I did pay my annual Chiro bill the other day and it was the same as last year $540.00 for 12 visits. The normal pensioner/ student price per visit is $50.00 so I'm saving $5.00 per visit now as I get a refund $19.40 from health fund whether I pay $50 or $45.00 per visit. That’s a saving of $60 per year or 10% off which no bank interest can match anywhere. So save money by paying early.

I had my heart value check again this year had to pay for specialist visit, ECG and Echo test. Total came to $337.00 of which Medicare (GOV) refund came to $252.90 and out of pocket cost $84.50. As there was no change in heart value and the doctor thinks I could have been born with this defect or have had it for a very long time. So I will need to budget for these tests each year to see if there is any change. So same time next year appointments have been made. More tests in a few weeks for something my mother died from. It's a test that I don't like having. Plus I have to see my eye specialist this year too! So more money to the medical sector is in the pipeline.

It's lucky that I can afford to do these tests but then I will pay kept myself healthy as I possibly can. Some pensioners here can't afford do them and are playing the price in pain and stress and years of waiting for free tests and operations.

Strategy - Ask about any discounts and don’t worry if you forgot to ask about it, worse they can say is NO if you go back and ask.

After reading this article

Should Income Be “Disposable?”

which I totally agree with, I don’t view any of my pension as Disposable Income at all! I doubt if I do have a Disposable Income. If there is any Disposable Income then I should putting it aside for my next project or holiday or funeral saving account which I sure that I will need at some point as I don’t wish to add one to my list of bills at my age. There are a lot of advertising for them here. But I don’t wish the pay then find I can’t afford it next year when they raise the price because of your age, I would paying heap any way. You lose any money put in it if you leave at any time so I think they are a money pit for insurance companies, I am better to save allow the family to get the some money at the end of it. So I think I will open an online account and add $25.00 per month to that fund plus any Disposable Income that I can.

Do you feel sometimes that advertising is out to get you and your Disposable Income, that they want your money at any cost and you made to feel that you are doing without or letting them down if you don’t spend whether it’s the company or local businesses or your state or country. You should not be saving but spending any money including your bill money on what they are selling at the time. Well I don’t buy that line at all these days.

Charities are a case in point here; I get heaps of mail asking for help with lots of freebie in them. If they need to send you these freebies to get you to send them money why do they have paid the advertising company for that deal? I have heard that these advertising companies get a large proportion of monies sent in the first year.

I do give the charities please don’t think I don’t but I never give to any who send freebies in the mail. What makes me mad is there is no address to send direct to the charities in question.

The Freebies they are sending, name and address tags, large blank gift cards and small gift tags, stationery and pens, just small stuff along a giving plan which I can’t afford ever. When you get that every week from different charities it does mount up to the point that I will never have to buy name and address tags again at this address.

So much for Disposable Income that I don’t have to give away any time soon! Even the ones I do give to send me requests for more money but I have a Christmas donation time slot that give and that it.

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

Strategy – Don’t believe all the advertising you see on TV or in the mail you didn’t know you wanted it 15 minutes before you saw that advertisement.

I wrote about this in these blogs

Starting over with budgeting and saving again!

Review of my spending plan for Bills!

Here’s a list of some things that was planned and how I went after the six months has pasted.

Only two things that I planned within this six month period are now held over until March -August period.
My chiro is not due until mid - March and fares for my trip to Adelaide $400 are still not booked yet!

Trips - Sydney wedding and visit to my sister later next year but fare need to be paid in this period. (both are interstate.) Estimate $2000

Estimate $1600 Sydney trip cost was $920 saved $680 here on estimate

Out of pocket dental that can’t be put off. Estimate $2000 - Dental - $1915
saved $85 here on estimate

Car service that is well overdue so approx. $500
Paid $189 for car service card but still need pay for parts for major service? Had my car service done and tyre fixed $254 = total cost $443 so saved $57 here on estimate.

House & Car Insurance due (these were the ones that I was worried about) Estimate $2700
Both insurances came in $2145 saved $555 here on estimate

Rates and water bills, power, medical fund annual fee, phone & internet fees, car rego. Approx. $5500
- Totals $4305 saved $1195 here on estimate

Over all I did estimated for around about $12,300 with my Age Pension over this time frame under $10,000 so where did I end up with my over estimates and removing air fare to Adelaide from the list.

September to February Bills
Item ====Estimate =====Cost ====Saved
Wedding - $1600 =====$920 ==== $680
Dental --- $2000 =======$1915====$85
Car service ---$500 =====$443=====$57
Insurances---$2700=====$2145====$555
General bills $5500======$4305 ===$1195
Totals ====$12300=====$9728====$2572

All bills are paid in full with credit on Credit Cards.

Daily Living expenses outside these bills came to $2547 for this period which had to come from savings.

To think I will need to do this all again at the end of the year but less the dentist bill this time.
Planned expenses for next six month estimates is a work progress.

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

Strategy - Review your bills every six months that you are still saving money with your changes that you made since renewed or changed bill companies. Change your habits if you can’t change the company.

Strategy - Put in writing what you are worried about and see the figures then work out an action plan.

I will try to answer these questions to my understanding of them.

Do ‘Our governments have ultimate control of utility and health insurance costs?’

Answer to this question NO to ultimate control and YES to some say in control of utility and health insurance costs?

We have three levels of government here. The Federal, State and Local councils as Federal government has input into these utility and health in some way by owing or rebates. They do have some say and can veto price rises but do allow some price rises once per year April for health and July for power. If there no request for higher price rise then does rise by level with the CPI which is around 3%. Of late each group is asking for higher price rises so governments have make the call as they do put money into these areas with rebates and owing the grids and power stations etc. It’s the same with water too!

Power grid in some States that they let the power stations rundown that money had to be found so Federal Government step in but has to be paid back.

The state government’s own the power stations and grids but the suppliers buy it off the governments sell it to us. Once it was all own by the state governments but sold it off now they fix the lines if broken with all these weather events and bush fires it’s costing a fortune. So 50% of the price rise is government inter-structure costs and they set the prices so each power retailers can work out pricing for next year. At first they wanted to up to 500% within five years.

Electric here costs slightly over .09 kWh, what is the rate there?

As for our tariffs we pay much more than you do. Most likely a different system, these prices are off the last bill and not the new ones which come due in July 2013.

Service to property charge (No days) 88 days @ 28.91c , anytime power 26.71c per kWh, off peck rate 22c per kWh (hot water power use to run it), solar power rebate 44c per kWh which is credit off bill.

On top of this I get a pension rebate from state government around $50.51 each quarter. Plus a 9% discount if I pay my bill before the due date. With interest rates at below 3.5% for the best online ones it better to pay before every time.

My usage and costs paid after all discount and rebates for last year

Bill for Dec $52.18 - Days 88 - Anytime 506 kWh - Off peak 9 kWh - Solar rebate 125 kWh
Bill for Sep $84.78 – Days 86 - Anytime 551 kWh - Off peak 95 kWh - Solar rebate 59 kWh
Bill for Jun $68.17 - Days 92 - Anytime 635 kWh - Off peak 16 kWh - Solar rebate 92 kWh
Bill for Dec $71.14 - Days 90 - Anytime 672 kWh - Off peak 5 kWh - Solar rebate 102 kWh

So if I allow around $30 per quarter I should have money left over for surprises.

Only in winter or wet weather do my solar panels cost charges hot water higher and power lower. I do only have one kWh x 6 panels unit and 2 panels x 400L hot water unit.

‘Is your chiro not included under the other health cover?’

Health Chiro costs is covered by health insurance but only to $232.80 per year. I paid annual fee for 12 visits at pensioner rates get 10% off the single fee charged for doing so but only can claim single rebate after each visit. Now you can’t get that interest from any bank for 10% so as I budget for it so I pay in advance. Only down side would be if I had to stop going then I would need to pay a cancelation fee.

My idea is to s-t-r-e-t-c-h my money so by paying early where I can to get rebates and discount or not incurring fines for paying late then I am saving on the overall costs in the end.

It’s better off in your pocket than theirs.

Do you get bored with saving money all the time and feel you need to break the mould sometimes. Well I do as have been on this quest for more years than I can remember now!

When I was a pre-teen my pocket money was two shillings per week, (24 pennies) now days that’s amount would be 20 cents. Value today I have no idea about $2.00. My way of thinking was if an item cost more than 1/11 or 23 pennies, I couldn’t afford it. When I got my first pay from my first job things got a little better, after paid my board and fares I had about 10 shillings ($1.00) per week to spend. Wages were about 1 pound and 18 shillings ($3.80) in those early months, this was 1960.

I am retired now and on age pension but my thought patterns are the same almost. Today I save money then I can go do what I like for one day every so often, given certain amount to spend and place to spend to go spend that money or some of it!

Sometimes it’s a school fete or op shop or trash or craft market often times it may be shopping centre if in need of some new clothes or appliance. I do set amount that I can spend on these days, most times I never go over it. I never have many of these days about four per year. I had about three last year; one while I was in Sydney and I bought some kitchen items and had the goods posted home.

I call these days ‘Free Spending Spree Days’ and was shopping in Aldi on one of these days last Christmas said to another customer that I was free to buy what I would like today if I wanted too! Would I like to buy her children, both were in the shopping cart? I just smiled and wished her a Merry Christmas and walked on I think she was having a bad day. I only spent about $100 that day as I was buying Christmas gifts too!

Both have a water theme, leaking water to be correct. One was just a simple tap washer that I was able to get my neighbour to fix, I do have a lot of taps washers here so I don’t have go out and buy some to do the job, as getting someone to do the job more of a problem. Hot water shower was dripping like mad when I came home yesterday.

The day before I had another drip but this one was a major one, water dripping from a power socket, on a weatherproof switch not good, I turn the switch off to see where the water was coming from and found coming out of the one of the socket for the power plug in part from my solar hot water unit this is the power that pumps the water to the roof for the solar panels the unit and it’s not 3 years old yet. I phone my Home Assist people to order an electrician to look at it. With the flooding it will be up to week before they may come out. I was told. Within two hours the electrical company was on the phone and they would have someone out that afternoon, the young guy arrived he looked a teenager to me mostly likely in his early twenty.

He never seen as much water either so we checked the tank and when he pulled on a cord from the switch water came running out of the tank element area it was rusted in so had to be replaced a long with the power switch unit. So it costed 2 hours labour $176 and parts $100 less my senior discount of $88 for one hour labour. Total came to $188.00 all up. That’s why I rang Home Assist so I could get my discount for how long this service will last I don’t know as our state government is cutting cost in all areas.

As had good and friendly service all round so I paid the bill next day. For bad service they would have had to wait full 14 days before I paid it!

I think we have got it lucky here as the heat has not been as bad as in some places around the country. Sydney had its hottest day since record begin about 105 years ago 46.5C . Here we got to about 35C and Ipswich got to over 40C which is only 30km away but inland not on the coast. I still haven’t put my Air Conditioner on as I can stand the heat up 36C than I will think about if the there is no breeze, so I am saving money by only using a standing fan near my computer with all the doors open for any breeze. I can’t do any gardening as the sun is too hot to be out in to do it. In January it is always like this so minimum gardening. The lawns are almost dead as we have had no rain for at least 6 weeks then very little of it.

Still no spending here as I am on my six no spending day in a row. Most likely will spend something tomorrow and on Tuesday my car goes in for a major service and new tyre I think I will get the spare tyre put on with this new one and use one of the old ones as a spare. I have to pay some bills this week so may go the city or a major shopping centre to that sometime this week after the car is fixed.

All my money will be spent on bills this month so I have got no money to spend anyway!

Annual Summary Daily Living Allowance parts of my budget for 2012

Here are my final totals for last year.

Eating out- $455---------- $441.95---------under target by $13.05
Groceries -$1655-----------$1368.82--------under target by $256.18
Non-Food -$195------------ $200.41---------over target by $5.41
Clothes -$400---------------$250.28.--------under target by $149.20
Grooming -$260-------------$339.05--------over target by $79.05
Gas -$200------------------- $122.71------- -under target by $77.29
Pets -$200--(5 months)-----$274.52--------over target by $74.52
HH items -$520-------------- $468.29--------under target by $51.71
Fares -$380-------------------$360.75 ------- under target by $19.25
Entrainment -$520-----------$658.58-------- over target by $138.58
Garden-$100------------------$7.00-----------under target by $93.00
Gift & Donations -$455-------$584.73---------over target by $219.95
Medical & Diabetic-$910------$1045.22 -------over target by $135.22
Misc. -$75--------------------$29.00----------under target by $46.00
Personal Allowance-$1170----$1004.28--------under target by $165.72

Daily Living Allowance allotted amount for 2012 was $7495 and I spent total $7155.59 under target by $339.41

Even with being over in six categories, I still manage to come under my budget allotment for 2012.
I did buy new Camera and had interstate holiday that has been included in the above totals.

This does give me the idea that I am subconsciously set myself amount to spend then holding back on some things if I think that I have to cut on my spending because I spend a lot one area that was needed like the medical.

One thing this summery proves that averaging out over whole year is better than worry if you go over month as you can try to cut on other months.

Ok this Daily Living Allowance is the area that I will be working on to stretch and find any extra money I can. I also am looking at cutting back other on bills where I can. We will have a very large hike in household insurances this coming year as I haven’t received the bill, I don’t know how much it will be as yet!

I know that my medical out of pocket costs will much higher for 2013 so some this need to be add to bills section as I already am over by $1000 and the first month isn’t over yet! I will set aside $3500 for this one next year. This is for just out of pocket costs.

I know that my medical out of pocket costs will much higher for 2013 so I need to up my bill budget by known cost. Dentist, 2 specialists with op so will add these bills there. So I will just track medicine and vitamins, glasses and diabetic section in this section of Daily Living Allowance. Allowing around $1250 for these items in next year tallies.

No Spending Days 154 of 365 days

Strategy - Review your bills every six months that you are still saving money with your changes that you made since renewed or changed bill companies. Change your habits if you can’t change the company.

I have order them and paid for them then will pick them up in the New Year.

As I may have to get a new pair when I see the Eye Specialist next year!

I always allow 11 months for emergency replacement glasses then get replacement pair that I fancy having in last month each year. You can only do this with Health cover that has one new pair each year and you can afford the difference. This year cost was $179 glasses and will out of pocket cost just $44 as these will be basic ones around the house pair.

I wrote about this in this blog

Starting over with budgeting and saving again!

Here’s a list of some things that was planned and how I went so far four months in.

Trips - Sydney wedding and visit to my sister later next year but fare need to be paid in this period. (both are interstate.) Estimate $2000
Still waiting to book air fares for June visit to my sister so only air fares will come in this six spending plan not the holiday expenses. Sydney trip cost was $920

Out of pocket dental that can’t be put off. Estimate $2000
Dental - I paid the first out of pocket bill today - $1375and second bill should be $540 = $1915

Car service that is well overdue so approx. $500
Paid $189 for car service card but still need pay for parts for major service? I will have this done mid- January.

Rates and water bills, power, medical fund annual fee, phone & internet fees, car rego. Approx. $5500
So far I paid medical fund annual fee $2320, first rates and water bills $456 car rego $515, first power $53 = $3344 with and will have extra Chiro Bill coming of $560 in February that not on this list. Another rates and water bills $456 and power $65 to come yet! = $521
Phone and internet will be around $500 for 6 months. I have reduced this cost by $30 per month.

House & Car Insurance due (these are the ones that I am worried about) Estimate $2700 but could be more.

Planned expenses for next six month estimated about $12,700
Age Pension over this time frame under $10,000

So living expenses will be almost nil for next few months, it’s lucky that I do have savings to fall back on if I need too! I will try not to spend too much of it though.

By estimates I am within reach of the target but still living off my savings for Living day to day expenses. So far I have shaved off $2070 off the original total with around $650 will need to come out savings also!

I will have a few months to recoup this money before the next around of large bills. I am still a little worried about that House insurance bill coming in February or early March as some households have gone through the roof by thousands.

Strategy - Review your bills every six months that you are still saving money with your changes that you made since renewed or changed bill companies. Change your habits if you can’t change the company.

I had a spending spree of sorts today I had to order some new glasses at certain shopping centre as my optical store closed down and the staff move elsewhere. I paid for them via cash and medical benefit refund they cost $179, I will pick them up in the New Year as I am in no hurry for them. I get a new pair each year so I have enough pairs around the house. I handed in 5 old pairs of glasses so they can be recycled for those who can’t afford them in poorer counties. It’s a system that optical store do here.

While I was out I posted a Christmas parcel then did my grocery shopping for the things that were on special that I wanted for December. After having Subway sub and coffee I went to find some Christmas ideas and presents for last few on my list. I got a comfort and toiletries gift for one person which I thought I was paying full price for but it was on special as was the other gift that I bought for the other person which was grocery hamper and both of them had 20% off, I was happy about that!

Also I bought tins of biscuits and candy for other gifts as shocking fillers or extra gifts.

I had a very long walk today so my exercise of walking took hours today. Medical research is now telling us ‘we are sitting too long now these days and this not good for our health’. Well I walked and stood for over 5 hours around this shopping centre today. I struck at it until I got all on my list finished so I wouldn’t have to go again to the shops as the school children finish up this Friday for their annual summer holidays. No parking or very little park in shopping centres after this date or at least none in the shade at 39 degrees C. I was very tried by the time I got back to car to drive home.

I will only shop locally from now on until they go back to school.

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

I have 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=====$20.95
Groceries===$125=== =$111.83
Non-Food===$15
Clothes ====$35
Grooming===$20=====$9.00
Gas======$25
HH items===$40=====$44.00
Fares== ====$15 ====$10.00
Entrainments== $15
Garden =====$15
Gifts & Donations ==$35===$5.75
Medical & Diabetes Expenses ===$14.05
Misc ======$10==========$2.50
Personal Allowance =$90 ===$121.87

Note only one amount is a no spend

Budgeted for this period $550 spent $329.95 so under budget by $220.05

No spending days 15 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 it was $90.00.

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 $136.69

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 still 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.

Last time I used my washing machine the power point wouldn’t work as it stopped in the middle of a cycle. As my washing machine is 1985 vintage I thought that I would need a new one, I do have that money invested so was just about to start looking for new one! Then I decided that I should put the washing machine on power lead to another power point to check if it was still working and it was. So no need for a new one just yet!

I phone my Home Assist Service for pensioners which will pay part of the bill for you that‘s $88 off bill. Today he came to check my power points in the laundry and fix a light there too! I had the light fittings so only needed to pay for the new power points he had replaced two, I don’t like iffy things if there’s a problem its gets fixed with too many house fires with faulty electrical around the place. The total cost of out of pocket expensive was only $36.50.

He also set my mind a rest on the power spikes that I get from time to time. It’s my solar hot water power unit starting up it only goes for a few minutes and not all day at 3500 kWh I will have to learn to live with that.

Strategy - If it can be fixed then repair it, but use the less than half rule on replacement costs rule.

I have been looking at World War 2 recipes and any recipes before this period. Most of them are British ones as I can find of lot online and have bought a number of books from this period. This is a passion of mine as I do look to this period for ideas when trying to cut back at any time.

With the economical way the world is going right now, and all the Austerity Budgets from governments, we will have to start looking for ideas to cope in our own parts of the world.

A lot of households here are cutting back and trying to save or pay down debt. This is not helping some sectors of the economy as we all have since WW2 been told or suggested to spend up big by auto-suggestion so businesses can have a larger profits for shareholders and saving were a thing of the past and loans are in.

Now the crunch time is upon us to pay our dues for this false strategy. The thing is can we hold on to what we have and own now! No one wants to go back to what it was before but we should start making plans to get our own household in order. Australia is a lucky country but we too will fine things tough if things go bad this time. By how much no one knows. But look at it in way that if doesn’t happen to be that bad then we are better off than we were before. Some jobs are going here now by the thousands so things are charging here too! Like our State government retrenching over 11000 workers across the board and not replacing any vacant jobs (4500), this is just one state. The flow on effect will be great as business and jobs near these workplaces will then be affected too!

Greece, Italy and Spain are in a bad way as are many more countries that I have haven’t kept up to date with.

"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without." - Boyd K. Packer

The painter has been here a week now! One side of the house is done plus the garage so far. I only have paid him a minimum deposit. I will pay progress payments up to half of the full amount and balance on completion. Work done so far is very professional so no worry about stranded of the work.

I have bought a new camera which I hope to use in the near future at a friend’s wedding. As for clothes I will borrow an outfit from a friend, who has more formal outfits than I have, we are almost the same size. My last one I bought was for my son’s wedding eleven years ago.

I am still reading my way through my list of new novels about two per week. So not spending so much time on my computer as before, I think I was over doing it at times.

As I have posted before I have bought a blood glucose meter, which was normally priced $59.99 but was on special for $39.99 at the time. This included a refund voucher that was applied for and I now received that refund for $40.00. So this item came out FREE but for the ongoing costs of test strips and lancets. The test strips are normally around $15.90 for 100 here but you can get them for $1.20 for 100 on a pension discounts scheme. As for the lancets there isn’t any discount but you need to shop around for the cheapest price ranging from $32.95 to $17.95 at discount chemists. So I will need to do some leg work when I need to buy my next box of lancets.

I am still monitoring my blood glucose levels and still on diet controlled.

Well I have been reading again, and buying more books! Some are second hand but most are new.

There is a new book of Sara Douglass of short stories The Hall of Lost Footsteps, this will complete the my collection of books that I would read of hers as the other ones are lecture books that are out of my league.

I am into World War cookbooks and found three more that I do not have and can’t get online nor in any library here so have bought them on online. I did get some historical novels eBooks to read online for free so that does save a few dollars. Unless I get them for FREE now I will not be buying any more for a while.

Strategy - If you will use it and cheap enough then have a treat now and then!

I have started using a blood glucose meter for my diabetes; my doctor didn’t think I needed one as I am on diet control alone and my reading is good. I went to a Diabetic 'educator/nurse' for some help in understanding and a bit of guide for this condition. I do get some phone help and I have a 24/7 hour nurse line help run by my private health insurance.

She lent me a blood glucose meter for test that I had to do for her and did this a few days before I saw her for the second time. I didn’t start off too well with a flat battery then unable to use the pen right.

I got there in the end with help from the chemist. I checked the sale catalogues of chemists around here and found are deal on the one had on loan from Diabetic 'educator/nurse'. Normal price here is $59.99 but on special for $39.99 with a $40.00 refund by the company, which now I have applied for.

After the test I have been told I now need to do a test 3 times per week twice per day seeing that I have my own BG meter now. The BG meter picks are expensive but as I now don’t have the cats any more I will use some of that money to cover them.

It’s thought that I am eating too much in the way of fruit and having too much coffee. I will need to revisit some of diet again and focus on my diabetes for now on.

Last week I had a shopping spree as I had go and buy a new electric toothbrush as recharge battery had died that was on it so it had to be replaced, I found one on special after doing a price check at a few place before I went the supermarket where I found one $10.00 off but $15.00 of one the place I did the price check at. Some were up to $200.00 each all have the same replacement heads and as I have a few left I stayed with the same brand Oral-B Braun. The one I bought was only $29.99 so I will have money to replace it when I need too sooner if need be. The last electric toothbrush lasted almost 8 years and cost about that price back then too!

Since using these electric toothbrushes I have had very little fillings in my teeth so the cost over the time is worth it in less dental bills alone!

I had to go up the street today to get a haircut; I had put $50.00 in my wallet but never used it. When I got to last place I was planning to go to it was gone! I phone both places that I went to but no luck I will have to put this down to a lesson learnt. If it not the only note in the wallet then don’t put with them if you are not planning on using it. What is annoying about all this I didn’t need the $50.00 at all as I had enough money on me!

My menu for the week

Monday - Chicken Kebabs and Rice, Fruit
Tuesday - Bacon and Egg with Tomato
Wednesday - Lentil Stew
Thursday - Pumpkin Soup and Toast with Salad
Friday - Tuna Pasta
Saturday - Potluck Meal
Sunday - Fish and Salad with Grapes

I had lunch with my friends at Casino, the meal was Fish with salad with chips but I asked and got green vegetables instead along with a vanilla slice and coffee all that for $9.00 for members and $14.00 if not! As I was in the city I got around and paid a few bills like Rates, water bill, my Credit card in full and another for my DF-M. I also got a top up on my GO CARD that I use for bus fares.

Would you believe I got all the bills paid and go card top up all within 45 minutes before I went to lunch so that I could be home on the early bus.

The places that I had go to were in four blocks of each other one place in each as I had to go to the bank first. It’s lucky that I know my way around the city as I was able use some of the short cuts to do this in time. It like go around in a maze I am reading a novel at the moment that has Mazes in it.
City trip all up costed $650.00 including bills.

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

Another milestrone past 800000 views

I need to review habits when it comes to food, I think I am getting a bit lazy at times.

Groceries ----$1755-------$1601.08-------under target by $160.42

I have allowed $33.75 per week for grocery but I should with want I have in stockpile this should be able come down to below $27.00 per week or under $1404 for this year.

I have nearly used up want is in my downstairs storage area in food. Only very bulky things will be store there in the future.

I do need to do a stock take of what I actually got in the way of food. I do have some gaps but I should I be able to last for few months without worrying about them. Just use something else instead in meantime.

The strategies for this challenge are to list and menu plan my way through until I use a lot of stuff I have already have bought. While I still have protein in my freezers and beans and lentils in fridge with over 5 kilos of rice and a number of packets of pasta still to get through.

I have a lot of flavouring and sauces that I have bought or got in sample bags that I should be able to come up some different and interesting meals.

I will trying to limit my food spending to a very small list of basic items and any food for my diabetics that I need. Some of those items are fruit and vegetables in season, eggs, bread, milk, cheese, margarine, and yoghurt including some fresh fish and chicken, with some red meat when my freezer stocks are lower. I should be able to go about seven weeks without buying too much other than fruit and vegetables in season, eggs, bread, and milk.

I think will need to go back to writing my menus on here.

Menu for this week

Monday - Fresh Fish with Salad and Cob of Corn
Tuesday - lunch out - Dinner Fruit and Milk Only
Wednesday - lunch out - Dinner - Noodles Chicken with Vegetables
Thursday - Satay Chicken with Salad
Friday – Fresh Fish with Vegetables and Fruit
Saturday - Curry Mince with Rice and Fruit
Sunday – Pasta with Lentil Sauce

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

I think I could find some spare money in my budget if I focused on my food spending for a while.

These will be my target area to work on for now!

Non -Food ---$221--------$184.52---------under target by $36.48
Pets -----------$650------$547.26--------under target by $102.74
Eating out ----$455--------$560.05--------over target by $105.05
Groceries ----$1755-------$1601.08-------under target by $160.42

So money that I have to work with $3081 using 2011 target budget amounts.

In 2011, I came under by [$3081 -2893.10] = $187.90 so I would like to see a bigger drop in this figure this year. Without changing my lifestyle that much knowing that I can cutback harder if things change around here. So it’s to focusing and planning what I intend to do here.

So what strategies do I plan to use to reduce this further with cost of living going up here and my income is only age pension.

I will start with the easiest on first Non-food, this is area mainly covered by items that I can’t eat like Toilet paper, paper towels, and some cleaning items that I need to buy. If do a stocktake of these items, I may find that I will only need buy toilet paper this year. By looking online and some in of my books I will find replacement for other cleaning items.

Next easiest one is Pets this includes cat food and litter for them. As they are old cats I will not be retraining them with new ideas but focusing on any wasteful habits and paying more attention to what they eat. They flea and vet treatments are covered in the bill area of my budget so are not included here. But will try to find ways of reducing these as well.

Now time to think about my food out as I like to call it! This area I can control to a degree but not all the way. I have 12 planned lunch dates each year which I just go along with cost can between $9.00 and $26.00 each time at current prices. Then you have 5 birthday dinners or lunches that can cost around $30.00 each time at current prices. But will not go if it gets above this unless it’s a wedding which a once in blue moon event. Now the other lunches I can reduce or not have depending on my time schedule when out. I do try to keep these to under $12.00 where possible.

So where does that leave my food out budget, thus having budgeted for $350 outing with family and friend as socialising and form of entertainment. I do keep a float aside of $35.00 so that if asked out I can go will out worrying if I can afford that week. I am trying to get the family to eat at home more but it’s an uphill battle.

I will review my grocery shopping in my next post.

Eating out ----------$560.05--------over target by $105.05
Groceries -----------$1601.08--------under target by $160.42
Non -Food ----------$184.52---------under target by $36.48
Clothes -------------$308.84.--------under target by $146.16
Grooming -----------$145.41--------under target by $49.59
Gas -----------------$193.80--------under target by $131.20
Pets ----------------$547.26--------under target by $102.74
HH items ------------$808.13--------over target by $255.63
Fares ---------------$100.00 ------- under target by $43.60
Entrainment----------$59.95--------under target by $96.05
Garden---------------$70.45--------under target by $59.55
Gift & Donations------$674.95---------over target by $219.95
Medical --------------$473.71 -------over target by $278.21
Diabetics-------------$ 43.47 --------under target by $6.29
Misc. -----------------$114.05--------under target by $2.50
Personal Allowance----$999.09--------under target by $105.91

Daily Living Allowance allotted amount for 2011 was $6940 and I spent total $6884.71--under target by $55.29

Even with being over in four categories, I still just manage to come under my budget allotment for 2011.

This does give me the idea that I am subconsciously set myself amount to spend then holding back on some things if I think that I have to cut on my spending because I spend a lot one area that was needed like the medical.

One thing this summery proves that averaging out over whole year is better than worry if you go over month as you can try to cut on other months.

By viewing with this year’s one I am defiantly a subconscious budgeter.

Ok this Daily Living Allowance is the area that I will be working on to stretch and find any extra money I can. I also am looking at cutting back other on bills where I can. We will have a very large hike in household insurances this coming year as I haven’t received the bill, I don’t know how much it will be as yet!

Strategy - Review your bills every six months that you are still saving money with your changes that you made since renewed or changed bill companies. Change your habits if you can’t change the company.

These are my 13th period monthly totals as I have 28 days month budget (13x28=364 days)

I only just updated my Excel so here are the figures for last month. Tomorrow I will post my annual summary for 2011.

As I work on 28 day cycles, my dates may be out to a calendar months so here are the figures for my last period.

It’s time to start again on reviewing my monthly daily living allowance.

These are the categories for this challenge.

Items === Approx. Budget===Spent
Eating out===$35.00=====$20.05
Groceries===$135.50 ==== $88.54
Non-Food===$17.00
Clothes ====$35.00
Grooming===$15.00
Gas======$25.00 ======$19.10
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$33.32
HH items===$42.50=====$20.99
Fares== ====$9.00
Entrainments= $12.00
Garden =====$10.00
Gifts & Donations =$35.00===$169.75
Medical =====$15.00
Diabetes Expenses====$50
Misc ======$9.00
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ====$79.63

Note only one amount is a no spend

Budgeted for this period $580 spent $431.38 so under budget by $148.62
No Spending days over the 28 days = 12 days in total.
Personal allowance covers confectionery, lotto, books, stamps, craft & hobby supplies.

Eating out including meals out with family and friends, we all go Dutch.

My credit cards are still paid in full each month this month I paid half of next month bill so I am ahead here.

Spending on books and papers $63.03 for the month including 4 papers. I spent on Sara Douglass novels as this is my reading challenge for 2012.
I do keep my bill money separated from this summery. This year I will be budgeting around $650 per period month to cover all my bills. This month bills were around $2286.15 so no balance banked this month. This included Annual Medical Fund payment. This fund does cover all my fixed bills for the year if I can stick to this schedule as I have done for the past ten years or so. This fund does cover replacements when needed. My next replacement due is a new washing machine the money is already saved. On my budget excel modelling chart I can pay the full amount this year. This amount includes the cat’s trip with the Vet.

As for food out, I dined out 4 times this month costing between $20 & $9 a time most were around the $9 mark as I can no longer eat at fast food outlets. That $9.00 meal’s at Casino is still looking the healthiest and best deal in the city for now.

My grocery bill came in under budget for this month.

Most of my social outing are dining out this is part of my social outings money and spending allowance.

If any changes to my spending habits will need to come out of my daily living allowance categories of my budget as my bill categories are very tight now.

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

I went shopping yesterday, to get something’s for DF-M my elderly neighbour, so had I have get a few grocery and pet food for myself too! So this shop is what I nicknamed a cat shopping (More cat food than human food.)

It’s funny how you get into habits when buying things, anyone cart snooping into my cart / trolley. Do you do it? Would wonder what I ate at all.

There was between us
12 cans of cat food
2 packets of dry cat food
40 rolls of toilet paper
750g of white grapes
5 packets of satay Asian noodles
2 litres of skim milk
5 bags of Rustic Bread rolls
1/2 stick of celery
4 knobs of Australian garlic
6 packets of pasta
2 pack of Christmas cards @50c
2 packets Christmas jelly candy @50c
Local paper

I would love to see someone try to make a meal out of that lot.

Between us we spent over $70

Today is a no spending day

As I knew that today would be on the hot side. Over the weekend I tried to do all the outside jobs possible. I did my washing and ironing too! I mowed lawn and water the garden as much as I could at least 24 hours so that ground is moist but not wet before the temperature will climb to 35C plus around here. That’s about 6 degrees above normal. In the southern states it was much higher in the 40’s C and a very dry heat too! It was around 50C in the outback around Birdsville. Once the temperature gets into the 30’s C, I will put my Air Con on for the first time this year. My feet are swollen so as this is what I bought Air Con for in the first place, my friend I am worried about her but she will not come up to visit me, I will not sit her hot house for too long either! Another three days of this heat.

I spent the day reading with my feet.

37C equals 100 F

No spending day here.

I am a very late in putting up my monthly, others things did get in the away at times.

I only just updated my Excel so here are the figures for last month. Next update will be that 13th period included in my annual totals update in Mid-January.

As I work on 28 day cycles, my dates may be out to a calendar months so here are the figures for my last period.

It’s time to start again on reviewing my monthly daily living allowance.

These are the categories for this challenge.
Items === Approx. Budget===Spent
Eating out===$35.00=====$41.70
Groceries===$135.50 ==== $96.84
Non-Food===$17.00=====$17.29
Clothes ====$35.00=====$38.45
Grooming===$15.00
Gas======$25.00======$29.50
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$52.68
HH items===$42.50
Fares== ====$9.00=====$20.00
Entrainments= $12.00
Garden =====$10.00====$39.90
Gifts & Donations =$35.00===$86.45
Medical =====$15.00======$46.15
Diabetes Expenses====$50
Misc ======$9.00
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ====$129.90
Note only one amount is a no spend

Budgeted for this period $580 spent $592.87 so over budget by $12.87.

No Spending days over the 28 days = 8 days in total.
Personal allowance covers confectionery, lotto, books, stamps, craft & hobby supplies.

Eating out including meals out with family and friends, we all go Dutch.

As for medical this is the extra out of pockets amounts that came up this month just on medicine.
As for my medical visits out of pocket expensive if they are related to Diabetes then I will class them as Diabetes Expenses will come under this new category.

Diabetes Expenses - A most will be one off items or once per year expenses. But I need to track these items on my small budget and pension. Each time I pay for some things in this category I will need to cut something in other categories. I will start using this more next year when I start seeing more diabetic trained personal.

My credit cards are still paid in full each month this month I paid half of next month bill so I am ahead here.

Spending on books and papers $88.55 for the month including 5 papers. I hit a online bookstore for some books for a birthday present in January.

I do keep my bill money separated from this summery. This year I will be budgeting around $650 per period month to cover all my bills. This month bills and home improvements were around $1532.92 so no balance banked this month. This included buying a TV Antenna, New glasses and pest control check. This fund does cover all my fixed bills for the year if I can stick to this schedule as I have done for the past ten years or so. This fund does cover replacements when needed. My next replacement due is a new washing machine the money is already saved. On my budget excel modelling chart I can pay the full amount this year. This amount includes the cat’s trip with the Vet.

As for food out, I dined out 4 times this month costing between $20 & $9 a time most were around the $9 mark as I can no longer eat at fast food outlets. That $9.00 meal’s at Casino is still looking the healthiest and best deal in the city for now.

My grocery bill came in under budget for this month.

My clothes and grooming budget was on target this month I bought some underwear.

Most of my social outing are dining out this is part of my social outings money and spending allowance.

If any changes to my spending habits will need to come out of my daily living allowance categories of my budget as my bill categories are very tight now.

Still need to work on a few categories as you can see but over all I had expensive month.

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

I finally booked the job so I will be getting the Digital Antenna this week, as I have been going to do this work done for last 2 years since I got my first digital TV 3 years ago now! They are the cheaper end of Digital TV so no fancy one here. Large Plasma TV don’t work in this house as you would be sitting on top of them. I didn’t go for Plasma TV as these are expensive to run power wise.

I did a Phone around here for my Christmas present to myself that Digital Television Antenna I have been putting off for year or two now! I least I can afford it and I will need to get one soon. I rang up three installers and got one quote by phone and another company came out to do the quote. The third company I am still waiting for a call back but they the dearest one if past dealings with them it will be expensive. The quotes were very much within $10 of each other when I add in amplifier on the phone quote. I need this as I get no signals with antennas I got now, if I have any breeze as I am below the buildings around me. Some are three stories high.

And the phone quote is for only 4 points only. This will allow moving the TV around without worrying NO signals on some Channels. If I don’t have amplifier I can have only one point and drop outs. I own three TV and plan one into other rooms if I need too! These are the bedrooms that have no TVs if I was ill then I would need one.

$840 with amplifier with 5 points cost of on 3 points so 2 points, splitter free and discount on amplifier. Saving discounts are around $470.

They will be the mostly likely will get the job as it’s the one that my son had to do his.

Australia is going all digital TV over the next two years some areas are already 100%. By 31 December 2013 there will be no Analog TV signals are phrased out altogether. Our area will be complete by June 2013.

Strategy - Ask about any discounts and don’t worry if you forgot to ask about it, worse they can say is NO if you go back and ask.