Tightwad Kitty's $$$ Stretching Blog

A devastating 7m tsunami sweeping through Japan tonight after 8.9 - magnitude quake in Northern Japan.

Tsunami warning for Hawaii, Mexico, Peru and Chile coast line and many other pacific ocean islands.

Death toll rising after major Japan tsunamis

pictures

My thoughts and prayers to all effected by this earthquake and tsunamis.

As I work on 28 day cycles, my dates may be out to a calendar months so here are the figures for my last period.

It’s time to start again on reviewing my monthly daily living allowance.

These are the categories for this challenge.
Items === Approx Budget===Spent
Eating out===$35.00=====$46.75
Groceries===$135.50 ==== $73.59
Non-Food===$17.00
Clothes ====$35.00
Grooming===$15.00
Gas======$25.00=====$33.42
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$27.12
HH items===$42.50
Fares== ====$9.00 =====$20.00
Entrainments= $12.00
Garden =====$10.00
Gifts & Donations =$35.00
Medical =====$15.00=====$116.35
Misc ======$9.00=======$1.50
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ==$30.54

Note only one amount is no spend

Budgeted for this period $530 spent $349.27
No Spending days over the 28 days =14 days in total.

Personal allowance covers confectionery, lotto, books, stamps, craft & hobby supplies.

Eating out including meals out with family, we all go Dutch.

As for medical this is the extra out of pockets amounts that came up this month this I had a visit to a podiatrist, phsyo and bought a large wheat bag.
My credit cards are still paid in full each month.

I do keep my bill money separated from this summery. This year I will be budgeting around $650 per period month to cover all my bills. This month bills were over $1200. These funds do cover all my fixed bills for the year if I can stick to this schedule as I have done for the past ten years or so. This budget will be tight but just doable. On my budget excel modelling chart I can pay the full amount this year.

If any changes to my spending habits will need to come out of my daily living allowance categories of my budget as my bill categories are very tight now. Still need to work on a few categories as you can see but over all I had a good month. Saving for this month $180.73 on budget for amount.

Strategy: - Track your daily spending down to the cent by writing it down daily.

My 700th post milestone

Looking for recipes using ham bones without any dried beans or peas in them, I found another one.

Corn Soup with Potatoes and Smoked Ham
Serving 6 -8

1/4 cup lard or another fat
1-1/2 cups diced smoked ham steak
1 cup chopped white onion
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups frozen corn kernels or 2 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from about 4 ears of corn)
1 285g (10oz) smoked ham hock
1 medium potato, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
5 cups water

Melt lard in heavy large pot over high heat.
Add ham steak, onion, both bell peppers, and garlic.
Saute until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
Add corn and stir 5 minutes.
Add ham hock and potato, then 5 cups water; bring to boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer partially covered 1 hour.
Remove ham hock.
Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.

I have spent the last few days around home in a heat wave. So had 5 no spend days and one day other where I just bought Gas.

So today I went out and I finally I did spend some money today, I went to the city to have lunch with my ex work friends, this is our 13th year of having lunch once per month together. We still are going to the same place the casino; we each pay $20 for all you can eat meals. As king prawns are quite plentiful so prices are down that they are on the menu so long you peel them yourself.

I did spend some on pokies but end up winning more than I put in so came out square.

I also bought my next top up on GO CARD which is the way pay travelling on public transport here, if you didn’t have a Go Card then you will pay more for the same trip. The way I see it on Fares is buy in advance for next few months, as I only travel in about 3 round trips per month. I like it when I don’t have to worry about if I have enough money on the Go Card so when I am down to the last 4 trips value on my regular trips then will top up when I am in the city next . One thing you have to remember is to reregister your GO card if you don’t have a senior card version which I do as you can lose the credits on your card if you don’t. ….. $20 on Go Card.

This afternoon I walked up the street to the shops to buy a newspaper but it with sold out but in the end I bought some candy, yoghurt and grapes spending $7.57.

I also bought some second books as I felt like buying a book or two, I did go to two books stores in the city but the end I didn’t buy anything from them, so Looked at the op shops locally and end up buying 4 books not that I need any books just something different to look at and at $3.00 for the lot I came out better than buying some the new books that I was thinking of buying earlier in the day.

So all up I spent around $50.00 for the day.
One social outing, Fares, grocery, books

Update on the Christchurch Quake - 145 bodies and still 200 missing but some of these will be in the body count. 1/3 of the city will have to be pulled down as they are unsafe to go near, this includes the tallest building a 26 stories Hotel.

NZ's quake toll surges, hundreds missing

Christchurch CBD to be cleared: minister

Musician recalls 'mayhem' after earthquake

The family next door to me has family in Christchurch but all are safe but 2 families have lost their houses and one house was only 2 years old and is standing on it side. Also she was in a shopping centre at the time in a change room trying on clothes and only had her undies on. She had a toddler with her in a pram; she found her clothes and quickly left the building. Went to get the car only to find that the car parks ramps had all come down, then had to walk home only find her house on it side. At least they are all safe.

I went to a handbag party at my DIL house but I thought better of buying any of the bags they had. They are the ones that you can change the outsides to make a new handbag with just few clicks. There were four sizes but at the prices that I could ill afford. I did take a friend with me and she did buy one so did most of the others at the party. The one that was big enough for a carryall tote bag had a price tag of $208.95 for that price you get a basic bag plus 2 overside covers. But this bag is still too big for me and the one smaller is just too small and I have a number of bags that size at home. So I didn’t fall for buying a bag that I didn’t need so a No Spending Day.

I ended up just having lunch and coming home to rest. I was driving with a headache coming on so didn’t like to be out to long.

As I have watch too much of this earth quake in last 22 hours I will need just go out to get away today. My thoughts go out to the people of Christchurch and their families.

Christchurch quake
Damage caused by the 6.3 magnitude quake

Liquefaction in and around Christchurch as a result of the quake, this stuff is a no go area by the sound of it it’s like quicksand. Saturate sand that flows like a river and no longer can hold anything up.
Liquefaction, happen in the September quake so the locals know not to go near anywhere near it.

Looking for recipe using ham bones without any dried beans or peas in them, here are a few soup recipes.

POTATO SOUP

Carrots
Celery
Onions
Potatoes
Ham, cut up (can use ham bone)
1 cup milk
Flour
1 stick butter
Salt
Pepper
Parsley flakes
Oregano
Basil
Fill large pot with sliced potatoes.
Add sliced carrots, celery, onions, and cover with water.
Add 2 bay leaves.
Boil 1 hour.
Pour 1/2 water off potatoes.
Mix milk and flour, add to soup to thicken.
Add 1 stick of butter.
Add salt, pepper, parsley flakes, oregano, basil to taste.
Add cut up ham.
Also good with leftover steak or roast beef

HAM AND VEGETABLE SOUP

1 smoked ham shank or 1 meaty ham bone from a whole ham
4 c. water
1 c. onion, diced
12 (1/2 can) (1 #12 oz.) whole tomatoes
2 1/4 c. red potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. ham stock base (optional)
Salt to taste
Parsley sprig

In medium pot, add water to ham shank or bone and simmer until tender.
Remove from stove and cool until meat can be taken off the bone and diced. (Broth may be chilled so fat can be removed.) Return stock to pot.
Add onions, tomatoes, chopped ham and potatoes.
Simmer until flavors are blended and potatoes are tender.
Add pepper and ham stock and taste for salt. (saltiness of ham can vary.)
Reheat. Garnish with parsley

As I had a fall over Christmas which I hurt my thumb, I also had a sore upper arm on the same arm. So today I visited a Physiotherapist as I can get one visit in which Medicare pay for part payment. So I had to spend money as I had to pay $19.90 of this payment then I had to buy a large wheat bag $40.00 for my back as this is part of the treatment that I need. As the sore arm problem is stemming from a neck and back problem that I have. I don’t need to go back unless I have more problems and do the exercises suggested. I end up buying some lunch of Crumbed Cod for $5.00 as it was raining and needed to stay put for a while.

Today I have to go shopping and I will fix up my house insurance bill which is due in two weeks as I think it’s well over valued, so I will get them to reduce it but keep it over valued by $60000 and contents reduced by $30.000 as they have upped my insurance bill by 23% in costs and increased value by $30000 on last years when I thought it was to high then.

Last year when I got this insurance bill, I asked about reducing the value down a bit as I thought then it was over valued then but they said it would only go down by $15.00 so I left it as is. Now it’s overvalued by $150000 in real value as I have had the house valued this year.

The contents is overvalued as well as most of contents are collectables and they have a value of only $2000 maximum pay out if lost for all and as this policy is 'New For Old One' with an excess on it. Something needs to be done with it before they start increasing the cost because of the floods for next year. I would hate to see Brisbane if I got flood here by the Brisbane River.

I will be staying with this insurance company as they are one of the few that do cover for any flooding event.

Trip to the city today, to visit chiropractor and podiatrist as I need both to keep me in shape or is it just plain old age. I do get some money back on my health fund but not much so I have out pocket expensive with these visits. I look at that you have to spend money some where why not on my health. Over twelve months period, I have 12 chiropractic @ $49 and 2 podiatrist visits at full pension rate @ $53.50 and 4 subsidized visits costing $14 in out of pocket expenses. I do get $19.50 refund for each visit at all full price. In around about way cost is $909 between refunds and subsidize Medicare fund the out of pocket costing is $430.40 which I budget for in my bill budget allowance. On top of this I have found away to save an extra 10% off Chiroprator bill by paying the full bill yearly as I can't get 10% in bank interest anywhere.

Two days no spending then I had to go buy lunch at Subway $4.75 for 6 inch sub of seafood with the lot including chilli. At least I enjoyed it. I had my list to buy at supermarket, 3x cat litter, 1kg skim milk powder, and fruit. As most of fruit growing areas have been flood here, I look for what was on special seedless green grapes stood out as this is my favourite fruit and I won’t be buying bananas for a while the prices have already skyrocketed. Cyclone Yasi destroyed 85% of the plantations here. I do still have some frozen banana for baking so I will make some banana muffins to use them up. I have some firm pears still in the fridge so I will make some stewed pears as these don’t taste nice and I will sweeten them up when I cook them.

How did I go with my shopping list.

Cat litter x3 - check
Powdered milk - check
Grapes - check

Found myself at the empty checkout so paid for the above and drove home. $18.15 lighter.
I should need to go near a supermarket for my own shopping this week but will be taking my DF-M to do her monthly shop soon!

As I work on 28 day cycles, my dates may be out to a calendar months so here are the figures for my last period.

It’s time to start again on reviewing my monthly daily living allowance.

These are the categories for this challenge.
Items === Approx Budget===Spent
Eating out===$35.00=====$61.05
Groceries===$135.50 ==== $109.94
Non-Food===$17.00=====$18.90
Clothes ====$35.00=====$15.00
Grooming===$15.00=====$14.52
Gas======$25.00
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$15.17
HH items===$42.50======$202.00
Fares== ====$9.00
Entrainments= $12.00
Garden =====$10.00
Gifts & Donations =$35.00=== $14.00
Medical =====$15.00=====$44.50
Misc ======$9.00
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ==$26.75

Note only one amount is no spend
Budgeted for this period $530 spent $521.83
No Spending days over the 28 days =13 days in total.

Personal allowance covers confectionery, lotto, books, stamps, craft & hobby supplies, and I did donate some more money for our floods. Eating out including meal out with family we all go Dutch.
As for medical this is the extra out of pockets amounts that came up this month it’s was Vitamin D tablets as I can up on the low side on my last blood test. My credit cards are still paid in full each month.

I do keep my bill money separated from this summery. This year I will be budgeting around $650 per period month to cover all my bills. I have started to bank each month out of this amount $180 to cover my medical & hospital cover so that I will have it available at the end of the year. These funds do cover all my fixed bills for the year if I can stick to this schedule as I have done for the past ten years or so. I just got my next house & contents insurance quote up $200 on last time but the value is over the top but will review these amounts before I pay it. I am not planning to charge insurers as this company is one of the few that cover us for flooding any kind. This budget will be tight but just doable. On my budget excel modelling chart I can pay the full amount this year.

If any changes to my spending habits will need to come out of my daily living allowance categories of my budget as my bill categories are very tight now. Still need to work on a few categories as you can see. HH items (Household) was the cost of the microwave so if took off $200 I didn’t do to bad this month after all.

Strategy: - Track your daily spending down to the cent by writing it down daily.

Well Cyclone Yasi was a category 5 over 285km per hour. It didn’t come in on largely populated area so where it did impact it did a lot of property damage as they move a lot of people because as most of the small town along the coast are at sea level and storm surges of up to 5m high above high tide but some areas that were largely populated areas are lost power and now have only one day supply of water and over 180,000 with out power in the areas. Now this Cyclone Yasi is heading for Mt Isa and Alice Spring in next day or so. But it should be a tropical low by the time it gets to Alice Spring with over 100mm of rain. It heavy rain depression and flash flooding is next.

I think it could take many years to get Queensland back on it feet in the long term. As for tourist as Cairn, Port Douglas above should ok as these areas didn’t to much damages and Airlie Beach area should come back up and running quickly. As for the Gold Coast never got any flooding or cyclone damage is open for business, I will keep you posted on travelling in Queensland.

Tully emerging as hardest hit by Yasi

Cycolne Yashi Slideshow

David and Goliath cyclones

The smaller Cyclone Anthony crossed the coast near Bowen and is now a rain depression causing 300-400mm rain with wind and look like more flooding, south of Bowen at Mackay as this city is below sea level in parts and its river rising fast.

Now for the bigger Cyclone Yasi to see what it will do, with all the soaked ground around it take very little to start flooding again in parts.

Today I did some shopping at a local shopping centre, I only made two stops one at the supermarket and the other at RSPCA stall, and donated $20.00 on top of what I had already donated in money and goods. I thought that animals should get a helping hand too! Their main headquarters went under just like in 1974. As they don’t get any help at all I thought I better put in something.

RSPCA Fairfield

official webpage

As I said in a comment in last post
Two cyclones to hit Queensland

I will keep you posted on the aftermath or read link inside this article

At the moment our fruit & vegetables prices is set to rise around here. We are all trying to buy Australian grown so we keep our farmers in business that has something to sell. The quality of the fruit & vegetables is not as good before floods but what do you expect when you have 3 states with flooding and another one will go under in the next few weeks remember I said in an earlier post that South Australia will end up with most this water in the end.

So far I have bought seedless grapes, watermelon, bananas, oranges and mixed salad greens as tomatoes are to expensive to buy so are apples around $9.99KG (2.2lbs). Most have blemishes on them but are eatable all the same. Around Queensland milk is still short supply as our main supplier went under in the Brisbane flood same as last time in 1974.

While the floods were on and having a blackout because of the flooding when one of the substation when under in our area. I wasn’t affected in the floods but lost of power for 4 hours and all the traffic lights were out around us and the businesses were on half power or rolling blackouts. Places went under water only 200 metres down the hill from where I live and the shopping centre is out of action for a number of months as it went underwater to the roof around 30 shops and businesses.

My 22 year old microwave decided to stop working and I had go out an get a replacement which I did when the rain stopped and some of the roads were safe to drive on. So I went looking at a large shopping centre not affected by the flood to price out a new one. My budget for a replacement was around the $300.00 mark for the largest and best in that price range. I looked at a number of models started to cross check pricing between stores. As I wanted 34L model with large inside cooking area. Most I found didn’t have large inside cooking area. It was between two models of the same brand that I liked LG - 34L 1100W - 3446 or 3448 models the only problem was, that they didn’t have any in stock to buy. One place was selling them for $226 (3446 model) and another $219 but no stock for 2 weeks but with all the microwaves that will be sold in the next few weeks, it could be months. So I came home without one. Later in the afternoon my DF-D was going out to drop off some items for the flood victims so I went with her and afterwards we went shopping for my microwave in a different shopping centre. I end up getting the LG - 34L 1100W - 3446W one for $200.00 cash. So I saved $26 on that model and $100 less than I budgeted for.

Will not be using my birthday $25.00 voucher this year as they have charged the rules unless I buy a new watch or a piece of jewellery over $100 this year, I have download it but when I read this condition I think I don’t need a new watch or any more jewellery this year.

I did write about this voucher

here So I will save money by not buying anything and it will s-t-r-e-t-c-h my savings by minimum of $75.00, this will kick start my challenge as I will be including ‘Waste Not Want Not’ strategies by not buying but using what’s in storage.

If you have been checking the links in my other posts for more updates, you will know about, what a fantastic job done by the Mud Army and regular Army to get Brisbane and Ipswich cleared of all that mud and smelly rubbish.

We have now storms coming into flooded area that are re-flooding some of these areas again.

I came across this link

Waiting until it loads then move the black line across to see the before and after photos or click on larger map which will zoom in and move around to different areas.

flood maps

Now Victoria is flooding but not as bad for now as Queensland but some this water has to end up in Murray River where these places are flooding now from monsoon rains that went as far down to Tasmania. So when the flood water from Queensland gets to Murray River as a lot of our rivers run south, I hope they are ready for it again. The whole of Australia is soaked but for small part of Western Australia, I would think and we still have more to come until May at least.

Clean up begins

The floodwater went down very quickly thank goodness, as we only about 20 kilometres from the Morton Bay. Most of the areas are now clear and thousands have come out to help. Our State government and local councils had master plans to deal with this crisis in place. Some of these videos will show you our state command centre. Everything is run from here when crisis develops in this state it was set up a few years ago. We were getting briefing every 2 hours whether good or bad. Our TV channels are all are covering the flooding crisis which is now covering five states but only Queensland flood crisis is covered by this command centre.

Must read story and more.

more pictures of our oldest building, convict built wall gav...

Floodmap of Flash flood path


Flood-hit residents return home to rooftop cow

People’s Army


Some other videos to look at too!

RNA Evacuation Centre
Riverside Clean up
River Capsize Drama
Massive clean up efforts begins

I am a little worried that my son will try to go to work today, most of roads from his house to work are cut and his work place is going under as I write this. There is no way out if he does goes. Power has been cut to these areas now.

Brisbane braces for the worst as record floodwaters loom

Check out links in this story for more updates

I may lose power at some time so don’t panic if you don’t hear from me for a few days.

Do remember that each 1 metre = 39 inches or 3.15 feet

Half our State is now under water in most areas with 358mm in overnight in some places.

Now this city Toowoomba on top on mountain range had 60mm in hour this is what happen, it was hit by flash flooding

link

Now towns and cities in the valley below including Brisbane are heading for more flooding.
Two links to other stories
Floods return to Dalby, as Gympie goes under

1974 comes flooding back as Brisbane on alert

Weather here is getting very bad I am safe up on my ridge but my grass is now water logged and the lowest part of my garden has some water and is rising but it is getting away between rain periods. I thinking I need to pack a bag and get ready to move if I am told too! It’s not likely to where I live for now as I am high above the 1974 mark.

This crisis could go on for months until all the water goes to where its headed for. We have three directions all this water is heading for, South or out to the sea. Now going south it has one of two water course it can travel, one flood area will end in South Australia down the Murray & Darling Rivers flooding some part of NSW as it goes. The area we are not hearing about as much at the moment is Gulf Rivers and Cooper Creek basin heading for Lake Eyre for the third time in as many years. Again pasting though NSW on way down to Lake Eyre in South Australia.

We could have another 12 days of rain to come yet! Don’t you love multiple Rain Depressions it would a Cyclones if was in the Coral Sea.

Pictures here


more pictures of Toowomba

four dead so far

As I work on 28 day cycles, my dates may be out to a calendar months so here are the figures for my last period.

It’s time to start again on reviewing my monthly daily living allowance.

These are the categories for this challenge.
Items === Approx Budget===Spent
Eating out===$35.00=====$75.85
Groceries===$135.50 ==== $118.70
Non-Food===$17.00=====$11.61
Clothes ====$35.00=====$47.74
Grooming===$15.00=====$20.00
Gas======$25.00=====$25.70
Pets====== $50.00=== ==$36.47
HH items===$42.50
Fares== ====$9.00 ======$20.00
Entrainments= $12.00
Garden =====$10.00
Gifts & Donations =$35.00=== $153.00
Medical =====$15.00=====$59.90
Misc ======$9.00
Personal Allowance =$85.00 ==$55.13
Note only one amount is no spend

Budgeted for this period $530 spent $624.10
No Spending days over the 28 days =14 days in total.

Personal allowance covers confectionery, lotto, books, stamps, craft & hobby supplies, and stationary. I got strung on buying Christmas stamps now I have enough for next few years. I also had a blow out on confectionery /candy buying some Christmas candy and box of chocolates for myself. I did donate some money for our floods as well buy some gift cards for the family. Eating out included my input into the Christmas dinner this year. As for medical this is the extra out of pockets amounts that came up this month. My credit cards are still paid in full each month.

I do keep my bill money separated from this summery. This year I will be budgeting around $630 per period month to cover all my bills. I have started to bank each month out of this amount $180 to cover my medical & hospital cover so that I will have it available at the end of the year. These funds do cover all my fixed bills for the year if I can stick to this schedule as I have done for the past ten years or so. This budget will be tight but just doable. If any changes to my spending habits will need to come out of my daily living allowance categories of my budget as my bill categories are very tight now.

Strategy: - Track your daily spending down to the cent by writing it down daily.

So far in my challenge to reduce spending in 2011, I have changed my

internet & phone plan and topped up my mobile plan for the year by $20.00, with the credit on it plus very limited use this amount will be almost all I will pay until December.

As for transport, as I limit the amount of driving that I do to planned trips with multi jobs, I can almost do without a car if I didn’t need it to travel across suburbs that don’t link up without a two hours bus trip one way then same trip back again or pay $60 each way in taxi fares to get there. We have a very large city so travel is on set routes but if you live or wish to travel outside these routes it can be a problem. Want can take 30 minutes around trip by car can take up to 4 hours and then you need catch multi buses to catch. So much about transport at least I do get cheaper fares with Senior discounts so that all helps.

My car with all it services, insurances and gas along with tolls does cost money that I could cut if things ever got out of hand. At the moment it’s my one luxury that I will live with for now. I do use the buses if I am heading for areas that I need to pay for parking as it works out a lot cheaper to do so.

Strategies
I don’t pay for parking unless I have no choice (unless e.g. hospital car parks or airports.)
I don’t use toll way unless I have no choice
I don’t drive in water across roads (my car is too low)

I broke two of my own strategies in the past two days. My mind was thinking a long the lines of this

Strategy - If you will use it and cheap enough then have a treat now and then!

When I got home I found that I was charged one at the special markdown price and same second item at full price. It may have been two packets of pikelets but to pay full price no way.

As I didn’t use my other Strategy - Check your dockets and ask for a refund so I went back this morning for a refund of $3.00 and bought another treat for myself of some Christmas candy. Now I have 24 pikelets and 1 kilo (2.2lb) candy for less than price that I was charged.

While I was shopping I remember that I was out of paper towels in the kitchen but forget to check my stockpile area for them. So bought a pack of three on special it wont hurt to buy one packet of them WRONG, I already got six rolls in storage. That will teach me not to look next time.

So the Strategy - Do remember what you have stored before you go and buy more of the same.

Now remember not to buy any toothpaste, shampoo & conditioner, toilet paper, soap, liquid soap, makeup or creams, paper towels, detergent, washing powder or pre-soakers for a while.

I will be combining most of it not all my challenges of the past years under this challenge.

I just got to reduce my spending for now!

I don’t have any personal debts at this time, only regular ones that normally come to everyone who own a house.

I do have some major jobs on the house over the next few years starting with painting the outside. A new kitchen and updating the bathroom are next one’s to save for, yes I only will have the jobs done when the money is there to pay in cash for them. Also a new washing machine and microwave as well upgrade on my computer system in next few years.

So my motto will stand for another year or two.

Its real hard to come up with $1000 but its easy to find 1000 ways to save a dollar or two!

So lets go and find those 1000 ways to save a dollar challenge and see what’s amount is at the end of 12 months.

I'm planning a frugal living year for 2011 so it's to spend wisely and only on needs, planned purchases and emergency replacements, so if I can do without it I will. This is because a few changes are around the corner and I have decided to go with the hospital cover and just make myself afford it after I had that fall last week.

So planning a very minimum frugal year by using what in the house or can be borrowed. This includes some food items, laundry & toilet paper, toiletries, linen, household goods, cookware, books, clothes & underwear etc, (buying only if I change sizes too much in clothing).

~ No Spending but for planned items. (If I have an item in the house or can borrow it, then I'm to use that first.)
~ Find ways to make my own grocery & cleaning items instead of buying them.
~ Repairing anything that can be fixed.
~ Two items that will be replaced if the breakdown are Washing machine and Microwave money has been put aside for these if I need them. (Microwave now replaced $200)
~ Have my credit card at Zero balance by end of the each month.
~ Come under budget each month and deposit into the online accounts any leftover amounts.
~ Pay All Due Bills on pension days or ahead of time. (As my budget is now in Excel, I can see a working model of these figures. When due and approx amount needed for each month.)
~ Chiro visit (one every 4 weeks)
~ Known outings are budgeted for, as social events.
~ Making and setting up emergency survival kit & resources.
~ Saving as much cash I can for my next project.

On a pension with limited funds I need to come up with little challenges to make them happen.

Note – Savings $stretch is the different between original regular price and money handed over. Coming under $stretch category

Eating out ----------$709.95--------over target by $289.95
Groceries -----------$1029.78--------under target by $596.13
Non -Food ----------$108.21---------under target by $95.79
Clothes -------------$510.54.--------over target by $90.54
Grooming -----------$169.80--------under target by $10.20
Gas -----------------$272.09--------under target by $72.91
Pets ----------------$612.40--------over target by $12.40
HH items ------------$578.33--------over target by $74.33
Fares ---------------$151.60----------over target by $43.60
Entrainment----------$330.25--------over target by $186.25
Garden---------------$145.70--------over target by $25.70
Gift & Donations------$426.77---------over target by $6.77
Medical --------------$173.85-------under target by $6.15
Misc -----------------$30.68--------under target by $77.32
Personal Allowance----$785.30--------under target by $234.70

Daily Living Allowance allotted amount for 2010 was $6354 and I spent total $5990.34--under target by $636.66
Even with being over in nine categories, I still just manage to come under my budget allotment for 2010.

This does give me the idea that I am subconsciously set myself amount to spend then holding back on some things if I think that I have to cut on my spending because I spend a lot one area that was needed like the medical.

By viewing

last year's Chart with this year’s one I am defiantly a subconscious budgeter.

Ok this Daily Living Allowance is the area that I will be working on to stretch and find any extra money I can. I also be looking at cutting back other on bills where I can. With utilities going up triple over next few years and with all these floods and storms, we have been having of late. My state is awash with flooding.

I can now stop pondering on this question now, as today I went and paid up front for the next year, now I will need to plan my spending to cover this extra amount for this bill, all $2001 of it. If you take the amount that I was paying before from it I need to find around $1600 extra per year for bills but where. I need now start to save for next year’s bill.

I did do a check on other options and it came up cheaper to stay with the one I was with.

I went with $500 excess cover and top hospital cover plus the same extra cover that I was with. First thing is to put aside a $500 in case I need it at anytime in the near future. I work in floats so this is already in the bank for anytime that it’s needed. Will only need to replace if used.

I can do this as I did save about $5500 in the 2010 in cash. So I will be starting my Frugal Living Challenge again for 2011. So how far can I stretch my dollars for 2011?

I still pondering about the hospital cover this year, I still have two weeks to do it before I need to pay an extra 2% on top of that amount quoted. I will have to pay this levy for next 10 years before it’s reduce down to what a 31 year old is paying which is 40% less than the quote given for this year. Now will I live to 75 is the big question and can I afford $20000 plus for next 10 years on a pension with the cost of living around here tripling in next 3 years. My figures say I can just do it but will have out of pocket expensive also plus the extra $500 on top. This $500 will be a float that I would need to budget for each year if I go into hospital every year.

I will need to re-just my spending as I’m planning to do the blue ribbon cover with the $500 out of pocket. As I had a fall yesterday on the back steps as everything is becoming mossy with all this rain we have had, just for the record it hasn’t been this wet since 1854 that long before our major floods here in our city, 1893, 1896 & 1974. I have a small garden bed that water is not draining down into the soil as its very large pipe and can’t be pull out an time soon. Oh my falls, I only hurt my elbow and thumb on different arms nothing broken just sore. I have asked my son to use his machine to clean my paths & steps ASAP. I may go and buy one myself soon.

Its Christmas morning here and all is quite as most the children that live here are grow up or in their teens and only one small baby in our block.

I didn’t get temped to go shopping for marked down bargains or to go to get an extra present that I was told to get because DS thought my present wasn’t good enough for his SIL. I did fine an extra present that I got when I was selling Avon a few years back worth over $25.00 so that along with the family box of chocolates will have to do. It’s still in it bubble wrap so it hasn’t been use.

There is a salad bowl set to go with it but I am giving that to my friend along a re- gifting gift that I will never use. Her husband who does start my mover each time is getting a gift box card games.
My son’s MIL is get basket of toilettes worth $20.00plus $25 in cash for Christmas lunch. I don’t do any work so I put money in instead.

My DS & DIL are getting store gift vouchers each as I didn’t go to the trouble buying extra small gifts this year, I add that cost on to the voucher instead. I hope they like them.

As for the rest just a Christmas card exchange.
So far I have only received my cat’s gifts as its still early here.

It’s going to be a wet Christmas here but not as bad as some parts of the state.