I just pull out a large roll of brown paper that we bought home from my late uncle's 22 years ago, I haven't pull it out of it bag for about 15 years. It was well sealed as it in great condition, I am planning to give to the local school for art classes at the end of the year.

It will make some great brown paper gift wrap. I will never use it now so I may as well give to the school to do something with it. I have a friend who does the art classes so I know it will get used, last month I gave them some old printing paper for printer of 20 years ago the kind that had holes in them. I had 3/4 of box of it. They used it for blowing paint with a straw on large sleets spread across a number of desks so that 10 pupils could use it at the same time, she had over 220 eight year olds pupils that today. There is still some left over for next time.

Its Easter weekend and we have two days with most things closed shops included. Today was one of them not that I mind as I not planning to do anything much in the way of going out. I visited two of my neighbours and had a visit from a lady who is a near neighbour asking could she have some greenery from my garden for her floral arrangements for the family gathering on Saturday it Hangi they are New Zealand Maori. I didn’t mind as I am pruning my garden and some of what she was asking for is going soon!

I am not going to Adelaide in May now! With family problems down that way at the moment so it better to go at another time.

I got my tests done so far cost $535.00, it will cost more if I need to pay doctors gap charge, so I will now wait and see. $500 of that money was my excess was for hospital cover. I need to go back in 5 years’ time. All was well but for small hiatus hernia so I just need change the way I do things at times and the new teeth will help too!

So happy Easter everyone!

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.

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

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

PA Research Foundation Liver Appeal

Liver Appeal brochure PDF

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

I think this will be doable!

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

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

That should say what Christmas shopping for the little of it that I done. Last week I went into the city on two days in a row, one was an outing with a friend and the other was medical appointments and paying a bill, plus buying a new black handbag for me that was on special. $49.95 down to $37.45. and some under wear that was on special that I wear. It pour down here on the way home a very old fashioned thunder storm , I caught the bus but got caught when I got off, I had to wait under an awing for nearly 30 minutes before I was able across the main road with the lights the traffic could see you and there was lighting around too! Anyway I got home safely.

On Saturday I went to buy my family gift cards as this is what they won’t. I only can afford token gifts so they know I will not go overboard $50 each and card. The others will get gift that I bought over the year and a one family will get a box of chocolates one that all ages can eat.

As I went with two different friends to the same store, I bought the chocolates on the second trip down. I also bought some jars of gherkins, sun dried tomatoes and 2 jars of olives for summer lunch next year all for me.

So my Christmas shopping came to $120 that included gifts cards plus my own gifts to myself. So you would say about $180 all out this year for gifts.

I won’t keep the retail sector going for long if everyone shopped the way I do!

Since the 10th December I have had six no spend days.

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.

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.

Found a local Church that has FREE Garage Sales now & then, so as I was never able to find anyone to buy my stuff that I had in the first place and to void the sign finds by the local council $300 @ sign. One of my neighbor keep putting up signs when you have a garage sale but as you are the one advertising it you are the one who will get the fines as he put up six signs. It can cost you $1800 to make $40 to $100 not worth it and the stuff is not modern enough for some now!

I have now decided to donate some of it to them when they have their next one. As they do give it away for free to the needy. Some of it will go to other places as I dont think some of the books will be right for them. By looking at their books on the boxes to go by!

Now that I have a place for my junk to go to I now can make it my winter project and what doesnt go to them will be sent to the local school fete this year. Both these places dont change the earth for second hand goods either. Other charity shops think, if not under two years old or new in it original packaging/price tag on it or antique then they think its no good and will send it to the dump or what they keep, will then change people almost the price new for it! My idea of all second goods should never sell for more than 40% of their original price when bought new. The other day I was looking at cookbook that I wanted for a set that I am making up, I only have 6 books to go, I found one of them but they wanted $6 for it, when I bought all others for under $2 each and they were around $2.99 each to start off with new. I left it there too!

I did pick up a cookbook & a glass pie plate at the free garage sale.

It was a no spending day too!

My neighbor that owns the property that I got the first lot of free stuff came over and gave me a plastic bag with a lot of jewelry in it. I did take most of the jewelry the first lot too! There are some interesting pieces in it. The necklaces I may never wear so may send them to my niece, as she did this kind many years ago. Two or three pieces I do like and where were some sterling silver charms in the first lot and the charm bracelet has surface with this lot. I would sell some of this stuff later if I became short of money. Let’s say some of this stuff is of vintage kind. Some of this stuff was put up for sale at garage sale at one time but never sold that was five years ago.

No Spending Day :9

You remember all that free stuff that I left behind for others to take or move. It’s all now rumble the tree lopper came in on Monday morning and a large crane came in yesterday and did the rest, if the rain didn’t get to it first. Anything that was left is now under the rumble, this includes some furniture too! These people get you to do everything for them. Another neighbor went to get some garden plants that needed to be moved. They wanted her to move them for them, they just watching her and were bit upset when she took them home. Want her to redo they garden for them as half their garden had to go at they place too!

No Spending Days 6

Why do people leave stuff with families that are renting, then they do a runner leaving no forwarding address after 6 months the owner need to move it as they are pulling the house down next week to build eight apartments, as they know I am bookworm they asked me if I would go though it for them. I did collect only the stuff I could use. I got a very nice saucepan & measuring jug that had been in the yard, yes all this stuff had been outside on a patio for six month. Some boxes of jewelry and number of books on history (I did leave the books that I would never use) and Lord of Rings game to paint. What I did take I will give some away to others. Stuff toys and children linen given too others. The person did have unusual interest in some things. I don’t know what will happen to the rest of the stuff, I could take the rest to the op shops but then I will need to carry it over to my place, there is far too much stuff to do that and they have a truck to take it but it will end up in the dump for all I know.

Well I have been busy cleaning up my house for visitors, who were on the way to the airport from their holiday unit on the Gold Coast. They did come to visit me; it’s almost 18 years since the last time the husband has been up here, my niece does come more often though this time their children were with them and it a first time visit to the family home. You got it right; I live in the family home and that has been in the family for three generation now. It’s a house that my great aunt built for her retirement just after WW11 before that the family lived in another house near by since 1913.

My niece and her family live in an old stone Federation house in a country town that why she is getting some pieces that belonged to her grandparents. Today I gave the young boy, small toy cannon and the girl got some of my belts, she is a young model so they may come in handy for her. Classic belts don’t go out of style but I don’t wear them anymore, some were over forty years old too!

I was sent a gift voucher from Jewelry store for $25.00. It expires at end of month.

So I went to a shopping centre to spend it. I got 4 photo frames 50% off for extra $5.25 out of my own pocket. They did have much marked down to choose from without spending too much, I need spend much more if I didn’t buy some things for my gift box. I did spend some money on a nice wallet for myself to use later. This was marked down to $4.95 from $19.95 so it was great buy. I did have lunch out today, just hamburger and soft cone with a free coffee all for $2.40.

So I spend money today
Total Money spent today $12.60 (my cash out lay)
Savings $tretch $51.45 + $25.00 gift voucher = $76.45

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

Not so, with all planned down to fine detail, so I thought. As I always go to some else place for Christmas Dinner, I take a small gift as thank you. This year I thought I was right, but my son said not so. I have to buy gifts for another three, Mother and two children 18 months & 13 year old girls and their Mother the hostess twin. As I have a limit budget and this group likes expensive gifts and nothing is good enough. So just bought lotto tickets and adding extra gift for the hostess, and girls puzzle & stuffed toy for little one, but nothing was good enough so my son said that I pick for older girl, so in end buying a picture frame and small matching jewel box for nearly for price for all other gifts combined. I hope they like them.

So it was I saved nothing today.

Merry Christmas everyone.

As my DIL and her mother are oversea for the Easter and DS had to work so, as he was free time for lunch. I drove up to his place so we could go together in one car. We went off to Hog’s Breath Café for lunch today and I spent $14.50 today. Early this morning I went down, to DF-M place and gave Easter eggs to her young granddaughters, who are staying the week.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Lunch out
DINNER Fruit & Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $14.50
Today’s Savings - $ 0.00
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $10511.87

My son arrived at 7.30am just after dropping DIL off at her business breakfast meeting to pick up the cheesecake. So we went off to breakfast together, as there was a special of two for one deal at local fast food outlet that I get my free coffee at, instead of dropping in to DF-M place this morning. My time with him is precious as don’t see him enough and it was only for any hour. The only catch was that I had to buy him his drink as he only had enough for his meal. My meal came to $3.95 plus 2 free cappuccino’s saving $4.90 and then paying a $1.95 for his drink. Oh well! He took the cheesecake in the DIL work after 8.30 then went home to sleep. As he had just had just finish work when drove his wife to work. The cheesecake was enjoyed by all at the morning tea.

After I went down to DF-M place to see her and her grandchildren who had stayed for the week. I don’t think she is up to minding young children of school age any more it’s not much fun for them, if she can’t see them they can’t go anywhere nor will she take them anywhere even if I go with them too! So it’s just watching TV or read a book or using the colour pencils that I gave them for Christmas as I do know how boring it can be when the minder doesn’t understand some of basics of schooling that we can do now days. I have to do all her reading and writing for her if the family is not around. Anyway she is going back today with her grandchildren as a family friend is going back to they hometown at lunchtime and taking them with them.

My Medibank debit payment is due today, I do pay it in six month installments. So I have tallied this in my expense total.

As you can see from precious posts that I have a Zero balance on Credit Card at this time of the year and I hope to keep it at that into the future.

Today’s Full price Tally $205.65
Today’s Savings - $ 4.90
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $8886.27

After having my morning coffee & toast with DF-M. I went home for an hour then was asked over to my Greek neighbor’s house for coffee and chat. Coming home with a plate of Greek goodies too!

Later I went shopping for DF-M to buy bread and I spent $5.47 saving $6.21
Gift packs x 4 @ 40c saving $ 3.40 on RRP price.
1L milk x2 @ .59c saving $2.42 as their were markdown, I froze one.
Some Organic Shaved Ham $2.69 saving 50c

Later in the evening my handyman friend arrived with belated Christmas gifts, one was Full size Gourmet Café Cheesecake (RRP $40.00 & 15000 calories worth). I had just one half slice and paid the price for that piece. Now find a home for it. oh my liveeeeeeer!

Will not count it in the tally, as I will have to give it away. I will ring my DIL to see if she can pick it up to take to work in the morning. It need’s a large group to eat that one and they are having a morning tea party at her work tomorrow. My DS will call in to pick up.

Today’s Full price Tally $11.68
Today’s Savings - $ 6.21
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $8881.37

Locally this show is called

EKKA today.
This is its 130th year on the same site too! Images are in the media gallery.

The family, have a member & visitor RNA membership passes which I was able to borrow the visitor pass today, saving over $30.00 on gate entry & cloakroom fees alone without spending another cent. I had lunch & dinner at the showground. We bought a Food & Treasure Maps you had to go to 30 places on the showground to get a stamp & a small gift at each. I bought only 3 showbags and I got a number of free ones for the children that rarely go to the show, as they’re live in the country 3 hours west of here. All up I spent around $55.50 this was an inexpensive day as you can spend hundreds on just food, rides & showbags as well the cost of entry fee and fares or parking.

It was great day in that I had quality time with my son as we went together alone and spent a good 10 hours there (This was the only second time since his marriage over 6 years ago that we went together.) Before his wife arrived after work, then we all went and watched the ring events for another 3 hours.

They were The Man From Susan River, riding a horse bare back with no raids doing tricks.
Carlton Clydesdales
Whiptacular An impressive 240 whipcrackers perform in assorted formations in this nightly show,
Buffalo Bill and Bison Show
With many species of bison now extinct, the Buffalo Bill and Bison Show is a rare opportunity to see this magnificent creature up close – 20 of them in fact! Humphrey the bison is the star of this show, though he shares the spotlight with three galloping horsemen in a performance that’s sure to be a hit with Ekka visitors of all ages. …Buffalo Bill riding bison up a ramp with herd of bison and running around the arena and wild horses running around the arena in the same act and some trick riding on horses.
Country Music Performer (Tania Kernaghan),
Freestyle Motorcross bike riding jumping over ramps
Holden Stormriders Precision Driving Team
Human Cannonball
Plus Dairy Farmers Fireworks which is the highlight of the night.
After which we collected our bags from the cloakroom and headed back to the car.
Oh! What a long day!

BREAKFAST Oatmeal with Current & Milk Coffee
LUNCH food out *
DINNER food out*

Today’s Full price Tally $205.25*
Today’s Savings - $150
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $4590.28

As we needed to stay up so that DS & DIL could call in then they arrived home from trip up north for the weekend. (Visiting around 11pm at night.)

It’s Girl’s night on my computer and packing up a large owl, I gave her to take home. It’s funny that both of us have a collection of owls and never had any idea that the other collected them.

We are the same in liking old things so I know that some old family treasures may be heading her way in the future.

It’s funny that many a niece in our family takes after and look like their auntie than they own parents. Even when they a raised in another state or country. Many a times in the past when you put all cousins in the same room with they mothers and aunts, a stranger will always get it wrong when ask to pick mothers and daughters.

One of my cat’s will not eat the flavour that I got left so I needed to drive over to next suburb to the supermarket there that has his brand on special this week, I did say they are spoilt.

So I bought 4 packets of his dry cat food, if he doesn’t eat it TOUGH not buying anymore.

Why they'll eat something one week then I am feeding the free loaders with it another week. I have some free loaders that I feed with what they don’t eat. I only give them food that my two cats will not eat and have left on the floor for more than 12 hours.

So my list of free loaders are four cats, one large German Shepherd from next door, and family of crows and it’s first in best dress too!

When German Shepherd from next door comes over he eats all his favourite cat food that’s on the floor for my cats, which at times I have just put down too!

Shopping today came to $21.65 saving $4.10

BREAKFAST – Muesli & Milk Coffee 45c
LUNCH – Soup & Toast Coffee Apple 65c
DINNER –Steak & Onions Tomato Baked Beans Coffee $2.50

Today’s Full price Tally $25.75
Today’s Savings - $4.10
Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $127.00
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $2921.93

I put all the clothes that I decided to give away in the car this morning, and took them to a charity bin before I unpacked them again. I always give myself only 24 hours to get things out of the house if they are going. I started this when I found, that I had let DS leave things in his wardrobe after he left home. I had asked him to remove them, and always got, ‘I'll do it later’ remark, well one day I said enough was enough. So I just went in, only kept things of value, gave away clothes that were 6 sizes too small now, and papers from rentals he had lived in 8 years before. Some stuff had been in that wardrobe for 14 years. He had been married 5 years by then and left home 8 years before that! So the remark ‘ten years and waiting’ applies here! I do know that I keep things for a long time but I'm no longer keeping things for other people, for me to move around my house.

As I had to go to the shopping centre in the car, I did my cats groceries shopping too! Their dry cat food was on special and along with their regular cat food which went up yet again. Saving $1.50 I bought dairy markdowns, one my favourite health drink reg. $4.85 m/d $1.74, milk coffee 1L reg. $3.38 m/d $1.74 1L skim milk reg. $1.80 m/d 90c. Saving $5.65 2 jars of jam $1.99. Saving $2.86 I bought two books at the thrift shop $3.50 RRP $ 25.00 saving $21.50 and The Di Vinci Code shopping bag plus lotto tickets.

BREAKFAST Oatmeal & Currants with Milk Coffee 40c
LUNCH Crackers with Cheese & Mustard Pickle Relish Apple Coffee 40c
DINNER Honey Mustard Chicken with Vegetables and Rice, Fruit Coffee $2.20

Today’s Full price Tally $54.28
Today’s Savings - $31.51
Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $64.85
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $2473.90

This afternoon I had a good look in my wardrobe, culling some of my around house clothes for starters, that 14 T-shirts plus some of my old clothes that were in a bag downstairs. That’s another 12 items.

Now it’s time to look it in some of my wardrobes, another 12 items found to go the Charity bin. Total of 38 garments. One & half bags of clothes that are good enough to be resold and a bag for rags only. I have enough rags without adding to it. Nice work for an afternoon.

BREAKFAST Oatmeal & Currants with Milk Coffee 40c
LUNCH Sandwiches with Mustard Pickles & Corn Beef Coffee 70c
DINNER Fish Cakes with Baked Beans & Salad Orange Tea $1.40

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $61.85

I need to have it to guest room standard in a few weeks along with all living areas rooms that’s the upstairs parts of this house. Downstairs just the laundry and walkways only.

Now is the time to start de-cluttering but I refer the term downsizing as this is want is needed here. If I ever moved house then I would have to downsize by 80% to move into a smaller house or apartment. I have a large house with a lot of storage areas.

I am making six piles, Trash, Give Away, Thrift Shop, To Sell, Family Heirlooms, and Keeping. What is in the first three must be gone that week. Family heirlooms and keeping will be put back into their right place. In use items will not be packed up but put where they can be found. As I zone everything by kind or projects, this idea has helped me find things very quickly in the past. I will be putting aside items that I may sell on eBay one day. When I am finish with this project then I will need to make an inventory of what I have keep and where it’s kept. After this then will get and idea of value of my storage and craft items. Thrift shop and give away items will go to those that need that item, Freecycle or Charity Thrift Shop.

I will also need to put my DIY cap on, and fix the joins in a wall in the craft room. I will look in the workshop downstairs for item to fix it, my next project.