Events & Outings

There are many FREE events in our town. We go to some of them for inexpensive entertainment. This allows us to take part in fun activities individually or as a family while saving our money for mortgage, travel, retirement and the important things in life.

Recently we went to a Easter Egg Hunt and Fun Day offered by the City Council. This was so much fun for Dolly who was loaded up with chocolates, lollies, bandanna, wallet, stickers and other small gifts. There were craft stations, face painting, jumping castles, waterslides and outdoor play activities. We participated in many of the choices available. It was all FREE.

We spent over 3 hours at the event and kept our spending down by bringing our own packed lunch and water bottles. I wanted our lunch to be a treat too so I splurged on fresh baguette, smoked ham and cornichons. We had 1 large generously filled sandwich, a fruit each and a large bag of chips to share. The cost was $8AUS for the 3 of us. A bargain compared to the usual food available at community events and no waiting in long hot queues for greasy selections.

I'm interested to know are you taking advantage of FREE events in the area you live in? What about packed lunches? Do you find yourself going to events with your own food or buying something there because bringing your lunch is too hard or maybe you want to support small local businesses?

Remember to keep having fun, even in frugality :-)

Stephanie at Frugal Down Under.

Junk Food Dinner & Great Homemade Lunch

Hello everyone. Thanks for popping in and reading about my highs and lows in my frugal eco quest. I love comments and questions so feel free to click on the comment link. I enjoy Blogging, its a fun creative outlet and as for reading blogs - It's bordering on an addiction!!! But I learn so much from everyone and take on some peoples tips into my own life. So thanks for being readers and thanks also to those who have blogs, this is a very cool community to be part of.

Tonight we ate rubbish. We had McDonald's. We wasted our money and health. But we don't do this weekly as we used to. It's roughly a once a month affair now. I should put it on the calendar to keep real tabs on it and make sure I'm not tricking myself. Since we started the 40 minute clean up every night, better calendars and organisation are becoming possible and achievable.

Even though our dinner was rubbish we did have nice lunches to take to work and school. I make quick easy simple sushi in just a few minutes. I simplified the recipe and made it super basic. I just filled the Nori Rolls with rice (sprinkle of vinegar), tinned tuna and mayonnaise (with a dash of chilli for the adults). Dolly was so thrilled she said "No ones ever taken sushi to school in their lunch box! I'm going to be the first one ever!!!" I also added a snake bean and some berries from the Botanical Gardens for vitamin and colour in her sweet 2 tiered lunch box from Grandma.

Child size portion for Dolly.

Pleasing my family makes me happy. And pleasing myself with some inexpensive sushi for lunch is an extra bonus.

Any quick simplified exotic delights in your lunch boxes or dinner table?

Check Your Docket!

Today I went to work with some chopped fruit for my gluttonous snacking habit.

Kiwi fruit, apple and pear.

I also purchased veggies for a salad. I used 2 zuchinis, 2 carrots, half an avacado, 1 tomato and a dash of left over olive oil from a jar of feta cheese. Similar to yesterday except an extra carrot, only half an avocado and no lemon, to cut my cost down.

Trying to keep it healthy and delicious.

I always try to give myself a moment to check my docket before I leave any store, because there are often errors and today was no exception. My 500gm bag of baby carrots was supposed to be $1 on special - but it scanned for $1.45. When I took them to the service desk I received a full refund for my item due to store error. I love this store policy and I am willing to take full advantage of it.

Free Carrots.

Due to the refund and budgeting; today my Lunch only cost cost me $2.05 and I'm still focusing on getting healthy and happy again as I know food is linked to my physical wellbeing and moods too. I'm Feeling like a Winner already!

Do you check your Dockets before you leave the store?

Bouncing Myself Up.

I Hit 70 followers last week!!! Who would have ever thought people would read my ramblings. Thank you so much for following and also thank you to those of you who don't have blogger accounts and yet read me too. You all keep me encouraged to keep saving my pennies for the good stuff in life.

I also want to say a big Hello and Happy You Are Still Here to my readers from the Irene hit areas. I think we will also be in for big ones this year (cyclones) and can fully empathise when the wind strikes your town.

Now back to ME, the red faced shamed me, the big spender me, the money grows on trees me. Last week was a very bad week for the pennies. I bought pastry, snacks and takeaway nearly every workday from the supermarket and restaurants downstairs from my job. Not only am I overweight and not in my prime of health but really that $10 a day in junk and take out is a HUGE waste of money. Why have I been doing it??? I'll tell you..... It's been bit of gluttony, a feeling of overwhelm at work, dissatisfied here and there, over committed, busy with family, aching back dragging me down and maybe a bit depressed too. But waking up to my negativity is the 1st step to getting off the spend and eat ride I've been on and a new week is here to start afresh and be motivated.

Today being Monday was a fresh start and I got myself together. I wrote a list of manageable things to do. I organised a plan. I decluttered a little at home. I looked at my growing savings (feels good) and I made myself the best lunch at work for only $4.

When I take photos in the lunchroom - I'm sure people think I'm totally wackorama.

My Wackorama Super Healthy and Delicious Lunch.

I'm already feeling better and more in control already. Weight has lifted from my shoulders and I'm going to fill my next few days with healthy food, some exercise, feel good library books and ticks on my To Do list.

Do you feel you loose control sometimes too? Do you anything in particular to get your motivation back?

Dolly's First Lunch Box

My 4 year old Dolly went back to preschool yesterday after a 4 week holiday. She now has to take a lunch box to school each day with a few items to snack on for morning tea. She was sooooooo excited to take a lunch box with her.

Here is what I packed:

• A vegemite and cheese sandwich cut into a mickey mouse shape.
• Half an apple sliced.
• 3 small pieces of blue cheese.
• 1 snake bean.

She ate the sandwich and snake bean. The other items she left untouched. I am determined to not fall prey to all those glossy overpacked kids lunchbox treats. However I have been trying to purchase a bento egg/rice mould. I have been unsuccessful here in my town and have decided to buy a few items from Ebay to use during Dolly's primary school years. The choice is overwhelming and it may take me time to decide what to purchase. I hope to graduate to cute but healthy Bento lunch boxes.

Morning Tea filled Lunchbox.

For myself I took some spag bol to the office for lunch. I included Dolly's sandwich leftover cutouts from her shaped sandwich. Minimal waste, as I challenge myself each day to be resourceful.

Do you pack someone else's lunch or just your own? What do you include?

Just had to share BENTO !

In a few weeks I will need to prepare a healthy snack box for Dolly's school morning tea. Some of these are just so cute. Wouldn't it be fab to have the time and skills to do this for your loved ones lunch boxes everyday!

Officemade Lunch Cheaper then Takeaway

Here's another week of groovy lunches in the office tea room with view on the sea.

Left overs from last week pulled out of the fridge.

Left overs good to eat.

New purchases I made in my Monday lunch break for $13.70.

Sweet, savoury and fruity too.

The lot grouped together makes fulfilling lunches with special treats to prevent those junk food purchases that I always crave and cave in to.

Satisfying food. A bit of healthy and a bit of junk.

And voila, my daily lunches this week will look somewhat like this for the tiny sum of $2.74 per day (I may need to buy one .60 bread roll on Friday).

$2.74!!!! That's a Bargain.

It's not hard to eat this way now that I have fallen into a habit and I'm enjoying the personal challenge.

• I search the specials and mark downs. 
• I compare ingredients (today I found the cheaper Coles brand juice has the same ingredients as the Just Juice brand juice). 
• It only takes me 20 minutes of my 60 minute lunch break to shop and pay once a week for my lunch ingredients. 
• Making my lunches with everything on hand only takes me 5 minutes (I have discovered not spreading butter is a great time saver).
• Stocking everything at work saves me from my forgetfulness.

I'm saving a pretty penny with this new way of doing my lunches. Previously I often forgot my lunch box at home quite and resorted to buying a quick fix lunch out of frustration. Doing all these little money saving life changes means saving for an earlier retirement and enjoying my life by spending on things that count to me such as paying off our mortgage extra early, travel, education and Dolly.

I forgot my shopping bags at home this time!! But... Drum roll please... I took my own pre-used plastic bag from my desk that once held a computer. Yeah!!!!

How are you going so far with your lunches this week? Are you avoiding takeout or falling prey? Do you have a love relationship with all things chocolate like me?

Frugal But Not Eco, Luxury Lunch at Work

This week I spent $18.05 on 5 workday lunches.

I even purchased "luxury" items for my lunch such as the biscuits, orange juice, spiced cucumbers and savoury broad bean snacks as I have been feeling in need of a perk. In the aim preventing myself from craving and buying takeaway and junk food at hiked up prices.

I purchased a French Stick, Pears, Tomatoes, Carrots, Meat Spread, Broad Beans Snack, Biscuits, Spiced Cucumbers and a container of Juice. I had 2 left over kiwi fruits from the previous week, so they were also included.

My lunches this week cost $3.61 each. Much more frugal then takeaway even with all my additional goodies. However this is definitely not a eco lunch as everything here is imported to my region and has travelled many kilometres to get here. Plus there is nothing eco about manufactured meats, biscuits in plastic wrap and processed juice. It's hard to create a guilt free meal when trying to be kind to my environment and juggle the demands of full time work, a child and the many activities I am part of.

I may run out of bread and need to purchase a lone roll on Friday. One bread roll costs 60 cents so will still stay within my aim of lunch for under $20.

I forgot my re-useable bags at my desk once again!!! I had to accept a plastic bag as I had too much to carry and my handbag wasn't large enough to hold many groceries. I hold my head in shame. I will try harder next time to be the organised person I wish to be.

Being organised and prepared allows my brain to be more reflective, wise and eco. Are you eco and wise?

Stephanie @ Frugal Down Under.