So today, I went to Bunnings our major hardware to check out the prices. About 3 years ago I was thinking that I had to buy one then, so I had worked out which one I was buying and how much I would pay for it. You can get many cheaper lawn mowers but as this one I hope will last one I will be buying if it last as long the last one. It was coming up to about 30 years plus, and it came with the house when I bought it.

I had motor fix a few years ago hoping it would last around 10 years that was about 6 years ago. I decided when I had to pay any more money on this one it was dead. It has been breaking down and pieces falling off over that time.

As I just went in to look as I was there on Monday was a friend, and saw that brand on special for $419 so I went back today to see which one it was! It was not the one I wanted but one down from it, so I check the price on my chosen one and found it was $50.00 off the price since I last price it six month ago. I had set my mind that was close to what I would have to pay for it around $500, so I did buy it today for $449. I got one made in Australia too! The company is planning to make them in China next year. Three years ago they were around $489 so something has come down in price. I had to put it on my credit card but I will have it paid off before bill comes in. I have save for this lawn mower three times then had to buy some else so I just got it, as it would has cost between $35 - $ 50 to pay someone to mow my lawn every three weeks just to mow weeds. I spent some more money on a few odd & ends that I found there for my garden too!

Weekly Main Meal Menu
Sunday ~ Pea & Ham Soup with toast
Monday ~ Chicken Mustard with Rice.
Tuesday ~ Garlic Chicken Schnitzel with Tomato Salsa & Steamed Vegetables.
Wednesday ~ Hot Beef Curry with Rice.
Thursday ~ Chilli Con Care & Corn Chips
Friday ~ Sweet & Sour Fish with Rice (Pineapple & Vegetable.)
Saturday ~ Scramble Eggs on Toast

My Spending today $489.00

I was having a bit of time out from writing here. I will try to come back a bit more from now on.

I went to Aldi on Friday and bought a pasta machine, so now I can some fresh pasta along with rolled oats & powdered milk as I do make my own cereal and yoghurt & mix my own skim milk. All these have a shelf life of more than 12 months and I have put the cereal in the freezer for now. Prices are going up here big time. I went to the fruit shop today to buy tomatoes but the cheapest were $3.99 kg and they were not that good, so I decided to buy avocados instead they were 6 for $2.00.

I went shopping this weekend, and bought heaps of fruit & vegetables as the Granny Smiths Apples, brown onions, sweet potatoes were only 79c kg. So I bought a lot of them as I have dehydrator with 10 trays so I will be over next few days, I took over 3 hours to cut and lay out seven trays today. I had to cut them up very finely for what I need them for, as I am making seasoning mixers. I have to do the onions on they own but the others can be done together. I also bought celery, peppers, & kiwi fruit. I will do the apples & kiwi fruit together then get around to them. Dried apple slices are 250g for $2.99. Before I went shopping, I went to Hungry Jack’s and got a free coffee and single cone 40c, with my senior card. Saving $2.45 here.

Weekly Main Meal Menu
Sunday ~ Ham Omelette with Tomato Salsa
Monday ~ Chilli Con Care & Corn Chips
Tuesday ~ Chicken Schnitzel with Tomato Salsa & Steamed Vegetables.
Wednesday ~ Pea & Ham Soup & Toast
Thursday ~ Spaghetti Bolognese
Friday ~ Poached Fish with Steamed Vegetables
Saturday ~ Thai Satay Chicken with Steamed Rice & Green tea

Adding Coins $20 challenge -$12.50
Today’s Senior Card Savings - $2.45
Add to total $20 Challenge $84.70
My Spending today $35.56
Any Savings today $12.45

June / July 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 June / July - lunch out 3
~ Live off my Bulk Food Assets
~ Make up another eight meals OAMC. - Out of Bulk Food Assets.
~ De-cluttering 5 Storage Boxes
~ Gardening Mowing & weed back garden & put water saving techniques in place done
~ Cull & de-clutter computer files not in use. – (on going)
~ Downsizing storage and clean these areas (zones 6, 7 & 8) (on going)
~ Have my car service

Review of the last two months.

April / May Goals & Planning Ahead
~ Have my credit card at Zero balance by end of the each month. Done
~ Come under budget. Did come under.
~ Deposit into the online accounts. Yes
~ Pay All Due Bills on pension days or ahead of time. All bill paid to date
~ Chiro visit (one every 4 weeks) yes
~ Known outings to budget for in April / May - lunch out 2 - had more lunch out 5
~ Live off my Bulk Food Assets Yes
~ Make up another eight meals OAMC. - Out of Bulk Food Assets. Yes
~ De-cluttering Computer Room Yes
~ Gardening Mowing & weed back garden & put water saving techniques in place done Yes
~ Cull & de-clutter computer files not in use. – (on going)
~ Downsizing storage and clean these areas (zones 6, 7 & 8) (on going)
~ Install the water tank, paid and apply for rebate. ? Done

I did a big shop at the fruit shop ‘n’ grocery store. Getting some apples, mandarins, broccoli, shallots, tomatoes & some canned goods. Spending around $20. I went to the Deli there and got some ham off the bone & gypsy ham, just two slices of each, $3.50. I will not need to get any more fresh food for a week or so.

Weekly Main Meal Menu

Monday ~ Garlic Chicken Schnitzel with Tomato Salsa & Steamed Vegetables.
Tuesday ~ Ham Omelette with Tomato Salsa
Wednesday ~ Minestrone with toast
Thursday ~ Spicy Pumpkin & Sweet Potato with Lentils
Friday ~ Poached Fish with Steamed Vegetables
Saturday ~ Spaghetti Bolognese
Sunday ~ Devilled Sausages with Mashed Potato & Peas

Gone shopping or bought something. 10 times

Went to the city by bus 2 times

Drove my car only. 5 times

Had food bought or had for free away from home. 7 times

And had 17 No Spending Days.

Lets see what next 28 days tallies will be.

Today I did a big run around shopping and pay my bills, as I haven’t been out for a while. I went to thrift shop on the way up the street and bought a large plastic container, for $2.50 that is normal sold for about $12.95 new. I also pick up some more Gourmet Traveller magazines, 5 for $2.00 I now have quite a number of theses now. I bought some grocery $4.70. I want to get some film developed but no one does it any more but at large shopping centres. So I had to go the another shopping centre in my car. So as I need to pay some bills as well, first put the film in to get developed, $11.63 then I had wait for 3 hours but I needed to shop, have lunch and pay the bills. Going to Aldi spending $19.93, buy some underwear $11.94, having lunch for $1.65 saving $1.50 on coffee with my senior card. Paying my car membership $62.00, and another bill for $94.50. I did buy the book The Secret $20.94 so I will know want it all about. I still have a few more bills to pay via my credit card. I will pay this before I need to put my next annual Chiro bill on it. But I will have it paid off along before the interest is due on it.

Weekly Main Meal Menu

Monday ~ Chicken Mustard with Rice.
Tuesday ~ Beans Rissoles & Salad
Wednesday ~ Toasted Savoury Mince Jaffa’s
Thursday ~ Scramble Eggs on Toast
Friday ~ Poached Fish with Steamed Vegetables
Saturday ~ Spicy Pumpkin & Sweet Potato with Lentils
Sunday ~ Chicken Schnitzel with Tomato Salsa & Steamed Vegetables.

Today’s Senior Card Savings - $1.50
Add to total $20 Challenge $32.40

My Spending today $231.79
Any Savings today $11.95

There a few specials in the catalogues this week so I am planning to buy something in bulk or multiple buys. I normally buy between 2 to 12 items when bulk buying, 12 cans soup for meal bases this winter, 2 x 200g instant coffee until the next large can coffee goes on special, 2 kg powder milk, 2 dried macaroni. These will stock up my pantry up now to the point that I may not shop for a while now after done a inventory of my bulk areas. Unlike many of you who have snow in winter, I can walk to the shops all year round and seven days per week too! Keeping out of the shops or if do go with someone trying not to buy will be the challenge. Limiting to pet food and supply, fruit and vegetables, and the markdown dairy cases. I shopped at IGA & Aldi today. Today I used the car to go shopping. Spending all up $30.51

I had coffee & small burger today so another $1.50 for $20 Challenge.

Today’s Senior Card Savings - $1.50
Add to total $20 Challenge $30.90

Today I need to get some pet food & cat litter so as had to drive the car. So I went to Hungry Jack’s for lunch seeing that they had two for one deal vouchers on their Spicy Baguettes, I bought that and got single cone and 2 Free cappuccinos with my senior card. Saving $9.75 adding $4.90 to $20 challenges.

While at the grocery store I found some can pineapple chunks on clearance trolley with a good shelf life. At 40c a can instead of $1.73, so I bought 4 for my bulk assets pile. Saving $5.32 here.

Opening $20 challenge $20.00
Today’s Senior Card Savings - $4.90
Total $20 Challenge $24.90

Gone shopping or bought something. 10 times

Went to the city by bus. 2 times

Drove my car only. 6 times

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

And had 16 No Spending Days.

Lets see what next 28 days tallies will be with a new beginning?

Today DS ask me if I would drive to pick him up as he had to put one of they car’s in for a service then drive him to his house. So I end up at his local shopping centre for the day. I did make a day of it too! I did some shopping at the Aldi not much as I didn’t need a lot of things. Spending only $14.70

Then visited the thrift shop and bought a few cooking magazines & one cookbook signed by the author too! All for $3.00, saving on RRP about $31.70 here.

I bought lunch at the Chinese Restaurant as they have a great lunch time deal for $9.50. Two courses & soft drink dine in. My favorite Chicken & Corn Soup (reg. $4.50), Sweet & Sour Chicken with Fried Rice (I would haven’t this one again there). I try something else next time. (reg. lunch $7.00) Diet Coke $2.00 saving $4.00 here. *

While out I filled my tank with gas spend $23.64 saving $2.16 using 4c off voucher but did save much more as the price went up by 11c litre next day.

This afternoon DF-D rang to say that she got the fish we talked about yesterday. One of the bulk butcher had special on Pacific Dory for $25.00, I said I that I would like some as my cats & I have run out of fish for poaching. As she knows the owner she rang and asked for them to keep a few boxes for her. Frozen so we could put back into our freezer ASAP. We got 35 – 37 pieces each per box. Each box is 5kg. So I got 17 meals for myself & 18 meals for my spoilt cats. Her old cat loves it when we do this, as he will eat it raw mine like it poached. On a box of fish, I saved $19.75 on supermarket price.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Lunch out *
DINNER Poached Fish with Chilli Sauce. Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $98.75
Today’s Savings - $ 57.61
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $11469.07

I drove down the shopping centre to pay my bills. Rates and phone bills $339.00 with seniors discount savings of $239 to be added for a full price amount in this challenge.

I went to Target to buy a gift card and birthday card for MIL. Spending $33.00 here.

While I was at the shopping centre, I went to the supermarket for DF-M to get her some plastic containers that she wanted. I had to get 10 x 1 Litre flat plastic containers costing $2.95 each. This all bought too at the supermarket!

BREAKFAST Boiled Eggs & Toast Coffee
LUNCH Chilli Tuna Salad & Crackers Apple Coffee
DINNER Thai Satay Chicken with Steamed Rice & Green Tea

Today’s Full price Tally $611
Today’s Savings - $ 239.00
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $10877.46

I did the washing today saving all the grey water that I could. Using every trick that I have mention before in other post so that I could to get every drop. This routine does take a little of more time (around 1½ hours for two loads and one load of hand washing) than when I can just leave it to go down the drain.

After I did drive up to the Hungry Jack’s for lunch. They were having a two for one deal again so I had a Spicy Chicken Baguette for $5.25 for both. Using my senior card I was able to get two cappuccinos for free saving $4.90 and I bought a cone for 40c. So as I only ate one baguette at lunchtime I will have the second one for my dinner, as I was able to refrigerate it before it was unfit to eat. Less than two hours is the limit we have been told here. Four elderly people have died in a nursing home from food poisoning just last weekend and over twenty are very ill. This was in Victoria but the risk of food poisoning here is high because of our hot climate so we maybe more watchful.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH lunch out *
DINNER 2nd Spicy Chicken Baguette Grapes Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $10.55
Today’s Savings - $4.90
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $10612.51

It was a busy day, first off I went shopping and got some very good meat markdowns today. 2 trays of sausages for $3.35 and two packets of 4x Turkish rolls for $4.00 saving $8.14 here.

I also went to the thrift shopping and bought some cookbooks one is a collector item. A long with some other books all for $5.00. saving over $45.95 on them all. One a hardcover copy ‘A Book of Mediterranean Food by Elisabeth David’ for $1.00. I priced new a paperback by her last week for $27.95. I do collect Elisabeth David cookbooks.

While I was out had morning tea at Hungry Jacks buying a single cone for 40c and got 2 cups of cappuccino for free, saving $4.90 here (Senior Card Discount.)

Later in the day, I went to help young couple move into their first home, shared with their parents first meal in their first home. I did watch this young man grow up from a new baby next door. It was lovely to share this moment in time.

BREAKFAST Boiled Eggs & Toast Coffee
LUNCH Chilli Tuna Salad & Crackers Apple Coffee
DINNER Thai Satay Chicken with Steamed Rice & Green Tea

Today’s Full price Tally $71.74
Today’s Savings - $ 58.99
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $10570.86

As my DIL and her mother are oversea for the Easter and DS had to work so, as he was free time for lunch. I drove up to his place so we could go together in one car. We went off to Hog’s Breath Café for lunch today and I spent $14.50 today. Early this morning I went down, to DF-M place and gave Easter eggs to her young granddaughters, who are staying the week.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Lunch out
DINNER Fruit & Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $14.50
Today’s Savings - $ 0.00
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $10511.87

I had a very quite day working around the house doing odd jobs. This evening I meet up with my DS & DIL and we went out to dinner at the new shopping centre around here. We ended up at a restaurant, I had crumbed Nile Perch & Salad with water. This cost almost half my weekly grocery budget $21.95 with a discount $5.00 off. I had an ice cream cone later in the evening for 50c, yes at the golden arches. Later I bought a loaf of Italian bread for $1.49 save $1.50 here.

BREAKFAST Frittata with Ham Steak & Marinated Peppers
LUNCH Grilled Cheese with Mustard Toasted Slices Fruit Coffee
DINNER dinner out*

Today’s Full price Tally $25.44
Today’s Savings - $ 6.50
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $10511.87

Early this morning it was time to do a bit watering in the garden. We have a limited time to water and only on certain days too! In a few days time we can only water two days per week, at the moment it’s three. Mine will be Sunday and Wednesday. This is what I have been doing along with a pot plants top up on Friday’s. I still doing it mostly with recycle water but I can use tap water on these days at curtain hours in early morning. Lucky I have lights that I can use, as it is still dark when you can water at 4am to 8am and first light in winter here is after 6am.

In went shopping today using my car and bought some fruit & vegetables and groceries that were on special. Saving $3.40 here.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Tuna and Cranberry Sauce Sandwich Apple Coffee
DINNER Beans Rissoles & Salad Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $20.30
Today’s Savings - $ 3.40
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $10476.41

Gone shopping or bought something 19 times

Went to the city by bus 5 times

Drove my car only. 2 times

Had food bought or had for free away from home. 8 times

And had 9 No Spending Days.

Lets see what next 28 days tallies will be.

Well today I started work on my first topcoat of enamel on the security doors. Which took over two hours to paint. It’s looking good.

After I went off the supermarket to buy some cat food for the next few weeks while there I bought some fresh fish for us to eat to-night as my cats love fresh poach fish as a treat. Saving $12.88 on grocery.

My handyman friend went shopping today and spent another lot of money for another project he thought that I should have done also at the back of the house. So more money spent here $126.39.


BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Salad & Light Cream Cheese on Crackers Apple Coffee
DINNER Poached Nile Perch with Salad Coffee

My major project door spending to date. $1508.14

Today’s Full price Tally $176.96
Today’s Savings - $ 12.88
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $10426.57

As only the brickwork was removed yesterday and extra bolts bought. Today we worked on removing the old window and the rest of the walls. No one could have broken in last night, as the original wall was still intact. This is one of the big days on this project as the plan was to have the new door lockable tonight. Which I am happy to say it’s the case.

My friend is a master builder, this the first time he has put a door in of this type and did work too!

I did set a bit of problem in making these doors, yes they are two doors but you wouldn’t know it by looking at it from outside. As it’s one standard door and half panel door in French door style, but we have made look like a standard door with a half panel. I did buy extra bolts so that the half door is bolts at all times but when you need to remove furniture you can unbolts this panel door. It even has a mock centre wooden butt screwed and glued to extra half door so that it looks like a half panel.

While this was going on I drove down to shopping centre and paid my bills so that I wouldn’t forget to do so next week, when we will be still working on this project. Saved $30.00 on my power. (senior discount). I bought a few groceries as I am feeding an extra person for next few days.

MMM I will be very lucky to have any no spending days this month, at the rate I’m going now!

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Salad & light Cream Cheese on Crackers Apple Coffee
DINNER Poached Fish with Salad Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $238.10
Today’s Savings - $ 30.00
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $10395.69

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.

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

Today I filled my gas tank, as the price was right for a change and I had a voucher for 6c off a litre also. Saving $1.73 but last Sunday’s price was $1.10L but today I got it for around 93.9L. not bad.

While I was out I took myself off to Hungry Jack’s and had a chicken baguette and ice cream cone along with 2 free cappuccino @$2.90 each (senior discount). Saving $5.80*

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Lunch out*
DINNER Omelette and Mild Chilli Salsa Apple Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $29.53
Today’s Savings - $ 7.53
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $9993.67

I did go shopping today to buy some olive oil for DF-M family in the country. 4x 4L cans of olive oil which was the cheapest that brand it has been for a while & I did get them some staff discount off it also, $116.00 worth of oil in fact. I bought only some groceries, game steak to try and very tender too! Cream Cheese spread 2x $2.49 –5% off = $4.73, saving $1.79 here & generic brand ice cream & some 2nd hand books $3.50 saving $12.00 on them. I did pretty well for shopping someone else in not getting to tempted to shop. 2 of the 3 items were on my list.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Crackers & Marinated Feta Cheese with Marinated Peppers Fruit Coffee
DINNER Savoury Mince on Toast. Fruit Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $28.75
Today’s Savings - $13.79
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $9986.14

IGA is one of our independent store chains for Groceries here. When they have some specials on I will make the effort to drive over to buy the specials that are not available that week if I need too! This week no one had dry pet food for sale at the price I wished to pay for it but IGA, as a dollar in my pocket is better than their competitors. Well I think so anyway! So I got 2 bags of more expensive brand Cat Food for they treats. 3 boxes of Friskies Dry Cat Food all @ $2.99 each, saving $3.80 on cat food here. Can fruit was the lowest for a while so I bought 4 cans of can fruit @$1.99 saving $3.28 on them. I had a treat myself of Christmas chocolates for 99c saving $1.76 As I eat sunflower seeds in my cereal I’m able to buy these in bulk at this store and not in packets. So I had a good morning and it’s rained on the way home so I was able to wash my car also with rainwater!

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Mixed Salad & Hummus on Crackers Fruit Coffee
DINNER Pasta with Pasta Sauce & Tuna

Today’s Full price Tally $35.19
Today’s Savings - $8.84
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $9972.35

After reading about this Simple Green all purpose cleaner for so long. I did finally find it at Bunnings Warehouse, our large hardware chain in their cleaning supply aisle it was just by chance as I don’t normal go down that aisle. I did buy some to try also this will make up to 5 gallons. I went on to their

I had to recharge my pre-paid mobile today as it is soon due and I didn’t want to lose my credits if I forgot to re-charge it on the date due. Too much to lose, and I not talking about cents here. it’s annual pre-paid plan that I am on as I only use it for SMS & incoming calls. I will only use it for actual calls if I am in trouble or have lost the person I am with and need to find them. As we all have mobile phones in our family. My family bought this mobile phone about three years ago so that I could have on when I am driving back and forth from they place 20 minutes away on a freeway and they can find me if I am out. It’s when I do put my mobile on.

So back to the costing of this mobile phone, Ok I got it for FREE with $30.00 free calls on it. As I can’t hear it ring only see the lights when a message come in. I don’t use it much to talk on, as the calls on this annual plan are .60cent per minute. I have no voice mail, rarely call out, only SMS mainly. After first 2 months, I bought $50.00 recharge and put it on annual plan. At the end of the first year I had $49.00 left which rollover to next recharge which I put another $50.00 recharge on it and next year another $50 recharge. Because now, I have still $72.00 left to rollover this year I put only $20.00 on it this time which is the lowest I can get. This is not all I saved, as I got 15% off each of those recharges as well! So what’s the cost of my mobile phone to date. As the phone was free with $30.00 in call. I spent only $127.50 out of my pocket. In 3 years I had $200 of call credits now have $92.00 left. Using only $108.00 in this time. $108.00 call credits used on Mobile phone calls in 3 years with a phone that is in daily use. Can anyone else beat this?

Also I went shopping today, bought some groceries $3.85 saving $2.00 and had lunch out $2.95 and free coffee, saving $2.45 and I bought chocolates as I do have a sweet tooth. $3.88 saving .60 here

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Crackers & Marinated Feta Cheese with Marinated Peppers Fruit Coffee
DINNER Savoury Mince on Toast. Fruit Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $33.10
Today’s Savings - $ 8.05
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $ 9963.51

Today I made a special trip down to the place where I paid my bills as I am a bit old fashion and like to visualize that I paid a bill and hand over my cash or cards as the case may be. Well as I never pay many of my bills via credit card unless I am very short of money that week and I can be paid before next payment is due. What different about today’s phone bill it’s only a very bill and I can afford to pay it cash too! The phone bill is only $38.35 this month I do get a payment with my pension once every 3 months for a discount on my phone bill $20.30 so I better count that in my tally as I was paid it this week.

Different is that I have more than one credit card and this one hasn’t been use for a very long. While as I was talking to a cashier at another bank, I said need to make sure that I use it at a least once every few years so the bank knows that I still what it. The cashier did hear of a lady that had hers cancelled because she never used it. As I am going to the city in the morning and will have time to pay the credit card off again so it’s back to zero. I don’t have any fees on this card and it only there for a safety blanket, as I don’t qualify for any new cards so I need to keep them open even if I don’t use them. After tomorrow I will put it back in it home. This is one of the problems of having a very low income. Here you need an annual income of $25000 plus to qualify for one and my annual income is below $15000. Do any of you have this problem?

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Crackers & Marinated Feta Cheese with Marinated Peppers Fruit Coffee
DINNER 2 Sausage & Egg with Baked Beans

Today’s Full price Tally $58.65
Today’s Savings - $ 20.30
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $9907.32

I started to get to on with my major project, one of the minor jobs to be done before any work can be done on the widow that will become a door in the near future. So today job was to move all the books off the bookcase that in the in the way. I moved it the corner of the room, I may leave it there for now. It’s full of books on fugal living and cooking. I still have another bookcase to move but this will be going to another area of the house. At the moment it can stay where it is for now!

I went to buy a rubbish bin for DF-M but they didn’t have any so I will ring before go again. I did buy some waterless car wash that I may need at some time in the future as I will not be able to wash my car on the next water use level which is coming in a few weeks and I will not get fined for cleaning my car. I drop to the fruit shop on the away home and bought some milk & tomatoes.

BREAKFAST Baked Beans on Toast Coffee
LUNCH Mixed Salad & Hummus on Crackers Fruit Coffee
DINNER Omelette with Cheese

Today’s Full price Tally $16.80
Today’s Savings - $ 5.00
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $9887.02

I had to make two trips to the shops today. Because I broke one of my own rules I didn’t check my docket before I left the shopping. When I got home and eating one of these treats with a coffee, and looked at the docket and found that they had charged me full price for it. So I got in the car and went back within the hour to check it out, as it was advertise line too! It was advertise for $3.29, I was charged $4.49 for it so I got it for free. I did buy anything else just walked out too!

I bought some grocery when I bought the treats too!

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Crackers with Hummus & Herbs Fruit Coffee
DINNER Pasta with Pasta Sauce & Tuna

Today’s Full price Tally $10.77
Today’s Savings - $ 4.49
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $9847.02