Eating out ----------$630.98--------over target by $228.98
Groceries -----------$911.33--------under target by $714.67
Non -Food ----------$90.41---------under target by $107.59
Clothes -------------$288.40--------under target by $173.60
Grooming -----------$166.72--------over target by $16.72
Gas -----------------$166.86--------under target by $133.14
Pets ----------------$439.37--------under target by $ 148.63
HH items ------------$413.20--------under target by $58.73
Fares ---------------$87.20----------under target by $14.80
Entrainment----------$228.27--------over target by $78.27
Garden---------------$224.67--------over target by $122.67
Gift & Donations------$304.66---------under target by $97.34
Medical --------------$1110.66-------over target by $930.66
Misc -----------------$112.63--------over target by $10.63
Personal Allowance----$888.71--------under target by $119.29

Daily Living Allowance allotted amount for 2009 was $6210 and I spent total $6063.78--under target by $146.22.

Even with a medical extra outlay owning to eye problems this year and being over in five other categories, I still just manage to come under my budget allotment for 2009. As I have extra float for emergency Medical expenses to draw on to cover these costs, the problem of being short money for the year didnt rise.

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 spend a lot one area that was needed like the medical.

Who would have thought an age pensioner on full pension could come such a long way both in just writing these blogs and saving money along the way, saving at least $5000 in the last 2 years by stretching out every cent that I could that is in cash too! Every dollar had to do the work of two or more so every trick I could find and any deal that was in my flavour I took with both hands and a smile of thanks.

All of my bills are paid into this year and money is there for most of new ones due for the next few months too!

So my motto will stand for another year

Its real hard to come up with $1000 but its easy to find 1000 ways to save a dollar or two!

So lets go and find those 1000 ways to save a dollar challenge and see whats amount is at the end of 12 months.

This year challenge is Waste Not, Want Not or WNWN for short.

I better start posting my menus again too!

Weekly Main Meal Menu

Sunday ~ Grilled fish with light salad
Monday ~ Kangaroo Steak with Mushroom Sauce & Vegetables
Tuesday ~ Pasta with Tuna & Tomato Sauce
Wednesday ~ Omelet with salad
Thursday ~ Leftovers night
Friday ~ Salmon Patties with Vegetables
Saturday ~ Steak with Onions & Grilled Tomato

It is time to review my daily living allowance for the missing two months of my 2009 budget.

These were January 2009 and last month of 2009 December. So by adding in here so I can finalize 2009 as I am going back to monthly summaries for 2010.

As I missed posting January 2009 here when I started so I am adding it to the December 2009 posting so that I can sign off on this challenge and have all the data in the same year.

These are the categories for this challenge.

Items ----- Approx Budget-----Spent

Eating out ----------$67.00------$84.05
Groceries -----------$271.00-----$173.03
Non-Food -----------$33.00------$27.17
Clothes--------------$67.00------$46.00
Grooming------------$25.00------$63.68
Gas -----------------$50.00------$34.01
Pets ----------------$98.00-------$72.77
House Items --------$83.00------$14.65
Fares ---------------$17.00-------$0.00
Entrainments -------$25.00------$46.67
Garden --------------$17.00------$25.13
Gifts & Donations-----$67.00-----$100.16
Medical & Scripts ----$30.00------$188.95
Misc -----------------$17.00------$0.00
Personal Allowance --$168.00 ---$122.28

Average for the month $1035 - Total $998.85

No Spending days over the 62 days = 31 days in total.

As I missed posting January 2009 here so I am adding it to the December 2009 posting so that I can sign off on this challenge and have all the data in the same year.

Again I had glasses add to medical as I was out of pocket $165 this year. In grooming I would have been shopping for hair dye as I do bulk if I find the right price at anytime of the year. Always buy clearance stock most of the time it because of new packaging or a change in colour and I only use only use red tone ones so I normally in luck here. I will buy a year supply if I can.

Today was my monthly lunch with friends; we went the casino again but to a different restaurant this time. They have charged the rules there. Early on you could get a meal for $10.00 with Coffee and Cake with about 10 different meals to choose from with table service, now it has charged a great deal, it self service in that you get your own tray, cutlery and napkin tell the chef which meal you are having then you move on to get a cake if you are having that then to cashier.

Most of us a have members cards but different colours so if you white one which by the way most do have that one then you are classed a non-member and need to paid $14.00 for same thing as before but the menu for this meal now is a pick of two dishes only, all other meals are $9.00 or $12.00 and extra for coffee & cake of $6.90. Personally I was not happy with the meal today but our lot the majority wins!

So next month we may go back and see what the other restaurant has in store for us. They may be changing the rule there too!

So I had Chicken Kiev but I have seen the same piece of heart shaped chicken in the supermarket deli as Chicken Schnitzel pieces for about $2.50 each. I had to pay $14.00 less my Senior 5% off for it with small salad and chips along cake & coffee. It was better the two beef rissoles I would think!

I dont have that many leftovers as the others have kept the meat & salad leftovers but I got all the Christmas sweets treats that was leftover this year. Greek shortbread, Apricot balls, white chocolate crackles, a mini plum pudding and coconut ice animal lollies that the children made. I do have some brandy custard in my fridge so I will be right for sweet treats for a week or two with what I have in the freezer too! All White food again but for coconut ice which is bight pink!

I also was given today more gifts today of box of chocolates and tin of Belgium Chocolate Cookies, these were from DF-M daughter who flew in last night to bring DF-M home and then she flew back home today! Her mother doesnt like flying on her own. Her other daughter and family took her down (interstate) earlier in the month but only stayed for two weeks.

No spending today

Christmas has come and gone here, I had lunch with my DS in laws, White Christmas Dinner with turkey, chicken, ham off the bone, potato salad, pasta salad and coleslaw when you looked at the plate everything had tones of white. Including the desserts wine trifle and lemon meringue pie there was a plum pudding and fresh cream but no one wanted it! Its summer here so we went swimming between courses in my DS pool, sun was out but some light showers though the day.

As for the presents that I bought, they were happy with them! My DS still played billiards but never when I am around. My DIL gift was something she was looking at in the home catalogue this month.
As for the 3 year olds gift they were happy to have something that wasnt a toy and could put all the other bits into it. She got a Barbie pool for Christmas but left her Barbies dolls at her place, so my DIL end up digging up one of her childhood memory Barbies for her to play with she had 13 of them! Her Mum s plant was well received as she had killed the one she had.

As for my Christmas presents I got a beautiful long silver chain to go with a silver owl drop I got earlier in the year, CD of Susan Boyle I Dreamed a Dream, DVD Masterchef & cookbook , DVD Boxed set of Miss Maple with 4 movies, DVD Australia movie, Baking calendar for 2010, Dutch Pancake Maker plus Secret Santa present of some toilettes.

One of my DIL presents from her mother was ideal for someone who loves going shopping on Boxing Day. A Small Christmas Tree with paper gift tags on it each gift tag had $50 note on it!

So my crazy presents were not that crazy after all but they were more lot more frugal than what the others had bought.

As its Christmas Day here, I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season.

Yesterday I went to our local Food for Less Store at 5pm about 2 hours before closing on Christmas Eve. (It has different times to other supermarkets here.) The manager was marking down all the markdown goods as I was one of two people in the store he was calling to me which was the best deals as he wanted to get rid most of these items. I went for Brandy Custard which was markdown 50% off Monday price. As I only walk refrigerator areas if I am not shopping for anything in the aisles, when I got to the meat section I found the manager. He asked if I looking for anything, no as I have got an almost full freezer but then said the porterhouse steak was marked down for $5.65 from $18.82, four nice thick pieces too! Chicken thighs markdown to $2.06 from $8.39. At the baking section all the markdown were 75% off so no baking for few days, I cant heat my oven for these prices Double Chocolate Butter cake $1.37 from $5.48 Banana bread slices $1.06 from $5.98 and 8 mini chocolate chip muffins .69c from $3.89 I would never have bought these at full price ever. All in my freezer for now! I got to get over Christmas day first. I never even cooked this year as it just me here and I will be going to my DS place for Christmas Lunch today.

Saving $35.23 - Cost $14.33 -RRP $49.56 (71% overall discount which is not bad for here as we have no coupons at all!)

If you read in an earlier post I said that I still have a $100 worth of vouchers that I need to spend by the end of the year at one shopping center.

Well I did manage to get my son to take me there, but by the time I got to his place because he was coming off night shift and needed to sleep first, I got to his place around 2.30pm after getting caught up in Friday afternoon traffic with all the semi trailers (18 wheeler trucks) some doubles coming to the warehouses or depots near his house.

We changed cars and head off to the shopping center which he works at too! This is about 20 minutes from his house as he hadnt had any breakfast let alone lunch we first stop in Lunch hall, just leaving me one hour to shop. So the first shop that used the vouchers as not all stores did. I bought there.

Restocked my underwear & nightwear as I was 20% ahead with my vouchers in the first I think I did pretty well, 2 night gowns, 4 bras that fit, 10 pairs of pants all for $82.69. Now you know me, I like a bargain and yes they were all on special at 25% off for bras and nightwear and 50% off pants.

I end up with $15 worth of voucher left so as I was going out for dinner with son & DIL, I end up giving them the vouchers as part of my share of our meal plus the extra cash to make up the different. We had a Chinese Banquet for 4 but as only there were 3 of us, I got to take home any leftovers now I can see a least 3 meals this weekend will be Chinese leftovers, Chicken & Corn Soup, Fried Rice, Sour & Sweet Pork plus mixture of the chicken dishes. Its not everyday that I have Chinese banquets but I do like them. Normally my son would the leftovers for his next days meals but they are not working this weekend and have a party to go to Saturday.

As for using these kinds of vouchers again, I would not buy them again when you take in the gas and the time to get there. It wasnt worth gas to go back and spend that extra $15 worth of vouchers when the others go there 5 days a week.

As for saving on the day

$20 off the cost vouchers (paid $80 for them)
Underwear & nightwear save $34.50 of RRP
Paid $30 for the meal but took home $30 worth of meals
Snack 2.45 with coffee save $2.45 on free coffee (Senior%)

All up spent $115.14 for the day
Value RRP $152.09 plus $20 off vouchers & leftover food to take into account.

Its time to review my daily living allowance for the past two months of my 2009 budget.

These are the categories for this challenge.

Items === Approx Budget===Spent

Eating out==$67==$106.27
Groceries==$271.00= = $171.05
Non-Food==$33.00= =$16.34
Clothes ==$67.00==$35.47
Grooming==$25.00==$14.70
Gas==$50.00 ==$31.45
Pets== $98.00 ==$68.44
HH items==$83.00==$145.43
Fares== $17.00 ==$20.00
Entrainments== $25.00 ==$0
Garden ==$17.00==$41.88
Gifts & Donations ==$67.00== $4
Medical Prescription ==$30==$84.28
Misc ==$17.00 ==$99
Personal Allowance ==$168.00 ==$136.74

Budgeted for this period $1035 spent $975.50

No Spending days over the 56 days = 22 days in total.

As I said in the last review of Daily living allowance which is my 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. Approx amount for the two months.

Here is a summery of this spending period. More medical out of pocket expenses not covered in the fixed budget. Along with going out a little more than normal and eating out a lot more than normal. Along with buying more books in personal allowance with portion of this amount are books.

I have been looking at making a Tuna Mornay of late.

Does anyone still have Fish Mornay these days, most of my recipes for these kinds of dishes are come from 1970s cookbooks are all charity types ones. So far I have found over 30 recipes using canned tuna. Here we have three sizes of canned tuna, 425g large size, 185g medium size, and 95g small size. So as most of the recipes are in old imperial measurements. I have just note large, medium or small, as time goes on the manufacturer of these cans are reducing the amount in the cans but not reducing the price.

It the same with many other items this has happen too! With some recipes no longer working because you cant use the right amount. Recipes that have been handed-down from generation to the next are no longer just like great grand-aunts made. Take condensed milk for instance it started out at 450g (1lb) per can, then became 425g, 410g, and now 395g and most likely 375g before long. We now have given up on buying it and making our own when we need it.

Recipe for

I went to check my downstairs fridge & freezer only to find it dying; I will be able keep the fridge going a little longer but empty out the freezer section as only the freezer bottles of water are keeping it cold. I mainly use it for storage with my years worth beans, flours, pastas and my stock of chutney as it vermin proof so will need to look at finding a new home for these.

I will try to do without this fridge as its over 30 years old and cant be fixed as the gas cant be refilled in these old refrigerators as it rusty and has CFC in it.

I had then to find room in my other freezers for the frozen vegetables and cooked beans that I did keep in this fridge. Some of it got trashed as the dates on them were 2005 and looked dead to much ice.

Now I will have a look at how I can use it after I turn off the power and dry it out for a few weeks.

It is coming close to the end of my 56 days cycle in reporting my review on my daily living allowance.

I have had a quite two month so far just kept spending as I see fit. I will need to cut back on my grocery spending as I do have too much food both in my freezers and pantries. I have food stored in a number of places around my home. As one of refrigerators broke down as in not as cold as it should be and I hope I can learn not to need it any longer as it was an old second fridge and freezer combo. I have empted out the freezer section so far and put bottles of water in it to see if its still works for now as the fridge part looks to be still working for now. Items I do store in this refrigerator can be store out side a fridge but needs to be kept safe from vermin.

We will need to keep a close eye on my grocery spending for the next six months to see if I can get it much more lower and use some of my stockpile so that get my refrigerator stores into the freezer which is full the moment. It is a chest freezer only 160 L size so it is a small chest freezer suitable for a single household but not suitable for what I wish store in it.

No much too write about at the moment. I have only been out once since I last wrote on here.

It now been 7 days of no spending, so other than a day in the city for a medical appointment and I had Lunch at the casino on my own for $10 a main meal, cake & coffee, when I buy this I keep someone in a job and I dont cook that night too! If I went to a fast food restaurant it would cost about $8.00 so I get no junk food and real services. Its bit of a walk to the casino but it worth it.

I hope to spend very little this month; it time to start the ball rolling to get some painting quotes as the outside of the house need painting. I just hope its not to cost too much.

Of late I have been doing a bit of stockpiling in some areas and making an inventory of what I do have already. This is so I dont go and buy things that I already own in abundance and dont need to buy again for along while if ever. When my parents were alive they had a habit of buying ahead, I do think I have taking on this habit also.

Now if you saw that large suitcase under my bed then you would know why I was shocked as when I go shopping with friends I do the feel the need to buy some little thing as well, so when I am in one store here I will buy underwear so 5 pairs of the one's that I buy when they are on special. Now it has got to the point I have no longer have the space in that suitcase to fit in any more.

I am trying to do one hour per day, working on my inventory as I am planning to do the whole house then use it before buying anymore. This is part of my challenge for this year and it's not just on food.

I hoping to use items that I have bought both in food and stuff around the house until its gets to a more comfortable level, any money saved will be banked for the future as I still need to stretch my dollars around here as the cost of living is rising faster than ever.

My menu for the week

Sausages and Vegetables
Grilled Streak, Onion, Poached Egg with vegetables
Fish Cakes & Vegetables with Poached Egg
Omelet with Grated Cheese & Ham
Pasta with Tuna Tomato Sauce
Spaghetti Bolognese
Potluck or a rice dish

Well I went to a different kind of restaurant this week, Japanese Steakhouse on the Gold Coast for a Teppanyaki Banquet. There were 8 of us in our group at $45 per head with drinks & desserts extra. We had the Group Teppanyaki Bonsai Banquet menu with a personal sushi chef at each table as it was cooked at the table.

Menu - Onion Soup, House Salad, Hibachi Vegetables this was framing of cucumbers mushrooms & onions, Prawn Appetizer, Hibachi Steak, Hibachi Chicken, Hibachi Prawns & Hibachi Fried rice which was made into a heart and lighted birthday candle with happy birthday sung by all. Very filling too!

Some of our group order dessert too! This was fried ice cream made into a roll then cut into three pieces, it looked good but as we had to have a Chocolate mud cake for birthday cake this was to much for me. I had green tea and water which was free but the others had soft drinks at $4.50 a can plus wine etc. My bill just the $45 plus a birthday gift. This was budgeted for, in my annual budget.

There was no recession at this hotel that night as they had two weddings and engagement party and all restaurants were full so bookings only.

As I always start my budget a few weeks before the New Year I have already started with this challenge. After finalizing my budget tallies for 2008 and setting out a new budget for 2009. I would say that this is one area I could find some saving in my budget. As it did have a few large amounts of over spending last year. I am hoping to cut over $1000 from it over the year on what I spent last year or better. Its all those little items included that mount up. As this the area that I do have some control over in my spending.

This is what I have allowed around each month or much less by averaging it over the whole year.

Eating out $33.50
Groceries $135.50
Non- Food $16.50
Clothes $33.50
Grooming $12.50
Gas $25
Pets $49
HH items $41.50
Fares $8.50
Entrainments $12.50
Garden $8.50
Gifts & Donations $33.50
Medical Prescription $5
Misc $8.50
Personal Allowance $84


Weekly Main Meals Menu

Sunday ~ Grilled Sausages, Onion, and Egg with Salad
Monday ~ Turkey & Roasted Vegetables
Tuesday ~ Omelet with Grated Cheese & Ham
Wednesday ~ Leftovers
Thursday ~ Pizza
Friday ~ Grilled Fish & Salad
Saturday ~ Sweet & Sour Chicken with Steamed Rice

Well I didn't go to the city last week for my monthly lunch date as planned. But I needed to pay my credit card as it was due.

Instead of taking the car as usual with cost of gas the days, I took the bus and went into the city costing $2.20 for senior off peak day trip ticket.

The plan was to pay the credit card in full and take some cash of the bank and buy a pair of hosiery, but first as it was lunch time so I walked up the casino for lunch as at treat. The first thing was to play to machines for 5 minutes before I go to lunch. I like to play on one machine (1c only ones I play) if its not being used. I put my $2.00 in after 6 spins the jacket pot spin came up winning enough to play for 15 minute and a free lunch of Chicken Schnitzel with chips & salad, coming out even.

Later I went off to do my banking and the shopping for my friend.

My days outing cost $2.20 fare plus $60 on the credit card. Free a lunch and playing pokies, good walk down the Mall and three hours out of the house.

Well I got a funny offer for my house this week, it took me all of two seconds to think about it and not reply but just smile. I live in house which does have lowest value in the area as the saying goes the worst house in the street. But I do have lot a storage areas much more than the normal. I would have to change my lifestyle and sell my family antiques then sell up in a few years if I took this offer up too!

The young business man across the street has just built an eight apartment block behind his parent house; I would take it as a joke that he would swap one of his top apartments for my house and land. They are nice small two bedrooms and no storage at all, no garden, lot of stairs and no pets; I would never do that to my cats. Not just for a view of the city no way.

Weekly Main Meals Menu

Sunday ~ Devil Sausages with streamed potatoes
Monday ~ Spaghetti Bolognese
Tuesday ~ Sweet & Sour Chicken with Rice
Wednesday ~ Seafood Casserole with Rice
Thursday ~ Leftover night
Friday ~ Spaghetti with Tuna & Peas
Saturday ~ Omelet with salad

I have decided to start using my stockpile to make room for fresh stuff next year. So far I found in the back of my pantry 3 kg of sultanas all bought for the same thing, the morning cereal and making chutney. So I opened one kilo which was very sugary put it into water and soaked for few hours then drained. As I needed 2 1/2 kilos of fruit I went looking in the freezer for the mangoes that were past they best. With sultanas, mangoes and 3 granny smiths I had enough for the making chutney along with 2 cups of cider vinegar and 2 cups brown sugar again found in the pantry.

While looking for the mangoes, I pulled out a tray of 16 small sausages and 500g ground beef along with 6 seafood sticks. Then went looking for what I had in the pantry for each meal.

## Seafood sticks diced , can asparagus soup,1/2 can of water or chicken stock, some frozen vegetables and dash of pepper. End up with servings 4 of Seafood Casserole. Serve with streamed potato, rice or pasta as a base.

## Ground beef, onions, 2 packets tomato & pepper sauce, 2 cans whole tomatoes & can of tomato soup, chicken stock. End up with 8 servings Spaghetti Bolognese. Serve with streamed potato, or pasta as a base

## Sausages, 1/2 cup cooked rice, 2 cups of chutney sauce (from making the chutney which I had drained off), 1/2 jar of Teriyaki Sauce, 1/2 cup sultanas, onions, chicken stock, and streamed cauliflower added at the end. End up with 5 servings of my version Devil Sausages. Serve with streamed potato, corn chips, toast or pasta as a base.

I didn't need to go to the supermarket at all as I had enough in my pantry and freezer to make all of the above. All meals now are in the freezer to use over next few weeks and the chutney is in fridge to be used in the coming months, I got 7 jars and 2 cups of chutney sauce from that recipe which is posted here under

It’s back to gardening here, the weather is good. I spend all Sunday working the garden weeding the lawn and getting it back up to scratch, it was full Bindii which were under other weeds so had to be done by hand then I mowed to lawn which by this time I was done and had to get a neighbor to start it for me and it a quick start mower too! It’s done now for a few weeks. My vegetable garden beds are still giving me plenty of broccoli, baby tomatoes & spinach, and the Chinese vegetables went to seed so I pulled them out now. The bird netting is working so will put it on the next bed that is planned for this month.

Weekly Main Meals Menu

Sunday ~ Sweet & Sour Chicken with Rice
Monday ~ Teriyaki Beef & Noodles
Tuesday ~ Mixture of Eggs, Bacon & Vegetable Scramble
Wednesday ~ Pasta with Tuna & Tomato Sauce
Thursday ~ Grilled Sausages with Onions & Grilled Tomato
Friday ~ Seafood Casserole with Rice
Saturday ~ Chili Beans with Corn Chips & Salad

My friend DF-M is elderly Italian lady who has difficulty with reading English & Italian but can read numbers ok!

Her phone broke down the other day and was replaced by her son. But it had no instruction booklet for it to be able use it and put speed dial on it for her. So I made a list of phone number charts for her of her most used numbers in large type then printed then I used my new laminator for the first time and making it easy for everyone but color coding the names. I was able find instructions to put the speed dial on for her putting color code there too!

I found the instructions for the phone on Google. As I had the brand & number of the phone I put that info plus manual in Google and found them in PDF file for free. One of the earlier links there were asking $8 each for each download I just kept looking and found and two as I had no instructions for my cell phone either.

How to find instructions
(Brand names, model number manual) look for PDF files but be prepared to look at more than 20 pages if your phone is old one. You may need to fine a picture of your phone with number if you don’t know it's model number.

Weekly Main Meals Menu

Sunday ~ Omelet with salad
Monday ~ Roast Chicken & Vegetables
Tuesday ~ Teriyaki Beef & Noodles
Wednesday ~ Leftover’s night
Thursday ~ Grilled Steak & Onions, Mashed Potatoes with Baked Beans
Friday ~ Pasta with Tuna & Tomato Sauce
Saturday ~ Grilled Sausages with Onions & Grilled Tomato

I did end up buying the massage machine. It’s great I have used it every day since, both my doctor and chiropractor was happy that it has worked. My visit to the chiropractor last week was the first time that I wasn’t tense up as my muscles have been for such a long time.

Now it’s time to get back into the garden and make my third vegetable garden plot for spring and summer here.

Well it time I looked in on this blog. I have been busy doing nothing major but just not enough time to do it all.

Budget wise I have been spending a little more than I should but not on major items. These things will keep me healthy and my storage a little more organized I hope. So far I have not gone over budget target but could if I keep it up. It’s time to pull in on spending after I get my next item on the list.

As you know I go to chiropractor each month and still do but between him and my doctor they haven’t been able to fix the pain when I’m walking that has been there for last 4 years. So as this week our show (Ekka) here, I have been once so far and tried a German massage machine there. 15 minutes on it and that pain has gone, and its 4 days now so I planning to buy one sometime this week, its expensive $390 cash (normal price $499) but it did work. Now I hope I will use it at least three times per week so I will get my money worth out it. I don’t plan on lending it out it’s for my use. If I had massage twice a month for this muscle only at $60 ago and I think it more than that. It would pay for itself in seven visits and then have it for the next 10 years or so. I will let you know if I do buy it as this one I don’t need anyone to help me use it like most I have tried.

Weekly Main Meals Menu

Sunday ~ Pasta with Tuna & Tomato Sauce
Monday ~ Leftovers night
Tuesday ~ Homemade Vegetables Soup with Chopped Chicken
Wednesday ~ Chicken Schnitzel & Egg with Vegetables
Thursday ~ Omelet with salad
Friday ~ Poached Fish and Vegetables
Saturday ~ Roast Chicken & Vegetables

I have been off online for a while now but I am back.

I have my vegetable garden up and running, I picked my first vegetable yesterday to cook an Asian green which is the fasts to grow in just little under 7 weeks. I have two beds so far just for vegetables and I am planning to add another one by the end of month. So far I have cabbages, broccoli, spinach, Asian greens, chilies, fennel, green onions, baby carrots and strawberries planted. Before I make the other bed, I will have to move my compost bins and cut a scrub down a bit as this is sunniest spot left to grow vegetables.

Weekly Main Meals Menu

Sunday ~ Hamburgers and Salad
Monday ~ Chili Beans on Toast
Tuesday Chicken Schnitzel & Egg with Vegetables
Wednesday ~ Pasta with Tuna & Tomato Sauce
Thursday ~ ~ Grilled Sausages with Onions & Grilled Tomato
Friday ~ poached fish and vegetables
Saturday ~ Omelet with salad

It’s time to review my Frugal Challenge Year at the half way point.
I did use all my gift vouchers that I had received over past six month, even using one for part payment for my new stove & oven that I bought last month and paying the balance in Cash.

My credit cards are still at Zero balance but for the debit amount which is paid off each month.

My survival kit & resources are coming along nicely, only a few items needed to buy now. I will be able to stay out of the supermarkets if there is a food crisis in my area at anytime in the future. May go to the camping stores instead for extra items that I don’t want to stock to much of for now.

All bills are paid and up to date. I am able to go out when I like to as I have put money away for such outings.

Food and Gas prices have risen over the past six months but I am still able to manage as I have stockpiled some food items because of that I’m now living off last years prices and will only replace if I find a real bargain in that line only. I can afford to wait awhile!

As for Gas, I only drive on a need bases and limit the distance that I’m driving. Each time the gas is low in my area, I will fill up if I need too! But again I can afford to wait to see if the price does go down too! By shopping locally and keeping my driving to under a 50km around trips and staying off the troll ways this is helping with my budget, as time is not a factor for me.

Busy week this week I went to the Gold Coast and went up to 78 floor of Q1 building at Surfers Paradise it’s World Tallest Residential tower it’s 322.5 M high 526 Apartments 12660 sq m
You have to pay to go up in it too! After we went another Apartment complex and had lunch at one of restaurant there. I had corn beef and vegetables for a change. This must be my month this year for dining out. I am up to number three and still another few to go. I will need to cut back next month on eating out it can get a bit expensive.

I have been busy making vegetable garden beds, on my lawn. I have just finished doing mixing soil today. I will be planting some vegetable seedling & seeds on Tuesday as I will be going to my son place to work on his garden.

Weekly Main Meals Menu

Sunday ~ Mother’s Day Dinner at a Chinese Restaurant
Monday ~ Curried Sausage & Vegetables
Tuesday ~ leftovers
Wednesday ~ Omelet with salad
Thursday ~ Grilled Sausages with Onions & Grilled Tomato
Friday ~ Pasta with Tuna & Tomato Sauce
Saturday ~ Apricot Chicken with Rice

I had visitors here, number of day trips to the country and little time to get on here. Now things are back to routine so I will be able to post more.

With the price of gas now, I did drive my own car doing over 500 km while they were here. I did go to a country town and found some canning bottles for under 30c each, I will have to buy lids and seal when I do get around to using them. I will find time to review my chutney bottles and get new lids and seals as I haven’t use them for along while.

Starting a new vegetable garden here, one of my visitors did dig the beds for me, now I am waiting a few weeks to let the mulch kill some of the weeds that may be in the lawn area that is now vegetable garden. I was looking up the seed companies online as I wish to void hybrid seeds where possible. I will be going organic with this garden. I do know that planting times are very important around here as we are sub tropics here. So I have made a list of what will grow here all year around, fall & winter, spring & summer. These lists will help when planting out and when. Some vegetables I will never eat so will not be buying them. So far I have spent around $100 on garden soil mixtures and edging bricks. Will be spending about $35 on seeds but these will be for next three years of planting.

Weekly Main Meals Menu

Sunday ~ Roast Chicken & Vegetables
Monday ~ Omelet with salad
Tuesday ~ Grilled Steak & Onions, Mashed Potatoes with Baked Beans
Wednesday ~ Leftovers night
Thursday ~ Grilled Sausages with Onions & Grilled Tomato
Friday ~ Salmon Patties with Vegetables
Saturday ~ Pasta with Tuna & Tomato Sauce

First off DF-M gives me some ripe tomatoes which I made some pasta sauce with, then another friend bought some breast of chicken and chicken wings about a 1 kg of each. This morning DF-D came over when I was out but arrived back just in time to get 5 kg box a frozen fish and 4 Chicken Maryland frozen. I think, I will have enough for a few weeks now. So you can see I will be using a lot of chicken in the coming weeks. That’s over $50 worth of food for free. Mind you some of it is a birthday gift.

I just found a tip on using frozen fish which I will try with my bootie. You can retain the taste of fish in frozen fish, if after freezing; the fish is left to thaw in a bowl or container of cow’s milk. Just pour enough milk to cover the fish and allow it to sit until it defrosts. In our climate that’s in the refrigerator. I do poach most of my fish in enough water to cover, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 8 peppercorns and whole red chili or a stick of lemon grass. My cats do love this as much as I do. I have lemon grass and chili growing the garden here.

Weekly Main Meals Menu

Sunday ~ Teriyaki Beef & Noodles
Monday ~ Apricot Chicken with Rice
Tuesday ~ Teriyaki Chicken Wings & Fried Rice
Wednesday ~ Pasta with Tuna & Tomato Sauce
Thursday ~ Satay Chicken & Rice
Friday ~ Beer Battered Fish & Vegetables
Saturday Grilled Steak & Onions, Mashed Potatoes with Baked Beans

Today I found UHT Milk that was markdown with a few months still before best before date. I bought the 4 cartons there @ .50 each and being organic they were around $2.15 RRP each. There were some soy milk also but I did buy it as I’m not great lover of soy milk. I will keep some of this milk in stock so I have milk if we have a problem with our water supply at anytime. I can use about one carton per week normally so when they get to near use by date I work them into my normal week supply and replace with fresh supply. I bought my cat some more cat litter as I do need to stockpile more for them too! Prices are going up fast here, so it will be cushion against prices rises as well having more in the cupboards.

Weekly Main Meal Menu

Sunday ~ Roast Chicken & Vegetables
Monday ~ Stir Fry Beef with Rice
Tuesday ~ Beans & Rice with Vegetables
Wednesday ~ Apricot Chicken with rice
Thursday ~ Grilled Sausages with Onions & Grilled Tomato
Friday ~ Pasta with Tuna & Tomato Sauce
Saturday ~ Leftovers

This week it’s time to charge the batteries in the smoke detectors, I have 3 of them so I went and bought a pack of 4 x 9 volt batteries @ $16.57 pack or if I wished to buy them in single packs @ $6.99 a pack it’s crazy but I’m saving money by buying four. As three of them would have cost $ 20.97 and I got four for $16.57 value of $27.96 saving $11.39 on the four. It’s the end of our day light savings in the Southern States, we don’t have it here. Fire dept recommends’ to change at beginning of the day light saving but as I did put new ones up at this time last year I’m doing at end of it each year, it still one year but at a different time of the year.

Weekly Main Meal Menu

Sunday ~ Grilled Sausages with Onions & Grilled Tomato
Monday ~ Apricot Chicken with rice
Tuesday ~ Pasta with Tuna & Tomato Sauce
Wednesday ~ Omelet with salad
Thursday ~ Leftovers night
Friday ~ Salmon Patties with Vegetables
Saturday ~ Steak with Onions & Grilled Tomato