Our city hall has been closed for restorations for past few years, and now is open to the public again. Today I joined my ex-work friends in going to the cheaper restaurant they have there, it's was known as Red Cross tea rooms but a company has been allow to put a coffee shop rest rooms there. It's been laid out just like the old Red Cross tea room without the clock rooms. We had our lunch there today, the menu is limited but eatable, I had feta and spinach quiche and salad plus a mug of coffee. This set me back $14.00 so it's not cheap by any means. Some of the others tried toast sandwiches or scones and cheese cake. Next time if we go again, I will have a chicken salad I eat a lot of toasted sandwiches or soup for lunch over winter so I don't wish pay for something I can make myself. Later we went to look at the other tea rooms that have been put into the city hall, "Shingle Inn" this is a 1920s style one that was pull down to make way for a new shopping centre and was to be put back in the same spot when finish's but never was so the council said they would allow room for it to go into city hall when it reopened and they kept their word on that one. It's so popular that you have to book in 24 hours ahead to go there just for morning tea or afternoon tea. This tea room is the same period as the city hall and all the old fittings have come out of moth balls only thing that not the same is the staff uniforms as old one were not up to safety standards of today. So they have changed them to old fashion 1920s black servant uniforms instead. The original one was colourful prints and long skirts. We worked next door to this restaurant for many years and saw these girls over the years.

Well they would come here in the storm season. Only here for 5 days and we just had the two worse storms for a long time. They are staying a motel near where my niece is working this weekend; my sister came up with her this time. The place where they are staying got damaged and one guest left a baloney door open and the storm and wind damaged the room and everything of theirs too! At least my sister knew how bad our storms can be here and left their's locked. Trees down everywhere and just down the road from them a street flooded and 20 parked cars went under water. Where I live and my sister was at my place when the first storm hit we got very little damage here. This first storm lasted about 30 minutes and moved very quickly over. However the second storm lasted for hours it seemed as I went to bed and it still was raining and lightening flashing 3 hours later when we lost power for a few seconds but enough to stop all the clocks working. I know it just a summer storms but over 33000 lighting strikes between the two storms and the loss of power in some areas.

Severe storm warming in South East Queensland We did go out on Friday and I spent the day and evening with them. My son and his wife meet up with us all at South Bank Night Markets (Friday night and day time on Saturday and Sunday) do go there if you happen to in Brisbane on the weekend at any time and we had dinner there and Greek restaurant the food was great too! With an entertainment voucher of 25% off the table cost it was around $32.00 per head including drinks. I didn't spend any money other than on food for the whole day. We had two entree of cheese and dips for the table plus a main course each, I had Chicken Souvlakia with Tomatoes, Feta and Olives Salad (Greek salad I will post recipe) and the others had Moussaka and Green Greek Salad or a non -Greek dish. My niece just loves these craft markets and does make a bee line for them when she comes here to lecture on the weekends every so often they are fly in fly out trips as she lives interstate over 5 hours away from here in the country South Australia. Spending for the day $39.00 all up including lunch which was Thai Vegetable Curry with Brown Rice. Some three more storm cells have arrived today so far but were light here but much heavier on the north side up the coast a little. I will post now as I need to close my computer down each time a storm cell comes over and I have loss my Wi-Fi a number times today.

I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and may it be a good one. Over the past 40 years our national TV channel has broadcast the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo each New Year Eve and my family have watch it most of that time and for the last 20 years I watch alone. So this New Year Eve was no different, I put it on an watch it for 90 minutes nonstop as that station has no advertisements at all! All ABC channels don't any advertisements. After that finished I went to bed to read my latest novel by Sara Douglass and read until midnight when the fireworks went off on the river 6 km away. Before I could see them from my street but now we only can hear them as the all new high rise buildings are blocking our view or the trees if there is a spot that you could see the city. Now the fireworks are lower than before. We are not allowed to have fireworks at home because of the risk of fire and it's the bushfire season. There are illegal fireworks being bought and a few people were injured and

one man was killed this year in Victoria. Now they have bushfires again in that state and a heat wave. I remember having Guy Fawkes nights 5th November as a small child and bonfires that went with them. Now that is no more and the city councils, some state governments and business pay to have large firework displays (Something like 10 million AU dollars went up this year around Australia) on our rivers and harbours, and the Sydney one is televised nationwide, now they think it is now the best in the world. May be come down to Sydney Australia one New Year Eve to find out if it is the best world over 1 million watch it each year. This post marks my 800th entry.

Years ago I went to a pre-garage sale that a church group was clearing out a property for a nursing house inmate. She has died since at 90. The lady was a nursing tutor sister of the white veil and starch uniform kind in 1950's. Sister Bourne was a Miss and kept anything and everything. Under the house were five cardboard containers full of newspaper clipping on cooking, medical, gardening, craft, hint's and tips from late 1960's to 1980's. That they were going to dumper that day so I offered $2.00 for the lot. Five years ago I went thought most of these clippings and dumped what I would never use and filed in order things that I could use. Mostly a lot of magazines pull-out booklets on anything. I had some in my own collection of that time too! So this week I started to tidy some boxes downstairs and found another box that belonged to Sister Bourne so my kitchen looks a mess just now with all these clippings and I did find a recipe for my picked pork file so all was not lost after all. The cheapest meat you can buy per kilo here is Picked Pork at $2.99 kilo. One of my hobbies is to collect recipes using just one common ingredient in all recipes. I have found very few recipes on picked pork so I was happy about that.

My Digital Antenna is up and works the way it should. The installer took over 4 hours to do the job and cleaned up after too! I was able to find the old antenna cables and remove them so they are gone now! I am lucky that no one can live under my house as all the lines are visible for all to see. I have tried so if I could work out which cable was for what. Most are old phone lines which I am leaving there but none work now, the main power cable runs under there too! I do write on them what I think each one is, as I am worried that someone will try to move them one day when I am not around. I even found the original phone line 60 years old. You can't legally live under there but it's a great storage area. Height is not high enough for someone 5ft 6inches or over to walk freely around without hitting they head on a beam or ten. In some places its only 4 feet high. The total cost was the quote $840 with better antenna which was stronger and cord for one of TV which didn't have one. This sounds a lot of money it done now. I am very happy with the service that I received.

Other day I was looking in the bin of old magazines and found this copy for 50c. Looking at it had no date on it. It's rare copy of this magazine it was the very first edition 1972.


Earth Garden first edition

I did buy lots of Earth Garden magazines about 54 of them @ 20c each I just love this kind of book and have been buying ones like it for years some of these date back to 1973 a bit like 'he Mother Earth' at the local School Fete this year.
I wrote about this

here

Here the only recipe in this edition



Irene's Vegetables Chow Mien

1 pkt long life noodles or any thin egg noodles
1/2 of Chinese cabbage
1/4 lb (125g) mushrooms
One onion
1/2 bunch spring onions
1/4 lb (125g) peas
Bean sprout
2-3 carrots
vegetable oil
salt

Sauce
1 cup water
2 tbsp soy sauce (Kikkoman preferably)
1 tbsp cornflour
1/2 tsp sugar
Black pepper
(Mix the sauce ingredients and leave standing until need.) *

Boil noodles, strain and drain. This is best done an hour or so before the meal is to be cooked.
Chop up all the vegetables.
In some vegetable oil fry the noodles until golden and crisp. It's easier to do in small portions at a time until all noodles are cooked.
Put a little oil, water or soy sauce in a pot, and then add the vegetables then sprinkling of salt.
Cook fairly high heat for about a minute without lid and three to four minutes with the lid on.
The vegetables are then cooked, but retain a fresh crispness and green keep more of vitamins than usual.

Add the sauce, which is best mixed and left standing before cooking begins. *
Braise the mixture for one minute, then add the fried noodles on top and braise for another minutes or two. Gently stir the whole mixture and serve.
This should be sufficient for six
For a change eat the vegetable sauce with some add little bean mixture then serve over boiled or steamed rice.
You can use the vegetable sauce mixture with some boiled or steamed rice or add little black bean mixture to the sauce.

Meat eaters Variation
If you want to add meat:-
Into a bowl put diced beef (skirt steak will do) bacon, ham or pork with 1 tablespoon of water.
Fry a little garlic in a small amount of oil, add the meat mix and braise for 10 to 15 minutes.
Add this to the vegetables mix at the same time you add the sauce.

First edition, page 39

Earth Garden
Earth Garden Index

Well it that time of the year again, all the fireworks are on. I can see them from back door or at my neighbour house which does give you a better view.

But you also can view Sydney one on TV which is the best in Australia. We as a nation go all out on fireworks of some reason. I do remember when we were allowed to have own bonfires in the back yard or in large paddock as a kid. Mostly it was a neighhood ones where a number of family pooled together and took they own fireworks along that was much safer than everyones sky rockets off everywhere and setting houses on fire. Now days you cant do this anymore as you need a pyrotechnic licence here and only large venues can do it now, that is not to say people still get hands on some fireworks and let it of illegally too!

No spending day

The other night, I was all set to watch TV after News then have an early night when I got a phone call from a friend asking if I would like to go the theatre that night. Its free commentary ticket to see her daughter dance that night but I would need to be ready in 15 minutes if I was going. They were going to dinner before the show. I just had time to get dressed and wash up before she called to pick me up. Seeing that I had dinner, I just bought coffee and dessert when they dined at the restaurant. This is not the first time I have seen this International Aboriginal Dance Group, dance before so knew a little about them.

It was 20th Anniversary of the Bangarra Dance Theatre; the performance was ~ Fire - A Retrospective~. After the performance there was a free supper for selected guests including the state governor and her party as well a number of aboriginal elders as this was the first night performance. We had free canapes, sushi, sandwiches, wine or soft drink or fruit drink plus coffee or hot chocolate. Its not every night you end up having supper with state governor even if there were 50 other guests as well!

Bangarra Dance Theatre

I went to a re-enactment of an event that happens here 150 years ago. It was a ship coming up the Brisbane River to Government house at the time Newstead House on the bend of the river at Newstead Point. SEPARATION on its side, this year we are celebrating our 150 year of separation from New South Wales.

This was most economical event for me to attend, I would have loved to ride the steam train around the state but cost was prohibited.

This was a moment in Queensland history, and they went to a lot of trouble to re-enact it with style.

It was an Community Garden Party with the re-enactment of the ships coming in with Queensland Scottish Volunteer Corp of about 6 men all dressed in soldiers uniforms of the day and fire a Feu De Joie as the ship arrived who are from Queensland Scottish Association, Orimiston Heritage Pipes and Drums which performed for the waiting crowd. Over 40 people dressed in period costumes of that time. There were three groups who dressed in period, The Australian Costumes Guild,Dance Kaleidoscope is group performing and teaching the traditional dancing of England and Wales of 17th, 18th,19th centuries in costume. They performed Grimstock , Shrewsbury lasses, Waltz Country Dance, and Ballroom Lancers - Quadrille which danced to Gilbert & Sullivan music, many of these dances were danced in drawing rooms of this historic house 150 years ago. Many people would have seen them danced in the Pride & Prejudice movies.

I did have a look over the Newstead House for gold coin donation. Very beautiful old house, and I did find the their gift shop spending $7.00 on cookbook that they had put together. It made a very interesting read as it was on a collection of WW2 recipes and memories of Victory in Pacific, August 15 1945. One recipe had a very bad typing error in this cookbook. What do you think this line 1 kevek teasoiib sida should read?

This wasnt the only typing error I found, in their program for the event. It was printed with the date error now if only I could attend then 11th July, 6009.

Give that I went by bus & bought food, cookbook and donation for princely sum $18.50 for a memory.

Newstead House

link

The Australian Costumes Guild link

Well I had to get off the computer at lunchtime, as I heard thunder in the distance with means a summer storm is on it way. If I am home I always close down my computer at first sign as once we have lightening strike next door it was the first one for the day. I saw it strike too! Burnt the trees next door and they lost all appliances in the house. It just stopped raining a few minutes ago so I checked my rain gauge and we just 60 mm - about 2- inches. My tank is overflowing as we had more than 160mm -almost 6- inches since Boxing Day in my property. I hope this last storm started near the Dams as it came from that area. They may been a storm over the dam catchments in the past few hours. The areas that is notorious for flash flooding are up and overflowing around here. I'm lucky as I live on a hill even if polar ice caps melt by 14metres, I will high and dry. I have been working on my HP tutorials in the last few days just more lesson to go for this month. And new ones start on Monday. Have enrolled in about four courses for January classes, one is a repeat and another one is just two lessons so I will do those one first. Still storm clouds around so I will not stay long on the computer. Weekly Main Meal Menu Sunday ~ Spaghetti Bolognese Sauce on Baked Potato Monday ~ Honey Soy Stir Fry Beef with Rice Tuesday ~ Leftovers night Wednesday ~ Omelet with Shredded Cheese and Salad Thursday ~ Curried Sausages with Rice Friday ~ Steamed Fish and Salad Saturday ~ Pasta with Tuna & Tomato Sauce

There is a bad weather on our coastline for the next few days, so this morning I got my mower out a mowed the lawn which needed to be done. If left for another week, I would have a hard job pushing the new mower. I got another few weeks before I will need to do it again. Saving $50.00 on paying someone to do it for me. I did water some of my plants with some tank water so the level would be lower too! I still have few pots around that don't watered when it rains. Next task will the freezer & fridge that needs a good clean but still to much food in them to do it at the moment. So I'm having the rest of the day off to work in the computer. I have run out of energy anyway! I did find a good article on wardrobe planning that was printed around 1973 in a book that costs 50c when new it's so old. It looks more do able than the other one. No spending day

"How to dress well on 2 pound per week". As this one is a very long article, I do think it's away out of date for the turnover of fashion today. It's based a three year plan of buying clothes, so for someone who is not worried about bring in-fashion and only wears basic styles or doesn't wear latest colors it would work for them. I will have to make a summary of it sometime in the future.

How to buy - Three Beauty Budgets - (Single Woman) Pamela is prepared to slash out a bit on beauty She has a good job, lots of dates. But when we worked out what she spends she got a shock. *For that sum I should be able to afford some the more expensive cosmetics which still seem out off my reach! * Budget and they won't be, we told her. Suggested budget for Pamela Approx. - 1 per week - just over - 4 per calendar month. Fixed monthly buys Four shampoo and sets @ 8s-6d (Home *Polylock colour wave (8s) when needed, instead of salon set).....*1-14s.0d Cutting ***7s-6d 'Blue Grass' flower mist****..11s-9d Nail colour (Gala 'little Gem'in basis pink shade)***.2s-6d Variable buys On four rota - four -month supplies: a. Town& Country foundation (Helena Rubinstein)..14s-6d b. Large size Silk face powder *** 15s c. Refills for Helena Rubinstein lipsticks 7s-6d & silk minute make-up ***6s-6d d. Tissues, cottonwool, unscented baby powder, hand lotion by Vinolia refills, magic deodorant, & nail polish remover- average *****..14s-3d Alternate months - Theatrical remover..5s -average ***2s-6d Coty vitamin moisture balancer.. 9s-6d Every three months- average ****3s-2d Eye make-up (Max Factor) average ***5s Total :- ($8.16)***4-0-8 Using the above list let see what I would buy or change! This budget back then was just a dream on my wage. Looking at it now! It would depend on what money you have available to spend - your job and time you have to spend on beauty routines. I would be looking at wash n wear hair style as you would most likely be spending time in a gym too! So the salon sets would be out and limited to special occasions. Good style cut to keep the hair suitable for corporate world. But adding to this list a Sunblock SPF 30+, Tinted Moisturizer, Face mask, styling gel etc, Shampoo & Conditioner would need to be bought as the salon set covered this also looking for better prices on perfume, and deodorant and buying a hair styling blower. Buying all at lowest price you could fine. Switching to inexpensive salon for a good cut using a 'wash & wear' style and along with dropping the face powder and salon sets altogether. Many of you may have different ideas of want is necessary but I do like the way this budget was thought out and may be the best guide in planning our beauty budgets for the future. Finis ~I hope you found this article from yesteryear was helpful.

How to buy - Three Beauty Budgets - (Working Wife)

Hilary can spend more.

Although she is married, and helping to save for a house, she still goes out to work.

She buys only goes out to work. She buys only medium-priced cosmetics, but tells us her beauty money allowance just doesn’t seem to stretch far enough.

We suggest that a medium budget can come to grief if you pay medium price for everything.

It’s often better to splash out on some items; save on others.

Suggested budget for Hilary.

Fifteen shillings per week – just over £3 a calendar month. Half of this should go hair care until Hilary achives the dryer which will make home setting easier. Then she’ll re-budget, buying hand cream and skin food. ($1.50 / $6.00 per month 1959 prices)

Fixed Monthly buys
Cut, shampoo and set at good salon ……..17s -6d
Hair allowance
(to cover occasional bottles of
‘Hudnut’ bottles Egg shampoo
and of Tress setting lotion)
Home perm every three months (Toni 8s)
Rest saved for a hair dryer. …………………….12s-6d
Cleansing Cream (Ponds)……………………………5s
Tube of lanolin (for hands and
Occasional nightly facial use) ……………………2s-3d
Make-up foundation (Outdoor Girl) …………1s-6d
Variable Buys
Powder (two months supply, Max Factor)
Alternating with Lipstick refill 4s ………………4s-3d
Eye make-up items (pencil, mascara or
eye shadow) ………………………………………1s-6d
Nail polish (Cutex)
alternating with remover …………………………2s-6d
Yardley perfumed Spray Mist cologne 13s-9d
alternating with Large Freesia talcum powder
and Poise deodorant,6s-9d &6s-5d approx……13s-6d

Total ……………………………………………….($6.05)……£3-0-5

Using the above list let see what I would buy or change!

Times have changed? This example spends a lot of money hair and luxuries.
So I would just re-budget the whole lot.

But adding to this list a Sunblock 30+, Moisturizer, Tinted Moisturizer, Face mask, hair conditioner and style gel also looking for better prices on perfume, talc and deodorant and buying a hair styling blower. Buying all at lowest price you could fine. Switching to a cheaper salon for a good cut using a wash & wear hair style and along with dropping the face powder, tube of lanolin, perms & setting lotion altogether.

No Spending Day

How to buy - Three Beauty Budgets - (SAHM)

People in these example had different ideas on spending. We budget for them according to their means and moods. Why not copy on to suit your purse?

Janet can spend only a little …

Her husband’s wage has to keep a family of four, in fact she told us. “I can’t afford beauty!” But when we made her add up odd cosmetic and toilet buys she was surprised to find that they already amounted to about 5 shillings a week. We showed her how same sum could be better spent on professional hair-cutting, and on all the cosmetics she really needs.

Suggested budget for Janet
Five shillings per week (1959) just over £ 1 per calendar month.

Fixed monthly buys
Hair cut …………………………………….5s-6d
Cleansing Soothing Lotion - J&J Baby Lotion……………………………3s-6d
Hand cream large tube………………………………………2s-3d
Shampoo alternating with conditioner ……………………………………1s-8d
Variable buys
Powder(2 months supply bought months with Liquid make-up)…3s-6d
Lipstick (alternating with refill Anti-perspirant ……3s-6d
Small make-up buy–Eye shadow,mascara or small lipstick ..1s-6d
Total ………………………………………($2.15)…… £1-1s - 5d per month
Angel face or Rimmel ranges use above.

Here are my views on above text.
As all theses budgets are for only the mother of household.
Extra money would need to be found in these household for the other members of the household.

It’s a raw basic beauty budget for one person (SAHM), and if you worked it out today prices it would a minimum of $2 per week.

Using the above list let see what I could spend on the above raw basic beauty list and some.

Fixed monthly buys
Haircut ……@$16.00 (every 7 weeks)…………………$9.15
Moisturizer alternating with cleanser ………………$3.00
Hand cream large tube $2.00…... 50c
Shampoo alternating with conditioner …… $3.00
Variable buys
Tinted Moisturizer (6- month’s supply bought alternating with Liquid make-up)……….. $1.25
Lipstick alternating with
(& Sunblock 30 or Avon $1.50 100g) + (crystal stick block $12.00 once off buy) …….$5.00
Small make-up buy –Eye shadow, mascara or eyebrow pencil & liner…………………….$3.00
Total ……………………around……$24.40 per month or $6.10 per week.

I add to this list Sunblock 30+, Moisturizer & Tinted Moisturizer, Eyebrow Pencil & Liner, dropping the Face powder altogether. Buying all at lowest price you could fine.

You would be looking for bargains basement buys in some of these lines to get under this price now!

These are prices around my area.

No Spending today

Budget for Hair Beauty

If you hair looks pretty and well-groomed; you do.

Learn how to set your hair by watching the hairdresser. Practice with easy bristle rollers. Invest in a hair dryer to save time and give a professional look. One is about the price of eight salon sets (75s) [$7.50].

Get the most out of money spent on professional care, by studying the salon’s price list and always asking “Is there an extra charge?” when other treatments is suggested. Don’t waste expensive sets on hair that needs cutting or perming. Don’t economize by cutting you own hair.

Save money on perms, not by having cheap “cut-price” ones, but by finding a small, reliable , reasonable salon. The price of materials is less than some salon prices suggest. If you need light, frequent perms, make the effort to find someone who’ll wind up a home one for you.

Save money on hair colouring by choosing semi-permanent tint rather than a series of rinses (which prove more expensive). If you plan a drastic change of colour (by bleach or permanent tint) consider the expense of root re-touching. Highlights cost less on upkeep.

Here are my views on above text.

Learn how to set your hair Yes I did have all those fancy styles that needs rollers & hair dryer to keep looking good back then! Today I have good cut in a wash 'n' wear style that I need just to comb out and when dry looks great. I do use heat rollers to set my hair when I have special occasion to go too, with just not brushing out the curls but using my fingers instead to style my hair I can get the look that I want for the next 12 hours or so. Have you ever slept in rollers? Not a nice feeling so the new hair appliances are a lot cheaper and a lot easier to use now. Hair blower and heat rollers may be all you need now! I most times don’t even use them; I just have wash ‘n’ wear hair cut.

Save money on perms This is one area you can save money on by not having this done. But only you can know if a perm is necessary for you.

Get the most out of money spent on professional care Here are my strategies’ on hair cuts & dyeing hair.

I wrote this, In the

Re-reading Tightwad Gazette
I have updated figures here.

No 51 - ‘Three ways to save ’ Vol 1 - p42 (CTG)
I love this article; it made me understand why I had more money than my friend who had to work twenty hours per week more than I do and still have to borrow off me, I was using this strategy. A one case in point, she has her hair styled and dyed every six weeks for $105 in a salon about 9 visits per year. I have my hair trim or a styled cut and dyed averaging about $20 per visit every six to seven weeks. Using the above strategy. How much a year are we each spending and what are my strategies, clue I am using all three. What do you think I am doing to Save Money?

My friend’s Hair Salon Style-cut and Dyeing cost $945 per year. This is her choice to do this!
My option is a combination of salon hair cut and home DIY dying.

To recap on the strategies in use.
1. Buy it cheaper.
2. Make it last longer.
3. Use it less.

Hair Cuts
1. I use a cheaper hair salon than my friend does. Style cut every six weeks @ $18 = $162
2. Have my hair cut every seven weeks then costs Style Cut @$18 = $126
3. Have one style cut to every two hair trims @ $16 each, that’s 3 style cut and 4 trims (7 hair cuts) per year equals $118

Dying Hair
1a. Doing my own DIY dying at home. Box of hair dye cost $16 per box retail. $16 x9 = $144
1b It’s possible to buy discount or discontinued stock for less than 50% off retail price.
Working on that the cost would be about $8 per box. $8 x9 = $72
2a Do the dying after each Hair cut every seven weeks $8 x 7 = $56
3a I divide the dye into two lots by keeping an old dye bottle and pouring ½ the mixture of each
into it and mixing the two formulas in this bottle Cost $4 x 7 = $28 (I have chin length hair.)

Strategies 1 & 1a = $306
Strategies 1 & 1b = $234
Strategies 2 & 1b = $198
Strategies 2 & 3a = $154
Strategies 3 & 3a = $146

Strategies 3 & 3a is a combination of strategies 1 plus 2 and 3 plus 1a plus 1b plus 2a and 3a.

So I am saving over $817 on what my friend is spending for the same service. I am still saving $160 on my own first option. Not only that if I shop around for hair dye, I still get it cheaper then $8.00 per box my last lot cost only $5.95 per box, buying a year’s supply when I find it at good price.

Save money on hair colouring As I’m in the grey hair group and don’t wish to be paler than am, I do choose to dye my hair as close its natural colour as possible. If in time, I choose to go totally grey, I may use this strategy. Allowing my hair to grow in length without dyeing for about 3 months over the winter months, and in late spring have my hair styled in shorter style than I normally have so that the entire dyed colour is cut out. Then wait for another 8 weeks have another style cut. By this time summer will be nearly over when I can start growing a it little longer if choose to do so.

Cut out all that waste

Realizing that the make-up that goes on ours faces costs very little.
It’s the half-used items at the back of the drawer that run away with the money.

Try before you buy. Purchase lipstick at counters which have testing stands(usually a larger chemists and stores) and by comparing powder and foundation with of the skin inside your wrist. Here the tone is similar to that of your face.

Use up oddments by remembering…. That two ‘old hat’ lipsticks, worn one on top of the other can give you two brand new shades… that using a light lipstick can soften a too- bright colour… that by mixing face powder oddments of similar texture on a huge sheet of paper you can blend a new shade to tone with your skin colour.

Apply make-up correctly …. Good for your budget and your looks. Use a little eye-make-up on one or two “perfecting your technique” sessions. Comes much less expensive in the long run than constant start-again mistakes. Use foundation as thinly as possible; slide it on over moisturizer and blend it well. Loose powder must be applied generously to stay put, so don’t try to economize here. But good initial application does cut out the use of any more powder for re-touching.

Start a swop group with your friends –getting together every now and then to exchange beauty gifts that aren’t quite you, or unsuccessful experiment buys. One girl’s cosmetic mistake can be another girl’s perfect buy!

Here are my views on above text.

Half-used items at the back of the drawer. Learn by your mistakes, and remember that today fashions are changing so fast that this will happen if you let latest fashion control your make-up drawer or bag. Something new is coming out daily. Try to find what’s best for you and update to the new trends very slowly.

Try before you buy. This is the best trick of all, use all those testers before you decide to buy. Even if it’s not at the store you are trying on the tester. Even try to a get a free make up done if it’s offered in your area. This will help you see if the new trends look good on you.

Use up oddments These tricks has been around are good if you do make a mistake or are given some free make-up items with you buy or spend $X with some cosmetic companies

Apply make-up correctly …. Look at some magazines for ideas and new tricks in applying make-up correctly.

Start a swop group with your friends. This one tip is the one would be worried about. It’s ok the swop items that have very been use, but not half used items are bacteria can grow on make-up and how old the make-up is in the first place.

Lesson Three to follow

No spending today.

What is the cost of being a beauty? Can be as little as five shillings per week.

A pittance buys a wealth of beauty – If you spend it wisely.
Pounds-a - week buy very little – if they tossed around without a plan, and without a care.

Here is a three point course in clever spending; makes you a New Year gift of ready worked out budgets to suits your purse to follow.

Spend a Little … Look Great - Lesson One

Get to know which items are long-lasting, refillable or just simply wonderful value.

Learn when to buy big, when to buy small.

Look for huge economy sizes in day-in and day-out items which vanish alarmingly fast if you buy small, dainty versions.

Make-up ~ Make special effort to save up hard for the largest size in tried & tested foundation or lotions.

Shampoos & Conditioners ~ Those little ‘cushions’ and sachets are fine for a first time try-out or holidays but big bottles and jars usually work out at about half the price per shampoo.

Hair Care Items ~ Limit the amount products you use on your hair. Look for the largest size you can afford here.

Talcum powder etc. ~ Used to be cheap and nasty or nice and expensive. Now they are gaint tins to be had at around 3s soft, non-gritty, fresh smelling. Sample the one by Robert Windsor.

Cleanings Creams~ Ponds make a big pot for 9s. (I wish) Look for the largest size you can afford here.

Cotton wool ~ Instead of those tiny shilling packs, get a pound roll. Ask for “hospital quality” 4s 10d - seems to last for ever.

Look for tiny sizes when you are experimenting with new products; when you are buying special occasion eye make-up or nail polish and lipstick to match a special dress.

Look for refills not only for lipstick, solid powder, eye shadow sticks, but also for anti-perspirants roller (Mum Rollette) for squeeze bottle hair sprays and top –quality talcum powders and bath products.

The end of lesson one.
Note: 3s = three shillings and 4s 10d = 4 shillings & 10 pence

Here are my views on above text.

Today I use. Middle of the range beauty products and do read Avon Catalogues and buy some of their items on special only.

Cleanings Creams~ Of late I have started to use the new microfiber face clothes that we can buy here. I still use a liquid cleaner if I had make up to remove it.

As for anti-perspirant roller I don’t use much, but I bought a Crystal stick block. This will lasts a lifetime.

I use talcum powder rarely and they have changed the formula on this one now.

Much of the other tips and hints above, I still use when I remember to use the stuff.

I don’t go out as much these days so I wear very little make up daily.

Lesson two to follow

This is extracts from an article written late 1950’s as part of this article was burnt many years ago, I have no idea the name magazine or author and thanks to them for me seeing the wisdom in their writing many years ago their words live on.

Note do remember prices & wages back then were pittance to what you can be earning today.

My own wage at this time for a 15 year old was one pound and eighteen shillings about $3.80Au and with paying my family board at one pound per week.

Spend a Little … Look Great

What is the cost of being a beauty? Can be as little as five shillings per week.

A pittance buys a wealth of beauty – If you spend it wisely.
Pounds-a - week buy very little – if they tossed around without a plan, and without a care.

Here is a three point course in clever spending; makes you a new year gift of ready worked out budgets to suits your purse to follow.


Another No spend day here

One thing that I did find in these boxes was the first magazine articles that I cut out on saving money over fifty years ago. It funny what you do keep, Spend a little - Look Great, it's on save on beauty products & how to use them in three lessons not much has changed but some brand names and Prices. The other one is "How to dress well on 2 pounds per week". Not that I had 2 pounds a week to spend then on clothes or 5 shillings on beauty products per week either. As 15 year old, I was lucky to have train fare to go to work and keep myself in shoes and pay board at that time but one could dream and plan. Once I did put them in the fire by accident as one has burnt corner on it but its still readable. I don't know which magazine they came out of or if it's still in print. They don't write articles like these any more. I will never be throwing these away now that I have kept them for so long and information still works for today.
Weekly Main Meal Menu Sunday ~ Omelet with Shredded Cheese and Salad Monday ~ Tuna Salad with Rice Crackers Tuesday ~ Steak & Vegetables Wednesday ~ Soup & Crackers Thursday ~ Spaghetti Bolognese Friday ~ Steamed Fish and Salad Saturday ~ Chicken Kebabs with Salad No spending today

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.

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

Today was a no spending day as I worked in de-cluttering a work area downstairs for 3½ hours.

I found a few things that I had forgotten that I had like, two ‘The Illustrated London News’ 1948 & 1950 still in good condition so I will be reading these again one day, along with some Natural Geographic that are pre-WW11. I love old things. So I had a good day in my treasure hunt.

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

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

Today was a no spending day here. I just worked around the house doing different task like putting things away.

Saving money wise. I was putting thing the right place so that when I needed them, I would save both time & money. I may be repeating myself sorry if I do. I have a right place and hold it places in house. When the hold it places becomes full then De-clutter that area. If I no longer need it or it out of date then it’s trashed. If it has a home then it will put there.

Some things are for projects that I am working on, and then when that project is finished then all papers is recycled. I just keep the finish project and the files on my computer. Even at my age after sixty years of learning. I still want to learn new things and ask questions. I have done this all my life, as I am self-taught in many things, I just learn what I wish to know and leave other things to if I need know that I will learn it. I start this the day I finished my schooling as I started full time work at 15. I did kept notebooks when working on things I needed to remember if I didn’t use that often. If I ever found a problem and was told the answer, I would put in my notebook for that job. I became very good at minimizing instructions of which buttons to use on these ordering machines. The order sections used (these machines) and were hand held. Using visual ideas to put into a notebook & read in quick reference. Boxed word if it was the keypad and Capitals if it was found on the screen with normal words in the text as instruction. Just enough info to get to where you wanted to go. After a while you just looked at the Boxed words or the Capital words only as I had put them in the right order to work them. A little like a flow chart in early computer planning. When we had to learn to use early computer cash registers I did this often as some things only came up now and then. When I started in retail, all cash registers were manual some you had turn a handle or pull buttons down to the price to ring up too!

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Grilled Cheese with Mustard Toasted Slices Fruit Coffee
DINNER Roast Chicken & Steam Vegetables

Clearing a top of cupboard that need to be polished the joys of having old furniture that nearly 100 years old. This does keep me on my toes when it comes to housework. If you have old stuff then you do need to care for it. It’s one of pieces that came with the house as you can’t get it out of the house not that I would wont too! I am the keeper of the family heritage anyway. I do have many items that begin back memory of pasted members of the family. Like a cake decoration that I got when I visited my father’s parents at age of seven. Their had died by the time I was in my teen’s. It was a funny on that visit I was the first child to be allowed to be in the front parlor, as I slept there. I must have been quite child as my father told me that he (or his siblings as children) had never been allow into that room until that trip and he had left home some 25 year before hand. My father got a mirror (which is still hanging on my wall) that he looked into as a small boy at breakfast around 1914, he left home at 21. Now this little house cake decoration has a place in the China Cabinet along a tea set that my mother got for her 21st Birthday. I have very little from their house here. I could tell you much more about this trip as we drove to visit them across three states in a very small Ford in the early fifties, maybe another time.

BREAKFAST Frittata with Ham Steak & Marinated Peppers
LUNCH Grilled Cheese with Mustard Toasted Slices Fruit Coffee
DINNER Bean Patties with Salad Fruit Coffee

First baby step I cleared and culled some of the stuff on the table, not much but half of it is clear now. I will need to look at the rest of it as most is valuable stuff to me anyway. The coffee table can no longer stay in that area it may even go. As it will one less piece of furniture that I have, but only it one of the last pieces my father made also. I will think about it and no it can’t be used as a Coffee table as I have one family’s glory box chest as the coffee table, too much furniture.

Today is my shopping day. I am trying to do most of my car & shopping jobs on today.

I went into the thrift shop in the shopping centre and looked at they books, which are what I normally, do. Today I came across a Calligraphy Cookbook collector item for $3.00. The cover is by Donald Jackson and all the calligraphy inside too! The Book is in good condition too. ‘Entertaining with Cranks’ it’s a vegetarian cookbook and I do have another Cranks cookbook too! Part of my cookbook collection is these kinds of books. I did do calligraphy at one stage and had a class with Donald Jackson in 1985. I think this is why I am so happy. He was at the time of writing was the Queen’s Calligrapher in England. Save $13.50 on sale of 2nd book for sale at abebooks co uk today.

Then off to the supermarket that I get a discount from. To buy my potting mix as I have a rain check for this items saving $5.55, along some gardening items instead of buy groceries I buy gardening supplies. This is a pet shopping stock up for next 2 weeks or more. If I don’t buy pets items then I don’t go to the supermarket. Well they stuff up today twice in 7 days can you believe, not the same store but little old me. I bought & checked my docket just outside of the checkout, in this case I would have not been believed if I had left the area. The check out staff did a multi sale ring up on both lots of pet food cans. I wasn’t planning to spend that much so I was checking why, 15 cans & 13 cans of pet food I don’t think so. When I & the supervisor counted them, we only got 12 & 10 cans of each sort, so a refund $4.83 on that lot. So moral of this tale check your dockets please.

I had a snack at my favorite snack bar & cheapest in the area too! Hot dog on roll & milk shake for $2.40. If I bought the same at Wendy’s, it would have cost another $4.00 so saving there.

The price gas is going down from what it was, so I put more gas in the car. Just fill it up not much I haven’t used the car much ¼ of tank. Got 4c litre off .40c as I only put 10L in.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Macaroni & Cheese Apple Coffee
DINNER Beef Bourguignon, Ice Cream with Ginger Chocolate Sauce Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $80.32
Today’s Savings - $22.95
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $6181.21

A while back I wrote about making up a baby gift basket, well I finely got to see this little one. And she slept all the time that I was there & she is only around 8 weeks old.

To-night as the family were babysitting her as it’s first time her mother was going out. I went over to visit and have a take away with them. Once we got our cars parked all four of them too! It was not good to go off again, as they are no parking as she lives in a restaurant area.

What did we all order, as they are 15 restaurants and Take Away in that area! Looking up the menus, we order from two places. One of which we had a voucher for ‘two for deal’ Pizza and garlic bread delivered. It was Satay Chicken Pizza saving $20.00 with the voucher. Remembering that driving was out of the question. As only with smart parking got the fourth car parked legally.

My DS & I walked around to one of the restaurants to pick up other half of our meals, calzone & pasta meal for one and herb & garlic dip with pita bread slices. When we returned with that meal the other part of dinner arrived too! Each was paying for their portion of the meal. Total cost was $53.85 plus $2.00 tip it was between four adults. Two had full pasta meal with dip and one pizza with garlic bread between them along with a larger bottle of Coke. Other two had the calzone & pizza only with water between them.

Costing came for first two $39.85 and the other two only $8.00 each. I think you can guess which half I am in.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Pumpkin & Lentil Stew with Focaccia Bread Coffee
DINNER dining out*

Today’s Full price Tally $13.00
Today’s Savings - $5.00
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $4328.21

As we needed to stay up so that DS & DIL could call in then they arrived home from trip up north for the weekend. (Visiting around 11pm at night.)

It’s Girl’s night on my computer and packing up a large owl, I gave her to take home. It’s funny that both of us have a collection of owls and never had any idea that the other collected them.

We are the same in liking old things so I know that some old family treasures may be heading her way in the future.

It’s funny that many a niece in our family takes after and look like their auntie than they own parents. Even when they a raised in another state or country. Many a times in the past when you put all cousins in the same room with they mothers and aunts, a stranger will always get it wrong when ask to pick mothers and daughters.