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Archive for April, 2006

Pin Money for Odd Jobs!

April 30th, 2006 at 08:56 pm

I got my pin money of $50 .00 for the odd jobs that I do for my friend D today until next time, when the tally of jobs goes in the red again! I get this in advance so it gives me a better feeling that you are not wondering if you are going to get paid or not! You do odd jobs for some people that take hours of your time then they don’t want to give anything for it. Just saying like ‘You're not doing anything /going anywhere!’ or ‘Will you just do or buy this for me, just this once I don’t have the time’, so they can go watch TV or go to work and get $100,000 a year! Then say I am broke; I’ll pay you back soon! 'In Ten years and counting.'

D is OK and this system works best for us both. I’m the one doing the tracking. We have a unit value system as one item is storage, or buying stuff for her or doing her ironing which she hates or watering her garden when they are away overseas as well as other things.

It does have some perks too! They buy expensive coffee that I can not afford, and have this when I go over to their place or when we go out together. As D is a better haggler than I am too! I do remember to take her with me; when I need to haggle at times! Often we go grocery shopping together.

And she appreciates me too!

Cooking without a Recipe being Frugally Creative.

April 29th, 2006 at 12:10 pm

I made a meal out of my bulk storage assets today! I thawed four chicken drumsticks a day or so ago and need to use them today. I took 2 cups (mixed vegetables, beans, corn kernels, sweet peppers), bottle of Cacciatore Sauce that I have a lot of, a can diced tomato that needs using up and 1/2 teaspoon of chilli powder plus a few dried herbs. I place that lot in a microwave dish, defrost and then cooked for 3 minutes; I cooked the drumsticks on a browning tray in the microwave for 2 minute each side. I have cooked the chicken drumsticks and I have frozen the one's I didn't use which I will use soon! As for the Tomato Vegetables Sauce I serve it up with 2 of drumsticks and cover it with Tomato Vegetables Sauce. I got another 3 serves to freeze. I plan to have some over poached fish on Friday. One lot over Pasta lasts one with the chicken drumsticks again! My best meals come from my Creativity when I got to come up with something I got at hand. I will make this again too! No spending today!

Looking for the Cheapest Gas Price.

April 28th, 2006 at 08:36 pm

By the end of this week I will need to use my last Fly buys voucher up for gas, it’s worth looking for the best price as I have to drive 10 km each way to get it. Lucky, Shell has a website that tells you what the prices are at these outlets. Only a few take these vouchers too! Checking the one I normally go to were 4c dearer than next nearest so went to that one only extra km but in the opposite direction and did some shopping and errands that I need to do too!

This gas station is next door to one of larger shopping centres, so I don’t make it a practice for go there just for gas. I found a car park after a few minutes, then walked to do that errand of getting the exchange on clothes that I bought last time there. I by-passed the eatery and walked down to the craft shop, found chair pad cushions on special that I had on my shopping list to buy when found. These ones are the top quality and $8.00 off each that’s $32 for the four that I bought. Saving $32

I headed for the Shell gas station next door. I filled my tank for $31.50 after all the rebates. $1.195L less 14cL in rebates. That was a saving of $5.40 but the cost of fuel here at times differs so the saving would have been much higher if I had bought two days earlier. This car takes a little more fuel than my old car but then it’s six weeks since I did fill up last time! Saving $5.40

Bargain shopping at my local grocery store.

After buying my gas today, I drove to my local grocery store. I do my bulk frozen shopping this week. I bought two pizzas, 6 packet of frozen vegetables for winter, as the cost of vegetables here is high. We have had a cyclone which wiped out most crops. Some yogurt that was marked down to $1, some Sweet & Sour Lite Sauce 3 jars of those, & some sweet corn. Saving for this little trip $22.26 more than it cost me all up. Remembering that little rule of DON’T go shopping when hungry. I went and bought a milk shake @ $1.45 at nearby snack bar saving here too as they're cheapest for milk shakes in the area, this was my only luxury today. Saving $1.55 on milk shakes. Total savings today $61.36

Today’s Full price Tally $162.19
Today’s Savings - $ 61.36
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $ 61.36

I am starting this challenge as from today! -Day 1

Return of Broken TV Antenna.

April 28th, 2006 at 01:17 pm

I had no spending day cash wise. Got my son to return an indoor TV Antenna that was broken when I bought it last week. I am out of pocket there, as it a replacement for the one, I lent someone and they didn’t return it that was six months ago. I waited until a K-mart 15 % off Sale then bought it. So I didn’t need to drive 28km to exchange it and he was going there.

Fine-tuning my budget goal!

April 28th, 2006 at 12:59 pm

I finally have decided that I need to work on fine-tuning my budget. My Question is “What is the true value of my lifestyle now that I am living on a pension?” This is what I wish to find out the difference, than that of someone single paying full price for everything and what I am doing now! My pension is around $13000 per year before tax. What is the minimum income of someone single paying full price for everything, doing the same things and having essentially the same lifestyle? Mirror Image Challenge

I can save very little in the way of cash, but I can certainly stretch my money a lot more than most of those around me can! If I had to pay for what I do use in the way of goods & services at full price I would need a lot more money than my pension allows. I want to find out what is the difference. So I plan to tally up what the full prices might be and then find the difference between the discounts found or/and saving made by $ stretching and frugal strategies. Naming the strategy used if possible.

2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally is the amount that I would need to find or earn extra to live at this level. My challenge is to find what my true cost of living would be, I will be using every frugal and saving tip or discount that is available to me! All will be in Australian dollars. (Exchange rate is around 75c to US dollar)

Example of my Tally list is:
Today’s Full price Tally $150
Today’s Savings - $80
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $80

“It's really hard to come up with $1000 but it’s easy to find 1000 ways to save a dollar or two!”

So let’s go and find those 1000 ways to save a dollar challenge and see what the amount is at the end of 12 months.