Tightwad Kitty's $$$ Stretching Blog

Some will say I have had a spending frenzy as all were wants not needs but its Christmas shopping time. I have budgeted for $300 Christmas presents for me. So far I have found some DVDs to buy that was on my want list if I found them.

1. Masterchef - Masterclass -DVD (RRP $39.95) for $19.92
2. Australia Movie -DVD (RRP $32.95) for $16.10
3. Cook & Chef -boxed set of 4 DVD (RRP $79.98 with cookbook) for $20.00 (I have download all the recipes so I dont need the cookbook.)
4. Agatha Christie Miss Maple -boxed set of 4 DVD (RRP $39.95) for $20.00
5. Gardening Australia -boxed set of 3 DVD (RRP $39.95) for $16.00
6. 2 Cookbooks set by Jamie Oliver - (RRP $99.00 if bought single) for $39.95

RRP $331.78 - Spent by waiting for the right price to come at this time only- $131.97

I still have a $100 worth of vouchers that I need to spend by the end of the year at one shopping center.

Just under 2 years ago I requested that our local council put my street on the list for an upgrade in the next budget with all the trucks and building going on around here the last 18 months it was very much in need of upgrade. which is all now finished!

Well I have kerbing all dug up on both side of the street with safety barriers around them just waiting for the new kerbing to be put in early next week. I must have got on the good side of someone as 4 years ago local council water repair truck broke my footpath driveway and with all the heavy trucks and semi s turning into my driveway while they were building the new apartments across the street, it was on the way out. So as part of the job, local council is replacing the broken part of this driveway as the power company replace the other half of it when they put the new power line underground. In all other driveways in the street they are only replacing 12 inches for new kerbing but with mine its 3 feet wide. About five hundred dollars worth if I was paying for it! Its over $90,000 job all up for the whole street for kerbing and resurfacing.

Sometime in the New Year most likely, another council work gang will come and resurface the road as well as it does need doing now! This is first time since it was laid that kerbing has been replaced in my life time and the area was subdivided in the 1870 would have been kerbed after 1930s. From memory I think the road has been resurfaced once since I arrived here over 39 years ago. Its progress!

I have been looking at making a Tuna Mornay of late.

Does anyone still have Fish Mornay these days, most of my recipes for these kinds of dishes are come from 1970s cookbooks are all charity types ones. So far I have found over 30 recipes using canned tuna. Here we have three sizes of canned tuna, 425g large size, 185g medium size, and 95g small size. So as most of the recipes are in old imperial measurements. I have just note large, medium or small, as time goes on the manufacturer of these cans are reducing the amount in the cans but not reducing the price.

It the same with many other items this has happen too! With some recipes no longer working because you cant use the right amount. Recipes that have been handed-down from generation to the next are no longer just like great grand-aunts made. Take condensed milk for instance it started out at 450g (1lb) per can, then became 425g, 410g, and now 395g and most likely 375g before long. We now have given up on buying it and making our own when we need it.

Recipe for

I went to check my downstairs fridge & freezer only to find it dying; I will be able keep the fridge going a little longer but empty out the freezer section as only the freezer bottles of water are keeping it cold. I mainly use it for storage with my years worth beans, flours, pastas and my stock of chutney as it vermin proof so will need to look at finding a new home for these.

I will try to do without this fridge as its over 30 years old and cant be fixed as the gas cant be refilled in these old refrigerators as it rusty and has CFC in it.

I had then to find room in my other freezers for the frozen vegetables and cooked beans that I did keep in this fridge. Some of it got trashed as the dates on them were 2005 and looked dead to much ice.

Now I will have a look at how I can use it after I turn off the power and dry it out for a few weeks.

Whether it was, Smart shopping I dont know.

My sewing machine broke down in away that I couldnt fix as the cotton stools area broke off all together and then required major overhaul costing around $200 or more and it had never been serviced in the 20 years that I have had it. Service plus all new parts, as the old machine is around 20 years and Janome is the one that my Mother bought just before she died. I looked at some sewing machines at Lincraft and no good deal at the time.

So I checked out a local company in the Mt Gravatt area with easy parking near Spotlight this week online. They sell Janome and had a deal going until September on some Janome sewing machines with a $200 trade in called Cashback on some new machines only. There was one in that range which I was that was interested in, so my friend and I went over to look. I took my old machine in just in case they still had one left. I end up buying it as the RRP $699 then it was reduced to $599 for this sale but with $200 trade in on the sewing machine I ended up paying $399 cash for it. This sewing machine will have to do me, as I dont sew that much but do need a sewing machine for mending and making curtains. I am planning to make nightdresses for summer this year. So thats around 43% off the RRP which is good, knowing that plastics in the old machine were iffy.

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

As it is nearly time to post the next two months, I am getting a little behind in my updates

These are the categories for this challenge.

Items == Approx Budget==Spent

Eating out= $67==$133.25
Groceries=$271.00= = $209.17
Non-Food=$33.00= =$10.68
Clothes =$67.00==$0
Grooming=$25.00==$19.50
Gas=$50.00 ==$27.28
Pets= $98.00 ==$121.40
HH items=$83.00==$61.19
Fares= $17.00 == $20.00
Entrainments= $25.00 == $78.60
Garden =$17.00==$13.00
Gifts & Donations =$67.00= =$77.00
Medical Prescription =$30==$165.70
Misc =$17.00 ==$0
Personal Allowance =$168.00 ==$269.56

No Spending days over the 56 days = 23 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 have 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 bill up on pet food stockpile, going out a little more than normal and eating out a lot more than normal. Along with buying more books in personal allowance with a large portion of this amount is books.

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

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

Boy! Time get away with you doesnt it. I have had a quite few weeks here.

I did go to see the Leonardo da Vinci Codices & Machines exhibition here a few weeks ago with my son. It was expensive but worth it as he was my most favourite inventor and being self taught my most creative influence as I had to teach myself many thing over my life time and are still learning come to that.

Spending for this exhibition - concession fee $15.00 plus I allow myself to indulge on one book and DVD. So I bought the last catalogue they had $50.00 and DVD -DA Vinci Genius- $28.00 so all up cost $93. If I am ok this week, I will take myself off to the Art Gallery to see exhibition that is ending this month.

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

These are the categories for this challenge.

Items ==budget==spent

Eating out= $67==$82.25
Groceries=$271.00= = $134.77
Non-Food=$33.00= =$9.48
Clothes =$67.00==$25
Grooming=$25.00==$32.45
Gas=$50.00 ==$33.27
Pets= $98.00 ==$41.66
HH items=$83.00==$31.72
Fares= $17.00 == $22.20
Entrainments= $25.00 == $4
Garden =$17.00==$3
Gifts & Donations =$67.00= =$8.50
Medical Prescription =$30==$82.20
Misc =$17.00 ==$0
Personal Allowance =$168.00 ==$125.69

No Spending days over the 56 days = 32 days in total.

My eating out in this period included a few restaurant meals so its over budget but not a great deal this period. Grocery came in under by about 50% but I am cutting back so I can use some of my stockpile and near out of date stock. Pets were another one that I am under this period by about 57% but will be restocking some items over next few weeks. Medical is out of pocket medical expenses more still to come in this period too! Eye specialists are expense I hope to get the bottom of my problem soon!

On personal allowance front I am still ahead but this does include books which is my weakness as 65% were books. Some were new and some old antique ones that I found last month.

As for next period my Gifts & Donations will skyrocket as I do have a few birthdays coming soon.

It is coming close to the end of my 56 days cycle in reporting my review on my daily living allowance.

I have had a quite two month so far just kept spending as I see fit. I will need to cut back on my grocery spending as I do have too much food both in my freezers and pantries. I have food stored in a number of places around my home. As one of refrigerators broke down as in not as cold as it should be and I hope I can learn not to need it any longer as it was an old second fridge and freezer combo. I have empted out the freezer section so far and put bottles of water in it to see if its still works for now as the fridge part looks to be still working for now. Items I do store in this refrigerator can be store out side a fridge but needs to be kept safe from vermin.

We will need to keep a close eye on my grocery spending for the next six months to see if I can get it much more lower and use some of my stockpile so that get my refrigerator stores into the freezer which is full the moment. It is a chest freezer only 160 L size so it is a small chest freezer suitable for a single household but not suitable for what I wish store in it.

1 tablespoon (4 teaspoons) dripping or butter
1 egg
1 level teaspoon soda
1 cup of milk (8oz)
1 cup sugar
2 cups self-raising flour

Beat dripping and sugar
Add well-beaten egg.
Sift in flour.
Add milk in which soda has been dissolved.
Bake in a moderate oven for 20 minutes.

Variation: To make good Ginger Cake.
Omit the egg but add 1 tablespoon of treacle or golden syrup and 1 teaspoon ground ginger to this mixture.
Note: 1 tablespoon (Australian) = 4 teaspoons, 1 teaspoon = 5ml and the cup at this period were an 8oz cup.

Original recipe only had dripping but butter or margarine can be used instead.

This recipe won a weekly prize for an economical recipe competition during WW2.

This is the recipe typo - 1 kevek teasoiib sida that was in previous blog.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Newstead House

No much too write about at the moment. I have only been out once since I last wrote on here.

It now been 7 days of no spending, so other than a day in the city for a medical appointment and I had Lunch at the casino on my own for $10 a main meal, cake & coffee, when I buy this I keep someone in a job and I dont cook that night too! If I went to a fast food restaurant it would cost about $8.00 so I get no junk food and real services. Its bit of a walk to the casino but it worth it.

I hope to spend very little this month; it time to start the ball rolling to get some painting quotes as the outside of the house need painting. I just hope its not to cost too much.

Not that it make much difference to me but a lot of other things are happening as well to make the cost of living higher around here.

For one our state government has had an 8 cents a litre state tax subsidy on fuel here for many years now but come the 1st July it will be gone. This will increase the cost of not only fuel but cost of most things too! As our State was the only one that did not have this extra tax on fuel, it will an eye opener to the others states if the transport and supermarkets in Australia were averaging their prices with our states fuel subsidy because at times our prices for fuel were still higher then some of the other states. Someone was making money on this subsidy and not our state motorist. I see it as putting all the states on a level playing fielding but others see it as a rip off by the our state government for taking it off. Time will tell as their say.

Another price rise will be electricity price will be going up so will need to watch my power consumption until I get solar power installed. I still dont know how much but will review my contract with my supplier when I get an idea of how much. If I can get a better deal then I can change suppliers.

Another expense that is coming in on 1st July will Cat Licence this will be a problem as my cats do not like collars at all.

With all the rises that are coming in like rates, water, fares and everyday cost of living with fuel subsidy coming off even I will need take stock of everything and find more money out of my pension to pay all of it. Luckily single pensioners are getting a pay rise in September but there will not be much leftover in the end.

Of late I have been doing a bit of stockpiling in some areas and making an inventory of what I do have already. This is so I dont go and buy things that I already own in abundance and dont need to buy again for along while if ever. When my parents were alive they had a habit of buying ahead, I do think I have taking on this habit also.

Now if you saw that large suitcase under my bed then you would know why I was shocked as when I go shopping with friends I do the feel the need to buy some little thing as well, so when I am in one store here I will buy underwear so 5 pairs of the one's that I buy when they are on special. Now it has got to the point I have no longer have the space in that suitcase to fit in any more.

I am trying to do one hour per day, working on my inventory as I am planning to do the whole house then use it before buying anymore. This is part of my challenge for this year and it's not just on food.

I hoping to use items that I have bought both in food and stuff around the house until its gets to a more comfortable level, any money saved will be banked for the future as I still need to stretch my dollars around here as the cost of living is rising faster than ever.

My menu for the week

Sausages and Vegetables
Grilled Streak, Onion, Poached Egg with vegetables
Fish Cakes & Vegetables with Poached Egg
Omelet with Grated Cheese & Ham
Pasta with Tuna Tomato Sauce
Spaghetti Bolognese
Potluck or a rice dish

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

These are the categories for this challenge.

Items ==budget==spent

Eating out= $67==$144.70
Groceries=$271.00= = $128.30
Non-Food=$33.00= =$19.64
Clothes =$67.00==$0
Grooming=$25.00==$19.64
Gas=$50.00 ==$22.60
Pets= $98.00 ==$82.13
HH items=$83.00==$68.88
Fares= $17.00 == $0
Entrainments= $25.00 == $0
Garden =$17.00==$0
Gifts & Donations =$67.00= =$40
Medical Prescription =$30==$488.24
Misc =$17.00 ==$3
Personal Allowance =$168.00 ==$146.95

No Spending days over the 56 days = 33 days in total.

My eating out in this period included a few restaurant meals so its way over budget.

I did buy an oil heater for my computer room; if the weather gets much colder here as my air conditioner doesnt come that far.

Another big expense this period was my medical extras, these included dentist visits, eye specialist, and first aid kit update. These were out of pocket expenses after refunds.

In personal allowance area was a mail order of books and other book purchases; this was the bulk of this period expense. Other than paying bills which come out of my bill accounts areas I didnt have many other expenses over this period.

$1035 budget total and I spent a total $1163 this included a few unexpected expenses like eye specialist & dentist visits. So was over budget $128 which is cover by an emergency fund if I was short of money but I didnt need to dip into it at all. By cutting back on a few areas I was able to cover any extra expense over this period.

Now two weeks into my next period so I am doing well with some money in the bank to pay my way.

Oh dear! Is it so long since I last posted; I have been well so far this winter no flu or colds! Just a bit lazy with my time and doing some HP-Online Courses. I see that they are going to change they website address after 18th June I will change the link when I fine it.

I will get back to posting an update every soon!

Well its time that wrote here I do seem to never find the time these days!

My spending or non- spending is still on track but for one problem since I last wrote here.

I went up the street last week with only my shopping bag and my wallet instead my handbag that I lug almost everywhere. I only need to go to a few places. I past the Op shop on the way so popped in for a quick look. Bought a few books and some craft items put them in my bag and left. Next stop the hairdresser for a style cut. After I had my hair cut I went to paid and found that I didn't have my wallet that I was given for my birthday a few months before. Well I went into panic mode of course; I went back to the op shop no wallet there. Back to hairdresser to tell them I call back to pay later lucky that I know the owners. I had my house keys on me so that was not a problem so I went home to cancel my cards and get some money that I had at home. I do believe in having a float of a few dollars for such emergency but this is the first time I need it. I returned to the shopping strip after I had been to the police station to report the missing wallet. Payed the hairdresser for the haircut and rechecked the op shop in case had been found so I finished my shopping trip and return home.
Around 6 hours later I received a phone call from a man saying that had I lost my wallet when I said yes he when said when he return home he found my wallet in his mail box some streets away from me. All my cards were in tack but no money which was around $40 as I had counted it just before I went out that day. I was happy as the wallet it self was worth more then that. As for all cancelled cards not a problem as only money one in the wallet was reactivated 24 hour later. The other I can live without for a few weeks as my pension cards were still in the found wallet.

Moral of this tale: Do not change your habits if you can't remember to your put your things away. Next time I will stick to using my handbag in future I do have that routine down pat.

Well I went to a different kind of restaurant this week, Japanese Steakhouse on the Gold Coast for a Teppanyaki Banquet. There were 8 of us in our group at $45 per head with drinks & desserts extra. We had the Group Teppanyaki Bonsai Banquet menu with a personal sushi chef at each table as it was cooked at the table.

Menu - Onion Soup, House Salad, Hibachi Vegetables this was framing of cucumbers mushrooms & onions, Prawn Appetizer, Hibachi Steak, Hibachi Chicken, Hibachi Prawns & Hibachi Fried rice which was made into a heart and lighted birthday candle with happy birthday sung by all. Very filling too!

Some of our group order dessert too! This was fried ice cream made into a roll then cut into three pieces, it looked good but as we had to have a Chocolate mud cake for birthday cake this was to much for me. I had green tea and water which was free but the others had soft drinks at $4.50 a can plus wine etc. My bill just the $45 plus a birthday gift. This was budgeted for, in my annual budget.

There was no recession at this hotel that night as they had two weddings and engagement party and all restaurants were full so bookings only.

Found a local Church that has FREE Garage Sales now & then, so as I was never able to find anyone to buy my stuff that I had in the first place and to void the sign finds by the local council $300 @ sign. One of my neighbor keep putting up signs when you have a garage sale but as you are the one advertising it you are the one who will get the fines as he put up six signs. It can cost you $1800 to make $40 to $100 not worth it and the stuff is not modern enough for some now!

I have now decided to donate some of it to them when they have their next one. As they do give it away for free to the needy. Some of it will go to other places as I dont think some of the books will be right for them. By looking at their books on the boxes to go by!

Now that I have a place for my junk to go to I now can make it my winter project and what doesnt go to them will be sent to the local school fete this year. Both these places dont change the earth for second hand goods either. Other charity shops think, if not under two years old or new in it original packaging/price tag on it or antique then they think its no good and will send it to the dump or what they keep, will then change people almost the price new for it! My idea of all second goods should never sell for more than 40% of their original price when bought new. The other day I was looking at cookbook that I wanted for a set that I am making up, I only have 6 books to go, I found one of them but they wanted $6 for it, when I bought all others for under $2 each and they were around $2.99 each to start off with new. I left it there too!

I did pick up a cookbook & a glass pie plate at the free garage sale.

It was a no spending day too!

Well I thought I better start again with blog. It's back to basic for now.

Time to review my daily living allowance for the next two months of my 2009 budget.

First I would like to say that I dont work on a calendar months as my budget always starts a few weeks before Christmas as I am procrastinator if I dont do it then it will take months for me to getting done if at all. I am working on it.

I am hoping to cut over $1000 from it over the year on what I spent last year or better. Its all those little items included that mount up. As this the area that I do have some control over in my spending.

First number is what I have averaging amount budgeted for these two months; second figure is what I have spent. The figures in brackets are the area and amount spent with the stimulus package see below.

Eating out= $67==$80.46
Groceries=$271.00= = $94.56
Non-Food=$33.00= =$7.10
Clothes =$67.00==$181.93
Grooming=$25.00==$17
Gas=$50.00 ==$18.25
Pets= $98.00 ==$52.87
HH items=$83.00==$91.14
Fares= $17.00 == $25.00
Entrainments= $25.00 == $99
Garden =$17.00==$141.66
Gifts & Donations =$67.00= =$75
Medical Prescription =$30==$101.29
Misc =$17.00 ==$10.63
Personal Allowance =$168.00 ==$87.19

$1045 = $1045 to spend over this period, spent $1083.08 came over by $38.08. In this period I budgeted to spend a little more of my $1400 Stimulus package over these two months as I didn’t get any in the second around of Stimulus package that is being paid now. So what did I buy; a DVD player that I found for $99 saving of $30, Garden blower & cord $141 which was needed for my garden, some more clothes & shoes for next summer at the summer marked down sales $181.93== $421.93

Spending was as normal over this period but still cutting back on grocery & pet food over these months. My medical expenses are going up owing to a current medical condition.

I had 28 days of no spending days over this period.

Last Saturday the temperature in Victoria got to 46.4C in Melbourne, with 90km hot dry winds, with total fire ban. Then the country side became a fireball after 10 years of drought in Victoria. One fire controller said that normally fires are rated on 1 to 100 scale but this fire was 320 in scale.

I am been overwhelm with tragedy in country Victoria that I have been watching for days now. Today I made an effort to get the bank to make a deposit for these victims of these Bushfires. I also donated to the Queensland flood victims and some of them are planning to donate they hand outs (our government is giving one off payments to all natural disaster victims) to the Victoria Bushfires Appeal who think they need in more. Some flood victims have been flooded twice in one week may get flood again next week too!

You can link to stories via these links. Its changing daily and at times hourly.

Time to review my daily living allowance for the first two months of my 2009 budget.

First I would like to say that I dont work on a calendar months as my budget always starts a few weeks before Christmas as I am procrastinator if I dont do it then it will take months for me to getting done if at all. I am working on it.

I am hoping to cut over $1000 from it over the year on what I spent last year or better. Its all those little items included that mount up. As this the area that I do have some control over in my spending.

First number is what I have averaging amount budgeted for these two months; second figure is what I have spent. The figures in brackets are the area and amount spent with the stimulus package see below.

Eating out= $67==$91.59
Groceries=$271.00= = $94.56
Non-Food=$33.00= =$14.50
Clothes =$67.00==$116 (-$90)
Grooming=$25.00==$19
Gas=$50.00 ==$36.03
Pets= $98.00 ==$24.33
HH items=$83.00==$311.95 (- $260)
Fares= $17.00 == $0
Entrainments= $25.00 == $19
Garden =$17.00==$19
Gifts & Donations =$67.00= =$106.57
Medical Prescription =$10==$0
Misc =$17.00 ==$15.95
Personal Allowance =$168.00 ==$118.03

$1015 + $350 = $1365 to spend over this period, spent $986.51 came under by $378.49

The plan was to spend part of $1400 Stimulus package in these two months, I ended up spending on CD player $260 and on a watch $90 = $350 banking the balance. Spending was as normal over Christmas period but was cutting back on grocery & pet food over these months.

Today I went for a walk up the street for milk for DF-Maria, and drop in to the Charity Thrift shops on the way, I have to go past them, all five thrift shops to get to the supermarket. They are putting up their prices so I will not spend as much as I normally do but when they have a 50% off sale which two of them did today I stopped to look. I found a nice classic top cream & navy which will go with my basic navy pants in a style that will not go out of style for along while. RRP $19.95 for $4.00, German cookbook $1, like new baby picture frame RRP $20 for $1.50 and on Baby on Board car sign for .50c, this is for a gift in few months I making a baby Gift basket up. Bought the grandma some sewing patterns 4 @ $1, Year 12 text book on Home Economics $1 - RRP 29.95, my treat for the day Silver Plated Art Deco 1930 style milk jug & sugar bowl for $4.00 - (RRP $60) and bag of confectionary at supermarket when I got there on special $2.95 - RRP $4.50. If I had to buy all these things at full price in the thrift shop I most likely only bought the two books. Oh I did remember to buy the milk too!

I love it when I can spend money to keep the economy going and doing some good will at the same time.

I came home with approx. $172.80 worth of stuff costing only $15.95 including the candy bars. I would say its worth it to have these little spending sprees now and then.

It's not that hot here where I live just around the 30C but in the north of our state we have flooding but I feel sorry for my follow Australians in the southern states they are heading into day four of temperature of 43C plus bushfires in one state that 3 townships could be burnt out by morning. With the hot winds if these bushfires could get out of control they could be bad as one fire is under power lines which are melting. So lot of power failures with transformers burning out, train tracks melting, so little transports and no air-con.

My sister lives in one of these states, so I never visit her in summer as it very dry and can be very hot normally around high 30s C but at the moment its around 45C and she lives by the sea too!

I had a lovely lunch with my friends on New Year Eve and won $15 on the poker machines. As for the Post-Christmas sales I only bought a handbag paying $14.50 for a $69.00 for casual handbag.

I was looking at buying a new CD player as it will cost more to have my old 15 year old one fixed than replace it with new more update one. So this afternoon I went an bought one so ended up replacing what I had before but with 3 CD player instead of one including a record player and twin cassette player cost $260 saving $69 plus the 30% that all electrical goods go up on 5 January because of drop in the dollar. That is one reason that I bought it today. Now cost would have been to repair the old one was around $100 plus $90 in gift money for Christmas so with my twisted idea, Peter Paying Paul budget it work out that I'm out of pocket by $170 and will buy grocery with gift card.

Well I slept the New Year in as I went to sleep watching my favorite program for New Year.

So have a very Happy New Year everyone.

Christmas day - just driving to Christmas lunch - no spending
Boxing day - no spending day
Saturday - no spending day
Sunday - no spending day
Monday - no spending day
Tuesday - no spending day
But Tomorrow - is lunch with friends, driver licence renewal, bill paying, picking up new glasses and looking at Post-Christmas sales but I don't think I will buy to much as I don't need anything but I need to buy a gift with the money I have been given for Christmas.

As I always start my budget a few weeks before the New Year I have already started with this challenge. After finalizing my budget tallies for 2008 and setting out a new budget for 2009. I would say that this is one area I could find some saving in my budget. As it did have a few large amounts of over spending last year. I am hoping to cut over $1000 from it over the year on what I spent last year or better. Its all those little items included that mount up. As this the area that I do have some control over in my spending.

This is what I have allowed around each month or much less by averaging it over the whole year.

Eating out $33.50
Groceries $135.50
Non- Food $16.50
Clothes $33.50
Grooming $12.50
Gas $25
Pets $49
HH items $41.50
Fares $8.50
Entrainments $12.50
Garden $8.50
Gifts & Donations $33.50
Medical Prescription $5
Misc $8.50
Personal Allowance $84


Weekly Main Meals Menu

Sunday ~ Grilled Sausages, Onion, and Egg with Salad
Monday ~ Turkey & Roasted Vegetables
Tuesday ~ Omelet with Grated Cheese & Ham
Wednesday ~ Leftovers
Thursday ~ Pizza
Friday ~ Grilled Fish & Salad
Saturday ~ Sweet & Sour Chicken with Steamed Rice

Just dropped in to wish everyone Season Greetings

I had a very good Christmas day with family and friends.
I was spoilt rotten with some very nice gifts from my DS & DIL and her family.
I was able to afford some token gifts in return.
We will have to see what next year brings on the spending front for gift given.
I hope to be back posting soon!