Today I decided to go the art gallery for a look at the latest collection. While I was there, run into an old friend that I meet a few months ago. She had been away overseas late last year. This was the first time that I had seen her since then, so went to the coffee shop and had a chat on what we both have been doing since we last saw each other. While she was away her son download a virus on to they computer so that is why I hadn’t heard from her, and her had to buy a new one too! I just bought a coffee today $2.80 and the cost on my bus fare was all expenses that I had today saving $2.00 (senior discount) on fares, as I had taken my lunch to eat.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Turkish Bread with Hummus Lettuce Ham Marinated Feta with Marinated Peppers
DINNER Pasta with Pasta Sauce & Tuna

Today’s Full price Tally $ 6.80
Today’s Savings - $ 2.00
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $10,020.97

As I had 3lbs ground beef so that was around 6lbs of mixed beef & TVP as I use 50: 50 here, and 1lb 11oz diced beef thawing overnight. I needed to cook them this morning, as I am an early riser, it was a 4 am start.

With the ground beef I made up some Curry Beef, Spaghetti Sauce, Savoury Beef & Chilli Con Carne and the diced beef, I made Beef Bourguignon as I had 2 packet sauces that needs to be used soon! All that will need to add to this dish is 2 onion, 300g of sliced mushrooms and tomato paste. As I live alone I have put it all in single servings and I got 30 single meals out the cooking today. All meals are now in the freezer.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Turkish Bread with Hummus Lettuce Ham, Tomato with Marinated Peppers Coffee
DINNER Devilled Sausages with Garlic Focaccia Bread Coffee

I will need to review my menus for the coming Autumn/Fall & Winter, so I went back to look at a post I made on here.

Gone shopping or bought something. 15 times

Went to the city by bus 3 times

Drove my car only. 9 times

Had food bought or had for free away from home. 5 times

And had 13 No Spending Days.

Lets see what next 28 days tallies will be.

Challenge at 44th week.

Kitty’s Real Spending Total $10,037.09
+ 2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $10,018.97
= Full Price (RRP) Income Challenge $20,056.87

Opening CC Balance $$49.15
Kitty’s Opening Balance Rollover $315.18 ($190 Bill A/C)
$$$Money in - $1506.28
= Total Income Balance. $1821.46
Bills Total $635.70
Other Spending & Groceries $266.98
$$$ Money out = $902.68
Cash Banked in other A/C’s $0.00
Kitty’s Rollover Balance $918.78 ($720 Bill A/C)
CC Balance $0

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