I went to the city to have lunch with my ex-work friends today! We went to Sizzler’s as usual, I just had the salad bar. Saving $2.00 with my senior discount so that another $2.00 for $20 challenge.

I did pay my credit card balance off in full. But as my internet bill was not on this, I had to ring to fine out why and make sure that I wasn’t cut off at end of this month. They did as no I would be and I would be charged for last month & next month on the next bill. Not happy with that but it was they problem not mine!

I bought some markdown organic pasta 1kg saving $1.50 and bacon bones to make pea & ham soup to-morrow.

Yesterday it rained all day but only light showers, my tank is full again! I now have enough water to last for a few months if didn’t rain for a while. I will use only full recycle & tank water for the next month or so.

Today’s Senior Card Savings - $2.00
Add to total$20 Challenge $69.30
My Spending today $445.00
Any Savings today $3.50

Well I did spend some money this week.

My kitchen taps have been leaking if not turn very hard, My handyman friend drop by, said he would have a look at them last week. Today he came after he finish for the day as he had to work this morning on a job. They were very dirty under the handles and the swindle parts need new o- ring washers and new o- ring on water faucet part too! That I didn’t have in fix it drawer in kitchen so we had to go the hardware this afternoon and buy set of washers and a new garden tap that was leaking too! There was two kinds garden taps to choose from on sale 1st one $10.90, 2nd one was $5.87 just made in different countries. Price different for a taps that will not be used too much until we are using hoses again, so I bought the cheaper one. Costing $8.35 all up. Saving $5.00 on that choice.

On the garden front, we pruned the Gardenia in the front garden so it’s not so stressed, as don’t wish to let it get to high.

Weekly Main Meal Menu

Sunday ~ Minestrone 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 $8.57
Any Savings today $5.00

Owing to the rain my ground was soft enough to work on last week. So I start tidying up the pumpkin patch area. When my handyman friend arrived and started to help out. I had three wheel borrows of dirt from putting in the tank area plus two other piles of dirt. So we got to and clear this area and mowed the whole yards lawn. My mower is about to be replaced very soon. So will need to put as side about $500 for a new one. I may get three more mows out it if I am lucky I had plan to replace it last year so its not to bad that I got another year out of it. It was bought in mid 70’s so it time for a new one, I hope the next one will be my last one.

On the first day we worked on getting the ground cleared and lawn mowed. The 2nd day we made two gardens area. Still need to do a third area. We recycled all the soil and ran it through a sieve that I had too! I had bought a few years ago some garden edge that were never used. So had that also five bags of potting mix to replace the soil in the large pots that I have a Neen, Bay, Curry Trees in, these can’t go into the ground but must stay in pots. They are on a cement slab so the roots will not go into the ground as they will grow too high for the area that I have here. Another problem is next door has Cocos palms that’s a weed in our area, I have to keep on the look out for these as I don’t wish to pay a fortune to have them cut out in the future. I did find four young plants when we were clearing the areas too! I the new garden I have used only plant that I had in my garden taking some from others area and cutting of other plants. Any plant that dies before the drought end will be not replaced. On the three day I work on my own planting all the under plants using want I had around the place, Iris, tee tree native, rosemary, geraniums, a lot of bromeliads, gladiolus bulbs (that I had laying about) & snowflake. All have lasted in my garden as well as the crotons that I have in the front yard for many years with very little watering at times. So there is one more area to work on and the pruning in late July of the trees & the hedge until this time next year when I will need to clean up again. I don’t do any gardening but mowing in summer and our summer starts around late October temperature wise. We got a first cool weather after the 1st June this year until then it was over 28 C everyday.

Four days of no spending days here.

For the last 24 hours it's been raining on and off all day & night. Still more to come for next two days.

This is enough rain to fill our new tanks up and enough soaking raining around the dams that any more rain will start to run into the dams. It's needs over 50mm of rain each time for this to happen at the moment as the ground is SO DRY. Some areas have had over 100mm, around here over 50mm so far.

I went out last night and was in the city when the rain started. No money spent but I had free food. In mall, I saw the down pipe working in full force. We have roof on one the covers there, that make a water fall when it rains. The pond at the bottom was empty last time I saw it now it full then drains into water tank. They have made a large storage water tank under this area so that it can be used to water the gardens in the Mall.

As DF-M daughter is here for the weekend. We went shopping together again, and drop into Bond's Discount Factory Outlet Store. (Bond’s here is an underwear manufacture & supplier)
While the other bought underwear but I got 4 sweater top, all the same but in different colours as they also sell casual wear and nightwear too! I paid $5.00 each, regular price was $11.99 so saved $27.96 here. I had dinner with the family that night too!

I counted my charge today and I have $30.00 to bank.

Weekly Main Meal Menu

Sunday ~ (free)BBQ Fillet Steak with Tomato & Onion Salad, Italian Bread, cheese & Wine.
Monday ~ Scramble Eggs on Toast
Tuesday ~ Spaghetti Bolognese
Wednesday ~ Devilled Sausages with Mashed Potato & Peas
Thursday ~ Toasted Savoury Mince Jaffa’s
Friday ~ Pasta with Pasta Sauce & Tuna
Saturday ~ Garlic Chicken Schnitzel with Tomato Salsa & Steamed Vegetables

Adding Coins $20 challenge -$30.00
Add to total $20 Challenge $64.85

My Spending today $20.00
Any Savings today $27.96

I just paid off, the last payment for my doors of $400 as my handyman friend has returned from his holiday this week. Call in to do a little bit of work around the place too! Hood cover for my tank’s motor. He also put extended the pipe into my sunken pit area in my yard. All excess rainwater heads there before sinking into the ground. It’s nice to have such a good friend and all these small jobs he did today, I had in my workshop the materials for each job I never spent a thing. It's great when you can do a job and not have to run to the hardware for this screw or that right bolt for each job. No wonder my friend’s think I have a gold mine at times. I didn't have the right tools in something’s but what I didn’t have he did. I made him, his morning tea and lunch then we went to the bank to get the money thatI own him. He is going to price sand blasting job for me for those three wrought iron chairs I bought a few weeks ago. They do need to be sandblasted. I will have to pay for this to be done. He will take it to sandblaster for me. I went into the supermarket while I was out and only bought some eggs & candy $3.39.

My Spending today $403.39

Happy Mother’s Day to all that are celebrating it today! Today here it’s Mother’s Day, my DIL & her family were have lunch today in a restaurant, Jade Buddha on the river. There were 11 altogether counting baby at 11 month old so five mothers & children and friends only DS was the only male. Cost was a little more than a week’s groceries budget for one this week. I had the best meal out of all of us. I had a ¼ part of Tapas Style Platter for starters then Chicken Katsu Curry, Japanese curry with steamed rice & Ginger & Chilli Green Salad. After sitting for 2 hours for a our meals, we were give each a free drink so I had orange juice, the other had wine, beer or soft drink or coffee. Then as its Mother Day each of us mothers were given a free Buddha special dessert value $14.50 each. On a white dinner plate, in small dish Chocolate Sponge with Chocolate Sauce, Chocolate Heart Shape Mould Dish filled with a scoop each of chocolate & vanilla ice cream topped with two chocolates twisted biscuits with small jug of fresh cream. The bill for all of us came to for what we paid for $280.00 and value of what we didn’t paid for $133.50 as the drinks were expensive. All meals were over $20.00 each, and some a lot more. All desserts were $14.50 each; some had Fried Ice Cream with a special liqueur sauce as well!

My Spending today $25.00
Any Savings today $17.50

I caught up with friend today, after of many months not seeing one another. I had to go the Chiro again so we made it today. Even those we were to meet at one end of town after my Chiro visit. We run into one another at the bookstore near the casino so we finished of meeting there instead. I went off to the Chiro visit and she had a look around at the books. On returning I quickly looked at the books on sale and decided to return later in the day.

We walked across the road to the casino for lunch. Yes it was a deal, two courses for $10.00 with coffee. I had Thai chicken with spicy rice and vanilla slice. My friend had fish and salad with vanilla slice for the recipe look in Recipes folder as I wrote about vanilla slices last year.

Afterward we went and played to 1c slot machines until we sent our allotted money of $5.00 each then walked out. It’s good to know that we can walkout without putting all our money in them.

Then we left, we passed the man playing steel drums and put a few coins his way. Then I returned to that bookstore and friend went for her bus. I end up getting 4 books for $23.90, if I paid full price for them it would have been a lot more about $75.00 worth.

What do you do when the heel of your shoe break’s and you just started a twelve hours shift and can’t go home to get another pair of shoes or get them fixed? You guess it! Ring mum as she the only one not working today. So I had over a 50km around trip to my DS place to get another pair of shoes then on to where he is working today. While I was out I had a McDonald’s meal and a free coffee, saving $1.50 here, as it was a Senior Card deal.

That’s what mother is for!

Today’s Senior Card Savings - $1.50
Add to $20 Challenge $29.40

I am making a habit of going shopping with others and not buying at all or very little. They are the ones who are doing all the shopping. Today was no exception as I went with DF-M daughter, from interstate. First off, we went to Bunnings Hardware to buy some things for DF-M. Then came home then went off to buy shoes. After 2 hours Shopping, she spent money on shoes but I didn’t buy anything. After visiting five shoes stores. To find her size 35 (3.5 size) was the most difficult part of this exercise. As only one store had her size and they had a sale on too! So she end up buying them for $30.00 off the RRP. All I ended up buying was a special tap handle for my garden tap $14.95, that allows me to leave the tap with no handle but I can use it with a special key.. After I had lunch with them at DF-M house before I came home.

Weekly Main Meal Menu

Sunday ~ Macaroni Cheese with Fruit
Monday ~ Beans Rissoles & Salad
Tuesday ~ Chicken Schnitzel with Tomato Salsa & Steamed Vegetables.
Wednesday ~ Omelette with Tomato Salsa
Thursday ~ Devilled Sausages with Cheese Risotto & peas
Friday ~ Poached Fish with Steamed Vegetables
Saturday~Curry Mince on Toast

We all meet today at our usual spot Sizzlers. They have put they prices up so I will now need to re-think what I buy in future. Today I had the salad bar & drinks with the manager’s special of fish. Costing $15.90 with the senior card off of $3.00. We put in $2.00 each for a lotto between all of us each time we meet up but never won a large prize, it would be nice to won! I bought my only magazine that I each time comes out for $2.60. Recipe + is the name of the magazine and I have never seen it 2nd hand. I paid my credit card so it's back to Zero again.

Today’s Senior Card Savings - $3.00
Add to $20 Challenge $27.90

Today the son of another neighbor that I keep an eye on from time to time. Came over and put water diverter on drainpipe for my washing machine water, he is a plumber for free. Now I can use my grey water hose, as it never fitted before to my machine. It’s a little slow, but I can now put my soapy water straight on the lawn near the fruit trees.

Week before he went on holidays interstate and left his mother alone with his teenager son the only contract here. So each day I had to check on her to make sure that she was ok. As she has had a fall before and was on the floor for over 12 hours so everyone was a little nervous about her at 87.

Weekly Main Meal Menu

Sunday ~ Poached Fish with Marinated Pepper & Steamed Green Beans Topped w’ Chilli Sauce
Monday ~ Devilled Sausages & Mashed Potato
Tuesday ~ Beans Rissoles & Salad
Wednesday ~ Thai Satay Chicken with Steamed Rice & Green tea
Thursday ~ Beef Bourguignon with Basmati rice
Friday ~ Pasta with Pasta Sauce & Tuna
Saturday ~ Curry Ground Beef & Rice with Sambal

Another No spending day

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 end up buying three wrought iron patio chairs that need a little TLC. Rose style for $30.00 all up, I did look up the price new about $79.00 each. Four new wrought iron patio chairs in a rose design with a table in England was price at 399 pounds, that’s about $1000 here.

DF.- D bought a top of glass bookcase that she will put on top of cupboard that as already own. This is the third one she had bought in the last few weeks. Her house is an early 20th century style that has this kind of furniture in it, she love a bargain so will buy something she likes and can use for the right price. I went to pay for a book that I found in this store and was given it for Free. Yes, it’s a cookbook ‘Esquire Cookbook’ (1956). Its making very interesting reading as it’s written for men. I did buy one other item today a 12-inch high Arab boy figurine with a tray on his head for $10.00. I don’t think it’s antique for one moment (more like reproduction) but in that style and I like it. Costing $10.00. I think the value would be around $50.00 – $100.00 as that is what we are paying stuff like that here. The quality finishing on it is like more expensive pieces that I have seen.

I did Phoned about tank installing date today. It’s now around the early May before they can install it at my place. I will not pay anyone until it has been installed on my property. The people that have supplied the tank have sent an invoice but I will not pay this until I got my tank. They don’t know that I haven’t received the tank yet! If I get a reminder letter then I will phone them because then I will know that other two companies involved (deliver & installer) have not done they job.

Today’s Full price Tally $287.00
Today’s Savings - $247.00
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $11411.46

I went to visit my Greek neighbor’s place for morning tea and chat. I had some Greek Easter bread that was leftover from Easter. I don’t go as often as I do to my other neighbors.

After I came from to work in my computer as always doing something and exploring Internet after over 7 years on net. Other than picking some fruit off my Persimmon tree, I have been eating them as my fruit for weeks now, and I am on my third tree. DF-M has two trees and has had every large crop this year but the bugs did get to it so you couldn’t give many away but I ate them any way. Mine have been netted since December so the bats & bird are still keeping away, it has about 30 Persimmons on it these are different variety more like a Fuji fruit from DF-M. They sold here for around 99c to $2.00 each. My Meyer lemon tree has a lot of lemons on it but it under stress so I am pruning it a bit so it will have less stress on it. I also have passionfruit vines but they are only now starting to flower & set fruit.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Crackers with Ham, Hummus & Tomato Fruit Coffee
DINNER Curry Ground Beef top with Mashed Potato in Shepherd Pie Style

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

My DS turned up today, ask for me to go to his house and help him do some of the housework with him. As I haven’t seen him for a few days and needed a change. I yes I would spend the day with him. Well I got a few things for my trouble in the way of freebies. First off I got my Easter egg that I didn’t get over the Easter weekend. As he had been working long hours and had been very busy too! Also I got a small gift of a brooch from my DIL when she was away over Easter. I got a old mobile/cell phone so I could have a new one as I am on pre-paid and they have just got a new lot of mobile phones so I asked for one of they old ones. I will have to learn to use it a bit more as he has put in the wrong setting for me to understand. I will not be making any calls on it until I will see him again.

After we had done a few jobs around the house we went up the shopping centre to get birthday card & gift for my DIL to-morrow. I bought a bag of chocolate at the dollar store and looked but didn’t buy anything at the supermarket for DF-M plastic containers that she is after, this supermarket was out of stock. In the end we didn’t buy lunch out but came back to have leftover Spaghetti Bolognese instead that DS remember that was in the fridge, a first. We found a few more little goodies that I could take home. Like a Peri Peri Wedges Set that my DIL bought a few years ago but out of date RRP $24.95, buts it could be used so I got it to take home. Now I can use those little metal serve tins and sauce but the Mayo sauce was unsafe to use.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Spaghetti Bolognese Coffee
DINNER Fruit Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $26.95
Today’s Savings - $ 25.95 + 2nd hand mobile phone.
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $10638.46

I went to the bank for my DF-M for a cheque to send away. I also a banked a cheque that I got a few days ago. So I was able to pay my credit card off knowing that this cheque was coming in to it make up. While I was in that area, I went to the local supermarket. Spending $10.64 on groceries & pets. Saving $1.75 here.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Soup & Toast Fruit Coffee
DINNER Pasta with Pasta Sauce & Tuna

Today’s Full price Tally $12.39
Today’s Savings - $ 1.75
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $10607.61

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 limited my chores to a little bit of gardening today. As we go into level 5 this coming Tuesday I charges some of my fence plants to drought loving succulents. As I like to have some plants on my brick wall so that they can’t be stolen so easily I have them in bricks with no bottoms if you move them off. I have lost plants before this a few years ago now! There were some ivy geraniums there but there were starting to look awful. Other than visiting s few neighbors this morning and saying Hi to others. I have had a very no spending day. Next week will be different I will be spending up then I hope!

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Turkish Bread with Hummus Lettuce Tuna Marinated Feta with Marinated Peppers
DINNER Poached Fish with Salad Coffee

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

It’s the day that I meet up with my friends for lunch. We went to Sizzlers again, an all you can eat salad bar*. Saving $3.94 here with my senior card.

I did pay off my credit card to the amount on it this month. It still has a small amount on it that was bought after the cut off date, which I will pay next bill period. When I use my credit card like this I can go over into next month without paying interest as I have 45 days no interest period. $$$Another strategy

I did go to the doctor’s today in the afternoon for my annual flu vaccine. I do get my vaccines at pensioner discount $4.90 saving about $25.00 here.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH lunch out*
DINNER Scrambled Eggs on toast

Today’s Full price Tally $50.50
Today’s Savings - $28.96
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $10505.37

Today list of chores was washing and some ironing. This is saving money as I am saving every bit of water for my garden in the backyard. As some of you may have read that I do save first suds load to put back into the machine for the second load thus saving 80L of water each wash day to start with. I am saving as much recycle grey water that I can now we are at level 5.in a few days time. I am getting around 240L of grey water each washday. In doing so now I am saving the second suds load too! This is for plants that if I lost them it will not matter that much. So far I am able to water for two days with water and spot water the pot plant with tap water on the days that I am allowed to use potable water. I am hoping that my tank arrives soon & we get some rain so that I can fill it somewhat! We are coming into our dry season I do think it will have not much water to fill it before next spring. It’s over month that we in the city have had any rain here and almost 2 years in catchment area, now my grass is a just a lot of weeds and dry grass with dirt patches. I will still have to mow as the weeds are still flowering. That’s on the list for next week.

I did do some of my friend business shirts today also some of my own ironing that was still to be done. I did go for a walk around the block for some exercise today.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Macaroni & Cheese Fruit Coffee
DINNER Stewed Lentils & Tomato Sauce & coffee

Started de-cluttering the tables downstairs so that I can work on some of the boxes that I keep my stuff in. I have a bad habit, in that when I have visitors, I put all the clutter that is out in boxes then storing them downstairs. But I never get back to empty them for a while or years in some things. Found some old 35mm slides of my DS as a baby. He is now been married for 7 years. These were still in the slide viewer that is now not working. As I need to clear up most of this storage area. At the moment I am putting anything that is of value in the area that it should be in. So when I get to that area in the future it will get put together with things of the same. When you have a soooooooo large a storage area, and almost 70 years of stuff from four generations and my house is the keeper of this kind of things. Not that there is anything of great value but a lot of family memories, like my nana's shoe stretchers, washing board, old dressmaking odd 'n' ends, tennis racket's brace holder with wing nuts, and metal shoehorn that I now uses. I don't want to sell any of it for now but to keep it better and cull the trash, that is mixed in with it.
BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Grilled Cheese on Toast Fruit Coffee
DINNER Chilli Con Carne with Corn Chips Coffee

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.

This morning all the painting is finished on the doors. It’s looks so good. After I did some housework before went out. As late last night after I posted here, I got a phone cal to say that my niece was flying in for the weekend, if I would like to meet up for a few hours today. As she wasn’t available after that as she is working all weekend and then flying home on Sunday.

I meet her at her hotel around 2pm and then we went to say Hi to my DIL who works just a few blocks away. Then it was shopping and a walk around city for a while, as she didn’t need to report in until the morning. We went off too the Friday Night Market’s at South Bank. We had something to eat while we were there. After walking around for hour or two we both went separate ways. This outing costing $10.65 with two free cups of coffee along the way. Saving $4.90 on these.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH fruit
DINNER take away

Today’s Full price Tally $15.55
Today’s Savings - $ 4.90
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $10473.01

I still have some more painting to do, this is about one hour per day, as I have to wait for each coat to dry and do one section first before the other. So it’s working on white paint then I will do the varnishing. I did do the undercoat and the restrained some of the wood as cement got on to it. This took about 75 minutes this morning.

After I took myself off to the hairdresser to get a trim that was long over due. Spending $14.00 saving $9.00 on a city salons. On the way back I dropped into one of the thrift shop that I rarely visit to look at a gift that was in the window but it was not up the standard for that person’s present. I did buy $5.00 worth of books, some cookbooks as my donation for the month. Value of these books on RRP $29.70 saving $24.70.

Now I am sitting here at my computer looking out the door that was just made smelling my gardenia that is just outside, listening to all the birds in the trees.

My handyman friend rang to say thathe is flying out on Thursday morning for New Zealand, which I have been trying for him to do for months. As he hasn’t been home to visit his sister in 15 years and both are not getting any younger. I dare say I will be happy when he arrives there.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Salad & Light Cream Cheese on Crackers Apple Coffee
DINNER Beef Bourguignon with Basmati rice

Today’s Full price Tally $52.70
Today’s Savings - $33.70
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $10468.11

Hanging the security doors & final touch up on white paint was what got done today. So the security doors are at lock up stage. Now making and adding the flyscreen when all the painting is dry. Fixing another small problem that came up and buying the screws for the flyscreen. Costing all up $25.50 Only a few more days and all will be back to normal.

I was given some Roasted Peppers still hot and charred to make into charred grilled roasted peppers this will be enough for a week as garnishes with my meals. I do like getting these little treats that my neighbors send my way.

BREAKFAST Ham steak & Egg with Baked Beans Coffee
LUNCH Chicken & Tomato Sandwich Coffee
DINNER Ham Steak & Scrambled Eggs with Roasted Peppers & Grilled Tomatoes.

My major project door spending to date. $1533.64

Today’s Full price Tally $25.50
Today’s Savings - $ 0.00
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $10426.57

This morning my handyman friend arrived at 6.30am to finish off the security door section he was working on so I could start painting before he went off to do job for someone else. Before going we went to the locksmith to exchange & buy the new lock. Buying a right lock & refund $55.38 and spending another $163.20 for a better and stronger lock a deadlock this time.

After this I left him and walked to the city from the locksmith, as it was only about 2km across the Walk Bridge then though the gardens up to the city this took me about hour. I am going to meet a friend for lunch, we haven’t seen each other for around eight years as she lives interstate and is here for the week. As both of us are into spending for the sake of boredom. We went off to the State Registry Office so that she could apply for her Parents Marriage Certificate, when jump on a free bus for trip around the city so that she could see the charges to our city since lived here 40 years ago. When it was time to go to lunch, we used our senior cards here and saved $5.00 each on our meals.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Lunch out *
DINNER Grapes, Muesli & Milk Coffee

My major project door spending to date. $ 1305.25

Today’s Full price Tally $180.88
Today’s Savings - $5.00
2007 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $10413.69