Using the omelet marker for the first time, as I normally make fluffy omelet I made this but it did rise went flat when took them out the marker. As there was no booklet with it, I’m going by just trail & error. It was still eatable but good enough to serve visitors I would think. I will need to look around for the right mixer recipe. I got this one for free its value new $49.99, it was only used twice before.

No Spending Days so far this month :~ 13

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

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

Well I did spend a little today; I had to go to the city.

Afterwards I checked out the supermarket for markdown goods while there and spent about $5.00 on clearance food lines, saving around $11.00 there.
I did drop into the op shop on the way home and bought some more books 3 cookbooks for 50c each saving around $30.00 here on Reg. Price.

I did go to Hungry Jack for Coffee (free) and had a burger & cone as well. Cost $2.40 saving $2.45 here.
Not bad but not good when you think about it, a little of no will power.

So I spend money today
Total Money spent today $8.90 (my cash outlay)
Savings $stretch $43.45

No Spending Days:- 8

Weekly Main Meal Menu

Sunday ~ Tuna Pasta with Salad
Monday ~ Leftovers night
Tuesday ~ Apricot Chicken with Rice
Wednesday ~ Omelet with Shredded Cheese and Salad
Thursday ~ Steak with Onions & Grilled Tomato
Friday ~ Salmon Patties with Vegetables
Saturday ~ Chicken Schnitzel & Egg with Vegetables

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.

Gone shopping or bought something 10 times

Travel to the city by bus 2 times

Drove my car only 8 times

Had food bought or had for free away from home 5 times

And had 20 No Spending Days since the last count.

Let’s see what next month’s will be

Going through some of the baskets of cookbooks & files, I didn’t find too many to chuck out but I put them back into better order than before. I have still got along way to go in this computer room and library. As I’m looking for a set of cookbooks for my next month’s menu. Not that finding them is a problem as I can always look on the internet if I have too! That’s what you get when have more than one bookcase of cookbooks. I want to do some OAMC cooking and single meals for one over the next month with new recipes with a few old ones if I don’t fine the missing cookbooks.

It’s another no spending day here.

I'm doing inventory of my pantry this week, so see what I have left that I had bought last year! It's good to know what you have to work with, as at times we keep on buying the same items over & over again but never using them all. I did put out four shelves today and checked dates and marked a date on it if I didn’t find date and write it down too! I manage to put back three shelves today but one of my cats decided to have a sleep on the bottom one while I worked. What did I find in my stockpile, that I rarely use 4 packets of sago, 14 packets of 2 minutes noodles, 2 bags of polenta, 3 bottles of apple concentrate and lot’s of sugar white, raw, brown, and caster I mainly use white sugar for chutney. It’s no good give it away as most is past they best before dates. I can use this lot if make something with them soon. Today I made Vanilla Sago Pudding and I got 5 serves from this as I use some latte mugs that I was given for Christmas to put them in.

Weekly Main Meal Menu

Sunday ~Sweet & Sour Pork w’ Rice , Vanilla Sago Pudding
Monday ~ Meat loaf & vegetable, Vanilla Sago Pudding
Tuesday ~ Dinner out
Wednesday ~ Sweet & Sour Pork w’ Rice, Vanilla Sago Pudding
Thursday ~ Omelet with Shredded Cheese and Salad, Vanilla Sago Pudding
Friday ~ Pasta with Tuna & Tomato Sauce Vanilla Sago Pudding
Saturday ~ Curried Sausages with Rice

It's a no spending day here

If you have read some of my earlier blogs you’ll know that I do ironing for pin money. My friends don’t like ironing so they pay me some money to help me with a little extra bit of money. One hasn’t bought over any since long before Christmas it was a large pile of ironing. And other one given me her best garments to iron. Along with my own ironing I have over 3 hours of ironing to do. So this morning around 3.30am this morning I got up and started iron as this is the coolest time to iron in summer. I got most of it done now so I only got to do the best of the garments to iron then wash me own hand washing so I can iron them too!

Other than doing the ironing I didn’t do too much today. So it was a no spending day here.

Well I had to get off the computer at lunchtime, as I heard thunder in the distance with means a summer storm is on it way.

If I am home I always close down my computer at first sign as once we have lightening strike next door it was the first one for the day. I saw it strike too! Burnt the trees next door and they lost all appliances in the house.

It just stopped raining a few minutes ago so I checked my rain gauge and we just 60 mm - about 2½ inches. My tank is overflowing as we had more than 160mm -almost 6½ inches since Boxing Day in my property. I hope this last storm started near the Dams as it came from that area. They may been a storm over the dam catchments in the past few hours.

The areas that is notorious for flash flooding are up and overflowing around here. I’m lucky as I live on a hill even if polar ice caps melt by 14metres, I will high and dry.

I have been working on my HP tutorials in the last few days just more lesson to go for this month. And new ones start on Monday. Have enrolled in about four courses for January classes, one is a repeat and another one is just two lessons so I will do those one first.

Still storm clouds around so I will not stay long on the computer.

Weekly Main Meal Menu

Sunday ~ Spaghetti Bolognese Sauce on Baked Potato
Monday ~ Honey Soy Stir Fry Beef with Rice
Tuesday ~ Leftovers night
Wednesday ~ Omelet with Shredded Cheese and Salad
Thursday ~ Curried Sausages with Rice
Friday ~ Steamed Fish and Salad
Saturday ~ Pasta with Tuna & Tomato Sauce

I got my washing done today; last time that I washed was before Christmas as it was fine here today.
It’s been raining since Boxing Day has stopped but could start again around Wednesday.

It’s nowFlooding in next shire and northern New South Wales. But we still didn’t get much in way of rain in our Dams yet again. Some rain but not enough to take it up even 1% higher.

I didn’t go shopping today nor buy anything out of the nine catalogues that came in the last few days.
Oh there were few things that I could have bought, but part of my strategy for this year frugal challenge is to look what I have got that can be used instead of buying. Some things will be bought but I hope not as much as the last few years. An example in 3 catalogues from Avon, now remember I did a tidy up of toilettes and make up cupboard, only things that are in short supply are were perfume body spray that was on special in next 2 campaigns but could use the perfume instead and normal roll on so I don’t need that. Next was microfiber gym towel in pink but I have one in navy and could use a microfiber cloth if need an extra towel or normal towel for that matter which I have plenty off. As for make up & face creams I will live with what I have got and that plenty enough to supply the whole street only problem is it past the use by date, but I can live with that. As long I don’t get a skin reaction to it will be fine.

As for the other catalogues that come are from those mail order houses this year I thinking they will just junk mail. Just removing parts with my name on them and recycling the paper. Letter box junk mail is read then recycled. I only keep the grocery ones most time until the next lot arrives then crosscheck them so any items that I need this little trick can save heaps as we don’t have coupons in this part of the world. $$$ Another Strategy

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

I did try this recipe and modified it a little.
As I cook only for one, I made up only half the recipe

Easy Tuna Dish (Modified)
Serve 2 - Double recipe for 4 servings

1 small (95g) can chunky tuna in spring water or brine, drained
2g Chinese dried mushroom soaked for 5 minutes then drained
or ½ can small of sliced mushroom, drained
½ can cream of chicken, celery or asparagus soup, undiluted
½ can (440g) pineapple pieces in juice. Drained and reserve juice if you need any liquid
Cooked boiled rice (Heated)

Open all cans and measure required amounts.
Just blend the ingredients gently in a saucepan or microwave dish and heat through.
Serve with boiled rice or fried noodles.

I have made the original recipe twice now.
Taste is a little more on pineapple side; it does have a yellow look but tastes ok.

Ideal if you need to just mixed a few cans together and you have no refrigeration.

Other variations:

Add some green beans or peas if you have them.
Instead of pineapple use dried apricots, cropped, soaked and drained.
Instead of can tuna or salmon try chopped spam or ham, all do come in cans!
Instead of rice or fried noodles try 2 minutes without seasoning.
This recipe is becoming a mix ‘n’ match one. It’s a recipe ideal for living off your pantry or camping supplies.

Another No Spending Day

My DS call in today, as it was his day off work. He works a 4 days on and 3 days off each week but doing 12 hour shifts walking around a shopping centre all day & night as security guard. This is not good for his feet so every month or so he will call by to have me do his feet. Have been doing free pedicures for my family and friends for years. I only wish is that someone would do mine at some time.

Weekly Main Meal Menu

Sunday ~ Easy Tuna Dish
Monday ~ Spaghetti Bolognese
Tuesday ~ Omelet with Shredded Cheese and Salad
Wednesday ~ Lunch out
Thursday ~ Steak, Onions and Egg with Mushroom Sauce
Friday ~ Pasta with Tuna & Tomato Sauce & Stone Fruit
Saturday ~ Chicken Salad & Stone Fruit

Happy New Year everyone

It’s about time I had a good look at what I have already squirreled away.
As ex Avon rep. my toiletries and makeup area are overflowing so that nothing is needed in that area. I did a quick tidy of that storage area and review what I have got. Only thing would need is shower gel but using the bath & shower wash instead will work the same.

Next area was the stationery as next week is the best time to buy it here at the Back to School Sales.

Nothing of the above areas will be bought next year. The thing that I may run short of is photo copy paper. I will buy some later in the year as this does come on special though the year also.
Other thing that I need is new paper shredder so I will need to keep an eye out for this, my Christmas voucher will cover half the cost of the paper shredder. I been buying the cheapest models, this is the second time I have broken them, so this next one will more up market one. I will wait until it goes on special then buy it.

So the verdict is that I don’t need to go the Back to School Sales this year!

No spending Day

In the past 16 days, I have had 11 no spending days. Three days were for Christmas shopping and paying bills, other two days grocery shopping for others as I do shop for my friend. So if I keep this up, I will have a very frugal year for 2008.

There is a bad weather on our coastline for the next few days, so this morning I got my mower out a mowed the lawn which needed to be done. If left for another week, I would have a hard job pushing the new mower. I got another few weeks before I will need to do it again. Saving $50.00 on paying someone to do it for me.

I did water some of my plants with some tank water so the level would be lower too! I still have few pots around that don’t watered when it rains. Next task will the freezer & fridge that needs a good clean but still to much food in them to do it at the moment.

So I’m having the rest of the day off to work in the computer. I have run out of energy anyway!

I did find a good article on wardrobe planning that was printed around 1973 in a book that costs 50c when new it’s so old. It looks more do able than the other one.

No spending day

How to buy - Three Beauty Budgets - (Working Wife)

Hilary can spend more.

Although she is married, and helping to save for a house, she still goes out to work.

She buys only goes out to work. She buys only medium-priced cosmetics, but tells us her beauty money allowance just doesn’t seem to stretch far enough.

We suggest that a medium budget can come to grief if you pay medium price for everything.

It’s often better to splash out on some items; save on others.

Suggested budget for Hilary.

Fifteen shillings per week – just over £3 a calendar month. Half of this should go hair care until Hilary achives the dryer which will make home setting easier. Then she’ll re-budget, buying hand cream and skin food. ($1.50 / $6.00 per month 1959 prices)

Fixed Monthly buys
Cut, shampoo and set at good salon ……..17s -6d
Hair allowance
(to cover occasional bottles of
‘Hudnut’ bottles Egg shampoo
and of Tress setting lotion)
Home perm every three months (Toni 8s)
Rest saved for a hair dryer. …………………….12s-6d
Cleansing Cream (Ponds)……………………………5s
Tube of lanolin (for hands and
Occasional nightly facial use) ……………………2s-3d
Make-up foundation (Outdoor Girl) …………1s-6d
Variable Buys
Powder (two months supply, Max Factor)
Alternating with Lipstick refill 4s ………………4s-3d
Eye make-up items (pencil, mascara or
eye shadow) ………………………………………1s-6d
Nail polish (Cutex)
alternating with remover …………………………2s-6d
Yardley perfumed Spray Mist cologne 13s-9d
alternating with Large Freesia talcum powder
and Poise deodorant,6s-9d &6s-5d approx……13s-6d

Total ……………………………………………….($6.05)……£3-0-5

Using the above list let see what I would buy or change!

Times have changed? This example spends a lot of money hair and luxuries.
So I would just re-budget the whole lot.

But adding to this list a Sunblock 30+, Moisturizer, Tinted Moisturizer, Face mask, hair conditioner and style gel also looking for better prices on perfume, talc and deodorant and buying a hair styling blower. Buying all at lowest price you could fine. Switching to a cheaper salon for a good cut using a wash & wear hair style and along with dropping the face powder, tube of lanolin, perms & setting lotion altogether.

No Spending Day

How to buy - Three Beauty Budgets - (SAHM)

People in these example had different ideas on spending. We budget for them according to their means and moods. Why not copy on to suit your purse?

Janet can spend only a little …

Her husband’s wage has to keep a family of four, in fact she told us. “I can’t afford beauty!” But when we made her add up odd cosmetic and toilet buys she was surprised to find that they already amounted to about 5 shillings a week. We showed her how same sum could be better spent on professional hair-cutting, and on all the cosmetics she really needs.

Suggested budget for Janet
Five shillings per week (1959) just over £ 1 per calendar month.

Fixed monthly buys
Hair cut …………………………………….5s-6d
Cleansing Soothing Lotion - J&J Baby Lotion……………………………3s-6d
Hand cream large tube………………………………………2s-3d
Shampoo alternating with conditioner ……………………………………1s-8d
Variable buys
Powder(2 months supply bought months with Liquid make-up)…3s-6d
Lipstick (alternating with refill Anti-perspirant ……3s-6d
Small make-up buy–Eye shadow,mascara or small lipstick ..1s-6d
Total ………………………………………($2.15)…… £1-1s - 5d per month
Angel face or Rimmel ranges use above.

Here are my views on above text.
As all theses budgets are for only the mother of household.
Extra money would need to be found in these household for the other members of the household.

It’s a raw basic beauty budget for one person (SAHM), and if you worked it out today prices it would a minimum of $2 per week.

Using the above list let see what I could spend on the above raw basic beauty list and some.

Fixed monthly buys
Haircut ……@$16.00 (every 7 weeks)…………………$9.15
Moisturizer alternating with cleanser ………………$3.00
Hand cream large tube $2.00…... 50c
Shampoo alternating with conditioner …… $3.00
Variable buys
Tinted Moisturizer (6- month’s supply bought alternating with Liquid make-up)……….. $1.25
Lipstick alternating with
(& Sunblock 30 or Avon $1.50 100g) + (crystal stick block $12.00 once off buy) …….$5.00
Small make-up buy –Eye shadow, mascara or eyebrow pencil & liner…………………….$3.00
Total ……………………around……$24.40 per month or $6.10 per week.

I add to this list Sunblock 30+, Moisturizer & Tinted Moisturizer, Eyebrow Pencil & Liner, dropping the Face powder altogether. Buying all at lowest price you could fine.

You would be looking for bargains basement buys in some of these lines to get under this price now!

These are prices around my area.

No Spending today

Cut out all that waste

Realizing that the make-up that goes on ours faces costs very little.
It’s the half-used items at the back of the drawer that run away with the money.

Try before you buy. Purchase lipstick at counters which have testing stands(usually a larger chemists and stores) and by comparing powder and foundation with of the skin inside your wrist. Here the tone is similar to that of your face.

Use up oddments by remembering…. That two ‘old hat’ lipsticks, worn one on top of the other can give you two brand new shades… that using a light lipstick can soften a too- bright colour… that by mixing face powder oddments of similar texture on a huge sheet of paper you can blend a new shade to tone with your skin colour.

Apply make-up correctly …. Good for your budget and your looks. Use a little eye-make-up on one or two “perfecting your technique” sessions. Comes much less expensive in the long run than constant start-again mistakes. Use foundation as thinly as possible; slide it on over moisturizer and blend it well. Loose powder must be applied generously to stay put, so don’t try to economize here. But good initial application does cut out the use of any more powder for re-touching.

Start a swop group with your friends –getting together every now and then to exchange beauty gifts that aren’t quite you, or unsuccessful experiment buys. One girl’s cosmetic mistake can be another girl’s perfect buy!

Here are my views on above text.

Half-used items at the back of the drawer. Learn by your mistakes, and remember that today fashions are changing so fast that this will happen if you let latest fashion control your make-up drawer or bag. Something new is coming out daily. Try to find what’s best for you and update to the new trends very slowly.

Try before you buy. This is the best trick of all, use all those testers before you decide to buy. Even if it’s not at the store you are trying on the tester. Even try to a get a free make up done if it’s offered in your area. This will help you see if the new trends look good on you.

Use up oddments These tricks has been around are good if you do make a mistake or are given some free make-up items with you buy or spend $X with some cosmetic companies

Apply make-up correctly …. Look at some magazines for ideas and new tricks in applying make-up correctly.

Start a swop group with your friends. This one tip is the one would be worried about. It’s ok the swop items that have very been use, but not half used items are bacteria can grow on make-up and how old the make-up is in the first place.

Lesson Three to follow

No spending today.

This is extracts from an article written late 1950’s as part of this article was burnt many years ago, I have no idea the name magazine or author and thanks to them for me seeing the wisdom in their writing many years ago their words live on.

Note do remember prices & wages back then were pittance to what you can be earning today.

My own wage at this time for a 15 year old was one pound and eighteen shillings about $3.80Au and with paying my family board at one pound per week.

Spend a Little … Look Great

What is the cost of being a beauty? Can be as little as five shillings per week.

A pittance buys a wealth of beauty – If you spend it wisely.
Pounds-a - week buy very little – if they tossed around without a plan, and without a care.

Here is a three point course in clever spending; makes you a new year gift of ready worked out budgets to suits your purse to follow.


Another No spend day here

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 reader able. 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

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.

Just got my first water tank rebate back! I open my online account to check if my debit had been taken out and found that my first rebate of $1000 has been debit credit to my account. I quickly transferred it to my ING account so that I won’t spend it and save it for one of my major project later this year like a new computer as my computer is very outdate now and 8 years old but still working very slowly and can’t be upgraded anymore.

Owing to the rain my ground was soft enough to work on last week. So I start tidying up the pumpkin patch area. When my handyman friend arrived and started to help out. I had three wheel borrows of dirt from putting in the tank area plus two other piles of dirt. So we got to and clear this area and mowed the whole yards lawn. My mower is about to be replaced very soon. So will need to put as side about $500 for a new one. I may get three more mows out it if I am lucky I had plan to replace it last year so its not to bad that I got another year out of it. It was bought in mid 70’s so it time for a new one, I hope the next one will be my last one.

On the first day we worked on getting the ground cleared and lawn mowed. The 2nd day we made two gardens area. Still need to do a third area. We recycled all the soil and ran it through a sieve that I had too! I had bought a few years ago some garden edge that were never used. So had that also five bags of potting mix to replace the soil in the large pots that I have a Neen, Bay, Curry Trees in, these can’t go into the ground but must stay in pots. They are on a cement slab so the roots will not go into the ground as they will grow too high for the area that I have here. Another problem is next door has Cocos palms that’s a weed in our area, I have to keep on the look out for these as I don’t wish to pay a fortune to have them cut out in the future. I did find four young plants when we were clearing the areas too! I the new garden I have used only plant that I had in my garden taking some from others area and cutting of other plants. Any plant that dies before the drought end will be not replaced. On the three day I work on my own planting all the under plants using want I had around the place, Iris, tee tree native, rosemary, geraniums, a lot of bromeliads, gladiolus bulbs (that I had laying about) & snowflake. All have lasted in my garden as well as the crotons that I have in the front yard for many years with very little watering at times. So there is one more area to work on and the pruning in late July of the trees & the hedge until this time next year when I will need to clean up again. I don’t do any gardening but mowing in summer and our summer starts around late October temperature wise. We got a first cool weather after the 1st June this year until then it was over 28 C everyday.

Four days of no spending days here.

I have been a bit lazy with this blog of lateas I have been watching the Big Brother program here, too much TV anyway. I will try get a little more with it and blog a bit more often and I will post a full update tonight.

On the rain front, we end up getting one & half days of good rain here. My tank & all the tanks that were in stalled are now full. But elsewhere in the country (NSW) have been in trouble with a low of the coast and flooding and tanker running a ground in the height of the storm. A whole family of five was washed away when a road gave way. Another couple lost their lives when a bridge gave way, such a lost too! Just before that we had train crash in Victoria with eleven people dead when a semi-trailer ran into a train at a level crossing.

Weekly Main Meal Menu

Sunday ~ Vegetable Soup with Toast
Monday ~ Chicken Mustard with Rice.
Tuesday ~ Devilled Sausages with Mashed Potato & Peas
Wednesday ~ Pasta with Pasta Sauce & Tuna
Thursday ~ Beans Rissoles & Salad
Friday ~ Poached Fish with Steamed Vegetables
Saturday ~ Garlic Chicken Schnitzel with Tomato Salsa & Steamed Vegetables.

Gone shopping or bought something. 10 times

Went to the city by bus 2 times

Drove my car only. 5 times

Had food bought or had for free away from home. 7 times

And had 17 No Spending Days.

Lets see what next 28 days tallies will be.

Seeing that I didn’t post my menu plan this week.

Weekly Main Meal Menu

Monday ~ Minestrone & Salad
Tuesday ~ Chilli Con Care & Corn Chips
Wednesday ~ Devilled Sausages with Mashed Potato & Peas
Thursday ~ Beef Stroganoff with Rice
Friday ~ Poached Fish with Steamed Vegetables
Saturday ~ Spaghetti Bolognese
Sunday ~ Beans Rissoles & Salad

I have been having a few gremlins on my computer of late, so I will have just to post a little now and then for the time being. My anti-virus program tried to download but I didn’t have enough RAM for the download, as I am working on an old computer. Now it has righted it self again with the new downloads so far. I was told only 10% of computers are now working on 128 RAM or less these days. I see this will be a problem in the near distance future with most old computer pre –2000 models. I try not to allow upgrade of any programs for this reason. This is one of reasons that I am saving for a new computer 1G RAM it possible. I had to turn the power off for hour and then reboot so that I could get the mouse to copy & paste anything in Word, I could copy & paste on internet but not into or on Word. Plus other little things were happening.

It’s another No spending day here again.

I made it tonight; it’s very tasty with the pineapple pieces & chunky tuna that I drained. As I only made up a half recipe making two serving, I use ½ can of chunky tuna drained, ½ can pineapple pieces reserving the juice, ½ can cream of the chicken soup plus small ½ cup of mushroom in butter sauce. I used some of reserved pineapple juice as the liquid in this dish keeping it on the thick side.. Heated in all a frypan served it with noodles. Being careful not break up the tuna too much. The chicken soup kept it yellow with the flecks of mushrooms in the mixture. I will make it again


It’s another No spending day here.

As I was going though an old handwritten recipe book today, I found this recipe which I will put into my pantry recipe file. What do you think of it?

EASY TUNA DISH

1 large 425g can Tuna in springwater
1 small can mushroom in butter sauce
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can 440g crushed or pineapple pieces in juice

Put all the ingredients in a saucepan and heat through.
Serve with boiled rice or fried noodles

Ideal if you need to just mixed a few cans together and you have no refrigeration.

It's another No spending day here.