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Update on My Monthly Financial Summery for Period 10 - 2012

October 1st, 2012 at 09:23 am

It’s time that I posted, before I do the next month’s Financial Summery.

I only just updated my Excel so here are the figures for past month not posted so far.

This for period of 28 days each as I looks like I missed one somewhere. As I work on 28 day cycles, my dates may be out to calendar months so here are the figures that will bring it up to date as its every near the end of next 28 day cycle.

Reviewing my monthly daily living allowance

These are the categories for this challenge.
Items === Approx. Budget===Spent

Eating out===$35=====$10.90
Groceries===$125=== =$76.47
Non-Food===$15=====$4.99
Clothes ====$35===== $24.00
Grooming===$20=====$14.97
Gas======$25=======$6.95
HH items===$40
Fares== ====$15 ====$10.00
Entrainments== $15 ===$66.35
Garden =====$15======$7.00
Gifts & Donations ==$35===$45.60
Medical & Diabetes Expenses ===$6.05
Misc ======$10
Personal Allowance =$90 ===$85.34

Note only one amount is a no spend

Budgeted for this period $550 spent $292.27 so under budget by $252.73

No spending days 14 of 28 days

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 & Diabetes Expenses - this is the extra out of pockets amounts that came up over this period just on medicine that is not covered be refund claims.

My credit cards are still paid in full each month this period I finished paying off my painting and awning that were put on Credit Card it was $937.00.

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 and bills for this period it came to $173.41

My grocery bill came in under budget for this period.
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. I was very tight in some areas of this daily living allowance over this period but I did work out in the end.

Still need to work on a Grocery category and personal allowance as I got to stop spending money on books, I think this is my biggest downfall most of my personal spending is spent on books.

I am donating some old books to a number of charity stops around the place that I will never read or never read again as I need the plastic containers that they are stored in as this will save money by recycling the plastic containers that I own.

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

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

Cleaning out the garden sheds and getting ready for painters

July 4th, 2012 at 10:02 am

For someone that doesn’t do a lot of gardening I have a lot of stuff that are garden items. What I have done will stop me buying items that I have already bought and need to be used up. I do gardening in waves when I have the energy to work on it. We have the right weather for gardening here! I just that I do it so rarely other than mowing the lawn it takes me so long to do the whole garden front and back.

I needed to get started on redoing the storage areas so that the painters can work in that area. The less I need to move later the better. I would like to just move just once when the painter arrive and not need a clean-up then. So anything not needed, I will dump now and other things stored in other areas. I have started working on the smallest storage area will work my way through all three areas over the next few weeks putting all the same items back together again. If I don’t find what I need at the time I go and buy more and then when I have these clean-out I find have double of some stuff and none at all other items.

I finally got around to getting some quotes on my painting the outside. Still waiting for the last one to come in then will decide.

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

Finely finished

November 7th, 2011 at 10:11 am


I finely finish culling my pictures and getting them back to one set of pictures each. I don’t know how many copies of my son’s trips were in the download but I just kept seeing the same pictures now the fun part is tagging these pictures in Window 7 Picture Gallery. Seeing that there were over 24000 pictures to start with and I do have a job on my hand, I am planning to just do my own pictures and scanned ones. The others I will burn to DVD and remove some too!

I bought my next voucher for my prepaid mobile phone this costed $40.00 and thinking of have one ahead so will buy another voucher in the next week or so, so that I am ahead as the place that I buy them from isn’t open on the weekends.

I went shopping today and bought a new iron for less than half price off the RRP of $79.00.

Shopping for one, my way on canned or package goods

September 9th, 2011 at 10:05 pm

This is the fifth in this series

I eat very basic plain food so I can get away without having all these artificial additives in my food more about that later. I do buy canned food and packaged goods but only the one I want and are good for my health. If I don’t understand what in the product from reading ingredient list, I am likely to leave it on the shelf.

On occasions I will find a very good buy in the marked down bin of item that I could make from a recipe found in cookbook or on the internet, I then may buy it to try out then find a way in making that item myself, I do keep the packaging or label for a reference then set out to find similar recipes or methods to make that item. You have to remember that we in Australia do not have any coupons like you have in America so the price you see on the supermarket shelf is the price are going to pay unless it’s marked down or on special in some way.

Single household shopper may not need 10 cans or packets of the same to get these specials deals so we will need to look for other ways or places that sell in singles a can or packet at that price. The other day I saw an offer of Mars candy bars 18 share packs in store the shelf price $2.79, near it was a table with these same Mars candy bar share packs with $4.00 on it didn’t make sense so I asked the staff about it, it was buy 2 packets @ $4.00 or single pack @ $2.79. They are doing this quite a lot lately with other lines.

Only you can workout what food you like and get in your local area you live in.

Here in Australia we can get most things but if they are imported name brand as listed in American or British recipes they can be far too expensive on limit food budget. The answer is in substitution of local or cheaper items from your own area. So look at what’s cheaper in your area and learn to like and cook with these kinds of foods.

I do buy canned tomatoes as I have worked out that when fresh are expensive then I can use the cans for cooking. I try to grow some cherry tomatoes to use in fresh salad and use canned tomatoes for cooking. Only buy when on special at the cheapest price you can find. For a single household just buy 6 - 10 at a time unless you are making soup out of them. I bought 50 cans of tomatoes a few years ago now I still have 7 cans left to use. Far too many!

As for frozen goods I only buy the basic vegetables single packets of spinach, peas, beans & corn and a store brand mixed a vegetable that is diced for quick use, if money is real tight then mixed vegetables and peas and use what’s cheapest in fresh only and make do with these. As for the others frozen good on if the special is 50% off or bigger packet for the same price and then on special I may buy some at times.

I do buy jams buying only the ones I will use in a can and decant it into jars. As for honey I buy 3kg containers of my favorite when I can then decant this overtime the last lot took 3 years to use up but then honey will keep for 7000 years if sealed well.

Bottle sauces, spices & herbs, vinegars these will brighten up your dishes. Look into buying one or two seasonings starting with salt & pepper in each shopping trip so budgeting for these over time will build a good supply up.

Bottle Sauces over time buying a few that match your foods that you eat and in your recipes that you are using. There are some recipes around that will give list of what you need for this. Look into make your own sauces too! I will buy some fancy sauces for some dishes so that I know how they taste like but then look for a more basic version or these if they are in the bargain bins then will buy them again if cheap enough.

With spices & herbs I will buy a little bigger size than the supermarket size and give some of it away to friends if they use it! I have found that buying it in Asian or ethnic specialty grocery store I can buy it for around same price but almost 3 times a much. So check your supermarket out in their normal spice & herb area then ethnic specialty area for a price check & sizes then out outside for other specialty grocery store or deli.

See what you like in the way of pasta, rice, grains that you use to bulk out your meals. Just buy the variety you will use not every variety named in cookbooks. I use basmati rice and buy this on special in 2 to 5 kg bags. Forget buying in small bags unless you are just trying out to see whether you like it or not. Keep rice & pasta in the refrigerator if you have room there. But well sealed, I keep them there but the open container is out on the bench to use. Rice has a bay leaf in it.

Vinegars are a must have in the kitchen but only buy what will use in your kitchen use and in small amounts unless you are making chutney and pickles. Check your recipes for what ones you need and then buy them over time.

Cereals can be handy but expensive so I stick to just one, rolled oats or oatmeal and in the summer I may make up a

Text is muesli and Link is http://tightwadkitty.savingadvice.com/2007/02/25/my-special-blend-of-muesli-recipe_22763/
muesli

I use powdered skim milk (nonfat milk) for all my dairy needs. I will buy if I find some UHT milk on special then I will buy 2 cartons to have on hand for visitors and use up myself when it come nears the use by date.

Over the years I have been able to make a stockpile of extra foods mainly when GFC was on and now working my way though this, to reduce it down to a more normal level to buy when I’m are opening the one to use or 4-6 spare. I will not be affected if there is another recession any time soon.

My main aim now where possible use & buy on basic items that you can make food from scratch, that’s most food lines sold in supermarkets today. Somewhere on the internet you will find that recipe you will need or just look at the ingredient list on the can or package for clues of what should be in it.

Forget all the humbo jumbo of flavor enhancers, preservatives, emulsifiers, vegetables gums etc, do you want things to last that long. If they are natural and can be bought easily you could use them at a pinch.

This is a short run down of something’s I am doing to shop without coupons.

Some other ideas can be found in this ebook Save on Grocery Shopping on this
Text is link and Link is http://filebox.vt.edu/a/anflynn/ebooks/grocery.pdf
link

Text is Eating Well on $1 A Day and Link is http://www.grocerycouponguide.com/articles/eating-well-on-1-a-day/
Eating Well on $1 A Day

Text is
$120 food challenge for family per fortnight and Link is http://120dollarsfoodchallenge.com/120-fourteen-meals/

$120 food challenge for family per fortnight


Text is 50 tips for grocery shopping and Link is http://zenhabits.net/50-tips-for-grocery-shopping/
50 tips for grocery shopping

Annual Kerbside Pickup

November 1st, 2010 at 06:25 am

In our area it’s this time of the year again, over a full year about 8 suburbs get a week get to put out rubbish that’s too big for our bins, you are allowed to put out only certain items but you do get a list of what can be put out. Like old electrical items or furniture but the some things you have to take any doors off to make them safe and children can’t climb into them. I put out two very old TV 30 year plus ones, well the copper scavengers came calling the first night they took the electric cords off everything, next day some more came with cordless drills and took all the valuable metals inside the TV’s and microwaves. They can have it as they had been sitting here for next Kerbside Pickup anyway.

I did a bit of scavenging myself; I found a good dinning room chair that just needs coat paint and cushion. 10 medium size garden pots that I have run out off, waste tidy bin that just need a wash, pair of old fashioned salt & pepper shakers that I will sell or give to Op Shop, Maui Girl brand new backpack, hemp shopping bag Save the Planet kind, folding cooler bag that will be ok to keep in the car, a print of old city will need to have better look at it but not valuable, piece of green cloth thick and big enough to make a bag or cover a stool with and small galvanized letter box still usable.

If I went out and bought this all stuff I would be looking at around $160 worth. The chair alone is worth $80 at IKEA new, Backpack $30 as it’s a brand one and I pick up a second one just awhile ago not so new but washable again Maui Girl brand.

Moving Forward

October 13th, 2010 at 09:51 pm

It’s time to start removing some of the papers around here, I just picked up a file in the filing cabinet at random and it just had old flyers for school supplies for 2004. Now why did I keep them it’s time to move forward I think? I am still working on the very old print outs, as I do have quite of number of folders to go though. If they don’t make any sense then they are going, I don’t think I will ever finish this task any time soon.

De-cluttering Old Computer Printouts

October 6th, 2010 at 07:36 pm

When I first got my computer & printer, I didn’t connect to the internet for a few years as I was still learning about computers & printers. I didn’t know much about downloading so I printed off the net when first got it. Now it’s time to go though some of these old printouts that I had made then. This was when money was very short and I became very interested in frugal living or ways of cutting costs big time. Some of these printouts are no longer available on the net or very hard to fine as these websites have been revamped or closed down years ago. Anything of interest now I will keep and get rid of the rest as most are more than 10 years old. The only one that I still can get online is

Text is Dollar Stretcher and Link is http://www.stretcher.com/index.cfm
Dollar Stretcher all the others have gone or no longer have this information.

Some of it makes very interested reading now and I can see how these did shape my ideas over time but its time to let go.

Five boxes or more

July 26th, 2010 at 01:51 am

Over the past few weeks I have been working my way though Garage Sale (Yard Sale) storage area. This is the area which I place anything needs to go at some time. I have had a few tradesmen here over the past year or so and have not got into that area for while. If any needed to be move they just move it out of the way and everything ended up in that area. So that I no longer know what’s there for certain anymore!

Very near my storage area for my bulk toilet paper and empty bottle stash. As I couldn’t get into this area without a clearout but I didn’t find any toilet paper so far but found 5 large boxes of empty bottles. I will cull them down to one box and give away or recycle all the others.



Two boxes in the front on left are to be culled further and all the others boxes to be recycled or given to a jar maker in the basket. They are just taking up to much room.

Update:- I will put up the photo again when crashing of photos stops.

Cleaning Zone 7

January 24th, 2010 at 08:13 pm

I have set up a zoning system for my house downstairs, there is about 15 Zones in all for that part of the house. This way I can work on one zone at time and not feel overwhelm by how much there is to do or being able to fine something if I need to look for it. As each zone have only the simular things in it. So when you tidy it up after removing anything unnecessary stuff its easy to find things. All the boxes are labelled that will give you an idea what may be inside but not labelled in away that would make it easy to take a box and you would not know about it. As most are books so learning would be Brain food. This is one box that will go when I get to it next but it not in Zone 7.

I did about hour there; I did find a few empty boxes from items that I bought that are no longer under warranty so I could remove them to the recycle bin. I also found one box of books that needs a new home so I empty one plastic container of odd and ends and use it. Again the label tells me whats likely in it but not a stranger. It looks a lot better I will do some more work in that area until I am finish. Its 4 metres square as are most of the Zones in my system. Today I am planning to review the odd and ends that I remove from that container. I have five large containers or bags to check on before I finish this Zone 7 or I get bored with it. I will find a few treasures in these containers as when I clean up for visitors, I bag or box up everything that in the way and take it downstairs.

I do need to get into the one next door to it soon! It will be falling on the floor if the cats have a play in that area.

No Spending Day

Pandora box

January 20th, 2010 at 11:12 am

Oh dear what I have I started here!

Its time to use the make up and toiletries that I have in one of my stockpile cupboards, most are now out of date so they cant be sold but are all sealed so I use them over time. Just need to remember what is there. Enough deodorants, soaps, shampoo and conditioners, tooth paste, toilet paper, foundations, lipsticks, hand creams, face creams and masks to last a few years.

What was I thinking of buying more shampoo and conditioners when I had so many in the first place. I do use a lot more conditioner that shampoo so will start by using up some of the samples that I have first of whatever there is there.

I did sell for Avon at one time and bought a lot of samples then stop selling, I need to use up this stuff first, same goes for some of creams and masks too! Its almost 5 years since I bought it and I am still using this stuff up. I have been taking samples away with me when I went on holidays but my holidays are so few now!

Here just a sample of my sample stockpile

Shampoo& conditioners - 10 of one kind
Shampoo -6 of another kind
Shampoo & conditioner of Head & shoulders -10 sets from sample bags these are most the latest ones.
Two Face masks tubes so very old that plastic tube are perished and have emptied them into a container as they were the same kind. Plus 20 sample masks to use up before I start on any of the six that are there tubes.
I just gave myself my first mask for a year. That was with my 12 year old stuff with perished tube. I do know how old it is as it has my old job store tags still on it.

Oh dear! Waste Not, Want Not and this is just the tip of the pile.

I banked $50 today

A lot stuff stored in cupboards

December 7th, 2009 at 11:10 pm

Someone said the other day Do remember what you have stored before you go and buy more.

This is very true, I must have bought over the years heaps of stuff from bargain bins as well closing down sales that I have been to over the years. So much so that my storage areas are now overflowing with stuff, all good and usable too! I now dont go to any closing down sales or even look in to many bargain bins anymore I just leave it all for others now. I may from time to time look at food bargain bin ones if its a great buy that I will use very soon then I may buy it.

I can get very mad with myself if I need something and then have bought it just because that I forgot that I had it in the store cupboard. I have bought over the years number items because I did direct selling at one time and finish up with a lot of stuff leftover that I still need to use up even now!. I just dont even think about buying these items in supermarkets or department stores now!

One cupboard is still full of beauty products as I dont go by best before dates, I will use them up if they still look ok to me as they are all still sealed. Most were samples or special deals that I got as I end up my own best customer so I got out that side line once I work this out.

Old refrigerator dying

November 12th, 2009 at 10:01 am

I went to check my downstairs fridge & freezer only to find it dying; I will be able keep the fridge going a little longer but empty out the freezer section as only the freezer bottles of water are keeping it cold. I mainly use it for storage with my years worth beans, flours, pastas and my stock of chutney as it vermin proof so will need to look at finding a new home for these.

I will try to do without this fridge as its over 30 years old and cant be fixed as the gas cant be refilled in these old refrigerators as it rusty and has CFC in it.

I had then to find room in my other freezers for the frozen vegetables and cooked beans that I did keep in this fridge. Some of it got trashed as the dates on them were 2005 and looked dead to much ice.

Now I will have a look at how I can use it after I turn off the power and dry it out for a few weeks.

Need to cut back on my stockpile

July 18th, 2009 at 11:17 am

It is coming close to the end of my 56 days cycle in reporting my review on my daily living allowance.

I have had a quite two month so far just kept spending as I see fit. I will need to cut back on my grocery spending as I do have too much food both in my freezers and pantries. I have food stored in a number of places around my home. As one of refrigerators broke down as in not as cold as it should be and I hope I can learn not to need it any longer as it was an old second fridge and freezer combo. I have empted out the freezer section so far and put bottles of water in it to see if its still works for now as the fridge part looks to be still working for now. Items I do store in this refrigerator can be store out side a fridge but needs to be kept safe from vermin.

We will need to keep a close eye on my grocery spending for the next six months to see if I can get it much more lower and use some of my stockpile so that get my refrigerator stores into the freezer which is full the moment. It is a chest freezer only 160 L size so it is a small chest freezer suitable for a single household but not suitable for what I wish store in it.

Household inventory and then some!

June 16th, 2009 at 05:34 am

Of late I have been doing a bit of stockpiling in some areas and making an inventory of what I do have already. This is so I dont go and buy things that I already own in abundance and dont need to buy again for along while if ever. When my parents were alive they had a habit of buying ahead, I do think I have taking on this habit also.

Now if you saw that large suitcase under my bed then you would know why I was shocked as when I go shopping with friends I do the feel the need to buy some little thing as well, so when I am in one store here I will buy underwear so 5 pairs of the one's that I buy when they are on special. Now it has got to the point I have no longer have the space in that suitcase to fit in any more.

I am trying to do one hour per day, working on my inventory as I am planning to do the whole house then use it before buying anymore. This is part of my challenge for this year and it's not just on food.

I hoping to use items that I have bought both in food and stuff around the house until its gets to a more comfortable level, any money saved will be banked for the future as I still need to stretch my dollars around here as the cost of living is rising faster than ever.

My menu for the week

Sausages and Vegetables
Grilled Streak, Onion, Poached Egg with vegetables
Fish Cakes & Vegetables with Poached Egg
Omelet with Grated Cheese & Ham
Pasta with Tuna Tomato Sauce
Spaghetti Bolognese
Potluck or a rice dish

Not for the just the view of the city

September 28th, 2008 at 05:56 am

Well I got a funny offer for my house this week, it took me all of two seconds to think about it and not reply but just smile. I live in house which does have lowest value in the area as the saying goes the worst house in the street. But I do have lot a storage areas much more than the normal. I would have to change my lifestyle and sell my family antiques then sell up in a few years if I took this offer up too!

The young business man across the street has just built an eight apartment block behind his parent house; I would take it as a joke that he would swap one of his top apartments for my house and land. They are nice small two bedrooms and no storage at all, no garden, lot of stairs and no pets; I would never do that to my cats. Not just for a view of the city no way.

Weekly Main Meals Menu

Sunday ~ Devil Sausages with streamed potatoes
Monday ~ Spaghetti Bolognese
Tuesday ~ Sweet & Sour Chicken with Rice
Wednesday ~ Seafood Casserole with Rice
Thursday ~ Leftover night
Friday ~ Spaghetti with Tuna & Peas
Saturday ~ Omelet with salad

Downsizing my guest – craft room.

February 27th, 2008 at 08:02 am

I have been working on my craft room; it’s a room you can’t move around that much. As not much can be thrown away at this moment but if something can be thrown out it is. I have a bad habit of collecting up anything not in the right place and boxing it to go back later and putting it this room each time I have visitors. Some is papers that I need to read, jewelry, odd coins, books and projects that I was doing at that time being all mixed up together. Now I’m sorting each box out and putting away in the right area. Quick reading of the papers but trashing any that out date, I have found some very valuable items also.

Well I went out today and had lunch with my ex-coworkers at a new place for lunch costing $11 for roasted chicken and roasted vegetables roll and coffee. I did pay some bills while out. Also getting some printers ink for my new printer as I buy the color but refill the black one.

So I spend money today
Total Money spent today $728 (my cash outlay) (mostly bills)
Savings $stretch $23.00

No Spending Days so far this month : ~ 20

Restored the leather bag

February 19th, 2008 at 09:19 am

When I bought the black leather handbag on Saturday for $2.00 value around $50.00 plus. It had some wear marks and a bit of white paint on it. Today I got out the Turp’s and clean off the paint and then using leather dye black painted the handbag so that I can now use it for a number year’s I hope. I clean up some old razors that I found in a box, I wonder if they are of any value to collectors. Now I am looking at what I got in my little boxes around the place.

Weekly Main Meal Menu

Sunday ~~ Chicken Schnitzel & Egg with Vegetables
Monday ~ Curried Sausages with Rice
Tuesday ~ Buttered Chicken with spiced rice
Wednesday ~ Lamb chop with mushrooms & Grilled Tomato
Thursday ~ Tuna Pasta with Salad
Friday ~~ Salmon Patties with Vegetables
Saturday ~ omelet with salad

No Spending Day

Sold some of my books today

February 16th, 2008 at 08:52 am

Went to a Garage (Yard) Sale I help there today I took a few boxes books and few other items also .

I had a great day spent $7.50, sold all my books for $10.00. I came home with $8.50 profit. But you should see what I got for my money about $400 worth on retail value alone, there were a some free stuff Leather handbag, 3 lunch bags, beauty bag, 2 shoe bags, heap of vintage jewelery including a watch which you can charge its faces 6 ways, many cookbooks, craft books, 2 milk bottles & 1 water bottles all glass for the fridge, Sunbeam Waffle Maker, Omelet Maker, and 12 silver plate napkin rings, 6 Brass Christmas Napkin Ring, 4 Brass Heart Napkin Rings and 6 Wine Glass Ring for Christmas also a lot other odd & ends.

So I spend money today
Total Money spent today $7.50 (my cash outlay)
Savings $stretch $400

Paper Shredder

January 19th, 2008 at 06:26 pm

A few weeks ago I told you that my paper shredder died. Well in yesterday junk mail there was a better paper shredder for sale, as it’s a new model they had an introductory price for it saving over $50 on it as well the staff discount that I get. With all the gift cards that I got for Christmas & birthday this month for this new paper shredder as had said this want I wanted to get this year, my cost came to just over $4.74. Oh and I didn’t buy any this else even though they had some very good bargains this time of the year with Back to School Sale on, as I had the car out yesterday.

Years ago when I had finish with any papers that I did want I would burn them now that we can't light fire anymore in our area but for BBQ's, and at time not them either. $$$ Another Strategy letting it go

Having a paper shredder is the nearest too burning, a letting go of the past feeling that use to get back then.

Downsizing my wardrobes.

January 3rd, 2008 at 09:39 am

At the moment I am reviewing my wardrobes. So some clothes are going because the elastic are going, I know that I will not replace them and I have other clothes that I can use as my lifestyle has now changed as I am no longer in the workforce.

As I buy mainly second-hand clothes so I haven’t been culling often as why would you re-buy the same clothes in the same size again? So I did go through them to see what I wouldn’t again wear or wouldn’t fit now as I don’t worry about being in fashion. I also did the drawers and shelves in this exercise and found some items that I had forgotten that I had bought so putting them altogether in the right place; I will not need clothes, underwear or hosiery for the next year or so!
One example of lack of organization, I had been buy knee-hi hosiery thinking that I had run out of my stockpile but today, I found my stockpile in another cupboard. Enough for next two years, I would think seeing I still have heaps of in use ones as well when they were all put together.

But when I do throw things out its junk and it has lost value or I can replace for little cost.

I am more then half way through this task. I have already given away the clothes, shoes and handbags from this task that I have removed so far. It’s part of my 72 hours rule. I find that if I don’t do something within 72 hours it doesn’t get done. $$$ Another Strategy


It's a No spending day

Four pieces of paper that is priceless.

December 16th, 2007 at 08:57 am

One thing that I did find in these boxes was the first magazine articles that I cut out on saving money over fifty years ago. It funny what you do keep, Spend a little - Look Great, it's on save on beauty products & how to use them in three lessons not much has changed but some brand names and Prices. The other one is "How to dress well on 2 pounds per week". Not that I had 2 pounds a week to spend then on clothes or 5 shillings on beauty products per week either. As 15 year old, I was lucky to have train fare to go to work and keep myself in shoes and pay board at that time but one could dream and plan. Once I did put them in the fire by accident as one has burnt corner on it but its still readable. I don't know which magazine they came out of or if it's still in print. They don't write articles like these any more. I will never be throwing these away now that I have kept them for so long and information still works for today.
Weekly Main Meal Menu Sunday ~ Omelet with Shredded Cheese and Salad Monday ~ Tuna Salad with Rice Crackers Tuesday ~ Steak & Vegetables Wednesday ~ Soup & Crackers Thursday ~ Spaghetti Bolognese Friday ~ Steamed Fish and Salad Saturday ~ Chicken Kebabs with Salad No spending today

My Declutter Paper Challenge

December 15th, 2007 at 08:59 am

Today I decide to de-clutter some of the papers & items that I have boxed in my dining room.

I have a wall that is behind the table that I have been putting plastic boxes against for a while now, last week I needed one for storage in another area instead of going out and buying another one.

It’s mostly paper that I collect for some reason at the time on my sideboard and when I get visitors it get put into these containers I’m not talking about small ones either 57 litres on rollers and stackable ones too!

So I have decided to cull these boxes big time, so my dining room table is full of items out of these boxes and the boxes have now been removed. I do keep papers & information for others, this has to stop. It’s just a small step one I will be happy to see the back of. So here is my challenge for next few weeks and list of questions for me to think about too!

Declutter Paper Challenge

• Is it out of date?
• Why have I kept it in the first place?
• Do I need this piece of information for ME?
• Do I want it now?
• Can I live with out it?
• Can I replace it with information on the net?
• Ask yourself will I miss this piece of paper or booklet.
• Does it have any value?
• If it’s a heritage document and do I keep it?

What to keep
• Is this item a Tax or budget data for my benefit?
• Past medical Information needs to be kept in a file.
• Keep all pension information for my benefit.
• Is this Information on general topics of interest for my benefit or has historical value? # Can I replace it with information on the net?

File all papers that you are keeping in filing cabinets that are in the house.

The last two days have been, No Spending days.

I did go shopping today!

June 20th, 2007 at 08:33 pm

It’s very windy here but no rain. The temperature has dropped quite a lot too!
I am not going far from home at the moment. But today I did go out this afternoon and bought three packets of sweet & sour sauce, at 80c each instead of $2.40 each. Tin of chocolate milk shake flavouring for 99c, saving $2.00 here. Spaghetti 50c and 5kg of basmati rice $8.29 saving $2.63 here & a Milk for my friend 99c

I also went to my favorite clothes shop there and they had want I had on my shopping list 3 pairs of ¾ length pants on special at $9.95 each so I saved $30.00 here. My old pants are very worn so they need replacing for next summer. So my practice of downsizing my clothes will put these new ¾ pants on top of the list.

My Spending today $42.98
Any Savings today $39.43

Working on my cleaning zones

May 1st, 2007 at 08:41 am

Today I thought would put away all those painting & carpentry items that were still out on the workbench and cleared the floor of the workshop. So that two zones are now done for this month.

Another No Spending Day

Finding family history

April 2nd, 2007 at 09:57 pm

Started de-cluttering the tables downstairs so that I can work on some of the boxes that I keep my stuff in. I have a bad habit, in that when I have visitors, I put all the clutter that is out in boxes then storing them downstairs. But I never get back to empty them for a while or years in some things. Found some old 35mm slides of my DS as a baby. He is now been married for 7 years. These were still in the slide viewer that is now not working. As I need to clear up most of this storage area. At the moment I am putting anything that is of value in the area that it should be in. So when I get to that area in the future it will get put together with things of the same. When you have a soooooooo large a storage area, and almost 70 years of stuff from four generations and my house is the keeper of this kind of things. Not that there is anything of great value but a lot of family memories, like my nana's shoe stretchers, washing board, old dressmaking odd 'n' ends, tennis racket's brace holder with wing nuts, and metal shoehorn that I now uses. I don't want to sell any of it for now but to keep it better and cull the trash, that is mixed in with it.
BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Grilled Cheese on Toast Fruit Coffee
DINNER Chilli Con Carne with Corn Chips Coffee

April / May Goals & Planning Ahead

March 31st, 2007 at 09:43 am

~ Have my credit card at Zero balance by end of the each month.
~ Come under budget.
~ Deposit into the online accounts.
~ Pay All Due Bills on pension days or ahead of time.
~ Chiro visit (one every 4 weeks)
~ Known outings to budget for in - lunch. 4
~ Chiro visit (one every 4 weeks)
~ Known outings to budget for in April / May - lunch out 2
~ Live off my Bulk Food Assets
~ Make up another eight meals OAMC. - Out of Bulk Food Assets.
~ De-cluttering Computer Room
~ Gardening Mowing & weed back garden & put water saving techniques in place
~ Cull & de-clutter computer files not in use. – (on going)
~ Downsizing storage and clean these areas (zones 6, 7 & 8)
~ Install the water tank, paid and apply for rebate.

Review of the last two months.

February / March Goals & Planning Ahead

~ Have my credit card at Zero balance by end of the each month. Yes
~ Come under budget. (Only if you don’t count major project)
~ Deposit into the online accounts. Yes
~ Pay All Due Bills on pension days or ahead of time. Yes
~ Chiro visit (one every 4 weeks) Yes
~ Known outings to budget for in February / March - lunch out 4 - more than this time
~ Live off my Bulk Food Assets ~ (On Going)
~ Make up another eight meals OAMC. - Out of Bulk Food Assets. Yes
~ De-cluttering Computer Room for door project. – Stage 1 done
~ Finish Door project - Done
~ Gardening Mowing & weed back garden & put water saving techniques in place - Done
~ Cull & de-clutter computer files not in use. – (on going) - no time
~ Downsizing storage and clean these areas (zones 6, 7 & 8) no time, worked on major project
~ Install the water tank, paid and apply for rebate. - Still waiting for deliver.

Organizing some of my books

March 31st, 2007 at 09:39 am

Started working on put some of my books back into order after 3 weeks at other end of the room.
I did get half of this project done today will need to find time to work on it more. Maybe cull a few books also. I will need to look at the filing in this room also. This will be put onto my future to do list and the same with the clothes that are stored in this room.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Macaroni & Cheese Fruit Coffee
DINNER Stewed Lentils & Tomato Sauce & coffee

February / March Goals & Planning Ahead

January 31st, 2007 at 08:25 pm

February / March Goals & Planning Ahead

~ Have my credit card at Zero balance by end of the each month.
~ Come under budget.
~ Deposit into the online accounts.
~ Pay All Due Bills on pension days or ahead of time.
~ Chiro visit (one every 4 weeks)
~ Known outings to budget for in February / March - lunch out 2
~ Live off my Bulk Food Assets ~ (On Going)
~ Make up another eight meals OAMC. - Out of Bulk Food Assets.
~ De-cluttering Computer Room for door project.
~ Finish Door project
~ Gardening Mowing & weed back garden & put water saving techniques in place
~ Cull & de-clutter computer files not in use. – (on going)
~ Downsizing storage and clean these areas (zones 6 , 7 & 8)
~ Install the water tank, paid and apply for rebate.

Review of the last two months.

December / January Goals & Planning Ahead

~ Have my credit card at Zero balance by end of the each month. - Yes
~ Come under budget. - Yes
~ Deposit into the online accounts. – Yes
~ Pay All Due Bills on pension days or ahead of time. -Yes
~ Chiro visit (one every 4 weeks) –Yes
~ Known outings to budget for in December / January lunch out 4 dinner 2
~ Live off my Bulk Food Assets ~ (On Going)
~ Make up another eight meals OAMC. Out of Bulk Food Assets. -Yes
~ Gardening Mowing & weed front garden & put water saving techniques in place. - done
~ Install the water tank, pay and apply for rebate. – still waiting
~ Cleaning and painting garage before the tank is installed. – done
~ Cull & de-clutter computer files not in use. – still to do some
~ Downsizing storage and clean these areas (zones 2, 4 & 5)

No spending day

August 5th, 2006 at 10:30 am

Well its time that I did some ironing as I haven’t ironed in 20 days. So I got out my ironing press and had the job done in no time at all. Why don’t I use it more often MMMM!

I think that as I have got around $200.00 for my Bulk Food Replacement Fund so I will just stop tally this when I get over that amount. I have put this money into my online bank account until I need it. Now I will put any surplus grocery money into my emergency fund. That will be the differences between what I spend and I what I budgeted for the year. I will still post my menu each day as this will make me do one each week.

I am still living as much as I can out of my bulk pantry and freezers. I don’t know when the day will come that I will actually run out of something that I need and have to go to a neighbor to borrow it. It’s always the other way around. I once had one come and ask I did I have some Saffron as they didn't want to use turmeric in a recipe. Hey! I not that clueless, I do know the difference and the price between the two. I only use turmeric myself.

BREAKFAST Oatmeal with Current & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Avocado & Cottage Cheese on Crackers Apple Coffee
DINNER Fillet Steak, Egg, Onion & Tomatoes Coffee

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $198.70

August / September Goals & Planning Ahead

July 31st, 2006 at 09:18 am

~ Have my credit card at Zero balance by end of the each month.
~ Come under budget. (But for Car it’s to come out of Bill A/C.)
~ Deposit into the online account.
~ Lodge my tax claim before middle of August
~ Pay All Due Bills on pension days.
~ Have my car service and rust proofing installed ($600.00 plus service.)
~ Chiro visit (one every 4 weeks)
~ Doctor Visit & 2 Hearing visits for August & September (paying the difference on hearing aid)
~ Known outings too budget for in August / September (Trip to the Annual Show, Lunch 3, Dinners 2.)
~ Live off my Bulk Food Assets
~ Make up another eight meals OAMC. Out of Bulk Food Assets.
~ Downsizing storage and clean these areas


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