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

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

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

Note only one amount is no spend

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My 700th post milestone

As I had a fall over Christmas which I hurt my thumb, I also had a sore upper arm on the same arm. So today I visited a Physiotherapist as I can get one visit in which Medicare pay for part payment. So I had to spend money as I had to pay $19.90 of this payment then I had to buy a large wheat bag $40.00 for my back as this is part of the treatment that I need. As the sore arm problem is stemming from a neck and back problem that I have. I don’t need to go back unless I have more problems and do the exercises suggested. I end up buying some lunch of Crumbed Cod for $5.00 as it was raining and needed to stay put for a while.

Two days no spending then I had to go buy lunch at Subway $4.75 for 6 inch sub of seafood with the lot including chilli. At least I enjoyed it. I had my list to buy at supermarket, 3x cat litter, 1kg skim milk powder, and fruit. As most of fruit growing areas have been flood here, I look for what was on special seedless green grapes stood out as this is my favourite fruit and I won’t be buying bananas for a while the prices have already skyrocketed. Cyclone Yasi destroyed 85% of the plantations here. I do still have some frozen banana for baking so I will make some banana muffins to use them up. I have some firm pears still in the fridge so I will make some stewed pears as these don’t taste nice and I will sweeten them up when I cook them.

How did I go with my shopping list.

Cat litter x3 - check
Powdered milk - check
Grapes - check

Found myself at the empty checkout so paid for the above and drove home. $18.15 lighter.
I should need to go near a supermarket for my own shopping this week but will be taking my DF-M to do her monthly shop soon!

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

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

These are the categories for this challenge.
Items === Approx Budget===Spent
Eating out===$35.00=====$61.05
Groceries===$135.50 ==== $109.94
Non-Food===$17.00=====$18.90
Clothes ====$35.00=====$15.00
Grooming===$15.00=====$14.52
Gas======$25.00
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$15.17
HH items===$42.50======$202.00
Fares== ====$9.00
Entrainments= $12.00
Garden =====$10.00
Gifts & Donations =$35.00=== $14.00
Medical =====$15.00=====$44.50
Misc ======$9.00
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ==$26.75

Note only one amount is no spend
Budgeted for this period $530 spent $521.83
No Spending days over the 28 days =13 days in total.

Personal allowance covers confectionery, lotto, books, stamps, craft & hobby supplies, and I did donate some more money for our floods. Eating out including meal out with family we all go Dutch.
As for medical this is the extra out of pockets amounts that came up this month it’s was Vitamin D tablets as I can up on the low side on my last blood test. My credit cards are still paid in full each month.

I do keep my bill money separated from this summery. This year I will be budgeting around $650 per period month to cover all my bills. I have started to bank each month out of this amount $180 to cover my medical & hospital cover so that I will have it available at the end of the year. These funds do cover all my fixed bills for the year if I can stick to this schedule as I have done for the past ten years or so. I just got my next house & contents insurance quote up $200 on last time but the value is over the top but will review these amounts before I pay it. I am not planning to charge insurers as this company is one of the few that cover us for flooding any kind. This budget will be tight but just doable. On my budget excel modelling chart I can pay the full amount this year.

If any changes to my spending habits will need to come out of my daily living allowance categories of my budget as my bill categories are very tight now. Still need to work on a few categories as you can see. HH items (Household) was the cost of the microwave so if took off $200 I didn’t do to bad this month after all.

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

At the moment our fruit & vegetables prices is set to rise around here. We are all trying to buy Australian grown so we keep our farmers in business that has something to sell. The quality of the fruit & vegetables is not as good before floods but what do you expect when you have 3 states with flooding and another one will go under in the next few weeks remember I said in an earlier post that South Australia will end up with most this water in the end.

So far I have bought seedless grapes, watermelon, bananas, oranges and mixed salad greens as tomatoes are to expensive to buy so are apples around $9.99KG (2.2lbs). Most have blemishes on them but are eatable all the same. Around Queensland milk is still short supply as our main supplier went under in the Brisbane flood same as last time in 1974.

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

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

These are the categories for this challenge.
Items === Approx Budget===Spent
Eating out===$35.00=====$75.85
Groceries===$135.50 ==== $118.70
Non-Food===$17.00=====$11.61
Clothes ====$35.00=====$47.74
Grooming===$15.00=====$20.00
Gas======$25.00=====$25.70
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$36.47
HH items===$42.50
Fares== ====$9.00 ======$20.00
Entrainments= $12.00
Garden =====$10.00
Gifts & Donations =$35.00=== $153.00
Medical =====$15.00=====$59.90
Misc ======$9.00
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ==$55.13
Note only one amount is no spend

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

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

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

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

That should say what Christmas shopping for the little of it that I done. Last week I went into the city on two days in a row, one was an outing with a friend and the other was medical appointments and paying a bill, plus buying a new black handbag for me that was on special. $49.95 down to $37.45. and some under wear that was on special that I wear. It pour down here on the way home a very old fashioned thunder storm , I caught the bus but got caught when I got off, I had to wait under an awing for nearly 30 minutes before I was able across the main road with the lights the traffic could see you and there was lighting around too! Anyway I got home safely.

On Saturday I went to buy my family gift cards as this is what they won’t. I only can afford token gifts so they know I will not go overboard $50 each and card. The others will get gift that I bought over the year and a one family will get a box of chocolates one that all ages can eat.

As I went with two different friends to the same store, I bought the chocolates on the second trip down. I also bought some jars of gherkins, sun dried tomatoes and 2 jars of olives for summer lunch next year all for me.

So my Christmas shopping came to $120 that included gifts cards plus my own gifts to myself. So you would say about $180 all out this year for gifts.

I won’t keep the retail sector going for long if everyone shopped the way I do!

Since the 10th December I have had six no spend days.

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

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

These are the categories for this challenge.
Items === Approx Budget===Spent

Eating out===$35.00=====$60.60
Groceries===$135.50 ==== $99.72
Non-Food===$17.00
Clothes ====$35.00=====$9
Grooming===$15.00=====$22.73
Gas======$25.00
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$$39.60
HH items===$42.50======$1.79
Fares== ====$9.00
Entrainments= $12.00
Garden =====$10.00=====$2.00
Gifts & Donations =$35.00=== $30.95
Medical =====$15.00=====$17.40
Misc ======$9.00=======$15.00
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ==$59.10
Note only one amount is no spend
Budgeted for this period $530 spent $350.16

No Spending days over the 28 days =12 days in total.

I have been spending a little in the personal spending area on some books, and candy but as I had a small win on my playing pokies over the last month this did reduce the amount down a little. I had a lot of few bills this month in the way of painting and flea treatment for the cats so I had to watch what I spent money on. My eating out for the month was over a bit and it will be the same this month I would think too as I planning to a least two outings and putting in for the Christmas meal.

My credit cards are still paid in full each month. I am still under my budgeted allowance so I am on track by being under budget by $179.84, this saving did help to pay the painters bill.

After reading this blog

15 Items or Less. I had a look at my own last two grocery shop dockets both are under 15 or less too! Shopping for one person does have it little savings at times. Remember we have no coupons here.

Shop 1 - 6 items

3 pkt Savoury Biscuits @1.09 =$ 3.27 -off $1.51 pkt - saved $4.53
1 Pkt Bread Roll $1.50 -off $1.50 -saved $1.50
1 can Spam $3.00 -off $1.01 -saved $1.01
Home brand Ice Cream $2.19

Saved $6.69 off RRP this week

Shop 2 - 5 items

1 dozen Eggs $2.55
403g Sweet Potato .80
Mixed Fruit $2.00 -off .89 - saved .89
1 kg Tasty Cheese $7.98 -off $2.01 -saved $2.01
1 kg Hans Bacon Rashers $6.99 -off $5.00 -saved $5.00 (manager mark down)

Saved $7.90 off RRP this week

So that’s $14.89 off my groceries in two days.

Also that’s about 20 meals in the future of the protein parts.

I planning of using vegatables and fruits up that I had got here and garden vegetables first. I have plenty of beans and cherry tomatoes for now!

Yesterday I took my elderly neighbour to the hardware store the largest in our area, as she had to buy some plastic ground sheeting to cover her garden where she is not growing anything this year in it as she is going interstate for a few months this summer. Now the one she uses is a builder black plastic and you buy it by the roll, 20m $54.95, some cord to tie things up in the garden and around the house, you could buy this by the metre but no she wanted a roll of it $25.75. Another large plastic container $16.95, some garden supplies, odd and ends $48.35 worth so hardware trip costed about $146.00.

After I packed up the car it was off to the supermarket for just a few things and quick look at the new upgrade at this one or so I thought. She like the new upgrade and $66.00 later including a tray of 12 mangos @$3.48 each for her family she is visiting today. We are off the Chemist, bakers and the butcher at another shopping area closer to home. She picked up medicine, along with the 5 bread rolls that she likes. At butcher’s cooked chicken ham and egg all up around another $74.00. Now I wanted to go home but first I had to take her home then unpack the car with all her stuff that she bought before I could. I got given half the chicken for lunch and 2 slice of ham. So 3 hours later after we started out I got home and again I had a NO Spend Day.

I do know that she has to pay for taxis if she goes anywhere alike this on her own and where we live to and from the hardware store would have been around $40 each way. If I want to buy anything its best I go on my own that way I can fit it in the car.

Until next time!

Yesterday I took my elderly neighbour to the hardware store the largest in our area, as she had to buy some plastic ground sheeting to cover her garden where she is not growing anything this year in it as she is going interstate for a few months this summer. Now the one she uses is a builder black plastic and you buy it by the roll, 20m $54.95, some cord to tie things up in the garden and around the house, you could buy this by the metre but no she wanted a roll of it $25.75. Another large plastic container $16.95, some garden supplies, odd and ends $48.35 worth so hardware trip costed about $146.00.

After I packed up the car it was off to the supermarket for just a few things and quick look at the new upgrade at this one or so I thought. She like the new upgrade and $66.00 later including a tray of 12 mangos @$3.48 each for her family she is visiting today. We are off the Chemist, bakers and the butcher at another shopping area closer to home. She picked up medicine, along with the 5 bread rolls that she likes. At butcher’s cooked chicken ham and egg all up around another $74.00. Now I wanted to go home but first I had to take her home then unpack the car with all her stuff that she bought before I could. I got given half the chicken for lunch and 2 slice of ham. So 3 hours later after we started out I got home and again I had a NO Spend Day.

I do know that she has to pay for taxis if she goes anywhere alike this on her own and where we live to and from the hardware store would have been around $40 each way. If I want to buy anything its best I go on my own that way I can fit it in the car.

Until next time!

This is my final blog in this series as I could find many more recipes if I looked hard enough, but any full recipes that I have found in my recipes collection. I will be posting in the My Pages section on the left here. Here the link

Beans and Rice Challenge Recipes

Now it's time to make a file for myself for personal use on all these recipes, so if anytime in the future that I may need them they can be found without another full search on this topic. I hope many of you will do the same and then you will have at your finger tips many different recipes for Beans and Rice in the future. May your debts be few and you're saving great in the future. There are many more recipes on internet these are just sample of what's out there.

More links to recipes
Tortilla & Rice Soup
Bean & Shrimp Risotto
Asian Bean & Rice Rolls
Jamaican Red beans and rice
Kidney Bean and Cheesy Rice Casserole
Red beans and rice
Rice and Beans 5 Ways
Hawaiian Beans and Rice
Beans and Rice Recipes

More beans recipes on the US Dry Beans Council website

This question came up in the last blog - I could be wrong but I thought in order to get the complete protein that you had to eat the rice and beans at the same time. ~Aleta

I did a bit of research today on this topic, this is what I did find so do have look at the first four links then just pick any of the others that takes you interest to view. This theory was initially promoted in Frances Moore Lappe, 1971 bestseller Diet for a Small Planet. In which she in her later edition did changed her position on protein combining. In the 1981 edition of Diet for a Small Planet view text in this article

Protein combining

"Complete" Proteins?
Eating Beans and Rice with recipes
Complementary Protein Myth Won't Go Away!
The Protein Myth

Do beans need to be combined with rice to make a protein?
Vegetarians: Pondering Protein?
What alternative proteins are there for vegetarians and how much protein should a healthy vegetarian main course meal provide?

What's Complete Protein -Inquiring Vegetarians Want Know
Human Protein Requirements
Food for Thought

I have been looking into this topic to find out more about it. I can't find anything written by Dave Ramsey on the topic that I can get into for FREE. Some blogs that I have read go as far back as 2006 are saying that his followers are taking it literally that you must eat them at every meal. I can't find out that if this is the case but I would fine it very boring but if I had too because I didn't have other foods then so be it.

Economically it a good idea if you had very little money for the week or two. To buy just rice and beans can be expensive if go about it the wrong way, both in health wise and moneywise.

Buying rice can be expensive if you buy fancy pre-cook ones or one minute packets that cook for one meal. This challenge calls for the bulk purchase of rice, the larger the better. Long grain, Basmati or brown rice is better choice. Brown rice will spoil quicker than white rice so buy less of this but it's the best choice. So do, do your maths on this one, unit price per pound of the value each bag of rice. No good buy 50lbs bag of rice if you haven't the place to store it or you need that money in another area of your budget. I'm thinking in small amounts but larger than just enough for the next meal. (I personally buy in 2 to 5 kilo lots of Long grain or Basmati.) With this challenge you can't afford to buy all the fancy kinds of rice, just one or two varieties only and be creative with it.

Buying beans can be expensive too! If you are in the habit of buying only canned beans and not taking the time to learn to cook them from scratch. So try buying DRIED Beans in larger quantity where you can. I buy them in 1 kilo or 2.2lbs of each at a time and having a number of varieties in the pantry so I don't tire of eating the same kind.

Is there another way of putting variety into this challenge, yes I think so. First off you will need to take stock of what in your pantry, freezer and refrigerator. Make a list of what's there and try to use this food you have already paid for, by incorporating it into the Beans and Rice Diet Challenge.

Start with a meal plan for the next week using as much food that you found without going the supermarket but still having at least one meal per day of beans and rice. As for only having beans and rice combined which does make

complete protein, you still could have meal made with just rice base and having the beans at another meal that day. Still you will get your protein for that day.

One can of beans equal about 2 cup of cooked beans after you rinse and drain them.
As for cooking the beans it's best that you cook and freeze beans if possible so that you can use the many recipes that have can beans as an ingredient. It best that you freeze beans in serving sizes (I personally freeze in 2 cups lots.)

How to Use Dried Beans
Links
Bean Prep & Recipe Tips
New American Plate
Nutrition & Health FAQ


More to come soon!

Beans and Rice Diet Challenge - Inspired by Dave Ramsey

This blog has inspired me to look into my recipe collection for more recipes.
I found these few just doing a search on the internet.

Check out these links then look at the recipes that are linked in the articles.

How to Live Well on Rice and Beans

The Beans and Rice Way to Better Health and More Wealth

Some of the recipes found in these links and more.

Caribbean Red Beans and Rice
Cajun Red Beans and Rice
Creole Black-Eyed Peas and Rice
Creole Red Beans and Rice
Black Beans and Rice
Black Beans & Rice
Brazilian Style Black Beans and Rice
Zesty Red Beans and rice (Rajma Chawal)
Khichadi

more beans and rice recipes

One recipe if you get bored with beans & rice.
Garbanzo Tacos this is a must try one!

Yesterday I went out with a friend and her Asian student to the local sport club. I had to pay my annual membership again. All of two dollars but it does have a lot of discounts that you can get too!

First up we had lunch as it was pension day, with a special menu for pensioners @ $6.90

Roasted Beef or Pork with Vegetables
Fried Fish, Chips and Salad
Spaghetti Bolognese
All served with a Steam Ginger Bread Pudding and Custard

I had Roasted Pork & Vegetables and dessert

If you weren’t a pensioner you paid $10.90 + $5.90 for the dessert but you do have more choices.
So I saved $9.90 with senior %.

Afterwards we went to coffee shop there and had coffee and muffin or raisin toast for $5.50 instead of $7.50 with our membership cards, it looks like with a member card you can pick up a lot of deals but it can be expensive if you are not careful as they have poker machines there.

$2 membership, $5.00 pokers, $12.40 food, I spent in total $19.40 and saved $11.90 by having the right cards.

All these come out of daily living part of my budget. So along we don’t do this to often my budget will still work.

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

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

These are the categories for this challenge.

Items === Approx Budget===Spent

Eating out===$35.00=====$42.60
Groceries===$135.50 ==== $82.48
Non-Food===$17.00= ====$34.66
Clothes ====$35.00
Grooming===$15.00=====$21.03
Gas======$25.00======$30.00
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$58.30
HH items===$42.50======$35.67
Fares== ====$9.00
Entrainments= $12.00
Garden =====$10.00=====$30.85
Gifts & Donations =$35.00=== $22.92
Medical =====$15.00=====$5.40
Misc ======$9.00
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ==$114.91
Note only one amount is no spend

Budgeted for this period $530 spent $478.82

No Spending days over the 28 days = 13 days in total.

I have been spending a little more on some books, stationery and gardening over the last month. Some of these are covered in my personal allowance in which I got a few books at good discount price that were on my buy list and along with bulk computer paper which was at very good price so I bought a box of 5 reams instead just a ream enough until this time next year or longer. So this is now off to buy list until I am down the last 2 reams as I have some other reams in storage also.

My credit cards are still paid in full each month. I am still under my budgeted allowance so I am on track.

I fine that canned tuna is one of my frugal proteins as I have posted recipes a few times. It's easy to use and an economical here. We can buy it in 3 sizes 95g, 180g & 420g most are just plain tuna in brine, springwater or oil in Chunky or flaked. There are numerous recipes printed for using canned tuna.

Pasta & Tuna - 1/2 can flavoured tuna, 1/4 cup tomato sauce mix- balance of tuna used for lunch with lavish crackers

Tuna Pasta

1 can 95g Tuna - Flavoured Tomato & Onion or other flavour
2 cups of spiral pasta
1/2 jar of pasta sauce
Dried parsley
Seasoning

Cook pasta as instructed
Mix tuna & pasta sauce into a microwave dish, add seasoning & dried parsley to taste and heat until hot.
When pasta is cooked drain, and reserves a little pasta water to pour back over the pasta and add tuna pasta sauce mixture to pasta and serve on 2 spaghetti bowls.

Serve 2
For one serving divide in half.
Serve with a green salad

Tuna Recipes posted so far here.

Italian Bean and Tuna Salad

Tunisian Tuna Salad

Easy Tuna Dish

Update on -Easy Tuna Dish

Tuna Mornay

Tuna with macaroni and peas in the comments section

Both my fridge and freezers are full as my friend as cleaned her freezer out and we went shopping today and she bought me a cooked chicken and 2 T-bone steaks as well buying her self the same. I got 4 x 1kg each bags of frozen fresh broad beans & large bag another kind frozen fresh bean. I did give two kilos away of broad beans and re-bag the balance into 200g portions which will give you about 3 servings when cooked. I found an interesting recipe that I liked for them. I will post the recipe later.

Broad Beans Provencale

I had one of the T-bone steak for dinner tonight now I can’t let go to waste can I! I had fresh mushrooms in butter, grilled onions slices, cabbage, an egg to go with it along fruit salad & ice cream.

I need to think about my meals for next few days as I will eating out twice in the coming days. Its EKKA time here again I did post about it a few year’s back now in August 2006.
Ekka -August 2006

I ended up in the city again, and did some shopping too! I had to go the Chiro for my monthly visit. The other day I found a pair of walking shoes on sale 50% off, so I ended up getting a pair as the ones that I am wearing are over eight years old so are coming to the end of they life as going out pair.
Cost just under $70.00 as they are leather uppers and with a descent sole.

Had lunch and coffee while I was there, I got senior discount coffee, getting a larger size for the same price as regular size $3.50. Bought $6.50 special deal on the Japanese Teriyaki Chicken with Vegetable and Rice it was the large size for the same price as the small size saving $2.40

So my savings on regular prices was $74.00.

I had a great day in the city today! I went to lunch at Casino again with my ex-workmates. We haven’t worked in 12 years next month, all of us were retrenched at the same time and enjoying our retirement now. We do meet every month like clock work not always the same ones but someone turns up each month, this time nine of us turned up about the normal number for our group.

Before lunch I set out to pay all my bills that are due this pay. This saves me an extra trip of running around early next month as most are due then. I like to pay as many bills over the counter as I can as this is away I can remember that I haven’t missing them. It’s a route now to pay the bills on certain dates that I go to the city. Some of the bills are paid via bank debit and another’s via post then the council rate bills are paid at the main counter so that I remember that they are paid and I get my discount and all credit card bills are paid when I am near the banks again over the counter. I did buy some birthday cards for the August Birthdays, another USB stick, A Moroccan Cookbook that I wanted, top up my fare card which is called a Go Card here which allows me travel around without having to find change for fares.

Costs
Lunch _________$13.50
Gambling ______$8.00
Fares __________$20.00
USB stick_______ $12.99
Cookbook ______$14.95
3 Birthday Cards _$2.00
Bills total ______$505.00

Total __________$576.44

It’s time to review my daily living allowance for last month’s budget.

These are the categories for this challenge.

Items===Approx Budget===Spent

Eating out===$35.00=====$72.35
Groceries===$135.50 ==== $76.61
Non-Food===$17.00= ====$19.64
Clothes ====$35.00=====$5.00
Grooming===$15.00=====$18.00
Gas======$25.00==== ==$65.50
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$26.61
HH items===$42.50======$77.50
Fares== ====$9.00 =====$26.60
Entrainments= $12.00 =====$23.07
Garden =====$10.00
Gifts & Donations =$35.00
Medical =====$15.00=====$38.15
Misc ======$9.00
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ==$67.20

Budgeted for this period $530 spent $515.72

No Spending days over the 28 days = 10 days in total.

I didn’t bank any Money this month owing to paying my credit card off in full after buying the security doors $1600 worth now to replace my emergency fund over next few months by cutting back on the above where I can.

I have had a few blowouts in some of listed items but overall still came under budget just. All my bills are paid and up to date. All smoke detectors have to have new batteries along with some other batteries so the HH items budget was a little bigger than usual. Personal allowance was mainly books and only one was new. One was a collector’s item a craft book printed in 1918 on stencilling on clothes of all things. As for eating out I did dine out a few times this month and gas I was driving a lot in March too!

Trying to use my food stockpile up is slowly working down but no hole in the pantry or freeze yet.

This week I have used some chicken drumsticks and chicken sausage, I made them into meals for 4, this give me another 6 single servings plus the two eat that week. This is how I use my stockpile, I cook recipe for 4 that I can freeze then eat one and freeze the other 3.

This week I will be making a Caribbean Chicken and Fish Chowder both these I have in Maggi sauce mixers that I am trying use up.

I have a large cane basket that I have put items of food that I wish to include into my menu in the coming weeks. This along with wants in the freezer is to be used first.

Stockpile list to work with.

Basic staples
Rice
Pasta
Noodles
Cereal
Rolled oats
Flour
Lentils
Chickpeas

Items in the baskets to be used next
4 cans of Tomatoes
425g Tuna Chunks in Brine
310g Corn Kernels
420g Heinz Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce
95g Tuna with Tomato & Onion
1 jar x500g pasta sauce
1 x can 400g pineapple pieces
1 x can 400g Apricot Nectar
165g can Coconut Cream
180g pkt of Rich Tomato & Cracked Pepper - last one
1 x 45g pkt Fish Chowder
1 x 45 Caribbean Chicken mix - last one
1 x 400g can buttered mushrooms
1 can 3 Bean Mix
Can of Plum Pudding
Butter Cake Mix
Jar of Fruit Mince 410g
Mixed Fruit 375g
2x 825g can Apricot Halves
2 x pkt Flavour Jelly Mix
1x 400g Skim Condensed Milk
420g Cream of Mushroom Soup

Protein
500g ground beef
Basic mince mix
Whole Chicken
breast o f chicken
250g diced chicken
2 steaks for grilling
Bean patties

Plus basic spices & other condiments.
Basic vegetables in fridge & freezer.

What can I make meals out of this list?
This is what I came up with so far
Steak with mushrooms, grilled onions and mixed vegetable
Tomato Sauce - 2 can tomatoes + tomato cracked pepper sauce (sauce makes about 4 cups)
Spaghetti Bolognaise = basic mince + 2 cups tomato sauce - 3 serves plus Chilli mix
Chilli Con Carne = 1/2 Basic mince used for bolognaise, 1/2 can baked bean, chilli powder - 3 serves
Caribbean Chicken with rice -flavouring packet + 250g diced chicken, pineapple piece & juice, & peppers - 3 serves
Pasta & Tuna - 1/2 can flavoured tuna, 1/4 cup tomato sauce mix- balance of tuna used for lunch with lavish crackers
Roast chicken - with roasted vegetables and chicken for salads - 4 serves
Tuna Mornay Fish chowder + tuna + coconut cream + corn kernels - 4 serves
Tomato soup - made from can of tomatoes - 2 serves - lunch with toast
Beans salad - 3 Bean Mix + diced shallots & celery

Jelly & Apricots
Plum Pudding & custard
Boiled Fruit Cake
Fruit mince tarts
Cookies made with the cake mix + Skim Condensed Milk.

Any meals that have more serves that I am unable eat in one day, which can be frozen, are for next weeks menu. Ones that cant be frozen then are use later in the week.

Made and used so far
Tomato Sauce
Pasta & Tuna
Spaghetti Bolognaise
Chilli Con Carne

Saving Money so far of grocery surplus
Banked = $162

This week s menu
Spaghetti Bolognaise
Apricot Chicken with rice
Steak and onion with vegetable
Omelette with tomato sauce
Bean patties with vegetables
Beef Stir Fry
Pasta & Tuna

Its time to review my daily living allowance for last month budget.

These are the categories for this challenge.

Items === Approx Budget===Spent

Eating out==$35==$43.85
Groceries==$135.50 = = $57.38
Non-Food==$17.00= =$3
Clothes ==$35==$44.95
Grooming==$15.00==$7
Gas==$25.00 ==$0
Pets== $50.00 ==$88.83
HH items==$42.50==$30.00
Fares== $9.00 ==$0
Entrainments== $12.00 ==$3
Garden ==$10.00==$0
Gifts & Donations ==$35.00== $2
Medical Prescription ==$15.00==$6.90
Misc ==$9.00 ==$0.50
Personal Allowance ==$85.00 ==$50.23

Budgeted for this period $530 spent $337.64

No Spending days over the 28 days = 11 days in total.

Money banked this month $400

Review of Daily living allowance which is part of my waste not want not challenge this year, these are the areas which I have dont a fixed spending amounts but can go over board at any point. But can cutback quickly if the need does rise. Medical out of pocket expenses not covered in the fixed budget. Approx amount are for one month.

Here is a summery of spending this period. More spending in some areas than normal as I had to replacing a stolen handbag, is the reason that this part of budget is over. Pet food this month is over owing to it being on special so I bought enough for a few months. Eating out was a little higher than budgeted for but at times its a can be lot higher than this amount too! I am still trying to cut back on buying too many books this year.

Its time to review my daily living allowance for last month budget.

These are the categories for this challenge.

Items === Approx Budget===Spent

Eating out==$35==$64.00
Groceries==$135.50 = = $52.00
Non-Food==$17.00= =$0
Clothes ==$35==$129.00
Grooming==$15.00==$15.96
Gas==$25.00 ==$30.27
Pets== $50.00 ==$32.72
HH items==$42.50==$35.00
Fares== $9.00 ==$25.00
Entrainments== $12.00 ==$190.00
Garden ==$10.00==$0
Gifts & Donations ==$35.00== $0
Medical Prescription ==$15.00==$14.10
Misc ==$9.00 ==$0
Personal Allowance ==$85.00 ==$32.24

Budgeted for this period $530 spent $620.29

No Spending days over the 31 days = 9 days in total.

Money banked this month $250

Review of Daily living allowance which is part of my waste not want not challenge this year, these are the areas which I dont a fixed spending amounts but can go over board at any point. But can cutback quickly if the need does rise. Medical out of pocket expenses not covered in the fixed budget. Approx amount are for one month.

Here is a summery of spending this period. More spending in some areas than normal as I had to replacing a stolen camera & fare card, is the reason that this budget is over and buying two pairs of sandals this month, mind you they were 50% off the original price. Eating out was a little higher than budget for but at times its a lot higher than this amount too! I am trying to cut back on buying too many books this year.

I will need to report on what I am using and how I am using it if its not the norm and what I have found to use in the future.

Doing my Weekly Menu plan again

I will continue with my Monthly Living Allowance reports.
Hopefully I will see a downwards trend on my spending.

Include a report on any saving money transferred to ING account or other accounts.

Any saving will used to replace the cost of painting my house this year.

I wouldnt say I was a spendthrift by any means just have a collection of a lot of stuff over time. Some things came with the house and are still here today. Its a case of do you have still got Mum or Dad or Nana or Aunty this or that! Now that may be a strange to some of you that move around a lot but as a family member built this house in early 1950s and some family member has been living here ever since. Its alway been thought of as the family retirement home the only problem is that I just retired in the last few years as I came here in my twenties with my parents and have been here ever since. A few pieces of the furniture came into the house when it was new!

Its time to use what I have got here then find a home or sell things that I will never use again. I do know that I could sell some of it on eBay if I ever wanted or had too!

If I ever move from this house in the future I would reckon that I could only take about 20- 25% of what I have here now! I think its time to start review what is that very special to me.

Weekly Main Meal Menu
Sunday~ Pasta with Tuna & Tomato Sauce
Monday ~Steak & Vegetables
Tuesday~ Scramble Eggs on Toast
Wednesday ~ Spaghetti Bolognese
Thursday~ Leftovers night
Friday~ Grilled Crumbed Fish with Vegetables
Saturday~ Chilli Con Care & Corn Chips

I have a large cane basket that I have put items of food that I wish to include into my menu in the coming weeks. This along with wants in the freezer is to be used first.

Stockpile list to work with.

Basic staples
Rice
Pasta
Noodles
Cereal
Rolled oats
Flour
Lentils

Items in the baskets to be used next
4 cans of Tomatoes
425g Tuna Chunks in Brine
400g can Creamed Corn
310g Corn Kernels
420g Heinz Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce
95g Tuna with Tomato & Onion
1 x 400g can pineapple pieces
165g can Coconut Cream
180g pkt of Rich Tomato & Cracked Pepper
1 x 45g pkt Fish Chowder
1 x 45 Caribbean Chicken mix
1 x 400g can Champignons Pieces & Stems
1 can 3 Bean Mix
Can of Plum Pudding
Butter Cake Mix
Jar of Fruit Mince 410g
Mixed Fruit 375g
3x 825g can Apricot Halves
2 x pkt Flavour Jelly Mix
140g pkt Lavish Crackers
1x 400g Skim Condensed Milk
420g Cream of Mushroom Soup

Protein
Basic mince mix
Whole Chicken
Kangaroo roast
250g diced chicken

Plus basic spices & other condiments.
Basic vegetables in fridge & freezer

Can I make meals out of this list?
This is what I came up with so far
Tomato Sauce - 2 can tomatoes + tomato cracked pepper sauce (sauce makes about 4 cups)
Caribbean Chicken with rice -flavouring packet + 250g diced chicken, pineapple piece & juice, & peppers - 3 serves
Pasta & Tuna - 1/2 can flavoured tuna, 1/4 cup tomato sauce mix- balance of tuna used for lunch with lavish crackers
Spaghetti Bolognaise = basic mince + 2 cups tomato sauce - 3 serves plus Chilli mix
Chilli Con Carne = 1/2 Basic mince used for bolognaise, 1/2 can baked bean, chilli powder - 3 serves
Roast chicken - with roasted vegetables and chicken for salads - 4 serves
Small Kangaroo Roast with vegetables & Champignons 1/2 can - freeze balance - 2 serves
Tuna Mornay Fish chowder + tuna + coconut cream + corn kernels - 4 serves
Tomato soup - made from can of tomatoes - 2 serves - lunch with toast
Beans salad - 3 Bean Mix + diced shallots & celery
Creamed corn - served for breakfast on toast - 3 serves
Baked beans on toast for breakfast - 1/2 can
Jelly & Apricots
Plum Pudding & custard
Boiled Fruit Cake
Fruit mince tarts
Cookies made with the cake mix + Skim Condensed Milk.

Any meals that have more serves that I am unable eat in one day, which can be frozen, are for next week menu. Ones that cant be frozen then are use later in the week.

Made and used so far
Tomato Sauce
Caribbean Chicken with rice
Pasta & Tuna
Spaghetti Bolognaise
Chilli Con Carne,
Small Kangaroo Roast with vegetables
Baked beans on toast for breakfast - 1/2 can
Jelly & Apricots
Plum Pudding & custard

Saving Money so far
Banked $40.00

In the Waste Not, Want Not Challenge the plan is to use down my stockpile that I have collected over the past few years. There are a number of areas that are covered in this challenge.

Having found a few cans that I didnt want to open, because they didnt past my safety check when I looked at them.

Please first of all note some of my cans are well past their use by dates so I am going on look of the can and look of stuff inside it when opened. If it looks like any way different than a new can then it failed the test. My health and that of my pets are well more important than a few cents saved.

So Rule number one here is - If it is not safe to use then dont. Never use dented or leaking or blown cans or if the product doesnt look right or smell right in anyway. Still up to now you havent tasted it so also if taste is wrong too! The more different ingredients in the can the more closer to the use by date it needs to be.
Rule two - Only buy want you will use and in quantities that you will use.
Rule three - Know what you can do with it before you buy large quantities of anything. If it food have at least 5 different recipes or ways of using it up your sleeve.

On last Saturday Morning, I end up going to a shopping to get the best deal at Jeweler store chain as they have their best sales around this time. I got some money for Christmas gift and a birthday gift voucher from this store of $25.00 so when I put the two together I can get some nice as I need to buy gift with the money and use that gift voucher before the end of the month. Its a show and tell kind gift.

So to upshot was that it was a 50% sale until Sunday then a new sales of some kind most unlikely on silver. I got a beautiful silver chain for Christmas so I wanted some extra silver locket to go with it. There were three lockets about the size I wanted there, priced at $149, $85, & $69, as I didnt like the design on $149 one and it was toss up between other two in the end I got both.

So RRP for both $154, less markdown of $76, less $25 gift voucher so cash outlay in the end was $53 of which $50 was gift money. Cost $3.00 out of my pocket. Saving of $151.00

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

That was not all the bargains that I end up with either. I had just five items on my list and lunch there as its a very large shopping centre and can take you 20 minutes to walk from one end to the other without shopping.

Strategy - Park your car in a spot that you will get your daily walk done too!

Item two - New computer ink cartridges
I always buy twin pack cartridges for printer as it work out better in the end. Doing a price check in the last few weeks want everyone was selling it for. So I went to Big W store here as they has the cheapest price the one I came to buy was sold out but another one of two twin packs was even better buy. Top RRP for a single twin pack $44.88, but I got 2x twin packs that 2 color & 2 black ink cartridges pack for $69.88. Saving of $19.88 if you just believe the sale talk that they sell it for the cheapest price you can get. Not likely after my experience!

Strategy - Dont believe all the sale talk, do your own leg work.

Item three & lunch
As one of the items need to bought at the supermarket I went to one that I can get a retire staff discount from. Now as I didnt know what was on special it was nice to know everything that I got was but for the drink to with my lunch. Potato crisps, personal items, crackers, Xmas bows & drink RRP $ 25.67 costing $18.54 Saving of $7.04

I had only two items my list for the supermarket, one was on sale personal items so I bought two packets saving $2.15, potato crisps 50% off special again bought two saving $3.15, multi buy on crackers that I use all the time 3 for $5 less my % saving $2.90, then Xmas wrapping bows in sliver, gold & red colors saving $1.32 plus my drink buying the drink small bottle of ice coffee at supermarket not where I am planning to dine in open plan food court saved a lot of money as drinks are around $3.30 where I was dining.

Using the supermarket strategy for buying my drink that cost only $1.49.

Strategy - Try to buy drinks at the supermarket if dining in open plan food courts.
Strategy - Only buy what you will use when shopping without a list.

Lunch was another saving as I bought a small size meal that was on special for $4.95 instead of $6.80 of Japanese Chicken Curry saving of $1.85 plus saving on my ice coffee of $1.81 so saved total of $3.66 here.

I saved another $2.00 buying some green seedless grapes for $3.99 per kg instead supermarket ones at $5.94 kg.

Strategy - Price check other shops before going to the supermarket As both supermarket in this shopping centre have a fruit & vegetable store outside each other at opposite end of the complex.

Bargain Price rite store that beauty & chemist lines as chocolates & gift lines, I couldnt resist the bargain here Tim tams Mugs gift set pack only $4.00 saving $10.99 and tin of cookies for $3.50 saving $6.49 here. I have enough treats now until end of February at least.

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

Now off the K-mart store another one that I can get retired staff discounts at. This was just shopping for the fun of it here. First off the only item left on my list was a Christmas Wreath that needs to be replaced for next year. Found on a Clearance trolley with someone there to mark them a further 50% off the mark price with another 50% off when you at the checkout. I got two wreaths for 75c saving of $14.40, Christmas Santa for $3.00 saving $16.95, two x Christmas empty tins set of 3 for $2.50 saving of $21.50 plus candy shocking for $1.25 saving of $3.50. as well some two x gifts sets that were price wrong RRP $9.00 checkout of price $5.00 but on shelf price for $3.00 so I question it and got it for $3.00 each. If they are $5.00 each I will have my money back please. I thought the shelf tag said $3.00 and there were a lot of them there!

Strategy - Check your dockets and ask for a refund If they pull a its in the wrong place or wrong code talk
Strategy - If you will use it and cheap enough then have a treat now and then!

Whats the moral of this story, I had planned to go shopping with gift money & voucher to get a few items on my list, namely silver jeweler, printer ink, personal items, wreath and have a look at sandals which I would buy if in my size. But subconsciously set myself amount to spend of around $200 including the $50 gift money plus the gift voucher of $25.00. What did I spend in the end was $203.30 but out of my pocket cost only $128.30 RRP price of items $418.31, saving of $290.01 on the day. Now if I went bought these items at normal times like pre-Christmas I would have been poorer by $290. Now that what I call is stretching ones dollars.

RRP cost $418.31
Out of my pocket cost $128.30
Saving of $290.01

(All in Australian dollars)