Tightwad Kitty's $$$ Stretching Blog

I need to review habits when it comes to food, I think I am getting a bit lazy at times.

Groceries ----$1755-------$1601.08-------under target by $160.42

I have allowed $33.75 per week for grocery but I should with want I have in stockpile this should be able come down to below $27.00 per week or under $1404 for this year.

I have nearly used up want is in my downstairs storage area in food. Only very bulky things will be store there in the future.

I do need to do a stock take of what I actually got in the way of food. I do have some gaps but I should I be able to last for few months without worrying about them. Just use something else instead in meantime.

The strategies for this challenge are to list and menu plan my way through until I use a lot of stuff I have already have bought. While I still have protein in my freezers and beans and lentils in fridge with over 5 kilos of rice and a number of packets of pasta still to get through.

I have a lot of flavouring and sauces that I have bought or got in sample bags that I should be able to come up some different and interesting meals.

I will trying to limit my food spending to a very small list of basic items and any food for my diabetics that I need. Some of those items are fruit and vegetables in season, eggs, bread, milk, cheese, margarine, and yoghurt including some fresh fish and chicken, with some red meat when my freezer stocks are lower. I should be able to go about seven weeks without buying too much other than fruit and vegetables in season, eggs, bread, and milk.

I think will need to go back to writing my menus on here.

Menu for this week

Monday - Fresh Fish with Salad and Cob of Corn
Tuesday - lunch out - Dinner Fruit and Milk Only
Wednesday - lunch out - Dinner - Noodles Chicken with Vegetables
Thursday - Satay Chicken with Salad
Friday – Fresh Fish with Vegetables and Fruit
Saturday - Curry Mince with Rice and Fruit
Sunday – Pasta with Lentil Sauce

Strategy - Do remember what you have stored before you go and buy more of the same.

I think I could find some spare money in my budget if I focused on my food spending for a while.

These will be my target area to work on for now!

Non -Food ---$221--------$184.52---------under target by $36.48
Pets -----------$650------$547.26--------under target by $102.74
Eating out ----$455--------$560.05--------over target by $105.05
Groceries ----$1755-------$1601.08-------under target by $160.42

So money that I have to work with $3081 using 2011 target budget amounts.

In 2011, I came under by [$3081 -2893.10] = $187.90 so I would like to see a bigger drop in this figure this year. Without changing my lifestyle that much knowing that I can cutback harder if things change around here. So it’s to focusing and planning what I intend to do here.

So what strategies do I plan to use to reduce this further with cost of living going up here and my income is only age pension.

I will start with the easiest on first Non-food, this is area mainly covered by items that I can’t eat like Toilet paper, paper towels, and some cleaning items that I need to buy. If do a stocktake of these items, I may find that I will only need buy toilet paper this year. By looking online and some in of my books I will find replacement for other cleaning items.

Next easiest one is Pets this includes cat food and litter for them. As they are old cats I will not be retraining them with new ideas but focusing on any wasteful habits and paying more attention to what they eat. They flea and vet treatments are covered in the bill area of my budget so are not included here. But will try to find ways of reducing these as well.

Now time to think about my food out as I like to call it! This area I can control to a degree but not all the way. I have 12 planned lunch dates each year which I just go along with cost can between $9.00 and $26.00 each time at current prices. Then you have 5 birthday dinners or lunches that can cost around $30.00 each time at current prices. But will not go if it gets above this unless it’s a wedding which a once in blue moon event. Now the other lunches I can reduce or not have depending on my time schedule when out. I do try to keep these to under $12.00 where possible.

So where does that leave my food out budget, thus having budgeted for $350 outing with family and friend as socialising and form of entertainment. I do keep a float aside of $35.00 so that if asked out I can go will out worrying if I can afford that week. I am trying to get the family to eat at home more but it’s an uphill battle.

I will review my grocery shopping in my next post.

While looking at my annual figures another tally is noted there.

For 2011, I had a total of 148 days of no spending days that money wasn't changed hands at all in any form. So 216 days some money did find its way into someone else hands.

So I hope to improve on last year’s figures!
So I am planning a new strategy so that I can maximize my no spending day for 2012.

To do this will take some planning and a lot of blinkers on my part as when I shop for my friend.
Multiple tasks spending days is in order I should think, so days that I spend money must be days that all other spending is be done that I know that I need to do! e.g. Pay bills, credit card, buy paper if its Wednesday, medical scripts made up, fill the car with gas/petrol. As many of these tasks that can be done in one day the better thus leaving a number of days that I need not spend money at all.

This will take some will power as today I had to shop for my friend, this is what I faced, buying a loaf of bread now we don’t eat the cheap stuff and the bread we buy is between $2.49 and $4.49 per loaf depending what on special that week.

When she ask to buy 2 loaves of bread it’s a little easier. Why because of the way the supermarkets sell their bread, the best deals are 2 loaves for $6.00 ones the same bread that you would buy at $4.49 each but you have to buy two loaves at the same time to get that deal. So today I bought one for myself so I could get the deal, also one special of noodles that couldn’t find on my last shop plus some white grapes that I had planned to buy. So in I spent $7.00 saving around $3.00 off RRP plus the loaf of bread for my friend.

Eating out ----------$560.05--------over target by $105.05
Groceries -----------$1601.08--------under target by $160.42
Non -Food ----------$184.52---------under target by $36.48
Clothes -------------$308.84.--------under target by $146.16
Grooming -----------$145.41--------under target by $49.59
Gas -----------------$193.80--------under target by $131.20
Pets ----------------$547.26--------under target by $102.74
HH items ------------$808.13--------over target by $255.63
Fares ---------------$100.00 ------- under target by $43.60
Entrainment----------$59.95--------under target by $96.05
Garden---------------$70.45--------under target by $59.55
Gift & Donations------$674.95---------over target by $219.95
Medical --------------$473.71 -------over target by $278.21
Diabetics-------------$ 43.47 --------under target by $6.29
Misc. -----------------$114.05--------under target by $2.50
Personal Allowance----$999.09--------under target by $105.91

Daily Living Allowance allotted amount for 2011 was $6940 and I spent total $6884.71--under target by $55.29

Even with being over in four categories, I still just manage to come under my budget allotment for 2011.

This does give me the idea that I am subconsciously set myself amount to spend then holding back on some things if I think that I have to cut on my spending because I spend a lot one area that was needed like the medical.

One thing this summery proves that averaging out over whole year is better than worry if you go over month as you can try to cut on other months.

By viewing with this year’s one I am defiantly a subconscious budgeter.

Ok this Daily Living Allowance is the area that I will be working on to stretch and find any extra money I can. I also am looking at cutting back other on bills where I can. We will have a very large hike in household insurances this coming year as I haven’t received the bill, I don’t know how much it will be as yet!

Strategy - Review your bills every six months that you are still saving money with your changes that you made since renewed or changed bill companies. Change your habits if you can’t change the company.

These are my 13th period monthly totals as I have 28 days month budget (13x28=364 days)

I only just updated my Excel so here are the figures for last month. Tomorrow I will post my annual summary for 2011.

As I work on 28 day cycles, my dates may be out to a calendar months so here are the figures for my last period.

It’s time to start again on reviewing my monthly daily living allowance.

These are the categories for this challenge.

Items === Approx. Budget===Spent
Eating out===$35.00=====$20.05
Groceries===$135.50 ==== $88.54
Non-Food===$17.00
Clothes ====$35.00
Grooming===$15.00
Gas======$25.00 ======$19.10
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$33.32
HH items===$42.50=====$20.99
Fares== ====$9.00
Entrainments= $12.00
Garden =====$10.00
Gifts & Donations =$35.00===$169.75
Medical =====$15.00
Diabetes Expenses====$50
Misc ======$9.00
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ====$79.63

Note only one amount is a no spend

Budgeted for this period $580 spent $431.38 so under budget by $148.62
No Spending days over the 28 days = 12 days in total.
Personal allowance covers confectionery, lotto, books, stamps, craft & hobby supplies.

Eating out including meals out with family and friends, we all go Dutch.

My credit cards are still paid in full each month this month I paid half of next month bill so I am ahead here.

Spending on books and papers $63.03 for the month including 4 papers. I spent on Sara Douglass novels as this is my reading challenge for 2012.
I do keep my bill money separated from this summery. This year I will be budgeting around $650 per period month to cover all my bills. This month bills were around $2286.15 so no balance banked this month. This included Annual Medical Fund payment. This fund does cover all my fixed bills for the year if I can stick to this schedule as I have done for the past ten years or so. This fund does cover replacements when needed. My next replacement due is a new washing machine the money is already saved. On my budget excel modelling chart I can pay the full amount this year. This amount includes the cat’s trip with the Vet.

As for food out, I dined out 4 times this month costing between $20 & $9 a time most were around the $9 mark as I can no longer eat at fast food outlets. That $9.00 meal’s at Casino is still looking the healthiest and best deal in the city for now.

My grocery bill came in under budget for this month.

Most of my social outing are dining out this is part of my social outings money and spending allowance.

If any changes to my spending habits will need to come out of my daily living allowance categories of my budget as my bill categories are very tight now.

Strategy: - Track your daily spending down to the cent by writing it down daily.

I went shopping yesterday, to get something’s for DF-M my elderly neighbour, so had I have get a few grocery and pet food for myself too! So this shop is what I nicknamed a cat shopping (More cat food than human food.)

It’s funny how you get into habits when buying things, anyone cart snooping into my cart / trolley. Do you do it? Would wonder what I ate at all.

There was between us
12 cans of cat food
2 packets of dry cat food
40 rolls of toilet paper
750g of white grapes
5 packets of satay Asian noodles
2 litres of skim milk
5 bags of Rustic Bread rolls
1/2 stick of celery
4 knobs of Australian garlic
6 packets of pasta
2 pack of Christmas cards @50c
2 packets Christmas jelly candy @50c
Local paper

I would love to see someone try to make a meal out of that lot.

Between us we spent over $70

Today is a no spending day

I have had a No spending day yesterday, but I still went out.

My brand new Laser eReader didn’t work as it should so I had to return it, after 30 minutes fiddling with it, in the end I ask if they still store display stock one so you can compare between the two, to see what is missing off my one. In the end they replaced it and got the new one working for me. So now I need to find how to keep it going and start when it’s not connected to the power point. No wonder I don’t like any new technology it still gives me the creeps at times.

There are over 200 free ebooks loaded on it. But learning to read more than one page is the problem and then the screen will go blank and need to put the changer again to restart. I changed it for 15 hours so it should work. Trouble-shooter FAQ say if it does this the battery is flat and need to be recharged again. It’s a problem I will have to work in next few weeks before I start to download any more ebooks on to it.

I said that we would have a heatwave here in my last post. Well while we were having a heatwave down south in Victoria, they were having snowstorms and Western Australia is having a Cyclone this morning. We just can’t win with this weather.

This week is one year on since the floods and the mud army some people are still in their homes yet and may never be.

I had my Air Con two days out of the three for about 8 hours non-stop. It used up power here normally I can get away with around 8 kWh per day plus 2 kWh from solar panels an selling back to the grid 1 or 2 kWh per day, both days I used 22 kwh plus 4 kWh from solar panels to run the Air Con on both day. I try to read my meters each day to see how I am going an note something I am doing different that normally here. I do chart it in excel over the years.
I drop down 8 kWh on line power since I installed Solar panels and 4 kWh in Hot water since installing solar hot water.

So I try to keep my utilities as low as I can.

As I knew that today would be on the hot side. Over the weekend I tried to do all the outside jobs possible. I did my washing and ironing too! I mowed lawn and water the garden as much as I could at least 24 hours so that ground is moist but not wet before the temperature will climb to 35C plus around here. That’s about 6 degrees above normal. In the southern states it was much higher in the 40’s C and a very dry heat too! It was around 50C in the outback around Birdsville. Once the temperature gets into the 30’s C, I will put my Air Con on for the first time this year. My feet are swollen so as this is what I bought Air Con for in the first place, my friend I am worried about her but she will not come up to visit me, I will not sit her hot house for too long either! Another three days of this heat.

I spent the day reading with my feet.

37C equals 100 F

No spending day here.

Today I had to go to the city again, which is want I didn’t what to do this week!

Well I must sense some things when I wrote “Today I went to the city again for my annual eye test and new glasses. This pair will cost some money around $185 extra as I am getting the works done on it.
Bifocals, transitions lens etc. as well a new frame. I should have them by end of the month if I am lucky, as last time something went wrong and had to be done again. I have pick out next year’s frame that I like so they put the code on my file.” in
This & That.

On Christmas day I drove my car to my son’s place and felt that I was driving a little to the left for my liking, and the same when I was walk I had to keep myself aware of this but could see why only that I had my new glasses on. I do know that I have extra sensitive eye site and certain part of my glasses can’t be changed. There is nothing wrong the subscription as this hasn’t changed in the last 5 years.

Same with transitions lens, and bifocals, but the degree of centring of the bifocals on the left eye was out by 3 degrees enough to cause the problem like double vision of streets and the ground coming up at you when you walk as I have this before and more than once over many decades I knew what I was. All this was a lesser degree that before so I tried to work with for a while, so last Monday I went for a walk at different time of day, and I could look up at the streets around the places found that I couldn’t see signs 5 metres that I could with the other pair that I own. Oh I could make out want written but in double. I was still walking to the left. In the afternoon I wore the pair that these new were replacing the ones I got in 2007, now I could see 200 metres down the road to the second lot of street lights even being able read the ambulance at the distance. Now I knew that something was wrong with the other part and not to wear then again.

So after a phone call Tuesday and went to the city to see what was wrong with them. I always go the same place as they know how I am a problem with my eyes. Yes the glasses are out 3 degrees on the left lens and would have to replaced I did take a number of old pairs with me. So I have wait for them to be fix. This will be about the eighth time that this has happen, once it was 3 months and three goes at it before I got then the glasses fell off my face at 100km hour on the highway. I often wonder how many car accidents is cause with faulty pair of glasses on the driver. I was lucky that time as I was able to catch them and put them back on before fell the floor of the car. By the way I can’t see past the steering wheel with no glasses on.

Any way I can say, I only bought my local paper for the TV program week. $1.10

I did walk around some stores but didn’t buy anything other than paper not even any food or a drink I just went home for lunch.

I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and may it be a good one.

Over the past 40 years our national TV channel has broadcast the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo each New Year Eve and my family have watch it most of that time and for the last 20 years I watch alone. So this New Year Eve was no different, I put it on an watch it for 90 minutes nonstop as that station has no advertisements at all! All ABC channels don’t any advertisements.

After that finished I went to bed to read my latest novel by Sara Douglass and read until midnight when the fireworks went off on the river 6 km away. Before I could see them from my street but now we only can hear them as the all new high rise buildings are blocking our view or the trees if there is a spot that you could see the city. Now the fireworks are lower than before. We are not allowed to have fireworks at home because of the risk of fire and it’s the bushfire season. There are illegal fireworks being bought and a few people were injured and one man was killed this year in Victoria. Now they have bushfires again in that state and a heat wave.

I remember having Guy Fawkes nights 5th November as a small child and bonfires that went with them. Now that is no more and the city councils, some state governments and business pay to have large firework displays (Something like 10 million AU dollars went up this year around Australia) on our rivers and harbours, and the Sydney one is televised nationwide, now they think it is now the best in the world. May be come down to Sydney Australia one New Year Eve to find out if it is the best world over 1 million watch it each year.

This post marks my 800th entry.

I had a few things to do today, pay one of my credit cards off now in credit. Buy the group’s lotto ticket for Mega Jackpot on Saturday and I got this job for 2012. It would be nice to win something!

I walked past the departments stores and all retail stores with their Boxing Sales on and everything at 20 -70% off their regular price that may be the case with leftover Christmas lines that I do not need anytime in the next ten years. As for clothes I just don’t need any, only a pair of Black flat court shoes with decent soles on them still can’t find any in my size. I did see two styles that were right again not in my size so I walked on to the bank.

So what did venture into the shopping centre yield today something that I would have brought at my local shopping today paper for the TV weekly shows it a lot cheaper and you get more Free to Air channels in it than the Sunday paper. Cost $1.10.

I saw that our transport fares are going up again on Sunday so will be stay with my Go Card that’s for sure as paper ticket one way trip is now $2.00 cheaper to have a Go Card for the same trip. My normal fare will be going up 11 cents I think I can live with that one.

I had lunch with my Ex work colleagues today, we have been meeting up since we all were made redundant over 13 years ago, all of this group are retired.

We had lunch at the casino our $9.00 member’s meal deal of main meal, cake or fruit salad and coffee. I had Fish with Salad, piece of vanilla slice and coffee. No main meal for me tonight.

I spent only $4.00 playing the pokies as I like to play a little each time so to keep my membership card active.

So how much did I spend today, Boxing Day Sales Zero and Lunch Paper and pokies grand total of $14.10 and paid my Credit Card off.

I am a very late in putting up my monthly, others things did get in the away at times.

I only just updated my Excel so here are the figures for last month. Next update will be that 13th period included in my annual totals update in Mid-January.

As I work on 28 day cycles, my dates may be out to a calendar months so here are the figures for my last period.

It’s time to start again on reviewing my monthly daily living allowance.

These are the categories for this challenge.
Items === Approx. Budget===Spent
Eating out===$35.00=====$41.70
Groceries===$135.50 ==== $96.84
Non-Food===$17.00=====$17.29
Clothes ====$35.00=====$38.45
Grooming===$15.00
Gas======$25.00======$29.50
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$52.68
HH items===$42.50
Fares== ====$9.00=====$20.00
Entrainments= $12.00
Garden =====$10.00====$39.90
Gifts & Donations =$35.00===$86.45
Medical =====$15.00======$46.15
Diabetes Expenses====$50
Misc ======$9.00
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ====$129.90
Note only one amount is a no spend

Budgeted for this period $580 spent $592.87 so over budget by $12.87.

No Spending days over the 28 days = 8 days in total.
Personal allowance covers confectionery, lotto, books, stamps, craft & hobby supplies.

Eating out including meals out with family and friends, we all go Dutch.

As for medical this is the extra out of pockets amounts that came up this month just on medicine.
As for my medical visits out of pocket expensive if they are related to Diabetes then I will class them as Diabetes Expenses will come under this new category.

Diabetes Expenses - A most will be one off items or once per year expenses. But I need to track these items on my small budget and pension. Each time I pay for some things in this category I will need to cut something in other categories. I will start using this more next year when I start seeing more diabetic trained personal.

My credit cards are still paid in full each month this month I paid half of next month bill so I am ahead here.

Spending on books and papers $88.55 for the month including 5 papers. I hit a online bookstore for some books for a birthday present in January.

I do keep my bill money separated from this summery. This year I will be budgeting around $650 per period month to cover all my bills. This month bills and home improvements were around $1532.92 so no balance banked this month. This included buying a TV Antenna, New glasses and pest control check. This fund does cover all my fixed bills for the year if I can stick to this schedule as I have done for the past ten years or so. This fund does cover replacements when needed. My next replacement due is a new washing machine the money is already saved. On my budget excel modelling chart I can pay the full amount this year. This amount includes the cat’s trip with the Vet.

As for food out, I dined out 4 times this month costing between $20 & $9 a time most were around the $9 mark as I can no longer eat at fast food outlets. That $9.00 meal’s at Casino is still looking the healthiest and best deal in the city for now.

My grocery bill came in under budget for this month.

My clothes and grooming budget was on target this month I bought some underwear.

Most of my social outing are dining out this is part of my social outings money and spending allowance.

If any changes to my spending habits will need to come out of my daily living allowance categories of my budget as my bill categories are very tight now.

Still need to work on a few categories as you can see but over all I had expensive month.

Strategy: - Track your daily spending down to the cent by writing it down daily.

I had breakfast with the family Christmas morning, BBQ sausages, Bacon, Hash Browns, & Eggs with Coffee and 2 Chocolate centred biscuits but true to form they cooked too much food for four adults. So I was given the 8 cooked sausages and 3 small slices cooked bacon to take home. It was still hot when I got home too! As we gave out our presents before we had our bunch so it was almost 10.30am before it was started to cook it.

On the way out my DIL ask if I would have some custard too! Then she came out with the end of the roast ham that they had in fridge too! They are only going away two days but too lazy to cut it off the bone and freeze it. I took that as well all 3lbs of it. The bone will make a great pea & ham soup come winter. Out of the sausages I got 4 servings and 1 serve of bacon which will be tomorrow breakfast and 15 servings of ham which I have frozen for now. Some of it will make salads and other will go into different dishes that I will make over the coming weeks along with what meats I bought in the last week I now have a full freeze again.

But my son works at the fruit markets and was given a tray of mangoes so I got 6 mangoes to top it off.

Tally of foods

6 Mangoes $2.00 each = $12.00
8 sausages uncooked = $5.50
3 slices of lean bacon = $ 2.00
1.5 kg Ham of the bone @29.95kg = $45.00

Waste Not, What Not Total $64.50

These prices are what I would have paid yesterday for the same things had I bought them!

The cats & I had a wonder nibble on the ham scraps while I cut it up for freezing.

Have a Merry Christmas
...or whatever other end-of-year holiday you might celebrate at this time.
I am having a quite one this year with exchange of gifts and bunch about 10am then the family are off on weekend away at the Gold Coast with the in Laws.

I had to call the roadside assist while out Christmas grocery shopping today.

I opened my door because something was wrong with my foot pedals in the car so I thought. But I had trigged the door lock when got in and didn’t know it. This set off the car alarm which I had forgetting how to stop it. Now I was in a pickle with my DF-M 82 year old with me and all her groceries. Lucky that I had my mobile with me so I could phone roadside assist as I have been member for as long I have had my car licence now!

I ask some other ladies in the car park if they knew how to start the car now that had immobilise it and had on full set the lights across the dashboard and one I had never seen before a car with a key on it. Do you know what that one is? I never knew that my car had a car immobiliser and I had it for the last 5 years. The ladies couldn’t help but had this problem once before and no men were about either to ask. So it a job for road side assist, the lady on the other end couldn’t tell me over the phone how to restart the car as it just wouldn’t start. The service man will have to come out in the next 60 minutes.

Lucky we were in the underground car park and not in full sun. I had to get across to my friend that she couldn’t sit in the close car while we waited, I don’t speak Italian so this took a while in the end she decide get a taxi home instead of waiting with me. As I couldn’t stay with the car as I had to go to the meeting point in the car park. I had to fix up getting that taxi as she past calling for one herself, luckily it came quickly and I was able load most her groceries in the taxi and send her on her way. I sat on the taxi rank seats until I saw the mobile roadside assist car at the traffic lights and was able to direct him to my car.

With all the moving of the groceries and opening the door and locking the doors getting my friend to the taxi the car had reset itself and I didn’t need him after all. It started when I put the key in the lock again like normal. We had a chat about what happen and what does happen with these car immobiliser at times. All I needed to do was push the button on key ring and unlock the car then relock then unlock and drive away. Simple! I was told never to park under Fluorescent lighting in shopping car park or a power transformer in the street as this can them set it off too!
I got home about 15 minutes after my friend and she was still bringing in her groceries and I gave she the tray of mangoes still in my car.

Well I did have a learning lesson after all today of sort. Just uses that button on the key ring it may save money and time in future. My seventy dollars per year membership was worth it. I try to be as stress free as I can.

You can tell I don’t drive it that much!

Strategy - Park your car in a spot that you will get your daily walk done too!

Years ago I went to a pre-garage sale that a church group was clearing out a property for a nursing house inmate. She has died since at 90. The lady was a nursing tutor sister of the white veil and starch uniform kind in 1950’s. Sister Bourne was a Miss and kept anything and everything. Under the house were five cardboard containers full of newspaper clipping on cooking, medical, gardening, craft, hint’s and tips from late 1960’s to 1980’s. That they were going to dumper that day so I offered $2.00 for the lot. Five years ago I went thought most of these clippings and dumped what I would never use and filed in order things that I could use. Mostly a lot of magazines pull-out booklets on anything. I had some in my own collection of that time too!

So this week I started to tidy some boxes downstairs and found another box that belonged to Sister Bourne so my kitchen looks a mess just now with all these clippings and I did find a recipe for my picked pork file so all was not lost after all.

The cheapest meat you can buy per kilo here is Picked Pork at $2.99 kilo. One of my hobbies is to collect recipes using just one common ingredient in all recipes. I have found very few recipes on picked pork so I was happy about that.

I only had a few things to get as I don’t give that many present out now. My family is small and don’t give a large expensive gifts to anyone. I believe in the thought that count side of gift giving, if you can afford to give a lot then do!

I always give to some charity or medical research but only what I can afford. This year I have given to the Salvos and Hospital search team asking for one more doctor for the team in Liver research.

PA Research Foundation Liver Appeal

Liver Appeal brochure PDF

This Christmas the PA Research Foundation needs your help: Dr Elizabeth Powell and her team are addressing the toughest form of chronic liver disease; fibrosis or cirrhosis of the liver - which more often than not results in end stage liver disease where the only treatment option, if available, is a liver transplant. To achieve this urgent research the PA Research Team desperately needs $90,000 to be raised to engage a specialist researcher to support this project.

I think this will be doable!

This research may save lives in the future around the world because there sure aren’t lot of donated livers around.

Want is it with some other charities; I keep getting requests for money with free items in them. I keep the free items because they have my name on them mainly address labels but thanks but no thanks. I don’t give to this kind of charity because they are run by businesses and give a percentage of the earning to the charity whom name they used and it’s quite small amount. Tick this box for a monthly donation of $50, $100 what who can afford this kind of donation when living below the poverty line in their country I sure can’t.

My son finely came to mow my lawn as it was getting too long for me to do it myself! It has been raining since it was time to mow! This will be the last time this year too! He did get to move a few items on the lawn that were in the way but I was just mowing around them the best I could. He also was dismantling the old TV antenna so it could be put into the rubbish tomorrow.

I did prune a few weed trees out before they got too big. We have the problem trees next door.

I have started making my budget for 2012, as my budget is finished for this year as when I made it years ago, it was a few weeks before Christmas so I just keep following on. My expenses have risen over the past year and spending money on new computer didn’t help either. I now think now my spending now is about $1500 more than my age pension so I am going backward a little but I can cut back in some areas to make this money up. The medical fund and antenna is coming out of 2012 fund so that’s around $3200 next week. The Money is already in the bank to pay these as I never spend money without having it in the bank first.

So my challenge for 2012 is to spend money on getting my house painted. My goal is to only spend what I get paid from age pension to live on and just use earmark money for the painting that I have been saving for the past few years. The painting can’t be put off any longer it must be done next year.

No spending over weekend

My Digital Antenna is up and works the way it should. The installer took over 4 hours to do the job and cleaned up after too!

I was able to find the old antenna cables and remove them so they are gone now! I am lucky that no one can live under my house as all the lines are visible for all to see. I have tried so if I could work out which cable was for what. Most are old phone lines which I am leaving there but none work now, the main power cable runs under there too! I do write on them what I think each one is, as I am worried that someone will try to move them one day when I am not around. I even found the original phone line 60 years old.

You can’t legally live under there but it’s a great storage area. Height is not high enough for someone 5ft 6inches or over to walk freely around without hitting they head on a beam or ten. In some places its only 4 feet high. The total cost was the quote $840 with better antenna which was stronger and cord for one of TV which didn’t have one. This sounds a lot of money it done now. I am very happy with the service that I received.

I finally booked the job so I will be getting the Digital Antenna this week, as I have been going to do this work done for last 2 years since I got my first digital TV 3 years ago now! They are the cheaper end of Digital TV so no fancy one here. Large Plasma TV don’t work in this house as you would be sitting on top of them. I didn’t go for Plasma TV as these are expensive to run power wise.

I did a Phone around here for my Christmas present to myself that Digital Television Antenna I have been putting off for year or two now! I least I can afford it and I will need to get one soon. I rang up three installers and got one quote by phone and another company came out to do the quote. The third company I am still waiting for a call back but they the dearest one if past dealings with them it will be expensive. The quotes were very much within $10 of each other when I add in amplifier on the phone quote. I need this as I get no signals with antennas I got now, if I have any breeze as I am below the buildings around me. Some are three stories high.

And the phone quote is for only 4 points only. This will allow moving the TV around without worrying NO signals on some Channels. If I don’t have amplifier I can have only one point and drop outs. I own three TV and plan one into other rooms if I need too! These are the bedrooms that have no TVs if I was ill then I would need one.

$840 with amplifier with 5 points cost of on 3 points so 2 points, splitter free and discount on amplifier. Saving discounts are around $470.

They will be the mostly likely will get the job as it’s the one that my son had to do his.

Australia is going all digital TV over the next two years some areas are already 100%. By 31 December 2013 there will be no Analog TV signals are phrased out altogether. Our area will be complete by June 2013.

Strategy - Ask about any discounts and don’t worry if you forgot to ask about it, worse they can say is NO if you go back and ask.

With the way the euro crisis is shaping up I think it time to pull that belt in a lot tighter, and any money that we save can go to something we need not just a want or whim. We are a lot safer here and I am worried about this.

Next year I will just do jobs around the house, like house painting which I have put off for too long now. For my Christmas present to myself I will spend money on a digital antenna for the TV as I still don’t get all the stations with the old system which is long past its use by date 1980 model it shouldn't work with digital but does most of the time! After that it will replace it or repair anything else. I can do a bit of painting on bits that I will not be getting the painter to do.

Another no spend day here!

While out walking this morning I found some money on the footpath, someone must have dropped it when getting into their car. I never find any money but this time I went a lot early than I normally do!
It’s only $5.00 but it can go with to the next donation that I make, normal if I find a Salvo collecting I will give them some money each Christmas.

My Christmas spending is nearly finished. Just three inexpensive token gifts and a gift card voucher to get now. The family is pulling in on their spending too! I just need a mobile car charger for my new phone and some odd & ends that gift card voucher will buy and I will be happy. I normally buy my own treats so I not missing out when they can’t afford it! Some will just get a big box of chocolates or other sweet treat I think!

I had a no spending day too!

I am a very late in putting up my monthly, others things did get in the away at times but that’s another story which you have been reading about lately here. I only just updated my Excel so here are the figures for last month.

As I work on 28 day cycles, my dates may be out to a calendar months so here are the figures for my last period.

It’s time to start again on reviewing my monthly daily living allowance.

These are the categories for this challenge.

Items === Approx. Budget===Spent
Eating out===$35.00=====$52.95
Groceries===$135.50 ==== $119.90
Non-Food===$17.00=====$6.99
Clothes ====$35.00=====$35.00
Grooming===$15.00=====$10.00
Gas======$25.00
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$77.32
HH items===$42.50=====$51.10
Fares== ====$9.00
Entrainments= $12.00 ====$4.00
Garden =====$10.00
Gifts & Donations =$35.00===$101.80
Medical =====$15.00======$69.56
Diabetes Expenses====$50
Misc ======$9.00
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ====$62.85

Note only one amount is a no spend

Budgeted for this period $580 spent $591.52 so over budget by $11.52 + computer outlay

No Spending days over the 28 days = 8 days in total.

Personal allowance covers confectionery, lotto, books, stamps, craft & hobby supplies.

Eating out including meals out with family and friends, we all go Dutch.

As for medical this is the extra out of pockets amounts that came up this month just on medicine
As for my medical visits out of pocket expensive if they are related to Diabetes then I will class them as Diabetes Expenses will come under this new category.

Diabetes Expenses – nil

A most will be one off items or once per year expenses. But I need to track these items on my small budget and pension. Each time I pay for some things in this category I will need to cut something in other categories.

My credit cards are still paid in full each month.
Spending on books and papers $35.05 for the month including 5 papers.

I do keep my bill money separated from this summery. This year I will be budgeting around $650 per period month to cover all my bills. This month bills were around $ 3107.94 so no balance banked this month.

This included buying a new laptop and all the extras that went with getting back up to the latest. I don’t upgrade until I buy new computer then do it all at once. This fund does cover all my fixed bills for the year if I can stick to this schedule as I have done for the past ten years or so. This fund does cover replacements when needed. My next replacement due is a new washing machine the money is already saved. On my budget excel modelling chart I can pay the full amount this year. This amount includes the cat’s trip with the Vet.

As for food out, I dined out 3 times this month costing between $25 & $9 a time most were around the $9 mark as I can no longer eat at fast food outlets. That $9.00 meals at casino is still looking the healthiest and best deal in the city for now.

My grocery bill came in under budget for this month.
My clothes and grooming budget was on target this month I bought 2 handbags.

Most of my social outing are dining out this is part of my social outings money and spending allowance.
If any changes to my spending habits will need to come out of my daily living allowance categories of my budget as my bill categories are very tight now.
Still need to work on a few categories as you can see but over all I had expensive month.

Strategy: - Track your daily spending down to the cent by writing it down daily.

How can a nurse do this!

Nurse in custody as fire takes fifth life

I had appointments with my chiropractor and podiatrist yesterday. Both appointments went well!

I bought 2 sushi rolls and took my own drinks to the city. With Diabetic 2, I need make sure that I do drink when I am thirsty and as I don’t like paying over $3.00 a bottle for water or a soft drink. Coffee ends up costing arm and leg when you need to buy unnecessary snack to go with it at $3.50 to $4.50. I can buy 6x popper drinks @$2.20 in supermarkets if I remember to take one or two with me when I go out. I found a cute little food bag that fits two of these in plus a small brick if I need one!

I find time to top up my Go Card (local public transport pass) as we do get our fares cheaper if you use these cards. As a pensioner I only have to use it twice in the same day and all other trips that day are free! I normal put $20.00 on it when I top up this card.

I did remember to bank some change that I had counted the other day.

On the computer front I am learning to use the ribbon in the window picture gallery this will be a long task as I did delete around 13500 photos out my download out of 24500 photos and all filed under the same title. I did remember to empty my recycle bin that how I know many there were!

We had a very bad Nursing home fire in Sydney today. Four residents were killed and another 31 are in number hospitals over 100 residents lived there.

Nursing Home Fire

It’s beautiful weather here at the moment, sunny and 30 C. We have had no rain for 13 days straight so far this month. If doesn’t rain tomorrow I think it’s a new record for November. They are going to drop the Dam levels as next rainy season is on us. Heavy rain storms and at least 4 Cyclones. A bad hail storm went through the outback town and wiped out a shed used as house that was Cyclone safe five year ago last night.

Today I went to the city again for my annual eye test and new glasses. This pair will cost some money around $185 extra as I am getting the works done on it. Bifocals, transitions lends etc. as well a new frame. I should have them by end of the month if I am lucky, as last time something went wrong and had to be done again. I have pick out next year’s frame that I like so they put the code on my file.

I also got my passport photos done today I don’t like them but who does. I think it’s because I had to take off my glasses for the photo. I am not planning to go anywhere in the near future but I will someday soon!

I paid off my credit card so they are paid in full.

I had lunch at the casino today and played the pokies for a few dollars only. Spent $14.00 here.

Spent $526 all up today including credit card

I had my hearing test today and they fixed the problem that I had with my hearing aids, I got them a two years ago or so now! They just didn’t fit properly it was the part that you put in your ear piece on both ears that were two small as my opening is much larger than normal so with these attachments they now fit and don’t fall off when wearing them. Change is part of the annual fee of $55 including batteries as age pensioner I get vouchers for the hearing aids but do have paid extra when I do buy new hearing aids, this time there is no extra changes so will stay with the old ones.

While I was out I bought coffee & raisin toast $3.50 at a food outer on the way back down to the city to catch my bus home. Whilst in this area I went to a handbag store that I had bought handbags before at and found the right style that I liked for a general all-purpose bag. I also found one that I liked but the wrong colour so I bought the black one instead. So 2 handbags $35.00 which is not bad in price as I find the handles go first no matter how much you pay for it. Still would like to have that red handbag too! It’s only $15.00 so if it’s still there on Monday I may get it too!

I try to buy only black handbags so their go with my black shoes that I wear.

I gave the musician in the tunnel $2.00 as I liked his music he was playing.

So all up I spent $40.50 today.