Tomorrow it begins......

Hope Everyone had a very Merry Christmas, and Santa was very kind to you all. Santa was very kind to us here. He gave me a digital photo frame, and a new kitchen appliance. and I got a book from my Daughter with inspirational stories and recipes for weight loss. Santa also gave us as a family and day trip to Luna park, to be had in January.

Well tomorrow is the day, the 1st day of 2014, and the first day of getting our lives back on track. I've spent the last few weeks getting myself sorted out. But for me this challenge is more than just saving money, its about saving my family. so we've been setting new routines in place, and new family rules. One of which is no more swearing, and the punishment for swearing is 5 push ups. needless to say, 2 kids have already been doing several sets of push ups. my either going to have the best behaved kids, or very fit kids by the end of it all :)

So I've been very busy preparing, and one of the things I did was to purchase a dehydrator (for my birthday) so I can use it for preserving foods. here are some photos of my first efforts.

didn't get any photos of the finished products, as they didn't last that long. This investment will be a great help, especially if I get some great deals on fruit.

Another project I tackled this week was my sewing centre. I'm going to be doing a lot more crafts and sewing this year and I wanted easier access to my machines and bits and pieces,  and I don't have a room that I can dedicate to it. so I have made this.

The cupboard is an old microwave cupboard that someone was going to through away, and when they seen that I was looking for one they gave it to me. it still needs a little more organising, but its already in use. it has wheels, so its currently in my lounge, and when I need the space it can be hidden in my wardrobe.

Another challenge I will be achieving this coming year is finally getting myself healthy and at my goal weight. cant wait to start this challenge, and thanks to a new friend I will be getting help  to achieve this goal. if your in the Pakenham or surrounding areas you should check these guys out. such mice people. http://www.facebook.com/pappysfitness

well I best be going, what to make a running start into tomorrow, so I want a fresh clean slate. So I will be giving the house a huge clean today and finishing putting away all the Christmas lights and Decorations. I love decorating outside, but it takes for ever to pull them down and put them away properly.

Happy New Year everyone. Hope you have a beautiful night filled with lots of fun, food and great friends. Be safe and hope you have a wonderful year in 2014 see you all next year xxxx

Everything is falling into place

I had planned on beginning this challenge in the new year, but I have started it now without even realising it. everything is falling into place nicely.

I find myself thinking about gifts for next year. everything we're giving as gifts next year is going to be home made. so I've had fun thinking up great presents to make. I only have a few left to think of. (will put up photos as I make them) now I find myself looking everywhere for materials to use to make these gifts. some items I will be recycling old tires, some I will be working with wood, some scrapbooking, some sewing and what ever else I can find to make. I've also had an offer from a wonderful person to teach me how to knit. the think I love about home made, is the imagination can run wild. its not what you spend on a present, its the effort and love that's gone into a gift. its from the heart.

I have also found myself doing a $21 challenge without even trying. for those of you that don't know what a $21 challenge is, its only spending $21 for the week to do your shopping. you make do with what's in your pantry, fridge and freezer for the week. it really is amazing what can be found in the depths of your cupboards and freezer. we've eaten really well over the last few days. We had Chicken burgers Tuesday night, Wednesday night was roast lamb with all the trimmings. Tonight's dinner was spaghetti bolognaise and peach turn overs for dessert. I'm pretty sure we can eat the rest of the year from the freezer, and some of January as well.

I even had my first harvest from my veggie garden, 2 very yummy zucchini's, we had one steamed the other night with the roast.

Its not a lot, but its a start and so satisfying to be able to eat something you grew.

I have also worked and adjusted my new budget for January. I have worked out how much I need to earn, sell, or how ever I can make for each month to achieve my goals. Its a very challenging goal, but I will achieve it.

With school holidays approaching fast, I have also been thinking of things to do with the kids so they don't complain that they're bored. So I have decided that were going to go to the Werribee Zoo and Healesville sanctuary and the Melbourne Zoo. We're going to have a day trip to Melbourne and go to the museum, and the city circle tram and what ever other places we can do that's free. Now all of these activities are free. (all Vic zoos are free to children on school holidays, and I have a companion card as 1 of my children has special needs, so I get in free too) we will take our own food and drinks with us to all activities as well. we will also go to parks, gardens and picnic areas, and oddly enough my kids love going to op-shops and recycling centres. Bonus there is you never know what you may find (items for my gifts)

Now I just have to wait for Christmas to be over so I can really get stuck into things.

Let it begin!

What a year it has been this year. Life has had its ups and downs this year, a lot more downs than ups unfortunately. but I'm planning on turning that around next year. I'm going to throw myself into life and a heap of personal challenges. I'm going to undertake a year of no spending on anything that's not necessary. so that means no take aways, no late night shopping channels, nothing.

this year we have decided to concentrate of being completely debt free. so I will be documenting our year in this blog. i want to be as frugal as possible, but still not hamper on the kids. i want them to have fun and enjoy the year.

theres many things i want to achieve this year, and the no spend year will be the basis of achieving it all. so to start with:

1. be well on the way to debt free by the end of the year (to only have the car to finish paying off after the end of the year)

2. to be at my goal weight and healthy and happy.

3. home made year for all gifts that we give others

4. to learn a few new skills.

5. anything that needs to be replaced, the money has to be found elsewhere, not out of the budget.

6. organisation. finish with my organisation rampage. to have everything working well and everything easy to find. makes for much easier time at keeping on track with all other goals.

7. get a new and more reliable job!!

8. have an emergency fund

I will have a few pre-planned buys that I will be making, which will make life easier and or cheaper.

1. new freezer (will sell my current 700lt chest freezer and get a smaller upright) will be more energy efficient. money from selling old freezer will go to it, as well as selling other items to make up the difference.

2. new bed for DS11, (will sell his current one to get a smaller bed, current bed is way to big) will only need to add about $200 towards is.

3. Fans, I'm going to have fans installed in the back 2 rooms. (this is also why I need a smaller bed)

4. tow bar for my new car.

so fun free things to do with my kids is to access all the Victorian zoos as much as possible Kids are free on weekends and holidays and with my companion card (my son has special needs), it makes me free too. explore Melbourne and see what we can do that's free, my DS14 has a disabled sticker, and I know places in the city I can park free and we can use the free city circle tram and bus. we can go on picnics and explore parks and bush lands.

a lot of my budget is unchangeable, but the one thing that is changeable is my food budget. so through the course of the year we will be doing a lot to make this as cheap as possible. I have a few challenges here though, as I now have a type 1 diabetic child and I myself am trying to lose weight.

so after Christmas and before new years I will be making a lot of plans and sorting out budgets and ideas. also have to work on my gift ideas as well, so I'm ready to go on the 1st of Jan 2014. and I hope through the course of the year I can inspire a few other to join in with me, even if its to make just a few changes to improve your life and finances.