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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


It's a No spending day

I did venture out into the Christmas crowds this week, mainly to pay off my credit card and get a cheque (check) for DF-M and then post a bill for her. She gave me some money to buy myself a present which I must show her what I have bought it’s a mind game. There were some sandals on special this week at Kmart that I liked the look of, so I went there and bought 2 pair black sandals, 3 T-shirt night dresses kind and 6 pairs of white sport socks as they were on all special and on my To Buy List. You may ask why not wait until Boxing Day Sales; I just want keep out of them, I will spend less by doing that. The prices may be a little cheaper and but the sizes may not be there, as some of the size were already missing. Along with buying some store gift cards for the family as they like to shop the Boxing Day Sales. I only buy a few gifts each year as most of my gifts now are gift cards.

Shoes reg. price $29.95 each x2 =$59.90, sale price $15.00 each =$30.00
Night Dresses reg. price $10.99 x 3 = $32.97, sale price $8.80 each =$24.75
6 pairs of white sport socks reg. price $9.99, sale price $7.92
AAA batteries x10 +6 free pkt. = $13.30
Total $75.97 - less 5% for team members discount =$72.18

Being a very practical person so DF-M gift will be two T-shirt Night Dresses & six pairs of white sport socks. Also while shopping around I started picking up a gifts for next Christmas saving 40% off in my under $10.00 range.

While I was out I bought some 1L brandy custard on special $1.00 off and regular fruit cake both coming $4.95. I’m a bit like Jamie Oliver and refer bought thick custard.

Saved on purchases $44.98

Weekly Main Meal Menu

Sunday ~ Omelet with Shredded Cheese and Salad & Mango
Monday ~ Pasta with Tuna & Tomato Sauce & Stone Fruit
Tuesday ~ Christmas Dinner
Wednesday ~ Chicken Salad & Stone Fruit
Thursday ~ Steak & Vegetables
Friday ~ Steamed Fish and Salad
Saturday ~ Chicken Kebabs with Salad

How to buy - Three Beauty Budgets - (Single Woman) Pamela is prepared to slash out a bit on beauty She has a good job, lots of dates. But when we worked out what she spends she got a shock. *For that sum I should be able to afford some the more expensive cosmetics which still seem out off my reach! * Budget and they won't be, we told her. Suggested budget for Pamela Approx. - 1 per week - just over - 4 per calendar month. Fixed monthly buys Four shampoo and sets @ 8s-6d (Home *Polylock colour wave (8s) when needed, instead of salon set).....*1-14s.0d Cutting ***7s-6d 'Blue Grass' flower mist****..11s-9d Nail colour (Gala 'little Gem'in basis pink shade)***.2s-6d Variable buys On four rota - four -month supplies: a. Town& Country foundation (Helena Rubinstein)..14s-6d b. Large size Silk face powder *** 15s c. Refills for Helena Rubinstein lipsticks 7s-6d & silk minute make-up ***6s-6d d. Tissues, cottonwool, unscented baby powder, hand lotion by Vinolia refills, magic deodorant, & nail polish remover- average *****..14s-3d Alternate months - Theatrical remover..5s -average ***2s-6d Coty vitamin moisture balancer.. 9s-6d Every three months- average ****3s-2d Eye make-up (Max Factor) average ***5s Total :- ($8.16)***4-0-8 Using the above list let see what I would buy or change! This budget back then was just a dream on my wage. Looking at it now! It would depend on what money you have available to spend - your job and time you have to spend on beauty routines. I would be looking at wash n wear hair style as you would most likely be spending time in a gym too! So the salon sets would be out and limited to special occasions. Good style cut to keep the hair suitable for corporate world. But adding to this list a Sunblock SPF 30+, Tinted Moisturizer, Face mask, styling gel etc, Shampoo & Conditioner would need to be bought as the salon set covered this also looking for better prices on perfume, and deodorant and buying a hair styling blower. Buying all at lowest price you could fine. Switching to inexpensive salon for a good cut using a 'wash & wear' style and along with dropping the face powder and salon sets altogether. Many of you may have different ideas of want is necessary but I do like the way this budget was thought out and may be the best guide in planning our beauty budgets for the future. Finis ~I hope you found this article from yesteryear was helpful.

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

Hilary can spend more.

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

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

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

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

Suggested budget for Hilary.

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

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

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

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

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

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

No Spending Day

How to buy - Three Beauty Budgets - (SAHM)

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

Janet can spend only a little …

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

These are prices around my area.

No Spending today

Budget for Hair Beauty

If you hair looks pretty and well-groomed; you do.

Learn how to set your hair by watching the hairdresser. Practice with easy bristle rollers. Invest in a hair dryer to save time and give a professional look. One is about the price of eight salon sets (75s) [$7.50].

Get the most out of money spent on professional care, by studying the salon’s price list and always asking “Is there an extra charge?” when other treatments is suggested. Don’t waste expensive sets on hair that needs cutting or perming. Don’t economize by cutting you own hair.

Save money on perms, not by having cheap “cut-price” ones, but by finding a small, reliable , reasonable salon. The price of materials is less than some salon prices suggest. If you need light, frequent perms, make the effort to find someone who’ll wind up a home one for you.

Save money on hair colouring by choosing semi-permanent tint rather than a series of rinses (which prove more expensive). If you plan a drastic change of colour (by bleach or permanent tint) consider the expense of root re-touching. Highlights cost less on upkeep.

Here are my views on above text.

Learn how to set your hair Yes I did have all those fancy styles that needs rollers & hair dryer to keep looking good back then! Today I have good cut in a wash 'n' wear style that I need just to comb out and when dry looks great. I do use heat rollers to set my hair when I have special occasion to go too, with just not brushing out the curls but using my fingers instead to style my hair I can get the look that I want for the next 12 hours or so. Have you ever slept in rollers? Not a nice feeling so the new hair appliances are a lot cheaper and a lot easier to use now. Hair blower and heat rollers may be all you need now! I most times don’t even use them; I just have wash ‘n’ wear hair cut.

Save money on perms This is one area you can save money on by not having this done. But only you can know if a perm is necessary for you.

Get the most out of money spent on professional care Here are my strategies’ on hair cuts & dyeing hair.

I wrote this, In the

Re-reading Tightwad Gazette
I have updated figures here.

No 51 - ‘Three ways to save ’ Vol 1 - p42 (CTG)
I love this article; it made me understand why I had more money than my friend who had to work twenty hours per week more than I do and still have to borrow off me, I was using this strategy. A one case in point, she has her hair styled and dyed every six weeks for $105 in a salon about 9 visits per year. I have my hair trim or a styled cut and dyed averaging about $20 per visit every six to seven weeks. Using the above strategy. How much a year are we each spending and what are my strategies, clue I am using all three. What do you think I am doing to Save Money?

My friend’s Hair Salon Style-cut and Dyeing cost $945 per year. This is her choice to do this!
My option is a combination of salon hair cut and home DIY dying.

To recap on the strategies in use.
1. Buy it cheaper.
2. Make it last longer.
3. Use it less.

Hair Cuts
1. I use a cheaper hair salon than my friend does. Style cut every six weeks @ $18 = $162
2. Have my hair cut every seven weeks then costs Style Cut @$18 = $126
3. Have one style cut to every two hair trims @ $16 each, that’s 3 style cut and 4 trims (7 hair cuts) per year equals $118

Dying Hair
1a. Doing my own DIY dying at home. Box of hair dye cost $16 per box retail. $16 x9 = $144
1b It’s possible to buy discount or discontinued stock for less than 50% off retail price.
Working on that the cost would be about $8 per box. $8 x9 = $72
2a Do the dying after each Hair cut every seven weeks $8 x 7 = $56
3a I divide the dye into two lots by keeping an old dye bottle and pouring ½ the mixture of each
into it and mixing the two formulas in this bottle Cost $4 x 7 = $28 (I have chin length hair.)

Strategies 1 & 1a = $306
Strategies 1 & 1b = $234
Strategies 2 & 1b = $198
Strategies 2 & 3a = $154
Strategies 3 & 3a = $146

Strategies 3 & 3a is a combination of strategies 1 plus 2 and 3 plus 1a plus 1b plus 2a and 3a.

So I am saving over $817 on what my friend is spending for the same service. I am still saving $160 on my own first option. Not only that if I shop around for hair dye, I still get it cheaper then $8.00 per box my last lot cost only $5.95 per box, buying a year’s supply when I find it at good price.

Save money on hair colouring As I’m in the grey hair group and don’t wish to be paler than am, I do choose to dye my hair as close its natural colour as possible. If in time, I choose to go totally grey, I may use this strategy. Allowing my hair to grow in length without dyeing for about 3 months over the winter months, and in late spring have my hair styled in shorter style than I normally have so that the entire dyed colour is cut out. Then wait for another 8 weeks have another style cut. By this time summer will be nearly over when I can start growing a it little longer if choose to do so.

Cut out all that waste

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

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

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

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

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

Here are my views on above text.

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

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

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

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

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

Lesson Three to follow

No spending today.

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

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

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

Spend a Little … Look Great

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

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

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


Another No spend day here

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

Weekly Main Meal Menu

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

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

It’s another No spending day here again.

It’s the day that I meet up with my friends for lunch. We went to Sizzlers again, an all you can eat salad bar*. Saving $3.94 here with my senior card.

I did pay off my credit card to the amount on it this month. It still has a small amount on it that was bought after the cut off date, which I will pay next bill period. When I use my credit card like this I can go over into next month without paying interest as I have 45 days no interest period. $$$Another strategy

I did go to the doctor’s today in the afternoon for my annual flu vaccine. I do get my vaccines at pensioner discount $4.90 saving about $25.00 here.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH lunch out*
DINNER Scrambled Eggs on toast

Today’s Full price Tally $50.50
Today’s Savings - $28.96
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $10505.37

For 2 years now, I have had a very noisy garden tap, no matter what was done with it. It still had the problem. So today we worked on it and put new screws into the wall that was holding on the tap. You guess it that was the problem the screws were to small and pulling out of the brickwork all the time. Longer screws and the problem are now solved. Over 30 man-hours to find out this and the water meter reading problem is still to be solved as this tap upset the water meter also!

He bought some new fluo light tubes for me costing $7.00.

I went up to get the handbag for DF-M and bought a novel and another cookbook for a set of cookbook that I am making up. They are 20 in this set so far I have been able to buy 2nd hand eleven of them. I do carry a list of the one’s I have got in my wallet. Saving $5.00 here.
$$$ Another Strategy.

Today’s Full price Tally $13.50
Today’s Savings - $ 5.00
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $ 10,018.97
$$$ Another Strategy

I was the driver today for my friend DF-M grocery shopping expedition of 4 hours. On these grocery shopping expedition I do try not to buy too much. As I can’t match her shopping habits or her way of spending. I don’t try too!

First stop, the Italian deli specialty store you name it, I think she bought it. But as she is going to the country to-morrow for a week, I don’t know how much is for the families up there. I bought Cheese and a spice here costing around $7.78. No saving here.

Next stop, the supermarket where she bought her monthly groceries, I bought few groceries cat litter and meat here saving $5.12 here by making wise choices in want I bought.

As I deli ham for my lunches, they small packets for 50g each that you can out when you need to use. I can buy these in 100g (2x50g) for $2.79 per pack or like today I bought 300g (4x75g) for $5.45 @ unit price for 100g = $1.81 saving $2.92 over the other option. I do know that if I bought in the deli section it may have been cheaper but I would have had to make to many trip to the supermarket and use gas just to by that one item with to much room for impulse buying. But I am on maximizing my no spending days challenge $$$ Another Strategy.

Last stop was the butcher’s and the boot repairer shop so they could fix a handbag for her DD. This I will need to pick up on to-morrow. I was given some rib fillet steak (4 serving worth) in return for my trouble. Value $15.00

Today’s Full price Tally $52.12
Today’s Savings - $ 20.12
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $10,013.97

I order some online cookbooks a week ago and they arrived today. As I don’t like using credit card online at all. I was bitten once. I only deal with a company that I can post a cheque/check too! I may pay a little more but my money is safe and I have peace of mind. The books that I bought were More with Less Cookbook by Doris Longacre & Frozen Assets Cookbook by Debi Taylor- Hough and they are very interesting to read. The money I spent was my birthday gift for my last birthday. I entered these in This "Mirror Image Challenge and balancing my budget" Post.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Crackers & Cream Cheese Coffee
DINNER Pumpkin & Lentil Stew with Garlic Focaccia Bread

I had to recharge my pre-paid mobile today as it is soon due and I didn’t want to lose my credits if I forgot to re-charge it on the date due. Too much to lose, and I not talking about cents here. it’s annual pre-paid plan that I am on as I only use it for SMS & incoming calls. I will only use it for actual calls if I am in trouble or have lost the person I am with and need to find them. As we all have mobile phones in our family. My family bought this mobile phone about three years ago so that I could have on when I am driving back and forth from they place 20 minutes away on a freeway and they can find me if I am out. It’s when I do put my mobile on.

So back to the costing of this mobile phone, Ok I got it for FREE with $30.00 free calls on it. As I can’t hear it ring only see the lights when a message come in. I don’t use it much to talk on, as the calls on this annual plan are .60cent per minute. I have no voice mail, rarely call out, only SMS mainly. After first 2 months, I bought $50.00 recharge and put it on annual plan. At the end of the first year I had $49.00 left which rollover to next recharge which I put another $50.00 recharge on it and next year another $50 recharge. Because now, I have still $72.00 left to rollover this year I put only $20.00 on it this time which is the lowest I can get. This is not all I saved, as I got 15% off each of those recharges as well! So what’s the cost of my mobile phone to date. As the phone was free with $30.00 in call. I spent only $127.50 out of my pocket. In 3 years I had $200 of call credits now have $92.00 left. Using only $108.00 in this time. $108.00 call credits used on Mobile phone calls in 3 years with a phone that is in daily use. Can anyone else beat this?

Also I went shopping today, bought some groceries $3.85 saving $2.00 and had lunch out $2.95 and free coffee, saving $2.45 and I bought chocolates as I do have a sweet tooth. $3.88 saving .60 here

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Crackers & Marinated Feta Cheese with Marinated Peppers Fruit Coffee
DINNER Savoury Mince on Toast. Fruit Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $33.10
Today’s Savings - $ 8.05
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $ 9963.51

I had to make two trips to the shops today. Because I broke one of my own rules I didn’t check my docket before I left the shopping. When I got home and eating one of these treats with a coffee, and looked at the docket and found that they had charged me full price for it. So I got in the car and went back within the hour to check it out, as it was advertise line too! It was advertise for $3.29, I was charged $4.49 for it so I got it for free. I did buy anything else just walked out too!

I bought some grocery when I bought the treats too!

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Crackers with Hummus & Herbs Fruit Coffee
DINNER Pasta with Pasta Sauce & Tuna

Today’s Full price Tally $10.77
Today’s Savings - $ 4.49
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $9847.02

My handyman friend came by so we went off to buy the paint for the door project. It’s my job to do all the painting which I like doing. So the doors are new and have never been painted before I will just varnish them and let the natural wood show through no straining before hand. This look does take me back to my childhood days. Why does wood needs to be strained so you have a fake wood colour of another wood? As I do like to have the best paint I can afford when I do paint and good brushes etc. This is an area I don’t try to cut back on. I did get a 10% discount off with a voucher on total of the docket. Saving $4.83.

My friend had taken my Free wheel borrows, wheel away a few months ago to fix it and return it today. So that job is now done. As he wouldn’t take any money for it so saving $15.00 on that cost. Now I have 3 wheel borrows but one is for cementing jobs only as I can’t move it when full so I had to buy a new one 15 years ago that I could move. Now I have a 2nd one that I can use in the garden. If I had to wait for someone to come over to move it the jobs would never get done. So everything that I buy, I must be able to use and not have to wait for someone else to do it for me! $$$ Another Strategy

Today’s Full price Tally $ 48.35
Today’s Savings - $ 19.83
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $9538.86

For my Birthday I got a FREE store gift voucher from a jewellery store here, to the value of $25.00. You just need to have your email address with them and you get a discount card plus this gift card for use in your birthday month. Only I didn’t need anything from there so I did make a trip with DF-M today. Just so that I could use gift voucher, they were having a 50% off Sale too! So we just bought photo frames for my gift box. My out lay was just $5.00 in cash for three photo frames. $$$ Another Strategy DF-M bought one frame for $5.00 too!

We went to another store for some underwear for her, which was on special also saving her $11.65 so she had a good shopping day too! We then went off to Aldi down the road to shop. Spending $13.05 and saving $2.54 here.

Today’s Full price Tally $73.05
Today’s Savings - $57.54
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $9306.91

It’s one of my strategies to wait for next week catalogues to arrive before I buy some items that I will need next week, if they are in this week catalogues. Well as I have run out of dried cats I will need to buy more and it’s on special at another supermarket this week but not as I hoped next week. So it’s drive the car over to this store one suburb away from mine, so not far. I bought 4 packets of dried cat food, one was just for treats as I don’t give them thing different in the way of treat but for this one brand which is a lot dearer than the other one and half the size too! All were 3.19 saving $2.70 here. So lean ground beef was markdown so I bought 2 small trays saving $2.00 here. Some Christmas gift-wrap 50% off that I could use 2 of the roll for birthday wrap so I bought 2 x2 packs saving $4.00 here. I did buy a magazine that I like for a change so I spent $2.60 on that. Groceries that I did buy were cheaper here than I price in other stores so I stock up them or bought a one to try, to see if I like it. Saving $2.60 here.

Today’s Full price Tally $44.63
Today’s Savings - $ 11.30
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $9150.85

I did a rack of ironing today, that was the business shirts for my neighbor’s son so I am ahead on time. As this was only thing required before his mother comes home in eight weeks time but I am planning to have it all done and out of my house before he comes home in two week’s time.

My other project for the day was to get the bird netting repaired & the extra piece added to it. There is a trick to put it together too! First you do needed to repair any holes from the last time it was used. I did this by laying out the bird net on the ground then getting some clothes pins/pegs and putting them, where the hole is so I could fix all the holes at the same time.

So here is my steps for this project.

Step1 Find the hole, tag with clothespin then look for more until all found.

Step 2 Get a safety pin or bobbin using a thick NYLON string (50m roll I had bought last time I fixed it at $2.00 store). Thread the nylon string around the holes one row past hole making a circle then pulling the thread tight & tie off that hole with a knot. As so on until all holes are done. My bird net had about 15 holes to fix this time.

Step 3 Using the same nylon string, I sat in the backyard on a stool looped & knotted every 2 inches, the extra 4 x 4 metres on the old bird net. Making it now over 8x5m long with the other piece added to it.

Step 4 Now I need to get it back over my Persimmon fruit tree, which by the way is now over 6 metres tall. I do have a special long pole that I recycled a few year’s ago. That I use to lift the bird net over this tree. The Flying Foxes (Bats) to still can get at the fruit but only the ones nearest to the net. We have a large 100,000 Bat colony near where I live. $$$ Another Strategy

Well have finish my entire neighbor’s washing, it’s time that I did some of my own.

I have left it a bit long in doing to its time schedule but just by a few days. I did do two loads a little larger than normal this time. My going out clothes for Christmas & New Year are in this lot for hand washing. I do hand washing, as this does save on wear ‘n’ tear on good clothes and helps with not going into a third load as I only use one-eighth of the water in hand washing. As I did kept one bucket of sudsy water for hand washing from the first load and use some of rinsing water from the first load also. $$$ Another Strategy Ways of save water in a drought. I did water the garden while I was washing as I was using recycle water this was allowed.

It’s a no spending day here. A very quite day just work on my computer and resting.

Well after 3 weeks into this year’s budget, I better work on want I have to live with for next 12 months. My projects for 2007 are over budget by around $5000. I will have to see where I can cut back, so some can get done.

My living expenses at moment are around $420 and bills $530 per 28 days with some over estimates on bills by 10%. This only leaves very little leftover for these projects. Three projects need to be done this year, each costing around $1800 each. On a gloss income of under $13500, I will have to cut fat big time.

As you know I am getting a water tank in the next few weeks, that’s $1540 there will be a rebate on it too! But will have to wait anything up to six months for it. So that rebate will go to one of the next projects on the list. My handyman friend wants to put an exit door and security screen door in my computer room, YES does need doing if there were a fire in this end of the house I can’t get out full stop! About $1200 for that job, as he is returning to New Zealand soon, it will be fixed before he goes. I had another person quote on this job but he has died since. The other project is buying a new computer, as this one is now too old to update any longer. I have about 10 months before I need a new one. I have to have my termite spray this year as well and will put it off as long a possible. That one is expensive and may have to come out of my capital savings if necessary. All other projects will be on unable to be fixed needs replacement list only. That’s will be only way they will be replaced in 2007.

So you may see a lot of no spending days in the future, as I go looking for the fat in this budget.

I will start with my grocery and eating out budgets, and see what can be done to cut back here.
Normally I annual budget is these amounts in these areas so I will keep them at these amounts and see if I can go under.

Grocery $1500 (last year $1160), target of $800 (I will live off bulk assets for a while.)

Eating out $400 (last year $520), target of $350 (As known spending is 4 birthday’s dinners and 18 lunch dates this year.) As I don’t budget for other’s eating at my place other than what on that week’s menu. I have to spend money to go with them to eat out as this is they lifestyle and we all go Dutch. I do keep a float $40 for this kind of spending so I am never notable to go. $$$ Another Strategy

I had a quite New Year Eve and end up going to bed around 10pm. As I was going to sleep at the computer while watching TV. I have a TV beside my computer, I can see some of the programs that I may miss at times.

I did a bit of gardening this morning not much, but an hour of trimming the edges with scissors as I have more energy at 5.30am than any other time of the day. No power tools allowed before 7am and 8am on Sunday and public holidays a local council by-law. Don’t want to wake the neighbor’s do we!

This afternoon my DS & DIL arrived to go shopping at Target in my local centre. But it was closed so we went of, to the city Target store that was still open. They just bought some marked down Christmas cards @ 50% off. You can get a better range if you do buy some at 50% off mark down price, than waiting to buy it all at 75% off markdown. Here most is junk or broken packaging items or very slow selling lines when it gets down to that price. $$$Another Strategy

I didn’t buy a thing, so another No Spending Day for me.

Happy New Year to all.

Drove my car over to a shopping centre so that I could do some shopping there today, as I need to use a gift voucher I was given by a friend before the end of year.

It was for $10.00 at a chemist shop on non-medical lines. This gift voucher is a good one, in that you buy what you would like and then have taken $10.00 off the price of items bought. So as I needed some new batteries for my personal organizer even I could them cheaper else where but they would be the cost of the gift voucher @$9.90, there I got them for FREE, I bought just one other line that I would like to try too! So all up I spend $4.85 at the chemist. Saving $13.90 on the lines that I bought as the other was on a special discount price too! $$$ Another Strategy

I drop into the grocery store next door. Only bought four items that I wanted Italian herbs, @ $2.69, changed twice but found by the operator and cancelled out. Coconut @ $1.79, 4 rolls of Christmas wrap 50% off @ $3.58 saving $3.58 here. Some Fruit & Nut Mix @ $3.97 on special only but I was changed $6.99 full price on Thursday when the special had been going since Tuesday. So I got that item for FREE with a full refund. How can you get two mistakes in such a small order?

Today’s Full price Tally $37.38
Today’s Savings - $ 24.47
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $8787.55

I had to go into the city again today to visit my doctor. While there, I went shopping for a small gift for a friend’s birthday today. I got some biscuits and food items to make up into small hamper. A good time to do this at this time of the year. I also pick up gift vouchers for another friend’s birthday over New Year. She likes to shop in one shopping centre near where she works. So I got her smallest amounts gift vouchers that were possible as this centre has a change policy on they gift vouchers. So if you had a $50.00 voucher were to buy sometime for $35.95 you forfeit the rest of voucher, so I buy $10.00 ones. $$$ Another Strategy

While I was in the city I got my medical refund $19.40, and bought some groceries and fresh fruit & vegetables costing $19.34 on the way home.

I also bought more 2nd books for $3.00 value RRP $15.95

Today’s Full price Tally $78.29
Today’s Savings - $ 35.35
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $8750.17

Well it’s Boxing Day here. I did look at the sale catalogues that arrived this week-end. Only item that I needed and as I was given gift card for that store, I decided to go and buy a Teflon frypan that was 50% off. (RRP $44.49 at another store.) Saving $25.88 as I get a staff discount on top.

After I went to look at the supermarket where I get staff discount also, all Christmas line were 50% off also. I did run-a-muck here. The items that were on special were items that I could use as gifts or as extra Christmas gift along with the frypan. I found the packs of Bows that I was looking for 3x, saving $3.06, gifts tags 2x saving $2.34, Door decoration 1x saving $$3.50.

Mixed Gift packs for next year x3 saving $14.81 and mixed Food gift packs $13.86.

At the next store I only bought another food gift pack saving $6.50 here.

When I went to the other supermarket in the shopping centre, and got some lunch for bananas 4x a luxury here but the price is now only $3.98 kg, 3 months ago it was $15.98kg. Walking around looking if they had put their Christmas lines on special too! Which they hadn’t I found some frozen Turkey Thigh Roll @ 50% of, last one left too! Saving $3.65 here. I will cook it for my birthday next month. I only spent $67.55 for the day including what was bought on my gift card. Saving a grand total $73.60 on the day.

As it was raining when I left the shopping centre, so I had to wash down my car later in the day. Well, I can wash my car in a litre of water and still have half of that water left to put on my garden when I am finished, I am using thick micro-cloths, one is a glove and other is thick flat square one and glass micro-cloth. I do dust the car down first if it’s not being rained on like today. It was over 20mm of rain. $$$Another Strategy

Today’s Full price Tally $141.15
Today’s Savings $ 73.60
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $8714.82

It started out late last night with phone call from my son, about party ice. Would I get some and how much room I had in my freezers, his view is that it should empty so that he can use it.

So early this morning at dawn, I drove up to the garage, which sells Party Ice and bought 3 x 4kg bags and found some room in my freezer for them. By the time we were ready to use them, they would have been sold out. That done I went about my routine of empty the bath water so that I could have a shower and wash my hair. I save my bath & washing water for recycling on the garden. Ironing my two Christmas T-shirts for today.

Early this morning one of my neighbors came over with plate of Greek goodies for me before he went off to church.

I went to DF-M place for coffee & toast, and exchange Christmas gifts with my adopted family as her youngest daughter’s children are age 6 to 10, three beautiful little girls have come to visit her for Christmas. (Over the years I have always adopted a young family to give small gifts too!) Each year I buy a small gift each for Christmas. Just something to occupy them while they are visiting, their Nona (grandmother). It has been coloured pencils and pencil case and some exercise books each for a number of years now. Next year, I will buy them some thing different. Maybe, those cross-stitches craft sets and floss, I bought not long ago. MMM! Made some Rum Balls for their parents and gave them in some large mugs that I bought last Christmas and never used. For my friend I gave her a toilette set & beautiful angel trinket dish.

After visiting there, I drove down to a friend place to exchange gift with her. I only give my friend a personal small gift. I have a Christmas breakfast each year with her family and I am there when the family exchanges gifts too! With four children, and partners along with all her grandchildren and at times family friends. She does this so the families can spend the day with the partners’ families and all children are in the same place at the same time. It’s nice to just sit and watch this activity each year. With 17 of us for Christmas breakfast, we had BBQ Rissoles, Sausages, Bacon, Grilled Onions & Tomatoes, Scramble Eggs and Fried Egg with Toast, along with Grapes, Cherries, Peaches & Nectarines, Nuts & Candy. This is all before 10am. $$$ Another Strategy

I came home to rest for a few hours and have a light lunch with my cats. I could have gone out for Lunch and made a pig of myself. But I needed to rest before driving out again as I was late in getting home to-night, I didn’t want to go to sleep at the wheel on the trip home.

Later in afternoon I drove up with the party ice and my gifts to my son’s house for Christmas Evening Dinner with his wife’s family. We had a swim in their pool, and found time to exchange gifts too! I got my DVD of DA Vinci Code, double set. Along with another new Cookbook AWW Red Cover $70.00 value, among other things. For dinner we had roast turkey with cranberry sauce, baked ham and two salads along with summer desserts. Eight sat down for dinner here.

So I was not alone for Christmas, as 33 other people had across my path today from two to eighty year old.

Merry Christmas.

Today’s Full price Tally $15. 00
Today’s Savings - $ 0.00
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $8641.22

I have a folder that I keep my warranties and dockets in which I keep until I have or no longer own that item. Doing this allows me to know how long I have had an item, some are bought in the 70’s as I still have all the dockets that are still in use. So I need to cull what’s no longer in use and a general tidy up as well.

The folder is just a with a lot of small Zip folder pockets that we have added over the years, these zip pocket folders are now around $2.50 each but I bought them 30 years ago. All my booklets and instructions for all appliances are kept in there too! If they are not needed for the running of an appliance.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Crackers & Blue Vein Cheese Coffee
DINNER Roast Chicken & Steam Vegetables Fruit Coffee

This morning I had appointment with skin specialist. For my skin tone and hair coloring with freckles I should be a candidate for skin cancer. I just don’t tan, I just go red then blister and go back to white again. Luckily, I did get badly burnt as a child that would not go out in the sun again when it’s hot. I was a very stubborn child where getting burnt was concern. This has saved me from having any skin cancer, just may be. I only had a new sore on my hand which was zapped by the skin specialist just in case. I am to go back in 4 years if I am not worried by any charges in my skin. Our state has the one of worse rates of skin cancer in the world. So that little visit cost $110.00 and refund $64.30. But a lot of peace of mind here.

Less than hour later, I had a appointment in the same street with optician for new glasses. I have a new one pair of glasses each year, as this is part of medical fund rebates, use it or lose it policy. So each 12 months, I can get a new pair of glasses and have my eyes tested. As I have four pairs of glasses which I use over the year. Sunglasses clear street glasses, computer glasses and old pair of clear glasses that I use around the house. I am getting computer glasses this time, as the charge in my eye test was there and I am mixing up them with my clear street glasses when driving too! They have a similar frame. Costing $265 all up, rebate $245, I will be out of pocket $20.00.

I went looking for some more hair dye at the same store that I bought the last lot at. $23.98 cost saving $36.00. I bought a few groceries items saving $3.60 and a DVD movie pack for $4.99 saving $10.00.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Soup & Rice Crackers Coffee
DINNER Fillet Steak, Egg, Onion & Tomatoes Coffee
SNACK Pancakes with Maple Syrup Whipped Cream

Today’s Full price Tally $461.45
Today’s Savings - $358.90
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $8129.44

Early this morning I got all the ironing done, using my ironing press which does saves time as I can do this part of my ironing in less than hour. That’s 21 days worth of washing too! I am saving energy by doing it this way too! This is another strategy that I use

It’s our shopping day today, so I have paid my power bill too! Saving $30.00 on my senior discount rebate. Bought some seasonal fruit today, green grapes and apricots. Both on special so I saved some money but still expensive saving $4.60 here. Soft drink cans were on special where we shopped today. 24 x 29c = $6.96 (RRP $1.25 each cold, saving $23.04. Groceries & Pet food were total $30.96 saving $14.20 overall.

I fill my gas tank up as well, surprise a few months ago now I wrote that I won a gas voucher for $20.00. I had spent some of it when I got it and thought I had spent most of it. I found it in my wallet this morning so used it, with gas at $1.04.9 to $1.25 litre around here. I was able with a 4c discount off docket and my voucher card, along with the lowest price day of the week get $23.87 worth of gas for $7.00. I still had $15.83 on my FREE gas voucher card.

As I got a new lock for my front door, and I have multi key sets. I will need to go and get new keys for each set. I better spend money on this than paid for a locksmith to let me in my house, because I have the wrong set with me. Costing $14.00 $$$ Another Strategy

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Macaroni & Cheese Apple Coffee
DINNER Lamb chop Egg, Onion & Tomatoes Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $302.98
Today’s Savings - $ 88.59
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $7758.04