Christmas and New Year blessings to ALL

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and a very happy and prosperous new year.
I'm going to "see" you all again mid January as I'm going to work hard on our plans over the school holidays for next year! I'm going to avoid even the internet during this time :o-


Until 2011  Piglet xx


Here's a fast moving Christmas Elf for you!

Plans for 2011

Lots of rocket for salads and pesto

I thought I'd share our hopes for next year. We are going to have another no spend year (beyond essentials) since the last one was so very successful. (http://secrethippie.blogspot.com/2009/01/budget-09-year-of-no-spending-hahahaha.html)  I don't expect we'll have such a generous government this time, no 'get the economy flowing' type payments, so it will be all us this time.


2010 it cost us $579 a week to keep our family fed, clothed, housed and tootled around in the cars.


I'm hoping this year we can do it for $489.50/wk or less. We don't expect to have pre-school costs so that's an automatic saving. We have changed to a cheaper internet plan that gives us more download, same company too, makes you wonder.
I allowed extra in other areas like pharmaceuticals and mobiles.
So the question we are asking, is can we lower electricity and gas bills? Tweak the food budget further and resist the urge to splurge on something we don't really need but fully justify at the time of purchase?


Here's the break down per week:


Mortgage interest only: $122
home and contents insurance: $25
Electricity: $15
Water costs: $5 (this is petrol to pump and servicing costs)
Gas: $8
Rates $9
Landline $5
Mobiles $10
Internet/voip and call costs: $14


Groceries: $120
Petrol costs: $30
Car rego: free
Car insurance(includes green slip) $53
Car repairs/ maintenance: $10
Caravan rego: $2.50


School fees $5
Pets $20


Life insurance $7
Pharmacy: $5
Dentist: $10
Clothing: $1 (op shop)
Shoes: $1 (op shop)
Gifts: home-made from what I have or from the grocery budget.


Donations $12

Banana Passionfruits

The aim is for us to knock as much as off the mortgage as possible.


To reduce these costs further we will try to not use electricity as much, I'm going to get a wood heater in the garage to dry the clothes in wet weather. Use a home-made solar hot water heater for bathing in. Use the wood cooker for meal preparation more. Get the garden producing more. Come up with monthly meal plans and then perhaps 3 monthly if possible.
I hope we don't need any clothes as we have enough but I thought I'd budget in from my fav op shop.
I hope we will save in the dental area, the little ones can go to the hospital clinic for free. Depending on the asthma the pharmacy might not be $5 a week. Here's hoping littlest has better health but starting school probably means lots of colds that then means asthma :o( Poor little dot.
I don't imagine we will need the proposed school budget either. It should be half but I don't know what excursions there will be.
If this amazing rain keeps up we won't need to pump much water so that could also be a $260 a year saving ;o)


So we are fingers crossed we can do life 2011 a bit cheaper, but you never know what is going to pop up.


I hope to sew more and use up my fabric stash, Pooh hopes to garden more. i will try to come up with regular family fun that doesn't cost much.

Vietnamese mint and regular mint for tea and cooking.

Goodness no posts for ages!

I'm sorry there hasn't been any updates for ages! You know how it is, the end of year and lots of loose ends to be tidied and parties to attend :o)

Great news on Mum, she is home and recovering slowly. She is walking and slowly talking. How happy she must be to sleep in her own bed! Dad is very happy to have his wife back too :o)

Here is the kindergarten end of year performance. All those little cuties. I have to say our little guy had the most wonderful teacher this year, the woman is a saint! Thank you for your input into his impressionable life :o)

I have to show off a gift a girl friend made me, I don't know how she finds the time, she is the busiest person I know. How clever is this.

I made a cute little card holder for my girls friends, you know those store cards, ones that get punched etc

Next year I hope to spend a lot more time sewing, I really miss it. We have exciting savings plans for next year but I'll keep the gory details for it's own post.

I've been to the best op shop ever, Here is my $2 outfit, skirt, under top, over top and knitted jacket/cardigan.

And for Tan who wanted to see the full dress, ta da...

Year 10 formal

Doesn't she look gorgeous :o)