Annual Summary Daily Living Allowance parts of my budget for 2013

Here are my final totals for last year.

Eating out- $455---------- $497.84---------over target by $42.84
Groceries -$1625-----------$1390.22 ------under target by $234.78
Non-Food -$195------------ $85.01 ---------under target by $109.99
Clothes -$455---------------$65.00 --------under target by $390.00
Grooming -$260-------------$80.98--------under target by $179.02
Gas -$260------------------- $173.81------- -under target by $86.19
HH items -$520-------------- $504.44 ----- under target by $15.56
Fares -$195-------------------$146.76 ------- under target by $48.24
Entrainment -$195-----------$79.50-------- under target by $115.50
Garden-$195------------------$158.40-----------under target by $36.60
Gift & Donations -$455-------$262.68 ---------under target by $192.32
Medical & Diabetic-$910------$1999.54 -------over target by $1089.54
Misc. -$130--------------------$2.00 -----------under target by $128.00
Personal Allowance-$1170----$648.43 --------under target by $521.57

Daily Living Allowance allotted amount for 2013 was $7150 and I spent total $6094.61 under target by $1055.39 I will review some categories for 2014.

Even with being over in two categories, I still manage to come under my budget allotment for 2013.
I had dental work done with no rebate for one of them. Going to a Hotel for Christmas dinner was another expense I didn't count on.

This does give me the idea that I am subconsciously set myself amount to spend then holding back on some things if I think that I have to cut on my spending because I spent a lot more in one area that was needed like the medical with a lot of pocket expense or having major renovations done it would have to be a lean year with another lean year in 2014.

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

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

I know that my medical out of pocket costs will much higher for 2014 in there will be Dentist, 2 specialists visits with out of pocket. So I will just track out of pocket medical, medicine and vitamins, glasses and diabetic section in this section of Daily Living Allowance. Allowing around $1500 for these items in next year tallies.

No Spending Days 174 of 365 days

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

Here is my Financial Summery for - December period.

I have updated my Excel finally so here are the figures for last month I have been quite busy here.

This for period of 28 days each as I work on 28 day cycles, my dates may be out to calendar months so here are the figures that will bring it up to date as its very near the end of next 28 day cycle.

Reviewing my monthly daily living allowance

This is my review for last month's budget.
These are the categories for this challenge.

Items === Approx. Budget===Spent

Eating out===$35=====$15.30
Groceries===$125=== =$106.83
Non-Food===$15======$2.50
Clothes ====$35======$34.00
Grooming===$20
Gas======$20
HH items===$40=======$21.46
Fares== ====$15
Entrainments== $15 =====$26.50
Garden =====$15 =======$47.90
Gifts & Donations ==$35 ===$37.48
Medical & Diabetes Expenses ===$70====$11.90
Misc ======$10
Personal Allowance =$90 ===$4.00

Note only one amount is a No Spend

No Spending Days 13 of 28 days

Budgeted for this period $550 spent $307.87 under by $242.13 on general spending.

My watches required new batteries that came out of clothes were an out of pocket expense of $34.00 and I never spent much of my personal allowance. Personal allowance covers health drinks, lotto, books, stamps, craft and hobby supplies.

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

My credit cards are still paid in full each month; it was $245 this period.

Grocery allotment $125 for each period it was under by $18.17 this period.
I had to watch my spending this period as my outgoing on bills and major projects were over $16000 this period. That they all have been paid for now.

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

Here is my Financial Summery for November - December period.

I have updated my Excel so here are the figures for last month.

This for period of 28 days each as I work on 28 day cycles, my dates may be out to calendar months so here are the figures that will bring it up to date as its very near the end of next 28 day cycle.

Reviewing my monthly daily living allowance

This is my review for last month's budget.
These are the categories for this challenge.

Items === Approx. Budget===Spent

Eating out===$35=====$170.35
Groceries===$125=== =$174.87
Non-Food===$15
Clothes ====$35======$5.00
Grooming===$20=====$2.00
Gas======$20
HH items===$40=======$11.08
Fares== ====$15 ======$20.00
Entrainments== $15
Garden =====$15
Gifts & Donations ==$35 ===$164.00
Medical & Diabetes Expenses ===$70====$176.90
Misc ======$10
Personal Allowance =$90 ===$65.70

Note only one amount is a No Spend

No Spending Days 14 of 28 days

Budgeted for this period $550 spent $789.90 over by $239.90 on general spending.

My new glasses was an out of pocket expense of $171.00 and deposit for Christmas lunch $125 at hotel again this year were some of the expenses that took it above budget this period.

Personal allowance covers health drinks, lotto, books, stamps, craft and hobby supplies.

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

My credit cards are still paid in full each month; it was $400.00 this period.

Grocery allotment $125 for each period it was over by $49.87 this period.

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

Just the 13 th period still to come after 2 January.

11th Monthly Financial Summery for 2013
Here is my Financial Summery for November period.

I have updated my Excel so here are the figures for last month.

This for period of 28 days each as I work on 28 day cycles, my dates may be out to calendar months so here are the figures that will bring it up to date as its very near the end of next 28 day cycle.

Reviewing my monthly daily living allowance

This is my review for last month's budget.
These are the categories for this challenge.

Items === Approx. Budget===Spent

Eating out===$35=====$27.40
Groceries===$125=== =$176.51
Non-Food===$15=====$10.00
Clothes ====$35
Grooming===$20
Gas======$20=======$72.55
HH items===$40=======$8.00
Fares== ====$15 ======$10.00
Entrainments== $15
Garden =====$15 =====$9.50
Gifts & Donations ==$35 ===$11.50
Medical & Diabetes Expenses ===$70====$1268.10
Misc ======$10
Personal Allowance =$90 ===$83.38

Note only one amount is a No Spend

No Spending Days 10 of 28 days

Budgeted for this period $550 spent ($1667.44-$1260) under by $142.56 on general spending.

My dentist bill was an out of pocket expense of $1260 which I had been saving for a while.

Personal allowance covers health drinks, lotto, books, stamps, craft and hobby supplies.

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

My credit cards are still paid in full each month; it was $1685.00 this period.

Grocery allotment $125 for each period it was over by $51.51 this period .

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

Here is my Financial Summery for October period.

I have updated my Excel so here are the figures for last month.

This for period of 28 days each as I work on 28 day cycles, my dates may be out to calendar months so here are the figures that will bring it up to date as its very near the end of next 28 day cycle.

Reviewing my monthly daily living allowance

This is my review for last month's budget.
These are the categories for this challenge.

Items === Approx. Budget===Spent

Eating out===$35=====$37.00
Groceries===$125=== =$66.22
Non-Food===$15
Clothes ====$35=====$8.00
Grooming===$20
Gas======$20
HH items===$40=======$35.00
Fares== ====$15 ======$10.00
Entrainments== $15
Garden =====$15 =====$9.50
Gifts & Donations ==$35 ===$24.20
Medical & Diabetes Expenses ===$70====$5.90
Misc ======$10===========$2.00
Personal Allowance =$90 ===$118.70

Note only one amount is a No Spend

Budgeted for this period $550 spent $316.52 under by $290.41

No Spending Days 11 of 28 days

Personal allowance covers health drinks , lotto, books, stamps, craft and hobby supplies.

** 3 year subscription to Diabetic living $87.00 - 39%off @ $4.83 per copy (RRP $7.95 x 18 copies)

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

My credit cards are still paid in full each month, it was $2053.00 this period.

Grocery allotment $125 for each period it was under by $58.78 this period.

You can see that I am saving for something! A dentist bill that is will show up in period 11.

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

I have three of them to post before the end of the year so be ready for a flood of data coming your way.

As for the pantry, the putting back is on hole for now as I need to do some painting before I finish that job.

Will post tonight my summaries.

Here is my Financial Summery for August-Sept period.

I have updated my Excel so here are the figures for last month.

This for period of 28 days each as I work on 28 day cycles, my dates may be out to calendar months so here are the figures that will bring it up to date as its very near the end of next 28 day cycle.

Reviewing my monthly daily living allowance

This is my review for last month's budget.
These are the categories for this challenge.

Items === Approx. Budget===Spent

Eating out===$35=====$36.30
Groceries===$125=== =$86.37
Non-Food===$15====$19.95
Clothes ====$35
Grooming===$20
Gas======$20
HH items===$40=======$59.30
Fares== ====$15
Entrainments== $15
Garden =====$15 =====$2.00
Gifts & Donations ==$35 ===$5.50
Medical & Diabetes Expenses ===$70====$42.34
Misc ======$10
Personal Allowance =$90 ===$38.65

Note only one amount is a No Spend

Budgeted for this period $550 spent $290.41 under by $259.59

No Spending Days 14 of 28 days

Personal allowance covers health drinks , lotto, books, stamps, craft and hobby supplies.

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

My credit cards are still paid in full each month, it was $85.00 this period.
Grocery allotment $125 for each period under by $38.63 this period
You can see that I am saving for something! A dentist bill that is will show up in period 11.
Strategy - Do remember what you have stored before you go and buy more of the same.

Here is my Financial Summery for July -August period.

I have updated my Excel so here are the figures for last month.

This for period of 28 days each as I work on 28 day cycles, my dates may be out to calendar months so here are the figures that will bring it up to date as its very near the end of next 28 day cycle.

Reviewing my monthly daily living allowance

This is my first review for last month's budget.
These are the categories for this challenge.

Items === Approx. Budget===Spent

Eating out===$35=====$32.09
Groceries===$125=== =$152.79
Non-Food===$15====$4.00
Clothes ====$35
Grooming===$20=====$19.00
Gas======$20=======$36.95
HH items===$40=======$8.00
Fares== ====$15 ====$40
Entrainments== $15 ====$50.00
Garden =====$15 =====$14.00
Gifts & Donations ==$35 ===$13.00
Medical & Diabetes Expenses ===$70====$146.60
Misc ======$10
Personal Allowance =$90 ===$32.36

Note only one amount is a No Spend

Budgeted for this period $550 spent $525.19 under by $24.81

No Spending Days 13 of 28 days

Personal allowance covers health drinks , lotto, books, stamps, craft and hobby supplies.

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

My credit cards are still paid in full each month, it was $33.00
Grocery allotment $125 for each period over by $27.79 this period
This period we had our EKKA show and I went for one day only this year plus a visit to the eye specialist and now need to see him yearly.

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

Here is my Financial Summery for June - July period.

I have updated my Excel so here are the figures for last month.

This for period of 28 days each as I work on 28 day cycles, my dates may be out to calendar months so here are the figures that will bring it up to date as its very near the end of next 28 day cycle.

Reviewing my monthly daily living allowance

This is my first review for last month's budget.
These are the categories for this challenge.

Items === Approx. Budget===Spent

Eating out===$35=====$34.05
Groceries===$125=== =$105.74
Non-Food===$15 ====$4.60
Clothes ====$35=====$2.00
Grooming===$20
Gas======$20
HH items===$40=======$3.00
Fares== ====$15 ====$10
Entrainments== $15
Garden =====$15
Gifts & Donations ==$35 ====$2.00
Medical & Diabetes Expenses ===$70====$146.60
Misc ======$10
Personal Allowance =$90 ===$63.95

Note only one amount is a No Spend

Budgeted for this period $550 spent $371.74 under by $178.26

No Spending Days 13 of 28 days

Personal allowance covers health drinks , lotto, books, stamps, craft and hobby supplies.

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

My credit cards are still paid in full each month, it was $480.00
Grocery allotment $125 for each period under by $19.26 this period

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

With each bill rising, some by $36.67 per month, I think I will need to add an extra amount on to annual bill money and find saving elsewhere. That can only be from my daily living allowance area. By how much I will have to wait and see but it s over $700 for the year so far!

My last water bill was $148.25 but my water usage per was $4.80 for the quarter or 17 KL of water, not a lot by any standard, on this bill you have sewage charges too! Power has gone up by 22% on the last year. I have some solar panels so my cost are less than the norm but it will go up somewhat too! The list goes on so I will budget for around $1000 extra and put aside any extra for next year s hikes.

Today I had a senior coffee for free and penny pitcher Carmel Sundae for $1.20 at full price these would have cost about $6.40 for both, I ended up paying only $1.20 for the Sundae.

Well today I finely got to the mechanic to get my car seen too! It was due for an minor service this month so I rang up an booked it in to be looked at as I was having a feeling that my brakes weren't a 100% which turns out I was right, being told they were ok! I had a leak in rear wheels, drums replaced, its why they weren’t finding the problem.

So bill came to $562.26 and got discount $190 [via my service voucher, I got earlier this year] on $353.25 all up. They also drop me home and came and picked me as well! After I did fill my car up with petrol costing $36.95 for 25 litres its $1.51.5 litre here at the moment was $1.66.5 on the weekend. So an expensive day car wise of $390.20.

Spent on nothing else today.

Having a quiet weekend here! I have spent nothing over this weekend, on Friday I went up and paid my Rates which has gone up like most bills this one by $10.00 per quarter, and I bought a Sundae at the fast food outlet here “Hungary Jacks “ as they are have a penny pitcher specials at the moment. So I got a sundae for $1.20 instead around $3.25. One threat once in a while is ok in my book.

So far I have had eleven No spend days so far this period and still have one week to go! I have been spending time on my computer and working on a craft project as all is not lost time wise.

Here is my Financial Summery for May -June period.

I have updated my Excel so here are the figures for last month.

This for period of 28 days each as I work on 28 day cycles, my dates may be out to calendar months so here are the figures that will bring it up to date as its very near the end of next 28 day cycle.

Reviewing my monthly daily living allowance

This is my first review for last month’s budget.
These are the categories for this challenge.

Items === Approx. Budget===Spent

Eating out===$35=====$30.20
Groceries===$125=== =$55.80
Non-Food===$15
Clothes ====$35=====$11.00
Grooming===$20=====$33.00
Gas======$20
HH items===$40=======$70.65
Fares== ====$15 ====$10
Entrainments== $15
Garden =====$15
Gifts & Donations ==$35
Medical & Diabetes Expenses ===$70====$5.35
Misc ======$10
Personal Allowance =$90 ===$19.28

Note only one amount is a No Spend

Budgeted for this period $550 spent $235.28 under by $314.72

No Spending Days 15 of 28 days

Personal allowance covers health drinks , lotto, books, stamps, craft and hobby supplies.

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

My credit cards are still paid in full each month, it was $450.00
Grocery allotment $125 for each period under by $69.20 this period

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

Looking at my food and supplies stockpiles, I think I can go at least until November without buying too much in the way of food and supermarket items. Just all the perishables will still need to be bought so I will see how much can get my grocery allotment in my budget down in the coming months starting with my next post. My next monthly summery is almost ready to be posted here.

I have been working on reading and editing on

trove this past few weeks so haven’t posted that much anywhere.

Here is my Financial Summery for May period.

I have updated my Excel so here are the figures for last month.

This for period of 28 days each as I work on 28 day cycles, my dates may be out to calendar months so here are the figures that will bring it up to date as its very near the end of next 28 day cycle.

Reviewing my monthly daily living allowance

This is my first review for last month’s budget.
These are the categories for this challenge.

Items === Approx. Budget===Spent

Eating out===$35=====$18.30
Groceries===$125=== =$113.61
Non-Food===$15
Clothes ====$35
Grooming===$20
Gas======$20=======$39.86
HH items===$40=======$10.00
Fares== ====$15 ====$10.00
Entrainments== $15 ====$3.00
Garden =====$15=====$1.50
Gifts & Donations ==$35 ===$2.00
Medical & Diabetes Expenses ===$70====$12.85
Misc ======$10
Personal Allowance =$90 ===$34.42

Note only one amount is a No Spend

Budgeted for this period $550 spent $250.64 under by $299.36

No Spending Days 16 of 28 days

Personal allowance covers health drinks , lotto, books, stamps, craft and hobby supplies.

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

My credit cards are still paid in full each month, it was $160.00

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

Here is my Financial Summery for April - May period.

I have updated my Excel so here are the figures for last month.

This for period of 28 days each as I work on 28 day cycles, my dates may be out to calendar months so here are the figures that will bring it up to date as its very near the end of next 28 day cycle.

Reviewing my monthly daily living allowance

This is my first review for last month’s budget.
These are the categories for this challenge.

Items === Approx. Budget===Spent

Eating out===$35=====$36.10
Groceries===$125=== =$44.86
Non-Food===$15=======$10.88
Clothes ====$35
Grooming===$20=======$4.98
Gas======$20=========$5.65
HH items===$40=======$70.00
Fares== ====$15 =====$10.00
Entrainments== $15
Garden =====$15
Gifts & Donations ==$35 ===$3.00
Medical & Diabetes Expenses =$70
Misc ======$10
Personal Allowance =$90 ===$20.27

Note only one amount is a No Spend

Budgeted for this period $550 spent $205.74 under by $344.26

No Spending Days 15 of 28 days

Personal allowance covers health drinks , lotto, books, stamps, craft and hobby supplies.

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

My credit cards are still paid in full each month, it was $590.00

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

I have been paying bills of late. Finished paying off my credit bill for Chiro annual payment so I am ahead on my credit cards so no more until next month. Paid the my rate bill last week and paid my water bill today these ones are quarterly bills and due have a price rise in next month or so when the local council does their budget. the only thing I can charge on these is the amount of water I use each quarter. Last bill it was 17KL about $12.00 worth and only because I am using the pressure hose cleaner about twice a quarter. I am due to do my garage this quarter as it needs doing. It hasn’t been done in 40 years so it about time I did it don’t you think.

As I am behind in my posting here is my Financial Summery for March - April period

I have updated my Excel so here are the figures for last month.

This for period of 28 days each as I looks like I missed one somewhere. As I work on 28 day cycles, my dates may be out to calendar months so here are the figures that will bring it up to date as its every near the end of next 28 day cycle.

Reviewing my monthly daily living allowance

This is my first review for last month�s budget.
These are the categories for this challenge.

Items === Approx. Budget===Spent

Eating out===$35=====$4.00
Groceries===$125=== =$176.17
Non-Food===$15=====$23.12
Clothes ====$35
Grooming===$20
Gas======$20=======$18.80
HH items===$40
Fares== ====$15 ====$12
Entrainments== $15
Garden =====$15========$65.00
Gifts & Donations ==$35
Medical & Diabetes Expenses ===$70====$125.00
Misc ======$10
Personal Allowance =$90 ===$41.21

Note only one amount is a No Spend

Budgeted for this period $550 spent $467.70 under by $82.30

No Spending Days 14 of 28 days

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

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

As for Medical and Diabetes Expenses - this is the extra out of pockets amounts that came up over this period just on medicine that is not covered be refund claims.

My credit cards are still paid in full each month, it was $32.00

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

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

It’s time that I posted, this Financial Summery as I almost ready to post my third one.

I have updated my Excel so here are the figures for February - March period.

This for period of 28 days each as I looks like I missed one somewhere. As I work on 28 day cycles, my dates may be out to calendar months so here are the figures that will bring it up to date as its every near the end of next 28 day cycle.

Reviewing my monthly daily living allowance

This is my second review for last month’s budget.
These are the categories for this challenge.

Items === Approx. Budget===Spent

Eating out===$35=====$21.55
Groceries===$125=== =$79.78
Non-Food===$15=====$7.96
Clothes ====$35
Grooming===$20=====$22.00
Gas======$20
HH items===$40=======$4.95
Fares== ====$15 ====$4.76
Entrainments== $15
Garden =====$15
Gifts and Donations ==$35
Medical & Diabetes Expenses ===$70====$38.50
Misc ======$10
Personal Allowance =$90 ===$54.15

Note only one amount is a No Spend

Budgeted for this period $550 spent $ 233.65 under by $316.35

No Spending Days 12 of 28 days

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

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

As for Medical and Diabetes Expenses - this is the extra out of pockets amounts that came up over this period just on medicine that is not covered be refund claims.

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

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

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

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

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

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

After reading this article

Should Income Be “Disposable?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I wrote about this in these blogs

Starting over with budgeting and saving again!

Review of my spending plan for Bills!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It’s better off in your pocket than theirs.

Got a letter in the mail last week to say that my health cover has gone up by $210 for 2013 to be added to next year’s bill this is due this December. Then this week we were told that our electricity bills will be going up by 21% per year around $253 on $1205 bill. I am lucky that I put in solar panels and solar hot water a few years ago now! I don’t think my bill will that high but high enough that I will add 21% to my annual total as I have allowed about $100 to $140 per quarter I will allow about extra $30 per quarter so that’s extra $330 added to my budget from July on when these price rises take place. This is on top of my insurance price rise of around $400 last month. Next will be my chiro next one to go up that’s next month price rise.

Weather is bad here again; our ground is soaked from the January’s rain depression so it won’t take much to start flooding here.
More rain, flooding, high seas and 100km winds in NSW this weekend and we waiting for another rain depression for our area with about 300mm worth of rain.

It’s time that I posted, this Financial Summery for 2013.

I have updated my Excel so here are the figures for past month.

This for period of 28 days each as I looks like I missed one somewhere. As I work on 28 day cycles, my dates may be out to calendar months so here are the figures that will bring it up to date as its every near the end of next 28 day cycle.

Reviewing my monthly daily living allowance

This is my first review for last month’s budget.
These are the categories for this challenge.

Items === Approx. Budget===Spent

Eating out===$35=====$35.20
Groceries===$125=== =$50.67
Non-Food===$15=====$2.00
Clothes ====$35
Grooming===$20
Gas======$20
HH items===$40=======$203
Fares== ====$15 ====$10
Entrainments== $15
Garden =====$15========$9.00
Gifts & Donations ==$35
Medical & Diabetes Expenses ===$70====$44.14
Misc ======$10
Personal Allowance =$90 ===$72.26

Note only one amount is a No Spend

Budgeted for this period $550 spent $ 426.27 under by $123.73

No Spending Days 14 of 28 days

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

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

As for Medical & Diabetes Expenses - this is the extra out of pockets amounts that came up over this period just on medicine that is not covered be refund claims.

My credit cards are still paid in full each month, it was $240

The high cost in the Household was for an electrician to fix my solar hot water element. $203

I do keep my bill money separated from this summery. This year I will be budgeting around $750 per period month to cover all my bills and bills for this period it came to $1313.47 part of this was Car major service$ 254.00

My grocery bill came in under budget for this period.
If any changes to my spending habits will need to come out of my daily living allowance categories of my budget as my bill categories are very tight now. I was very tight in some areas of this daily living allowance over this period but I did work out in the end.

Still need to work on a Grocery category and personal allowance as I got to stop spending money on books, I think this is my biggest downfall most of my personal spending is spent on books as half of it was spent on books.

How am I going with my finances in 2013, up and down once I get over paying all my major bills for this half year, I have about little over $1000 for next month then it’s back to saving for next few month until I need to pay these annual bills again.

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

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

Manage to get to the city early enough to get all my bill paying done before my first appointment today.

Paid the insurances and my credit cards off in full yet again, lucky there was enough money in my account to pay them. That’s withdrawal of $ 2700 today alone.

Had lunch in city of grill fish and salad, the salad wasn’t as nice as it could have been Avocado and Chicken Salad so next time will stick to a Greek Salad and the Grilled Fish $7.95 plus a Frozen Chilled Fanta $1.00 and Ice cream cone 50c all up the food $9.45.

As the Chiro is paid for this time but will need to outlay next 12 visits with the next visit somewhere around $600 I should think. But do get rebates of $19.40 for each one not much but it helps. My podiatrist cost $38.50 after rebate today.

In all it was expensive day.

Finally I can pay my insurance bills that I was worried about! I spoke about them in these posts.
Tomorrow I will going to the city, can pay up all these and no long worry about them then start saving again after I pay the last two next month.

Starting over with budgeting and saving again!

Review of my spending plan for Bills!

One quote that I set my upper limit at was $650 higher than the final bill. Some households can't just afford to pay insurance on their houses, and after the last flood last week, it may only get higher again next year.

Well my house and contents insurance bill came in $349 above last year about 29% rise. I do have a very low risk of ever flooding here as I am the same height as the hospital helicopter port which is about six stories high on top of the hospital.

My car insurance which is due only 2 weeks earlier has a rise $43 about 9% up on last year. Value has gone down through. But as I get discount by having them all with one company and a senior discount on top this, so I will stay with insurance for another year and review again next year.

As for other bills I will paying my dental bill that I put on my credit card last month and advance payment on the IP bill as I need to make sure that all my bills are paid before the 14 February as I may not be available to pay any after that date and tomorrow is my last day in the city before then. All I need to do now is make sure there is enough money in the bank to pay all these.

I will do a final review of this Bill Challenge in another post. Then will set a new challenge for the balance of the year.

Everything has to go on hold from February 14 as I will not know what I will be doing for a few weeks even I may not be able to come online either. Nothing to worry about either just civil duty service work that I am not too old to do!

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

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

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

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

I had a puncher in the rear tyre a nail was causing a slow leak luckily I wasn’t driving too far so no new tyre yet! The mechanic fixed it and rotated the rear tyres. Service for the car was good and I got discount $280.00 off the full cost so my outlay came to $254.00. It will need to have a minor service in 5 months’ time to get use of the full deal of this car service package which I paid $189.00. It’s worth $1090 so I will do some jobs that need to be done over the cause of this year. I haven’t had much done for the last 2 years and now the car has no warranty to worry about I will go back to a car service every 5000km or once every year after this year. I will need to start saving for all my rubber and perishable parts to replace in the next three years or so whether they worn or not! For a car that has not done 26,000 km in 8 years it’s in good nick even if I say so myself. I bought it with 13,000km on the clock 6 years ago.

As for the weather here today it’s a lot cooler as it showering on off but not much rain to ease the drought conditions for now!

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

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

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