This is the first in this series

A little while ago someone ask in comments here.

" I am really struggling to keep my grocery spending down, I always allow $70.00 a fortnight, but I am finding it's not enough, I don't eat Meat, I only buy Chicken Drumstick's, can's of Tuna, lot's of Bean's, and veg, but it is very difficult, I would love some idea's from you, how I can stretch it, also Cat Food is very expensive here! I live off of a very tight Budget as it is, but find I am dipping into my saving's more and more, just to live, very depressing, thank you for sharing with us."

So over next few posts I will try to answer some of these areas.

In the past week I have bought more meat for the freezer.
1/2 kg (1lb) Short cut bacon packed into single serve with layer of freezer bag between each layer of bacon slices. 2-3 slices is enough for one serve.
4 kabanas, which I have sliced up and pack into 50g (2oz) packets.
Gypsy Ham 100g which is already sliced will eating over the week.

2 trays 4 x chicken drumsticks (see notes below)

3.6kg (8lb) 8 breast chicken with skin on. (@$6.99kg skin on and @$10.99 skin off this was a better buy even through I had do an extra 20 minutes work than I normally do when buying skin off breast chicken. I got the tenderloins which is most times missing). I bagged them up into 4 x diced chicken 250g each, 4 x 300g sliced chicken for poaching or frying. 2 x250g tenderloin chicken 3 pieces each

Chicken Drumsticks & Wings - I buy organic ones that marked down to almost half price when I can and come home and freeze them immediately. Thaw to use as needed. I buy normally 4 drumsticks packs and portion size is two per serve. So when I cook these I cook for 2 servings.
Rule of thumb
- Large drumsticks serve one & small drumsticks serve 2 per person
- Chicken wings 4-6 per person

Eating it later in the week again.

Breast or Thighs of Chicken - I do try to buy breast of chicken when on special for the same price as thighs and diced it up before freezing with no more than two breasts per pack. I will get four servings out of these packs and they can be refrozen to use later in the same month.

Some recipes that I found

Asian Style Chicken Drumsticks

Lemon and Thyme Marinated Chicken Drumsticks

Portuguese Style Chicken Drumsticks

Cheat's Apricot Chicken with Rice and Veggies

Spicy Yoghurt Marinated Chicken Drumsticks


On this site also there is an ebook p240 that you can download that has some very good information and recipes, these recipes above is in the ebook but written differently. P166


Thai Creamy Chicken Satay

Tomato Vegetable Sauce

2 cups (mixed vegetables, or beans, corn kernels, sweet peppers)
1 bottle of Cacciatore Sauce or any pasta sauce (2 cups)
1 can 400g diced or crushed tomatoes
Few dried herbs
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 tsp chilli powder (optional)

Place the lot in microwave dish, defrost and then cooked for 1.55 minutes (W1100)
or 3 minutes (W700) in microwave.
Serve 4

Cooked drumsticks then cover it with Tomato Vegetables Sauce
Can be served over fish as well!

You must remember that I'm cooking for one.

Size and the way you buy things does counts.

Buy only special or store brands if you can use coupons then use them if it's the best option.

I always think that a good buy in protein is around $1.25 or under per serving.

I had the morning at home and waited for my son to drop in. He wife is away with work so we could use both pass on Friday. He arrived at my place 15 minutes after he finished work. Getting dressed we were on our away by 2.30pm arriving to park the car near the showground Carparking was $15.00 so we found street parking for $6.00 for the last four hours on the meters. He waited until 3.00pm so we only had to pay for 4 hours.
Walking over to the

EKKA showground we used our pass to get in again. Then walked though Side Show Alley and the Show Bag Pavilion we never bought a thing here. We had afternoon snacks at a Red Rooster stand at least my son did cost him $15.00, I had a fruit drink and mandarin from home.

We went down to government pavilion for my son to look around then went over the Woolworth Pavilion and got some free food samples and two kid’s aprons and shopping bags for the junior members of the family as there are different offers each day.

Walked around companies show case pavilion never spent any money there, walk over to the wool pavilion and had a look at the animal nursery the cows and horses then walked over to find something to eat yet again. I had a bottle of water and steak sandwich $10.50 DS had coke & hamburger $11.00.

On the walk up to the grandstands, we drop in at RM Williams stand, I bought T-Shirt for $15.00 but I had a voucher for $10.00 so I was able to use this so only paid $5.00 for the t-shirt in the end.

We went to the member’s grand stand at around 5.30pm and stayed there until 8.30pm when we went home. My son bought some coffee and hot chocolate for both of us. I had my muesli bar that I had with me.

Friday night was the night at they open the show, so we were there for this once. I did take a few pictures, they had some different breeds of cattle & cows on the ground and bullock team while the grand opening parade matched on to the oval. The person opening the show this year was our first lady of the Australia the Governor General Quentin Bryce, I meet her when she was the State Governor for Queensland here in 2006.

Ekka 2010 pictures are back up


Bullock Team


Opening Honour Guard Parade & Cattle



Honour Guard


Opening speech and police horses


Just before blessing of the plough


Also we watched the camp drafting, HiLux Heroes (5 truck team), bike jumping, Monster Truck Mania, Jet Van and then the firework.

That’s my day trips to the Ekka for this year! Home by 9pm.

Strategy - Have a treat now and then!

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

I went to the Ekka on Thursday & Friday this week . Day one I caught the bus, got off at the special Ekka bus stop in the city and had to wait 30 minutes for the bus to come so much for bus every 10 minutes service when we got to the other end you could see what was happening with the buses and why they were late in doing round this trip. Traffic parked in the bus lane to drop off people in wheel chairs with both lanes blocked in a two lane narrow street aright first day stuff up. It’s only 10.25am.

I didn’t have to worry about special Senior Day as I use the family guest member pass each year so I can get in for Free as I normally have it for the first two days of the show then the others use it the rest of the time.

My first stop was the Woolworth Pavilion a look at what going on there, missed all the cooking show this year. Had a cheese toastie at the Coon Bar for $2.00 and then kept walking. Went off down that side of the show grounds to find the Art & Craft pavilion only find it had moved downstairs, wandered around paintings and the cake icing and all that baking. Mine never look that good! While viewing the painting I got talking to a senior couple who husband put a painting in the show. After leave there wandered down to the fruit & vegetable pavilion, boy have they cut back there not so many entries as before I think the flooding back in January has a lot to do with it too!

As the Qld Government area is a demolition site they have moved over the lower level of the cattle building near where the school band play. I had a walk around there and went to see about fire ants updated as I always looking out for these when I walk around as we are in tail end of an area for these buggers. There are still only 500 nests in Qld but if left unchecked half of Qld be covered in less than 20 years. I was given and post pack if I was to find a nest and was told to kill the ants by freezing it before sending off it too! I don’t think so I just phone them I think. If it’s on someone else properties just don’t tell them just call the DPI and leave the telling to them.

Next stop was lunch, I had 2 Greek Chicken Souvlakia and I had a fruit drink that I bought from home. Had a little rest while eating then off to see the show bags pavilion which is in a marquee smack in the middle of side show alley resulting in rides and stalls now partly on the second oval and around this huge marquee. The old show bag pavilion area is a demolition site as the whole site is being revamped.

I didn’t like that area so returned to the Woolworth Pavilion had another walk around collected some recipe leaflets and walked back to the Super food Ideas stall and bought 2 bags for $10.00 and walked out the door, I was stuffed for the day It’s only 1.30pm. Walk down to the bus stop and caught the bus back to the city which with it drop off across the road from my bus stop to go home wondering if I will catch my closest bus to home, I did by 2 minutes walked in my house at 2.20pm. Tired but saw as much as I could stand up for that day and there another day to come!

Spent only $20.00 for the day.

Boiled Fruit Cakes


Some Cake Icing Pictures





Crafts




Soft Pastels


Oil Painting

I am a little late in putting up my monthly balance others things do get in the away at times, my cat is doing fine until his operation on next Wednesday to have his teeth removed so far its only two of them.

~~~~~
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=====$38.05
Groceries===$135.50 ==== $77.51
Non-Food===$17.00=====$18.75
Clothes ====$35.00======$17.90
Grooming===$15.00=====$6.49
Gas======$25.00 ======$25.30
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$4.14
HH items===$42.50=====$44.64
Fares== ====$9.00
Entrainments= $12.00 ====$26.00
Garden =====$10.00
Gifts & Donations =$35.00===$71.50
Medical =====$15.00======$25.00
Diabetes Expenses====$50
Misc ======$9.00
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ====$138.89

Note only one amount is a no spend
Budgeted for this period $580 spent $495.17 so under budget by $84.83

No Spending days over the 28 days = 15 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. Vitamin D 250 capsules saving on these was $19.95 on the bottle I first bought.

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 thing in this category I will need to cut something in other categories.

My credit cards are still paid in full each month.

My one big over spend this month was on books as one of the bookstores had a closing down sale Borders here and non- fiction books were going for 75% off so I stocked up on a few that were on my wish list to buy! Spending $100.74 for the month including 4 papers.

I had to buy a birthday gift this month a watch, now I will have to pay for it to be engraved out of next month budget.

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 $177 so balance banked this month. These funds do 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. On my budget excel modelling chart I can pay the full amount this year.

As for food out, I dined out 4 times this month costing between $5 & $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 normal for this month and I was stockpiling a few items both food items and non-food items.

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 a good month.

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

Its Medical appointments day, once every two months these appointments are on the same day.

Chiropractor and Podiatrist visits both within 1 ½ hours of each other this is so that can do things in between and be ready to catch the bus when finished the last appointment.

Today I planned to do any shopping that I would to do as well these appointments. When I got off the bus I found a pair of shoe that I was looking for but when I tried them on and ready to pay for them, I was informed these shoes shouldn’t have been put in the marked down bin they were full price $139.00 when all the other shoes were $69.00 oh I could have them if I bought gold or red ones for that price but not black which is the only colour that I wanted so I walked out. Not happy with that but I will not be tricked into buying something wanted but could live without. No sale.

Drop by the newsagent and bought GO CARD fare ticket top up $20.00. I don’t need to look for charge anytime I catch public transport with this card and I get senior discounts with it.

While walking around on Wednesday I checked the frypans out that were going on special this Thursday, as I need a new 20cm frypan as the one I got is burning food too much. So I got myself a nice new stainless steel one and a new measuring jug both 30%off all up (RRP $28.00) then marked down to $19.95 after I used my new staff card. When I went to the kitchen shop which had a silicone whisk that I saw on Wednesday RRP $7.95 to $1.55 so I got one of theses too!

I stopped for morning tea and had some pancakes $3.45 with a free Senior % coffee. Off to the book store but in the end didn’t buy any books today. Chiro visit went without any problems so then went to the Officeworks which sells computer programs and I found the one I bought that for $38.09 Saving $6.01 on price tag of which $2.01 was staff card discount. I just get don’t some price tags these days this not the first time the registers scan different to the shelf tags. If it’s lower I now just pay what they ask for it but if higher I pay the shelf price or walk out. In some cases you will get the item for free but not always.

I walked down to the medical refund office as this takes enough time to get my daily walk in as well. Went and did some window shopping in new revamp Wintergarden shopping building stage 1 without buying and shoes were only that I could afford but not my style before going to my next appointment. Off to get my next medical refund before I went home for the day and on the way to the bus dropping in to Crazy Clarks discount store for some hand wash. I found a few bargains while I was there so in the end my $2.49 had blowout to $62.37 I got some bargains while I was there and did buy my hand wash too!

Medium Amber Hair dye was on special this week normally you buy this at chemist for about $16.95 a packet at these discount store you can buy it for a lot less and at 2 for $10.00 all the same colour which is the important part of my system, I bought enough for the next two years $50.00 worth and put it on that credit card. I found a tip that I use to make this work.

Also I bought as well this:
Craft supplies - moulding clay 3@$1.47 & beads for necklace $1.47 = $5.88
Date rolls biscuits 2@ 1.00 & smoked oysters 2 @1.00 = $4.00
Hand wash $2.49

Total $62.37

My savings for the day

Medical Refunds $70.35
Computer program $6.01
Senior % coffee free - saving $2.80
Kitchen items saving $14.45
Craft supplies $12.00
Hair dye $119.50

Saving over all $225.11

I don’t think I have loss my touch. No more unplanned shopping until of

EKKA show time in two weeks time.

Strategy - Know when the best sale may be on and be ready to go!

Strategy - Only buy what you will use when shopping without a list

As it’s that time of the month again to meet up with my ex work friend for lunch and Medical appointments, planning my bill paying and shopping for these two day of the month. As I said my last post that I needed to start using my credit card for next $1000+ purchases and bills. I spend very little so need to plan this very carefully. I started out with paying all the bills that I had to pay first none could paid via credit card so they came out of my debit card as I don’t carry these large amounts around with me. The council rates, water bills and credit card payments were paid up for this period to date. On the spending side I bought book of stamps for my wallet so that I don’t need to go shopping for just a stamp and spend extra money when that’s all I need. I got a 50% off key ring for $5.00 that will make it easy to find extra set of house keys that I have here. Had a cup of coffee at the Coffee Shop, Senior Discount offer medium size cup for the $3.65 instead of $4.80. This is all done before I meet up with my friends for lunch.

We are now eating at the cheap venue for members $9.00 for main meal, fruit salad and coffee I had lamb shank and roasted vegetables. Had a play on a 1c slot machine and won $30.00 so came out winning for the day that is rare as I only play with $3.00 per day just to keep my member card active. As it was Wednesday the Farmers Markets were on and I bought bag of broccoli and 4 avocadoes for $4.50 and a newspaper then went home.

Money wise
Bills total $809.00, Lunch Food $12.65, F&V $4.50, misc items $12.10 = $850.35
Gambling outlay $3.00 won $30.00 so $27.00 I came out spending $823.35 for the day.

Senior % saving $1.15

Strategy - Don’t spend your forward bill money on trivia, it’s been put aside for a purpose and keep you stress free.

I got a bargain today in my fruit & vegetables box for $7.00. One of the local greengrocer has these bargain boxes most times but I never have bought one before as normally they are of box of one or two kind per box, last time it was Granny Smith apples $2.00 per box but today all the boxes were mixed vegetables and some fruit or mushrooms as the cherries looked ok I bought the one with cherries in it.

2 large red onions
7 lbs (3 ½ kg) small chat potatoes
1 leek
1 Zucchini
4 large tomatoes
1 large ripe avocado
1 Cos lettuce
1lb (500g) Brussels sprouts
8 orange carrots
4 purple carrots (never cooked these before)
4 corn cobs
2 navel oranges
1lb (500g) cherries - grown in US (marked $5.99)

I did cook one of the purple carrots with a normal carrot just got to remember to cook them on their own in future as it dye the normal one and all the water went purple but they tasted ok.

All this will be good for my diabetic diet.

I had a good run of no spending days this week hopefully I can go one more day. I do know I will be spending some money on Wednesday as this the day I buy my paper for the Weekly TV guide, as the Sunday paper is almost double the cost of the Wednesday one. I also need to pay my credit card 2 off this week as it’s due before my next trip to the city which is another week away. I also will need some tuna cat food and eggs as these are on the low side and will need to go another shopping centre for that. So I will be taking the car out.

Shopping List

Pay $10.00 on credit card 2
Paper @$1.10
Eggs @$3.00
10 cans store brand tuna cat food @69c
French stick @2.00

Total $23.00 now to see if I can in on target.

I got a surprise today in the mail, we were told that we would lose our retire discount cards at the end of May this year. But the company has had a charge of heart and reissued them again. I have my retire staff card 5% off again, every little helps in this climate of uncertainty GFC wise. I was able to get some gift cards with 5% off the price so will be able both together when I shop for groceries equal 10% off and get 5% off at non grocery stores.

Read this post

End of an Era this is the card I'm talking about.

Not that I am spending a great deal these days, as I planning what I purchase and when and how.

How I am going make this work will be my next theme for a while as I plan to s-t-r-e-t-c-h my money yet again.

My family finally booked the tickets to take me to

Australia Outback Spectacular 2 - Heroes of the Light Horse for my last birthday which was back January. So I didn’t need to pay for my ticket. We went in group of ten made up of DIL girlfriend family and my son, DIL and myself and we got a group photo taken too!

Everyone gets a special outback hat which has a coloured band on it and this is how you know which side or station as they call it you’re on. The pavilion or shed is divided in two each side has a cattle station name. Each row has 15 seats and faces on to a table bench which has one drawback if you come in late you need climb into your seat from the walking platform behind your seat row if the your row is all most full. A few people in front of us had to do this as they were in the middle of the row.

Best part other than the spectacular show was the meal that came with your ticket. Each person was served the same meal if you weren’t a vegetarian you would need to have informed them when you bought your ticket of that as all tickets are pre-booked. Entree was a mixed Queensland salad mixed with tangy mango dressing and rolled in a flat bread swag, main course beautifully cooked barbecue tenderloin beef steak with rich gravy, seasoned with Kakadu plum sauce and served with garden vegetables and Australian Damper and for dessert you got traditional baked Pavlova with Queensland berries and country cream Drinks were wine, beer or lemonade and water and at the end of the meal there was coffee or Bush Billy Tea. All this was included in your ticket. Photos cost $15.00 each for one or $10 if you bought more than one, our group bought 8 photos between us you couldn’t take your own photos as they have No photo were allowed to be taken inside the shed policy.

Everything was alive or on a film on the screen back wall. There horses, dogs, camels, sheep and cattle. It went for two hours almost none stop as the food and drinks was served as you watched the show by staff dressed in outback that’s around thousand people per performance.

Do explore the link as there are lot of pictures there.
Australia Outback Spectacular 2 - Heroes of the Light Horse

I only wished that I got to see the Australia Outback Spectacular 1 now!

I have been busy this past week, working on a few projects that needed to be done before Monday.

I have a lot of pears in the refrigerator so I am looking for a few ways to use them up. Here are two recipes that I found that will suitable for my diabetics too!

Streusel Topped Pears
Dessert

500g stewing or poached pears, cut in half or a can of drained pear halves
1 Tbsp Melted butter or margarine
2 Tbsp Dry bread crumbs
2 Tbsp Chopped walnuts
1/4 tsp Cinnamon -- Stir all into butter

Stew or poach pears that have been cut in half or Drain can pear halves.
In pie plate arrange pears cut side up.
Spoon 1 tsp. crumbs on each pear half.
Bake at 180C - 350F for 25 minutes or until topping is lightly browned.
Could probably top with some whipped cream sweetened with artificial sweetener maybe stevia as this what I have in the pantry.


Pear and Apricot Slices

2 fresh pears
1 cup dried apricots -- soaked
1 tablespoon apricot jam
1 tablespoon applesauce
1 egg or 2 eggwhites
1 cup wholemeal plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Peel and chop pears into small pieces chop apricots mix together with the apricot jam and applesauce
Add egg mix well.
Mix together flour and baking powder, fold into fruit mixture
Spread into a non-stick (silicone sheet and/or paper-lined) 15cmx 20cm tin.
Bake at 190C /375F for about 25 minutes or until risen and golden.

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=====$22.85
Groceries===$135.50 ==== $208.67
Non-Food===$17.00=====$43
Clothes ====$35.00
Grooming===$15.00=====$50.25
Gas======$25.00
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$42.76
HH items===$42.50=====$190.19
Fares== ====$9.00
Entrainments= $12.00
Garden =====$10.00
Gifts & Donations =$35.00
Medical =====$15.00======$7.65
Diabetes Expenses====$50
Misc ======$9.00
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ====$85.08
Note only one amount is a no spend

Budgeted for this period $580 spent $650.45
No Spending days over the 28 days = 13 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 thing in this category I will need to cut something in other categories.

My credit cards are still paid in full each month.

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 $56 so balance banked this month. These funds do 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. On my budget excel modelling chart I can pay the full amount this year.

As for food out, I dined out 3 times this month costing between $5 & $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 looking the healthiest and best deal in the city for now.

I did buy a few new appliances this month a electric skillet and food processer coming in at $169.00 this month for both. My grocery bill was a little high this month as I was stockpiling a few items both food items and non-food items.

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 a good month.

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

I just have a visit from my new neighbour; I just met them the other day. There is a lovely Chinese family, she just stop by the drop in two pieces of beautiful cakes in a box. I had half of one piece with coffee just now. It was a Cherry Chocolate Cake the other one looks like a coffee cake both are iced with a filling. There are a number of Chinese cake shops opening all over the place where you can buy a slice of cakes instead of whole cake these days.

I will now eat them very slowly as I have put them in the refrigerator. I still have to watch my diabetic so I can’t pig out so only half piece at a time.

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=====$52.10
Groceries===$135.50 ==== $113.30
Non-Food===$17.00=====$10.92
Clothes ====$35.00======$11.40
Grooming===$15.00=====$6.25
Gas======$25.00
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$22.58
HH items===$42.50=====$3.20
Fares== ====$9.00
Entrainments= $12.00
Garden =====$10.00
Gifts & Donations =$35.00===$13.50
Medical =====$15.00======$5.60
Diabetes Expenses====$50
Misc ======$9.00========$6.00
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ====$67.08
Note only one amount is a no spend

Budgeted for this period $580 spent $311.93
No Spending days over the 28 days = 14 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 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 thing in this category I will need to cut something in other categories.

My credit cards are still paid in full each month.

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 $350 so balance banked this month. These funds do 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 budget will be tight but just doable. On my budget excel modelling chart I can pay the full amount this year.

As for food out, I dined out 4 times this month costing between $5 & $20 a time most were around the $20 mark as I can no longer eat at fast food outlets. That $9.00 meals at casino is looking the healthiest and best deal in the city for now.

I didn’t go over in any other category but for eating out this month so I had a good month spending wise. 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 a good month.

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

On Sunday my niece came for a visit, she had flown in to work here for the weekend, as she lives in another state she is a trainer in the medical field. When she has finished training she comes to my place until she fly home again. This time it was for two nights and one full day free here. So Sunday night we went out for dinner at a local Asian restaurant, we had Thai Yellow Curry and spring rolls, she paid as she had a meal allowance for that day. Next day we went to our local shopping strip to look at op shops and antiques shop. Which we didn’t buy to much just some odd’s and ends. I didn’t go out with my son & niece in the afternoon as I had other things to do for her and mother that she was taking back with her and they needed some time together as each time she has come up here before he has missed her, but that night we all went to Irish pub for dinner, I had steak & chips and pancake & ice cream cost of meal $16.00 and $5.00 on pokies.

Today I had lunch out with my ex work friends, only 5 of us this month. Some them were airing they problems with they retired husbands, and they knee operations. Both topics are not my lot. I had Salmon Quiches & Salad with Fruit Salad Cost of the meal $9.00 and playing the pokies $3.00.

I hope not to eat out again this month if I can help it.
No hotel or casino will ever make a lot of money from my style of gambling.

Eating out so far this week $25.00 and pokies $8.00

Strategy - If you got family heirlooms that you wish to give to your interstate relatives then give them some things to take home when you see them and have the joy of seeing them taking it home.

It was Mother Day last Sunday, I went to have dinner with my family at their local Hotel Bistro I didn’t mind driving up to their place as I don’t spent that much time with them. I got a beautiful leather coin wallet and cookbook on Diabetes that I said I would like to get some day. What I had to eat this time, Chicken Breast & Prawns in a Mustard Sauce with Mashed Potatoes & Sweet Potatoes and water to drink. I got a Senior Card discount off the meal too!

On driving out my car hit a bump and I wondered why! I could fine a cause so I drove up on the freeway to their place went to the Hotel in they car so only had to drive home again on the freeway at 80km all the way home. The car drove as normal so I thought only to have that bump again as I drove into the garage. I had a good look this time and found tat my front tyre was almost flat. As the car just came from a service just a few months before it had to be a nail.

Next morning I rang our car club which I am a member and they charged the tyre and said I will need to get it fixed ASAP. Tomorrow will do fine as I was planning a driving the car then.

After doing what I had planned to do by driving my friend to the bus so she could go on a bus trip with Italian speaking friends. I had two recommendation for a place near son’s place so I drove up there to get the tyre fix as I am looking for a cheaper place to get my car service in the near further.

The tyre cost $25 to fix which is a good price and that price was on they price for that job. As for the next car service which is a big one I will be going there too I think! I was quoted around $1500 at the car dealership which has a car service department as well! Without all that overhead I was quoted around $650 for the same job. That’s an awful lot of money and I have just six month left on parts replacement warranty which I don’t think I will use. As the timing belt is due to the age of the car has to be replaced this time. My style of driving requires me to have things fix on timing scale not on mileage.

Strategy - Try to drink water with your meals when you are dinning out and if you on a special diet try to stick to it as best you can.

Strategy - Don’t believe all the sale talk, do your own leg work.

I have a few vegetable plots and fruit and herb trees. Over my lemon tree my choko vine has grown over it so I am planning of removing it some time next week then prune the lemon tree some what as it has some problems that needs looking into. As I was working down stair in the backyard area I look out at my tomatoes vines to a sea of ripe red small tomatoes then looking past them seeing last season lemons that need picking for juicing as I have two seasons crop growing as it’s has two crops per year. Then looking at the choko vine that’s over lemon tree help large Chokoes hanging there waiting to be picked.

Having finishing off my washing I collected my washing basket filling it with 12 large Chokoes 7 large lemons and small container of full tomatoes as well cutting off the flower heads of my aniseed seeds so I have fresh seeds for next year. I don’t need to plant any seeds as many a seeds drops as I pulled these plants out so they will self seeds this year. My herb garden is doing well and a new crop of Italian parsley is coming along fine. My curry tree was prune last week so drying some leaves to use in my cooking. Will pick some bay leaves to dry soon too!

My crop (sorry about the colour.)


This Is the corner of the garden that the chokoes grow in.

Two outings in the same week first off a Birthday dinner at Mexican Restaurant Montezuma's , it's not a expensive restaurant so picking the most suitable meal from the menu is the biggest challenge
Taking into account what I learnt at my diabetes class I had to pick something with beans in and with not a lot of cheese. The family always orders cheese and bean dips with corn chips for starters. You get three dips so I had a bean dip with corn chips, this turn out a big mistake as it filled me up for the dish that I order. It was the house special Montezuma's Delight as it had a white corn tostada smothered with frijoles, cheddar, heaped with diced raw vegetables salad, ranchero sauce, sour cream topped with two black olives. I had the Pollo/chicken version, it was nice and eatable but I only could eat half of it and had to ask for container so I could have the balance next day. But it wasn't as nice as the sour cream did't microwave as good. Next time I will not have the bean dip and corn chips and then I may be able to eat it all. Cost for the meal $18.00 plus 1/3 the dip and I had water to drink.

It was lunch date with my ex work friends at the casino and as they have put up the cost of the meals in restaurant that have been going to we went back to cheaper one. There they reduced the prices for members but with limited choices. Looking at the menu when you are on no mashed or chip potatoes or jasmine rice with limited cheese choices, there isn't much to choose from. The choices from memory were Beef Lasagne with mashed potatoes and mushy peas, Battered fish salad with chips, 2 Lamb & rosemary sausages with steamed vegetables & mashed potatoes, Chicken kebabs with pickled salad and jasmine rice and Smoked salmon quiche with salad. I had the Smoked salmon quiche with salad with small bowl of fruit salad and 2 cups of coffee plus water all included for $9.00 for members and $14.00 for non members . You could have had 30cm square of cake instead of the fruit salad but I had had my fair share of sweet things this weeks and I had taken along with me small Easter eggs to share with the others also. At night I had a

bowl of lentil soup with toast for evening meal.

Strategy - Try to drink water with your meals when you are dinning out and if you on a special diet try to stick to it as best you can.

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=====$73.45
Groceries===$135.50 ==== $230.61
Non-Food===$17.00
Clothes ====$35.00======$8.45
Grooming===$15.00
Gas======$25.00=======$29.60
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$82.56
HH items===$42.50=====$158.98
Fares== ====$9.00 =====$20.00
Entrainments= $12.00
Garden =====$10.00====$28.56
Gifts & Donations =$35.00
Medical =====$15.00======$44.50
Diabetes Expenses====$50===$43.47
Misc ======$9.00
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ====$51.04
Note only one amount is no spend

Budgeted for this period $580 spent $811.27
No Spending days over the 28 days = 11 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, bought a Medicine and vitamins tablets.

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 – Books $43.47
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 thing in this category I will need to cut something in other categories.

My credit cards are still paid in full each month.

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 $1125 so no balance this month. These funds do 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 budget will be tight but just doable. On my budget excel modelling chart I can pay the full amount this year.

My food went up this month because I am stockpiling items that I will use over the winter months hopefully my food amounts will start to get back to a normal range but may be a little higher as I need to change to some more expensive range in a few things like bread is now $5.00 per loaf instead of $1.49 per loaf, and I need to buy more nuts and seeds as well special grains.

As for food out, I dined out a 7 times this month costing between $4 & $18 a time most were around the $10 mark as I can no longer eat at fast food outlets. That $9.00 meals at casino is looking the healthiest and best deal in the city for now.

Another large category is for the household section that was a once off purchase of Gerni (water pressure machine) costing $149.00. This was a need as with all the wet weather we are having slimy paths and steps are becoming an issue.

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 a good month.

No Savings for this month over by $ 251.27 on budget for amount. This equals the cost of the Gerni and extra I laid out in food stuff this month in stockpiling both for my own and pets.

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

I left early this morning for my diabetes class as I have to go two hours early to get there on time. When I got there I was 45 minutes early so I had breakfast again, this time a vegetarian one. it consist of grilled mushrooms & baked beans both in ramekins with a poached egg and lettuce & tomato as a garnish with buttered multi grain toast on the side. I had water this time to drink. Cost $9.95 all up. After at the class I had a cup of coffee and later an orange drink on the way home and I was full and didn’t have anything else until around 3pm.

At the class we learnt about what food to eat and how to space them out. It was very interesting to see the charts and be given booklets to take home with us. I am planning to copy and laminated some these charts for my personal use as reference and reminder to stay focus on this diet as it’s for life. I know I can do it.

Learning to choose meals out will be my main problem as I have a number of outing in the near future to attend. I will write about my choices from these menus as I attend.

I am watching the Royal Wedding on TV now!

Went to the first of free diabetes classes, I found it interesting and learnt some things about what is diabetes. The next class is on food so I will be looking forward to that one.

While I was in the area I went too for this class has the top breakfast restaurant in Brisbane so I dropped in for a coffee and had a mini breakfast as I had to start out very early to get to that area on time so had my breakfast 3 hours earlier. This cost $12.65 and when coming back to the city I had a Asian Chicken & Rice Noodle Salad $4.00 with a drink that I had in my bag.

I have been bulk shopping this month so buying ahead to save money down the track. I don’t like having to go shopping for things that I can get cheaper buying else where. By timing my shopping to go with where I shop and whether I have the car with me. So far I have bought $67.82 worth of cat food. For myself I bought yoghurt mix $8.48, coffee bulk $13.30 = $21.78

As I have been changing my diet to more friendly foods for diabetes so the cost of this month is a little high but it will work out over time.

I had two medical appointments on Thursday, one for Chiropractor and podiatrist. Both cost out of pocket expenses but I need them to keep going. My chiropractor annual fee was due so $540.00, I do get $232.80 back in refunds from Health Care Fund over the course of the year. I save money by paying this way as we can’t get bank interest of 10% here and that money is sitting in the bank anyway! As for the podiatrist fee it will cost about $2.50 in the end for this visit and the next 3 visits then I will start paying full price again its part of Diabetes refunds that I been getting. I have about 6 visit per year. The Chiro. is 12 visits per year.

While I was out I had a few bills to pay that I received just the day before, as I like to pay my bills in person, that requires me to have a trip to the city for some. I like to do them as soon as possible as all have late fees if I miss the deadline date. I do have a few B-pay ones but these are rare. So my rates were dues for this quarter $260.50, and my credit card that I put my eye specialist bill on so paid that in full too! Then bought another book on Diabetes this one on general information so it was must. As it alright having things in your computer that you have downloaded to read but not printed out to read offline which would be the case if I need the information now and no computer.

I did buy lunch to as I needed food so I bought poached chicken and egg noodles. $8.90

I some shopping for DF-M too! Some muscle cream and a new pair of slippers. As for exercise that day I thought that I had done enough I left home at 9am and got back around 2.30pm.

All up I outlaid around $1080 for the day, it’s not luck that I can find this kind of money but my budget is set out for that kind of spending. Stress free budgeting and spending.

Strategy - Don’t spend your forward bill money on trivia; it’s been put aside for a purpose and keep you stress free.

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=====$53.20
Groceries===$135.50 ==== $133.84
Non-Food===$17.00=====$8.39
Clothes ====$35.00======$4.40
Grooming===$15.00======$22.90
Gas======$25.00=======$23.18
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$67.20
HH items===$42.50=====$54.05
Fares== ====$9.00
Entrainments= $12.00
Garden =====$10.00
Gifts & Donations =$35.00
Medical =====$15.00======$11.20
Diabetes Expenses====$50===$218.86
Misc ======$9.00
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ====$58.06
Note: only one amount it's no spend

Budgeted for this period $580 spent $655.78

No Spending days over the 28 days = 9 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 this I had a visits to a GP Doctor bulk billed Medicare (FREE), and bought a Monthly Medication.

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. So the $120 eye specialist cost is included here. All the little things that I need to do for this charge over. Like update the books on the my new diet as some are 15 years old and 7 years since I last bought any on this subject and a lot has charged in that time. Joining a Diabetes Australia fee $15.00, all these little extras outside Food as I am on no medication.

Diabetes Expenses – Books $83.86, DAQ fee $15.00, Eye specialist $120 = $218.86
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 thing in this category I will need to cut something in other categories. I read somewhere that it cost over $4000 per year for non medication diabetes and over $9000 per year for insulin dependent, some of this is pick up with medical refunds and the government discounts for health card users. I think this article was written for Australian but then I have read so much in the last 3 weeks it’s becoming a overload.

My credit cards are still paid in full each month.

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 $230 and the balance goes into the bill account to cover the next large lot of large bills. These funds do 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 budget will be tight but just doable. On my budget excel modelling chart I can pay the full amount this year by doing this.

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 a good month. No Savings for this month over $ 75.78 on budget for amount.

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

I had to go to the Eye specialist one day for tests to make sure that my eyes weren’t affected from the diabetic so far. My cataracts are stable for now and no problems from the diabetic so $190 later I am all clear for next two years so long I see my optician annually which I do as I am allowed one almost free pair glasses annually and I have 4 pair in use. While out I found another GI Diet Handbook that I didn’t have so I bought it for $22.95 and I seen it else where for $38.99 and they had the one I was looking for $38.99 also but didn’t buy it.

Second day was my lunch date with ex-co-workers. I had to pay a few bills and get a refund on that Eye Specialist Bill so Medicare paid $70.00 so out of pocket was $120.00 as I knew I would be it was expensive last time I went. Paid my credit bill in full $50.00 and my power bill $74.00 and bought the book on GI Diet on Diabetes that I was looking at the day before for $35.00 and the latest version 2011 too! Online ones were published 2007 for $35.00 + postage. So I am ahead on that one.

Lunch menu this time was expensive as the casino had put there prices up by $10.00 and no member discount but did get a senior card discount 10% so $27.00 for lunch just to expensive for my liking and the food menu has changed to a more Asian foods and it wasn’t hot for that matter. So we said at that price and menu change we move on to a different restaurant next time. Some of them don’t like the other restaurant but we will go there until we find somewhere else to go. I can’t afford to pay that price every month it was bad enough at $20.00 but now that I have to be real picky about the food I eat with my diabetes.

Saving on books RRP $38.99 each
$38.99 -$ 22.95 = $16.04
$38.99 -$35.00 = $3.99 or online $ 6.50 p&p
Saving $20.03 on books that I needed by shopping around.

At least two days are no spending day here and other was hairdresser appointment for hair cut that I need. About every 8 weeks or so I get my hair cut then I will dye it myself after the cutting. As I have a number appointments this coming week, it was best did it now. While out I buy two more cookbooks for $2.00 to read. One was on vegetarian cooking and the other one on Jewish cooking.
I do have number of these cookbooks so I like to crosscheck some of the recipes in them.

I doing a lot of reading on diabetic at the moment so learning about it. I did sign up for the free classes in April so that is all organized. As for my GI Diet I am still learning about what I can and can’t eat and what best for me. I did start a food diary but keep forgetting to write the food down. Two days out of seven is not good in my books. One thing still I need to do is drink more fluid as I need cut back on my coffee as I have hypotension along with the diabetics. I got appointment to see an eye specialist next week that was quick. That means I will get eye drops and I will have blurred vision for a few hours as I had these test before I do know the drill. NO driving the car for 24 hours and sunshades.

As for some of the meals that I have been making her, it was hot last week 33C so I a cold salad of boiled egg, Cos lettuce, 1 Roma tomato, chunky cut, 1tbsp charred pepper strips , a few bread & butter cucumbers, 3 black olives with Italian low fat dressing. On the side I had one slice pear (skin still on), two tbsp cottage cheese with 1tsp pepitas (pumpkin seed) on top plus water as it was to hot to cook here.

Tonight I have spiced chickpeas and spinach with 2 sausages and some grapes. Cold Peach Tea

I am having only porridge and sultanas with LSA as a cereal now as this is one thing that keeps my level down.

It’s Earth Hour tonight here so at 8.30pm I will be turning off my lights for one hour. I will be sitting on the front porch watching the stars and may be having a pot of green tea.

I had a quick search and found these recipes on some other links in Saving Advice that I have not posted in this series. I hope you have enjoyed some other flavours & ways to cook lentils.

Some Recipes found in other blogs & forum

Afghani Lentil Casserole

Indian Lentil Pilaf

lentil-okra stew

Pumpkin & Lentil Stew

Lentil Dal

Orange Soup

Lentil and Noodle soup

Home-made Vegetable Soup

Meat & Vegetable Broth

Red Lentils and Barley Soup - low GI

This the final post in this series on lentils.

LENTIL PATE
Makes 2 cups

1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed
2 cups water
2- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon French mustard to taste
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
1/2 teaspoon or more chili powder to taste

Place lentils in a medium saucepan with water.
Bring to the boil, reduce heat slightly.
Simmer for 20 minutes or until tender, stirring every 5 minutes.
Drain off water and save. Add to mixture if to dry add more lemon juice.
Beat mixture thoroughly till smooth and creamy.
Add tomato paste, mustard, lemon or lime juice and chili powder.
Stir until well combined and smooth or blend.
Place in a suitable shallow dish. Chill in refrigerator.
Serve accompanied by crudit's and pita bread or as a spread.
Freezes well.
Divide into 3 portions and freeze if using as a spread. Last more than week in fridge.
Whole recipe = Cal.475

LENTIL PASTIES
Makes 8

375g short crust pastry
egg to glaze
Filling
2/3 cup red lentil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 cup grated carrot
1/2 grated zucchini
2 tbsp. chopped parsley
Pepper and salt

Place lentils in a pan of water to cover, simmer 10 minutes until tender, drain and cool.
Cook onion in oil until softened, add curry powder and coriander and cook 2 minutes. Fold into lentils with remaining ingredients.
Roll pastry and cut 8 rounds about 15cm in diameter. Place a spoonful of filling in the centre of each; dampen edges and fold over. Press edges together with the tines of fork to seal. Brush with egg glazing; cut 2 small slits in 3each and place on lightly greased tray.
Bake at 190 C for about 30 minutes until golden.
Serve hot with vegetables

SPICY LENTIL PATTIES

2 cups red lentils
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon chili powder or less
1 tablespoon ground rice

Carefully wash lentils and put in pot with 3 cups cold water.
Cook until mushy - use a potato masher.
Add all other ingredients and mix very well.
Let it get cold, then form into patties
Heat oil in a thick pan until fairly hot.
Add the patties and cook on each side until brown. Drain on kitchen paper.
Serve with Cucumber and yoghurt salad, tomato sliced with little onion and chopped mint with lemon juice.
If eaten hot, serve fluffy basmati rice, if cold, grainy bread or chapatis.

Final part four on lentils to come

GREEN LENTIL AND VEGETABLE SOUP
Serve 4-6

1 cup green lentils
4 cups finely chopped pumpkin
1 potato, chopped
1 onion, chopped
6 button mushrooms, chopped
2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
6 cups water or stock
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons low-salt soy sauce (optional)

Place all the ingredients except for the soy sauce in a large saucepan.
Gently simmer uncovered for about 1 hour or until the lentils are soft.
Add the soy sauce and simmer for a further 5 minutes before serving.

INDIAN LENTIL CURRY
Serve 4-6

1 tbsp. curry powder
1 tbsp. freshly grated root ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. each, chili powder, cumin and coriander
2 tbsp. Oil
250g cauliflower pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 small parsnip, chopped
1/2 cup apple sauce
1 cup brown lentils, soaked as directed on packet
1 x 425g can Tomatoes, low salt
2 cups water
1/2 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper
In a large saucepan, fry curry powder, ginger, garlic and spices with oil for 2 minutes.
Add vegetables and toss through. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until sauce has reduced to desired consistency and vegetables are tender.
Serve with steamed basmati rice, yogurt and selection of sambals eg. Fruit chutney or pickles, sliced banana, sultanas, shredded coconut.

LENTIL & RICE - ONE POT DINNER
Serves 4

1 cup lentils (green or brown)
1/2 cup rice
2 cups carrots -- sliced (see note below)
3 cups hot water
2 tsp. vegetable stock powder (blended into hot water)
1 teaspoon garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tbsp. olive oil or Canola oil

Wash and pick over lentils.
Place in large pot with rice and carrots.
Add all remaining ingredients.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover and cook until rice is done, 20 to 30 minutes.

Note: You could add other vegetables to this recipe or a 2 cups Frozen Mixed Vegetables

More Lentils Recipes - Part three to come.

I have found a lot of information on lentils over the years. For the past 10 years I have been researching different foods then collecting as many recipes that I can on that one ingredient. Lentils was one ingredient that I covered more than once in 2000, 2005 and now in 2011 with this collection of links.

I will posts few recipes from the old collection notes in another post. When you look into some old cookbooks you usually only find about 2 or 3 recipes in about every third cookbook that you look at, so to find over a 100 recipes each time without the internet for the first year and now I can do it without typing up one recipes. I haven't tried everyone but the ones that I liked I make all the time.

What we call red lentils here are called in on one of these links Orange Lentils (Hulled & Split) and I have seen whole red lentils with brown skin here called brown lentils so it can be confusing. I buy most of my lentils in Indian grocery shops.

As for low GI /GL (Glycemic Index /Glycemic load) latest in 2011 on lentils.
Note: Grams (g) is the serving size.

Red dried, boiled - 125g - 26 GI- 5 GL- 18 carbs
Red dried, split, boiled 25 mins- 125g - 21 GI- 3 GL- 15 carbs
Green dried, boiled -125g - 30 GI- 5 GL- 17 carbs
Brown canned, 80g - 42 GI- 5 GL- 13 carbs
Green canned, 135g - 48 GI- 8 GL- 17 carbs

From 'Low GI Diet Shopper's Guide 2011'

glycemic index

So lentils are helpful in lowing glucose levels for diabetes. For me it's Learn to love Lentils.

These are all new links on lentils.
Lentils information

all about lentils

Nutrition Facts - lentils

226 lentils recipes

These two recipes look interesting.
Recipes
Cumin Pears, Carrot, Tofu & Lentil Strudel
Chickpea & Lentil Tabouhli Salad with Poached Chicken

What you may ask? I went to the doctor’s one day last week to get the results of Glucose test that I had done. It came back that I was now Diabetic type 2 this may explain my chronic fatigue that I have been having over the past few years where I didn’t feel like doing any housework but for things that had to be done. Then only in short tasks time periods if it took more than 2 hours it never got started or it never ever got finished period. After two hours I had it for the day and had to sit or lie down for an hour or so just I could finish off if I had too! If had to do something for other people then that was it for the day. Just getting the basics done some days was a chore, that was only cleaning up after the cats, empty the rubbish, wash the a few dishes and make my bed.

My glucose levels at fasting have been border line for the past 20 years or so but never going into diabetic levels. So it has been coming on for years but I am still in a fasting 5.5 range but with a 12.9 after 2 hours. So now I am a diabetic type 2 and on diet control. Until told other wise I will be trying low GI diet control along a higher protein intake using more legumes in my diet to keep my budget in control. I will be having more expenses but that can’t be help.

Now I have to do a lot of reading on diabetes and what I can and can’t eat extra. I have join our local Diabetic group and downloaded some of their recipes and found out about free classes that they have and what I can get by signing with my health card. Yet it’s very earlier days.

I will have to make up a balance menu plans and look at what not wanted in my pantry anymore.

I have a lot of books on GI Diet so I don’t have go out a buy them.

I have been only buy things that I need in the way of food and will need to change my shopping a little to take into the need for my fresh vegetables and only buy enough for the next few days not enough to last until the next shopping trip. Less is more will be the way to go. I will need to exercise more about 30 minutes per day. But I don’t wish to walk to the shops each day exercise either. I may do this in the early morning and again in the late afternoon for about 20 minute’s time each. Plus any extra exercise that I get when I go to the shops but when I go to a shopping centres or city I don’t need to exercise at all as I will walk long distances when I am in these areas for hours.

On the Free food front. Yesterday DF-M was looking for me while I was out to give me my share of black grapes and Roma tomatoes about two kilograms of each from the family farm. These will be the last lot of grapes that I will eat for a long while. Now the persimmon tree is fruiting and I been give one each day so will need to check out this fruit as they are so big 350g each on my new diet. Cash Value of all this free fruits is quite high much of these lines were hit by the rains if not flooding. Tomatoes $6.98kg, black grapes $3.98 kg and persimmons are $1.50 each here.

I found a easy soup recipe that I will today. I will post it later if it’s any good.

Going to the supermarket for pet food is when I shop most times now. I always buy cat food when on special and this week it was at its lowest price for months. So I set out to stock up on it by 40 cans and some dry cat food that cats have run out of. While there I planned to check out some of the special in the meat and seafood lines. So I bought some seafood and sausages on special to give some variety to my diet. These will give me about 24 extra single meals over the coming months. Along with what already in the freezer this should do for a while. I do still have a lot of can tuna in the pantry. Thinking of making some fish cakes as I have still got some potatoes that need to be used soon!

I get more serving buy making fish cakes /patties than making a Tuna Mornay or tuna bake. There are plenty of recipes around for canned tuna. Mostly I buy in bulk when it comes to fruit by buying the cheapest fruit in season and then buying it by the bucket, this can last up the 3 weeks in the fridge. As for vegetables when they are expensive I stop buying and then buy just frozen vegetables and buy a few items that are cheap at the time of buying my fruit.

Seafood and sausages $18.76
Potatoes $1.00
Pet food $24.48

Ok my pet food cost more than my own food is always been the case when I shop for the cats. It’s not called the cat shop for nothing.