Back to busy...

Its been nearly a month since my last entry....I have been checking labels more..and constantly re-evaluating everything....Im starting to get on the 'saving' bandwagon again..with a few exceptions...suprise suprise, the kids...my son had been asking about playing a sport again,,he played soccer back home in NZ..but the soccer here isnt what i want, so last nite i signed him up for rugby union...and his first game is tomoro...DOH...so today i was on a mission, boot, shorts, socks, and mouthguard...Im very excited.. he had practice last night and did awesome...a natural. But it wasnt cheap,,fees for the season $100. $75 for the stuff I got today..ouchy, but i think its going to be well worth it.   Also, scouts start up nxt tuesday..that $180 for the two of them for a term  not counting uniform and any out activities that come up...But I want my kids to be active and involved..my daughter Im thinking of putting in the local theatre group..its again, not cheap, but I think she would thrive at it, so will go along to check it out on monday. that $125 a term. I had my hair done this week, and it was the pick-me-up I needed, and by needed I really mean needed..I was having a very down period of late..so this little treat has made a huge difference. But am looking at other ways to save, cutting back on power usage, food, water, gas..petrol and, for instance, we met up for a cuppa at the local shopping centre the other day, I took my own can of drink in my bag to have in the food court..they other mums didnt know I had taken my own drink and it saved me buying an expensive drink there..Ive been watching what ive been eating, trying to cut back..using the treadmill(not as often as I should though)..Hubby went back up to work the other day...Kids are back at school, so thats been nice the last 2 days..lol, So no plans tonite, Sons rugby tomoro morning..Yippeeee, then prepare for next week when it does start to get busy...rugby does training on a thursday nite.I have one huge thing I want to change soon,.,.and that is my coke zero consumption..I think I may drink too much of it..Im starting to wonder what addictive thing is in it..hehe, I must get through around 2lts a day, give or take...Im thinking I should start with alternting, zero then water...which would in effect halve my consumption...will keep ya updated on that one...well ill leave it now, catch ya soon

Its been a while.....

Well, I havent posted in a while...I got a little 'lost' for a time...but now have found a new path that I want to give a go....I still have the goal of financial security, but on a more physical, personal side Ive found some areas that need an overhaul also...I need to drop around 30 kilos (mainly so I'll fit into my winter clothes...have packed on the beef since we moved to Oz), so will aim high and go for 30...wow, scary number, but do-able I think...and to do this I want to do it properly...and do it by the most healthy way I can..Not only for me but for my husband and kids...Ive been giving food alot of thought lately, how its made, packed, where its from...We'll take chicken for example..for years I always considered that the healthy meat to go to when watching my weight...but then with a little more thought I started to consider the hormones and antibiotics that chickens get given..whats that doing to me and my family...I want to take a step back..well more like 30 years...go back to how it use to be.  I was reading a "diet" plan the other day, now I read alot of these, but do it with sceptical eye..and it was talking about the food side of the plan and it made the comment about if a caveman couldnt  eat it then you shouldnt either...chicken, steak - yes, he could get that,  hamburger - NO, he couldnt...if it didnt come from the land or sea then it off the menu..Real food, not full of preservatives and colourings and other things I have no idea what they are...another good tip I heard was if you cant pronounce it, then dont eat it...I bought a treadmill the other day (was going to hire, but found this new once on special)..I have done the fitness thing before..for a year I was a real "gym bunny" went alot, and did lose weight and loved doing it...but once the whole moving thing started I lost my fitness way and once arriving here I kept going with the gaining...needless to say 14 kilos later Im alot less happy..With hubby working away I have alot more freedom with the food side of things, although I also lack the support around me constantly, so its a give and take situation. I WANT TO BE HEALTHY AND HAPPY AND I WANT THIS FOR MY FAMILY.   (and I want to fit nicer clothes). So where do I start??? I am going to start shopping smarter, reading the labels..Ideally the food I am going to by wont need lables, a banana is a banana and shouldnt contain anything else.  The meat is the hardest thing for me at the moment..will have to do some investigating on that one.. Fitness, well, time to get moving...

Aussie Day....

Our first Australia Day....had bbq at my sisters up the road..only had to take dessert, so used some brownie i had in the freezer, chopped up a few doughnuts i had in the pantry and threw on a few chocolate things i had in the fridge..Easy peasy..Was having a bit of a crap morning, kinda wished hubby would just come home(know he cant, working, but just felt that way), and 1 minute later the phone rings, and its hubby, WOW, just when I needed to hear his voice..Felt alot better after that.  The bbq was good, the kids were nearly very good..hehe, my sister even did up a new and revised budget for me on the computer..(i have no idea how to do much at all on the computer)lol, so that was good.

A very quiet day...

Had to make a trip to Coles today...in need of milk and a couple of other things...Longlife milk was on special,,$1 for a ltr. so I grabbed 3..eggs, a loaf of bread, and i indulged by buying some soft drink for myself...(love Coke Zero), and a few slices of bacon, so that I could make bacon, chicken Mac'n'Cheese tonite..the kids love it and its a great way to get veges into them...in total I spent $15.35.  So all going well, I shouldnt need any other groceries for a week or so..Didnt have the best day today...Not sure why, missing hubby maybe, or perhaps just a down day. I even tried  baking to cheer me up and cant say that helped at all.  Im sure Ill be back on form tomoro. 

Didnt do too bad...

I did end up spending...cant deny it..Was taking the kids to my friends for a visit around lunchtime, so didnt want to go completely empty handed but also didnt want to spend a great deal..Stopped off at Coles on the way there and picked up a packet of chocy doughnuts, and a packet of 18 little lamingtons and a bottle of drink. Already had a packet of Snacks in the cupboard, so too those too..My friend fried up some chips and dinsims for lunch and our offerings for after..it only cost me $5.20 so considering the kids were fed, and fed well, and had a great day playing in the pool and with friends i think it was well worth it...  So total spend for the last 3 days, $5.20.. I also have really enjoyed watching the kids playing around the area where we live...so many children these days stay inside or expect expensive entertainment to keep them occupied.  Back when we were kids, we rode our bikes, climbed trees, played with the neighbourhood kids..all things that were fun, healthy and free..Its one thing that I love to see..them riding round the park or down the road with a group of kids..playing cricket or footy at the park across the road..I think if more kids were encouraged to play in the same way the obesity in kids would not be such a problem...as you can see from the pics of my kids they are very healthy..

Back on track....yippeeeeee

Have had no-spend days the last couple since hubby went back to work...Havent even left the house.  The kids have been playing around the block with the local kids, so theyve been happy enough not to go out.  Going to friends house tomoro for lunch and visit, so should be another spend free, or a very low-spend(may take something towards lunch)make or buy, not sure yet...want to spend as little as possible, to try and make up for the starter motor...Im still a little bitter and twisted over that one.... :-(   But as they say, 'Onwards and Upwards"..."Get back on the horse" and all those other get-on-with-it sayings.  Im also currently investigating medical insurances..which is best, cheapest and will suit our family.  One thing Ive learnt on this cheap living thing is to investigate, investigate, investigate..not to rush into any deal, or purchase but shop around.

Cars....the ultimate money pit!

Have had hubby home since last wednesday,has been  nice..although we do spend more when he is home....now onto the car..its been tempermental lately, so we took it to the auto electrician today, and just got the call to say its going to be $575, for a new starter motor to be put in...arrrrrrrr..has to be done, by geeze, how do ya get ahead when faced with these little unexpected things....and thats not all that needs to be done to the car to get it running just right...over the next couple of months its going to need, tyres, brakes, cv joint replacement...its just never ending....going to have to tighten up in other areas to cover it all....on a brighter not my girls front tooth has finally broken through the gum(probably not quite in the spot its suppose to), but it has done it...its been trying for about 8 months now...she banged her mouth as toddler and killled the front tooth, about 9months ago it developed an infection and we had it pulled so there was scar tissue in the gum which made it hard for the tooth to try and come out...fingers crossed the tooth settles into where it should be, or il start saving now for braces...