Gone shopping or bought something. 14 times

Went to the city by bus 4 times

Drove my car only. 9 times

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

And had 11No Spending Days

Lets see what next 28 days tallies will be.

Challenge at 16th week.

Kitty’s Real Spending Total $3494.11
+ 2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $4590.28
= Full Price (RRP) Income Challenge $8084.39

Opening CC Balance $0
Kitty’s Opening Balance Rollover $209.18 ($40 Bill A/C)
$$$Money in - $1200.00
= Total Income Balance. $1409.18
Bills Total $585.00
Other Spending & Groceries $375.48
$$$ Money out = $960.48
Cash Banked in other A/C’s $240
Kitty’s Rollover Balance $209.32 ($30 Bill A/C)
CC Balance $0

Taking DF-M to hospital for a check up after she had being in hospital last month.

As I was just an escort for DF-M she paid for the bus fare. Saving $2.20 she was unable to walk that distance to the hospital.

With free car parking is just three streets from our homes. It saved around $9.00 by going by bus over paid parking in the visitor car park or $280 on towing fees, if I had parked in the shopping centre across the street and got caught parking there. You have to stay within the shopping centre or just go to the post office and back or they will tow you! Many have been caught too! It’s only five blocks too! It will get worse next year when two-hour parking comes in for the whole area including where we live too! Use Public Transport Strategy

Had all slacks fitted so that I can take up my hems that my next project to do! Seven pairs of slacks to take the hems up on. Oh well! I will get them done one day.

Quite day at home after had long afternoon nap.

BREAKFAST Baked Beans on Toast Coffee
LUNCH Crackers with Avocado & Herbs Fruit
DINNER Pasta with Pasta Sauce & Tuna Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $2.20
Today’s Savings - $2.20
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $4426.11

Passionfruit Butter
Makes 2 cups or 2 jars.

4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 Passionfruit {up to 3/4 cup of pulp}
125g (4oz) butter

Combine beaten eggs and sugar in top of double saucepan: stir until combined.
Gradually add lemon juice, passionfruit pulp and roughly chopped butter.
Place pan over simmering water, stir until mixture thickly coats wooden spoon.
Pour into sterilized jars, seal. Store in refrigerator.

Notes: When thick, the mixture start to coat spoon and changes colour. It will set thicker when cool.

BREAKFAST Oatmeal with Sultanas & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Salad with Cracker & Sardines Coffee
DINNER 2 Pork Sausages with Salad Fruit Coffee

I have been working on my computer and having a BBQ lunch with DF-M, she loves to have a BBQ steak every now & then but cooking for one is not worth the effort. I talking about lighting up the wood BBQ for few pieces of steak. At times we char sweet pepper and then skin & cut them for later. I must do some more next time they are at their lowest price.

Later in the afternoon I had a visit from friend that came to pick up some books that I bought him seven months ago so $34.00 to bank in my online account plus the $10.00 that I won in lotto this week!

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH BBQ Steak with Italian Salads Coke
DINNER Soup & Toast Apple Coffee

Spent the day at home, first DS came to visit when he went out for lunch. Then DF-M came to get some of my Rosemary that I grow. When DS came back for the afternoon and sleep, while he was here DF-D arrived with her German Shepherd & they both had big chat about their last trips to Europe this year. I have never been to Europe and I am not likely to go, as I am not allowed to fly that far for health reasons.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Crackers with Avocado & Herbs Fruit Coffee
DINNER French Onion Chicken with Toast Coffee

Well its time that I did some ironing as I haven’t ironed in 20 days. So I got out my ironing press and had the job done in no time at all. Why don’t I use it more often MMMM!

I think that as I have got around $200.00 for my Bulk Food Replacement Fund so I will just stop tally this when I get over that amount. I have put this money into my online bank account until I need it. Now I will put any surplus grocery money into my emergency fund. That will be the differences between what I spend and I what I budgeted for the year. I will still post my menu each day as this will make me do one each week.

I am still living as much as I can out of my bulk pantry and freezers. I don’t know when the day will come that I will actually run out of something that I need and have to go to a neighbor to borrow it. It’s always the other way around. I once had one come and ask I did I have some Saffron as they didn't want to use turmeric in a recipe. Hey! I not that clueless, I do know the difference and the price between the two. I only use turmeric myself.

BREAKFAST Oatmeal with Current & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Avocado & Cottage Cheese on Crackers Apple Coffee
DINNER Fillet Steak, Egg, Onion & Tomatoes Coffee

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $198.70

So I got into the mowing, that I have been putting off for a few weeks now! It done!!!!

While I was at it, I watered the back garden and did two loads of washing plus hand washing and hung it all under my house. Where did I find the energy from, I don’t know, so all my large projects for this week are now done!

This afternoon I had a nap for an hour or so! Now I am working on the computer until Dinner time!

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Avocado Salad with Crackers & Herb Cottage Cheese Chocolate Cake Coffee
DINNER Pumpkin & Lentil Stew with Garlic Focaccia Bread

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $186.70

Quite day cooking vegetable soup and working on my computer.

MINESTRONE (Vegetarian version)
This is Italian peasant dish with rustic style.

375g dried haricot beans or Italian Soup Mix (see instruction below.)
2 tsp. crushed garlic (jar.)
1 large onion
4 carrots
4 stalks celery
1/2 small cabbage
1 x 410g diced tomatoes
250g green beans
125g frozen peas
125g small macaroni or other pasta
2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley or basil
1 tbsp. olive oil
4 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan
8 cups Vegetable or Chicken Stock (Massel)
Salt & pepper to taste

Soak dried haricot beans or Italian Soup Mix overnight. Drain. Simmer beans in 4 cups water for 2 hours. (Italian Soup Mix, simmer for 1 1/4 hours see instruction below)
Saute in olive oil, cut onion into eighths and crushed garlic until golden.
Add stock simmer gently with finely sliced carrots and celery.
Slice cabbage, and green beans into large pieces (rustic style).
Add all vegetables, except peas; bring to the boil then cover and reduce heat until soup barely simmering. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
20 minutes before serving add peas and macaroni, bring to the boil and then simmer until macaroni is tender.
Just before serving, stir in fresh chopped parsley or basil and little olive oil.
Serve hot with freshly grated Parmesan.
Serve 6-8

As I am cooking for one person and freezing most of this soup.
I UNDERCOOK by about 10 minute after the pasta is put in.
Rapid Cool - FREEZE HERE after removing the portion for tonight meal and any that will used next day.
Fully cook single portion in the microwave. 3 minutes if warm and 4 to 5 minutes when thawed.
Garnish with Grated Parmesan and serve with crusty bread.

Note: This soup needs to be THAW IN REFRIGERATOR then adding extra liquid and seasoning if desired. (I in mine put 1/2 cup water, extra tomato paste and extra garlic or dash of Tabasco sauce. Stirring just a bit. Microwave as above.)

Serves 6-8 (portion 1 1/2 cups)
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Total cooking time: 1 3/4 - 3 3/4 hours.

Cooking - Italian Soup Mix.
Rinse soup mix before soaking. Soak soup mix for 6-8 hours (overnight if convenient) before cooking. As I have found that the bean soup mix need extra cooking, boiling for 15 minutes and change of water to stop wind. I now cook the bean first, until changing the water when the scum is to be removed. Then return bean soup mix to the stockpot using 4 cups of boiling water bring back to the boil and simmer for approx. 1 hour.

Tips: Any amount of soaking will reduce times.
Soups may be frozen for up to six months.

BREAKFAST Muesli & milk Coffee
LUNCH Soup & Toast Apple Coffee
DINNER Poach Fish & Salad Coffee

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $175.25

Driving DF-M to the doctor for check up on her asthma and then doing some grocery shopping as this first time in two months she has been able too! We had free coffee at Hungry Jacks as we were near there today too! Thanks to our senior cards. Saving $4.90

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Leftover Lunch from ‘two for one deal’ - Free
DINNER French Onion Chicken with Toast

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $170.55

It’s time to go back home for my niece, so up early and off to the airport before the sunrise this morning. She paid for me to park the car, so my spending today just gas and that I had paid for. Her plane left on time about hour after sunrise. It was good to see her after such a long time!

When I left the airport I didn’t go home, but went to a friend’s townhouse until it was time to go off for us to meeting up for morning tea in near by park with a group friends on northside. By lunchtime we were all ready to go home after a long chat. I think I was sleepy on the way home driving so I will not do this too often as 60km around trip, and starting out so early too! But I was just 10 minutes away from my morning tea group and 60 minutes away from home to go home and come back with the cost a fuel these days in two hours. No spending day for me as I was given parking money fee.

Monday Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $1.95
BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Macaroni & Cheese Apple Coffee
DINNER Devilled Sausages with Garlic Focaccia Bread Coffee

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $168.00

Took my niece to work today very early this morning, dropped her luggage off at the motel that she will stay the night at then drove her to work around the corner 1km away. I will pick her up tomorrow afternoon at same motel. Joys of being the driver. I live about 15 minutes away but 45 minutes away if it was a weekday, cost of taxi to & from my place is expensive. No public transport at that time of the morning on weekends. (1½ hours trip if using public transport each way, anyway)

When I got home later in that day. My DF-M came home from hospital in the afternoon. When we checked her medicine, I found that chemist at the hospital gave her the wrong thing, so it was off to local chemist to see what could be done. It does pay to take all the items with you, as they had given her the wrong pressure pack for asthma. Which I had to drive too a different chemist before it closed for the weekend to get right one. Two hours to fix it up too! What a runaround!
In the end I just made it to supermarket to buy milk for DF-M before it closed too!

I never spent any money (cash) all day of my own money.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Soup & Toast Coffee Apple
DINNER French Onion Chicken, Muesli Bar Coffee

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $161.65

Gone shopping or bought something. 17 times

Went to the city by bus 3 times

Drove my car only. 8 times

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

And had 11 No Spending Days

Lets see what next 28 days tallies will be.

Visited my friend in hospital and I never went near the shops so it’s no spending today.

Tiding up my computer room so someone can sleep in it. As I am having visitors this Week-end.

I normally use the bed as a filing area so it has to be made again into a sleeping area for a few days. Not much of a problem, just moving the things around a some what!

BREAKFAST Oatmeal with Current & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Soup & Toast Coffee apple
DINNER Steak (free) & Onions Tomato Egg Coffee

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $157.25

I walked down to the hospital today to see DF-M.

I just visited her then walked back home it's around 2.5km trip. I never went near the shopping centre across the road!

MUESLI BARS (NO-BAKING)

1/4 cup LSA mix or crushed nuts
1 1/2 cup toasted or non toasted Muesli
3 cups rice bubbles
1 cup coconut
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 stick (125g) butter
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup raw sugar
1/3 cup crunchy peanut paste

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl.
In a small pan combine butter, honey, raw sugar and peanut paste
Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for five minutes without stirring.
Stir honey & butter mixture into dry ingredients, combine well.
Press mixture into a slab pan and refrigerate for at least two hours before cutting into squares.
Turn out on to a chopping board and cut into squares or slices.

Notes: Bars are best kept in the refrigerator.

BREAKFAST Oatmeal with Current & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Soup & Toast Coffee Apple
DINNER Chilli Con Carne & Toast Coffee

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $153.25

While we were at the doctor’s yesterday. The parcel post arrived for DF-M. I was told that it was very large and heavy this morning and now we have to go to the post office to get it, as she has to sign for it. So that is our task today at the moment she is a little better but not much. Boy! It was big and heavy full of cooking ware from a party she went too when she was with her daughter in Sydney last month. I used a trolley so I didn’t have to carry it very far. She bought some meat on the way home. I got some fillet steak for my trouble. I spent no money today.

BREAKFAST - Oatmeal with Current & Milk, Toast & Jam, Coffee
LUNCH - Pumpkin & Lentil Stew Apple, Coffee
DINNER – Poach Fish & Salad Coffee

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $148.40

Other than doing some washing & watering the garden. I worked on the computer, reading & writing up some articles for most of the day!

After viewing TV program the other night saying that eggs are good for you. I have decided to up the number of eggs that I eat by two per week.

BREAKFAST - Muesli & Milk Toast & Jam Coffee
LUNCH – Soup with Toast Mandarin Coffee
DINNER - Omelette with Cheese Coffee

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $141.75

I didn’t do much today at all.
Counted coins so that I could cash them.
Balance finances for Tax, as end of financial year was June 30.
Now too find the missing papers that I don’t remember getting.

BREAKFAST Oatmeal & Currants, 2 Toast & Jam Coffee
LUNCH Soup and toast apple coffee
DINNER Omelette with Sweet Baked Beans Coffee.

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $134.95

Its washing day again but its over cast but very little rain but only on the coast. I did hang my clothes under cover as I don’t need them for a few days anyway! I watered my back garden with the recycled water as I washed today and it did the whole back yard garden too! I had a few buckets leftover for top up in a few days time. Lawn still doesn’t need a mow sp I am lucky I may get a few more months before I need to buy a new lawn mower. Just think of all the interest that I am saving as I now saved the money for it. I have earmark around $500 for the mower, even if it’s just in my mind.

I will mow some time next week and give the yard a bit of a tidy up & mulch, mulch.

BREAKFAST –Oatmeal with Current & Milk Coffee 35c
LUNCH - Soup & Toast Mandarin Coffee 40c
DINNER – Chilli Con Carne & Toast Coffee $1.00

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $123.40

I was up early and worked on the computer. As I made my lunch and got it ready yesterday, just got to pack it with my chilly brick to keep it cool!

Catching the bus into the city to go our Botanical Gardens in the City, as we are lucky to have two Botanical gardens here. This one is now over 150 years old as it was the city first farm before that too! You would never think that we are in a drought when you go there, but they are using recycle water to keep it going. They have large duck pond, which they truck recycle water too then pump the water from there. They were trucking water while I was sitting wanting for my friends to come.

We had a beautiful day and just talked, talked. I hope to do this every few weeks until Summer, when it will be too hot for outdoor picnics.

It was a No Spending day as my bus ticket was pre-paid.

BREAKFAST - Bacon & Egg Tomatoes Baked Beans Coffee $1.50
LUNCH – Picnic - Salad Mandarin $2.50
DINNER - French Onion Chicken $1.25

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $ 121.65

I have decided to go out for a picnic by the river so it should be nice day!

I am planning what food I will take & finding all the picnic items has taken a few hours but it will be worth it.

Picnic Menu -Asian Green Salad Leaves, Mixed Bean Salad, Sliced Tomatoes, Bread & Butter Cucumbers, Stuffed Olives, Asparagus Spears, Pickled Onions, Corn Beef, Cheese and Garlic Focaccia Bread. Coffee and Mandarins (Homegrown)

MIXED BEAN SALAD

1 can 4 Bean Mix or 3 Bean Mix (drained & rinsed)
1 medium diced tomato
1 stick celery, finely sliced
1/2 tsp. Italian herbs
2 tbsp. fat-free Italian salad dressing

Mix all but the salad dressing.
Put into refrigerator until nearer to serving time.
Add salad dressing & blend.
Will be kept around two days in refrigerator.

Double or triple if taking to BBQ or bring salad outing. Simple and easy for non-cooks.

BREAKFAST - Oatmeal with Current & Milk Coffee 35c
LUNCH - Toasted Cheese Coffee Mandarin (free) 50c
DINNER - Omelette with Cheese Coffee 60c

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $116.40

Today I went to the shopping centre to pick up something at newsagent, which in fact they didn’t get in, so I walk down that far for nothing. Anyway I just walk in one doorway and out the other, walking past the supermarket without buying a thing.

Spent most of my day working on the computer just read mostly. Must get some housework done.

BREAKFAST Oatmeal & Currants, 2 Toast & Jam Coffee 45c
LUNCH Vegetable Soup with Toast Coffee 40c
DINNER French Onion Chicken & Toast 1.00

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $110.95

1 large clove of garlic, crushed
1 large brown onion, chopped
2 medium potatoes, cubed
2 large carrots, sliced
2-3 large pumpkin wedges, cubed
2 stick celery, sliced
1 parsnip, sliced
1 turnip, cubed
6 - 8 cups vegetable stock
2 x 400g (15oz) cans diced tomatoes
1/2 cup green lentils
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon Canola or olive oil
Black pepper or chilli powder
2 x 400g (15oz)can of red kidney beans, strained or any other beans at hand, strained
250 grams (4oz) frozen peas

Melt the oil in a large pot. When it's hot, add the crushed garlic and potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, celery, turnip, parsnip, and onion. Stir for around three minutes.
Add diced tomatoes, vegetable stock, lentils, bay leaves and black pepper or chilli powder.
Bring to the boil and then gently simmer until the vegetables are just cooked.
Add the kidney beans and peas.
Bring to the boil again and then remove from the heat.
Discard the bay leaves.
Can be frozen.
Thaw & reheat single serve in the microwave (650W) for 3 - 4 minutes.
Note: You can add any other vegetables of your choice, if you don't eat or don't have at hand for any of the above.

BREAKFAST Oatmeal & Currants, 2 Toast & Jam Coffee 45c
LUNCH Vegetable Soup with Toast Coffee 40c
DINNER Fish Cakes & Salad Mandarin Coffee $1.00

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $109.10

I was thinking of going to the Circus this morning, it would cost about $10.00 plus to go, it was at the local school today. It was a proper circus too!

But I decided to have luxury bath instead. Using what I have in my storage from my gifts of the past years. So it was FREE!

I saved the water so that I can reuse it on the front garden to-morrow then I will water my garden.
I will need to bale it out some time today when it cools down a bit! I will need to put into my buckets and my Tuff tub that I have got for Grey water. Oh what fun this is! It’s a learning curb for us all! I will mostly likely fair the best as I am now at next step to next level. Trying to find other ways to save water. Without going to too much expense, like spending a lot of money on rain water tank and new front loader washing machine, even with rebates it would set me back too much expense wise. If the washing machine breaks down then I will look into it. I am talking thousands dollars here! All to save $2.00 on my water bill. I do have the lowest water bill around here as it is now! Unless I buy a water tank 5000L one at that and new AAAAA washing machine I can’t get my water bill lower.

Now its time to work on tiding up the house for visitors. I will try to put notes in this blog, how I am going on that front. It’s very slow going!

BREAKFAST Oatmeal & Currants 2 Toast & Jam Coffee 45c
LUNCH Slices of Toast with Mustard Spread, Melted Cheese & Topped Paprika Coffee 50c
DINNER Steak Pork, Egg, Tomatoes, & Grilled Onions Dinner $1.80

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $102.95

I had a go at my new system with all my buckets and water holding rubbish bins etc for my grey water.

Some ideas worked but others were not as successful as I hoped! I need to empty my rubbish bins before I washed so I watered the back yard with them.

Saving the soapy water to put back in the washing machine and having enough buckets to do this task. 10 buckets and 2 large rubbish bins were not enough.

As for the recycle water hose that I bought, I need some way to fix it to my washing machine waste hose and be able to remove it also! I used up 2 ideas as far with very little success.

I am still learning on this one so it’s back to the drawing broad. MMMM!

BREAKFAST Oatmeal & Currants Coffee 2 Toast & Jam, Coffee 60c
LUNCH Crackers with Cheese & Chutney, Mandarin Coffee 65c
DINNER Omelette with Sweet Chilli Sauce Apple Coffee. 65c

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $100.20

Gone shopping or bought something. 15 times

Went to the city by bus 2 times

Drove my car only. 9 times

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

And had 13 No Spending Days.

Lets see what next 28 days tallies will be.

Today task was to make room in my storage area downstairs to make room for more STUFF that needs to be move out of upstairs.

As I have the habit of re-buying the same items again and again if don’t keep them. I no longer part with them only move them into storage. I do have the storage too!

My aim is to put this goal into practice. Goal: To just leave out what projects & topic, I am working on this week, all other projects are to be returned to it’s own storage area. MMMMM!

I do work on a value system, so I don’t keep everything. If I can replace it at little cost & no longer need it now then it goes in the bin or given away. But if it cost a bit of money to replace it in the future then I will keep it. I have been known to go back too projects years later.

With this plan, I will be able to keep my house in some form of order, even it’s not just tidy as a picture perfect house.

BREAKFAST Oatmeal & Milk with LSA Pancakes & Maple Syrup with Whipped Cream 80c
LUNCH Crackers with Chutney, Home-cooked Corn Beef & Salad Coffee $1.00
DINNER Devilled Sausages Orange $1.00

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $97.45

I am cutting back on unwanted plants, tiding up some plants. Raking garden lawn as I don’t need to mow it just yet, another 2 weeks I would think then just cutting the tops off weeds in the lawn. As I plan to keep it a little higher than it is now!

Tidy the patio and sweeping it too! Removed any dead or unsightly plants.

As for watering it’s now via buckets or watering can only. I filled my yellow Tuff tub bucket up then just filled my watering can to half each time. As when you fill it to full it’s too heavy and I do have a sore back to start with.

As a younger adult I worked on a drink bar. So I know how heavy buckets can be if you are doing it for along time like we will be, then you just don’t fill them up to the top! At least I will not have to waters any plants above my head as I did when I was working filling drink machines with buckets on the drink bar.

This may be the reason that I am more safety conscious than other people, as I had that job for 10 years.

Cut up one of my homegrown pumpkin today and made Pumpkin & Lentil Stew.

Pumpkin & Lentil Stew
Serve 6

1 large onion diced
1 clove of crushed garlic
3 tsp. curry powder mild or to your taste
(or 1 teaspoon of each cumin, coriander & turmeric)
1 tsp. chopped ginger
3 cups of vegetable stock (or 2 tsp. vegetable stock powder & 3 cups boiling water)
3 cups raw pumpkin diced
1 large raw potato diced
1 cup frozen green beans pieces
1 cup red lentil
1 can diced tomatoes

Saute onion and garlic for 2 minutes.
Combine spices with onion mixture and saute for 1 minute.
Add vegetable stock and all other ingredients, but the green bean pieces bring to the boil.
Cover and simmer are cooked stir occasionally.
Add frozen green beans in the last 10 minutes.
It makes enough for most of the week with two soup ladles per serve
I serve it with 1/2 Focaccia roll each time.
Freezer Friendly

BREAKFAST Oatmeal with Currants & Milk 2 Toast & Jam Coffee 60c
LUNCH Pumpkin & Lentil Stew with Garlic Focaccia Bread, Mandarin Coffee $1.00
DINNER Steak, Egg, Tomatoes, & Grilled Onions Dinner $1.80

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $91.55

When the mail came today the information about my online account arrived, now I can deposit more money.

I have notified Centrelink about opening it. I don’t have to phone again until it goes over $1000, and then each time it gets to a next 1000 which it’s nowhere that now!

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee 45c
LUNCH Crackers with Cheese & Mustard Pickle Relish Apple Coffee 40c
DINNER Poach Fish & Vegetables … $2.50

Bulk Food Replacement Fund - $86.80