So I'm a bit CRAP a......

I'm a bit crap at this blog thing a.......  I haven't posted in 2 weeks.  OPPS!!

Well so the challenge has been going great so far.  I can't say that I've saved any money but I haven't bought anything that I'm not supposed to. 

So Anya and I went to THE WIGGLES concert on the 18th and we had a blast.  But try telling an almost 23 month old that she can't have a WIGGLES balloon because Mummy doesn't wanna spend any money.  So I gave in and I think the $10 was well worth it considering it is still floating around our 1 week and 1 day later.  Also we bought a WIGGLES eco bag for $3.  Which isn't really a waste of money because they are reusable.  I couldn't get over how much money some parents were spending though.  Like $25 for a t-shirt and then $20 for a DVD or album.  The kids want and the parents buy.  This is totally where a parents money goes.  Not to mention the $80 we had already spent on our 2 tickets for the show.  But I was proud of myself for packing our lunch and we had a great time singing and dancing.  It was a SAD day though, because it will be the last time (apart from the hours of youtube and dvd's) we will see the ORIGINAL WIGGLES!

Other than our little spend at The WIGGLES I think we're doing really well.  I am up to date with all of our bills and there is $164.00 in the bill account and we have only bought groceries.  Of course I feel we are spending more at the supermarket because I don't eat out anymore.  But this way at least I can see and KNOW where its going.  Our fridge and pantry is FULL for a change and I'm feeling great.  I think we can keep this going though.  No more COFFEE for Mum in the mornings.  And I feel better as well, I think because I'm not having a fatty coffee every morning.  Its just budget instant for Mum at home now.  I've become a PRO at making omelet and my slow cooker is loving all of the use its getting.  Anya is having yummy healthy lunches as always with fruit and sandwiches or yummy hot left overs.  Not junk for my Baby Girl!!  hehe only plain biscuits and crackers with cheese.

I have to admit one of the hardest parts has been MAKING dinner every night.  So many times I have wanted to stop and just pick up Fish & Chips but NO!!  After watching a show about how bad it is I wanted to cry.  Mainly because I give that to my Baby thinking that its better than KFC or Mc D's, but really its just as bad.  But we are NOT going back that way.  Anya misses our Fish Lady and so do I but I can't keep giving that to Anya every week.  Its just not right.  We can make Fish & Chip a lot healthier at home and for a quarter of the price.  Thank GOD Anya LOVE fish.  I'm pretty lucky I've got a GOOD eater.  Put it in front of her and 10 minutes later its gone.  

Well that's it from ME for now.  Must be getting into some UNI work.  (main reason why I haven't been blogging)  Got 2 assignments to write and LOTS of things to read.  And the washer has just finished so laundry to hang out!!  FUN FUN xx

12 Days in......

We are NOW 12 days in........

I know I've been a bit slack with blogging but to be honest I've been trying to avoid the internet.  I have 4 assignments to write and really I still haven't written them.  ARGH university is HARD and studying from home is EVEN harder.  So many distractions and my bed is just so close.  

Well this blog is about money and I have a SMALL confession........  I accidentally bought a song for Anya the other day on iTunes!!  It was $1.79 and I had hit the BUY button before I even knew what I was doing.  This is HONESTLY the only thing that I have bought this month; but as soon as I did it I was gutted!!  Well it was less than $2 so I guess its OKAY......

So far though I think I'm getting through this month OKAY.  We have been eating at home and I haven't bought a coffee in 12 days!!  WOW!!  I really can't believe this.  I'm so PROUD of myself.  This REALLY is where all of my money goes.  Its the Soy, Caramel, Latte and then a Savory Scone.  This is like $9.80 a day.  Where do I think this money is coming from.  I have managed to truck through all of my course related cost for UNI and that was $1000.  And I don't have any money spare for bills at the moment.  I have money in that account to pay my LARGE power bill and thats it.  But if I need the doctors or anything urgent where is this money going to come from.......  I guess this really is the purpose of the whole exercise.  Yesterday I made my list of what I need my money to go to.

#1.  Takeaway Coffee Cup - so I don't have to spend money on coffee when I'm out.
#2.  Renew My License - expired last week so need a new one.
#3.  Get Anya & I Passports - mine expired and Anya doesn't have one.
#4.  New Jandals - my favourites broke a few weeks ago and my second favourites aren't looking so good either these days.

And then we have October.  That is Anya's 2nd Birthday.  Thank God I have her presents sorted but what is her party going to cost me.  Thought we might just have a BYO FOOD picnic at the park.  That way all the kiddies can have fun running around and the parents can have a sit and enjoy the adult conversation.  But there is still all the food I have to pay for but hopefully I can make that less than $50.  Baking is a great way to save as well so I'll be baking cupcakes and biscuits.  Should I bake a cake or just cupcakes.......  hmm

Right time for some lunch and some study!!  Fingers X'd!!

6 Days IN......

So we're 6 days in and I can't see the end of the tunnel yet.  Its amazing how much of our money I WASTE on coffee when I'm out and about.  Today I had some library books to return so after dropping Anya off at daycare I got my bum on the bus and headed to town.  Normally I'd end up wasting hours in town wandering around but today I went to the library and then went home.  AND because i was less than an hour I got to rife home on the bus for FREE!!  

Later on in the day after I had just a LITTLE nap while reading my UNI work I got off my bum and went to get Anya.  Did I tell you that Anya's daycare in opposite KFC and WENDYS!!  Like that is the worst daycare placement EVER.  And they smell SO GOOD.  Even though I know that if I ate them I'd feel yuck and I wouldn't even be full but that smell gets you every time.

This saving money is making my cooking better though.  We made smoked fish pie for dinner and it was YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY!!  Well I thought so, Anya didn't really eat much but she kept saying fish pie so I think she did like it.  And I've been making chocolate pudding.  I may have eaten the whole thing in less than 24 hours but it was good.  One of the best ways I have found to save money is on POPCORN.  I LOVE microwave popcorn but I just can't afford it anymore.  That stuff is like $4 or $5 for a box of 3 bags.  But if you buy a bag of popping corn for like $2.50 and you can get heaps and heaps of popcorn and on that note I might go make some now!!  YUM!!

Avoiding COFFEE

This is a TOUGHIE for me.......

It is POURING with rain here in Tauranga and I had to make the big walk to drop Anya at daycare.  Thank GOD I didn't take my purse with me because I totally would have stopped for a coffee just to avoid walking home in the rain.........

But I got my walk on and now I'm at home.  Nice and dry.  Not looking forward to the walk to daycare later though.

I'm also thinking of what to make for dinner.  We have A LOT of mince now after buying 2KG's worth yesterday so I thought I could do a nice slow cooker mince and then serve it with some pasta.  Just chuck in lots of random things and let it cook away while I actually maybe do some UNI work.......

I think I can actually get some work done now that I have almost finished the Living Oprah book.  Man that book gave me some great ideas on how to save and to get the most out of my life.  I can't believe that this woman actually lived her life for a whole year according to Oprah.  I think Robyn really was my inspiration to start my spend free September project.

Well thats enough BLOGGING for now, I had better get some housework done and start this dinner I talked about and then MAYBE some UNI work.......

Day 2 and its ALREADY hard!!

So Anya and I went for a walk to the supermarket today and the supermarket was the easy part I think.  Like the shopping centre where we get out groceries has loads of eateries and other shops but today I swear all that food smelt AMAZING!!

Burger King is the DEVIL I think, it smells so good but costs you a small fortune and you come home still feeling hungry.  Its just like all fast food restaurants but today I really felt the pull and the pinch.  But I stuck to my GUNS and we went to Countdown and bought our cheap mince, walked through The Warehouse and then came home.  I was VERY proud.

So we are 2 days in and 28 to go.  I have my Mums birthday in this month too and we've just had Fathers Day.  Time to get creative with presents I think.  My big test will be my trips to drop Anya at daycare.  I nearly always stop for a coffee at the local cafe so my main plan for this is NEVER to take my purse with me when I take Anya to daycare.  FINGERS CROSSED for this one people.........