Whoo hoo! I've saved $3,000 since Feb and it didnt affect our standard of living!!

Well I've done it - I've saved back the money spent on my pets surgery - $3,000 in 5 months!  The plan was to now go ahead and get the bathroom renovated but as we are about to take an extended holiday . . . . well lets see how much extra $$ are in the 'kitty' at the end of the trip.

So here we go, I promised my self I wasnt going to do another entry until the final $496.50 had been saved - so I will start with the modest savings, and keep going on all that's been saved in the last 2 and a half weeks.  Here we go . . .

#71 - $10 saved on hiring DVD's from the State library rather than Video City.  I dont think I'll send Video City broke, but there are some good finds in the State library - and they are totally free

#72 - the spring flowers are now in - even though we are into the thick of winter and every other person seems stricken with the flu.  The mornings are chilly with frost in the yard and snow on the mountain - but the spring flowers - daffodils, eggs and bacon, camilias are optomistic reminders that the spring is coming!  I've saved $25 over the last 2 weeks by finding flowers in the garden, and around the neighbourhood (over the fence).

#73 - I'm still avoiding the bakery - the kids dont even ask anymore - this saves around $15 / week, so $30

#74 - early pickups from childcare over the last week have saved around $25 (picking up 1 minute after 5 costs an extra 30 minutes than 1 minute before 1 x 2 kids - it all adds up!)

#75 - reduced BIKRUM classes again - I've been really enjoying spin classes and bike riding in general - I've missed 3 classes in the last 2 weeks, but 1 was because I was away - so 2 missed classes = $32

#76 - sold some clutter - 1 unused cot (unused for 8 months or so), and 1 bassinet (unused for 3 and half years!!!!)  I was offered less than my asking price, but I help firm and now have $210 in my pocket and more space in the house

#77 - compared business insurance and saved $80 over 2 years (and feel I got a better policy more importantly)

#78 - soft drinks - prepurchased in can form - saves $3 / day instead of buying from the shop - over 3 weeks thats $42

#79 - I went to Melbourne for a business seminar.  I find any kind of jaunt away from home can really blow a load of cash, but with a bit of planning you can save hundreds.  This is what I saved - and these are real savings, because I'm comparing things to they way I used to do things before I decided to claw this money back
I used to taxi to accom - now I bus - saved $33 each way - $66
I used to buy breakfast - now I take muslea with me  saved $10 / day - $20
I'd usually eat out somewhere nice - I got a more than satisfactory dinner for less than $20, so I probably saved $20
(I travelled late, to save 1 meal altogether)
I took my own tea and travel mug - saving $4 / day $8
(and I won $11 at Crown Casino - but I wont count that :))
                                                                                                  $$114 - over 2 days!
Ironically saving money was one of the topics covered at the course - the pay for the next course . . . . I told the presenter I had been blogging ways to save $$ for months now.  He looked at me as if I was nuts!!


NUTS I MIGHT BE BUT I HAVE DONE IT!!  I'VE SAVED OVER $3,000 IN 5 MONTHS, WHICH I MIGHT ADD WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO PAYING FOR THE NEXT COURSE, A NEW BATHROOM, AN AWESOME ADDITION TO A BRILLIANT HOLIDAY, OR SURGERY FOR YOUR BELOVED PET.  The choice is ours, the money is there!

As I sit hear I can hear the contented purr of my 3 legged cat - I really can.  She has a wonderful life, she is much more pampered now - we baby her, brush her, buy her favorite food (which happens to be chicken necks which is great for her health) and generally enjoy her alot more than before she got sick.  I hate my old bathroom, but I love my cat!