Cost of Living: The Expensive Lie

Over 110 pages of easy to read local tips and tricks.

Let go of the financial stresses, free yourself from anxiety and restrictions on living and pick a few or many of the helpful hints in this simple book to lighten the load of the current crippling cost of living in Perth.

This book uses real science and local Perth stats and know-how to show you an alternative, easy and enjoyable way to move to greater financial freedom.

You do not need a massive farm to beat the system. By using your backyard, you can grow lots of food, snacks and even medicine and find plenty of ways to save on bills, energy and water.

A few smart changes in your garden will put many hundreds of dollars back in your pocket every month. It is time to stop believing the lie, fight the status quo and start nurturing more through nature.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cost of Living - The Expensive Lie

Household Bills and Energy

1.1 Getting the Government to Pay for Your Garden

1.2 The Treebate Program

1.3 Waterwise Verge Rebates

1.4 Irrigation and Pipe Repairs

1.5 Renewable Energy and Battery Schemes

1.6 Shade your home with trees to drop cooling costs

1.7 Warming the Home in Winter

1.8 Use a Green Roof or Vines to Insulate your House

1.9 Plant Windbreaks to Block Cold Winter Gusts

Water - Our Most Precious Commodity

2.1 Use Greywater from the Laundry to Water the Yard

2.2 Soapnut and other trees to make detergent

2.3 Shampoo and Body Wash with Saponin Plants

2.4 Wetting Agent

2.5 Catching Rainwater in Tanks

2.6 Installing a Deep Bore

2.7 Mulching Deeply For Less Watering

2.8 Converting a Swimming Pool into a Natural Pool

2.9 Hydroponics

2.10 Desktop Hydroponics and Desktop Aquaponics

2.11 Aquaponics

Electricity and Fuel

3.1 Use Solar Garden Lights to Avoid Outdoor Power Use

3.2 Biodiesel from Plants - Potentially New Business

3.3 The Science of Making Fuel (Transesterification)

Food and Groceries

4.1 Grow Expensive Leafy Herbs like Basil and Coriander

4.2 Plant Cut and Come Again - Endless Greens

4.3 Focus on Longevity Spinach

4.4 Moringa - The Miracle Tree

4.5 Using Leaves of Fruit Trees for Tea and Greens

4.6 Lemon Myrtle - The Queen of Herbs

4.7 Easiest and Most Productive Fruit Trees for Perth

4.8 Grow High Yield Crops

4.9 Healthy Dog Treats from Your Backyard

4.10 Healthy Greens for Small Pets

4.11 Focus on Pricey Things but Easy to Grow

4.12 Swap Extra Veg with Mates and Neighbours

4.13 Dry and Preserve your Harvest for the Off Season

4.14 Re-grow Kitchen Scraps 

4.15 Grow Microgreens on a Windowsill, Cheap Superfoods

4.16 Beehives for Honey and Better Pollination

4.17 Backyard Chickens and Fresh Eggs 

4.18 Beyond Chickens: Ducks, Quails, Pigeons and More

More Ways to Save in the Garden

5.1 Garden Supplies and Setup

5.2 Compost Food Scraps to Make Free Soil

5.3 Worm Juice and Fermented Plant Juice for Fertiliser

5.4 Raise Plants from Seeds, Cuttings, or Air Layer

5.5 Reuse Old Tubs and Plastic Pots Instead of Buying New

5.6 Source Free Woodchips from Local Arborists for Mulch

5.7 Build Wicking Beds to Save on Water and Time

5.8 Make Your Own Seed Raising Pots from Old Newspapers

5.9 Save Seeds from your Best Plants for Next Year

Health and Wellbeing

6.1 Grow your Own Herbal Teas and Medicinal Plants 

6.2 Plants for Tea and Health

6.3 Get your Workout by Digging, Moving Pots and Weeding

6.4 Quiet Space to Lower Stress and Therapy Costs

6.5 Clean your Indoor Air with Hardy House Plants

6.6 Top Air Cleaning Plants

6.7 Trees That Can Start Life Indoors

6.8 Boosting Your Mood

6.9 Sunscreen

The Power of Flowers

7.1 Grow your Own Flowers Instead of Buying Bunches

7.2 Edible Flowers

7.3 Natural Dyes and Crafts

7.4 Other Garden Uses for Flowers

Learning and Education

8.1 Free Activities Mean Less Spending

8.2 Teach Kids Math

8.3 Learn Biology by Watching Life Cycles and Bug Behaviour

8.4 Science Experiments 

8.5 More Fun Science Experiments for your Garden

8.6 Practice Patience & Responsibility: Caring for Living Things

8.7 Study Weather Patterns and Seasons 

8.8 The Garden: an Outdoor Classroom for Reading and Art

Family and Bonding

9.1 Build a Backyard Cubby or Sunflower house 

9.2 Hosting a Garden Feast

9.3 Make Nature Crafts 

9.4 Set up a Kids Dig Pit for Messy Play and Discovery

9.5 Share Garden Tasks to Build Teamwork

9.6 Create a Legacy Plant or Family Tree Together

Community and Income

10.1 Selling Excess Fruit or Rare Seeds 

10.2 Join a Plant Swap 

10.3 Street Garden Pantry

10.4 Teach Paid Workshops to Share Your Garden Skills 

10.5 Grow Plants with Fibre or Dye for Home Made Clothes

10.6 Top Plants you can Grow for Fibre and Dye

10.7 Quick Dye Recipes

10.8 Give Home Grown Plants as Gifts

10.9 Easiest and Most Useful Plants to Give as Gifts

10.10 Volunteer at a Community Garden 

10.11 Use Your Garden as a Hub