With the way the euro crisis is shaping up I think it time to pull that belt in a lot tighter, and any money that we save can go to something we need not just a want or whim. We are a lot safer here and I am worried about this.

Next year I will just do jobs around the house, like house painting which I have put off for too long now. For my Christmas present to myself I will spend money on a digital antenna for the TV as I still don’t get all the stations with the old system which is long past its use by date 1980 model it shouldn't work with digital but does most of the time! After that it will replace it or repair anything else. I can do a bit of painting on bits that I will not be getting the painter to do.

Another no spend day here!

While out walking this morning I found some money on the footpath, someone must have dropped it when getting into their car. I never find any money but this time I went a lot early than I normally do!
It’s only $5.00 but it can go with to the next donation that I make, normal if I find a Salvo collecting I will give them some money each Christmas.

My Christmas spending is nearly finished. Just three inexpensive token gifts and a gift card voucher to get now. The family is pulling in on their spending too! I just need a mobile car charger for my new phone and some odd & ends that gift card voucher will buy and I will be happy. I normally buy my own treats so I not missing out when they can’t afford it! Some will just get a big box of chocolates or other sweet treat I think!

I had a no spending day too!

With all this work on my computer, getting my freezer down a bit is a major problem I am still not getting to the bottom of it. I need to defrost some of the bottom of chest freezer meat so that is what I will be doing as it’s time do so. I have 2 turkeys’ leg & roasts there so I am cooking the oldest this weekend. Plus about 3 Chicken Maryland so will using these up and I have a lot of chicken legs packs so will putting these into my menu over few weeks two for the cats and two for me as there are 4 legs in each pack. I got them cheap enough to use them for the cats as well! Most of the red meat is in the small fridge freezer there isn’t very much. But I do have a lot of white fish frozen pieces and some crumb fish so that enough for next two to three months’ worth as I buy in bulk at 5 kg at the time about 32 pieces in all I have used some of it.

As for frozen vegetables I do have enough for a month or so, I will just buy fresh for now!

Just went looking for the roasts and what was in the chest freezer as I was just buying meat & chicken when I saw a good buy It’s time to stop this pattern and use up some of protein that I have already bought.

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

I better follow that strategy for now!

Getting things for my new computer and buying Christmas presents will be the norm around here for a while. This week I have bought 3 computer books, two for Windows 7 and one for MS Office 2010 these along with online Help and asking around should keep me going for now! Also I picked up USB Travel Hub, 8G USB sticks and extra DVD-R blanks plus a Mouse for a Laptop.

Until I learn to use this computer much better I will be on the slow side.

As my son has just got a new computer too! I have been buying a few odds & end for him as well.

So far I have spent a bit of money in getting it right without needing to go to IT tech for help.
Books were full price $107.65
But the other items were on special of 50% off or less = Totalling $178.00
So another $285.00 spent hoping this will be the last unless my printer doesn’t work but it should do so. Some items I got Senior discount off so every 5% off helps.

All this is coming out my emergency fund and I have been told I am not spending enough money by my financial adviser as I saved too much money since I lasted saw him. I knew I could save but not that good; it was so much that finding ways to stretching that dollar must be working. A lot of that is bill money and saving fund that I stretch it more than six times in the last year.

It’s real hard to come up with $1000 but it’s easy to find 1000 ways to save a dollar or two!

This has been my motto from the beginning and still is; now I can choose better items than the cheapest ones around because of it.

Well I have been thrown into this decade as my computer died on Thursday.
As you know that I have been disconnected from my Cable server and had to go to Wi-Fi last week. Three days in on Wi-Fi my computer packed in and is not worth paying another $200 to repair so I bought a new laptop and programs to go with. As all are upgrades now I have to learn to use them and along with learning to use a new mobile phone and Wi-Fi also working out how download my external HDD all my files & photos since 1999. They still there but not on the new computer but will work on this over the next few weeks. Yesterday I had set up the laptop to work and then download any programs that I needed also, so all this will keep me busy for a while and a very big learning curve to do it all by myself. Now to start saving again.

It’s has been a very expensive week.

They turn off our cable this morning. So I am on Wi-Fi and mobile now!

The monthly outlays will be $79.95 for both. I end up getting unlimited calls & text within Australia plan and the 10Gb plan for the internet. This is all I will ever need as I don’t download music or movies ever. My son now has his own Wi-Fi and computer now and lives in another house!

Now to learn to use both, this will stop me getting dementia for a while. I use these challenges as a training exercise to keep my brain active. Just think 12 years ago I couldn’t turn on a computer. I am still very nervous when upgrading or adding new programs.

Well today my new internet system arrived for my computer, as the computer & phone company that I am with is no longer having cable in some areas. So anyone in these areas being cut off from the cable for good. I thought maybe it’s just our street but I found out today that our next suburb is loosing their cable lines as well. It’s because our energy supplier has put some areas underground and therefore removing all the lampposts holing up these cables and with the national broadband coming here within the next two years they are not going underground so it’s sign up with the underground supplier or go Wi-Fi & mobile only that’s what I have gone with. My Wi-Fi Mobile broadband pod arrived today, it’s slower than my cable set up but I will learn to live with it. As for my mobile, I am still working though with that one. I still have about week to fix it up before I lose my landline altogether. I will be paying a lot more for a less then useful serves from what I have been told. I still don’t know how much more per month. Finding the plan for your style of use is the biggest problem. I am looking at three that look promising. Having my own phone I can switch if I find one not working.

As I buy very few new clothes anymore which a rare. The last time I bought a complete expensive outfit was for my son’s wedding back in 1999. The rag trade would close up shop long ago if it depended on me. I do buy some slacks, ¾ pants, shorts and t-shirts when I do buy new, I buy on special or markdown that’s the same price I can buy at the Charity /goodwill shop or second hand clothes stores. I get better quality in charity shops than when I buy new. I mainly buy the bottom half of my outer clothes new as this were I fine the shortage for my size and the most damaged clothes with elastics or Zip failing in a short time after buying. I need to take up the hem lines or wear the ¾ pants longer than you would do so if you were normal height. I like the longer length so this part doesn’t worry me that much. Under wear and socks are always bought new.

I have had busy few days, as our local charity shop is having a fill a bag sale of clothing for $5.00 last week. One morning I went up to browse around and as they were short staff until some arrived I opened up the second shop and watch other customers until the staff arrived hour later. As I knew the way around this sale and could look at the same time I was ok with this. I just was there as everyone else was just looking too when the staff arrived.

So I end up spending $20.00 for $1070 worth of clothes.

I bought 4 Bags of clothes totalling 42 items of which only one was not wearable. So at under 48 cents per garment this how can keep my clothes cost to under $300 per year. Buy very little new.


Pile of women’s clothes for picking over.


Bounty from two of bags of clothes

You don’t get the latest fashion buy second- hand clothes which I am past that stage now. The colour may be few years past in shades and styles that don’t matter if you feel good in the outfit and it goes altogether in tones. I buy by the look and feel of the fabric then the colour then look at the size then at the tag if has one. I was able to find all these off a pile on the floor with all size mixed together within under two hours. Everyone had the same task if you wished to buy something.


List of clothes bought - approx RRP

T-shirts
White -Bot Cornsurf RRP$25.00
Brown & cream, stripe V neck – Susannegrae RRP $25.00
White & beige stripe Cotton - Millers RRP$15.00
Black & White Stripe - Relaunch RRP$25.00
Grey & off white stripe - Pun Nai RRP$20.00
Yellow - Cherokee RRP $20.00
Pink & Beige stripe sleeveless – CMS RRP$20.00
Light Blue -CTM- DNM RRP$15.00
Black & white Floral sleeveless - Jag RRP$25.00
Pink with design printed -Jag RRP$20.00
Dark green with collar - Urbane RRP$20.00
Total RRP $230

Shirts
White Millers Cotton RRP$25.00
Black plain ¾ sleeves Ramie - Katies RRP$25.00
Pink ¾ sleeved Cotton/spandex - Crossroads RRP$25.00
Pink ¾ sleeved - cut off brand name RRP$30.00
Pink floral Poly - Daxon RRP$25.00
Lime plain Ramie - Now RRP$30.00
Lime cotton - Aqua by ping pong RRP$35.00
White& Brown Poly/cotton – Millers RRP$20.00
Cream background with Beige pattern , Rayon -Millers RRP$20.00
Green with mauve floral pattern, rayon – Millers RRP$20.00
Light blue with trim, Poly Rayon – Millers RRP$20.00
Blue small check with Grey trim, 100% cotton- Panola RRP$25.00
Blue Pattern rayon poly – Millers RRP$20.00
Dark Green poly - Postie Fashion RRP$25.00
Orange Plain background with a breaded trim, Poly - Millers RRP$20.00

Total RRP $365

Tops
Burnt Orange Rayon /Poly Perri Cutten RRP $40.00
Cream background with floral print, Silk – Real Clothes RRP $35.00
Black nylon S-less tank top - Now RRP $20.00
Black with white flowers Nylon S-less - Katies RRP $20.00
Total RRP $115



Two piece outfit
Top - Off white back ground with Blue floral print, Rayon/linen - Geiger Essentials RRP $25.00
Skirt - Off white back ground with Blue floral print, Rayon/linen - Geiger Essentials RRP$25.00

Pants
Brown Cargo shorts long – Millers RRP$20.00
Light grey linen /cotton slacks - Giordano Linen RRP$50.00
Grey Cargo slacks expensive ones RRP$50.00
¾ casual pants Beige 100% cotton - Jay Jay’s RRP$20.00

Total RRP $190

Dresses
Cream & black check - floor length will cut shorter RRP$30.00
Check - Potarorri Floor length will cut shorter RRP$30.00
Long blue with yellow floral print on hem line. Polyester Millers RRP$20.00

Odd pieces
Cardigan -Cream short sleeved -cut off brand name & buttons missing. RRP $25.00
Sarong aqua with mauve-pink flowers – Vanuatu- RRP $15.00
Bath robe -Pink poly -Shooze Zone (never worn) RRP $50.00

Total RRP $170

Grand Total RRP $1070


Clothes Line some of the clothes.


Two other posts on clothes shopping tightwad style.

Retail Therapy - Tightwad Style
the fill a bag sale

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

My computer was getting on the slow side, and making a noise on start up too! So I put it in the repair shop to get fixed. They found one sector of the memory was lost and power to the computer was on the way out. So these were fixed and cleaned. I paid $180 for the service next time, I will upgrade my computer altogether. I had too many other bills to lay out for a new computer at this time. I have to get a new mobile that is unlocked just to name one. So I have been without a computer for 3 days so I just hope it will last another 18 months or so.

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

I went to local Church Car Boot Sale last weekend, I found some wonderful bargains.

This is what I found.


Mixture of items found


Oil painting and books


Oil Painting


Both oil paintings are by the same artist

Spent about $16.00 all up.

I am a little late in putting up my monthly balance others things do get in the away at times but that’s another story.

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 ==== $151.46
Non-Food===$17.00=====$40.44
Clothes ====$35.00=====$25.00
Grooming===$15.00
Gas======$25.00
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$23.05
HH items===$42.50=====$42.54
Fares== ====$9.00
Entrainments= $12.00 ====$29.95
Garden =====$10.00=====$11.99
Gifts & Donations =$35.00===$21.95
Medical =====$15.00======$5.60
Diabetes Expenses====$50
Misc ======$9.00
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ====$70.99

Note only one amount is a no spend

Budgeted for this period $580 spent $443.02 so under budget by $136.80
No Spending days over the 28 days = 13 days in total.

Personal allowance covers confectionery, lotto, books, stamps, craft & hobby supplies.

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

As for medical this is the extra out of pockets amounts that came up this month just on medicine
As for my medical visits out of pocket expensive if they are related to Diabetes then I will class them as Diabetes Expenses will come under this new category.
Diabetes Expenses – nil
A most will be one off items or once per year expenses. But I need to track these items on my small budget and pension. Each time I pay for some thing in this category I will need to cut something in other categories.

My credit cards are still paid in full each month.
Spending on books and papers $39.50 for the month including 4 papers.

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 $74.96 so balance banked this month. These funds do cover all my fixed bills for the year if I can stick to this schedule as I have done for the past ten years or so. On my budget excel modelling chart I can pay the full amount this year. This amount includes the cat operation with the Vet.

As for food out, I dined out 4 times this month costing between $5 & $9 a time most were around the $9 mark as I can no longer eat at fast food outlets. That $9.00 meals at casino is still looking the healthiest and best deal in the city for now.

My grocery bill came in on high side 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.

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

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

A while ago I wrote about sorting some socks for a neighbour and getting paid to do in

sock monster & over coming it .

The other day I found a few rolls of film that never was processed which just got done a few weeks ago. I found these photos in them.


Two full baskets of odd socks


My sorting method using a rotary clothes line.

I still have this clothes line it’s a 1949 vintage, I have restored it since these photos were taken.


Here is another photo of the kookaburra on the rotary clothes line

This is the seventh in this series

For someone living from pay check to pay check this system may not work for you.
I allow a budget fixed amount to care for my cats each year excluding trips to the vet�s as I have a float for that and the float money from my last trip to the vet�s is back up to $500 again plus the cost of their flea treatments. My goal each year is to come under this amount so far I have won this battle and I have had these cats for almost 15 years.



I buy a clumping cat litter as this what my cats like to use. This is the store brand one, as I don�t like to have to drive my car to the supermarket very week, I try to buy enough to last 3 weeks ,same with the cat food except for the store brand one, that one of my cat likes and it�s the cheapest by far @ 69c! I buy enough this one until I am back into that supermarket chain again or when I get down to the last can. I only buy on special, I check each week the catalogues for good buys in the brand that they will eat. I will drop in and buy if the price is right. As the amount I buy depends on the price and how much I still have in stock from the last buying trip. Normally the price is around RRP $1.59 per can, I will try to buy it around a $1.25 or less the lower the price the more I will buy. If it even comes down 89c again then I will make extra trips to buy as many as I can up to 100 cans.

As for dry cats food I buy three different varieties for them. I will have in stock about 3 packets unopened so that I don�t just go shopping for this item. Lately our supermarkets have lowered their prices on some of their goods and these are just one of those lines that now rarely go on special now! If they do go on special then I buy extras that week.

As for vet supplies the online company I deal with here is

Priceless pets I buy enough to last 6 months at a time. This does save on postage again check the sizes and prices before you order. When I went to the vet�s he told me to change brands for a while when ordering online, I have been using Revolution for a few years now, told to change to Advantage for a while different formula but both do the same job as I have 2 cats the same size I buy the 2x 6 packs do check the price of these items at the local pet shop and online.



If things get tough in the future then I will be taking a closer look at some of these websites.

Google -- cat and dog food recipes

I came up with two gems but there are many more there but watch out for ones selling you stuff as you can find a lot of this information for free.
Pet Food Cooking Recipes

this one looks interesting that I may try some of them at some time.

This is the fifth in this series

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

muesli

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

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

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

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

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

Some other ideas can be found in this ebook Save on Grocery Shopping on this link

Eating Well on $1 A Day


$120 food challenge for family per fortnight

50 tips for grocery shopping

I once was paid by a neighbour to sort laundry basket of socks out. Having 3 males in their household most of the socks were odd, I only found 18 pairs of wearable socks in the whole basket.

The balance was odd or with holes that were unable to be mended if you still mend sock these days.

Some remarked the other day that they came home from they overseas holiday with no socks but took 10 pairs with them and sock monster ate their socks.

After thinking about this problem after first instance, I watch my own habits more closely and came up with this conclusion.

The monster sock eater is ourselves I found, I have a habit of wearing my socks to bed then they come off during the night and either left in the bed or under the bed. Now if you are travelling and doing this you’ll have a great loss of socks or sock is left behind in each hotel will soon add up. At $15.00 a pair for diabetic socks that a lot of money to loose.

To overcome this habit I have now made it a habit to put the pair of socks with my shoes or together before I leave the room each morning, since doing this I have never loss a pair of sock to the sock monster.

Another thing I found is buying as many pairs the same in style & colour as possible and on special minimum of 25% off that means multiple pairs at the same time to maximum benefit. I did on the last special and got 3 pairs of diabetic socks for $18.48 by buying multiple packs and buying on special.

Saving money and keeping it in my bank is my main aim so I can
s-t-r-e-t-c-h every cent out as much as possible. With a pair of ankle sock around $5.00 and a pair of diabetic sock $15.00. The longer a pair stays together the better.

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

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

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

These are the categories for this challenge.
Items === Approx Budget===Spent
Eating out===$35.00=====$38.05
Groceries===$135.50 ==== $77.51
Non-Food===$17.00=====$18.75
Clothes ====$35.00======$17.90
Grooming===$15.00=====$6.49
Gas======$25.00 ======$25.30
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$4.14
HH items===$42.50=====$44.64
Fares== ====$9.00
Entrainments= $12.00 ====$26.00
Garden =====$10.00
Gifts & Donations =$35.00===$71.50
Medical =====$15.00======$25.00
Diabetes Expenses====$50
Misc ======$9.00
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ====$138.89

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

No Spending days over the 28 days = 15 days in total.

Personal allowance covers confectionery, lotto, books, stamps, craft & hobby supplies.
Eating out including meals out with family and friends, we all go Dutch.

As for medical this is the extra out of pockets amounts that came up this month just on medicine. Vitamin D 250 capsules saving on these was $19.95 on the bottle I first bought.

As for my medical visits out of pocket expensive if they are related to Diabetes then I will class them as Diabetes Expenses will come under this new category. Diabetes Expenses – nil

A most will be one off items or once per year expenses. But I need to track these items on my small budget and pension. Each time I pay for some thing in this category I will need to cut something in other categories.

My credit cards are still paid in full each month.

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

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

I do keep my bill money separated from this summery. This year I will be budgeting around $650 per period month to cover all my bills. This month bills were around $177 so balance banked this month. These funds do cover all my fixed bills for the year if I can stick to this schedule as I have done for the past ten years or so. On my budget excel modelling chart I can pay the full amount this year.

As for food out, I dined out 4 times this month costing between $5 & $9 a time most were around the $9 mark as I can no longer eat at fast food outlets. That $9.00 meals at casino is still looking the healthiest and best deal in the city for now.

My grocery bill came in normal for this month and I was stockpiling a few items both food items and non-food items.

Most of my social outing are dining out this is part of my social outings money and spending allowance.
If any changes to my spending habits will need to come out of my daily living allowance categories of my budget as my bill categories are very tight now. Still need to work on a few categories as you can see but over all I had a good month.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Total $62.37

My savings for the day

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

Saving over all $225.11

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

EKKA show time in two weeks time.

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

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

I was trying to explain to some friends about saving bank fees on credit cards. They just didn’t get it.

These credit cards are ones that I can’t replace if I cancel them as I don’t meet the income levels anymore so I leave them open for emergency use and paying some bills as well as trades people but I do pay them off monthly so far haven’t paid any interest in 15 years just an annual fee.

I have more than one account both have annual fees around $30 each and they are No frills accounts. One account has a loop hole so that you don’t need to pay annual fee. If you spend and put on the credit card more than $1000 in one calendar year you don’t pay the fee for the next year. The first year was free to start with. So instead using my debit card to pay my bills I pay them with this credit card if it doesn’t have a fee for using a credit card as some firms do here. So I can charge some of my bills to this credit card then pay it off with a debit card in full. I just have to remember the annual starting date for this card. So if I pay my car bills with this credit card and any other transactions until this covers that $1000+each year thus saving the annual fee. It’s only a matter of paying it off each month which is the easy part as all these amounts are budgeted for and banked in my bill account. The way I look at it is $30 is better in my pocket than the banks. So I end up paying $30 annually in bank fees as I have worked out how to reduce banks fees all round.

Does your bank have any loop holes you could use? You may have to read the fine print on each account to find them.

The firm that I worked for 26 years had a staff discount cards for those that work for them and all retires that had work more than 15 years with this firm, they were worth 5% off goods purchases. About 5 years ago this firm was bought out by another firm which changed its staff discount system so that after 5 years all retires will drop off the system that was yesterday for us that were with the old firm.

I did go to some of the stores over the past week and bought my lasted staff discount items, 5% doesn’t seem much but every little helps. I did buy my grocery last week as our flooded local store reopen, and bought a film, slides & photograph scanner $99.00 (RRP $139.00) less my 5% discount that I still need to load on to my computer also bought a new Sunbeam electric skillet that I wanted but couldn’t find one on special but I ran into one yesterday so I bought it for $39.00 (RRP $59.00) less my 5% discount.

Am I going to miss these discounts the answer is NO. As I will not be so company focus in my shopping now and I can get just as good specials with other companies be it that will now pay 5% more for my goods but that is not the case if I work the system right by buy store cards to use at these stores. A few companies are selling these cards with a discount of 5% off the purchase price and not just the company that I work for. I just have to make sure that I don’t lose them or use them before expiring which is around 1 year for some and 2 years for others.

So here is to the new shopping era.

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

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

These are the categories for this challenge.
Items === Approx Budget===Spent
Eating out===$35.00=====$52.10
Groceries===$135.50 ==== $113.30
Non-Food===$17.00=====$10.92
Clothes ====$35.00======$11.40
Grooming===$15.00=====$6.25
Gas======$25.00
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$22.58
HH items===$42.50=====$3.20
Fares== ====$9.00
Entrainments= $12.00
Garden =====$10.00
Gifts & Donations =$35.00===$13.50
Medical =====$15.00======$5.60
Diabetes Expenses====$50
Misc ======$9.00========$6.00
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ====$67.08
Note only one amount is a no spend

Budgeted for this period $580 spent $311.93
No Spending days over the 28 days = 14 days in total.

Personal allowance covers confectionery, lotto, books, stamps, craft & hobby supplies.

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

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

Diabetes Expenses – nil
A most will be one off items or once per year expenses. But I need to track these items on my small budget and pension. Each time I pay for some thing in this category I will need to cut something in other categories.

My credit cards are still paid in full each month.

I do keep my bill money separated from this summery. This year I will be budgeting around $650 per period month to cover all my bills. This month bills were around $350 so balance banked this month. These funds do cover all my fixed bills for the year if I can stick to this schedule as I have done for the past ten years or so. This budget will be tight but just doable. On my budget excel modelling chart I can pay the full amount this year.

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

I didn’t go over in any other category but for eating out this month so I had a good month spending wise. Most of my social outing are dining out this is part of my social outings money and spending allowance.

If any changes to my spending habits will need to come out of my daily living allowance categories of my budget as my bill categories are very tight now. Still need to work on a few categories as you can see but over all I had a good month.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

These are the categories for this challenge.
Items === Approx Budget===Spent
Eating out===$35.00=====$46.75
Groceries===$135.50 ==== $73.59
Non-Food===$17.00
Clothes ====$35.00
Grooming===$15.00
Gas======$25.00=====$33.42
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$27.12
HH items===$42.50
Fares== ====$9.00 =====$20.00
Entrainments= $12.00
Garden =====$10.00
Gifts & Donations =$35.00
Medical =====$15.00=====$116.35
Misc ======$9.00=======$1.50
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ==$30.54

Note only one amount is no spend

Budgeted for this period $530 spent $349.27
No Spending days over the 28 days =14 days in total.

Personal allowance covers confectionery, lotto, books, stamps, craft & hobby supplies.

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

As for medical this is the extra out of pockets amounts that came up this month this I had a visit to a podiatrist, phsyo and bought a large wheat bag.
My credit cards are still paid in full each month.

I do keep my bill money separated from this summery. This year I will be budgeting around $650 per period month to cover all my bills. This month bills were over $1200. These funds do cover all my fixed bills for the year if I can stick to this schedule as I have done for the past ten years or so. This budget will be tight but just doable. On my budget excel modelling chart I can pay the full amount this year.

If any changes to my spending habits will need to come out of my daily living allowance categories of my budget as my bill categories are very tight now. Still need to work on a few categories as you can see but over all I had a good month. Saving for this month $180.73 on budget for amount.

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

My 700th post milestone

I have spent the last few days around home in a heat wave. So had 5 no spend days and one day other where I just bought Gas.

So today I went out and I finally I did spend some money today, I went to the city to have lunch with my ex work friends, this is our 13th year of having lunch once per month together. We still are going to the same place the casino; we each pay $20 for all you can eat meals. As king prawns are quite plentiful so prices are down that they are on the menu so long you peel them yourself.

I did spend some on pokies but end up winning more than I put in so came out square.

I also bought my next top up on GO CARD which is the way pay travelling on public transport here, if you didn’t have a Go Card then you will pay more for the same trip. The way I see it on Fares is buy in advance for next few months, as I only travel in about 3 round trips per month. I like it when I don’t have to worry about if I have enough money on the Go Card so when I am down to the last 4 trips value on my regular trips then will top up when I am in the city next . One thing you have to remember is to reregister your GO card if you don’t have a senior card version which I do as you can lose the credits on your card if you don’t. ….. $20 on Go Card.

This afternoon I walked up the street to the shops to buy a newspaper but it with sold out but in the end I bought some candy, yoghurt and grapes spending $7.57.

I also bought some second books as I felt like buying a book or two, I did go to two books stores in the city but the end I didn’t buy anything from them, so Looked at the op shops locally and end up buying 4 books not that I need any books just something different to look at and at $3.00 for the lot I came out better than buying some the new books that I was thinking of buying earlier in the day.

So all up I spent around $50.00 for the day.
One social outing, Fares, grocery, books

Today I have to go shopping and I will fix up my house insurance bill which is due in two weeks as I think it’s well over valued, so I will get them to reduce it but keep it over valued by $60000 and contents reduced by $30.000 as they have upped my insurance bill by 23% in costs and increased value by $30000 on last years when I thought it was to high then.

Last year when I got this insurance bill, I asked about reducing the value down a bit as I thought then it was over valued then but they said it would only go down by $15.00 so I left it as is. Now it’s overvalued by $150000 in real value as I have had the house valued this year.

The contents is overvalued as well as most of contents are collectables and they have a value of only $2000 maximum pay out if lost for all and as this policy is 'New For Old One' with an excess on it. Something needs to be done with it before they start increasing the cost because of the floods for next year. I would hate to see Brisbane if I got flood here by the Brisbane River.

I will be staying with this insurance company as they are one of the few that do cover for any flooding event.

Trip to the city today, to visit chiropractor and podiatrist as I need both to keep me in shape or is it just plain old age. I do get some money back on my health fund but not much so I have out pocket expensive with these visits. I look at that you have to spend money some where why not on my health. Over twelve months period, I have 12 chiropractic @ $49 and 2 podiatrist visits at full pension rate @ $53.50 and 4 subsidized visits costing $14 in out of pocket expenses. I do get $19.50 refund for each visit at all full price. In around about way cost is $909 between refunds and subsidize Medicare fund the out of pocket costing is $430.40 which I budget for in my bill budget allowance. On top of this I have found away to save an extra 10% off Chiroprator bill by paying the full bill yearly as I can't get 10% in bank interest anywhere.

While the floods were on and having a blackout because of the flooding when one of the substation when under in our area. I wasn’t affected in the floods but lost of power for 4 hours and all the traffic lights were out around us and the businesses were on half power or rolling blackouts. Places went under water only 200 metres down the hill from where I live and the shopping centre is out of action for a number of months as it went underwater to the roof around 30 shops and businesses.

My 22 year old microwave decided to stop working and I had go out an get a replacement which I did when the rain stopped and some of the roads were safe to drive on. So I went looking at a large shopping centre not affected by the flood to price out a new one. My budget for a replacement was around the $300.00 mark for the largest and best in that price range. I looked at a number of models started to cross check pricing between stores. As I wanted 34L model with large inside cooking area. Most I found didn’t have large inside cooking area. It was between two models of the same brand that I liked LG - 34L 1100W - 3446 or 3448 models the only problem was, that they didn’t have any in stock to buy. One place was selling them for $226 (3446 model) and another $219 but no stock for 2 weeks but with all the microwaves that will be sold in the next few weeks, it could be months. So I came home without one. Later in the afternoon my DF-D was going out to drop off some items for the flood victims so I went with her and afterwards we went shopping for my microwave in a different shopping centre. I end up getting the LG - 34L 1100W - 3446W one for $200.00 cash. So I saved $26 on that model and $100 less than I budgeted for.

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=====$75.85
Groceries===$135.50 ==== $118.70
Non-Food===$17.00=====$11.61
Clothes ====$35.00=====$47.74
Grooming===$15.00=====$20.00
Gas======$25.00=====$25.70
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$36.47
HH items===$42.50
Fares== ====$9.00 ======$20.00
Entrainments= $12.00
Garden =====$10.00
Gifts & Donations =$35.00=== $153.00
Medical =====$15.00=====$59.90
Misc ======$9.00
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ==$55.13
Note only one amount is no spend

Budgeted for this period $530 spent $624.10
No Spending days over the 28 days =14 days in total.

Personal allowance covers confectionery, lotto, books, stamps, craft & hobby supplies, and stationary. I got strung on buying Christmas stamps now I have enough for next few years. I also had a blow out on confectionery /candy buying some Christmas candy and box of chocolates for myself. I did donate some money for our floods as well buy some gift cards for the family. Eating out included my input into the Christmas dinner this year. As for medical this is the extra out of pockets amounts that came up this month. My credit cards are still paid in full each month.

I do keep my bill money separated from this summery. This year I will be budgeting around $630 per period month to cover all my bills. I have started to bank each month out of this amount $180 to cover my medical & hospital cover so that I will have it available at the end of the year. These funds do cover all my fixed bills for the year if I can stick to this schedule as I have done for the past ten years or so. This budget will be tight but just doable. 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.

So far in my challenge to reduce spending in 2011, I have changed my

internet & phone plan and topped up my mobile plan for the year by $20.00, with the credit on it plus very limited use this amount will be almost all I will pay until December.

As for transport, as I limit the amount of driving that I do to planned trips with multi jobs, I can almost do without a car if I didn’t need it to travel across suburbs that don’t link up without a two hours bus trip one way then same trip back again or pay $60 each way in taxi fares to get there. We have a very large city so travel is on set routes but if you live or wish to travel outside these routes it can be a problem. Want can take 30 minutes around trip by car can take up to 4 hours and then you need catch multi buses to catch. So much about transport at least I do get cheaper fares with Senior discounts so that all helps.

My car with all it services, insurances and gas along with tolls does cost money that I could cut if things ever got out of hand. At the moment it’s my one luxury that I will live with for now. I do use the buses if I am heading for areas that I need to pay for parking as it works out a lot cheaper to do so.

Strategies
I don’t pay for parking unless I have no choice (unless e.g. hospital car parks or airports.)
I don’t use toll way unless I have no choice
I don’t drive in water across roads (my car is too low)

I broke two of my own strategies in the past two days. My mind was thinking a long the lines of this

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

When I got home I found that I was charged one at the special markdown price and same second item at full price. It may have been two packets of pikelets but to pay full price no way.

As I didn’t use my other Strategy - Check your dockets and ask for a refund so I went back this morning for a refund of $3.00 and bought another treat for myself of some Christmas candy. Now I have 24 pikelets and 1 kilo (2.2lb) candy for less than price that I was charged.

While I was shopping I remember that I was out of paper towels in the kitchen but forget to check my stockpile area for them. So bought a pack of three on special it wont hurt to buy one packet of them WRONG, I already got six rolls in storage. That will teach me not to look next time.

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

Now remember not to buy any toothpaste, shampoo & conditioner, toilet paper, soap, liquid soap, makeup or creams, paper towels, detergent, washing powder or pre-soakers for a while.