Grocery Specials Starting Wednesday 1st March 2017

Here are this week's best grocery specials -

COLES -

*  Edgell Corn Kernels 420g Was $1.77, Save $0.77 Now $1.00 each

*  Vitasoy Almond Unsweetened Long Life Milk 1 Litre1/2 PRICE Was $3.79, Save $1.90 Now $1.89 each

*  Devondale Long Life Milk 2 Litre Was $2.86, Save $0.86  Now $2.00 each

*  ASC Basa Fillets Thawed1/2 PRICE From the Deli.Was $11.00, Save $5.50 kg Now $5.50 kg

*  1/2 PRICE Oral B Toothpastes & Power Brushes

*  Pantene Shampoo or Conditioner 900mL1/2 PRICE Was $15.70, Save $7.85  Now $7.85 each

*  30% OFF John Frieda Haircare

*  40% OFF OGX Haircare

*  Oates Tilt-A-Matic Squeeze Mop1/2 PRICE Was $16.49, Save $8.25  Now $8.24 each

*  1/2 PRICE Selected Bonds

*  30% OFF Deeko

*  1/2 PRICE Oral B Toothpastes & Power Brushes

WOOLWORTHS -

*  1/2 Price All Nivea* Excludes Travel & Convenience Minis, Deodorant Twin Packs & Gift Packs.

*  Vittoria Mount Grown Ground or Beans 1 kg Now $18.00 each 1/2 Price, Save $18.50

*  Uncle Tobys Plus 690-820g Now $3.37 each1/2 Price, Save $3.38

*  Devondale Longlife Milk 2 Litre Proudly VIC.Now $2.00 each Save $0.85

*   Pure Coconut Cooking Oil 500ml Now $3.49 each1/2 Price, Save $3.50

*  Morning Fresh Dishwashing Liquid 900ml Now $3.47 each1/2 Price, Save $3.48

*  1/2 Price All Sistema Klip It & To Go

*  30% off All Pyrex, Corelle & Jamie Oliver Kitchenware

*  1/2 Price All Nivea

*  1/2 Price All Pears Hand & Body Wash

* Listerine Freshburst Mouthwash 500ml Now $3.75 each1/2 Price, Save $3.75

*   30% off All Platinum Cosmetic Brushes

*  30% off All Manicare

*  25% off All Nailene

*  30% off All Rimmel Face Range

*  1/2 Price All Dermaveen

*  Brunnings Pine Bark or Potting Mix 25 Litre Now $3.00 each1/2 Price, Save $3.00

            

This Week's Frugal Tasks Saturday 25th February 2017

A frugal week can include all sorts of tasks.  Just when we think we have our week planned out,  a special pops up at the supermarket,  the veg garden takes off or a blessing comes our way that saves us  money.   Darren and I love our frugal life.  It's rich,  varied and full of interesting tasks.  Here's how we saved money this week -  

*  Gratefully received two bunches of rhubarb,  a small bag of passionfruit,  lots of cardstock and cardboard at the Crafty Mums card making day.

*  Froze lots of plums that were given to us.  I've frozen them into 1.5 kg bags to make more plum jam later in the year.

*  Picked a handful of raspberries each day.  These have been frozen to make muffins.

*  Stocked up on Pineocleen disinfectant,  Glen 20,  hair gel and Saladas ( a treat ) all bought at half price.

*  Bought petrol at $1.15 per litre

* Bought lamb chops at $7.99 kg.  I've portioned them into single and double chops and froze.  This will make meal planning a little easier.  Sometimes we don't know who will be home for dinner.

*  Picked about 600 g of strawberries from our patch.

*  Saved the shower and washing machine water.

*  Due to the cooler weather we didn't have the cooling or heating on for many days.  Yes,  it was cold enough to put the heater on but due to our heater needing a service and parts,  this wasn't an option.  We even dug out blankets a few times.

*  Donated two bags of clothes to Savers and received a discount stamp.

*  Filled in a form for compensation due to our freezer failing ( it had a melt down - hehehe ).  Hopefully the cheque will arrive next week.

*  Sold two dozen eggs.

*  Megan made a batch of raspberry and white choc muffins using our raspberries.

*  Picked one tomato each day.  Hopefully we'll be picking lots more each day.  I'm busting to make another batch of tomato relish.

*  Carried muesli bars and a bottle of water in my handbag when I was out and about.  I've avoided cafes and shopping centres by doing this and saving a small fortune.

*  Darren fed the compost bin with kitchen scraps and grass clippings.

   

A blessing

From the garden

In the kitchen with Megan

A delightful afternoon tea.

How did you save money this week ?

10 Ideas To Save You Money This Week

Are you looking for a bit of extra cash ?  Is your budget feeling a little tight ?  Then try some of these dollar stretching ideas.  Together these ideas could save you a few hundred dollars depending on how you value things.

*  Keep your curtains closed when you turn on the air conditioning.  I know this is common sense but you'd be suprised at the amount of homes I've visited or cleaned over the years with the Sun streaming in on a hot day.

*  Mend an item of clothing. Sew on a missing button,  mend a hole in a pair of socks or even take up a pair of trousers.  All these tasks don't require sewing skills except threading a needle and pushing it in and out of the item.  This task alone could save you $2 on a pair of socks,  $20 for hemming trousers or the $$ amount on the item you would otherwise throw out.

*  Avoid having drinks out with the girls,  coffee out with the mums or beers with the mates.  Drinks can lead to dinner,  coffee can lead to cake or lunch as well and beers can lead to food.  If you enjoy these activities then perhaps invite your friends around and share the cost. 

*  Try buying a generic brand of food for the first time.  You might be suprised how good the quality is.  The price difference will surprise you too.

*  Turn your fridge leftovers into a tasty casserole or pasta bake.    Anything with grated cheese on top is a winner.  This could be the making of a new family favourite.

*  Eat out of the fridge,  freezer and pantry for a week and only buy milk.  I'm sure you've got plenty of food on hand.

*  Turn the lights off and have a candlelit dinner for the whole family.  Dig out all those candles you've been hoarding.  Yes,  the ones your family and friends give you every birthday and Mother's Day.

*  Watch the petrol price cycle and only fill up when it's cheap.

*  Carry a  bottle of water with you when you go out.  Refilling at home costs less than 1 cent.  Buying a bottle costs up to $4.

*  Pick a flower ( or two or three ) from the garden instead of buying them.  You don't have any flowers ?  Then pick some green foliage and place it in a vase.  Wrap a bit of kitchen twine around the vase and you have yourself a boutique looking arrangement.  

Morning tea at home

Flowers in a pasta sauce jar.

Grocery Specials Starting Wednesday 22nd February 2017

Here are this week's best grocery specials

COLES -

*  Peters Drumstick 4 Pack-6 Pack1/2 PRICE Was $7.99, Save $4.00  Now $3.99 each

*  Peckish Rice Crackers 100g1/2 PRICE Was $2.20, Save $1.10  Now $1.10 each

*  Arnott’s Salada Crispbread 250g1/2 PRICE Was $3.00, Save $1.50  Now $1.50 each

*  Uncle Tobys Plus Cereal 385g-435g1/2 PRICE Was $4.50, Save $2.25  Now $2.25 each

*  Heinz Creationz 420g1/2 PRICE Was $2.49, Save $1.25  Now $1.24 each

*  Green’s Maple Flavoured Syrup 375g1/2 PRICE Was $3.20, Save $1.61  Now $1.59 each

*  Mayver’s Peanut Butter 375g1/2 PRICE Was $5.00, Save $2.50  Now $2.50 each

*  Golden Circle Tetra Fruit Drink 1 Litre1/2 PRICE Excludes Pineapple, Tomato & Nectar.

Was $2.15, Save $1.08  Now $1.07 each

*  ASC Basa Fillets Thawed1/2 PRICE From the Deli.Was $11.00, Save $5.50 kg Now $5.50 kg

*  Peters Light & Creamy 1.8 Litre1/2 PRICE Was $6.89, Save $3.45  Now $3.44 each

*  Dove Beauty Cream Bar Soap 2 Pack1/2 PRICE Was $4.30, Save $2.15  Now $2.15 each

*  1/2 PRICE Selected Carefree or Stayfree Pads, Tampons & Liners.

*  30% OFF V05 Haircare

*  30% OFF Neutrogena Skincare

*  Dynamo Laundry Liquid 2 Litre or Professional 1.8 Litre1/2 PRICE Was $17.50, Save $8.75  Now $8.75 each

*  Morning Fresh Dishwashing Liquid 900mL1/2 PRICE Was $6.95, Save $3.48 Now $3.47 each

*  Glen 20 Disinfectant Spray 300g1/2 PRICE Was $6.80, Save $3.40  Now $3.40 each

*  Energizer Eco Advanced AA or AAA Batteries 10 Pack1/2 PRICE Was $16.97, Save $8.49  Now $8.48 each

*  30% off All Papermate & Sharpie

*  30% OFF Mix Socks

*  Cadbury Sharepack 160g-180g1/2 PRICE Was $4.60, Save $2.30  Now $2.30 each

WOOLWORTHS -

*  1/2 Price All Lynx

*  .Mars Medium Bitesize 140-180g Now $2.12 each 1/2 Price, Save $2.13

*  Almond Breeze Almond Milk 1 Litre – Excludes Flavoured Now $1.64 each1/2 Price, Save $1.65

*  30% Off All Inspire Cookware

*  Imported Freshwater Basa Fillets Now $5.50 kg 1/2 Price, Save $5.50 kg

*  My Dog 400g – Excludes Home Recipe Now $1.00 each1/2 Price, Save $1.05

*  30% off All Bonds Baby, Nuby, Heinz baby basics, tommee tippee closer to nature, Philips Avent and playgro.

*  1/2 Price All Disney Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars DVDs

*  Tontine Anti Bacterial Pillow Pk 2 Now $10.00 each Better than 1/2 Price, Save $14.00

*  30% off All Kids Licensed Quilt Cover Sets

*  Morning Fresh Dishwashing Liquid 400ml – Excludes Eco Range Now $1.97 each1/2 Price, Save $1.98

*  40% off All ModelCo Cosmetics & L’Oreal Women’s Skincare Range

*  30% off All Australian Pure Skincare & Covergirl Face and Lip Range

*  1/2 Price All John Frieda Hair Care

*  Palmolive Shower Gel 500ml Now $2.70 each1/2 Price, Save $2.70

*  20% off All Armor All Car Wash

*  Handee Paper Towel Pk 2 Now $1.75 each 1/2 Price, Save $1.75   

                 

This Week's Frugal Tasks Saturday 18th February 2017

Frugal living doesn't seem frugal at all when I look around my home.  Fresh produce picked from the garden,  newly laid free range eggs , clean clothes,  tasty meals,  delicious baking  and handmade gifts for any occasion..  These are just some of the delights I enjoy each day.

Here are some of the other delights that filled my week -

*  Emptied the little hotel bottles of shampoo,  conditioner and body wash into our own bottles.  I gave them a good shake to combine.

*  Dried the washing on clothes horses and the line.

*  Made a bottle of lavender air freshener.

*  Made another 2 litre bottle of Miracle Spray.  I keep one big bottle in the laundry and another in the kitchen as well as numerous spray bottles around my home.

*  Bought lots of Blue Grenadier fish from Coles.  It was half price at $6.49 kg ( from memory ).

*  Froze four single serves of leftovers.  After loosing the contents of one of my freezers,  it feels good to make a start on my freezer meal stockpile.

*  Refilled two foaming hand wash pumps with diluted shower gel.

*  Picked lots of raspberries and froze them.

*  Bought a Country Road cardigan from Savers op shop for $8.50.  While I was there I donated some household items and received a discount stamp.

*  Made a Valentines Day card for Darren using supplies I had on hand.  We had a lovely dinner at home then went to the movies.  The tickets were bought with a gift card given to us.  Darren got the tickets at a discounted price because we are Telstra  Big Pond customers.  Our movie snacks were chocolates and bottles of water from home.

* Cleaned the exhaust fans in both bathrooms.  I'm trying to to this on a regular basis to keep them running efficiently.

*  Saved the shower and washing machine water as per usual.

*  Megan made a batch of giant choc chip biscuits ( cookies ).

*  Made 14 jars of plum jam.  Some will be given as presents.

*  Defrosted  our 25 year old 120 litre freezer.  I try to do this 2 - 3 times a year to keep it running efficiently

*  Made a batch of pita chips for snacking.

*  Picked our first tomato of the season.  YAY  !!! No more store bought tomatoes for quite a while.

*  Our strawberries are fruiting again.  I picked a good handful in one day.  

Fresh strawberries

Megan's Mexican rice dish with potatoes

Megan's giant choc chip biscuits

Pretty flowers from Jessica

The raspberries continue

A simple handmade Valentine's Day card

Homemade plum jam

From the garden and our first tomato.

  .  What frugal delights filled your week ?

Goals For 2017

Over the month of January I've had time to think and plan our goals for 2017.  I always feel more at peace when I know where we are heading for the year.  Planning ahead gives me a better chance of succeeding and prolongs the enjoyment of reaching our family's goals.

Garden goals -

*  Plant the grape plants when the time is right.  We'll need to nurture the plants with the hope we can pick grapes next year.

*  Prune and nurture our mandarin tree.  It's been in the ground for 5 - 6 years and just doesn't seem to grow.  We feed it when we are meant to but to no avail.  Thankfully we have a few mandarins that look like they've set ( for the first time ).

*  Grow a few more veggies and plan succession planting.

*  Get the front garden into order.  It tends to be left for most of the year because we don't look at it as often as the back garden.  Plants need to be pruned and new plants need to be bought or struck to fill in the gaps.

*  Plant out the boysenberry bush in front of Darren's garden shed and put up a trellis of some description.

House goals -

*  Install canvas awnings on a few windows before next Summer

*  Paint all the timber door trims to match the new skirting boards.

*  Continue decluttering.  My goal is 500 items by the end of the year.

Budget goals -

*  Save for the canvas awnings

*  Continue saving for a new car.  Mine will need replacing in the next 5 - 7 years.  I'd like to pay cash when the time comes to buy.

*  Save for our next holiday.

*  Reducing our spending in a few areas without feeling deprived.  For example - finding ways to have free outings instead of spending money.

*  Investigate ways of increasing our income.

Craft goals -

 *  Research new craft items to make and sell in my Etsy shop.  These items need to be fairly light and flat so that postage is kept to a minimum for the customers.

*  Make new greeting cards to sell in my Etsy shop.  I'd like a wide variety that appeals to everyone.  Maybe I'll concentrate on more children's / teen cards.

*  Dedicate  X amount of hours per week to crafting.

Would you like to share your goals for the year ?

   

Grocery Specials Starting Wednesday 15th February 2017

Here are this week's best grocery specials -

COLES -

*  1/2 PRICE Nivea.

*  Bulla Multipack 6 Pack-14 Pack1/2 PRICE Was $6.15, Save $3.08  Now $3.07 each

*  Real Foods Corn Thins 150g1/2 PRICE Was $2.00, Save $1.00  Now $1.00 each

*  Golden Circle Beetroot Slices 450g1/2 PRICE Was $1.80, Save $0.90  Now $0.90 each

*  IXL Jam 480gWas $3.50, Save $1.50  Now $2.00 each

*  Kellogg’s Sultana Bran 850g1/2 PRICE Was $7.89, Save $3.95  Now $3.94 each

* 40% OFF a wide range of Gillette products.

*  Radox Shower Gel 250mL1/2 PRICE Was $4.00, Save $2.00  Now $2.00 each.

*  Impulse Perfume In A Spray 75mL1/2 PRICE Was $5.00, Save $2.50  Now $2.50 each.  Great for Christmas stockings.  It's never too early to start buying.


*  40% OFF Pantene

*  L’Oréal Elvive Shampoo or Conditioner 700mL1/2 PRICE Was $14.95, Save $7.48 Now $7.47 each

*  Aveeno Daily Moisturising Body Wash 354mL1/2 PRICE Was $10.00, Save $5.00  Now $5.00 each

*  30% OFF Maybelline Make-Up

*  30% OFF L'Oréal Women's Skincare

*  Pine O Cleen Disinfectant 1.25 Litre1/2 PRICE Was $5.00, Save $2.51  Now $2.49 each.  At this price it's well worth buying a few bottles.  I use  a squirt in the washing machine for smelly work uniforms.  Much cheaper than buying expensive laundry powder / liquid for the fragrance.

WOOLWORTHS -


*  Old El Paso Mexican Meal Kits 275-370g Now$3.49 each1/2 Price, Save $3.50

*  Dove Body Wash 1 Litre Now $6.85 each 1/2 Price, Save $6.85

*  Heinz Baked Beans or Spaghetti 420g Now $1.00 each1/2 Price, Save $1.09

*  1/2 Price All Sistema To Go and Ultra Tritan

*  1/2 Price All Inspire Bedroom Manchester

*  30% off All Brunnings

*  1/2 Price All L’Oreal Mens

*  40% off All L’Oreal Womens Skincare

*  30% off All Ecotools ( make up tool brushes etc )

*   Dynamo Laundry Liquid 1 Litre Now $5.50 each1/2 Price, Save $5.50

*  Morning Fresh Dishwashing Liquid 900ml Now $3.47 each1/2 Price, Save $3.48

*  30% off Neutrogena Skincare & Suncare Range

This Week's Frugal Tasks Saturday 11th February 2017

This week has been a busy one for me.  Our almost two year old freezer broke down on Monday morning just before I went to work.  I frantically tried to find room in my other freezers and fridge for some of the food.  Unfortunately we lost four supermarket bags full of food.  Then our evap cooling started playing up so we got it  serviced.   It still needs a part replaced so we are waiting on that..  I've worked four days this week,  cooked,  baked and tended to our garden when I could.

Here are the other tasks I managed to squeeze in -

*  Had two extra cleaning jobs this week.

*  Baked four loaves of wholemeal bread with extra goodness.

*  Sold two dozen eggs to a neighbour.

*  Froze two single serves of leftovers

*  Mended the corner of a fitted sheet.   The stitching was starting to separate so I used the sewing machine to reinforce it before it became a hole.

*  Made dried seasoned bread crumbs from scratch.

*  Stayed away from the shops as much as possible.  This week I only bought 2 litres of milk and a few salad items.

*  Sold Megan's high school calculator.

*  Picked a small handful of raspberries each day.

*  Kept the curtains closed on the hot days.

*  Did the usual water saving tasks and used the saved water on the garden.

In the garden

A card my 7 year old niece made - with my help

Making pita chips

Dried seasoned bread crumbs

It's too hot for Princess.  Hiding under the coffee table..

     What frugal tasks did you complete this week ?  

This Week's Frugal Tasks Saturday 4th February 2017

Health has returned to all of us and we are back in the swing on living frugally yet abundantly.  The weather has been mild in Melbourne and we've been able to get out into the garden to pull weeds and do a tidy up.  We try to do this as much as possible before it gets too hot.  Here's what we've been up to -

*  Gratefully received a grape plant and lots of grapes from my Dad.  The grapes are small but oh so tasty.  Now we can't wait until we can pick our own in a year or two.  I also received two glass jars.

*  Cleaned the dishwasher using bi carb and vinegar.  Wiped down the door and seals with miracle spray.

* Cleaned the kettle using citric acid.  I poured the kettle water onto some grass growing in the crack of the pergola concrete.

*  Saved the shower warm up water and washing machine water as per usual.  These water saving tasks have become a way of life for us.  We don't even think twice about it.

*  Dried the washing on the line.

*  Picked a few raspberries every couple of days.  The second batch of raspberries will be in abundance shortly.  These will  be frozen to make raspberry and white choc muffins throughout the year.

*  Fed the compost bin with kitchen peelings.

*  Diluted a bottle of white vinegar 50 / 50 with water.

*  Had an extra cleaning job this week.

*  Bought Nurofen headache tablets on sale in Chemist Warehouse.  Due to buying restrictions I had to go on two separate days to get two boxes ( they are large boxes ).

*  Sold a few cards in my Etsy shop. 

*  Made pita chips for snacks.

Raspberries almost ready to pick

If only the tomatoes would ripen

This rose smells divine

The feijoas are getting bigger

Megan made this cake from scratch.

A Sunday night dinner

What frugal tasks did you complete this week ?

Grocery Specials Wednesday 1st February 2017

I'm back with the grocery specials for the week.  I've had to review the way I post the specials.  Each week there seems to be the same items on sale like muffins,  crumpets,  olive oil,  rice,  chips,  lollies and some sort of shampoo.  So instead of posting these items week in week out,  I just post the best grocery specials on more basic / budget items, the percentage off items as well as the " stockpile worthy ' items.

Here are a few great specials -

COLES -

*    Kraft The Good Nut Peanut Butter 500g1/2 PRICE Was $5.68, Save $2.84  Now $2.84 each

*  Maharajah’s Choice Basmati Rice 5kg1/2 PRICE Was $17.50, Save $8.75  Now $8.75 each

*  Golden Circle Beetroot Slices 450g1/2 PRICE Was $1.80, Save $0.90  Now $0.90 each

*  Trident Coconut Cream or Milk 400mL1/2 PRICE Was $1.95, Save $0.98  Now $0.97 each

*  Dove Shampoo or Conditioner 300mL-320mL1/2 PRICE Was $6.89, Save $3.45 Now $3.44 each

*  30% OFF L’Oréal Excellence Hair Colours

*  BabyLove Nappy Pants 20 Pack-34 Pack1/2 PRICE Was $16.99, Save $8.50  Now $8.49 each

*  40% OFF Nature's Own Vitamins.

*  Seasol Concentrate 500mL1/2 PRICE Was $7.60, Save $3.80  Now $3.80 each.  Well worth stocking up.

*  Dynamo Laundry Liquid 1 Litre or Professional 900mL1/2 PRICE Was $11.00, Save $5.50  Now $5.50 each.  Dilute 50 / 50 with water.

*  1/2 PRICE Papermate & Sharpie

*  1/2 PRICE Sistema Klip It

*  40% OFF Australis Cosmetics

*  40% OFF Le Tan Sunscreen & Tanning

*  30% OFF Garnier Facial Skincare

*  Radox Antiperspirant Deodorant 250mL1/2 PRICE Was $5.99, Save $3.00  Now $2.99 each

WOOLWORTHS -

*  Greenseas Tuna 95g Now $0.89 each1/2 Price, Save $1.11

*  Uncle Tobys VitaBrits 1 kg Now $2.29 each 1/2 Price, Save $2.30

*  Real Foods Corn Thins 125-150g Now $1.00 each1/2 Price, Save $1.00

*   Filled Profiteroles Pk 8 Now $2.50 each1/2 Price, Save $2.50 Yes,  they are a treat !

*  Golden Circle Tetra Fruit Drink 1 Litre Now $1.07 each1/2 Price, Save $1.08

*  1/2 Price Décor Microsafe & Match-ups

*  1/2 Price All Inspire Bathroom Manchester

*  30% Off All Arcosteel Cookware

*  30% off All Inspire Bakeware

*  30% off All Kleenex Travel Tissues

*  Morning Fresh Dishwashing Liquid 400ml – Excludes Eco Range Now $1.97 each1/2 Price, Save $1.98

*   1/2 Price All Scotch Brite.  Well worth stocking up on your favourite scourer or sponge.

*    30% off All Sabco SuperSwish Xtra Mop & Refills