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ABC Everyday
By Koren Helbig
Koren smiles and stands in front of her house in Adelaide which has a cream and pale green facade.

A before and after shot of the front of Koren's house. The first is covered in scaffolding the second is of a neat little house

The before and after of Koren's fireplace: the before has broken black bricks, the after has a black wood burner and fresh paint

  • Searching for things I need on the second-hand market first — everything from clothing and furniture to building materials and garden tools
  • Minimising power use: small-scale, sustainable renovations inside my home helped increase its passive heating and cooling ability
  • Connecting to the 'free economy' via my local Buy Nothing group
  • Sharing internet with my neighbours
  • Choosing cheaper ways to have fun with friends, such as beach picnics or homemade dinners over expensive nights out. My favourite book — The Art of Frugal Hedonism — is a constant source of ideas for this kind of thing

Koren's kitchen before and after: the before is an empty space with lino floor, the after is wood floors with various shelves.

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