Today I thought that I should do some more walking as well drive my car a bit more. So drove down to the river, which is a bit far to walk too! I drove over a few suburbs away, as it’s a bit flatter to walk on the pathways. There is a lot of walking and bikeways around the place. As my walk was very early this morning it’s no spend day!

BREAKFAST Baked Beans on Toast Coffee
LUNCH Crackers & Blue Vein Cheese Apple Coffee
DINNER Fillet Steak, Egg, Onion & Tomatoes Coffee

A trip the city by bus today as it’s the day for my visit to the Chiro. Refund of $19.40 on my Chiro. Paid my Credit card off so it’s back to zero again.

While I was in the city, I visited a discount store to have a look at their hair dyes as I am down to my last two containers. Now is the time to start looking for replacement stock as last lot was bought over two years ago so I needed to increase my bottom line by $2.00. On my first stop I found what I am looking for, in the right color range in these discontinue line red tones are one of few regular colors available which make my job easy, as I am natural redhead. The last time I bought some I got it between $4.50 to $4.99 so adding my new bottom line increase, any thing under $7.00 will be a bargain. I got 4 x $5.99 normal (RRP) price $14.95 each saving $36.00. When I go to the city again I will look if they have more left and buy a few more. I went to the Hungry Jack’s today and got a free coffee with my senior card, saving $2.45

BREAKFAST Baked Beans on Toast Coffee
LUNCH Cream Cheese & Tomato Apple Coffee
DINNER Fillet Steak, Egg, Onion & Tomatoes Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $62.25
Today’s Savings - $ 57.85
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $7635.45

For the past nineteen years we have had a friend who has cancer a number of times three lots of breast cancer, bone cancer and now brain cancer. Now she has been put into hospital for the dying. I went to see her today, she had her fifty-ninth birthday just last Thursday. She herself never thought she would last this long and has live alone all this time too! I think she will last a little longer but will be in a coma soon! As a loner it’s hard when this time does come. I rang another friend and both of us went to visit her today as no one in her family was able to visit as they were packing up her Government Apartment so someone else could move in. Where would have been much as she is not a keeper of anything, just enough to get by. Well, she is lucky that has a good net work of ex-work friends who have stood by her all these years as she had give up work after the second lot of breast cancer. I will try to visit her twice a week from now on.

What did I spend today? Bus fare $2.00 off peck ticket saving $2.60. As we went to the city after visiting our friend, had lunch together, then went our separate ways.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk with LSA Prunes Coffee
LUNCH Chilli Tuna Salad & Crackers Apple Coffee
DINNER Two Chicken Kebabs with Garlic Focaccia Bread Yogurt & LSA Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $ 11.40
Today’s Savings - $ 5.60
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $7576.76

It was DF-M yearly health assessment, all senior citizens over the age of 75 can have them FREE with our heath system. Along with other little services that you can get too! So far I have got DF-M someone to come to clean her house light duty only once every two weeks for $7.00 for two hours work, subsidy by the government for the balance. It’s better than paying $100 month out of her own pocket. Also I have had people to come make sure that her house is safe with rails etc. As I am 15 years younger than she is, I can’t get this service, it so that older generation can stay in their own homes longer. If they needing help then doctor can sign the forms for this kind of help. We have a very long waiting list for nursing homes here.

Afterward we went to the local supermarket for cat litter and biscuits.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Crackers & Blue Vein Cheese Fruit Coffee
DINNER Poach Fish & Salad Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $8.55
Today’s Savings - $0.65
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $7537.00

A few weeks ago I got a raincheck for 2 L fruit drinks, so I got four bottles, and a few other things like 2 tubs Borax saving $2.94 alone, saving $5.90 overall.

As I had a $5.00 off voucher for a dress store, that I could spend at the shopping centre I was going to, I put this in my handbag, to see if they had any swimwear left in my size. I was lucky to be able get the size I wanted, but not the colour as I am using it in the family swimming pool it will not matter it’s still a colour that I can wear. Saving $5.00 off.

I had some lunch there too! Hot dog with mustard on a roll, and caramel skinny milk shake at Wendy ‘s it’s around $6.00 with milk shake. At Tina’s the lot was $ 2.45 saving $3.55

BREAKFAST Baked Beans on Toast Coffee
LUNCH lunch out *
DINNER Black Bean Beef with Noodles Mandarin Green Tea

Today’s Full price Tally $52.00*
Today’s Savings - $14.45
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $7536.35

I went to my DS home today, as he was having his dishwasher fixed. After lunch we drove to auto supply store a few suburbs over from where my DS lives. I bought a Battery charger and car paint for touch up paint for my car as some one took some paint off my car last week, small mark but it need some paint on it.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Soup & Toast Apple Coffee
DINNER Omelette with Cheese Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $85.95
Today’s Savings - $ 0.00
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $7521.90

A lot of the family treasures are kept in this cabinet. Nothing of value but a lot of memories can be found there. I have collected quite a few crochet doilies and linen tablecloths as well other things. This is place I keep my games some of the cribbage boards are very old along with some packs of playing cards that came from father’s family home that was sold 60 years ago. As each home was sold & closed some thing from each, end up in this house which is part of the hand me downs as well! It’s along time since I worked my way into this cupboard it could a good 10 years since I empty it as a whole, most times it was done by each draw at time. Now I got a box full of old pictures four generations of memories that will need to be gone through, naming any people in them, if I can. I am the last one to know any of these people if I do.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Crackers & Blue Vein Cheese Coffee
DINNER Roast Chicken with Vegetables Fruit, Coffee

Challenge at 28th week.

Kitty’s Real Spending Total $6720.48
+ 2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $ 7521.90
= Full Price (RRP) Income Challenge $14242.38

Opening CC Balance $300.00
Kitty’s Opening Balance Rollover $ 241.54 ($0 Bill A/C)
$$$Money in - $1104.00
= Total Income Balance. $1345.54
Bills Total $819.00
Other Spending & Groceries $621.85
$$$ Money out = $1440.85 – $419 = $1021.85
Cash Banked in other A/C’s - $40
Kitty’s Rollover Balance $283.69 ($0 Bill A/C)
CC Balance $419.00 ….( Still in interest free period)

In the last 28 days I have

Gone shopping or bought something.14 times

Went to the city by bus 4 times

Drove my car only. 5 times

Had food bought or had for free away from home. 6 times

And had 9 No Spending Days.

It’s wet day so I spent the time reorganizing my pantry & my hold it all cupboard, it’s a cupboard that every modern house needs but doesn’t have. It next to pantry cupboard all overflows goes into this cupboard. The original owner was a dressmaker and this was her sewing room. Its now my sitting room and is just off my kitchen area with two large build-in cupboards. One thing by doing this, I am reviewing what I keep in these cupboards, grouping same things together. Party paper goods for future functions or taking to my son place when they have a party etc. My overflow of cookware that I use at times, along some gifts cards & wrapping paper that I collected over the years. Just a few of the things in this cupboard.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Crackers & Blue Vein Cheese Coffee
DINNER Pumpkin & Lentil Stew with Garlic Focaccia Bread

It’s a trip over the transport department at the another shopping centre near my home. It’s time to pay my registration for my car, I paying it for a full year this time. Saving $90.00 with my pension discount this time. While there I bought a few more books saving $25.00.

This afternoon I went down the hill to another supermarket to buy some pets food and other things. Saving $10.65 here. Our food price are going up here but the cat food that my cats will eat price went down too it’s price of six months ago this time for how long?

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Grilled Cheese with Mustard Toasted Slices Apple Coffee
DINNER Poach Fish & Salad Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $593.26
Today’s Savings - $ 126.93
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $7521.90

Today it’s driving DF-M around, first to medical appointment then off to get blood tests.

After we dropped it at Hungry Jacks for Coffee & pancakes. The coffee was free saving $2.45 a cup with our senior cards.

Next stop bank, chemist & butchers in the nearest shopping area. Then home to drop off the meat bought at her favorite butcher, she bought meat for me too, some ½ kg fillet steak and 200g ham off the bone, around $20.00 worth.

After that stop, we went down to the supermarket and then on to another supermarket that she likes and had lunch together as she had not eaten much since last night. As her family is coming to stay for the weekend, she needed to buy food for another five people along with her monthly bulk shopping. I was very good with my shopping and spent only $2.00 saving $2.00. Paying my phone bill while I was at it!

I had to have my afternoon nap by the time we arrived home at 2.30pm, having started out 8am this morning. It was defiantly her day, I was just the driver today.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Ham Salad Roll & Orange Juice*
DINNER 2 Egg Ham Omelette and Salsa Apple Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $78.00*
Today’s Savings - $ 35.80
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $7394.66

It’s not every day that your bank invites you to wine & cheese night. All I had to do was to catch a bus to the city on my pre-paid bus ticket and I got a lift home too!

About 50 invite were sent out and only 14 people took up invite to come, along with all the staff from all near-by branches. I had OJ as for drinking wine is not good for me when I am driving the next morning. But they had a beautiful wine & white wine on offer. They bought food platters from the local supermarket very nice too! Camembert, Smoked Cheddar, Cheddar, Danish Blue, Edam, Gouda & Jarlsberg. Along with meats, dips, died apricots & fresh dates and crackers. It was a good job. I enjoy it. I had not evening meal after that lot.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Soup & Toast Coffee Apple Coffee
DINNER OJ & Gourmet Cheese (at free Wine & cheese night.)

I walked up the street to pick up books on hold, more cookbooks to read. I read more than I cook.

That the moment I am collecting Australian Cookbooks coffee table kind with all the beautiful pictorial of Australia country before this drought. I think I have around five of these cookbooks now! I will not pay the price they are asking for them RRP $59.00 each, my price is under $5.00 each. Some don’t tell you where the pictures were taken. One sheep or cattle station looks like another after a time. I found this when I was travelling up North Queensland taking pictures of scene of cane fields in the end their all looked the same. The other cookbooks were two Gourmet Travellers’ magazines which I love to read and School Canteen book that had recipes in.

The Melbourne Cup was run today, both Japanese horses came in first Delta Blues & second was Pop Rock. Japanese was making a movie on this race, the scriptwriters couldn’t have written it any better.

Quote ~ “Delta Blues and Pop Rock, both trained by Katsuhiko Sumii, burst clear of the field down the final stretch with Delta Blues just holding on to win the 146th Melbourne Cup by a nose.

"I'm incredibly happy," sobbed jockey Yasunari Iwata after triumphing on the 18-1 shot. "It's my biggest win ever." “ Source: Reuters

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Crackers & Blue Vein Cheese Coffee
DINNER Lamb Chop & Vegetables Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $83.85
Today’s Savings - $ 76.35
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $7358.86

Today was an expensive day as I did buy a new car battery. The battery on its last legs, I would keep on having trouble with it. A bit more expensive than I have paid before on the old car. It has a two year warranty and I have used that warranty before on the old car. Now I need to buy a battery charger for that type of car. My son & I went off to Car supply store to price them out.

2nd mail order parcel arrived today, I was thinking that it would never come. Some good buys in this parcel, 3 throw rugs for $15.00 saving $25.00, 2 Christmas Snow Globe Trains for $10.00 saving $40.00, 2 DVD for $5.00 each saving $30.00, a engraved pen set for $5.00 saving $25.00 and crystal angel ornaments as a free gift value $19.95. Total saving allowing for P&P $144.00.
I am happy that I got the crystal angel ornaments as I do have others crystal ornaments so I use them this year. One of the Christmas Snow Globe Trains is a gift for DIL. Refer to 'Car Service & Rust Proofing'post.*

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Crackers & Blue Vein Cheese Coffee
DINNER Salmon Patties and Vegetables Apple Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $127.00
Today’s Savings - $144.00*
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $7282.51

As I was not up to walking up the street to the Chemist on Friday, so I went today. I bought DF-M & my own prescription medicines. Both of us are on a pension so get a medication subsidy. Paying only $4.70 on each script, instead of normal government subsidy that is available here. This is around $29.00 on each script.

I drop in to the bookshop and bought 2 books and put 4 others hold to buy next week.

My arm is much better, using the small soft exercise ball this method is working the best. It’s almost right, just a light pain now. All I am doing is putting it in my hand squeezing as much & as often as possible.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Italian Bean and Tuna Salad & green salad Coffee Apple Coffee
DINNER Hungarian Goulash with Rice Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $44.00
Today’s Savings - $ 38.30
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $7138.51

I am in the process of making some new friends in a new group. We meet up at a local park for a picnic today, it’s a much younger group so this will be interesting process. Afterward one of the lasses drove me home which was nice of her.

When my DS dropped in today before I left for the picnic, he was to reset my car radio only to find it was dead. Car battery again, I will need to spend some money on this problem as I have had this happen with my old car too!

To-night I went shopping with DF-D, got a few things Saving $5.80 and another raincheck on fruit juice which is lucky as I don’t have a car to go to pick it up before this week’s sale ends.
After we returned to her place as I was getting to her car, I pulled my upper arm muscle which is now very sore I will heat pack tonight. It’s like I have a dead arm but it will be alright as I did pull a muscle. As I had broken this arm before I did carry to much with it, double what I normally can lift with it.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk with LSA Prunes Coffee
LUNCH Cheese & Mustard Pickle Sandwiches Apple Flavored Mineral Water
DINNER Two Chicken Kebabs with Garlic Focaccia Bread Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $20.80
Today’s Savings - $ 5.80
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $6847.72

As he is again driving he picked me up today, for a day watching DVD ‘Da Vinci Code’. We both have seen it at the movies too! It was nice to just sit and watch it all again, and pause it to find Dan Brown cameo roll in the movie. There is only one scene that I don’t remember at all in this version. I have asked for the DVD - 2CD to be my Christmas present this year. (Fingers crossed)

After we went out to do some shopping and have lite lunch, half of what’s normal bought this time. Saving $1.90.* Then on to the vet’s to get some flea & worm stuff for my cats that worked last time, it’s expensive but it did do the job. Saving $34.69 and much more if I bought it single packs at a pet store.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH lunch out*
DINNER Lamb chop Egg, Onion & Tomatoes Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $105.95
Today’s Savings - $ 36.69
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $6841.92

What a day, about mid morning my Sicilian friend (DF-M) and her DD & SIL arrived back from a weekend in the country. As they had left early for the 3 hours drive down, they need breakfast so as I was invited along for the afternoon outing. I ate with them too! Meze’s type of food which we bought on last Thursday shopping trip along fresh bread. Sun-dried tomatoes in oil, artichokes in oil, marinated mixed olives, two different cheese & meats. Very nice but rich!

Then it was off the crematory for a visit to the family crypt. DF-M wanted some chore done before her SIL flew home that night. So it was off that Mega Hardware store again. I got out with just a rubbish bin this time. Saving $7.18

After we arrived back home, we went different ways and meet up again for dinner.

Sicilian Green Salad and fillet steak cooked on the B-B-Q but marinated in garlic & olive oil with crusty bread and red wine or water. I do think, I will gain weight this week not lose it! After this DD & SIL left for the airport to return home to Sydney.

BREAKFAST Baked Beans on Toast Coffee
LUNCH Sicilian Brunch with DF-M family - (free)
DINNER Sicilian Dinner with DF-M family - (Free)

Today’s Full price Tally $17.18
Today’s Savings - $ 7.18
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $6802.23

My son called in on the way home from hospital. He does have heart disease, an enlarged heart, arteries high tension not good for a 35 year old. This is a very big wake up call for him & his wife. He is lucky that he has got a chance to right his lifestyle now. Funny you can tell them but they will not listen, its’ not that he has being going to the hospital when he has had chest pain for years now. But it was righting its self before the ECG was taken, so they would send him home again. This time it didn’t but did 12 hours later so doctors looked further this time.

After I went up the local shopping centre for a walk. I bought eggs and crackers that were on special so now I will have enough for a while. I went two thrift shops and bought some glass dishes one is the top of casserole that I use at times. And soup bowl that I can use for smaller serving of pasta when I have pasta now. I will be watching my diet more closely now too! I got a cookbook by one of my favorite author on beans & lentils. Saving $18.00 here.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Crackers & Blue Vein Cheese Coffee
DINNER Honey Mustard Chicken with Vegetables and Rice, Fruit, Coffee
Today’s Full price Tally $27.50
Today’s Savings - $ 21.60
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $6781.25

My DS was taken hospital last night. He had chest pains again, this time they did fine something a wrong with the ECG. So they are taking tests to find out what is wrong. Before he has being going the another hospital and they were not finding anything wrong by the time they got to see him. So they were sending him home. Cardiologists said they would find out what is wrong this time as he is too young. He is to have a number of tests and week off work as well! As his ECG went back to normal by morning as usual and all his blood test were normal too! Anyway, he does needs to loose some weight ASAP. This is a big wake up call for him. They did say that had they not found something wrong with first ECG and he keep going as he was, he would be dead from a stroke before 40th birthday. As I spent the day at the hospital buying food and drinks etc. My budget got knocked out a bit today, spent $13.85 on food and $1.10 fare home.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Lunch out*
DINNER Poached Fish with Salad

Today’s Full price Tally $14.95
Today’s Savings - $0
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $6759.65

It’s a bus trip to the city to visit the Chiro, refund of $19.40 here. As I bought lunch yet again lunch today came to $5.95 saving $1.50 on my coffee with senior card. .

I also bought another book 2nd book by Shannon Lush & Jennifer Fleming ‘Speedcleaning’, I already have their first book ‘Spotless’ both published by ABC (radio) Books saving $5.10 off RRP price.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Lunch out*
DINNER 2 Egg Cheese Omelette and Pasta Sauce & Grilled Peppers
Today’s Full price Tally $27.40*
Today’s Savings - $26.00
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $6743.75

Today it was an ironing day for me. I got out my ironing press an ironed all my clothes from the last two wash days. this is the most time saving method that I have found, as I am sitting down for one thing and I can get two baskets of ironing done in under 50 minutes most times. I did buy this Elna ironing press 2nd hand in the first place, for $100.00 about two years ago now! Normal price new was at the time $599 so its has paid for it self in time. I bought it for ironing the men shirts but the material was not good for the press and found my own ironing was quicker using the press instead.

I went for a walk today too! Drop in to the supermarket down the hill from here. I got loaf of bread that was on markdown saving $2.89 and I bought some pink lady apples at another shop saving $2.98 on price that the supermarket was charging.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Soup & Toast Apple Coffee
DINNER Beef Bourguignon with Basmati Rice Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $10.12
Today’s Savings - $ 5.87
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $6717.17

I went to my son place again, to help him clean up the floors as he is having the carpet cleaners in to-morrow and we needed to make sure that they didn’t need to pick-up everything first as they have a lot of things on the floor to start with. I folded the clothes and got my son to put it away. An organized him into doing the washing that was backing up too! They have no lines so it all goes into the dryer. By the time we left in the late afternoon we had all the chores done included all but one load of washing. You couldn’t walk in that laundry for clothes to start with. I just got him to stop what he was doing, a charge the loads over to the dryer and put next load on. It just took about 5-10 minutes each time. I folded the clothes as they came out of the dryer too! $$$ Another Strategy
We did have lunch out again, saving $2.05. He gave me they exercise bike that they are not using so now I have an exercise bike in my small lounge room to use.
When I returned home one of the parcels that I am waiting on arrived an was sitting on my front porch for me. Everything was there too. I got two free gifts in the parcel. 3 savory trays value $29.95 and multi-tool value $7.95. I will now giveaway some of my savory trays and just keep these as I don’t go out much now days.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH lunch out*
DINNER Fillet Steak, Egg, Onion & Tomatoes Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $ 45.40
Today’s Savings - $ 39.95
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $6711.88

Today I started to repot all my pot plants. The first I had too clean to my entry floor, which is tiled. I keep a few of my plants in this area, which I repotted today! I am trying to do about 10 to 15 per day until done, or until I run out of energy to do any more. I bought all the garden supplies over last few weeks. So its time start using it to save water, as most was for water saving and for repotting. I hope get a lot done this week as everyone is away at the moment and my son is working this weekend, and will have days off during the week instead. As he works four days straight 12 hours shifts and then has three days off, starts all over again. That is why he is at home during the week as times.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Garlic Bread & Blue Vein Cheese Fruit Coffee
DINNER Omelette with Cheese

We are in the middle of a drought here and we are going to the next level on 1st November.

Our state government along with some local councils are have a plumbing Waterwise service in which a plumber visits households for $20.00 (value @$150.00.) You get a AAA shower rose, air aerators fitted to you kitchen & bathroom taps plus 3 dripping taps fixed, you do have to invite them in to house by calling a special number. Along with my handyman doing all the others taps, I should be right for awhile. So I saved $130.00 here. My water bill is low to start with so it may go lower yet! I am at 46% below the amount used in an average single household and I do water my garden with 80% recycle water.

I also went for a walk and bought a bag of ‘MilkyWay’ ® again. Saving $1.50

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Soup & Toast Coffee apple
DINNER Poach Fish & Salad Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $152.98
Today’s Savings - $ 131.50
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $6645.21

In the last 28 days I have

Gone shopping or bought something other than food out. 15 times

Went to the city by bus 4 times

Drove my car only. 8 times

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

And had 8 No Spending Days.

Lets see what next 28 days tallies will be.

It’s off to the Italian Deli Warehouse to buy Cheese as DF-M is going off to the country to visit her daughter this weekend. As the families there wanted some cheese a full blocks cost over around $100 each. She is getting a ride up to her daughter’s with our neighbor. While we were there a Rep came in and gave us some FREE Blue Vein Cheese 16 x 125g packets, I got 6 packs. Value at $5.35 each. I froze 3 packets as due date is next week. saving $32.10 on my share. I spent $10.00 at the deli saving $2.00 on pasta.

After I took DF-M home I went off to another supermarket that I visit rarely. It had meat on special that I thought would be charge from what I have being eating of late. As I like variety in my diet and for heath reason, I must not eat the same food every day if possible.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH Crackers & Blue Vein Cheese Coffee
DINNER Lamb chop & vegetables Fruit Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $85.54
Today’s Savings - $ 38.90
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $6513.71

Bulk Food Replacement on 9/24($200.00) Fund - $177.22 - 19.00 =$158.22

Today he dropped by to pick up my ladder, as he plan to cut his front fig trees down. As his would not take me and the ladder, I drove up my self to help and watch take he doesn’t has an accident or so I could get help if did. Doing these kinds of jobs alone is not a good idea. We start around 9 am and by 11.30am we had all the trees cut down with a two small handsaws. We then went off to get a trailer to hire. I bought lunch at subway and we had this before we started to load the trailer for it first load to the dump. We have vouchers for the first 500kg each year for each household with our local council or its $7.50 per 100kg or part of. We didn’t know if we had enough vouchers so I came back home to pick up my vouchers and some pots to put over the trees stumps while DS took the first load to the dump 10km away. The load was 200kg so we still had vouchers left for next load. We got all rest of the trees on next loads, which came up to 300kg, and return the trailer with hour to spare on the hire time. They are hired in 4 hours lots.

He saved $350 by just hiring the trailer over the quote he got from the tree lopper and they were four small trees too! I got away with cost of lunch & gas, this time saving $2.30 on lunch with my senior card.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH lunch out*
DINNER Omelette with Cheese
SNACK Yoghurt & LSA

Today’s Full price Tally $7.85*
Today’s Savings - $ 2.30
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $6474.81

Why is it when I spend a day with him, I spend. Today was no different!

He just got a NEW car and it had to go in for its first service. My car was needed to pick him up for the morning. Then he wanted to go the Big Hardware store that I went to on Sunday but one near his place. So I got the sugar cane mulch and Zero weed killer applicator that I was looking for on Sunday. Saving $5.00 as the sugar cane mulch was on special.

After we went to his place so he could mower his lawn and clean his backyard up. I clean his tile floor area while I was there. Then his Labrador dog came over with mulberry juice all over him. His mulberry tree has ripe fruit, so I picked what I could of them. As he plan to cut it down to-morrow if his wife would let him. So FREE fruit.

Then it was back to the car service to pick his car up but we had to got McDonald’s for lunch on the way. Saving $1.50 on coffee senior discount.

BREAKFAST Muesli & Milk Coffee
LUNCH lunch out*
DINNER Beef Bourguignon with Basmati Rice Fruit Coffee

Today’s Full price Tally $49.21*
Today’s Savings - $ 6.50
2006 Total $-t-r-e-t-c-h Savings Tally $6472.51