Tightwad Kitty's $$$ Stretching Blog

The Solar Hot Water rebate was scrapped last Friday and reduced to $1000 and comes in next June with a new scheme will not affect me. As I have paid my part of this scheme and I am registered with the State scheme it will be still covered if they install the system in one month before March 19.

As the company that is installing it have cut off all contract for now. Panic went into overdrive but then you had to phone a special number where you were told what was going on. I just have to wait for a phone call from the company for a rebooking of the installing date. If they dont make it by the March 19, I have been told not to worry as the State Gov will pick up the tab for the different in cost after that date.

So I will be not out of pocket and dont have to find the $1600 upfront then wait 6 months for a refund.

It rained so it never went up today, as we had over 140mm of rain in the past 36 hours with 80mm of that in an hour. There is a lot of flooding in some areas as the drains just dont cope with that much rain in one go!

So rebooking is in order, but one good thing came of all this I found out today the they had run out of the size of water tank I paid for, so I had got an upgrade to next size larger 400L with larger panels and more greener.

They did not tell me how much more the cost was but few hundred dollars I would think as its 65% larger than the one its replacing and it was around $700 when I bought it on its own.

So with all the waiting around it was a No spending day here too!

Sometime this week if the weather holds here, I will have the Solar Hot Water System installed. Its raining at the moment here.

As I reported before that it was rebate of $1600 as part the Gov stimulus package and our state government has got a deal going with buying in bulk for the State that picks up balance of the tab. True cost of Solar Hot Water is closer to $3800 than I thought but my cost for it $505 less a $50 voucher by local council.

Some people will find that they will be out of pocket a lot more if they need a lot more extra copper piping than allowed in the quote and same with the electrical work that is to be done.

I will write a full summary up when I get time.

Its time to review my daily living allowance for last month budget.

These are the categories for this challenge.

Items === Approx Budget===Spent

Eating out==$35==$64.00
Groceries==$135.50 = = $52.00
Non-Food==$17.00= =$0
Clothes ==$35==$129.00
Grooming==$15.00==$15.96
Gas==$25.00 ==$30.27
Pets== $50.00 ==$32.72
HH items==$42.50==$35.00
Fares== $9.00 ==$25.00
Entrainments== $12.00 ==$190.00
Garden ==$10.00==$0
Gifts & Donations ==$35.00== $0
Medical Prescription ==$15.00==$14.10
Misc ==$9.00 ==$0
Personal Allowance ==$85.00 ==$32.24

Budgeted for this period $530 spent $620.29

No Spending days over the 31 days = 9 days in total.

Money banked this month $250

Review of Daily living allowance which is part of my waste not want not challenge this year, these are the areas which I dont a fixed spending amounts but can go over board at any point. But can cutback quickly if the need does rise. Medical out of pocket expenses not covered in the fixed budget. Approx amount are for one month.

Here is a summery of spending this period. More spending in some areas than normal as I had to replacing a stolen camera & fare card, is the reason that this budget is over and buying two pairs of sandals this month, mind you they were 50% off the original price. Eating out was a little higher than budget for but at times its a lot higher than this amount too! I am trying to cut back on buying too many books this year.

I have set up a zoning system for my house downstairs, there is about 15 Zones in all for that part of the house. This way I can work on one zone at time and not feel overwhelm by how much there is to do or being able to fine something if I need to look for it. As each zone have only the simular things in it. So when you tidy it up after removing anything unnecessary stuff its easy to find things. All the boxes are labelled that will give you an idea what may be inside but not labelled in away that would make it easy to take a box and you would not know about it. As most are books so learning would be Brain food. This is one box that will go when I get to it next but it not in Zone 7.

I did about hour there; I did find a few empty boxes from items that I bought that are no longer under warranty so I could remove them to the recycle bin. I also found one box of books that needs a new home so I empty one plastic container of odd and ends and use it. Again the label tells me whats likely in it but not a stranger. It looks a lot better I will do some more work in that area until I am finish. Its 4 metres square as are most of the Zones in my system. Today I am planning to review the odd and ends that I remove from that container. I have five large containers or bags to check on before I finish this Zone 7 or I get bored with it. I will find a few treasures in these containers as when I clean up for visitors, I bag or box up everything that in the way and take it downstairs.

I do need to get into the one next door to it soon! It will be falling on the floor if the cats have a play in that area.

No Spending Day

Oh dear what I have I started here!

Its time to use the make up and toiletries that I have in one of my stockpile cupboards, most are now out of date so they cant be sold but are all sealed so I use them over time. Just need to remember what is there. Enough deodorants, soaps, shampoo and conditioners, tooth paste, toilet paper, foundations, lipsticks, hand creams, face creams and masks to last a few years.

What was I thinking of buying more shampoo and conditioners when I had so many in the first place. I do use a lot more conditioner that shampoo so will start by using up some of the samples that I have first of whatever there is there.

I did sell for Avon at one time and bought a lot of samples then stop selling, I need to use up this stuff first, same goes for some of creams and masks too! Its almost 5 years since I bought it and I am still using this stuff up. I have been taking samples away with me when I went on holidays but my holidays are so few now!

Here just a sample of my sample stockpile

Shampoo& conditioners - 10 of one kind
Shampoo -6 of another kind
Shampoo & conditioner of Head & shoulders -10 sets from sample bags these are most the latest ones.
Two Face masks tubes so very old that plastic tube are perished and have emptied them into a container as they were the same kind. Plus 20 sample masks to use up before I start on any of the six that are there tubes.
I just gave myself my first mask for a year. That was with my 12 year old stuff with perished tube. I do know how old it is as it has my old job store tags still on it.

Oh dear! Waste Not, Want Not and this is just the tip of the pile.

I banked $50 today

I will need to report on what I am using and how I am using it if its not the norm and what I have found to use in the future.

Doing my Weekly Menu plan again

I will continue with my Monthly Living Allowance reports.
Hopefully I will see a downwards trend on my spending.

Include a report on any saving money transferred to ING account or other accounts.

Any saving will used to replace the cost of painting my house this year.

I wouldnt say I was a spendthrift by any means just have a collection of a lot of stuff over time. Some things came with the house and are still here today. Its a case of do you have still got Mum or Dad or Nana or Aunty this or that! Now that may be a strange to some of you that move around a lot but as a family member built this house in early 1950s and some family member has been living here ever since. Its alway been thought of as the family retirement home the only problem is that I just retired in the last few years as I came here in my twenties with my parents and have been here ever since. A few pieces of the furniture came into the house when it was new!

Its time to use what I have got here then find a home or sell things that I will never use again. I do know that I could sell some of it on eBay if I ever wanted or had too!

If I ever move from this house in the future I would reckon that I could only take about 20- 25% of what I have here now! I think its time to start review what is that very special to me.

Weekly Main Meal Menu
Sunday~ Pasta with Tuna & Tomato Sauce
Monday ~Steak & Vegetables
Tuesday~ Scramble Eggs on Toast
Wednesday ~ Spaghetti Bolognese
Thursday~ Leftovers night
Friday~ Grilled Crumbed Fish with Vegetables
Saturday~ Chilli Con Care & Corn Chips

I have a large cane basket that I have put items of food that I wish to include into my menu in the coming weeks. This along with wants in the freezer is to be used first.

Stockpile list to work with.

Basic staples
Rice
Pasta
Noodles
Cereal
Rolled oats
Flour
Lentils

Items in the baskets to be used next
4 cans of Tomatoes
425g Tuna Chunks in Brine
400g can Creamed Corn
310g Corn Kernels
420g Heinz Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce
95g Tuna with Tomato & Onion
1 x 400g can pineapple pieces
165g can Coconut Cream
180g pkt of Rich Tomato & Cracked Pepper
1 x 45g pkt Fish Chowder
1 x 45 Caribbean Chicken mix
1 x 400g can Champignons Pieces & Stems
1 can 3 Bean Mix
Can of Plum Pudding
Butter Cake Mix
Jar of Fruit Mince 410g
Mixed Fruit 375g
3x 825g can Apricot Halves
2 x pkt Flavour Jelly Mix
140g pkt Lavish Crackers
1x 400g Skim Condensed Milk
420g Cream of Mushroom Soup

Protein
Basic mince mix
Whole Chicken
Kangaroo roast
250g diced chicken

Plus basic spices & other condiments.
Basic vegetables in fridge & freezer

Can I make meals out of this list?
This is what I came up with so far
Tomato Sauce - 2 can tomatoes + tomato cracked pepper sauce (sauce makes about 4 cups)
Caribbean Chicken with rice -flavouring packet + 250g diced chicken, pineapple piece & juice, & peppers - 3 serves
Pasta & Tuna - 1/2 can flavoured tuna, 1/4 cup tomato sauce mix- balance of tuna used for lunch with lavish crackers
Spaghetti Bolognaise = basic mince + 2 cups tomato sauce - 3 serves plus Chilli mix
Chilli Con Carne = 1/2 Basic mince used for bolognaise, 1/2 can baked bean, chilli powder - 3 serves
Roast chicken - with roasted vegetables and chicken for salads - 4 serves
Small Kangaroo Roast with vegetables & Champignons 1/2 can - freeze balance - 2 serves
Tuna Mornay Fish chowder + tuna + coconut cream + corn kernels - 4 serves
Tomato soup - made from can of tomatoes - 2 serves - lunch with toast
Beans salad - 3 Bean Mix + diced shallots & celery
Creamed corn - served for breakfast on toast - 3 serves
Baked beans on toast for breakfast - 1/2 can
Jelly & Apricots
Plum Pudding & custard
Boiled Fruit Cake
Fruit mince tarts
Cookies made with the cake mix + Skim Condensed Milk.

Any meals that have more serves that I am unable eat in one day, which can be frozen, are for next week menu. Ones that cant be frozen then are use later in the week.

Made and used so far
Tomato Sauce
Caribbean Chicken with rice
Pasta & Tuna
Spaghetti Bolognaise
Chilli Con Carne,
Small Kangaroo Roast with vegetables
Baked beans on toast for breakfast - 1/2 can
Jelly & Apricots
Plum Pudding & custard

Saving Money so far
Banked $40.00

In the Waste Not, Want Not Challenge the plan is to use down my stockpile that I have collected over the past few years. There are a number of areas that are covered in this challenge.

Having found a few cans that I didnt want to open, because they didnt past my safety check when I looked at them.

Please first of all note some of my cans are well past their use by dates so I am going on look of the can and look of stuff inside it when opened. If it looks like any way different than a new can then it failed the test. My health and that of my pets are well more important than a few cents saved.

So Rule number one here is - If it is not safe to use then dont. Never use dented or leaking or blown cans or if the product doesnt look right or smell right in anyway. Still up to now you havent tasted it so also if taste is wrong too! The more different ingredients in the can the more closer to the use by date it needs to be.
Rule two - Only buy want you will use and in quantities that you will use.
Rule three - Know what you can do with it before you buy large quantities of anything. If it food have at least 5 different recipes or ways of using it up your sleeve.

Each year since I have been writing blogs, I have picked a part of my budget to have a closer look at, on how and what I am doing in that area so this year is no exception. I have found some surprises too!

I will be looking at storage & stockpile areas and making effort to use up what I can that I have bought over the years. Now its no good to give this stuff away as much of it is very old fashion or past it best before dates if they have one so it will only end the dump if I gave it away. A little picky, thats the modern world for you! Now if it has any value I am not giving it away, anyway. I will find a use for it!

So a hunting we will go in 2010 the year of Waste Not, Want Not Challenge!

On last Saturday Morning, I end up going to a shopping to get the best deal at Jeweler store chain as they have their best sales around this time. I got some money for Christmas gift and a birthday gift voucher from this store of $25.00 so when I put the two together I can get some nice as I need to buy gift with the money and use that gift voucher before the end of the month. Its a show and tell kind gift.

So to upshot was that it was a 50% sale until Sunday then a new sales of some kind most unlikely on silver. I got a beautiful silver chain for Christmas so I wanted some extra silver locket to go with it. There were three lockets about the size I wanted there, priced at $149, $85, & $69, as I didnt like the design on $149 one and it was toss up between other two in the end I got both.

So RRP for both $154, less markdown of $76, less $25 gift voucher so cash outlay in the end was $53 of which $50 was gift money. Cost $3.00 out of my pocket. Saving of $151.00

Strategy - Know when the best sale may be on and be ready to go!

That was not all the bargains that I end up with either. I had just five items on my list and lunch there as its a very large shopping centre and can take you 20 minutes to walk from one end to the other without shopping.

Strategy - Park your car in a spot that you will get your daily walk done too!

Item two - New computer ink cartridges
I always buy twin pack cartridges for printer as it work out better in the end. Doing a price check in the last few weeks want everyone was selling it for. So I went to Big W store here as they has the cheapest price the one I came to buy was sold out but another one of two twin packs was even better buy. Top RRP for a single twin pack $44.88, but I got 2x twin packs that 2 color & 2 black ink cartridges pack for $69.88. Saving of $19.88 if you just believe the sale talk that they sell it for the cheapest price you can get. Not likely after my experience!

Strategy - Dont believe all the sale talk, do your own leg work.

Item three & lunch
As one of the items need to bought at the supermarket I went to one that I can get a retire staff discount from. Now as I didnt know what was on special it was nice to know everything that I got was but for the drink to with my lunch. Potato crisps, personal items, crackers, Xmas bows & drink RRP $ 25.67 costing $18.54 Saving of $7.04

I had only two items my list for the supermarket, one was on sale personal items so I bought two packets saving $2.15, potato crisps 50% off special again bought two saving $3.15, multi buy on crackers that I use all the time 3 for $5 less my % saving $2.90, then Xmas wrapping bows in sliver, gold & red colors saving $1.32 plus my drink buying the drink small bottle of ice coffee at supermarket not where I am planning to dine in open plan food court saved a lot of money as drinks are around $3.30 where I was dining.

Using the supermarket strategy for buying my drink that cost only $1.49.

Strategy - Try to buy drinks at the supermarket if dining in open plan food courts.
Strategy - Only buy what you will use when shopping without a list.

Lunch was another saving as I bought a small size meal that was on special for $4.95 instead of $6.80 of Japanese Chicken Curry saving of $1.85 plus saving on my ice coffee of $1.81 so saved total of $3.66 here.

I saved another $2.00 buying some green seedless grapes for $3.99 per kg instead supermarket ones at $5.94 kg.

Strategy - Price check other shops before going to the supermarket As both supermarket in this shopping centre have a fruit & vegetable store outside each other at opposite end of the complex.

Bargain Price rite store that beauty & chemist lines as chocolates & gift lines, I couldnt resist the bargain here Tim tams Mugs gift set pack only $4.00 saving $10.99 and tin of cookies for $3.50 saving $6.49 here. I have enough treats now until end of February at least.

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

Now off the K-mart store another one that I can get retired staff discounts at. This was just shopping for the fun of it here. First off the only item left on my list was a Christmas Wreath that needs to be replaced for next year. Found on a Clearance trolley with someone there to mark them a further 50% off the mark price with another 50% off when you at the checkout. I got two wreaths for 75c saving of $14.40, Christmas Santa for $3.00 saving $16.95, two x Christmas empty tins set of 3 for $2.50 saving of $21.50 plus candy shocking for $1.25 saving of $3.50. as well some two x gifts sets that were price wrong RRP $9.00 checkout of price $5.00 but on shelf price for $3.00 so I question it and got it for $3.00 each. If they are $5.00 each I will have my money back please. I thought the shelf tag said $3.00 and there were a lot of them there!

Strategy - Check your dockets and ask for a refund If they pull a its in the wrong place or wrong code talk
Strategy - If you will use it and cheap enough then have a treat now and then!

Whats the moral of this story, I had planned to go shopping with gift money & voucher to get a few items on my list, namely silver jeweler, printer ink, personal items, wreath and have a look at sandals which I would buy if in my size. But subconsciously set myself amount to spend of around $200 including the $50 gift money plus the gift voucher of $25.00. What did I spend in the end was $203.30 but out of my pocket cost only $128.30 RRP price of items $418.31, saving of $290.01 on the day. Now if I went bought these items at normal times like pre-Christmas I would have been poorer by $290. Now that what I call is stretching ones dollars.

RRP cost $418.31
Out of my pocket cost $128.30
Saving of $290.01

(All in Australian dollars)

Eating out ----------$630.98--------over target by $228.98
Groceries -----------$911.33--------under target by $714.67
Non -Food ----------$90.41---------under target by $107.59
Clothes -------------$288.40--------under target by $173.60
Grooming -----------$166.72--------over target by $16.72
Gas -----------------$166.86--------under target by $133.14
Pets ----------------$439.37--------under target by $ 148.63
HH items ------------$413.20--------under target by $58.73
Fares ---------------$87.20----------under target by $14.80
Entrainment----------$228.27--------over target by $78.27
Garden---------------$224.67--------over target by $122.67
Gift & Donations------$304.66---------under target by $97.34
Medical --------------$1110.66-------over target by $930.66
Misc -----------------$112.63--------over target by $10.63
Personal Allowance----$888.71--------under target by $119.29

Daily Living Allowance allotted amount for 2009 was $6210 and I spent total $6063.78--under target by $146.22.

Even with a medical extra outlay owning to eye problems this year and being over in five other categories, I still just manage to come under my budget allotment for 2009. As I have extra float for emergency Medical expenses to draw on to cover these costs, the problem of being short money for the year didnt rise.

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.

Who would have thought an age pensioner on full pension could come such a long way both in just writing these blogs and saving money along the way, saving at least $5000 in the last 2 years by stretching out every cent that I could that is in cash too! Every dollar had to do the work of two or more so every trick I could find and any deal that was in my flavour I took with both hands and a smile of thanks.

All of my bills are paid into this year and money is there for most of new ones due for the next few months too!

So my motto will stand for another year

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 whats amount is at the end of 12 months.

This year challenge is Waste Not, Want Not or WNWN for short.

I better start posting my menus again too!

Weekly Main Meal Menu

Sunday ~ Grilled fish with light salad
Monday ~ Kangaroo Steak with Mushroom Sauce & Vegetables
Tuesday ~ Pasta with Tuna & Tomato Sauce
Wednesday ~ Omelet with salad
Thursday ~ Leftovers night
Friday ~ Salmon Patties with Vegetables
Saturday ~ Steak with Onions & Grilled Tomato

It is time to review my daily living allowance for the missing two months of my 2009 budget.

These were January 2009 and last month of 2009 December. So by adding in here so I can finalize 2009 as I am going back to monthly summaries for 2010.

As I missed posting January 2009 here when I started so I am adding it to the December 2009 posting so that I can sign off on this challenge and have all the data in the same year.

These are the categories for this challenge.

Items ----- Approx Budget-----Spent

Eating out ----------$67.00------$84.05
Groceries -----------$271.00-----$173.03
Non-Food -----------$33.00------$27.17
Clothes--------------$67.00------$46.00
Grooming------------$25.00------$63.68
Gas -----------------$50.00------$34.01
Pets ----------------$98.00-------$72.77
House Items --------$83.00------$14.65
Fares ---------------$17.00-------$0.00
Entrainments -------$25.00------$46.67
Garden --------------$17.00------$25.13
Gifts & Donations-----$67.00-----$100.16
Medical & Scripts ----$30.00------$188.95
Misc -----------------$17.00------$0.00
Personal Allowance --$168.00 ---$122.28

Average for the month $1035 - Total $998.85

No Spending days over the 62 days = 31 days in total.

As I missed posting January 2009 here so I am adding it to the December 2009 posting so that I can sign off on this challenge and have all the data in the same year.

Again I had glasses add to medical as I was out of pocket $165 this year. In grooming I would have been shopping for hair dye as I do bulk if I find the right price at anytime of the year. Always buy clearance stock most of the time it because of new packaging or a change in colour and I only use only use red tone ones so I normally in luck here. I will buy a year supply if I can.

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

Today was my monthly lunch with friends; we went the casino again but to a different restaurant this time. They have charged the rules there. Early on you could get a meal for $10.00 with Coffee and Cake with about 10 different meals to choose from with table service, now it has charged a great deal, it self service in that you get your own tray, cutlery and napkin tell the chef which meal you are having then you move on to get a cake if you are having that then to cashier.

Most of us a have members cards but different colours so if you white one which by the way most do have that one then you are classed a non-member and need to paid $14.00 for same thing as before but the menu for this meal now is a pick of two dishes only, all other meals are $9.00 or $12.00 and extra for coffee & cake of $6.90. Personally I was not happy with the meal today but our lot the majority wins!

So next month we may go back and see what the other restaurant has in store for us. They may be changing the rule there too!

So I had Chicken Kiev but I have seen the same piece of heart shaped chicken in the supermarket deli as Chicken Schnitzel pieces for about $2.50 each. I had to pay $14.00 less my Senior 5% off for it with small salad and chips along cake & coffee. It was better the two beef rissoles I would think!

I dont have that many leftovers as the others have kept the meat & salad leftovers but I got all the Christmas sweets treats that was leftover this year. Greek shortbread, Apricot balls, white chocolate crackles, a mini plum pudding and coconut ice animal lollies that the children made. I do have some brandy custard in my fridge so I will be right for sweet treats for a week or two with what I have in the freezer too! All White food again but for coconut ice which is bight pink!

I also was given today more gifts today of box of chocolates and tin of Belgium Chocolate Cookies, these were from DF-M daughter who flew in last night to bring DF-M home and then she flew back home today! Her mother doesnt like flying on her own. Her other daughter and family took her down (interstate) earlier in the month but only stayed for two weeks.

No spending today

Christmas has come and gone here, I had lunch with my DS in laws, White Christmas Dinner with turkey, chicken, ham off the bone, potato salad, pasta salad and coleslaw when you looked at the plate everything had tones of white. Including the desserts wine trifle and lemon meringue pie there was a plum pudding and fresh cream but no one wanted it! Its summer here so we went swimming between courses in my DS pool, sun was out but some light showers though the day.

As for the presents that I bought, they were happy with them! My DS still played billiards but never when I am around. My DIL gift was something she was looking at in the home catalogue this month.
As for the 3 year olds gift they were happy to have something that wasnt a toy and could put all the other bits into it. She got a Barbie pool for Christmas but left her Barbies dolls at her place, so my DIL end up digging up one of her childhood memory Barbies for her to play with she had 13 of them! Her Mum s plant was well received as she had killed the one she had.

As for my Christmas presents I got a beautiful long silver chain to go with a silver owl drop I got earlier in the year, CD of Susan Boyle I Dreamed a Dream, DVD Masterchef & cookbook , DVD Boxed set of Miss Maple with 4 movies, DVD Australia movie, Baking calendar for 2010, Dutch Pancake Maker plus Secret Santa present of some toilettes.

One of my DIL presents from her mother was ideal for someone who loves going shopping on Boxing Day. A Small Christmas Tree with paper gift tags on it each gift tag had $50 note on it!

So my crazy presents were not that crazy after all but they were more lot more frugal than what the others had bought.

As its Christmas Day here, I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season.

Yesterday I went to our local Food for Less Store at 5pm about 2 hours before closing on Christmas Eve. (It has different times to other supermarkets here.) The manager was marking down all the markdown goods as I was one of two people in the store he was calling to me which was the best deals as he wanted to get rid most of these items. I went for Brandy Custard which was markdown 50% off Monday price. As I only walk refrigerator areas if I am not shopping for anything in the aisles, when I got to the meat section I found the manager. He asked if I looking for anything, no as I have got an almost full freezer but then said the porterhouse steak was marked down for $5.65 from $18.82, four nice thick pieces too! Chicken thighs markdown to $2.06 from $8.39. At the baking section all the markdown were 75% off so no baking for few days, I cant heat my oven for these prices Double Chocolate Butter cake $1.37 from $5.48 Banana bread slices $1.06 from $5.98 and 8 mini chocolate chip muffins .69c from $3.89 I would never have bought these at full price ever. All in my freezer for now! I got to get over Christmas day first. I never even cooked this year as it just me here and I will be going to my DS place for Christmas Lunch today.

Saving $35.23 - Cost $14.33 -RRP $49.56 (71% overall discount which is not bad for here as we have no coupons at all!)

Well the local council finishing gang came yesterday and finished the road surface off. No dramas this time, but I am just leaving my car in its garage and will take it out on Christmas day as I dont need it until then. The road is still warm but driveable even after a very heavy storm today. The heat coming off the road this morming was hot.

I can walk or catch a bus to where I wish to go. In fact I did catch a bus today to the city so I could post a special letter that I need to make sure that it was posted and not lost. I posted it in the main post office as our postal workers are on strike and it on then or off kind of strike just before Christmas for the last few days.

While in the city I paid in full my credit card so I will start the New Year debt free but not for long as all my early January bills are starting to arrive. Its no big worry as I have the money ready to cover them.

Buying that extra little crazy or silly presents for Christmas is something I do all the time.

I give store gift cards as the main presents each year plus a crazy or silly present. I do have very practical view on gifts I just dont like buying rubbish. I am always on looking out for bargains when I shop.

So this year is no different I had just two gift still to buy when I did my wrapping up. Both token gifts one for my son and other his 3 year old niece. I budgeted around $20.00 for both gifts.

I was in the toy section of the Target store, looking at what was available for the 3 year old what is very spoilt and she likes DORA items. All toys were 25% off but the prices were still not in price range. I only do see her once or twice per year and she is on my DIL side of the family. I did pick out 2 cheap dolls but then I found a DORA laundry basket near the price I could pay, $12.88 markdown from $25.00. So I put back the cheap doll that I had my hand while walking back I came across the sporting department. In which I found my son gift that was practical and little crazy. Billiard accessories, table brush $3.48 to 65c, billiard chalk $3.52 to 66c, mixed piece care kit $15.65 to $2.51 and tip replacement kit $8.96 to $2.24 they were all markdown so some of the items were markdown by 50% off and further 25% off as they were classed as toys plus 5% retired staff discount off the total also. Not bad all up. In the end I paid $18.37 for both gifts thats $12.24 for laundry basket and $6.13 for the billiard accessories. I still dont know if my son still plays billiard but he does have a very large slate billiard table in his family room.

Saving (RRP $56.61 -$18.37) = $38.24 so my crazy gifts are not so crazy after all!

They finish doing the road base just now!

They did give up doing a normal job on it. When they got it dug up they found some of the White Clay was still wet. Yes potter clay no wonder it kept breaking up after heavy rain, so in the end they did main roads surface job on it, its something not done normally on side streets, only where heavy traffic past over all the time. The road base is now 100% asphalt road base surface to 200mm deep 40 tonnes of it with a felt sheet over the clay to start with then asphalt on top of that. No rain today. They were extra careful near the water pipe, it will be a nightmare to dig up if they ever have too! Now the finisher gang is to come early next week to put the final bitumen surface on top. Hopefully thats all for next 15 years or so!

Well the road gang is back today to dig up the road yet again! It rained while the water pipe was being fixed and as the natural surface is clay which becomes very soft when wet with over 20mm of rain in 20 minutes it did just that with the runoff. When the biggest machine drove over it the road base gave way under the 3 tons weight of that machine. So today they are digging up about 20 metres most in front of my house and over the water pipe again so here hoping that they dont break it again.

They are still working on my street at the moment; they have finished the kerbing & channeling. Today they started on the road surface; outside my stretch they needed to go down to 225mm not the normal 125mm of road base. So while digging out the old road surface they broke the water pipe to my house. This is while I was doing the washing today. So I never got to finish washing until seven hours later. Water board had to replace the copper piping for 6 metres of 9 metres wide street. While at it they put in a new washer for the water meter too!

This broken pipe put the road gang back by about 3 hours as they still had to finish the job to a certain point before they stopped for the day. Now they will do second half of the street tomorrow then when they finish the topping gang will come and finish the job on Friday or before Christmas I hope.

Around this time each year I get my eye tested and a new pair of glasses order as I am allow one pair each year on my health fund up to $250 worth. I go to optical store that bulk bills so that I am not out of pocket that much. If I left it a few more weeks I would missed out for this year glasses.

Today I pick up my new glasses, this year I got two pair ordered, one pair I provided an old frame so that I can replace my house glasses as they were so old and brittle that they needed replacing ASAP. I am luck that I have had no change in the lens prescription so that I can use all other ones for different jobs.

Last year I got sunny & glasses that I got were not as good as they should have been when driving so now I will need special pair in the car in both sunny & clear glasses for day & night driving. If I am not wearing glasses I can not drive as I can't see past the bonnet clearly! I do have enough pairs to do this and to keep them in the car at all times. So today costs for value $418 plus with extra special discount were $115 for two lots of lens and one very nice Italian frame. Not bad when you can get it. I am getting back what I paid into my health fund each year so I come out even when I add some dental work and chiro refunds onto it.

Saving today $303

If you read in an earlier post I said that I still have a $100 worth of vouchers that I need to spend by the end of the year at one shopping center.

Well I did manage to get my son to take me there, but by the time I got to his place because he was coming off night shift and needed to sleep first, I got to his place around 2.30pm after getting caught up in Friday afternoon traffic with all the semi trailers (18 wheeler trucks) some doubles coming to the warehouses or depots near his house.

We changed cars and head off to the shopping center which he works at too! This is about 20 minutes from his house as he hadnt had any breakfast let alone lunch we first stop in Lunch hall, just leaving me one hour to shop. So the first shop that used the vouchers as not all stores did. I bought there.

Restocked my underwear & nightwear as I was 20% ahead with my vouchers in the first I think I did pretty well, 2 night gowns, 4 bras that fit, 10 pairs of pants all for $82.69. Now you know me, I like a bargain and yes they were all on special at 25% off for bras and nightwear and 50% off pants.

I end up with $15 worth of voucher left so as I was going out for dinner with son & DIL, I end up giving them the vouchers as part of my share of our meal plus the extra cash to make up the different. We had a Chinese Banquet for 4 but as only there were 3 of us, I got to take home any leftovers now I can see a least 3 meals this weekend will be Chinese leftovers, Chicken & Corn Soup, Fried Rice, Sour & Sweet Pork plus mixture of the chicken dishes. Its not everyday that I have Chinese banquets but I do like them. Normally my son would the leftovers for his next days meals but they are not working this weekend and have a party to go to Saturday.

As for using these kinds of vouchers again, I would not buy them again when you take in the gas and the time to get there. It wasnt worth gas to go back and spend that extra $15 worth of vouchers when the others go there 5 days a week.

As for saving on the day

$20 off the cost vouchers (paid $80 for them)
Underwear & nightwear save $34.50 of RRP
Paid $30 for the meal but took home $30 worth of meals
Snack 2.45 with coffee save $2.45 on free coffee (Senior%)

All up spent $115.14 for the day
Value RRP $152.09 plus $20 off vouchers & leftover food to take into account.

Someone said the other day Do remember what you have stored before you go and buy more.

This is very true, I must have bought over the years heaps of stuff from bargain bins as well closing down sales that I have been to over the years. So much so that my storage areas are now overflowing with stuff, all good and usable too! I now dont go to any closing down sales or even look in to many bargain bins anymore I just leave it all for others now. I may from time to time look at food bargain bin ones if its a great buy that I will use very soon then I may buy it.

I can get very mad with myself if I need something and then have bought it just because that I forgot that I had it in the store cupboard. I have bought over the years number items because I did direct selling at one time and finish up with a lot of stuff leftover that I still need to use up even now!. I just dont even think about buying these items in supermarkets or department stores now!

One cupboard is still full of beauty products as I dont go by best before dates, I will use them up if they still look ok to me as they are all still sealed. Most were samples or special deals that I got as I end up my own best customer so I got out that side line once I work this out.

About 12 months ago I got a Climate Smart Meter Power checker installed here, one of our state government deals to reduce power usage here. Its a device that checks how much power you are using that minute and it cost. I needed do a battery change a few months back so the pricing got changed by accident and now is out by a few cents for each watt. Not that I am worried that much as the power cost has gone up since then and its in the pipeline that its to go up a lot more over next few years something like 25% more.

My hot water is not on this tariff but still shows on the climate smart power meter, when this is on 49c less any phantom power and then if you put anything else then its more. I am averaging around 12.6c most of the time. Lowest before charging batteries was about 1.6c but now is about 2.35c at night with no hot water on and just phantom power for things that needs to be still on and with no fridges or freezer on.

A few months ago I got six solar panels installed here, another government grants to the tune of $8000 plus our state government working on bulk order deal that in the end costing to low income earners a few hundred dollars to have installed this offer is now over. After nearly two months our energy supplier finely came and installed the new meter so that I can get rebates on any extra solar power that is sent to the grid because I wasnt using it. Daytime power is now mostly solar powered and I even sending some back to the grid.

Its now 14 days since that meter box was changed. I have use 83kW of grid power and generated 56kW of solar power and sent to the grid 16kW on top of what I have used. I am averaging 1/3 solar and 2/3 grid kW use per day. I have been monitoring it for 78 days now, so I can see a pattern forming of using 8 to 9 kW on grid power and generating between 4 -5.9 kW of solar power per day..

Last summer I was using 16.27kW per day with very mild use of an Air Con at times when temps got over 34C inside the house.

So in all it will cut my bill down to a bearable price and ever more if I get solar hot water installed next year as my name is down for another grant for that one too! I would never be able to afford it if I had to pay full price. So I have done my little bit for Climate Change in this household but I will be on the look out to do more in the future.

Update
Costing of all is well over $9500 in the end I am out of pocket only $355 including the Climate Smart Meter which I got a refund of the cost from the local council.

Still to come is the Solar Hot Water worth over $2500 out of cost I am told will be with senior discount around $100 out of pocket. Which checking my inbox just a while ago I am just now waiting for the grant approval then it will just need to wait my turn for installing.

With all these schemes will, its hope save on building extra coal power stations in the near future. We do have the sunshine here as I am getting over 13 hours per day with my solar panels now!

Its time to review my daily living allowance for the past two months of my 2009 budget.

These are the categories for this challenge.

Items === Approx Budget===Spent

Eating out==$67==$106.27
Groceries==$271.00= = $171.05
Non-Food==$33.00= =$16.34
Clothes ==$67.00==$35.47
Grooming==$25.00==$14.70
Gas==$50.00 ==$31.45
Pets== $98.00 ==$68.44
HH items==$83.00==$145.43
Fares== $17.00 ==$20.00
Entrainments== $25.00 ==$0
Garden ==$17.00==$41.88
Gifts & Donations ==$67.00== $4
Medical Prescription ==$30==$84.28
Misc ==$17.00 ==$99
Personal Allowance ==$168.00 ==$136.74

Budgeted for this period $1035 spent $975.50

No Spending days over the 56 days = 22 days in total.

As I said in the last review of Daily living allowance which is my challenge this year, these are the areas which I dont a fixed spending amounts but can go over board at any point. But can cutback quickly if the need does rise. Approx amount for the two months.

Here is a summery of this spending period. More medical out of pocket expenses not covered in the fixed budget. Along with going out a little more than normal and eating out a lot more than normal. Along with buying more books in personal allowance with portion of this amount are books.

Its time to think Christmas again so all my Christmas storage areas got raided today and things that I will use this year have come out to be used yet again! All my decorations are reused from year to year as I have stopped buying them now!

I have just finished putting up my decorations, two small Christmas trees one is Advent Christmas tree and other one is two feet Christmas that I bought over 11 years ago when I gave up on large trees and all work that goes with it. I put out some things to remember the past generations and memory of years gone I have put the plastic wreath on the door and hand made one in a fixed window plus out the angels that people have given the family over the years. Now it down to doing my Christmas card which I have enough to last a lifetime as a lot are now sent via email instead. As for wrapping paper now with not having a lot of people to give gift to its now enough for lifetime too!

Now its down to look at my gift list and last of my Christmas shopping before the shops are fill with children and people buying last minute gifts. I now dont walk fast enough for them so I avoid this time of the year in shopping mall if I can!