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Archive for January, 2007

February / March Goals & Planning Ahead

January 31st, 2007 at 08:25 pm

February / March Goals & Planning Ahead

~ Have my credit card at Zero balance by end of the each month.
~ Come under budget.
~ Deposit into the online accounts.
~ Pay All Due Bills on pension days or ahead of time.
~ Chiro visit (one every 4 weeks)
~ Known outings to budget for in February / March - lunch out 2
~ Live off my Bulk Food Assets ~ (On Going)
~ Make up another eight meals OAMC. - Out of Bulk Food Assets.
~ De-cluttering Computer Room for door project.
~ Finish Door project
~ Gardening Mowing & weed back garden & put water saving techniques in place
~ Cull & de-clutter computer files not in use. – (on going)
~ Downsizing storage and clean these areas (zones 6 , 7 & 8)
~ Install the water tank, paid and apply for rebate.

Review of the last two months.

December / January Goals & Planning Ahead

~ Have my credit card at Zero balance by end of the each month. - Yes
~ Come under budget. - Yes
~ Deposit into the online accounts. – Yes
~ Pay All Due Bills on pension days or ahead of time. -Yes
~ Chiro visit (one every 4 weeks) –Yes
~ Known outings to budget for in December / January lunch out 4 dinner 2
~ Live off my Bulk Food Assets ~ (On Going)
~ Make up another eight meals OAMC. Out of Bulk Food Assets. -Yes
~ Gardening Mowing & weed front garden & put water saving techniques in place. - done
~ Install the water tank, pay and apply for rebate. – still waiting
~ Cleaning and painting garage before the tank is installed. – done
~ Cull & de-clutter computer files not in use. – still to do some
~ Downsizing storage and clean these areas (zones 2, 4 & 5)

Shopping for eggs

January 31st, 2007 at 08:05 am

I thought I would just go to the shops for eggs and few things that were on special at price book best buys. I needed more, dry cat food and that was on special this week. Saving $1.06 and while I was at it I bought my regular tin cat food that they will eat! It was Heinz Baked beans that I needed to stock up on this time. I bought 12 tins @75c with my staff discount as well! Saving $6.96. I found some mark down package meats that I could freeze if I did that start away. 2 x Ham Steaks (4 in pack) RRP $3.56 @ .95c, 2 x Spanish Choriza 15slices pack RRP $3.29 @ .50c so I saved $10.80 on these. 100’s Display Folder Refills $3.99 save $1.00 and I will need them before the year is over. I did spend money today but I did make some good savings as well.
I will work the deli meats in my next weeks or two menus. I did pack them so I could just remove the numbers slices that I would require for that meal.

Today’s Full Price Tally $62.37
Today’s Savings - $ 19.82
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $9597.67

DIY painting

January 30th, 2007 at 09:16 am

3rd coat of varnish has been done on one side one now I will do the last coat when it hung up. I will need to turn them over and do the other side, I will leave it an extra few hours before I sand the other side and do the 25:75 varnish first up.

Visit from my handyman was not needed to move doors. Free Lunch then he was off again. He liked the doors colour and seems to think it’s a cedar color. I asked him about the other parts of the door so I could paint them too!

Another three days then I can stop until he comes with others pieces and cut one of the doors in half then I will need to seal that too! Focusing on that project and baby steps is the only way I will get this all done!

Trip to the hardware store

January 29th, 2007 at 09:03 am

I had to made a trip to the hardware store as DF-M wanted a rubbish bin for her recycle water. It was easier to go and get it than give her one of mine. We use these to put our grey water in until we need to water our garden. As we both wash a random and not when we need to water our gardens. I went before they were open today so had to sit and read for 30 minutes, I have a book on nutrition 1962 very interesting to read when I get a free moment. A lot said in this book has now come out true. Funny that! I can read it at random as some the information is not available today so it makes very informative reading.

I bought a few items as usual, something that I did see in a mail order catalogue late last year. tool- Pick up and reaching - 1 metre long . That you can reach some thing of a shelf, it was $14.95 plus $7.90 postage. & $1.50 insurance so that $23.45 but I got it for $4.89 saving $19.46 so it pays to shop around if you see something these catalogues. I would have save if I bought more items on postage & insurance. I did buy paint tray and roller set that was on special $4.48 saving around $5.00.

When I came back I did my washing that two loads and some hand washing. After I had done that I got into doing the coat of varnishing on the doors.

While I was delivering the rubbish bin. DF-M asks if would like some prunes as I thought she say so I said yes that I would use them. Next minute she is giving me 2/3 of the prawns that she bought on Friday. At $24.95 kg so I was given about $14.50 worth of prawns, I told her next time just ask for the number of prawns and don’t buy them by the kilo in future. I had six of them for lunch on crackers with marinated feta and my evening meal I just peeled prawns and seafood sauce and just dipped. They had to be used by today.

Today’s Full price Tally $33.33
Today’s Savings - $38.96 (including free prawns)
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $9577.85

DIY - Painting my doors

January 28th, 2007 at 08:53 am

I have set myself 10 days to do this painting job. At lease my part of it. The timber doorframe I still haven’t got the wood to paint as of yet. This may need to be painted before hand or after it put in place. I have two doors to paint as they are taller than I am and I can’t move them they need to be standing to paint (Cats) so I have them in my carport at the moment doing one side with three coats then turning to do the other sides. So today is the first coat of 25% Mineral Turps & 75% Clear Varnish Mix. This allows the varnish to soak into the timber. After that it will be 100% varnish each coat. Taking off the plastic cover and sanding down before hand both doors took about 90 minutes and then 50 minutes to paint them. So I’m looking at about 75 minutes per day. As it can only be coated once per day and you need 4 coats each side minimum. The tone is multi colored of wood that’s allowing natural wood grains to be highlighted. They are solid wooden doors.

Buying Paint & Saving Money

January 27th, 2007 at 08:05 am

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


It's Australia Day

January 26th, 2007 at 10:05 am

I have very little planned for today.
A No Spending Day for me!

So here is a recipe.

Rice and Vegetables in a Pot
Serves Four.

2 cups raw rice
8 cups water or stock
3 cups mixed vegetables, diced - see note
Little salt to taste

Put water and all other ingredients into a large stockpot or saucepan.
Bring to the boil.
Cover and simmer on low heat very gently for one hour or until all vegetables are tender.
Do keep a watch on the water and add more if required.

Note: Mixed vegetables, depending on what is in season and the cheapest at the time. Carrots, yellow sweet potato, pumpkin, celery, peas or green beans. You could use best generic 'Mixed Vegetables' from freezer section (that is already diced), this is what I use when vegetables are expensive along with one or two cups of the above.

Do have a glass of milk or fruit juice with this, along with a piece of fruit to add more nutritional value.

Use brown rice, as it's a little healthier than white rice, which is just filler, and gives you very little nutritional value.

Use one cup of rice to two cups of water or stock. From each cup of raw rice you get about three cups cooked rice, enough for 2 - 4 servings depending on the other items that you are serving. Portion serving is 1/2 cup cooked rice.

Shopping but not buying, just a bill.

January 25th, 2007 at 08:54 am

Today is DF-M Grocery Shopping day and I’m the driver. So it was off to the bank and chemist when down to the shopping centre and I just paid my Rate bill. Pensioner & Homeowner Discounts on rates bill $209.77. I got given some cherries when she bought some for herself, as she has a set shopping plan and there is no way of change her mind when it made up to buy or do something. I try not to buy anything when I’m on this shopping trip as when I do, most times it get add to her shopping tally. Madding and it not the checkout staffs fault. No lunch today as we had frozen food this time.

Today’s Full price Tally $505.97
Today’s Savings - $215.12
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $9519.03

My free gift voucher

January 24th, 2007 at 08:53 am

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

Started on the coffee table.

January 23rd, 2007 at 10:04 am

First baby step I cleared and culled some of the stuff on the table, not much but half of it is clear now. I will need to look at the rest of it as most is valuable stuff to me anyway. The coffee table can no longer stay in that area it may even go. As it will one less piece of furniture that I have, but only it one of the last pieces my father made also. I will think about it and no it can’t be used as a Coffee table as I have one family’s glory box chest as the coffee table, too much furniture.

Cleaning out my fridge and other household chores.

January 22nd, 2007 at 08:12 am

As I haven’t done any housework last week so I set my 100 minutes timer and went at it.

It’s great when I set myself a challenge to get as much done in that time. I can’t get the whole house done but the main areas are done. Just the general stuff everyone does I would say. I also cleaned my refrigerator out as I needed to see if anything has been move to the back of it, it was all was clear just needed a wipe down.

I need now to think about clearing the area where the new door is going as I have a bookcase and coffee table across that area. Now where will I put it all, some will only be going until the door is in but some of it will need to find a new home? I will look at some of it to see if any can be culled. It’s mainly my ASL tutor teaching stuff that I collected a few years ago so maybe I’ll box it up for now! It’s my next minor project; it’s one of my steps in the Major Door Project. Sorry that I write about projects but I do get things done around here if I think in projects. Smile

Quite day reading a novel & recipes

January 21st, 2007 at 08:22 am

I read a novel today instead of working around the house or being on my computer, it's a charge for me to do that. It's another no spending day so find a recipe or two to include.

Impossible Pie - Quick & Easy Savoury

4 eggs
2 cups Milk
1/2 cup Plain Flour
125g (4oz) Margarine, melted
1/2 level tsp. Baking powder
pinch of salt

Mix all together then
Add one at a time -

1 medium can tuna or salmon
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup grated Cheese
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Pour into greased 25cm pie dish.
Bake at 180 C Gas or 190 C (375 F) electric until custard is set and top is browned.
Time 30-35 minutes.
Serve 6-8

For other Savoury Fillings try:
1. Bacon sauteed and crumbed, sliced Tomato and Onion.
2. Cooked or Canned Prawns, sliced spring onion or shallots and grated cheese.


Quick Tuna Pie

1 pkt (100g-6.5 Tbsp.) instant mashed potato
1/2 chopped onion or celery
1 large can tuna
1 egg
grated cheese

Mix potato as directed and line pie plate.
Mix other ingredients and pour over potato.
Top with grated cheese
Bake for 30 minutes at 350 F



Looking at my budget and No Spend Days

January 20th, 2007 at 10:57 am


It’s the day that I spend doing my budget, checking that I have paid my bills and balancing the figures and it’s so far so good on that front. There is enough money in Bill A/c to pay for all the bills for the next month. So everything is working out, as it should.

I had a look at my no spending days so far this year. I had 12 No Spend Day since the 1st January so far. I did say I was going to cut back a bit.

DIY - Mowing

January 19th, 2007 at 08:21 am

It’s a DIY day in that I mowed my own lawn today saving myself $35.00 on hiring someone to do this job. But I think the price has gone up around here some are charging now $50.00 each time. so if you can do your own mowing if worth it as you can buy a new lawn mower for around $300 to $500 but the better to buy a better quality on in the first place. When I do replace my lawn mower I will be going for one $400.00 plus range. It’s around $498 but when on it’s on special it can get down to lower price around $425.
Saving $35.00 DIY

Today’s Full price Tally $ 0.00
Today’s Savings - $ 35.00
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $9249.37

No spending day

January 18th, 2007 at 10:34 am

Working around house doing chores. It’s washing day and water my garden with the recycle water. While I was at it, did the path edges in the backyard so I am ready to mow the lawn. Today I finish my ironing and only have to do the stuff that comes off the line today.

Another trip to the city.

January 17th, 2007 at 09:12 am

Early this morning I did full up my car with gas. Costing $30.39 this includes my motor mower gas as well. As I don’t use my as much as some people do. Saving $1.13

I did go to the city again today to visit the Chiro. Refund $19.40. I did some shopping for some things while I was the city. Including some 75% off Christmas lines, one was Cranberry Sauce for $2.95 saving $8.00 and some coffee at the right price RRP $39.30 saving $$16.50, all up I spent $49.55 saving over $39.99.

Today’s Full price Tally $ 121.06
Today’s Savings - $ 60.52
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $9214.37

No spending day here

January 16th, 2007 at 08:31 am

Early this morning at my favorite time of the day, which is dawn. I was cutting path edging in front garden with a pair of scissors so that I didn’t wake the neighbor’s. Saving money by not having to pay someone to cut it for me.

I did some more of my ironing project that about 2/3 done now and I have delivered what I have done too! My next large rate’s bill arrived today for just under $300 it will get paid next week sometime but I do have 3 weeks to pay it. I have no problem finding the money for this bill as it’s in my budget and on target too!

Birthday Drive

January 15th, 2007 at 05:39 am

I got phone call from my son on Saturday evening to say that I was to drive up to his place and we all shall go for a drive to-morrow. Well there were five of us going to mountain behind the Gold Coast to the markets or so I thought but first a detour to a shopping centre at the Gold Coast. Last night they were at one of my DIL sister’s place. When she joking said the she would like a Beagle puppy she seen in the pet shop that day as she had lost her beagle of 11 years two week’s before and still was very upset about it. We went to see it and if it was still in the pet shop, Yep so her mother bought for her, then we had go and give it to her. I will not tell the price but more than I would pay. He is just six-week-old and so cute too! Guess where I spent my birthday, as they got the puppy, the sister went and bought lunch for all of us. So we had roast chicken and Coleslaw and Potato salad and chocolate almond cake for my birthday. This was fun just to see the reactions of everyone about getting the puppy and much more memorable than a day walking around a wet markets anyway. I don’t have any other family than my son here so my DIL family is my family too!

I spent the grand total of $8.20 for the day. When we went back to the shopping centre late in the afternoon. On Bananas I bought 8 of them and gave away half. Bananas are a luxury around here and at times was paying up to $16.99kg, today they were $1.99kg and still in some places $6.99kg. When they get back down to around under $1.00 they will be back on the daily menu.

Today’s Full price Tally $8.20
Today’s Savings - $ 3.00
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $9153.85

Shopping for Pets Food & Other Things

January 14th, 2007 at 10:05 am

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

My Mezze or Meze Platter

January 13th, 2007 at 09:49 am

Its Mediterranean style way serve a light lunch or meal. Mezze or meze is little bits of tasty treats to please the palate. All served on separate plate so that you can take a much or as little as you want.

Almost anything that is small and tasty qualifies as a mezze dish. Mezze can include miniature versions of main dishes.

Meze - Mezze cuisine is collections of tasty dishes that be can served as appetizers, a light lunch, a main meal or select a combination of dishes and serve as a meze or feast.

Recipes cover a range of appetizers, dips, sauces, salads, sweets, meat and vegetable dishes served with bread.

Here is what I may put on my platters. I just put out enough food out per person serving plus one extra serve for the table.

Little dishes with nuts - mixed and dried fruits Dried apricots and almonds: Stuff each apricot with a whole almond. Or Sultana raisins and nuts: Combine equal parts of whole walnuts, peanuts, almonds or hazelnuts with sultana (golden seedless) raisins and serve in bowls.

Serve bowls of fresh fruits in season & Sliced can pineapple as it's Summer here.

Bowls of marinated olive, pepper, feta cheese, or pickled cucumbers.

Plate of sliced tomatoes, sprinkled with Italian herbs.

Dips of Hummus, Red Lentil Dip or Lite Cream Cheese Spread or Labni - Fresh Cheese made from Yogurt (if have no feta and I have fresh yogurt made.)

Salad greens, red onions or shallots that I have in my garden.

Platters of can tuna or sliced ham what ever in the fridge at the time.

Can asparagus or artichokes whichever that I have in the pantry.

Pita, Lavash Turkish Pide Bread or Crackers if I have none of the others.

Sweets - Turkish Delight or Greek shortbread

Some Recipes

Greek Village Salad

Serve 6-8
6 tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
1 red onion, cut into rings
2 Lebanese cucumbers, sliced
185g kalamata olives
200g feta
1/2 cup olive oil
dried oregano, to garnish

Combine the tomato, onion, cucumber and olives in a bowl.
Season to taste.
Break the feta into large pieces and scatter over the top.
Top with olive and oregano.
Calories 235, fat 20g

Tunisian Tuna Salad

1 chopped onion
1 large fresh tomato
1 can of tuna
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
5-10 olives (pitted)
1 boiled egg

Mix chopped onion, peppers and tomatoes and put them in a bowl.
Season the tuna with salt, pepper and olive oil.
Mix all ingredients and garnish with the olives and rounded pieces of the boiled egg.

Marinated Peppers - Pipperies
I usually use green bell peppers to make this recipe because they're so easy to find, but it's delicious and colorful made with a range of colors. The recipe is very simple and the peppers keep in the refrigerator for weeks, so if you love them, make a large batch to keep on hand for a tasty and unusual last minute salad or appetizer.

bell peppers (any color or mixed)
red wine vinegar
salt
olive oil
Wash peppers and trim stems (do not remove entirely), and cut into quarters from top to bottom. Do not remove seeds.
Bring enough water to cover peppers to a boil, add peppers, and cook for 5-6 minutes, until partially softened.
Drain in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and allow to cool for 20 minutes.
Place in a ceramic or glass container and cover with red wine vinegar.
Cover and refrigerate.
Peppers are ready to use after 1 hour, and will keep for weeks.
When ready to use, take pieces of pepper from the container and shake off excess vinegar.
Serve marinated peppers as an appetizer or side salad:
Cut marinated peppers into thin slices or smaller pieces and drizzle with olive oil to taste.

Labni - Fresh Cheese made from Yogurt
2 cups yogurt
1/2 t. salt
Need:
Muslin sack or several layers of cheesecloth made into a bag
Large bowl

Combine yogurt and salt.
Pour into a muslin sack, tie up, and suspend over a large bowl. Let drain overnight.
The bowl will catch the dripping liquid.
In the morning, discard the water.
Unwrap the cheese and use as a spread on pita or form into small balls.
Serve with olive oil and chopped fresh mint or with black olives.
Makes 1/2 cup

From "Mediterranean Cooking" by Paula Wolfert

Mahammara Labni - Fresh Yogurt Cheese with Dill and Pimento
1/2 cup labni - fresh yogurt cheese (refer recipe for Labni)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 T. chopped fresh dill
1 roasted pimento, chopped
Sweet paprika
8 melba toasts or crackers

Combine labni, salt, pepper, dill and pimento, mixing well.
Spread on melba toasts and sprinkle with paprika.

From "Mediterranean Cooking" by Paula Wolfert

Hummus bi Tahina - Chickpea and Sesame Dip
125 g (4 oz) chickpeas, soaked for a few hours
juice of 2 lemons
3 Tbs. tahina
2 garlic cloves, crushed
salt

Garnish
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. paprika
a few sprigs of parsley, finely chopped

Drain the chickpeas and simmer in fresh water for about an hour or until tender.
Reserve the cooking water.
Process the chickpeas in a blender (or food processor) with the lemon juice, tahina, garlic, salt and enough of the cooking liquid to obtain a soft creamy consistency.
Serve on a flat plate, garnished with a dribble of olive oil, a dusting of paprika (this is usually done in the shape of a cross) and a little parsley.
Serve with warm pita bread for dipping. Serves 4-6.
Note: I only put garnish on when I am serving. I do freeze this in small containers. Put out to thaw the night before.

From "Mediterranean Cookery" by Claudia Roden

Have a look at these links for more information

Text is Greek Meze and Link is http://greekfood.about.com/od/glossary/g/def_meze.htm
Greek Meze

Text is Mezze and Link is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mezze
Mezze


Bulk Stationery Buying and Other Bargains

January 12th, 2007 at 08:35 am

As needed to pay my phone bill $44.15 today. So I drove my car down to that shopping centre that I pay my bills. I could have walked but the supermarket did have a stationary special of display books that I wished to purchase in bulk, 24x 48c each instead $1.99 each. So I saved $36.24 here. Along with a loaf of multi- bread & tomatoes. After I went up to the local supermarket and I walked this time just for exercise. I bought 2x Yakut light drink 5pks markdown 99c instead of $3.88 ea. Which I froze Saving $ 5.78, Cos lettuce marked down 60c saving $1.68 some Christmas paper bowls 78c saving $1.70 and loaf of Raisin Bread $1.98 saving 70c so I had a good day with my bargains. Saving all up $46.10

Other than shopping, all I did today was working on the ironing pile. It will get done soon I still have another week to go when I have put MY deadline for it to be done. I am doing my own ironing as well!

Today’s Full price Tally $107.03
Today’s Savings - $46.10
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $9139.55

A Major project is off and running.

January 11th, 2007 at 08:21 am

This morning I did my housework before my handyman friend arrived today.

We had lunch together another one of Mezze platters with crackers. I have fridge full of unusual and salad ingredients that can be used for mezze, as well olives, Hummus and feta cheese.

Together we put up the bird-net and pegged any openings that were left after it was tried up.

My dripping tap got fixed, it had worn felt and it was reset and new felt & washer replaced, this tap was done in October too!

After buy the trading post and looking at want was on offer for French doors 2nd-hand. Well! Not much and price was from $195 to $700 and none saying if it was for outside use. So we went off to check the prices for new doors and what was available. It was place that sold only doors and they were having a Sale as well. As it’s odd size door opening 1390mm wide so I can only have a normal door and half door panel that will fit. After looking at all the half doors side from $299 each then the buy a door on top it would cost around $700 for both plus fittings.

We looked around and found some doors on sale full solid wood door RRP $211 each. Looking at it, an idea came into my head why couldn’t we buy two doors and cut one to make a mock side panel that is a half opening door bolted to look like a half side panel that is in fact a door. I bought two full doors that I will need to varnish after one is cut to size. We bought also the doorknob and hinges for both doors only bolts will need to be bought for this part of this project. Costing $340 all up (RRP price $531) saving $191. My friend was a tradesman so was able get a better price than I would have had bought them on my own. Best price I would have got was $427 for the same things. I have budget around $1200 for this job, so I will be able now to put the rest towards the security door and bolts etc. I still got $860 earmark for this project but I don’t need to spend it all!

Today’s Full price Tally $ 531
Today’s Savings - $ 191
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $9093.45

Adding more categories 300th

January 11th, 2007 at 04:07 am

So that you can see what I am saving money wise. I added a extra few categories in. Money Banked, Major Projects & Cut Small Stuff have been added of late.

As I am a hoarder big time and I have a house full of Stuff of all kinds of things. This is what I will be using instead of buying to much more stuff, so I can find the money to pay for the Major Projects.

I will target what I will be buying and stop buying what I don't need and could live without. Last year I saved over $2000 cash and only took money out of my capital fund to buy a very good 2nd car under 2 years old.

Yes I can live off my pension and save.

This is my 300th post to date.

A Dripping Tap & Checking the Budget Fat

January 10th, 2007 at 08:26 am

I got a dripping shower tap that needs fixing and will have to keep a bucket under it until someone is available to come and fix it. May be to-morrow!

Today I had a look at my budget to see if I could cut some fat from it, not much to cut. So I will need look at cutting my spending as much as possible in the future. I have worked out what I will need to spend and when in a time frame so that helps. The first half of the year is water tank and door. So both those will be covered. Next item will be termite spraying and that will get done after I get my rebates back on the water tank. So three of the four items on Major projects do have some money available for them. As I do have the money too pay for the water tank now! I will to put any money saved in the second half of the year towards my computer replacement project and this I can do in small amounts as money comes available. So I only hope nothing-Major need replacing in the mean while. So my challenges for this year are ‘Cut Small Stuff ’ for Major Projects. So it ‘Use It Up, Make Do, Mend It, & Do Without’ for the Small Stuff Challenge.

I can see a lot of no spending days ahead.

Bird Net & That Ironing Project

January 9th, 2007 at 08:01 am


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

Bulk Assets Buying

January 8th, 2007 at 08:38 am

It’s a case of going to the supermarket for more cat food. Before going I made a list of their lost leaders this week that I use. While there I bought only fours lines only but in multiply buys.

John West Tempers Tuna 95g x 10 @ 79c RRP $1.59 ea. … saving $8.00
Just Juice Orange Juice 2L x 4 @ $1.39 RRP $2.73 ea. ……saving $5.54
Praise Salad Dressing 330ml x 1 @$2.29 RRP $2.99 … saving .70c
Cat Food generic x 10 @ .69c reg. price at the momen, it was 75c each, two months ago it’s the only item that has come down in price around here..
As I get a 5% off the total docket saving here $1.09

I did have a milk shake while I was out saving $1.55 than buying it at Wendy's.

Today’s Full price Tally $39.44
Today’s Savings - $16.18
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $8902.45

De-Cluttering a Bookcase

January 7th, 2007 at 08:07 am

Well it’s time that start tiding up some of my bookshelves. I have a corner that need a good tidy up and put some of the books back in order, as well cull some of them. I do have a lot of books, most shelved in categories all over the house. When I go looking for a subject I need to look in some of these categories as well the other ones. The information may by in some of these books as they are on multi topics as a lot of these books are like ‘Mother Earth’ magazine that I do have one old copy of. But I have many copies of the Australian ‘Grass Roots’, I like reading these books but can never picture myself living that kind of lifestyle. I have been always a city girl, but a very much ‘Make Do, Use It Up’ person from the old school of thought. I do get a lot of my ideas and a lateral thinking from these books. One bookcase done and ten other’s to go.

Catching up with my washing today!

January 6th, 2007 at 08:06 am

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.

In the last 28 days I have

January 5th, 2007 at 09:16 pm

In the last 28 days I have

Gone shopping or bought something 21 times

Went to the city by bus 7 times

Drove my car only 10 times

Had food bought or had for free away from home 10 times

And had 7 No Spending Days.

Lets see what next 28 days tallies will be.

Oh! You can tell it’s Pre & Post Christmas Sales here and I never once used my credit card.

36th Week’s Summary of $$$ Stretching Challenge

January 5th, 2007 at 09:13 pm

Challenge at 36th week.

Kitty’s Real Spending Total $8216.73
+ 2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $8886.27
= Full Price (RRP) Income Challenge $17103.00

Opening CC Balance $120.00
Kitty’s Opening Balance Rollover $95 ($0.00 Bill A/C)
$$$Money in - $1035.00
= Total Income Balance. $1130
Bills Total $378.10
Other Spending & Groceries $456.10
$$$ Money out = $834.51
Cash Banked in other A/C’s $40
Kitty’s Rollover Balance $255.49 ($94 Bill A/C)
CC Balance $0 (Zero)


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