Changing Habits is saving money...

Taken by me in the Otway Ranges

So we're almost six month into Our Mission and there are some areas we are seeing some definite savings. The biggest is the grocery shopping which is down from around $250 a week to $120 a week. Some weeks its a little more, others a little less and some weeks we don't need to shop at all. It's not been about cutting what we buy and living on 2-minute noodles and canned beans ~ although I do like the odd can of baked beans in ham sauce on toasted slices of grainy bread...

Some of the things we are doing might help a lot of people save on their grocery bill. We are buying for 2adults, 2 children, 2 cats and a heap of chooks who pay their own way by giving us eggs and, soon, free fresh chicken meat. That last bit is definitely not for everyone *grins*

The most helpful thing we did was to list what we buy in a typical week - those things that are on the list every week, habitually.  Have a think about it and what do you buy every week.  What are some of those impulse buys - trying new cereal, cleaning products, biscuits, chocolates? Forget about them for a while. Our shop also includes bathroom needs, laundry and kitchen bits and bobs. Some people say shopping is just the food shop - ours includes everything from beef to batteries, tomatoes to toilet paper.

Do you get some items every week, without checking the cupboard?

Are there items you could get elsewhere cheaper by buying in bulk - or by checking out the other shops and comparing the prices between stores?

Like I said, every week we were spending around $250 on the shopping - plus top ups as DH would go to the shops if we were needing milk or bread or cat food and coming home with 20 items! OK, exaggerating there, it was usually only 12 extra non needed 'things'. I think most people do that ~ go in for one or two things and come out for six...

Over the past few months, some of the changes we have made include:

• Buying UHT milk for cooking. Using milk in a rue for a pie, or creamy pasta sauce is quite common for us, but it uses a lot of milk better used on cereal or for drinking - still getting used to the idea of drinking UHT.  Having UHT and powdered milk on hand also means there has been less impulse buying because we are not heading to the supermarket every few days for milk. 

• Shopping less often ~ really easy to do now there is always milk at hand.

• Stopped buying splurging yummies (special cheeses, pate, chocolate coated ice-creams) unless greatly marked down.

• Buying cat food in bulk on special - this can save $9 a month.

• Buy meat when it is marked down by 33% or more and freeze.

• Putting a copy of My Shopping List on the fridge to mark any items which are running low or finished and using this as our fortnightly 'big' shopping list ~ this also stops the need to 'duck to the shop' unexpectedly. 

• Making my own cakes, biscuits, muffins and muesli bars.

• Buy the big block of cheese when its on special ~ and grate it yourself. Stored in a zip-lock bag in the freezer, this lasts for ever without getting mouldy and lasts a whole lot longer than slicing it as you need it.

Look at all the 'reduced' stickers

• Buying bread when its marked down (not on special) and freezing it. Again, the 33% rule applies for something to be a marked down bargain. This goes for rolls, crumpets and other bakery items like big iced donuts or finger buns (for school lunch treats - thus avoiding canteen spending)

• Stopped treating sweets (desserts and lollies) as a 'need to buy' staple - home made desserts are great, plus 'pantry shopping' has found heaps of desserts. I do tend to have a few no name butter or plain cake packets but these make donuts, quick teacakes and other sweet treats when time is of the essence. At 80c a packet, I can justify that 'expense'.

• Only buy icecream on super-special and do without, or making our own - we've got an ice-cream maker and its great for using marked down yoghurt mmm.

• Stopped buying new products to "try out" unless there is a genuine need. Well, sometimes if its on super-special we might give some a go.

• Before each payday (fortnight) I have a look to see what I have, then check to see what is in the cupboard to make with it. For example mince can become a spaghetti bolognaise, a lasagne filling, chilli con carne, savoury mince, meat pie, mince on toast. 

• You can pad savoury mince recipes out further by adding frozen mixed vegies, tinned beans, left over veggies in the fridge ~ which in turn stops waste and adds variety. 

Once I have my plan for the weeks menu, I write down anything needed to add to make meals out of the freezer or fridge. Then I look through the supermarket catalogues and note anything on special I use on a regular basis! Then I go shopping with a list. Shopping is not a day out ~ but it is still fun ~ check out what is other people's trolleys and see if you can imagine who and how many they are shopping for.

A special isn't a special if you don't use it as part of your regular shop ~ its an impulse/try it buy. 

And there is nothing wrong with putting an item back on the shelf if you decide you don't need it ~ heck I've even done that at the register. You can change your mind any time before you pull out your purse to pay for it *grins*

Hopefully that gives at least one person out there a way to think about saving some money while shopping. None of these ideas are really new ~ you can find them all over the internet on FlyLady, Low Income Lady, Simple Savings and other such places. But seeing someone doing it for real might give you the incentive to try it for yourself.

Wait until I tell you about being a 'Vinnie Rat' and dumpster diving...

Remember, the Spare Change Jar at the top of the page will always be able to put your coin contribution to a good use and I've got some great news with regards to the Hellstra Saga and getting the power bill down. 

OH ~ must let you know it has been cleaning and de-cluttering central here! We've even got rid of one of the fridge/freezers and should see a huge change on the power bill. That ol' beast has never sealed properly, always iced up and been unable to keep things cool. The space it's removal had made is phenomenal! 

Have fun :D

Mystical Vinegar Fairies ~ and their magical vinegar spells...

Sunshine and blue skies ~ bliss... 

Does it get any more beautiful than this?

Cleaning has been cathartic ~ and used a lot of natural cleaning products. I don't mean the expensive stuff either ~ just good ol' vinegar, bi-carb, tea tree and eucalyptus oil and a few other pantry favourites. Best of all, I doubled my vinegar for free.

I'd like to let the uninitiated in on a little secret ~ cleaning vinegar is not worth the extra money, no-name vinegar is exactly the same as luxury brand vinegar and you can use vinegar to wash, clean, freshen and sprinkle on your chips! And one bottle really can last a year...

Most of my cleaning basics ~ all you need

See I know how you can turn turn two litres of vinegar into four ~ just takes a bit of ingenuity and a little help from some special fairies! If you use vinegar for cleaning, or as a hair rinse, or as a fabric softener, or any other of a plethora of things aside from flavouring the chips ~ you want a really big bottle that magically refills itself so it will last as long as possible. Ta Da ~ you can!!!

To make a two litre bottle of vinegar become four litres, pour half the bottle of vinegar into another two litre bottle.  Then fill both bottles with cooled, boiled water and put their lids back on.  Pop them in the pantry or the laundry cupboard and leave them to sit for a week. Over the next seven days mystical vinegar fairies will visit at night to chant magic vinegar spells and when the week is up you will have four litres of vinegar for all your cleaning chores! You can do this again with one bottle while using the other full bottle of magic vinegar.  

Now if you wondered if clothes conditioned in the machine come out smelling like vinegar, the answer is no. Same as if you use a little to rinse your hair after washing - you won't be attacked by seagulls mistaking you for a hot potato chip.  You can still use this vinegar for cooking, how excellent is that.

Chicken weeders 

Well the house hasn't come away as unscathed as hoped ~ the roof lifted and that's a pretty penny to have repaired.  SmallBoy spent yesterday hammering down any raised tin while Hubby pulled off the ripped and ruined shade cloth over the 'fernery'.  On the positive ~ both jobs needed to be done anyway and thankfully the solar panels have not yet been installed. THAT would have been disaster!

Slogging away, putting 'things' in to places they can call home (labels and all) ~ setting plans, goals and expectations into motion ~ lightening and brightening up the house, the head and the heart (ahhh - all mooshy and nice). Gee we have been productive.  I've been getting weeds up from the garden with a little wild and enthusiastic help ~ 20mins action then 30-45mins resting (or blogging, taking pics, laying back and reading)

Digging in a scratch! 

Actually, tomorrow's horrorscope is a little close for comfort ~ it says all which I aspire to achieve, including a goal set and in action to be reached by the end of the month - along with the one hinderence or 'bump' being identified. Lets see if you can guess what it is : 

SCORPIO (17 January NZ/Australia) ~ At the same time the Moon is drawing your attention to financial matters, sharpening your financial instincts but also bringing things to a head, Mars is drawing your attention to matters on the home front, as he spends his first full day in your home and family sector. At a time when you're fighting to hold onto some playful vibes before your working year begins in earnest, this is likely to have your head spinning as you call for time out to hear yourself think.

I am thinking already some of this can be solved with a good chat, a clear like-minded goal and a well written plan. This load needs to be shared - but shared properly, evenly and using more of that special ingenuity so as not to add any extra costs to the budget. We're already looking at a few thousand for the roof, possibly more for the disposal of ruined items and the solar panels will be arriving before we know it. Six months has flown by ~ those panels will be on the roof and rolling back the power meter. Some how I think we are in for a few sunny months and a hotter than expected Autumn. 

Now - who has left over Christmas pudding and cake ~ I know we do and tomorrow I am going to use one of the cakes to get ready for back to school and some low cost desserts which can all be stored in the freezer to grab when the time is right.  Hmmm - might have to keep the Husband out of the kitchen...

Here's a positive affirmation I have written for myself ~ more to release myself from some poisonous and toxic negative influences and thoughts once and for all ~ please feel free to use it if you think it will help you too:

I know ॐ I cannot truly love another until I can love myself ॐ I should be able to believe in others but I MUST believe in myself ॐ It doesn't matter what others believe of me if I am honest to myself ॐ Until I am asked for details it's not my problem what others say of me ॐ I can forgive others and forgive myself ॐ I don't need permission to be myself ॐ  

Until tomorrow - you know where we keep our Spare Jar  ( *hint* its at the top left of the blog ) - please feel free to put a few coins in to assist us getting the debt under control - we could really do with a little help.

Who 'rained' on our parade...

Out front this afternoon ~ the water draining away... 

Finally ~ some blue sky AND sunshine...

And let me say straight up we are nowhere near as affected, devastated or damaged as our QLD friends ~ but boy oh boy over 250mm in three days and a sloping unsealed roadside verge running along a highway turned our driveway into a river, our doorway into a kiddie pool and the carport ended up with water up two inches of flow and debris. Damn it.  

Front Lawn Thursday

Front Lawn Friday

Add to that a four car garage containing all our lawn sale boxes, the new carpet rolls, tools, toys and MILs stored goods (these were on pallets thankfully!) with the driveway river streaming straight in under the roller doors and we have ended up with great motivation to cull, toss and clear out a lot of wet, soggy 'stuff'. I think I am most upset about the rolls of plush carpet as that was to replace the old cruddy coverings in the lounge room and most grateful that Hubby's mum's items were not damaged in any way as all were on pallets.

Carport Thursday (Hubby dug in a trench after this)

Carport Friday

It seems divine intervention has 'rained' a message from above. The time had come to cull, to simplify those things that are just 'things' and we had been making some mighty fine in-roads to de-clutter, remove items that were unnecessary or give those that were a place to be stored for using, not just continually looking for things or replacing them with new 'stuff'. You've probably seen some of the before and after pics, even tho I've been slack updating because the focus as been more on the action, rather than the distraction of talking about what we were 'gunna' do or twaddling on about what we've done  ॐ less is best, we are blessed, out with the mess ~ safe & well & dry(er) although a little muddy, sore and frustrated. Nothing compared to our QLD friends, but gee whizz it was wet... 

Front door Thurs

Front door Fri morning     

Actually I am truly grateful the trees did not come down in the 90kmh wind, that no true damage was incurred and after mopping up inside the house we've come away ok. The carport mess has gone straight in our trailer or onto the compost as it was mostly dirt, leaves and other such debris but with the level getting up in the garage we will need to hire a medium to large dumpster bin ~ so there's about $300 to scrounge up by Monday. *sighs* 

Front door receding Fri lunch

At the back door Friday 

I need to say Thank you to some very lovely and special people. Thanks to my sister Jode for taking the time to check all was OK up our way (I hope you didn't get too soaked either - chat next weekend); Thank you to Patricia ~ please do come visit as we would love to share a meal, the pasta maker will be mastered and it will be something wonderful; Thank you Simple Savings, especially my Glowie friends who have given us some lovely support by phone, text and email;  Thank you to the Jonahs ~ have we said you are very important and special people in our lives recently? Well you are!! Dare I say thank you Hellstra?? Maybe not yet...

Spoke to that phone company on Thursday - wow, that was only yesterday - and received a credit of $50 on our already in credit phone bill for the inconvenience incurred over the last few months. However the greater issue was the $409.83 taken from our credit card to pay for fees and charges incurred disconnecting our home line, creating a new ASDL connection and reconnecting our internet ~ all because we tried to get a low rate line. Grrrr ~ 

Called the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman last week because the fall out from the November disconnection was still ongoing. Well well well ~ we have had contact and,  provided all funds are paid as 'assured', the matter will be finally over. But how's this for painful - first offer was to credit the phone $409 (we are already $120 in credit and dont make calls from the landline, we use voip or skype); how about a cheque - taking six to ten WEEKS to process (umm, our credit card max'd out due to this cock up). So I asked if it could refund back on the credit card - Hellstra has the details and take from it when an amount it owing - no, cant do that, sorry. So then I asked if it can be transferred into the bank ~ well, yes it can, if we don't mind waiting three to ten BUSINESS DAYS... Hello?!!!  This is an option that could see the funds in the account by mid next week to transfer to the credit card!!! Another Grrrr ~

So lesson learned ~ ask ask ask. If the offers being made are only going to mean more expense - ask for an arrangement that won't add to the expenses and negotiate. What's more, the refund will come in as our next repayment on the credit card is due and will be more than the minimum required. Timely and beneficial.  Now to find another $6000 to get this debt down...

I've got heaps of other news ~ all savings related but we need to focus on cleaning up this mess Mother Nature provided to give us motivation and incentive to get full swing into the de-cluttering! 

Any contributions to the Spare Change Jar or the Treasure Chest would be welcome ~ mostly to get this skip hired, some trenches dug and new carpet. 

Actually the new carpet can wait - what we have is fine and will hide any dirt and mud making its way inside over the next little while. It's waited a year and can wait a little longer...

Stay safe, stay happy and take care of you and yours xx

A-way above the tree tops...

 

Hello Mother Nature 
You are as beautiful as you are unpredictable!  May the disaster in QLD/NSW come to an end, the rains in VIC slow and the raging fires in WA be quashed.

Taking advantage of the use of MILs car, we took a day trip to the Otways and traversed the SkyWalk before heading down to Triplet Falls to skim down a mountain and splash in the crisp, cold waters.  We took a roasted chicken and some fresh made rolls, salad, cheeses and chocolate muffins, a bottle of juice kept chilled by ice-bricks in the esky and had an absolutely wonderful day. We had hoped to go on the ZipLine tour but at $375+ for four, the $55 family walk was really our only option!

I climbed this ~ with much encouragement and support from strangers!

Lots of pictures were taken, so you'll get to see more of our Ranges Adventure, however I am pleased and proud to say I not only did the walk, I climbed to the top of the viewing tower ~ a slow, laborious climb with a walking stick and people passing, and heaps of cheers of encouragement! *pants* Boy it was a climb ~ but such a glorious view! All it needed was a dinosaur to trundle through - it looks almost prehistoric in there!! It's an hour or so walk, but we made it last three hours ~ value for money!! Well worth taking your time - so don't rush and miss some spectacular views. I'd saved $120 for the Summer Holiday spending/entertainment and still came home with $45. Husband and I enjoyed a wee beverage at the end of our walk and the boys had an icy-pole each!!

While we are not in Queensland, our little patch of Australia is also getting a deluge bringing water to the door and making a muddy mess inside and out. Still, nothing like our Queensland friends.  And I am so glad to know one young special person is safe and well ~ cut off from one parent but secure with his dad. Probably a great thing for him. Here's hoping everyone I know and love stays just as safe.

We've been really clever on the spending front - well I think we have.  With a need to shop for basic items, yesterday I did two supermarket mystery shops for $15 each and spent about $30 at each, saving $40 from our usual shopping budget and will be reimbursed $30 in a few days! The reimbursement amount goes straight to the LOC and the savings will be put against the outstanding bills debt.

As our SmallBoy has a friend visiting for a sleep over, I decided it was time to make scones. Rather than using up eggs, milk, butter and more - I gave the old 'lemonade scones' a try. Bit hesitant as you'd think this could end up in disaster ~ but no ~ and 28 scones were made. The recipe is up on the FaceBook page!

Left over scones ~ in the freezer for 'ron...

Delicious - and now I'm keen to try this with ginger beer as I've heard it is delicious. If you've got a can of beer in the fridge you get to have a wee drink as well!! Lemon soft drink gives a tang for a dessert scone ~ even Passiona works (I've added a heap of alternative on FaceBook!!)

The pantry has been de-cluttered with all foods past expiry by over 12months or past best before by 2 years in the compost or the bin. The chickens have enjoyed every bit - and we also discovered they love (and I mean adore) old cat food. With the humidity, the cats have not been eating as much and flies are getting in to their bowls during the day. Well ~ the chookens cannot get enough of the stinky, smelly, maggoty mess. Turns my tummy but makes everyone happy as cleaning up is not such a disgusting chore!!

More clothes packed away ~ more items to get up onto eBay ~ so much activity going on...
I decided it was time to do a three card draw on the Intuit Soul Cards - very much about truth, natural elements and personal choices or destiny -  and I asked for confirmation of my direction or assistance to find the better route or option. Now, some people might think 'mumbo jumbo' and that is perfectly fine by me ~ this was more for a personal affirmation through truth as I can interpret it to be.

I asked aloud: I am seeking insight and guidance ~ self affirmation I'm on the right path where less is best, de-clutter make space; demote those providing no respect, support or love; ease my heart and soul by forgiving to rid the pained memories. The outcome was:

The Situation

Actions to Take

Final Outcome

Add this to my week's horoscope : During January 12-16 you'll feel that luck is bound to visit you, in one form or another. Love brings contentment and personal endeavour success. A little extra money may also come your way : And things are getting stronger and better with all this positive affirmation we are applying to ourselves. *cheers*

Here's to receiving a few more coins into Our Mission's Spare Change Jar or via the Treasure Chest. 

I know once the weather clears our Lawn Sale is going to be very successful - just waiting for that break in the weather!

More on saving, low cost cooking and debt repayments tomorrow ~ so much to catch up on, the actions have been taking precedence over the words this past fortnight! Can't wait to share...

HELLSTRA Strikes Again

Dinosaur Trees ~ can you see the T-Rex and the Stegosaurus??

Oh crap...

Feeling way too ripped off and so over having a telephone company which makes it almost impossible to have a good service to post!!  Hellstra (because the word Telstra makes me sick) has done it again. $409.84 ~ I don't think so. And I've worked out exactly what this represents ~ the installation of a 'new' ADSL2 line because Hellstra incorrectly disconnected the one we had and our internet and voip provider's system 'interpreted' this as a breach of contract!

Not going into it all again - you can read about the schmozzle and stuff up here. Tomorrow is going to be very interesting.

So to the tune of Cold Chisels' Cheap Wine...
(sing along with the music here)

Had a post, then my good mood died

It's thanks to ol' Hellstra 

They stuffed us up last year, you know

I thought they'd fixed the line

Instead Hellstra, they charged a bomb

But not to us, no they passed it on

And charged it to our Internet

Which sent it on with fines

No way

Hellstra's done, too bloody oath

Hellstra's done, they have got my goat

Ombudsman

Ombudsman

Ombudsman

Thirteen calls and almost 20 days

You'd think they'd get it right 

Hellstra never called me back

I rang 'em every time

I never shouted, I never cried

Even though I boiled inside

Each time I had to speak to them

Or rated poor feed back

And now

Hellstra's done, too bloody oath

Hellstra's done, finally got my goat

Ombudsman

Ombudsman

Ombudsman

Hang on

Going through the bills, drinking UDLs, alls fine

Saw another cost, 400 bucks, oh my

I thought we'd got this fixed from the time before

Got a little credit but they charged much more

Never got it right and they made it worse with every call

With every call, yeah...

So if they think they're gonna mess with me

You know that I'm gonna call

Hellstra I don't feel the love

But with the Ombudsman you'll jump

You'll see

Hellstra's done, too bloody oath

Hellstra's done, who's the scape goat

Ombudsman

Ombudsman

Ombudsman

You make them fix this up

(repeat)

Oh that was SO satisfying!!
Mind you ~ Internode was able to explain perfectly what the charges were, why we were charged a fee for cancelling our contract (which we didn't but with Hellstra disconnecting our line, the computers read it as a cancellation, then a reconnection fee at a rather high rate as it then needed a new 'port' or link or whatever the technical bizzo to be installed and activated as the one we had was taken by another customer/supplier) and Internode did that in 10mins over ONE call. Why can't Hellstra do that?

Why can't the staff at Hellstra have the same story? Do they not learn the same rules ~ or is it a plot to confuse and frustrate?  If so - they've been taught well!!  Why does no one from Hellstra ever call you back ~ even when they promise?? And if supervisor permission is required ~ why is there no supervisor on the shift?? If I get an answer to any or all of those questions (ha!!) I'll let you know ~ but please do not hold your breath! You'll probably pass out before anyone finds out...

Come on Hellstra ~ get with it!!  I want my money back, and the letter that says it was not through a fault made by us ~ you don't have to say all your staff made and compounded the problem, but you must say we didn't!! Stoopid people, but we need to have the landline. Grrrr

Rant over ~ having dinner and going to watch the House of Food Obsessives on SBS at 830pm!

Catch up tomorrow when in a much more communicable mood *laughs*

If you are able to please contribute to our Spare Change Jar or the Treasure Chest at the top of each side bar ~ please please do ~ not only will we be extremely grateful, it might turn my frown upside down and get a smile back on my dial *grins*

So far so good ~ the wallet is shut...

Christmas Dragonflies ~ the one's that come with love 

Wonderful lunch with Dad today ~ 

We hadn't yet had the chance to catch up with the old man and his lovely lady ~ as happens with separated families, extended families, in-laws and out-laws, everybody catches up - eventually. Dad's a good sort - he is happy to make the trek up to us, especially while I've been recovering and now while we are rather 'poor' or lacking in the funds to bring us to Melbourne frequently. So he brought a roast chook, rolls, salad bits and enough left over for a chicken pasta sauce ~ so that's dinner sorted! 

Bit of onion, garlic, flour, sour cream, the last of the mustard (swished up with water) and voila ~ a brilliant sauce to cover the .65c packet of pasta spirals.  All full and happy!!  Plus there is still a thigh, a drumstick and a wing ~ more than enough to make a pie later in the week!  Brilliant - and oh so low cost (no cost actually!)

No spending at all today ~ and there should be no spending tomorrow either. Today was spent tidying and going through the 'No Screens for January' rules ~ we felt SmallBoy should be able to earn screen time to be used during the heat of the day when staying out of the sun. He earned 2hours screen time today and was a brilliant help. Very pleased to have a spotless bathroom again for the first time in a long time! Wrecked me tho' ~ I must remember small steps... 

So what do the horrorscopes say tomorrow will bring : 

SCORPIO (03 January NZ/Australia) 

As much as you may be looking ahead to your new professional year, you can not only afford to step back and take some time out, but you probably need to. There is no doubt that things are going to become busier on the work front, but not for another few weeks, with Venus’ final days in your sign and Jupiter and Uranus’ alignment in your romantic and creative sector urging you to embrace the spirit of romance and to follow your heart.

Sounds good to me! That romantic and creative sector could do with some attention. *grins* I am pretty sure I do need to take it easy and slowly get back into working - even if it is only around the house. Seriously, loving the way the house is coming together and I need to remember to take before shots as well as the after shots for the compare.  

I've been doing some 'volunteer' work ~ well, it is community service in lieu of a few traffic infringements incurred many years ago, quite possibly as Husband was using the car and Mr LeadFoot has finally worked out what a speedometer is so I expect no more. It's only a few hours a week as I still can't sit at a desk for any great period of time ~ and I am lovin' it.

I really hope it can continue ~ maybe into a paid position, but the refreshing of my skills and the experience is so rewarding. It hardly seems like a 'punishment' and in February I hope to be able to increase the time over two days. As beneficial for the children's respite centre as for me I think.

The Dinner Menu for the Week

Sunday:  Pasta with creamy chicken sauce

Monday: Sausages and Waldorf salad

Tuesday: Lamb Shanks in red wine casserole

Wednesday: Beef stir fry

Thursday: BBQ with friends

Friday: Hamburgers (home made of course)

Saturday: Chicken and vegetable Pie

Sunday: Gado Gado or a cous cous salad (weather dependent) 

Hope everyone will enter the competition ~ you can comment here or on FaceBook and contributions of 10c into Mands Treasure Chest (on the right) or the Spare Change Jar (on the left) are perfectly acceptable to help toward the postage. If this goes well, we have some other items to give away valued at over $100 ~ if it doesn't, then we will sell them on eBay on MandsMission.

Speaking of eBay ~ new items are up tomorrow. Yes, more Tupperware and some kids clothing 'lots' ~ this is probably easier than having clothes up one at a time.  I will probably do the same with some of my good clothes. That, or the Ballarat Buy Swap Sell or Frugal Friends on Yahoo. We really need to get cash on to those debts ~ on with Our Mission.

Until tomorrow, I'd like to share a piece I wrote for friends to get ready for 2011...

Getting Ready for 2011 ~ by Mands

As another year moves on to its end

The time has come for reflection again

For all the changes reaching your shores

In the end, truth & true love always endures

Through the toughest of seasons

The harrows of worry & pain

Know in this new year

Life will not be the same

The chilled snow's always melting

The warm sun rises each day

And the good friends around you

Will push dark clouds away

Making wishes, giving kisses, 

Happiness in the air

True friends need no sure reason

To tell you they care

As the year comes to closing

We wait for the new one to start

I must say that through this year

You've been so close to my heart

Thus I thank you with smiles

From a heart so sincere

May these last days be full of

Friends, fun, laughter and cheer

So we bid now farewell

It's been a long year for some

When we look back there no doubt

We have had heaps of fun

❀Bყ ~ℳ∢η₫☡ ❀ 

Dec 2010

✿ ℒΦϑє, ℐﻪ℧ჭɦʈeʁ & ʆίφђϮ ✿

Welcome 2011 ~ our first post, first competition, first change

The 'Ball' about to drop for New Year's revelry 

Slowly we have welcomed in the New Year's day...

Enjoyed cheering in the new year with a glass of bubbles, sparklers and glowsticks. We even had our own 'dropping' of the GlowBall, using glowsticks found in the cupboard during the de-clutter.  I danced for the first time in 4 years (well, it was sort of dancing); laughed and talked with friends until the sun was hinting it was coming up; ate until I thought I'd pop ~ took a salad using only items we already had and every bit was eaten if not at dinner then with all the dips ~ and drifted to sleep with a smile on my face.

Sure, bit achy, stiff and rather tired, but there is so much to look forward to in 2011. We are making no resolutions ~ just a commitment to continue to declutter, de-stress and be positive. Aiming for simple, sensible and slow... Life is fast enough as it is!! The demons of regret from 2010 have been released into the wilds and so many new people are helping us make positive change. Sometimes the best comes from poor actions, no matter how much regret. I forgive myself for errors, mistakes and wrong-doings ~ it's definitely the way to start a new year!!

How has everyone else pulled up?  Did you celebrate or commiserate ~ or were you simply glad to say farewell to 2010??


Happy New Year ~ Want something Fresh and Free??

Here's is our first ever competition ~ gee I hope it works. There are three simple requirements ~ first you must press 'like' on this post, or on the FaceBook page with this post.  Second you need to share it with a friend and encourage them to follow the blog or 'like' the Mands On A Mission facebook page. Third, and lastly, please make a contribution to Mands Treasure Chest or the Spare Change Jar on our Home page to help us cover the postage.  We are trying to avoid additional debt, most of you know that, and we would hope all entering can contribute even the smallest amount into the Treasure Chest or pop some coins into our Spare Change Jar ~ the last thing we want is more debt and if everyone can help a little bit, it will allow us to do more of these types of give-aways with more valuable and beneficial prizes!

And the main prize is three bottles of the new AirWick aqua essences 'Aqua Mist' air-freshener  ~ consisting of one 300ml bottle each of Rain Forest and Jungle Splash, Fresh Waters and Wild Lavender and Mountain Breeze - my favourite of the three! A real plus for this new range is the bottles are recyclable, it can be used on fabrics and it has a trigger spray so there is no aerosols or propellent! This is a great start for big business thinking about the environment ~ might not be perfect, but definitely a move in the right direction!

These retail for around $5.50 each in the supermarkets ~ no artificial gases, just wonderfully refreshing fragrances that will keep your home smelling naturally fresh. As an added bonus, three other likers / followers will receive one of the three - and we will tell you how these three will be won later in the week. We will be drawing our winner on 28 January 2011 and hope you will come on board to help get Mands On A Mission support and follow our year to becoming debt free!


Day 1 ~ no/low spending 2011

Speaking about becoming debt free ~ There's a group of members on Simple Savings doing a No Spend / Low Spend Challenge ~ I mentioned it last week on the blog.

Today we spent ~ only $20 on petrol tho'. Considering it was a necessity, this is a great first day with spending only going on that which is NEEDED.  As we all wanted a thickshake and it is so terribly tempting to pop down the highway to McDonalds ~ instead we came home and made choc banana smoothies has been a great, no cost alternative. We have the bananas in the freezer, the Milo in the tin, add powdered milk and iced water ~ winner!  Better than the chemical mix from take away places as well. Mmmmmm


I am off to have a well-deserved and much need soak in a hot bath. You don't need expensive salts or oils ~ actually the best bath soak I have is a box of generic epsom salts (I use about half a cup to a full, hot bath) and a few drops of essential oil if I want it 'smellie' and nice. The bath is run, the salts dissolved and the gentle fragrance of clove & ylang ylang is drifting up the hall.

However you started this new year ~ may it only get better as the days go forward.

Love to you all xx

Mands and Husband
MudGuts and SmallBoy

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Pantry Poopers....

Always read the label...

Dinner last night was delicious, however in trying to add variety to the diet I used a packet of noodle chips as the base for the Butter Pork curry instead of rice. Both Husband and SmallBoy had not been impressed and eaten everything but the noodles saying they tasted funny. Having no sense of taste thanks to this stoopid cold/flu lurgy ~ I ate on with gusto.

Bad move... at least I can't complain about being 'bogged up' for quite some time! OK ~ not going to go into too much information, but I didn't think dried noodles could go 'off'. This packet did have a 'best before' date (as I discovered sometime around 630am when getting water after the third visit to the loo) and I should have looked before hand. It's not a good idea to go with something with a best before 2006 when it is 2010. Unless it is wine. Wine from 2006 is particularly good now it is 2010! *grins*

Today Husband mowed while I got more clothes sorted. Boy oh boy ~ how many clothes does a family need?? Not as many as we have ~ that is for sure!!  There are three sets to the sorting ~ things we are wearing, clothes to store for winter and stuff that can be sold either on eBay or at the garage sale for $1. Lots of $1s will make for at least $500 - the school uniforms SmallBoy has outgrown should account for $20 or so ~ goodness we are hoarders. No ~ goodness we were hoarders. No more ~ it all must go!!

Low Spend / No Spend 2011

We are all in to keep costs down as low as possible. Anything found for less than the budgeted amount will continue to go on the credit card first. It's a killer. SmallBoy has asked if his pocket money of $10 per week can be given as $5 in the hand and $5 in the bank. As we have been able to spend less each fortnight than our income, we feel if he does his chores and helps out around the garden then he should receive pocket money each Sunday. It was brilliant he wants to get savings together and his 'online' bank account is set up waiting for the first payment on Sunday. Just the clean up in his bedroom this week is worth the reward/pay ~ plus he has been emptying the dishwasher and helping with the chooks without quibble or delay.

There are so many areas we plan to lower our spending to increase the payment amounts going on bills, the credit card and the mortgage. It seems Wednesday is a bit of an illogical day to try and do the budget wrap up - especially as we receive income on Fridays and set the menu and budget for the fortnight over the weekend. So updates on the financials will be over the weekend, in readiness for reading bright and early on Mondays. This should make it less of a chore and more of a weekly review of our successes!

Earlier in the blog we set some ideals we hope to maintain. You can see those plans in the 'Notable Posts' section in the first post. This was more in the work in progress stage and as the months have progressed these are taking place or getting sorted. Other areas we are making 'the norm' for the next 12 months include: 

• Menu plan based on what needs using and specials 
• Bake each week to avoid the need to buy snack foods 
• Buy specials, meat and grains in bulk 
• No clothes or shoes unless from op shop 
• Freeze leftover vegies so they don't go off in the fridge 
• Set a 'birthday' present budget 
• No new appliances ~ source through Freecycle if required
• Plan car trips to limit quick shops/stops ~ walk to the supermarkets
• Heating/cooling on extreme weather days (rug up or strip down as required)
• Be eating 3 meals from our garden by end Jan
• No shop takeaways 
• Use up all the half bottles of this n that
• Home made cleaning products only 
• No books/magazines - hello library

With the pantry opened up and laundry cupboard empty, there will be plenty of places we can organise and store things that can be used up before we need to either buy or move to home-made varieties. Yes ~ if it is food, the date will be checked. If in doubt, it will be thrown out. I never want to feel this lousy again!

On Simple Savings there are lots who are planning a low cost or no spend 2011 ~ one thing we are not doing is buying and storing in advance. Mainly because we don't have the money to do so but also because it feels a little like false economising. If we had a spare $300 to spend in preparation it would go on meat, the garden or a dumper bin. As we don't ~ well, it ain't gonna happen *grins*

Enough for tonight ~ feeling drained in all senses of the word *pun*
The support through comments here on the blog and FaceBook, especially these last few weeks, has blown us away. I don't think we can thank everyone enough for the cheers! Hope you continue to join us on our journey.  Next year (hehehe - as in Saturday, tomorrow...) Mands on a Mission is going to have its first competition. More about that later.