Febusave

Have you heard about Febusave?

 I signed up towards the beginning of the month and have been meaning to do a post on it all month.  So here I am almost at the end, so I may as well do a round up for you and so I have a copy for myself for reference in the future.

I made a deal with myself this year that I would not spend money on wool or material that I did not need.  I even walked in to Spotlight the other day and only walked out with elastic and three meters of cord.The credit card, storage boxes and my husband are all thanking me. (Could have saved up to about $100 as all of the summer stock was marked down this month)

Tangled Yarns have been trying hard to get me to part with my money with 10% off a special thing every Friday. Although I did make a purchase this Friday - but there is a certain husband having a birthday next month and I have plans for it straight away (well as soon as I have it in my hot little hands) (Saving of about $200 - there has been a few things that have tempted me, Sorry Kelly)

We have not had takeaway for the month. We did go out for dinner the other night - but that was a special treat.  We have done a few different things that have been fun.  Picnic dinner with home made pizza on the lounge room floor.  A play and bbq at the park. (the potential to be once a week and then lunch after church $200)

We went camping.  A cheap family holiday and everyone had fun.  And when we looked at it, Yes we had the extra cost of a tank of fuel, but if we did stay home we would have ended up at a shopping centre and bought something that we really did not need and then lunch.

I have been very organised and have been managing to stick to a menu. This is great and I still have a long way to go.  The next task is to work out where I can use the rest of the greek yogurt or celery etc before it gets forgotten in the fridge and goes off.  This also means that I am not at the shops all of the time and tempted by other things.
Another thing that I have been doing is taking a lunch box with treats in it from home.  So when the kids start with the "Mum, I'm hungry" they have something to eat and I am not grabbing something extra. (Savings unknow -  but feels good)

I have found a great local butcher and fruit and vege shop (who offer vouchers that you print off and take in eg.Monday and Tuesday - 10% off of your fresh produce) and the freezer is stocked with meat (if you need mince or silverside I am your girl (I grabbed both for $3.99 a kilo last week and have 5kg of each in the freezer)  We also have a milk man that drives past twice a week and if I know that I am close to running out of milk I grab it off of him.  It is a little more expensive (we are only talking about 10 or 20 cents, but by the time I get the kids in the car and drive to the closest shop it would cost me more than that in fuel) (Savings from shopping on a Mon or Tuesday $20 for the month + meat savings + fuel)

I have not managed to get to the local knitting group for the past few weeks due to DH's work and AGM meetings for different things.  The $15 that I would have spent of a coffee and cake has been going away in a little spot for safe keeping (I am hoping to get to a crafty meetup with other mums in a few months)  (Savings of $60)

Dh has been taking his lunch to work a few times a week (left overs or salads and cold cuts) (A saving of approx $100)
I am also a huge iced coffee drinker and instead of buying a premixed one I have bought a bottle of bickfords iced coffee mix and make my own at home before heading out. (Savings of approx $15)

I am also enjoying finding activities to do with the kids that cost nothing or very little.  There is a Kidsports program here that is run once a week and is funded by the council.  There is a large variety of parks around us and many libraries (not only free aircon on a hot day, but I have also borrowed a large selection of the Burda Style Mags, and I have managed to take them back on time thanks to signing up for the email notification that lets me know that they are due back in the next three days as the fines are a killer)

So, I think that I have done well (rather we have done well as a family)  I would like to keep doing this for the year and see how much we can save.  A family holiday to the snow would be nice in a year or two and how nice would it be if I funded it all on the little extra savings that I can make here and there) And lets not forget about the Happy Points (will do a post on those a little later)