*Health pointers: Topical index of alternatives to medicines from Acupuncture to Zenreiki: http://skepdic.com/tialtmed.html. *Teach your kid how to ride a bike by having her practice riding down a grassy hill. *The Community Health Care Center’s website (https://www.facebook.com/CHCBali) is an invaluable source of information on pregnancy, prenatal care and childbirth on Bali. *Mata beras (coarse rice powder) promotes digestion and can be used as a laxative when constipated and as a bulking agent in the same way that Psyllium seeds can; grind rice seeds in a food processor and mix with a tablespoon of water. *To stop a nosebleed, pinch the nose firmly for five minutes or until the bleeding stops. *The womb offers no protection from toxic chemicals.
*Security warning. Employ only qualified and professionally trained Satpam (security guards or night watchman) and not thugs to guard your premises. Satpamshould have completed the proper training; hold certification and wear the proper uniform. *Put in contacts on your mobile or post in large type on the wall the mobile numbers of village police (BIMAS), village security head (Kepala Pecalang), closest police station (POLSEK), village chief (Lurah or Perbekel), head of the banjar (Klian Adat), city kampung headman (Kepala Dusun) and nearby neighbors. *Dial 110 to get in touch with Central Command Centre.
*Energy savers. Don’t believe people when they say it takes more energy to turn a light bulb off and on than it does just leaving it on; no matter what kind of bulb, it saves energy and money to turn off lights whenever possible. *LED bulbs last 20 times longer than incandescent bulbs and lower lighting bills by 70%. *Drying your hands on a cloth towel after washing rather than using a section of paper towel helps both the environment and your bank account. *Heating water for tea or ramen noodles with a heating kettle takes 2 minutes and is 81% efficient compared to stove top (30%) or microwave (47%). *Tons of sustainable living, tech, transportation & energy saving tips on www.treehugger.com.
*Food lovers. Considering the limited availability of decent affordable wine on Bali, go with Plaga, which is quite drinkable for the money. *Get the coffee you pay for at coffee retailers (Agen Kopi): Regular Bali Coffee (Kopi Bali) costs Rp35,000-Rp40,000, while pure Bali Coffee (Kopi Murni) costs Rp60,000 and is darker and smells stronger. *Husk the skin of garlic in 15 seconds by placing it in a closed glass jar and shaking up and down vigorously. *Bintang beer is cheaper by the crate (12 large bottles or 24 small) at Hardy’s, Carrefour and Bintang Supermarket or at a beverage wholesaler, costing only Rp360,000 if you give them a crate of empty bottles. *Avoid onion crying by either using a very sharp knife, blowing the released sulfur gas away with an electric fan, putting the onion in the freezer for 10 minutes before cutting, cutting on a board under a stream of cold water or cutting as close as you can to a candle. *Flatten meat, sauces, cookie dough and thick stews into paddies and put inside plastic bags before freezing to make the food easier to stack, freeze faster and thaw quicker. *Find out if an egg is rotten by putting it in a bowl of water. If it sinks, it’s OK to eat. If it’s rotten, it will float. *Avoid stringy parts and mushing on the first bite by peeling a banana from the top end and not from the bottom stem; this way the stem can also be used as a handle.
*Be Prepared! *As almost all of Bali’s Javanese pemudik will be departing en mass for their home villages during Idul Fitri, get all your important work done before the this extended holiday period. The peak in travel is expected to occur on 23Jun17. Do plumbing and well repairs, pickup clothes made in the pasar by your Muslim tailor and drop the motorcycle’s damaged front fender off at a body shop. Stock up your larder to prepare for the imminent exodus which will result in inventories of fresh foods declining drastically. Pickup enough tahu (tofu) and tempeh (fermented bean curd) to last 10-12 days. Bali’s airport opens travelers’ aid stations (Posko Mudik Lebaran) to prepare for the onslaught to help those going home or coming to Bali for rest and recreation. Airlines flying in and out of Bali have prepared 50,896 additional seats on 369 extra flights to serve the increased demand. On the plus side, there will be a very appreciable reduction in traffic on Bali’s streets and roads.
*On the road. AirIndonesia X, a joint venture of Malaysian long haul low-fare airline AirAsia X and Indonesia AirAsia, is the first airline to offer low-cost daily flights between Bali and Tokyo. *Avoid inflated hotel room service prices (that include delivery charges and tips) by going down to the restaurant yourself, placing an order and taking the food back to your room yourself. *When driving, coast to a stop instead of braking to save gas and brake wear. *Always wear closed toe shoes when driving a motorbike on Bali. *Eager for your patronage, a jeweler, tailor, fashion shop, restaurant or hotel with often be willing to send a motorcycle or car with driver to pick you up. *Car rooftop storage containers reduce km per hour by 8% in city, 25% on highway while rear mounted cargo boxes boast 2% efficiency in city, 5% on highway. *Ask directions only from delivery van drivers or from men sitting or standing near a cluster of motorbikes. *If only using a/c when driving over 60 kph, less fuel is consumed running the a/c. *Tip a taxi driver by rounding off the fare, i.e. if it’s Rp17,500, give Rp20,000; a tip for a rented car driver should be around Rp50,000. *Because idling burns 2 to 4 liters of gas per hour, shut off engine if stopped for more than 10 seconds. *Driving with underinflated tires can cost hundreds of thousands of extra rupiah each year.
*Tech tips. Instagram’s explore tab is the modern substitute for having an imagination. *Makernesia is burgeoning community of Indonesian Do-It-Yourselfers who make stuff for industrial purposes or personal use. * If you hold your smartphone up to the speaker, the Shazam app instantly identifies music that’s playing and also provides lyrics. *To borrow, read and connect with other readers, Open Library (https://openlibrary.org/) offers one web page per book for tens of thousands of books in 18 categories. *iPad’s LCD screen features more colors than a Kindle. *Extended warranties are a rip-off.
*Money tips. Break the satellite dish habit by buying a good flat screen and then getting your TV from the Internet. View Indonesian television programming (with some English-language programs) on a computer, tablet or smartphone. The best is the made-in-Bali easy-to-install VHF-UHF TV antenna for only Rp85,000. *Online TV Guide: www.tvguide.co.id. *Capital One credit cards charge no foreign transaction fees, no balance transfer fees, no annual fees and have good exchange rates and theft protection. *Every price for every product and service is arbitrary and made up. * KUHP. Kasih Uang Habis Perkara. “Give money and your case/ problem is solved.” A play on the acronym KUHP (Kitab Undang-undang Hukum Pidama), Indonesia’s criminal code. *A rupiah saved is a rupiahearned.
Please send your budget ideas, bargain deals and money saving tips to pakbill2003@yahoo.com.
Copyright 2017 Bill Dalton
You can read all past articles of The Frugal Balinist at www.BaliAdvertiser.biz