Column G is where you can list the date you have schedule your payment so you can keep track of when payments are coming out. Mark the invoice as ‘PAID’ one the transfer has gone through. 

And that’s it! I hope that you find this worksheet helpful in planning your wedding!

Don’t forget to check out my post on How We Planned A Debt Free Wedding for some helpful tips on how you can save money on your wedding.

Thanks Minimisers!

Jess

 

 

 

 

Freebies

Did you say free?

Posted on February 6, 2018
... Uh, did you say FREE?

Do you want some freebies? Who doesn’t love freebies?! 😀

Here are some handy Free Resources to help you on your journey to minimise the excess in your life, so that you can focus on the essential! Keep an eye out for more to come 🙂

Budgeting Freebies:

Your Free Wedding Budget – This will give you a start point for your wedding budget and help you keep track of your expenses paid and due as you approach your wedding day!

Cleaning Freebies:

My Favourite Home-Made Cleaning Recipes – Check out my favourite home made cleaning recipes that will clean your home beautifully without the extra chemicals!

Organising Freebies:

Freezer Inventory Worksheet – Use this to keep a record of what is in your freezer, by category so you know what you have to use up and can reduce food waste in your home as well as save money!

Get Your Free EBook!

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Minimise With Me Mailing List for your free copy of my eBook “101 Ways to Save Money Whilst Still Living Awesomely”!

This will give you 101 tips to save money that won’t suck the joy out of life and will give you ideas on how to save money on things you want to like your bills!

Hope you find value in these, Minimisers!

Keep it essential,

Jess

Freebies Minimalism

My Favourite Home-Made Cleaning Recipes

Posted on April 9, 2017
If you are keen to switch to more home-made cleaning recipes, check out these - Home Made Cleaning Recipes to get you started cleaning your home naturally.

Have you ever considered the switch to home-made cleaning recipes?

About a year ago I watched a documentary on Netflix called The Human Experiment which opened my eyes up to the dangers of having so many chemicals in our homes. I’d been dealing with the frustration of sensitive skin for years meaning I had to be careful of what my skin came in contact with, even dish soap and hand wash would make me break out in an extremely uncomfortable Dermatitis rash. I soon became very passionate about finding ways to keep my home clean, whilst looking after my health and skin and was on a mission to learn about natural home cleaners and testing them out.

After much research and trial and error I came a cross a few staple home-made cleaning recipes that I now use every day.

Here is a list of My Favourite Home-Made Cleaning Recipes. They work just as good in my experience as brand name chemical cleaners and are not only more affordable, but safer to use in your home. Please see my blog on 10 Benefits of Home-Made Cleaning Products for ten reasons why I recommend making the switch to home-made cleaning products and now love them.

My Favourite Home-Made Cleaning Recipes

INGREDIENTS LISTS

These are the basic must have items for your home-made cleaner recipes:

  • White vinegar
  • Dishwashing Liquid (I use Palmolive Dishwashing Liquid Ultra Dry Skin Aloe for sensitive skin)
  • Bi-Carbonate Soda
  • Essential Oils (Tea-tree and Lavender oil preferably)
  • Rubbing Alcohol
  • Water
  • Spray bottles
  • Labels (use a label maker or stick on labels)

Don’t forget to label all your spray bottles as when you come back in a week you will probably have no idea what is in what bottle. It’s really worth it to save you  figuring out what is in what bottle and having to waste your cleaning products.

These are 9 of my favourite home-made cleaning recipes!

Home-made All Purpose Spray (Two versions)

I have two recipes that both work wonderfully. Sometimes if I am in a rush I will make the simpler version and if I have more time I will go with the second version.

All Purpose Spray (Simple Version)

Fill a spray bottle with warm water and add one teaspoon of dishwashing liquid. That’s it! This should be gentle enough to use on most surfaces and is a cleaner I use for all around the home. I would use the Version 2 cleaner for more stubborn stains unless you have stone bench tops. Please check the care guide for your bench tops before using any cleaning products as vinegar can damage stone and other surfaces.

All Purpose Spray (Version 2)

In a spray bottle preferably over a sink (the bottle can overflow with the bi-carb soda and vinegar reacting) put the following

  • 4 Tbsp of white vinegar
  • 1/2 Tsp of dish washing liquid
  • 2 Tsp of bi-carb soda
  • Fill the rest of the spray bottle with warm water.

Spray the solution on your stained surfaces and let sit for about 20 seconds to help break up any hard to move stains. If you are using the bottle when the cleaner is back to room temperature, throw the bottle in the microwave for about 10 seconds and this will help remove harder to move stains. This solution is what I use for everyday All-Purpose Cleaner, just refill when you are out.

As mentioned above please check whether vinegar can be used on your bench tops as some stone benches can be damaged by vinegar.

 

Related: If you’re currently stuck cleaning your home alone and are keen to get other members of your household more involved in helping out check out How to Get your Family On Board With Cleaning for tips on how you can involve your partner, kids or anyone else living with you with cleaning.

Linen Spray

This is a spray to help keep your sheet smelling amazing between washes.

Fill a small plastic spray bottle (I use the ones in those travel container packs) with:

  • I cup of distilled water
  • 5-10 drops of essential oils
  • 2 Tbsp of rubbing alcohol

Use this to spray before sleep to spray your bed linens. Lavender essential oils can provide a calming scent but feel free to choose whatever scent you prefer.

Glass Cleaner

Fill a spray bottle with

  • ½ Water
  • ½ White Vinegar
  • Spray Bottle

Since starting to use this glass cleaner I have never looked back or thought to buy a regular store bought version. Just make up as described above in a matter of seconds and spray contents of glass cleaner on mirrors or windows and wipe over with a microfiber cloth. You’ll have beautiful, streak-free mirrors and windows in no time. Leave a bottle of this in your bathroom and a microfiber cloth to clean as you go.

Shower/Tile Cleaner

Fill a spray bottle with

  • â…“ vinegar
  • â…“ dishwashing liquid
  • â…“ water

This is great for cleaning showers and tiles with a brush or sponge. Another option is to fill a refillable dish washing brush with a mixture of ½ vinegar and ½ dish washing soap to scrub all over the shower with. The vinegar smell will dissipate soon after and dish washing liquid will give you a nice scent over the harsh scents most chemical cleaners provide.

Daily Shower Spray (same ingredients as glass cleaner)

  • Spray bottle
  • ½ water
  • ½ vinegar

I leave a bottle of this in our shower to spray down the shower after each use (well, as often as I can remember to ;)). Spray down the tiles and shower glass and floor if it is the last shower of the morning or night (or last for a while). The vinegar helps to break down soap scum and fights the growth of mould so will make your weekly shower scrub a breeze! Remind your partner or room mates or whoever uses the shower to give it a quick spray over when they step out, it only takes 20 seconds and will save whoever is stuck cleaning it a lot of elbow grease!

As mould loves moisture, another tip from Clean My Space’s Melissa Maker to avoid your bathroom being taken over by it is to squeegee or wipe down the shower screens or tiles with a cloth after each shower. This is a bit more time consuming than the after shower spray but is a massive help if you can manage it.  

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

  • Spray bottle
  • Fill with vinegar
  • Add 10-15 drops of essential oils
  • Shake before each use

Combine vinegar and essential oils in a spray bottle. Spray vinegar mixture inside bowl and around toilet. Allow to sit for a few minutes. Sprinkle baking soda inside toilet bowl and scrub inside of bowl with a toilet brush. The Bi-carb soda gives a bit of abrasion to remove any hard to remove stains.

You can use the all over purpose cleaner (Version 1) or the above recipe spray to clean the outside and seat of the toilet. 

Disinfectant Spray (Non-scented)

  • Spray bottle (you can use one of the small travel spray bottles mentioned above)
  • ½ water
  • ½ rubbing alcohol

A great spray for disinfecting surface around the home such as bench tops, door handles or cupboard handles and for cleaning your toilet brush.

Disinfectant Spray (Scented)

  • 3 cups of water
  • ½ cup white vinegar
  • Tea-tree or Lavender essential oils (10-15 drops or a blend of each)
  • Spray bottle

For those who love a nice smelling home this second disinfectant spray not only leaves your home free of germs, but with a lovely calming scent. Tea-tree and lavender essential oils can be used for their antibacterial properties or blended with other favourite scents you have.  

Do you have a favourite home-made cleaning recipe? Please comment below with anything that you love to use in your home.